Cellular and subcellular colocalization of nerve growth factor and epidermal growth factor in mouse submandibular glands

Immunocytochemical methods have been used to compare the cellular and subcellular distribution of nerve growth factor (NGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in mouse submandibular glands. Rabbit antisera raised against purified proteins were characterized by immunoblot methods and were used to stain sections of salivary glands embedded in plastic. For light microscopy, antibodies were visualized by indirect immunofluorescence. For electron microscopy, thin sections were treated simultaneously with IgG against NGF and EGF coupled to colloidal gold particles of different size. Data indicate that NGF and EGF are present in all granular convoluted tubule cells and in no other cell type within the salivary gland. Ultrastructural analyses indicate that NGF and EGF are evenly distributed together within mature secretory granules, although a population of small granules was identified that is not immunoreactive for either protein. Taken together, the data suggest that granular convoluted tubule cells are homogeneous in the production and storage of NGF and EGF.

Purification and partial sequence of human osteoclast-activating factor: identity with interleukin 1 beta

The lymphokine osteoclast-activating factor (OAF) was purified to homogeneity. OAF was produced by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with concanavalin A and phorbol myristate acetate under serum-free culture conditions. OAF was purified by sequential gel filtration, ion-exchange, and reverse-phase HPLC by following bone resorptive activity. Homogeneity was indicated by the criteria of a single 17,800-dalton band on silver-stained polyacrylamide gels, a single pI 6.8 band on isoelectric focusing, and a single aminoterminal sequence. Purified OAF stimulated half-maximal release of calcium from fetal rat long bones at a concentration of approximately 0.66 ng/ml. The amino-terminal sequence of OAF was determined and found to be identical to that of interleukin 1 beta. Homogeneous OAF possessed an activity of 8.2 X 10(6) U/mg in the thymocyte proliferation assay. Because the m.w., isoelectric point, amino-terminal sequence, and specific activity in the thymocyte proliferation assay are the same for homogeneous OAF and interleukin 1 beta, we conclude that they are the same molecule, and that interleukin 1 beta is the major protein with OAF activity produced by lectin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Purification and partial sequence of human osteoclast-activating factor: identity with interleukin 1 beta

The lymphokine osteoclast-activating factor (OAF) was purified to homogeneity. OAF was produced by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with concanavalin A and phorbol myristate acetate under serum-free culture conditions. OAF was purified by sequential gel filtration, ion-exchange, and reverse-phase HPLC by following bone resorptive activity. Homogeneity was indicated by the criteria of a single 17,800-dalton band on silver-stained polyacrylamide gels, a single pI 6.8 band on isoelectric focusing, and a single aminoterminal sequence. Purified OAF stimulated half-maximal release of calcium from fetal rat long bones at a concentration of approximately 0.66 ng/ml. The amino-terminal sequence of OAF was determined and found to be identical to that of interleukin 1 beta. Homogeneous OAF possessed an activity of 8.2 X 10(6) U/mg in the thymocyte proliferation assay. Because the m.w., isoelectric point, amino-terminal sequence, and specific activity in the thymocyte proliferation assay are the same for homogeneous OAF and interleukin 1 beta, we conclude that they are the same molecule, and that interleukin 1 beta is the major protein with OAF activity produced by lectin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Sarcophagid larval proteins: partial sequence homologies among three cuticle proteins and related structures of drosophilids

Three structural proteins from the larval cuticle of Sarcophaga bullata have been sequenced at the amino terminus for 30-40 residues. We observed a high degree of homology with related proteins of Drosophila melanogaster, based on the previous findings of M. Snyder, J. Hirsh, and N. Davidson [(1981) Cell 25:165-177]. S. bullata protein SC1 had 65% homology with Drosophila isolate CP1, and SC6 showed 49% homology with CPX and 54% with CP2a. The three sarcophagid polypeptides also resembled each other with respect to mapped products of tryptic cleavage. The sites of posttranslational arylation required for puparium formation, namely histidyl and lysyl residues, were asymmetrically distributed in the sarcophagid samples. In SC1 the bulk of the loci of putative crosslinks lay beyond the 43-residue fragment. In SC6 half the histidines fell within the first 25% of the primary chain.

