Trichobitacin-a new ribosome-inactivating protein Ⅰ.The isolation,physicochemical and biological properties of trichobitacin

From the press-residue of the fresh root tuber of Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim (Cu-curbitaceae),a new ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP),trichobitacin,was isolated.It has the activity of RNA N-glycosidase and can inhibit the growth of human placental trophoblastic cells.Its molecular weight is 27,228 Da (ES-MS) and pI 9.6.It is a single chain basic RIP.Its amino acid composition was determined.It is a new RIP.It consists of 0.7~0.9% galactose and may be a glycoprotein.Its A'-and C-terminal amino acid is Asp and Ala,respectively.Its N-terminal preliminary amino acid sequence has been determined.     

Factors affecting immonium ion intensities in the high-energy collision-induced decomposition spectra of peptides

Each amino acid in a peptide has a characteristic immonium ion (H₂N⁺?CHR), the presence of which in a mass spectrum can indicate the presence of that amino acid. High-energy collision-induced decomposition studies on small peptide ions formed by fast atom bombardment showed the relative intensities of these immonium ions to be dependent on the relative positions of the amino acids in the peptide chain: C-terminal, N-terminal or in-chain. Evidence in favour of competition in the formation of immonium ions is presented.     

Amino acid identification and sequence analysis of peptides by reaction mass spectrometry

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) is applied to distinguish N-terminal series ions from C-terminal series ions of a peptide by on-probe acetylation, it providesvaluable information about the sequence of an unknown peptide. The FAB mass spectra containa number of characteristic ions at low-mass region in addition to the sequence ions at high-massregion. It was found that the ions below m/z 200 are characteristic of the amino acid composition ofthe peptide, from which the amino acid composition of the peptide could be estimated. Additionally,mixture analysis is also discussed.     

Cloning, overexpression, purification, and characterization of receptor-interacting protein 3 truncation inEscherichia coli

To facilitate structural studies of receptor-interacting protein 3 (RIP3), we developed a large-scale expression system of a glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fused with an 82 amino acid RIP3 protein inEscherichia coli. RIP3 truncation was subcloned into the pGEX-4T-1 vector and overexpressed in BL21(DE3)RIL cells. The soluble RIP3 protein was successfully purified to homogeneity using GST tag, an anion-exchange column, and gel filtration chromatography. The purity, identity, and conformation of the RIP3 protein were determined using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectroscopic studies. RIP3 showed dominance of the α-helix structure and temperature-dependent conformational change.     

Studies on enzymic peptide synthesis: I. Synthesis of tryptophane analogue of Leu-enkephalin

A tryptophane analogue of Leu-enkephalin, Tyr-Gly-Gly-Trp-Leu-NH₂, was synthesized by stepwise elongation from C-terminal Leucylamide towards the N-terminal tyrosine using α-chymotrypsin and papain catalysis. The selections of appropriate enzymes and suitable solvents were studied. It was found that an N-blocked amino acid ester served better as a donor than the corresponding free amino acid in the peptide formation, irrespective of whether α-chymotrypsin or papain was used, while, on the other hand, an N-blocked amino acid was needed as the donor in case of thermolysin. In the last step of pentapeptide synthesis catalyzed by α-chymotrypsin, the phase transfer process seems to be preferable to the homogeneous solution method. The results of this work showed some advantages by the use of an immobilized enzyme. The tryptophane analogue of Leu-enkephalin was also synthesized by the conventional organic method. Preliminary in vitro bioassay indicated that the synthetic Try-Gly-Gly-Try-Leu-NH₂ can inhibit the contraction of the guinea Pig's ileum caused by electric stimulation to nearly the same extent as the natural Leu-enkephalin does.     

