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Post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV) from lamb kidney. Purification and some enzymatic properties.

Post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (dipeptidylpeptide hydrolase, EC 3.4.14.1), also known as glycylprolyl beta-naphthylamidase or dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV, was isolated and purified in an overall yield of 20% from autolyzed extracts of lamb kidney by CM-cellulose and column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and Sephadex G-200. Purified enzyme was homogeneous by disc gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugal analysis and was most active at pH 7.8 using Gly-Pro beta-napthylamide as substrate. The Km values for Gly-Pro beta-naphthylamide and Ala-Ala beta-naphthylamide were 0.63 and 0.77 mM, respectively. The proline-containing peptides were hydrolysed more than 10-fold faster. By isoelectric focusing a pI of 4.9 was determined. The enzyme was estimated to be 230 000 +/- 15 000 by the sedimentation equilibrium method and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicating that the enzyme is composed of two identical subunits with molecular weights of 115 000. It was inhibited by the active-site directed, irreversible inhibitor diisopropylphosphorofluorofluoridate. Post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase, in contrast to the endopeptidase post-proline cleaving enzyme [9,10] (Walter R. (1976) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 422, 138-158, and Koida, M. and Walter, R. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 7593-7599) exhibits no endopeptidase activity. Instead it is an exopeptidase with a high specificity for NH2-terminal-free peptides containing a proline residue in the penultimate position and releases the dipeptide with proline being the COOH-terminal moiety. The name "post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase" is suggested.

Animals↗

L-proline is an essential amino acid for hepatocyte growth in culture.

For improvement of the culture conditions of adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture in collagen coated dishes, effects of various commercial culture media on the induction of replicative DNA synthesis of the cells stimulated by insulin plus epidermal growth factor were studied. Proline-deficient media, such as Leibovitz's L-15, Eagle's minimal essential medium and Dulbecco's modified minimal essential medium, did not induce DNA synthesis in hepatocytes, whereas proline-rich media, such as Williams medium E, McCoy's 5A and Ham's F-12, induced markedly hepatocyte proliferation. Moreover, when the proline-deficient media were supplemented with L-proline, the cells synthesized DNA in response to the two hormones. Cis-4-hydroxyl-L-proline strongly inhibited the induction of DNA synthesis, without affecting protein synthesis of the cells or showing any cytotoxicity. This inhibition was recovered completely by adding excess proline to the medium. Addition of other amino acids not present in the medium did not promote DNA synthesis. These findings indicate that L-proline is essential for induction of hepatocyte proliferation in culture, through its affect on synthesis of intracellular collagen.

Animals↗

Proline enhances primary photochemical activities in isolated thylakoid membranes of Brassica juncea by arresting photoinhibitory damage.

The presence of L-proline in the reaction mixture enhances the photosystem II (H2O----DCPIP) and whole chain (H2O----MV) catalysed electron transport activities of thylakoids isolated from the cotyledonary leaves of Brassica juncea seedlings raised in the absence and the presence of NaCl. The extent of stimulation in activities was higher in the thylakoids of NaCl raised plants than the controls. The extent of proline mediated stimulation was seen even in the presence of uncoupler NH4Cl suggesting that this stimulation is not due to uncoupling. However, photosystem I (DCPIPH2----MV) catalysed photoreaction remained almost insensitive to proline. The presence of proline in the incubation medium brought about a significant reduction in the time dependent loss in photochemical activity of thylakoids exposed to strong light suggesting that proline prevents photoinhibitory loss in chloroplast activity. Also, proline brought about a considerable reduction in the production of lipid peroxidation linked maiondialdehyde during strong illumination. We suggest that proline protects the components involved in water oxidation capacity by reducing the production of free radicals and/or scavenging the free radicals and thereby reducing thylakoid lipid peroxidation.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Proline in the cerebrospinal fluid of normal subjects and Alzheimer's-disease patients, as determined with a new double-labeling assay technique.

