N-terminal amino acid sequence of proalbumin from inbred buffalo rats

The biosynthesis of acute-phase proteins in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

The biosynthesis and secretion of alpha 2-macroglobulin, transferrin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor were studied in rat hepatocyte primary cultures. After labeling with [35S]methionine, two forms, which can be separated electrophoretically differing by molecular weight, were found for each of the four glycoproteins. The following molecular weights were estimated for the intracellular precursors and the secreted forms: alpha 2-macroglobulin, 176 000 and 182 000; transferrin, 84 000 and 86 000; alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, 39 000 and 43 000-60 000; alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, 49 000 and 54 000. Carbohydrate moieties could be removed from intracellular forms by treatment with endoglucosaminidase H indicating that their oligosaccharide chains were of the high-mannose type. The extracellular forms were sensitive to sialidase. They incorporated [3H]galactose and [3H]fucose showing that their oligosaccharide chains were of the complex type. Pulse-chase experiments revealed a precursor-product relationship for the high-mannose and the complex type glycoproteins. In the hepatocyte medium newly synthesized albumin was detected after 30 min and newly synthesized glycoproteins after 60 min. Unglycosylated alpha 2-macroglobulin (162 000), transferrin (79 000), alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (23 000), and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (41 000) were found in the cells as well as in the medium, when the transfer of oligosaccharide chains onto the polypeptide chains was blocked by tunicamycin. Tunicamycin led to a marked reduction of the secretion of alpha 2-macroglobulin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, whereas the secretion of transferrin was less affected.

The protein sequenator: a new extraction principle and a metal reaction cup

A simpler and more efficient extraction procedure is proposed for solvent extraction of the Edman degradation procedure in the protein sequenator. The method is less likely than the conventional one to cause wash-out of peptides or proteins from the reaction cup while the very small solvent volumes required substantially decrease the running costs of the instrument. It has been used successfully (98% repetitive yield) with a metal reaction cup in the sequenator.