Ribonuclease of bovine milk: Serological relationship to pancreatic ribonuclease

The mammalian secreted RNases: Mechanisms of action in host defence

The mammalian ribonucleaseA family comprises a large group of structurally similar proteins which are secreted by a range of tissues and immune cells. Their physiological role is unclear. It has been suggested that some of these RNases contribute to host defence, notably eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, eosinophil cationic protein, eosinophil-associated RNases, RNase4, angiogenin (RNase5), RNase7, RNase8 and bovine seminal RNase. This review summarises data supporting the involvement of these proteins in host defence, focusing on their antimicrobial, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory activities. The extent to which the data support possible mechanisms of action for these proteins is discussed. This compilation of findings and current hypotheses on the physiological role of these RNases will provide a stimulus for further research and development of ideas on the contribution of the RNases to host defence.

Mapping, phylogenetic and expression analysis of the RNase (RNase A) locus in cattle

The mammalian secreted ribonucleases (RNases) comprise a large family of structurally related proteins displaying considerable sequence variation, and have been used in evolutionary studies. RNase 1 (RNase A) has been assumed to play a role in digestion, while other members have been suggested to contribute to host defence. Using the recently assembled bovine genome sequence, we characterised the complete repertoire of genes present in the RNaseA family locus in cattle, and compared this with the equivalent locus in the human and mouse genomes. Several additions and corrections to the earlier analysis of the RNase locus in the mouse genome are presented. The bovine locus encodes 19 RNases, of which only six have unambiguous equivalent genes in the other two species. Chromosomal mapping and phylogenetic analysis indicate that a number of distinct gene duplication events have occurred in the cattle lineage since divergence from the human and mouse lineages. Substitution analysis suggests that some of these duplicated genes are under evolutionary pressure for purifying selection and may therefore be important to the physiology of cattle. Expression analysis revealed that individual RNases have a wide pattern of expression, including diverse mucosal epithelia and immune-related cells and tissues. These data clarify the full repertoire of bovine RNases and their relationships to those in humans and mice. They also suggest that RNase gene duplication within the bovine lineage accompanied by altered tissue-specific expression has contributed a survival advantage.

Mammary origin of rat milk ribonuclease

When assayed under a variety of ionic conditions rat milk RNAase activity was highest under added Ca2+, while the serum enzyme was highest in no added ion, suggesting that milk was higher in the mammary-specific, Ca2+-stimulated, RNAase than was the serum of lactating rats. The acrylamide gel electrophoresis results demonstrated that milk RNAase differed from serum RNAase both in distribution and ionic preference; all milk RNAase species strongly preferred Ca2+ while serum RNAase species had no ionic preference. The Sephacryl S200 separation accentuated these differences by showing that 98% of the total milk RNAase activity was Ca2+-stimulated and clustered in a region of higher molecular weight than the serum enzyme which again had no ionic preference. From these results, we conclude that the vast majority of milk RNAase molecules are not transported by the serum, but must originate in the alveolar cells.

Human milk ribonuclease

Two components having ribonuclease (EC 3.1.27.5) activity were isolated from human milk. Each component of human milk ribonuclease (RNAase) moved at a slightly different rate when electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gel but at the same rate when ultracentrifuged. The major component had a molecular weight of approx. 14 000, an isoelectric point of pH 7.9, and exhibited a broad absorbance maximum between 277 and 281 nm. Human milk RNAase hydrolyzed yeast RNA, poly(cytidylic acid) and poly(uridylic acid) but not DNA, poly(adenylic acid) or poly(guanylic acid). Maximum activity occurred at pH 7.7 and 60 degrees C. Amino acid analysis of the major component revealed a large number of alanine, valine, glycine and aspartic acids but no tryptophan or free sulfhydryl groups. Lysine was the N-terminal amino acid. Tryptic hydrolysis yielded 18 peptides, some of which are similar to those from bovine pancreatic RNAase. Human milk RNAase activity was increased in the presence of NaCl, KCl and sodium citrate and decreased by CaCl(2), MgCl(2), FeSO(4), ZnSO(4) and CuSO(4).

The ribonucleases of bovine skeletal muscle

Bovine skeletal muscle contains small amounts of at least six heat- and acid-stable RNA-degrading enzymes. Our results are the first evidence for multiple ribonucleases in skeletal muscle. Three of these have been highly purified, and each has been shown to be a pyrimidine-specific endoribonuclease by use of a rapid sequencing technique employing gel electrophoresis. However, synthetic co-polymers containing adenylate or guanylate residues in addition to pyrimidine residues are hydrolysed at higher rates than are the pyrimidine homopolymers. With 0.63 mM yeast RNA as substrate, all three enzymes (ribonucleases I, II and III) are optimally active in alkaline solution (pH 7.5-8.5) containing 0.05-0.15 M univalent salts, do not require bivalent cations, and have molecular weights of 13 000-20 000. The properties of muscle ribonuclease I are very similar to those of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A. Muscle ribonucleases II and III have characteristics similar to those of ribonucleases found in various other bovine tissues. In common with all previously studied pyrimidine-specific endoribonucleases, the bovine muscle ribonucleases are inhibited by such purine homopolynucleotides as polyadenylate. Furthermore, polyamines, present in low concentrations, can reverse or regulate the amount of inhibition of enzyme activity.