Amino acid sequence studies on sheep liver fructose-bisphosphatase. II. The complete sequence.

The cyanogen bromide fragments of S-carboxymethylated fructose-bisphosphatase were purified. The amino acid sequences of the small fragments were determined by the dansyl-Edman method. The large fragments were subjected to proteolytic digestion to give smaller peptides more amenable for purification and sequencing by similar methods. Enzyme digests of the S-carboxymethylated enzyme gave overlap peptides containing the methionine residues. In conjunction with the amino acid sequence of the 60-residue N-terminal fragment previously determined on the S-peptide released by limited proteolysis with subtilisin the complete sequence of 336 residues was deduced. The sequence has been compared with the 335 residue sequence of pig kidney fructose-bisphosphatase and some areas of sequence for rabbit liver enzyme. The strong homology previously noted for the S-peptide sequence is maintained for the complete enzyme with only 34 changes in 336 residues when comparing the pig and sheep enzymes.

Uridine and inosine: pressor nucleosides from man, rat and dog.

Short-acting pressor compounds isolated from rat kidney, brain, heart and spleen have been identified as inosine and uridine by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, high pressure liquid chromatography and analysis of ultraviolet spectra. Inosine was further identified by nuclear magnetic resonance. These compounds have also been found in kidneys from hypertensive man, rejected renal transplants and dog and beef kidney. Tissues were extracted by acid ethanol extraction followed by gel filtration and high voltage paper electrophoresis. Compounds found to be pressor in the anaesthetised rat resisted proteolytic enzymes, boiling for 10 min, extremes of pH and incubation with plasma from the source species for up to 20 min. The pressor effects of bolus injections of active gel filtration fractions, uridine and inosine were short-lived with a maximum effect at 5-6 s. Intravenous (I.V.) infusions of extracts gave a sustained pressor response without a concurrent change in heart rate. The effect on blood pressure was not accompanied by increased heart rate and persisted when the pressor effects of angiotensin II, noradrenaline and 5-hydroxy-tryptamine were blocked pharmacologically.

Amino acid sequences containing cysteine or cystine residues in ovalbumin from eggs of the quail Coturnix coturnix japonica.

Ovalbumin isolated from eggs of the Japanese quail, C. c. japonica, was subjected to limited proteolysis by subtilisin to give plakalbumin and then fractionated on Sephadex G75 in acid-urea to give plakalbumin S-protein and S-peptide. The plakalbumin peptide was recovered, oxidized with performic acid, and the sequence of amino acids determined from the peptides formed by enzyme digestion. There were two cysteine residues in the 33-residue sequence. The ovalbumin was also oxidized with performic acid and digested with thermolysin and pepsin before isolating, from a sulfonated polystyrene column, the acidic cysteic acid peptides, as well as acetylated N-terminal peptides and phosphorylated peptides, and determining their amino acid sequence. Additional peptide sequences containing cysteine or half-cystine were characterized. Quail ovalbumin was reduced and carboxymethylated with [2-14C]iodoacetic acid. Peptides containing labelled S-carboxymethylcysteine residues were isolated from thermolytic digests of the carboxymethylated ovalbumin by paper ionophoresis and chromatography. Their amino acid sequence was determined and five different sequences involving labelled S-carboxymethylcysteine residues were established. The presence of two half-cystine residues and the location of the disulfide bond were shown by blocking the cysteine residues with non-radioactive iodoacetic acid, reducing the disulfide bond and labelling the half-cystine residues with [2-14C]iodoacetic acid. After thermolytic digestion of the protein, radioactive peptides were isolated by paper ionophoresis and chromatography. These studies have thus shown that quail ovalbumin contains one cystine residue and three cysteine residues, which is one residue of cysteine less than in ovalbumin from the hen (Gallus gallus domesticus). There is strong homology in the amino acid sequences of hen ovalbumin and quail ovalbumin determined in these investigations.

Myoglobins of cartilaginous fishes III. Amino acid sequence of myoglobin of the shark Galeorhinus australis.

Myoglobin isolated from the red muscle of the school shark Galeorhinus australis was purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The amino acid sequence was determined following digestion with trypsin and purification of the peptides by paper ionophoresis and chromatography. Sequences of purified peptides were determined by the dansyl-Edman procedure and the peptides aligned by homology with the sequence of the myoglobin of the gummy shark Mustelus antarcticus. The two myoglobin sequences showed a marked similarity (16 differences), but both sequences showed approximately the same number of differences (68) from myoglobin of the Port Jackson shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni. There are 19 residues unique to three shark myoglobin sequences. As found with other fish myoglobins there are 148 residues with deletions of four residues at the amino terminal end as well as one residue in the CD region. The amino terminal residue is acetylated. The distal E7 histidine residue was found to be replaced by glutamine, as only previously reported for the myoglobin sequence of gummy shark.

Amino acid sequence studies on sheep liver fructose-bisphosphatase. I. The S-peptide.