Past studies have implicated proline involvement in the function of memory and learning. A new micromethod has been developed that is suitable for measuring proline accurately in as little as 0.1 ml of CSF. In normal human CSF, the average proline level was found to be consistently about 1.3 microM. In the CSF of patients with Alzheimer's disease and mixed dementias, the levels of proline showed no statistically significant difference from proline levels in the CSF of normal controls. Furthermore, the proline levels in the CSF of the Alzheimer's disease patients did not reflect, consistently, the cognitive deficits or the symptomatic severity of the disease. Proline levels in CSF showed no statistically significant change with the age of individuals tested.

Adult↗

High affinity proline uptake in rat brain synaptosomes.

The uptake of L-proline by synaptosomes isolated from different regions of the brain was investigated. The highest rates of transport and the largest accumulation ratios were found in synaptosomes from the midbrain, striatum, hippocampus and hypothalamus, with lower activity in the cortex and medulla (+ pons) and lowest in the cerebellum. The high affinity, Na+-dependent proline uptake had a Km of 12 microM, a Vmax of 0.6 nmol . min-1 . mg protein-1 and the maximum accumulation ratio ( [proline]i/[proline]o) at 2 microM added radioactive amino acid was 40-50. Our results suggest that: (1) only 5-10% of the synaptosomal population accumulates proline through the high-affinity uptake; (2) the characteristics of the proline uptake system into the prolinergic nerve endings are remarkably similar to those of other amino acid neurotransmitters (GABA, aspartate and glutamate); (3) the behavior of proline is consistent with this amino acid being a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.

Animals↗

Metabolic utilization of muscular L-proline in 24-hr starved rats.

1. The aim of this paper was to study the in vivo skeletal muscle L-proline related to its destination to other key tissues such as liver and intestine as well as to give some insight into the role of blood cells in proline handling. 2. L-U-[14C]Proline was injected intramuscularly and following by sampling of blood, liver, intestine and contralateral muscle at 20 and 30 min after injection. 3. The distribution of radioactivity between blood cells and plasma and in total and individual amino acids, protein and glycogen fractions was determined in the above tissues. 4. The pattern of well fed rats was compared with those submitted to 24-hr complete starvation. 5. During starvation a minor degree of proline oxidation occurs. 6. The main destruction of proline in the liver seem to be the synthesis of proteins. 7. The radioactivity recovered in the blood proline fraction of starved rats is twice that of the fed rats and that it could be attributed mainly to plasma protein. 8. We have obtained in vivo evidence for the role of erythrocyte in the interorgan proline transport.

Animals↗

Influence of proline residues on protein conformation.

To study the influence of proline residues on three-dimensional structure, an analysis has been made of all proline residues and their local conformations extracted from the Brookhaven Protein Data bank. We have considered the conformation of the proline itself, the relative occurrence of cis and trans peptides preceding proline residues, the influence of proline on the conformation of the preceding residue and the conformations of various proline patterns (Pro-Pro, Pro-X-Pro, etc.). The results highlight the unique role of proline in determining local conformation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Pyrrolidine ring puckering in cis and trans-proline residues in proteins and polypeptides. Different puckers are favoured in certain situations.

In a set of proteins studied at high resolution by X-ray crystallography over a half of all cis and trans-proline residues could be unambiguously assigned to one of the two forms of pyrrolidine ring puckering, called UP and DOWN. Of these, 89% of the cis-proline residues exhibit the DOWN pucker, while the trans-proline residues, on average, are about evenly distributed between the two forms. Of trans-proline residues found in alpha-helices, 79% have the UP ring pucker. trans-proline residues occurring in other situations are more equally distributed between the two forms of pucker, although further generalizations may be possible. Proline residues in a set of crystal structures of short polypeptides were also examined. As in the protein sample, a tendency for the cis-proline residues to have the DOWN pucker was observed, but the effect was less pronounced.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Alterations in proline metabolic enzymes with mammalian development.

