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V Turk

Publications and source records attributed to V Turk.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Folding and activation of human procathepsin S from inclusion bodies produced in Escherichia coli.

Human procathepsin S was produced in the form of insoluble inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli using an inducible T7-based expression system. After cell disruption, the dissolved inclusion body proteins were S-sulphonated with 2-nitro-5-thiosulphobenzoate and purified by gel filtration. Recombinant procathepsin S was renatured at pH 7.6 by a two-step dilution which significantly increased the yield of production compared to single-step dilution. The proenzyme was autocatalytically processed to active cathepsin S at pH 4.5 in the presence of an excess of cysteine and catalytic amounts of dextran sulphate. Most of the loss of procathepsin S occurred during folding, probably because of aggregation. Concentrations lower than 20 microgram/ml of procathepsin S were necessary to minimise such aggregation. The recombinant cathepsin S was catalytically active on fluorogenic substrates and had kinetic properties similar to those of recombinant enzyme produced in yeast. The expression, renaturation, and activation procedures used enable the production of up to 2 mg of catalytically active recombinant human cathepsin S/l fermentation broth.

Base Sequence↗

Characterization of cystatin C from bovine parotid glands: cysteine proteinase inhibition and antiviral properties.

Cystatin C, a low Mr cysteine proteinase inhibitor was isolated from bovine parotid glands by a procedure which includes alkaline treatment of the homogenate, affinity chromatography, gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. The purified inhibitor has a pl of 8.0 and Mr of 14500. The identity with bovine cystatin C from colostrum was confirmed by N-terminal sequence of the inhibitor and amino acid composition. Cystatin C rapidly (kass = 5.5 x 10(7) M-1s-1) and tightly inhibits papain (Ki = 0.02 nM), whereas its interaction with bovine cathepsin B is substantially weaker (Ki = 4.4 nM). Bovine cystatin C also shows a weak antiviral effect on poliovirus infected human Hela cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inhibition of bovine cathepsins L and S by stefins and cystatins.

Inhibition of bovine cathepsins L and S by bovine stefin B, human stefins A and B and cystatin C was studied under pseudo-first-order conditions by continuous fluorimetric assay. All inhibitors formed very tight complexes with the enzymes (Ki < or = 29 pM). The binding was reversible (kdiss = 0.52 - 16.7 x 10(-4) s-1) and very fast (kass = 2.8 - 6.2 x 10(7) M-1 S-1). Cystatin C was the strongest inhibitor of the enzymes, but the affinity was too tight to be measured accurately by this method. Consistently weaker inhibition of cathepsin S by all the stefins is apparent due mainly to the higher dissociation rate constants.

Animals↗

Oligomeric structure and substrate induced inhibition of human cathepsin C.

Cathepsin C has been purified from human kidney by a modified procedure. Human cathepsin C was isolated as pure protein with a pI close to 6.0. The enzyme was shown to have a molecular mass of 200 kDa and to consist of four identical subunits, each composed of three different polypeptide chains, two of them disulfide-bound. Their NH2-terminal amino acid sequences were determined. Two chains showed pronounced similarity with the heavy and light chains of other papain-like cysteine proteinases, whereas the third one corresponded to the prosequence of the enzyme, thus showing that a substantial part of the proregion remains bound in the mature enzyme. The kinetics of substrate hydrolysis deviated substantially from standard Michaelis-Menten kinetics, demonstrating substrate inhibition at higher substrate concentrations. These data are explained by a sequential cooperative interaction model, where an enzyme molecule can bind up to four substrate molecules but where only the binary enzyme-substrate complex is catalytically active. Substrate inhibition was observed over the whole range of pH activity. From the pH activity profile it can be concluded that at least three ionizable groups with pKa values 4.2, 6.8, and 7.7 are involved in substrate hydrolysis. Human cathepsin C thus appears to differ qualitatively from other cysteine proteinases of different origin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inhibition of cruzipain, the major cysteine proteinase of the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, by proteinase inhibitors of the cystatin superfamily.