Fructose-bisphosphatase has been isolated from sheep liver using affinity-elution chromatography from carboxymethylcellulose as the final purification step. The purified enzyme was homogeneous by disc gel electrophoresis. Digestion with subtilisin yielded the N-terminal S-peptide similar to that reported for the rabbit and pig. The peptide has an acetylated amino terminal residue and the following sequence deduced from a study of the tryptic and cyanogen bromide peptides: Ac-Thr-Asp-Glu-Ala-Pro-Phe-Asp-Thr-Asn-Ile-Val-Thr-Val-Thr-Arg-Phe-Val-Met-Glu-Glu-Gly-Arg-Lys-Ala-Arg-Gly-Thr-Gly-Glu-Met-Thr-Gln-Leu-Leu-Asn-Ser-Leu-Cys-Thr-Ala-Val-Lys-Ala-Ile-Ser-Thr-Ala-Val-Arg-Lys-Ala-Gly-Ile-Ala-His-Leu-Tyr-Gly-Ile-Ala. The sheep liver S-peptide sequence shows only six changes in 60 residues and three changes in 56 residues compared with the sequences of the rabbit and pig S-peptides respectively.

Amino acid sequences containing cysteine or half-cystine residues in beta-glucuronidase.

Amino acid analysis of oxidized or reduced and carboxymethylated beta-glucuronidase have shown the presence of 24 cysteic acid or S-carboxymethylcysteine residues respectively per mole of the tetrameric enzyme. Titration of sulfhydryl groups gave eight cysteine residues, and by difference 16 half-cystine residues per mole. Six peptides containing radiolabelled cysteine residues were isolated from pepsin and chymotrypsin digest of reduced and S-carboxymethylated beta-glucuronidase by ion-exchange chromatography or gel filtration, followed by paper ionophoresis and paper chromatography. The peptides were analysed for amino acids and sequenced by the dansyl-Edman procedure. Peptides containing cysteic acid were selectively recovered from thermolysin digests of performic acid-oxidized glucuronidase. The amino acid sequences confirmed that there were only six different peptide sequences containing either cysteine or half-cystine residues in the tetrameric enzyme, supporting the presence of four identical subunits. These sequences wer: (A)-Val-Asx-Val-Ile-Cys-Val-Asx-Ser-Tyr- (B)-Gly-Asx-Leu-Cys-Ser-Gly- (C)-Phe-Val-Val-Ile-Asx-Glx-Cys-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly- (D)-Val-Val-Cys-Leu- (E)-Gln-Ser-Gly-Cys-Leu-Val-Lys-Gly-Tyr- (F)-Cys-Asp-Arg-Tyr-Gly-Ile-Val-Val-.

Myoglobins of cartilaginous fishes. II. Isolation and amino acid sequence of myoglobin of the shark Mustelus antarcticus.

Myoglobin isolated from red muscle of the gummy shark M. antarcticus was purified by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography on carboxymethyl cellulose in 8 M urea-thiol buffer. Amino acid analysis and sequence determination showed 148 amino acid residues. The amino terminal residue is acetylated as shown by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrographic analysis of an N-terminal peptide. There is a deletion of four residues at the amino terminal end as well as one residue in the CD interhelical area relative to other myoglobins. These overall differences were also found previously in myoglobin of Heterodontus portusjacksoni. The complete amino acid sequence has been determined following digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, staphylococcal protease and cyanogen bromide. Sequences of purified peptides were determined by the dansyl-Edman procedure. The amino acid sequence showed approximately 88 differences from mammalian, monotreme, bird and tuna myoglobins, slightly more than previously reported for H. portusjacksoni usually considered a more primitive animal. There were 24 residues common to both shark myoglobins that were different from those present in other myoglobins. The sequence has been compared to the myoglobin of yellowfin tuna and other myoglobins.

Myoglobin of the shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni: isolation and amino acid sequence.

Myoglobin isolated from red muscle of the shark H. portusjacksoni was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on sulfopropyl-Sephadex and gel-filtration. Amino acid analysis and sequence determination showed 148 amino acid residues. The amino terminal residue is acetylated as shown by mass spectrographic analysis of N-terminal peptides. There is a deletion of four residues at the amino terminal end as well as one residue in the CD interhelical area relative to other myoglobins. The complete amino acid sequence has been determined following digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin and staphylococcal protease. Sequences of the purified peptides were determined by the dansyl-Edman procedure. The amino acid sequence showed approximately 85 differences from mammalian, monotreme and bird myoglobins. The date of divergence of the shark H. portusjacksoni from these other orders was estimated at 450 +/- 16 million years, based on the number of amino acid differences between species and allowing for multiple mutations during the evolutionary period. This estimate agrees well with similar estimates made using alpha- and beta-globin sequences, in contrast to widely differing estimates of dates of divergence for monotremes using the same three globin chains. Compared with myoglobins from species previously studied, there are many more differences in amino acid sequences, and in many positions residues are found that are more characteristic of alpha- and beta-globins, suggesting a conservation of residues over a long period of evolutionary time. There are fewer stabilizing hydrogen bonds and salt-linkages than in other myoglobins.

A correction and extension of the acetylated amino terminal sequence of ovalbumin.