Through the use of specific radioisotopic assays, the activities of enzymes degrading and synthesizing proline were examined in rat liver and kidney as a function of development. Proline oxidase (PO), the enzyme converting proline to delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (PC), undergoes 15- and eight-fold increases in liver and kidney, respectively, as rats mature from term-fetal to adult life (6-12 wk). The differences are not due to enzyme inhibitors or activators, and kinetic analysis reveals the change to be one of greater tissue content of the same enzyme. delta 1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, which converts PC to glutamate, shows a two- to three-fold increase in both tissues, paralleling the changes in PO with development. delta 1-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (PCR), the enzyme which catalyzes the committed step in endogenous proline formation, undergoes oppositely directed changes, such that adult levels are only 20%-25% of fetal levels in liver and kidney. PO/PCR ratios are 25- to 50-fold greater in adult central tissues than they are in fetal tissues. Thus, the central tissues of adult rats appear to function as proline utilizers, whereas those of young rats are chiefly proline formers. This difference may relate to different rates of utilization of proline for protein synthesis in young and adult rats.

Aging↗

Brain glutamate inhibition and amnesia: evidence provided by proline analog action.

The action of proline and its analog as glutamate antagonists was investigated in CNS tissue of the neonatal chick. Avian brain slices were incubated in low concentrations of L-proline, D-proline, DL-3,4-dehydro-proline, L-prolyl-L-proline, or in avian physiological salt solution before depolarization was induced by application of 45 mM K+. Glutamate was determined in the efflux material collected both before and after tissue stimulation. The release of endogenous glutamate was inhibited significantly by exposure to L-proline, DL-3,4-dehydroproline and L-prolyl-L-proline. The degree of glutamate inhibition correlated with the amnestic potency of these substances. The manner in which these results strengthen the hypothesis of glutamate involvement in memory processes is discussed.

Amnesia↗

Regulation of L-proline transport in Leishmania donovani by extracellular pH.

We have previously shown that Leishmania donovani promastigotes adapted to long-term culture at acidic pH can serve as a model to study parasite development in a lysosomal-like environment. In this study we investigated the effect of growth pH on L. donovani L-proline transport systems. Reducing the pH of the growth medium causes an up to 7-fold decrease in the extent of L-proline transport. Transport resumes after switching the culture from pH 4.5 to pH 7 for 48 h by a protein synthesis-dependent process. The pH optimum for transport changes from 7.5 in promastigotes grown at pH 7 to 5.5 in cells grown at pH 4.5. In addition, kinetic analysis of L-proline transport showed that Vmax in pH 4.5-grown L. donovani promastigotes is one-tenth that of cells grown at pH 7 (4.5 and 44.7 nmol min-1 (10(8) cells)-1, respectively). The apparent Km for L-proline in pH 4.5 promastigotes is one-half of the Km in pH 7 cells (0.30 and 0.65 mM, respectively). In contrast to L-proline transport, D-glucose transport demonstrates a growth pH-independent activity: Km and Vmax as well as optimum pH of transport are similar in promastigotes grown at either pH 7 or pH 4.5. Taken together, the results indicate that in L. donovani, expression and activity of L-proline transport is regulated by culture pH. The pH-dependent expression of L-proline transporters may be of physiological significance during the promastigote-amastigote transition.

Animals↗

Inhibitory effect of neurotensin on proline.

The effect of neurotensin (NT) on proline absorption across rat jejunum was investigated using the single-pass perfusion technique. This study showed that intravenous administration of NT produced a dose-dependent inhibition of proline absorption. Thus, NT at a 0.16 pmol/kg/min concentration gave 10% decrease in proline absorption while 0.32 and 1.6 pmol/kg/min concentration gave 31% and 45% decrease, respectively. In the absence of Na, proline absorption decreased to 77% from control values. No change in proline absorption was noticed when NT at a concentration of 0.32 pmol/kg/min was intravenously injected in the absence of sodium from the perfusion solution. Water absorption did not show significant changes (P > 0.05) in presence or absence of NT. Moreover, NT did not produce a significant change (P > 0.2) in intracellular proline accumulation. NT inhibited proline absorption through an indirect mechanism that is Na-dependent and independent of changes in water absorption.