Cruzipain, the major cysteine proteinase from Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, purified to a sequentially pure form, exists in multiple forms with pI values between 3.7 and 5.1, and an apparent molecular mass of 41 kDa. The enzyme is stable between pH 4.5-9.5. Cruzipain was found to be rapidly and tightly inhibited by various protein inhibitors of the cystatin superfamily (kass = 1.7-79 x 10(6) M-1s-1, Kd = 1.4-72 pM). These results suggest a possible defensive role for the host's cystatins after parasite infection, and may be of use for the design of new therapeutic drugs.

Animals↗

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of human preprocathepsin C.

A cDNA clone (C1) coding for human preprocathepsin C was isolated from a human ileum cDNA library using a rat kidney-derived RT-PCR probe and its complete nucleotide sequence determined. The full-length 1857 bp sequence codes for a protein of 463 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 51848 Da. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with that of rat preprocathepsin C indicates an 87.5% identity. A multiple alignment of the deduced cathepsin C sequence of 233 residues which, by analogy to other cystein proteinases, corresponds to the mature protein, confirms that human cathepsin C belongs to the papain superfamily.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The preparation of catalytically active human cathepsin B from its precursor expressed in Escherichia coli in the form of inclusion bodies.

A cDNA clone encoding human procathepsin B was expressed at a high level in Escherichia coli using a T7 polymerase expression system, resulting in the formation of insoluble cytoplasmic protein aggregates (inclusion bodies). The recombinant product was solubilized and renatured by refolding and reoxidation. The proenzyme was subsequently processed with pepsin to produce an enzymically active enzyme. By systematic variation of the parameters influencing the folding, formation of disulphide bonds, and processing of procathepsin B to the catalytically active mature form, a simple renaturation procedure was designed, allowing the production of about 3 mg purified active cathepsin B/l E. coli culture broth. The enzyme obtained in this way consists of a single chain and, as a consequence of pepsin treatment, possesses a three-amino-acid extension at its N-terminus. The enzyme has similar kinetic and immunological properties to native human cathepsin B.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crystal structure of cathepsin B inhibited with CA030 at 2.0-A resolution: A basis for the design of specific epoxysuccinyl inhibitors.

Crystals of cysteine protease human cathepsin B inhibited with CA030 (ethyl ester of epoxysuccinyl-Ile-Pro-OH) [Murata, M., et al. (1991) FEBS Lett. 280, 307-310; Towatari, T., et al. (1991) FEBS Lett. 280, 311-315] were isomorphous to a previous published structure of cathepsin B [Musil, D., et al. (1991) EMBO J. 10, 2321-2330]. The crystal structure of the complex was refined at 2.0-A resolution to an R-value of 0.194. CA030 is well-defined in the electron density. The Ile-Pro-OH part of CA030 mimics a substrate P1' and P2' residues. The structure thus reveals for the first time a substratelike interaction in the S1' and S2' sites of a papain-like cysteine protease. The CA030 ethyl ester group occupies the S2 site. The structure confirms the role of residues His 110 and His 111 as the receptors of a peptidic substrate C-terminal carboxylic group. The structure suggests that an epoxysuccinyl fragment can be used to extend binding into primed and nonprimed substrate binding sites of a papain-like cysteine protease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of bovine stefin A, a novel protein inhibitor of cysteine proteinases.

For the first time, three different stefins, A, B and C, have been isolated from a single species. The complete amino acid sequence of bovine stefin A was determined. The inhibitor, with a calculated M(r) of 11,123, consists of 98 amino acid residues. Although it exhibits considerable similarity to human and rat stefin A, some significant differences in inhibition kinetics were found. Bovine stefin A bound tightly and rapidly to cathepsin L (kass = 9.6 x 10(6) M-1.s-1, Ki = 29 pM). The binding to cathepsin H was also rapid (kass = 2.1 x 10(6) M-1.s-1), but weaker (Ki = 0.4 nM) due to a higher dissociation rate constant. In contrast, the binding to cathepsin B was much slower (kass = 1.4 x 10(5) M-1.s-1), but still tight (Ki = 1.9 nM).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The three-dimensional solution structure of human stefin A.

