Peptide Mapping (peptide + mapping)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Sol-gel-derived Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Enzymatic Reactor for Microfluidic Peptide Mapping

CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 7 2006
Hui-Ling Wu
Abstract The silica-based poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic enzymatic reactor was reported along with its analytical features in coupling with MALDI TOF and ESI MS. Microfluidic chip was fabricated using PDMS casting and O2 -plasma techniques, and used for the preparation of enzymatic reactor. Plasma oxidation for PDMS enabled the channel wall of microfluidics to present a layer of silanol (SiOH) groups. These SiOH groups as anchors onto the microchannel wall were linked covalently with the hydroxy groups of trypsin-encapsulated sol matrix. As a result, the leakage of sol-gel matrix from the microchannel was effectively prevented. On-line protein analysis was performed with the microfluidic enzymatic reactor by attachment of stainless steel tubing electrode and replaceable tip. The success of trypsin encapsulation was investigated by capillary electrophoresis (CE) detection, and MALDI TOF and ESI MS analysis. The lab-made device provided excellent extent of digestion even at the fast flow rate of 7.0 (L/min with very short residence time of ca. 2 s. In addition, the encapsulated trypsin exhibits increased stability even after continuous use. These features are the most requisite for high-throughput protein identification. [source]


Insoluble eggshell matrix proteins , their peptide mapping and partial characterization by capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 5 2003
Ivan Mik
Abstract Avian eggshell matrix proteins were studied by two analytical approaches. Peptide mapping was done by trypsin and pepsin followed by collagenase cleavage; analyses were carried out by capillary electrophoresis and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Comparison of peptide maps obtained by both methods revealed a complex mixture of peptides in the insoluble layers of the eggshell; it was concluded that there are at least three different insoluble protein/peptide layers in the avian eggshell (cuticle, palisade, and mammillary layer). Partial characterization of peptides in each layer was made by HPLC-mass spectrometry analysis. There is an evidence that the eggshell insoluble proteins contain species susceptible to collagenase cleavage, however, the sequences split by this enzyme probably are not those typical for the main triple-helical core of collagenous proteins. It is proposed that the action of collagenase upon eggshell proteins is caused by the side effect of collagenase described previously with synthetic peptides. Some of the proteins present are probably glycosylated. Fatty acid content in the insoluble eggshell layers (after decalcification) was in the range of 2,4% (which reflected both lipid and lipoproteins bound fatty acids). Porphyrin pigments are dominant in the cuticle layer. [source]


Protein kinase C , phosphorylates keratin 8 at Ser8 and Ser23 in GH4C1 cells stimulated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 13 2007
Yoshiko Akita
Protein kinase C , (PKC,) is activated by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), a regulator of pituitary function in rat pituitary GH4C1 cells. We analyzed the downstream mechanism after PKC, activation. Exposure of GH4C1 cells to TRH or a phorbol ester increased the phosphorylation of three p52 proteins (p52a, p52b and p52c) and decreased the phosphorylation of destrin and cofilin. GF109203X, an inhibitor of protein kinases including PKC, inhibited phosphorylation of the p52 proteins by TRH stimulation. Peptide mapping, amino-acid sequencing, and immunochemical studies indicated that p52a, p52b, and p52c are the differentially phosphorylated isoforms of keratin 8 (K8), an intermediate filament protein. The unphosphorylated K8 (p52n) localized exclusively to the cytoskeleton, whereas the phosphorylated forms (especially p52c), which are increased in TRH-stimulated cells, localized mainly to the cytosol. K8 phosphorylation was enhanced in PKC,-overexpressing clones, and purified recombinant PKC, directly phosphorylated K8 with a profile similar to that observed in TRH-stimulated cells. PKC, and K8 colocalized near the nucleus under basal conditions and were concentrated in the cell periphery and cell,cell contact area after TRH stimulation. MS analyses of phospho-K8 and K8-synthesized peptide (amino acids 1,53) showed that PKC, phosphorylates Ser8 and Ser23 of K8. Phosphorylation of these sites is enhanced in TRH-stimulated cells and PKC,-overexpressing cells, as assessed by immunoblotting using antibodies to phospho-K8. These results suggest that K8 is a physiological substrate for PKC,, and the phosphorylation at Ser8 and Ser23 transduces, at least in part, TRH,PKC, signaling in pituitary cells. [source]