Interactive Bioconjugation at N-Terminal Cysteines by Using O-Salicylaldehyde Esters towards Dual Site-Selective Functionalization

N-terminal Cys modification has been intensively studied to produce homogeneous bioconjugates essentially through two modes of reaction: reversible modification with the equilibrium shifted towards the formation of the desired conjugate or stable and irreversible conjugates. Herein, we report a new method of N-terminal cysteine modification using O-salicylaldehyde esters (OSAEs) through fast conjugation and irreversible deconjugation. These reagents can rapidly react with N-terminal Cys at low-micromolar concentration to form thiazolidines with subsequent hydrolysis of the ester moiety to the phenolic derivative. These phenolic thiazolidines can be hydrolyzed at acidic pH (≈4.5) to recover the intact N-terminal Cys. Bioconjugation reactions using OSAEs offer controlled reversibility to as act as a protecting group for N-terminal cysteines, allowing the modification of in-chain residues without perturbing the N-terminal Cys, which can then be deprotected and used as a conjugation site.     

A linear free-energy correlation in the low-energy tandem mass spectra of protonated tripeptides Gly–Gly–Xxx

The backbone cleavages of protonated tripeptide ions of the series Gly—Gly—Xxx, where Xxx ? Gly, Ala, Val, d-Leu, l-Leu, Ile, Phe, Tyr, Trp, Pro, Met and Glu, were studied in a hybrid tandem mass spectrometer. C-Terminal y-type ions and N-terminal a- and b-type ions were noted. A linear relationship between log (y₁/b₂) and the proton affinity of the C-terminal amino acid substituents was found: as the proton affinity of the C-terminal residue increases, the fraction of y₁ ion formation increases. When the C-terminal substituent was more basic than Trp, the b₂ ion was not observed. It is likely that the site of protonation changes from peptide bond to side-chain for just these residues, Lys, His and Arg.     

The computer-assisted carboxypeptidase method for C-terminal sequencing of proteins and polypeptides

On further study of the computer-assisted carboxypeptidase method for sequencing the C-terminals of proteins or peptides, two computer programs—DPS and CPA were successfully developed on VAX-11/780 computer and tested with some synthetic peptides and the degradation fragment of the natural protein as model substrates. The C-terminal sequence of CB-3, one of the CNBr degradation fragments of trichosanthin, had first been determined by this method as: -Ser-Ala-Ser-Ala-Ala-Leu-Hse-OH, which was later confirmed by other ways of sequencing. This method is not only able to extend the C-terminal sequencing up to 7 amino acid residues, but also useful for determining the C-terminal sequence with repeating amino acid residues.     

栝楼蛋白 2: 栝楼蛋白部分化学结构的初步测定

栝楼蛋白(Trichobitacin)是从栝楼(Trichosanthes kirilowiiMaxim, Cucurbitaceae)中新发现的核糖体失活蛋白, 分子量为27,228; pI为9.6。应用基质辅助的激光解析飞行时间质谱(MALDI-TOF-MS)和快原子轰击质谱法(FAB-MS)分别测定胰蛋白酶酶解栝楼蛋白和天花粉蛋白(Trichosanthin)的混合肽质谱, 通过比较发现了一些分子量相同的肽。由于这两种蛋白质都来源于栝楼块根, 同源性比较强, 所以这些肽序列在两种蛋白质中基本一样; 再结合蛋白N-端自动顺序仪测定栝楼蛋白N-端的结果, 确定了栝楼蛋白N-端38个氨基酸的顺序, 栝楼蛋白经胰蛋白酶酶解后所得肽段用HPLC分离纯化, 再用蛋白质自动顺序仪, DABITC/PITC双偶合手工法和质谱法共确定了栝楼蛋白N-端, C-端等100多个氨基酸残基的序列。     

Mass spectrometry of 2-substituted-1-keto-3-aryl-5H-imidazo-(1,5-a)-pyrroles derived from Schiff bases of N-terminal prolyl peptides