The three-dimensional solution structure of recombinant human stefin A has been determined by a simulated annealing protocol using a total of 1113 distance and angle constraints obtained from 1H and 15N HMR spectroscopy. The solution structure is represented by a family of 17 conformers with an average root-mean-square deviation relative to the mean structure of 0.44 A for backbone atoms and 0.94 A for all heavy atoms for the main body of the structure. The protein has a well-defined global fold consisting of five anti-parallel beta-strands wrapped around a central five-turn alpha-helix. There is considerable similarity between the structural features of free stefin A in solution and the X-ray structure of the homologous protein stefin B in its complex with papain, but there are also some important differences in the regions which are fundamental to proteinase binding. The differences consist primarily of two regions of high conformational heterogeneity in free stefin A which correspond in stefin B to two of the components of the tripartite wedge that docks into the active site of the target proteinase. These regions, which are shown to be mobile in solution, are the five N-terminal residues and the second binding loop. In the bound conformation of stefin B they form a turn and a short helix, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

High-affinity binding of two molecules of cysteine proteinases to low-molecular-weight kininogen.

Human low-molecular-weight kininogen (LK) was shown by fluorescence titration to bind two molecules of cathepsins L and S and papain with high affinity. By contrast, binding of a second molecule of cathepsin H was much weaker. The 2:1 binding stoichiometry was confirmed by titration monitored by loss of enzyme activity and by sedimentation velocity experiments. The kinetics of binding of cathepsins L and S and papain showed the two proteinase binding sites to have association rate constants kass,1 = 10.7-24.5 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 and kass,2 = 0.83-1.4 x 10(6) M-1 s-1. Comparison of these kinetic constants with previous data for intact LK and its separated domains indicate that the faster-binding site is also the tighter-binding site and is present on domain 3, whereas the slower-binding, lower-affinity site is on domain 2. These results also indicate that there is no appreciable steric hindrance for the binding of proteinases between the two binding sites or from the kininogen light chain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Regulation of the activity of lysosomal cysteine proteinases by pH-induced inactivation and/or endogenous protein inhibitors, cystatins.

The kinetics of pH-induced inactivation of human cathepsins B and L was studied by conventional and stopped-flow methods. The inactivation of both enzymes was found to be an irreversible, first-order process. The inactivation rate constants increased exponentially with pH for both enzymes. From log kinac vs pH plots, 3.0 and 1.7 protons were calculated to be desorbed for pH-induced inactivation of cathepsins L and B. Cathepsin B was thus substantially more stable than cathepsin L (approximately 15-fold at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C). Cathepsin B was efficiently inhibited by cystatin C at pH 7.4, whereas the inhibition by stefin B and high molecular weight kininogen was only moderate. In contrast, cathepsin L was efficiently inhibited by both chicken cystatin and stefin B at this pH kass approximately 3.3 x 10(7) m-1 s-1).

Animals↗

Expression of full-length human procathepsin L cDNA in Escherichia coli and refolding of the expression product.

From human embrional lung fibroblasts mRNA was obtained and converted to cDNA. The procathepsin L coding region was amplified by PCR, inserted into pALTER and, after checking the nucleotide sequence, transferred into pET81F1+. Procathepsin L was expressed by induction of recombinant E. coli strain BL21[DE3](pLysS) with IPTG and was found to be deposited into inclusion bodies. These were isolated and solubilized in guanidinium hydrochloride. The soluble proteins were sulphonated and procathepsin L was obtained after gel filtration. Purified proenzyme was refolded by dialysis and autoactivated into a form of the expected size and enzymatic activity against a fluorogenic substrate.