Recent developments in CE and CEC of peptides

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 1 2008
Václav Ka, ka Dr.
Abstract The article brings a comprehensive survey of recent developments and applications of high-performance capillary electromigration methods, zone electrophoresis, ITP, IEF, affinity electrophoresis, EKC, and electrochromatography, to analysis, preparation, and physicochemical characterization of peptides. New approaches to the theoretical description and experimental verification of electromigration behavior of peptides and to methodology of their separations, such as sample preparation, adsorption suppression, and detection, are presented. Novel developments in individual CE and CEC modes are shown and several types of their applications to peptide analysis are presented: conventional qualitative and quantitative analysis, purity control, determination in biomatrices, monitoring of chemical and enzymatical reactions and physical changes, amino acid and sequence analysis, and peptide mapping of proteins. Some examples of micropreparative peptide separations are given and capabilities of CE and CEC techniques to provide important physicochemical characteristics of peptides are demonstrated. [source]


Comparison of two glutaraldehyde immobilization techniques for solid-phase tryptic peptide mapping of human hemoglobin by capillary zone electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 9 2004
Isabelle Migneault
Abstract Stabilization of proteolytic enzymes, especially by immobilization, is of considerable interest because of their potential applications in medicine and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. We report here a detailed comparison of two procedures for trypsin immobilization using the same homobifunctional agent, glutaraldehyde, for the purpose of peptide mapping. These methods include covalent coupling either to controlled pore glass (solid support) or via a cross-linking reaction (without any solid support). The immobilized trypsin preparations were characterized by the determination of immobilization efficiency, which ranged from 68 to > 95%, and measurement of apparent kinetic parameters toward a synthetic peptide-like substrate. Batch digestions of whole denaturated human normal adult hemoglobin (HbA) were performed to obtain peptide maps by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Migration time reproducibility of the CZE maps was excellent, with a mean relative standard deviation of 1.5%. Moreover, the two immobilized enzyme preparations showed excellent reproducibility for repeated digestions. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-mass spectrometry was also used for peptide mass mapping of denaturated HbA digested using the two immobilized trypsin preparations. Even though the two immobilized trypsin preparations do not behave identically, similar sequence coverages of 57% and 61% (for the two HbA chains merged) were achieved for the support-based and cross-linked trypsin preparations, respectively. [source]


Recent advances in capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography of peptides

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 22-23 2003
Václav Ka
Abstract An overview of the recent developments in the applications of high-performance capillary electromigration methods, namely zone electrophoresis, isotachophoresis, isoelectric focusing, affinity electrophoresis, electrokinetic chromatography, and electrochromatography, to analysis, preparation, and physicochemical characterization of peptides is presented. New approaches to the theoretical description and experimental verification of the electromigration behavior of peptides and the methodological aspects of capillary electroseparations of peptides, such as rational selection of separation conditions, sample treatment, and suppression of adsorption, are discussed, and new developments in individual separation modes and new designs of detection systems applied to peptide separations are shown. Several types of applications of capillary electromigration methods to peptide analysis are presented: quality control and purity tests, determination in biomatrices, monitoring of physical and chemical changes and enzymatic conversions, amino acid and sequence analysis, and peptide mapping. The examples of micropreparative peptide separations are given and capabilities of capillary electromigration techniques to provide important physicochemical characteristics of peptides are demonstrated. [source]