Isolation and comparison of four cytochrome P-450 enzymes from phenobarbital-induced rat liver: three forms possessing identical NH2-terminal sequences

Phenobarbital pretreatment of male rats induced four microsomal cytochrome P-450 enzymes, at least one of which has previously not been reported. Three of the induced forms of the cytochrome possess identical NH2-terminal amino acid sequence for the first 32 residues (PBRLM5, 6 and 7). This sequence is identical to that shown earlier for PB-4 and PB-5. Apparent values for minimum molecular weight on SDS-PAGE were 52,000 (PBRLM4), 53,000 (PBRLM5), 53,500 (PBRLM6) and 54,000 (PBRLM7). Isomeric metabolite patterns from testosterone and progesterone differed for each enzyme further indicating their unique natures. Studies reveal similarity of PBRLM4 to PB-1, of PBRLM5 to P-450b and PB-4, and PBRLM6 to P-450e and PB-5. PBRLM7, which does not correspond to any reported forms, metabolizes steroids poorly. It preferentially hydroxylates testosterone at the 16 beta-position. It is the largest and least active of the enzymes shown for all of the substrates tested. This study further provided a cautionary note against assuming that chromatographic pools, like a P-450 PB-B fraction, are homogeneous.

Amino acid sequence homology between rat and human C-reactive protein

The rat serum protein that undergoes Ca2+-dependent binding to pneumococcal C-polysaccharide and to phosphocholine residues, and that is evidently a member of the pentraxin family of proteins by virtue of its appearance under the electron microscope, has been variously designated as rat C-reactive protein (CRP) [de Beer, Baltz, Munn, Feinstein, Taylor, Bruton, Clamp & Pepys (1982) Immunology 45, 55-70], 'phosphoryl choline-binding protein' [Nagpurkar & Mookerjea (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 7440-7448] and rat serum amyloid P component (SAP) [Pontet, D'Asnieres, Gache, Escaig & Engler (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 671, 202-210]. The partial amino acid sequence (45 residues) towards the C-terminus of this protein was determined, and it showed 71.7% identity with the known sequence of human CRP but only 54.3% identity with human SAP. Since human CRP and SAP are themselves approximately 50% homologous, the level of identity between the rat protein and human SAP is evidence only of membership of the pentraxin family. In contrast, the much greater resemblance to human CRP confirms that the rat C-polysaccharide-binding/phosphocholine-binding protein is in fact rat CRP.

Structure and biosynthesis of cytoplasmic and secreted variants of gelsolin

Gelsolin is an actin-fragmenting cytoplasmic protein. A functionally similar protein has also been identified in plasma. We have compared the structure of the cytoplasmic and plasma forms of gelsolin and examined their biosynthetic relationships. Plasma gelsolin is larger than cytoplasmic gelsolin (Mr 93,000 versus 90,000, respectively) and is more positively charged. Partial amino acid sequencing analyses show that the two gelsolins share a common 29 amino acid sequence which lies at the NH2-terminal end of cytoplasmic gelsolin and spans residues 26-55 of plasma gelsolin. Compared with cytoplasmic gelsolin, plasma gelsolin contains an additional peptide of 25 amino acids at its NH2 terminus. The human hepatoma-derived cell line, HepG2, synthesizes both the 90-kDa and the 93-kDa gelsolins but secretes only the 93-kDa form. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrate that the rate of disappearance of the 93-kDa gelsolin from the cells corresponds with the rate of appearance of the 93-kDa gelsolin in the medium, whereas the rate of disappearance of the 90-kDa gelsolin is independent of and slower than that of the secreted plasma protein. We conclude that cytoplasmic and plasma gelsolins are structurally similar but not identical, that after synthesis these proteins are processed independently, and that the fate of each is distinct.

Complete primary structure for the zymogen of human complement factor B

The entire amino acid sequence of complement factor B has been established combining both protein and DNA sequencing strategies. The zymogen consists of 739 amino acids, has four asparagine-linked carbohydrate sites, and has independently disulfide-bonded NH2- and COOH-terminal regions. The catalytic subunit, Bb, is a unique serine protease containing 259 amino acids that are not integral to any of the classical serine proteases. It is proposed that this region of the Bb fragment functions as a cofactor-binding domain for C3b. The Ba fragment was found to contain three regions of internal sequence homology which were unrelated to the "kringle" regions of prothrombin and plasminogen and which suggest an independent evolution for the B genome. Sequence alignment of the active site of B to the serine proteases was made using the three-dimensional structures of chymotrypsin and trypsin as molecular models. Three stretches within the hypothetical model for B contrast markedly with all known serine proteases in both amino acid sequences and predicted configuration. It is suggested that these "altered" regions contribute at least in part to the formation of the catalytic region of the C3 convertase.