The acetylpeptides derived from S-carboxymethylovalbumin by cyanogen bromide and chymotrypsin have been isolated and shown by enzyme digestion and the dansyl-Edman method to fit the sequence acetyl-Gly-Ser-Ile-Gly-Ala-Ala-Ser-Met-Glu-Phe. This corrects the order of the third and fourth residues in the five-residue sequence given by Narita and Ishii [J. Biochem. (Tokyo), 1962, 52, 367--73]. The overlap of the C-terminal sequence of this extended sequence with the six-residue N-terminal sequence surrounding a half-cystine residue in ovalbumin gives the N-terminal sequence for ovalbumin as acetyl-Gly-Ser-Ile-Gly-Ala-Ala-Ser-Met-Glu-Phe-Cys-Phe-Asp-Val-Phe-Lys with residue 11 a cysteine residue.

Haemoglobins of the shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni. III. Amino acid sequence of the beta-chain.

The amino acid sequence of the beta-chain of the principal haemoglobin from the shark H. portusjacksoni has been determined. The chain has 141 residues, the same as that of mammalian alpha-chains and less than the 146 residues of mammalian beta-chains or the 148 residues of the alpha-chain from the tetrameric shark haemoglobin. The sequence was deduced from the sequences of peptides obtained by digestion of the globin or its cyanogen bromide fragments with trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin and papain. The difference in length of the beta-chain is most readily accounted for by the absence of the D helix. This small helical section is normally present in myoglobins and beta-globins but absent in alpha-chains. The deduction that it is absent from shark beta-chain is based on consideration of homology. The beta-chain shows the insertion of histidine beta2 and the deletions corresponding to residues A17 and AB1 relative to alpha-and myoglobin chains. The reactive thiol group in shark haemoglobin was shown by radioactive labelling to be residue 51 in the beta-chain, immediately preceding the E helix. The amino acid sequence of shark beta-chain shows 92 differences from human beta-chain, significantly more differences than shown by chicken or frog beta-chains, in line with its earlier time of divergence. If the tertiary structure of the shark beta-chain is the same as that of the horse then there are two changes in the alpha1beta2 contact site in oxyhaemoglobin and an additional one in deoxyhaemoglobin. When both alpha- and beta-chain contacts are considered there is a total of nine changes in residues involved in the alpha1beta2 contacts. There is no Bohr effect in shark haemoglobin, and of the residues normally involved in this effect the C-terminal histidine residue of the beta-chain is present, but the aspartyl (FG1) residue to which it is salt-linked is not, being replaced by a glutamyl residue.

Haemoglobin C and haemoglobin O Arab-thalassaemia in families of Greek origin.

A case of Haemoglobin C trait and a family with Haemoglobin O Arab thalassaemia from Greece are described. Both Haemoglobin C and Haemoglobin O Arab were identified by peptide analysis.

Studies on monotreme proteins. VII. Amino acid sequence of myoglobin from the platypus, Ornithoryhynchus anatinus.

Myoglobin isolated from skeletal muscle of the platypus contains 153 amino acid residues. The complete amino acid sequence has been determined following cleavage with cyanogen bromide and further digestion of the four fragments with trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin and thermolysin. Sequences of the purified peptides were determined by the dansyl-Edman procedure. The amino acid sequence showed 25 differences from human myoglobin and 24 from kangaroo myoglobin. Amino acid sequences in myoglobins are more conserved than sequences in the alpha- and beta-globin chains, and platypus myoglobin shows a similar number of variations in sequence to kangaroo myoglobin when compared with myoglobin of other species. The date of divergence of the platypus from other mammals was estimated at 102 +/- 31 million years, based on the number of amino acid differences between species and allowing for mutations during the evolutionary period. This estimate differs widely from the estimate given by similar treatment of the alpha- and beta-chain sequences and a constant rate of mutation of globin chains is not supported.

Haemoglobins of the shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni II. Amino acid sequence of the alpha-chain.

The amino acid sequence of the alpha-chain of the principal haemoglobin from the shark, H. portusjacksoni has been determined. The chain has 148 residues and is acetylated at the amino terminal. The soluble peptides obtained by tryptic and chymotryptic digestion of the protein or its cyanogen bromide fragments were isolated by gel filtration, paper ionophoresis and paper chromatography. The amino acid sequences were determined by the dansyl-Edman procedure. The insoluble "core" peptide from the tryptic digestion contained 34 residues and required cleavage by several prosteases before the sequence was established. Compared with human alpha-chain there are 88 amino acid differences including the additional seven residues which appear on the amino terminal of the shark chain. There is also one deletion and one insertion. The chain contains no tryptophan but has four cysteinyl residues which is the highest number of such residues recorded for a vertebrate globin. In the alpha1beta1 contact sites there are four changes in the oxyhaemoglobin form and six deoxy form. Nine of the 16, alpha1beta1 contact sites show variation while three of the haem contact sites have changed in comparison to the residues known to be involved in these interactions in horse haemoglobin alpha-chain. Use of the sequence data to estimate a time of divergence of the shark from the main vertebrate line yielded the value of 410 +/- 46 million years. The data, in general, support the palaeontological view that bony fishes arose before the elasmobranchs.