We have been able to extend the use of Schiff base derivatives in peptide sequencing to N-terminal prolyl peptides. Earlier studies from this laboratory revealed that certain aromatic Schiff bases of peptide esters gave electron-impact mass spectra with relatively intense molecular, sequence and internal fragment ions. We observed that the reaction of N-terminal prolyl peptide esters with 4-dimethylaminonaphthaldehyde, p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde and 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde gave cyclization products which were found to be 2-substituted-1-keto-3-aryl-5H-imidazo-[1,5-a]-pyrrole derivatives. The molecular ion and many of the expected cleavages were prominent in the mass spectra. Deuterium labeling at the α-carbon, amide nitrogen, or other exchangeable positions has been used in assigning the structure. It was also confirmed by the fragmentation pattern of the products derived by permethylation of the peptide derivative with tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Comparable cleavage patterns were seen among the N-terminal prolyl peptides examined. Proline amide gave the corresponding cyclized product. With the inclusion of N-terminal prolyl peptides in the list of peptides that we have examined, we may now prepare volatile derivatives of peptides containing any of the protein amino acids in two steps: esterification and treatment with the appropriate aromatic aldehyde.     

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Interaction between Calcite Crystal and Phosphonic Acid Molecules

The interactions between calcite crystal and seven kinds of phosphonic acids, nitrilotris(methylphosphonic acid) (NTMP), nitrilo‐methyl‐bis(methylphosphonic acid) (NMBMP), N,N‐glycine‐bis(methylphosphonic acid) (GBMP), 1‐ hydroxy‐1,1‐ethylenebis(phosphonic acid) (HEBP), 1‐amino‐1,1‐ethylenebis(phosphonic acid) (AEBP), 1,2‐ethylenediamine‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetrakis(methylphosphonic acid) (EDATMP), and 1,6‐hexylenediamine‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetrakis‐ (methylphosphonic acid) (HDATMP) have been simulated by a molecular dynamics method. The results showed that the binding energy of each scale inhibitor with the (1l?0) (1l?0) face of calcite crystal was higher than that with (104) face, which has been approved by the analysis of pair correlation functions. The sequence of scale inhibition efficiencies for phosphonic acids against calcite scale is as follows: EDATMP>HDATMP>HEBP>NTMP>GBMP>HEBP>NMBMP, and the growth inhibition on the (1l?0) face of calcite was at the leading status. Phosphonic acids deformed during the binding process, and electrovalent bonds formed between the phosphoryl oxygen atoms in phosphonic acids and the calcium ions on calcite crystal.     

Amino Acid Sequence of N-Terminal Peptide of Normal Human Serum Albumin

From the peptic digest of normal human serum albumin., the N-terminal peptide comprising 24 amino acid residues was obtained by means of peptide mapping. Combined uses of trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, thermolysin, carboxypeptidase A and Dansyl-Edman technique resulted in the elucidation of amino acid sequence of no. 1 to no. 24 as follows: NH₂-Asp-Ala-His-Lys-Ser-Glu-Val-Ala-His-Arg-Phe-Lys-Asp-Leu-GIy-Glu-Glu-Asn-Phe-Lys-Ala-Leu-Val-Leu-COOH These sequence results agree completely with those recently published by other workers.     

Roseabol A,a New Peptaibol from the Fungus Clonostachys rosea

A new 11 amino acid linear peptide named roseabol A (1) and the known compound 13-oxo-trans-9,10-epoxy-11(E)-octadecenoic acid (2) were isolated from the fungus Clonostachys rosea. Combined NMR and MS analysis revealed that roseabol A (1) contained amino acid residues characteristic of the peptaibol family of peptides such as isovaline, α-aminoisobutyric acid, hydroxyproline, leucinol, and an N-terminal isovaleric acid moiety. The amino acid sequence was established by a combination of NMR studies and tandem MS fragmentation analyses, and the absolute configurations of the constituent amino acids of 1 were determined by the advanced Marfey’s method. Compound 2 showed inhibitory activity against Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and difficult-to-treat type of skin cancer, with an IC₅₀ value of 16.5 μM.     