The H-2Kk antigen: isolation using monoclonal immunoadsorbent chromatography and sequence analysis without radioisotopes

Monoclonal immunoadsorbent chromatography has been used to isolate milligram quantities of detergent-solubilized H-2Kk antigen. Using the procedure described in this paper 10(12) cells may be processed yielding 10 mg of homogenous H-2Kk which represents 70% of the allotypic serological activity present in the original homogenate. NH2-Terminal sequence data of the first 30 residues of the H-2Kk heavy chain are presented. The cell line selected as the source of antigen and the criteria of purity of the antigen have been found to be critical as proteins of molecular weight 42,000 and 12,000 were copurified with H-2Kk from the BW5147 cell line. The additional components were observed in gradient gel electrophoresis or two-dimensional electrophoresis, but not in conventional Laemmli gel electrophoresis.

Characterization of the CNBr peptides generated from the factor B cleavage fragments, Ba and Bb, by molecular exclusion high performance liquid chromatography

Highly purified human factor B of the alternative complement pathway was treated with factor D in the presence of cobra venom factor to generate its Ba and Bb cleavage fragments. These cleavage fragments were isolated by preparative polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis followed by electrodialysis elution and treatment with CNBr. The resultant CNBr cleavage peptides were isolated by molecular exclusion high performance liquid chromatography and characterized by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results of these experiments indicate that the Ba fragment essentially consisted of a 28,000 CNBr peptide, whereas 34,700 (28,000 + 3,500 when characterized under reducing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis conditions); 14,500 (=20,000); and 8,300 CNBr peptides were derived from the Bb fragment.

Monoclonal and allospecific H-2Kk antisera precipitate a high molecular weight protein

A protein with an apparent m.w. of 68,000 has been observed in immunoprecipitations of NP-40 solubilized BW5147 thymoma cells by using monoclonal or polyclonal allospecific H-2Kk antisera. By contrast, H-2Dk alloantisera precipitated a 45,000 m.w. protein from the same membrane preparations. The 68,000 m.w. protein is expressed on the plasma membrane as determined by vectoral labeling. Extensive clearing experiments and the use of monoclonal antibody demonstrate that the protein does not bear group-specific C-type viral determinants.

Monoclonal and allospecific H-2Kk antisera precipitate a high molecular weight protein

A protein with an apparent m.w. of 68,000 has been observed in immunoprecipitations of NP-40 solubilized BW5147 thymoma cells by using monoclonal or polyclonal allospecific H-2Kk antisera. By contrast, H-2Dk alloantisera precipitated a 45,000 m.w. protein from the same membrane preparations. The 68,000 m.w. protein is expressed on the plasma membrane as determined by vectoral labeling. Extensive clearing experiments and the use of monoclonal antibody demonstrate that the protein does not bear group-specific C-type viral determinants.

Structural evidence that complement factor B constitutes a novel class of serine protease

The 28,000-dalton COOH-terminal cyanogen bromide peptide of complement factor B was isolated disulfide bonded to a second polypeptide of Mr = 3,500. The amino acid sequence of the smaller peptide, CB2-3, and 51 of 55 NH2-terminal residues of the larger peptide, CB2-2, were determined on an automated sequenator. CB2-2 exhibited extensive homology in its primary structure to the known serine proteases and included the sequence, Ala-Ala-His-Cys, which is part of the active site of these enzymes. By contrast, CB2-3 demonstrated only limited sequence identity with the NH2 terminus of the serine proteases. Mild acid hydrolysis was employed to further cleave CB2-2 into fragments of Mr = 20,000 and 8,000. On analysis the 8,000-dalton peptide was observed to contain the active site serine sequence, Gly-Asp-Ser-Gly-Gly-Pro. The data, therefore, clearly document that factor B is also a serine protease, although its mechanism of activation differs from this class of proteolytic enzymes.

Partial amino acid sequence of human factor D:homology with serine proteases

Human factor D purified to homogeneity by a modified procedure was subjected to NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis by using a modified automated Beckman sequencer. We identified 48 of the first 57 NH2-terminal amino acids in a single sequencer run, using microgram quantities of factor D. The deduced amino acid sequence represents approximately 25% of the primary structure of factor D. This extended NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of factor D was compared to that of other trypsin-related serine proteases. By visual inspection, strong homologies (33--50% identity) were observed with all the serine proteases included in the comparison. Interestingly, factor D showed a higher degree of homology to serine proteases of pancreatic origin than to those of serum origin.