Insoluble eggshell matrix proteins , their peptide mapping and partial characterization by capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 5 2003
Ivan Mik
Abstract Avian eggshell matrix proteins were studied by two analytical approaches. Peptide mapping was done by trypsin and pepsin followed by collagenase cleavage; analyses were carried out by capillary electrophoresis and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Comparison of peptide maps obtained by both methods revealed a complex mixture of peptides in the insoluble layers of the eggshell; it was concluded that there are at least three different insoluble protein/peptide layers in the avian eggshell (cuticle, palisade, and mammillary layer). Partial characterization of peptides in each layer was made by HPLC-mass spectrometry analysis. There is an evidence that the eggshell insoluble proteins contain species susceptible to collagenase cleavage, however, the sequences split by this enzyme probably are not those typical for the main triple-helical core of collagenous proteins. It is proposed that the action of collagenase upon eggshell proteins is caused by the side effect of collagenase described previously with synthetic peptides. Some of the proteins present are probably glycosylated. Fatty acid content in the insoluble eggshell layers (after decalcification) was in the range of 2,4% (which reflected both lipid and lipoproteins bound fatty acids). Porphyrin pigments are dominant in the cuticle layer. [source]


Identification of quorum-sensing regulated proteins in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa by proteomics

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2003
Catalina Arevalo-Ferro
Summary The Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen which is responsible for severe nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients and is the major pathogen in cystic fibrosis. The bacterium utilizes two interrelated quorum-sensing (QS) systems, which rely on N -acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules, to control the expression of virulence factors and biofilm development. In this study, we compared the protein patterns of the intracellular, extracellular and surface protein fractions of the PAO1 parent strain with those of an isogenic lasI rhlI double mutant by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). This analysis showed that the intensities of 23.7% of all detected protein spots differed more than 2.5-fold between the two strains. We only considered those protein spots truly QS regulated that were changed in the mutant in the absence of signal molecules but were rescued to the wild-type situation when the medium was supplemented with AHLs. These protein spots were characterized by MALDI-TOF peptide mapping. Twenty-seven proteins were identified that were previously reported to be AHL controlled, among them several well-characterized virulence factors. For one of the identified proteins, the serine protease PrpL, a biochemical assay was established to verify that expression of this factor is indeed QS regulated. Furthermore, it is shown that the quorum-sensing blocker C-30 specifically interferes with the expression of 67% of the AHL-controlled protein spots of the surface fraction, confirming the high specificity of the compound. Importantly, 20 novel QS-regulated proteins were identified, many of which are involved in iron utilization, suggesting a link between quorum sensing and the iron regulatory system. Two of these proteins, PhuR and HasAp, are components of the two distinct haem-uptake systems present in P. aeruginosa. In agreement with the finding that both proteins are positively regulated by the QS cascade, we show that the lasI rhlI double mutant grows poorly with haemoglobin as the only iron source when compared with the wild type. These results add haemoglobin utilization to the list of phenotypes controlled through QS in P. aeruginosa. The surprisingly high number of AHL-regulated proteins relative to the number of regulated genes suggests that quorum-sensing control also operates via post-transcriptional mechanisms. To strengthen this hypothesis we investigated the role of quorum sensing in the post-translational modification of HasAp, an extracellular protein required for the uptake of free and haemoglobin-bound haem. [source]


Recombinant expression of an insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) precursor and its enzymatic conversion to mature human INSL3