Animals↗

Proline transport by tsetse fly Glossina morsitans flight muscle mitochondria.

1. Proline accumulation by tsetse fly Glossina morsitans flight muscle mitochondria was studied in vitro by the swelling technique and direct measurement of (U-14C) proline. 2. Proline transport was inhibited by the uncharged liposoluble -SH reagent, N-ethylmaleimide but not by ionic reagent, mersalyl, suggesting that the -SH groups involved in the transport of proline are located in a hydrophobic part of the membrane or on the matrix side of the membrane. 3. The kinetic study of proline accumulation revealed saturation kinetics and a high temperature dependence. It gave a Km of 85 microM and a Vmax of 962 pmol/min/mg protein and an activation energy (Ea) of 11 kcal/mol. 4. Certain other amino acids (L-valine, L-alanine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan and L-hydroxyproline) significantly stimulated proline uptake. 5. These observations indicate that tsetse fly Glossina morsitans flight muscle mitochondria contain a proline transport mechanism.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Glial cells: possible determinants of neuronal uptake of tritiated proline.

When tritiated proline is injected into various sensory and integrative areas of the brain, it fails to be incorporated into the proteins of neuronal soma located within the injection site. In contrast, such incorporation does occur when [3H]proline is injected into dorsal root ganglia. The basis for this difference is unclear because brain and dorsal root ganglion tissue differ in configurational factors (e.g. synapses, dendrites) as well as in the embryological origin of their respective neuronal and non-neuronal cell populations. To determine if configurational factors might account for [3H]proline's incorporation into somal neuronal proteins in dorsal root ganglia, [3H]proline was injected into autonomic (pelvic and superior cervical) and sensory (dorsal root and nodose) ganglia in the rat. These ganglia differ in synaptic and cellular configurations, but have the same neural origin (neural crest). Virtually all neuronal soma were labeled in autoradiograms of all of these injection sites, suggesting that configurational factors do not account for the labeling of dorsal root ganglion neurons by [3H]proline. To address the issue of embryological origin, cellular labeling patterns after [3H]proline injection into the hypoglossal nucleus, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and the ventral horn of spinal cord were compared with those after [3H]proline injections into the adjacent solitary nucleus, gracile nucleus and central cervical nucleus of the spinal cord. The neurons in the former three nuclei (i.e. motoneurons) originate from the neural tube, but their axons are associated primarily with Schwann cells which originate from the neural crest. Although neurons in the latter three regions also originate from the neural tube, their axons are myelinated entirely by neural tube-derived glia (i.e. oligodendrocytes).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Mapping abeta amyloid fibril secondary structure using scanning proline mutagenesis.

Although the amyloid fibrils formed from the Alzheimer's disease amyloid peptide Abeta are rich in cross-beta sheet, the peptide likely also exhibits turn and unstructured regions when it becomes incorporated into amyloid. We generated a series of single-proline replacement mutants of Abeta(1-40) and determined the thermodynamic stabilities of amyloid fibrils formed from these mutants to characterize the susceptibility of different residue positions of the Abeta sequence to proline substitution. The results suggest that the Abeta peptide, when engaged in the amyloid fibril, folds into a conformation containing three highly structured segments, consisting of contiguous sequence elements 15-21, 24-28, and 31-36, that are sensitive to proline replacement and likely to include the beta-sheet portions of the fibrils. Residues relatively insensitive to proline replacement fall into two groups: (a) residues 1-14 and 37-40 are likely to exist in relatively unstructured, flexible elements extruded from the beta-sheet-rich amyloid core; (b) residues 22, 23, 29 and 30 are likely to occupy turn positions between these three structured elements. Although destabilized, fibrils formed from Abeta(1-40) proline mutants are very similar in structure to wild-type fibrils, as indicated by hydrogen-deuterium exchange and other analysis. Interestingly, however, some proline mutations destabilize fibrils while at the same time increasing the number of amide protons protected from hydrogen exchange. This suggests that the stability of amyloid fibrils, rather than being driven exclusively by the formation of H-bonded beta-sheet, is achieved, as in globular proteins, through a balance of stabilizing and destabilizing forces. The proline scanning data are most compatible with a model for amyloid protofilament structure loosely resembling the parallel beta-helix folding motif, such that each Abeta(15-36) core region occupies a single layer of a prismatic, H-bonded stack of peptides.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Proline substitutions are not easily accommodated in a membrane protein.