Reference points for comparisons of two-dimensional maps of proteins from different human cell types defined in a pH scale where isoelectric points correlate with polypeptide compositions

A highly reproducible, commercial and nonlinear, wide-range immobilized pH gradient (IPG) was used to generate two-dimensional (2-D) gel maps of [³⁵S]methionine-labeled proteins from noncultured, unfractionated normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Forty one proteins, common to most human cell types and recorded in the human keratinocyte 2-D gel protein database were identified in the 2-D gel maps and their isoelectric points (pI) were determined using narrow-range IPGs. The latter established a pH scale that allowed comparisons between 2-D gel maps generated either with other IPGs in the first dimension or with different human protein samples. Of the 41 proteins identified, a subset of 18 was defined as suitable to evaluate the correlation between calculated and experimental pI values for polypeptides with known composition. The variance calculated for the discrepancies between calculated and experimental pI values for these proteins was 0.001 pH units. Comparison of the values by the t-test for dependent samples (paired test) gave a p-level of 0.49, indicating that there is no significant difference between the calculated and experimental pI values. The precision of the calculated values depended on the buffer capacity of the proteins, and on average, it improved with increased buffer capacity. As shown here, the widely available information on protein sequences cannot, a priori, be assumed to be sufficient for calculating pI values because post-translational modifications, in particular N-terminal blockage, pose a major problem. Of the 36 proteins analyzed in this study, 18–20 were found to be N-terminally blocked and of these only 6 were indicated as such in databases. The probability of N-terminal blockage depended on the nature of the N-terminal group. Twenty six of the preteins had either M, S or A as N-terminal amino acids and of these 17–19 were blocked. Only 1 in 10 proteins containing other N-terminal groups were blocked.     

Synthesis of Hydroxymethyl Side-Chained α-Aminoxy Diamide

Unnatural polar α-aminoxy acid residue with proteingenous hydroxymethyl side chain, a building block of the peptidomimetic foldamer of α-aminoxy peptide, was synthesized starting from natural amino acid L-serine. The starting material, L-serine, undergoes a reaction sequence to produce compound 1 in three steps: (1) the neighboring carboxyl group participates in diazotization/bromination to transform the amino group to a bromo group, (2) the C-terminal carboxyl group is protected, and (3) bromide is S_N2-displaced by N-hydroxyl phthalimide to introduce a N?O bond. After several conventional deprotection/coupling reactions, compound 1 is easily transformed to an α-aminoxy diamide, which can be widely used in peptidomimetics design.     

2-Benzoyl-2-ethoxycarbonylvinyl-1 and 2-benzoylamino-2-methoxy-carbonylvinyl-1 as N-protecting groups in peptide synthesis. Their application in the synthesis of dehydropeptide derivatives containing N-terminal 3-heteroarylamino-2,3-dehydroalanine

Ethyl 2-benzoyl-3-dimethylaminopropenoate ( 6 ) and methyl 2-benzoylamino-3-dimethylaminopropenoate ( 46 ) were used as reagents for the protection of the amino group with 2-benzoyl-2-ethoxycarbonylvinyl-1 and 2-benzoylamino-2-methoxycarbonylvinyl groups in the peptide synthesis. Reactions of ethyl 2-benzoyl-3-dimethylaminopropenoate (6) with α-amino acids gave N-(2-benzoyl-2-ethoxycarbonylvinyl-1)-α-amino acids 13–19. These were coupled with various amino acid esters to form N-(2-benzoyl-2-ethoxycar-bonylvinyl-1)-protected dipeptide esters 20–31. The removal of 2-benzoyl-2-ethoxycarbonylvinyl-1 group, which was achieved by hydrazine monohydrochloride or hydroxylamine hydrochloride, afforded hydrochlo-rides of dipeptide esters 32–41 in high yields. Similarly, the substitution of the dimethylamino group in methyl 2-benzoylamino-3-dimethylaminopropenoate ( 46 ) by glycine gave N-(2-benzoylamino-2-methoxycar-bonylvinyl-1)glycine ( 47 ), which was coupled with glycine ethyl ester to give N-[N-(2-benzoylamino-2-methoxycarbonylvinyl-1)glycyl]glycine ethyl ester ( 48 ). Treatment of 48 with 2-arnino-4,6-dirnethylpyrimi-dine afforded N-[glycyl]glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride (34) in high yield. Amino acid esters and dipeptide esters were employed in the preparation of tri- 58-70, tetra- 71–82, and pentapeptide esters 83–85 containing N-terminal 3-heteroarylamino-2,3-dehydroalanine. 2-Chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine was employed as a coupling reagent for the preparation of peptides 58–85.     