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 18 2009
Xiao Luo
Insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3), which is primarily expressed in the Leydig cells of the testes, is a member of the insulin superfamily of peptide hormones. One of its primary functions is to initiate and mediate descent of the testes of the male fetus via interaction with its G protein-coupled receptor, RXFP2. Study of the peptide has relied upon chemical synthesis of the separate A- and B-chains and subsequent chain recombination. To establish an alternative approach to the preparation of human INSL3, we designed and recombinantly expressed a single-chain INSL3 precursor in Escherichia coli cells. The precursor was solubilized from the inclusion body, purified almost to homogeneity by immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography and refolded efficiently in vitro. The refolded precursor was subsequently converted to mature human INSL3 by sequential endoproteinase Lys-C and carboxypeptidase B treatment. CD spectroscopic analysis and peptide mapping showed that the refolded INSL3 possessed an insulin-like fold with the expected disulfide linkages. Recombinant human INSL3 demonstrated full activity in stimulating cAMP activity in RXFP2-expressing cells. Interestingly, the activity of the single-chain precursor was comparable with that of the mature two-chain INSL3, suggesting that the receptor-binding region within the mid- to C-terminal of B-chain is maintained in an active conformation in the precursor. This study not only provides an efficient approach for mature INSL3 preparation, but also resulted in the acquisition of a useful single-chain template for additional structural and functional studies of the peptide. [source]


The N-glycans of yellow jacket venom hyaluronidases and the protein sequence of its major isoform in Vespula vulgaris

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 20 2005
Daniel Kolarich
Hyaluronidase (E.C. 3.2.1.35), one of the three major allergens of yellow jacket venom, is a glycoprotein of 45 kDa that is largely responsible for the cross-reactivity of wasp and bee venoms with sera of allergic patients. The asparagine-linked carbohydrate often appears to constitute the common IgE-binding determinant. Using a combination of MALDI MS and HPLC of 2-aminopyridine-labelled glycans, we found core-difucosylated paucimannosidic glycans to be the major species in the 43,45 kDa band of Vespula vulgaris and also in the corresponding bands of venoms from five other wasp species (V. germanica, V. maculifrons, V. pensylvanica, V. flavopilosa and V. squamosa). Concomitant peptide mapping of the V. vulgaris 43 kDa band identified the known hyaluronidase, Ves v 2 (SwissProt P49370), but only as a minor component. De novo sequencing by tandem MS revealed the predominating peptides to resemble a different, yet homologous, sequence. cDNA cloning retrieved a sequence with 58 and 59% homology to the previously known isoform and to the Dolichovespula maculata and Polistes annularis hyaluronidases. Close homologues of this new, putative hyaluronidase b (Ves v 2b) were also the major isoform in the other wasp venoms. [source]


Assignment of a single disulfide bridge in rat liver methionine adenosyltransferase

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 1 2000
María L. Martínez-Chantar
Rat liver methionine adenosyltransferase incorporated 8 mol of N -ethylmaleimide per mol of subunit upon denaturation in the presence of 8 m urea, whereas 10 such groups were labelled when dithiothreitol was also included. This observation prompted a re-examination of the state of the thiol groups, which was carried out using peptide mapping, amino acid analysis and N-terminal sequencing. The results obtained revealed a disulfide bridge between Cys35 and Cys61. This disulfide did not appear to be conserved because cysteines homologous to residue 61 do not exist in methionine adenosyltransferases of other origins, therefore suggesting its importance for the differential aspects of the liver-specific enzyme. [source]


Immobilized trypsin systems coupled on-line to separation methods: Recent developments and analytical applications

JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 1 2005
Gabriella Massolini
Abstract The ability to rapidly and efficiently digest and identify an unknown protein is of great utility for proteome studies. Identification of proteins via peptide mapping is generally accomplished through proteolytic digestion with enzymes such as trypsin. Limitations of this approach consist in manual sample manipulation steps and extended reaction times for proteolytic digestion. The use of immobilized trypsin for cleavage of proteins is advantageous in comparison with application of its soluble form. Enzymes can be immobilized on different supports and used in flow systems such as immobilized enzyme reactors (IMERs). This review reports applications of immobilized trypsin reactors in which the IMER has been integrated into separation systems such as reversed-phase liquid chromatography or capillary electrophoresis, prior to MS analysis. Immobilization procedures including supports, mode of integration into separation systems, and methods are described. [source]


Use of different proteases working in acidic conditions to improve sequence coverage and resolution in hydrogen/deuterium exchange of large proteins