Base Sequence↗

Lysosomal proteases cathepsins D, B, H, L and their inhibitors stefins A and B in head and neck cancer.

In cytosols of tumour and normal tissue of 53 patients suffering from head and neck carcinoma cathepsins D, B, H and L were measured using quantitative immunoreactive assays (ELISA). The values of cathepsins D, B and L were significantly higher in tumour tissue, whereas cathepsin H concentration was lower in tumour than in normal tissue. Median cathepsin D values were 27 pmol (tumour tissue) vs. 12 pmol (normal tissue) per mg of total protein, median cathepsin B values were 1.25 micrograms/mg (tumour tissue) vs. 0.23 micrograms/mg (normal tissue) and median cathepsin L values were 39.8 ng/mg (tumour tissue) vs. 20.0 ng/mg (normal tissue). Median cathepsin H values were 1.05 micrograms/mg and 2.20 micrograms/mg for tumour and normal tissue, respectively. Additionally, stefin A and stefin B were measured in tumour and normal tissue samples. In contrast to the cathepsins, the concentrations of these inhibitors of cysteine proteinases was not significantly different between tumour and normal samples. The concentrations of cathepsins D, B, H and L and stefins A and B measured in head and neck tumours, were independent of standard clinical and histological prognostic factors. Significant correlation of tumour tissue values was observed between cathepsins B and L and between both stefins.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Molecular cloning and identification of a novel porcine cathelin-like antibacterial peptide precursor.

A novel clone (C6) encoding the precursor of a 79-residue proline/arginine-rich antibacterial peptide prophenin was isolated from a porcine bone marrow cDNA library. Its deduced N-terminal propart shows 84% identity with cathelin. Additionally, two cathelin isoforms were isolated from peripheral porcine blood and their N-termini sequenced. The sequence of one isoform corresponds to the cathelin sequence, whereas that of the other protein is identical to the propeptide of C6 clone. Western blot analysis of total proteins from porcine and human bone marrow using polyclonal antibodies against cathelin revealed the presence of immunochemically related high molecular mass proteins of about 30 kDa in both samples, whereas low molecular mass proteins of approximately 12 kDa, corresponding to isolated cathelin, were not detected in human bone marrow.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human cathepsin B is a metastable enzyme stabilized by specific ionic interactions associated with the active site.

The effect of neutral or alkaline pH on cathepsin B activity and structure was investigated. An irreversible loss of activity, accompanied by large structural changes, was observed at pH > or = 7.0. The high activation energy of 183.5 kJ mol-1, calculated for the inactivation process, is in good agreement with structural changes observed by circular dichroism. Both the pH-induced inactivation and the pH-induced unfolding of cathepsin B were found to be first-order processes, exponentially increasing with increasing pH of the solution. The good agreement of the rate constants of inactivation and unfolding of the enzyme indicates an important structure-function relationship. Cathepsin B was also found to be destabilized both by increasing ionic strength and organic solvent content.

Binding Sites↗

Compactness of the molten globule in comparison to unfolded states as observed by size-exclusion chromatography.

The volumes of elution of denatured states of four proteins at high urea (8 M) and ethylurea (6 M) concentration were determined. They were found equally unfolded in both solvents. The volumes of elution of the unfolded states were compared to those of the native states and of some molten globule intermediates. It has been shown that the protein proteinase inhibitor stefin B, exhibits 'molten globule'-like properties on acid denaturation. The high salt acidic intermediate (a molten globule) as well as the native state of stefin B eluted as dimers, at 18 degrees C. On thermal denaturation above 42 degrees C, the intermediate dissociated into compact monomers. The more stable stefin A, which is monomeric and does not transform into molten globule intermediates under similar perturbing conditions, was always used for comparison. The states of both, stefin A and B in 50% methanol were found to be monomeric and of native-like compactness.

Chromatography, Gel↗