Sequencing of cyclosporins by fast atom bombardment and linked-scan mass spectrometry

The mass spectrometric sequence determination of amino acid residues in cyclosporins using fast atom bombardment, collisionally activated dissociations in the first field-free region and linked B/E scan is described. The general fragmentation scheme was derived from the spectra of cyclosporins A, B, C, D, F, G, L and [DH-MeBmt¹]CS. The main fragmentation pathways start by primary splitting between amino acids 2–3, 1–11 and 5–6. The corresponding N-terminal b-type ions are common fragment types in the mass spectra. The 1–11 splitting can be enhanced by the introduction of a lactone group into the peptide ring by conversion of cyclosporins into isocyclosporins. The fragmentation scheme was used for amino acid sequence determination in four new natural cyclosporins, [MeLeu¹]CS, [Leu⁴]CS, [Ile⁴]CS and [Leu⁵]CS.     

Two new polymorphs of 4‐(N,N‐dimethyl­amino)­benzoic acid

Two new polymorphs of 4‐(N,N‐dimethyl­amino)­benzoic acid, C₉H₁₁NO₂, resulting from the attempted cocrystallization in ethanol of 4‐(N,N‐dimethyl­amino)­benzoic acid and a mixture of 3‐(N,N‐dimethyl­amino)­benzoic acid and 3‐(3‐pyrid­yl)‐2‐pyridone producing one polymorph, and a mixture of 3‐(N,N‐dimethyl­amino)­benzoic acid and 5‐meth­oxy‐3,3′‐bipyridine producing the second polymorph, have been crystallographically characterized. The primary inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds generate a dimeric acid–acid motif that is present in all three polymorphs.     

C-Terminal sequencing of trichosanthin

Preliminary identification of C-terminus of trichosanthin by chemical and enzymic methods, such as hydrazinolysis, thiohydantoin reaction and carboxypeptidase hydrolysis, showed that there may be the possible presence of more than one terminus, i.e., Met and Ala but complicated by side reactions. A computer-assisted carboxypeptidase method was first introduced by the authors to determine the C-terminal sequence of trichosanthin, and showed that trichosanthin is heterogeneous at its C-terminus and has two C-terminal sequences determined as -Arg-Asn-Asn-Met-OH and -Arg-Asn-Asn-Met-Ala-OH respectively. These results have been later unambiguously confirmed by the results from other experiments through the identification of the free alanine always present in the CNBr degradation products of trichosanthin, and the actual separation of two fragments from the finger prints as well as from the HPLC fractions of the trypsin digest of this protein. All shows that their amino acid sequences, determined by manual DABITC/PITC technique, agree well with those of the two C-terminal sequences determined by the computer-carboxy peptidase method.     

Room-temperature polycondensation of β-amino acid derivatives VI. Synthesis of various N-(hydroxyethyl) nylons

Various N-(hydroxyethyl)amino acid esters having a methyl substituent or phenyl group between amine and ester groups have been synthesized and their polycondensation behavior was investigated. These substituted amino acid esters gave amorphous polyamides which were soluble in alcohol. A model reaction between N-(hydroxyethyl)-amine and carboxylic acid ester was carried out in order to elucidate the role of hydroxyethyl group on the polycondensation. It was found that the amidation reaction took place rapidly at room temperature when the alkyl group of the carboxylic acid was small. N-(Hydroxyethyl) polyamides were obtained from N,N′-(bishydroxyethyl)-dicamines and dicarboxylic acid esters. The reaction mechanism of the room-temperature polycondensation reaction is discussed.