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 21 2003
Laetitia Cravello
The combination of hydrogen exchange and mass spectrometry has been widely used in structural biology, providing views on protein structure and protein dynamics. One of the constraints is to use proteases working at low pH and low temperature to limit back-exchange during proteolysis. Although pepsin works in these conditions and is currently used in such experiments, sequence coverage is not always complete especially for large proteins, and the spatial resolution of the exchange rate is limited by the size of the resulting peptides. In this study we tried two other proteases, protease type XIII from Aspergillus saitoi and protease type XVIII from Rhizhopus species. The penicillin-binding protein X (PBP-2X*), a 77-kDa protein, was selected as a model. Like pepsin, neither of these proteases is really specific, but we found very good reproducibility in the digestion pattern. Compared with using pepsin alone, combining the results of the three independent proteolyses increased the coverage for the peptide mapping, thus avoiding missing some potentially interesting regions of the protein. Furthermore, we obtained a better spatial resolution for deuterium incorporation data, specifying accurately the deuterated regions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Investigation of cytolysin variants by peptide mapping: enhanced protein characterization using complementary ionization and mass spectrometric techniques

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 22 2002
Stanley M. Stevens Jr.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and electrospray ionization (ESI) have been used in conjunction with time-of-flight (TOF) and quadrupole ion trap (IT) mass spectrometry, respectively, to analyze various cytolysin proteins isolated from the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus and digested by the protease trypsin. By employing different ionization methods, the subsequent changes in ionization selectivity for the peptides in the digested protein samples resulted in ion abundance variation reflected in the mass spectra. Upon investigation of this variation generated by the two ionization processes, it has been shown in this study that enhanced protein coverage (e.g., >95% for cytolysin III) can be achieved. Additionally, capillary and microbore reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with ESI mass spectrometry (MS) as well as flow injection analysis by nanoflow ESI-MS afforded the necessary limit of detection (LOD) for detailed structural information of the cytolysin proteins by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) methods. It can be concluded that cytolysins II and III correspond to sticholysins I and II, that "cytolysin I" is a mixture of modified forms of cytolysins II and III, and that "cytolysin IV" is an incompletely processed precursor of cytolysin III. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


High accuracy mass measurement of peptides with internal calibration using a dual electrospray ionization sprayer system for protein identification

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 6 2002
Feng Zhou
A dual-ESI-sprayer system was constructed and applied to achieve high accuracy of peptide mass measurement for protein identification by means of peptide mapping. Sample was introduced in one sprayer, and reference in the other, thus making internal calibration possible greatly enhancing the mass accuracy. Several samples were utilized to evaluate the reliability of this dual-ESI-sprayer system. The range of mass errors was 0.16,5.37,ppm. The peptide masses of tryptic digests of myoglobin (horse) were measured by the HPLC/dual-ESI-MS system, with mass deviations ranging from 0.01,7.67,ppm, and about 75% mass deviations below 5,ppm with 40% below 1,ppm. These peptide masses were utilized to perform database searching for protein identification, and compared to results obtained by external calibration. This comparison showed that the internal calibration provides a more reliable method of protein identification, with a much smaller number of required peptides for matching, and with less CPU time consumed for database searching. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Investigating variables and mechanisms that influence protein integrity in low water content amorphous carbohydrate matrices

BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 5 2009
Jane F. Povey
Abstract Biopharmaceutical proteins are often formulated and freeze dried in agents that protect them from deleterious reactions that can compromise activity and authenticity. Although such approaches are widely used, a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of protein stabilization in low water content amorphous glasses is lacking. Further, whilst deterioration chemistries are well described in dilute solution, relatively little is known about the extent and mechanisms by which protein integrity is compromised in the glassy state. Here we have investigated the relationship between protein modification and rate thereof, with variation of pH, carbohydrate excipient, temperature and the glass transition temperature using a model protein, lysozyme. Mass spectrometry analysis and peptide mapping confirm that protein modifications do occur in the glassy state in a time-, temperature-, and carbohydrate excipient-dependent manner. There were clear trends between the buffer pH and the primary modification detected (glycation). Most importantly, there were differences in the apparent reactivities of the lysine residues in the glass compared with those previously determined in solution, and therefore, the well-characterized solution reactivity of this reaction cannot be used to predict likely sites of modification in the glassy state. These findings have implications for (i) the selection and combinations of formulation components, particularly with regard to glycation in the glassy state, and (ii) the design of procedures and methodologies for the improvement of protein stability in the glassy state. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009 [source]


