Scintillation proximity assay to study the interaction of epidermal growth factor with its receptor.

Scintillation Proximity Assay (SPA), which does not require the physical separation of receptor bound and free ligand, was applied to study the interaction of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) with its receptor (EGFR) in membrane preparations from human placenta. Fluomicrospheres to which the monoclonal anti-EGFR antibody R1 was coupled, were used. Kinetic binding data of the association of 125I-labeled EGF binding to the receptor at 20 degrees C could be fitted according to a double exponential model, which is consistent with the presence of fast and slow associating EGF binding sites. Dissociation kinetics revealed that perturbation of equilibrium conditions rapidly occurs upon washing. Multiple point Scatchard analysis of equilibrium 125I-labeled EGF binding data revealed curvilinearity, indicating the presence of both high and low affinity EGF binding sites. We conclude that SPA is an interesting new tool in the exploration of the interaction of ligands with their receptors, which allows detailed ligand-receptor studies under precise in situ conditions.

Inhibition of trypsin by t-butyloxycarbonyl-alpha-aza-(4-aminophenyl)alanine phenyl ester.

t-Butyloxycarbonyl-alpha-aza-(4-aminophenyl)alanine phenyl ester (III: R = NH2) has been synthesized. The rate of inhibition of trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) by this compound (due to acylation followed by slower deacylation) shows a marked pH maximum at approximately 6. The shape of the pH-rate curve is discussed in terms of (i) the normal pH-activity curve of trypsin reacting with a charged substrate, i.e. the protonated form of the amino compound, (ii) the deprotonation of the 4-amino group with pKa 4.3, and (iii) the lower rate of reaction of the enzyme with the uncharged, deprotonated form of the ester.

Cytosine deaminase: structural modifications studies.

Structural modification studies have been shown that a cysteine, a histidine and possibly an arginine residue are involved in the catalytic process. The enzyme gave a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the amino acid analysis showed it to contain a high proportion of hydrophobic residues, which was in agreement with the chemical modification results.

The reaction of an alpha-aza-amino acid derivative with chymotrypsin and its use as a ligand for covalent affinity purification.

1. Chymotrypsin is inactivated by N-acetyl-alpha-azaphenylalanine phenyl ester (phenyl N(2)-acetyl-N(1)-benzylcarbazate) in a stoicheiometric reaction. 2. The inactivation is reversible spontaneously (first-order rate constant is 1.2x10(-4)s(-1)) and accelerated by the presence of hydroxylamine. 3. Polymers based on polyacrylamide and carrying ligands containing the alpha-azaphenylalanine phenyl ester group were prepared. 4. Chymotrypsin reacts with these polymers and is removed by them from solution. Trypsin reacts less rapidly. 5. Chymotrypsin is slowly released from the polymer spontaneously and more rapidly on treatment with hydroxylamine. 6. The reaction of trypsin can be inhibited by competitive inhibitors. 7. Chymotrypsin was separated from trypsin by the selective bonding of chymotrypsin on to and its subsequent liberation from one of the polymers described.