Proline residues are relatively common in transmembrane helices. This suggests that proline substitutions may be readily tolerated in membrane proteins, even though they invariably produce deviations from canonical helical structure. We have experimentally tested this possibility by making proline substitutions at 15 positions throughout the N-terminal half of bacteriorhodopsin helix B. We find that six of the substitutions yielded no active protein and all the others were destabilizing. Three mutations were only slightly destabilizing, however, reducing stability by about 0.5 kcal/mol, and these all occurred close to the N terminus. This result is consistent with the observation that proline is more common near the ends of TM helices. To learn how proline side-chains could be structurally accommodated at different locations in the helix, we solved the structures of a moderately destabilized mutant positioned near the N terminus of the helix, K41P, and a severely destabilized mutant positioned near the middle of the helix, A51P. The K41P mutation produced only local structural alterations, while the A51P mutation resulted in small, but widely distributed structural changes in helix B. Our results indicate that proline is not easily accommodated in transmembrane helices and that the tolerance to proline substitution is dependent, in a complex way, on the position in the structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of water stress on proline accumulation of genetically modified potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) generating fructans.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of water stress on the accumulation of proline in the leaves of transgenic potato lines generating fructans. The results of the series of bifactorial experiments in 2002 and 2003 indicated an increase of the proline level in leaves of all potato lines examined under water deficit. In addition, an increase in proline concentration during plant development was observed. The proline content was related to leaf water potential and relative water content (RWC), which indicates that proline could be involved in osmoregulation of potato plants under the experimental conditions. Surprisingly, under water deficit, the proline level was lowest in most of the transgenic SST/FFT-lines, which generate fructan molecules with a high degree of polymerization. Therefore, a pleiotropic effect can not be excluded as the reason for the divergence in behavior of these transgenic lines. The present results suggest that the modification of carbohydrate metabolism, especially the high content of soluble carbohydrates, may affect water stress-induced proline accumulation.

Fructans↗

The metabolic response to ingestion of proline with and without glucose.

Ingested protein results in an increase in circulating insulin and glucagon concentrations and no change, or a slight decrease, in circulating glucose. In subjects with type 2 diabetes, when protein is ingested with glucose, insulin is further increased and the glucose rise is less than when glucose is ingested alone. Presumably these effects are due to the amino acids present in the proteins. The effects of individual amino acids, ingested in physiologic amounts, with or without glucose, have not been determined. Therefore, we have begun a systematic study of the response to ingested amino acids. Eight young, non-obese, subjects (4 men, 4 women) ingested 1 mmol proline/kg lean body mass, 25 g glucose, 25 g glucose + 1 mmol proline/kg lean body mass or water only on 4 separate occasions at 8 am. Blood was obtained before and after ingestion of the test meal over the following 150 minutes. Proline ingestion resulted in a 13-fold increase in the plasma proline concentration. This was decreased by 50% when glucose was ingested with proline. Proline alone had little effect on glucose, insulin, or glucagon concentrations. However, ingestion of proline with glucose resulted in a 23% attenuation of the glucose area response and no change in insulin response compared with the response to that of glucose alone. A glucose-stimulated decrease in glucagon was further facilitated by proline. Ingested proline is readily absorbed. It reduces the glucose-induced increase in glucose concentration in the presence of an unchanged insulin and a decreased glucagon response.

Adult↗