Structure of human salivary ,-amylase crystallized in a C -centered monoclinic space group

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2006
S. Zoë Fisher
Human salivary ,-amylase (HSA) is a major secretory protein component of saliva and has important biological functions, including the initial digestion of starch. HSA acts as a monomer and mediates the hydrolysis of ,-1,4-glucosidic linkages in oligosaccharides. To date, all published crystal structures of HSA have been crystallized as monomers in space group P212121. Here, the serendipitous purification, crystallization and ultimate structure determination of a HSA non-crystallographic symmetry (NCS) dimer, while attempting to purify human carbonic anhydrase VI (HCA VI) from saliva using an affinity resin for ,-class carbonic anhydrases, is presented. On further investigation, it was shown that HSA could only be copurified using the affinity resin in the presence of HCA VI which is glycosylated and not the non-glycosylated HCA II. The identification of the HSA crystals was carried out by peptide mapping and mass spectrometry. HSA was shown to have crystallized as an NCS dimer in space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 150.9, b = 72.3, c = 91.3,Å, , = 102.8°. The NCS dimer crystal structure is reported to 3.0,Å resolution, with a refined Rcryst of 0.228. The structure is compared with the previously reported P212121 monomer structures and the crystal packing and dimer interface are discussed. [source]


Analysis of the autoimmune epitopes on human testicular NASP using recombinant and synthetic peptides

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2000
I. N. Batova
The human nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein, NASP, is a testicular histone-binding protein of 787 amino acids to which most vasectomized men develop autoantibodies. In this study to define the boundaries of antigenic regions and epitope recognition pattern, recombinant deletion mutants spanning the entire protein coding sequence and a human NASP cDNA sublibrary were screened with vasectomy patients' sera. Employing panel sera from 21 vasectomy patients with anti-sperm antibodies, a heterogeneous pattern of autoantibody binding to the recombinant polypeptides was detected in ELISA and immunoblotting. The majority of sera (20/21) had antibodies to one or more of the NASP fusion proteins. Antigenic sites preferentially recognized by the individual patients' sera were located within aa 32,352 and aa 572,787. Using a patient's serum selected for its reactivity to the whole recombinant protein in Western blots, cDNA clones positive for the C-terminal domain of the molecule were identified. The number and location of linear epitopes in this region were determined by synthetic peptide mapping and inhibition studies. The epitope-containing segment was delimited to the sequence aa 619,692 and analysis of a series of 74 concurrent overlapping 9mer synthetic peptides encompassing this region revealed four linear epitopes: amino acid residues IREKIEDAK (aa 648,656), KESQRSGNV (aa 656,664), AELALKATL (aa 665,673) and GFTPGGGGS (aa 680,688). All individual patients' sera reacted with epitopes within the sequence IRE,.GGS (aa 648,688). The strongest reactivity was displayed by peptides corresponding to the sequence AELALKATL (aa 665,673). Thus, multiple continuous autoimmune epitopes in NASP involving sequences in the conserved C-terminal domain as well as in the less conserved testis-specific N-terminal region comprising the histone-binding sites, as predicted for an antigen-driven immune response, may be a target of autoantibodies in vasectomized men and may provide a relevant laboratory variable to describe more accurately the spectrum of autoantibody specificities associated with the clinical manifestation of vasectomy. [source]