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Peptide Region (peptide + region)
Selected AbstractsFerrocene Conjugates Containing Diarginine and Aspartic Acid: Salt Bridge Interactions in WaterEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 29-30 2009Anas Lataifeh Abstract The ferrocene peptide conjugates of diarginine (MeO-Fc-Arg-Arg-NH2) (1) and aspartic acid [Boc-Fca-Asp(OH)-OH] (2) were found to form a stable 1:1 associate in aqueous solution. The molecular recognition was achieved through a combination of multipoint hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) sites and a guanidinium-carboxylate ion pair. The associate stoichiometry was confirmed by using ESI-MS and NMR experiments; the NMR titration curve shows multiple equilibria with stepwise interconversion from 1:2,,,1:1 binding ratios, and the electrochemical behaviour of the ferrocenyl groups (Fc, Fca) confirm the formation of an ion pair. The CD spectra in the peptide region exhibit a characteristic absorption of a more ordered structure, while the ferrocene helical chirality remains intact. The solid-state IR measurements exclude the involvement of the amide backbone in the interaction.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source] Salt-inducible kinase-1 represses cAMP response element-binding protein activity both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasmFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 21 2004Yoshiko Katoh Salt-inducible kinase-1 (SIK1) is phosphorylated at Ser577 by protein kinase A in adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulated Y1 cells, and the phospho-SIK1 translocates from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The phospho-SIK1 is dephosphorylated in the cytoplasm and re-enters the nucleus several hours later. By using green-fluorescent protein-tagged SIK1 fragments, we found that a peptide region (586,612) was responsible for the nuclear localization of SIK1. The region was named the ,RK-rich region' because of its Arg- and Lys-rich nature. SIK1s mutated in the RK-rich region were localized mainly in the cytoplasm. Because SIK1 represses cAMP-response element (CRE)-mediated transcription of steroidogenic genes, the mutants were examined for their effect on transcription. To our surprise, the cytoplasmic mutants strongly repressed the CRE-binding protein (CREB) activity, the extent of repression being similar to that of SIK1(S577A), a mutant localized exclusively in the nucleus. Several chimeras were constructed from SIK1 and from its isoform SIK2, which was localized mainly in the cytoplasm, and they were examined for intracellular localization as well as CREB-repression activity. A SIK1-derived chimera, where the RK-rich region had been replaced with the corresponding region of SIK2, was found in the cytoplasm, its CREB-modulating activity being similar to that of wild-type SIK1. On the other hand, a SIK2-derived chimera with the RK-rich region of SIK1 was localized in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm, and had a CREB-repressing activity similar to that of the wild-type SIK2. Green fluorescent protein-fused transducer of regulated CREB activity 2 (TORC2), a CREB-specific co-activator, was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of Y1 cells, and, after treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone, cytoplasmic TORC2 entered the nucleus, activating CREB. The SIK1 mutants, having a strong CRE-repressing activity, completely inhibited the adrenocorticotropic hormone-induced nuclear entry of green fluorescent protein-fused TORC2. This suggests that SIK1 may regulate the intracellular movement of TORC2, and as a result modulates the CREB-dependent transcription activity. Together, these results indicate that the RK-rich region of SIK1 is important for determining the nuclear localization and attenuating CREB-repressing activity, but the degree of the nuclear localization of SIK1 itself does not necessarily reflect the degree of SIK1-mediated CREB repression. [source] Glycosylation status of haptoglobin in sera of patients with prostate cancer vs. benign prostate disease or normal subjectsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 1 2008Tsutomu Fujimura Abstract We studied chemical level and glycosylation status of haptoglobin in sera of patients with prostate cancer, as compared to benign prostate disease and normal subjects, with the following results. (i) Haptoglobin level was enhanced significantly in sera of prostate cancer. (ii) Sialylated bi-antennary glycans were the dominant structures in haptoglobins from all 3 sources, regardless of different site of N-linked glycan. The N-linked glycans at N184 were exclusively bi-antennary, and showed no difference between prostate cancer vs. benign prostate disease. (iii) Tri-antennary, N-linked, fucosylated glycans, carrying at least 1 sialyl-Lewisx/a antenna, were predominantly located on N207 or N211 within the amino acid 203-215 sequence of the ,-chain of prostate cancer, and were minimal in benign prostate disease. Fucosylated glycans were not observed in normal subjects. A minor tri-antennary N-linked glycan was observed at N241 of the ,-chain in prostate cancer, which was absent in benign prostate disease. (iv) None of these N-linked structures showed the expected presence of disialylated antennae with GalNAc,4(NeuAc,3)Gal,3(NeuAc,6)GlcNAc,Gal, or its analogue, despite cross-reactivity of prostate cancer haptoglobin with monoclonal antibody RM2. (v) Minor levels of O -glycosylation were identified in prostate cancer haptoglobin for the first time. Mono- and disialyl core Type 1 O-linked structures were identified after reductive ,-elimination followed by methylation and mass spectrometric analysis. No evidence was found for the presence of specific RM2 or other tumor-associated glycosyl epitopes linked to this O -glycan core. In summary, levels of haptoglobin are enhanced in sera of prostate cancer patients, and the N -glycans attached to a defined peptide region of its ,-chain are characterized by enhanced branching as well as antenna fucosylation. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Novel variations in the signal peptide region of transforming growth factor ,1 gene in patients with hepatitis: a brief report from IndiaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOGENETICS, Issue 2 2005V. Gupta Summary Genotypic status of the signal peptide region of transforming growth factor ,1 (TGF-,1) showed a significant difference in C/C-genotype frequency at +29 position (codon 10) between a range of viral hepatitis patients and controls (P = 0.009, OR = 3.15, CI = 1.29,7.678), contributed by those who were infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) alone or HBV + hepatitis delta virus (HDV) (P = 0.003, OR = 5.0, CI = 1.78,13.97). [source] Molecular cloning, genomic organization and functional characterization of a new short-chain potassium channel toxin-like peptide BmTxKS4 from Buthus martensii Karsch(BmK)JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Sheng Jiqun Abstract Scorpion venom contains many small polypeptide toxins, which can modulate Na+, K+, Cl,, and Ca2+ ion,channel conductance in the cell membrane. A full-length cDNA sequence encoding a novel type of K+ -channel toxin (named BmTxKS4) was first isolated and identified from a venom gland cDNA library of Buthus martensii Karsch (BmK). The encoded precursor contains 78 amino acid residues including a putative signal peptide of 21 residues, propeptide of 11 residues, and a mature peptide of 43 residues with three disulfide bridges. BmTxKS4 shares the identical organization of disulfide bridges with all the other short-chain K+ -channel scorpion toxins. By PCR amplification of the genomic region encoding BmTxKS4, it was shown that BmTxKS4 composed of two exons is disrupted by an intron of 87 bp inserted between the first and the second codes of Phe (F) in the encoding signal peptide region, which is completely identical with that of the characterized scorpion K+ -channel ligands in the size, position, consensus junctions, putative branch point, and A+T content. The GST-BmTxKS4 fusion protein was successfully expressed in BL21 (DE3) and purified with affinity chromatography. About 2.5 mg purified recombinant BmTxKS4 (rBmTxKS4) protein was obtained by treating GST-BmTxKS4 with enterokinase and sephadex chromatography from 1 L bacterial culture. The electrophysiological activity of 1.0,M rBmTxKS4 was measured and compared by whole cell patch-clamp technique. The results indicated that rBmTxKS4 reversibly inhibited the transient outward K+ current (Ito), delayed inward rectifier K+ current (Ik1), and prolonged the action potential duration of ventricular myocyte, but it has no effect on the action potential amplitude. Taken together, BmTxKS4 is a novel subfamily member of short-strain K+ -channel scorpion toxin. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:187,195, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20026 [source] The structure of the TGF-, latency associated peptide region determines the ability of the proprotein convertase furin to cleave TGF-,sJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2008Makoto Kusakabe Abstract The TGF-, family members are generated as latent pre-pro-polypeptides. The active mature peptides are cleaved from the latent forms by cellular proteases. TGF-,1, for instance, is predominantly processed by a substilisin-like proprotein convertase, furin. TGF-,2 has a consensus cleavage site for furin and therefore has been presumed to be cleaved by furin. However, TGF-,2 is often secreted as the latent form, which appears to be inconsistent with its postulated sensitivity to furin. We report here that both the regular (short) form of TGF-,2 and its spliced variant with an additional exon (long form) are insensitive to furin. NIH 3T3 and CHO cells were transfected with expression vectors containing the short or long form of TGF-,2 or a chimeric TGF-, consisting of the TGF-,1 LAP region, the TGF-,2 cleavage site and the TGF-,2 mature peptide. The constructs included a c- myc epitope tag in the N-terminal region of the mature peptide. The TGF-,s produced by the transfected cells were analyzed with Western blots and immunocytochemistry. The intracellular proteins harvested from these cells were incubated with furin. Furin only inefficiently cleaved both the long and short forms of TGF-,2, but efficiently processed the chimeric TGF-,. This indicates that the insensitivity of both forms of TGF-,2 to furin is a consequence of the tertiary structure of their LAP regions rather than their cleavage site. This differential processing of TGF-,1 and -,2 may be part of the mechanism that generates isoform-specific functions of the TGF-,s. J. Cell. Biochem. 103: 311,320, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Crystallization and diffraction of an Lhx4,Isl2 complexACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2009Morgan S. Gadd A stable intramolecular complex comprising the LIM domains of the LIM-homeodomain protein Lhx4 tethered to a peptide region of Isl2 has been engineered, purified and crystallized. The monoclinic crystals belonged to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 46.8, b = 88.7, c = 49.9,Å, , = 111.9°, and diffracted to 2.16,Å resolution. [source] | |||||||||||||