Crystallization and properties of carboxypeptidase A gamma from porcine pancreas

Purification and characterization of a carboxypeptidase from squid hepatopancreas (Illex illecebrosus)

The hepatopancreas of squid (Illex illecebrosus) extract contains a wide range of carboxypeptidase (CP) activities based on hydrolysis of N-CBZ-dipeptide substrates. SDS-PAGE zymograms with N-CBZ-Phe-Leu substrate revealed three activity zones (CP-I, 23 kDa; CP-II, 29 kDa; CP-III, 42 kDa). CP-I was purified 225-fold with 86.20% recovery based on N-CBZ-Ala-Phe activity by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, gel filtration, and chromatofocusing. The purified enzyme had broad specificity toward N-CBZ-dipeptides; however, it preferred substrates with a hydrophobic amino acid at the C terminus. CP-I had greatest activity with N-CBZ-Ala-Phe (specific activity = 7104 units/mg of protein, K(m) = 0.40 mM, and physiological efficiency = 22863). CP-I had a pI of 3.4 and is a metalloprotease that is activated by Co(2+) and partially inhibited by Pefabloc, a serine protease inhibitor. With N-CBZ-Ala-Phe and Gly-Phe, it had optimum activity at pH 8 and 70 degrees C. The amino acid composition of squid CP-I is similar to that of CP A from other species.

Procarboxypeptidase in rat pancreas. Overall characterization and comparison of the activation processes

Three monomeric procarboxypeptidases and a binary complex consisting of a procarboxypeptidase and a chymotrypsinogen have been isolated from rat pancreas by HPLC. N-terminal sequence determination, substrate-specificity analysis and physico-chemical characterization showed that the carboxypeptidase precursors were the A1, A2 and B forms. No isomorphism could be detected for any of these proenzymes and no clear evidence was obtained for the presence of procarboxypeptidase-containing quaternary complexes of the types previously described for other species. Instead, we observed the presence of a binary complex between procarboxypeptidase A2 and chymotrypsinogen B. Among the major pancreatic endoproteinases, only trypsin was found to be a general activator of rat procarboxypeptidases in vitro. Time-course analysis of the products generated after trypsin addition confirmed that full activation of procarboxypeptidase A1 requires several cleavages in the C-terminal region (residues 87-94) of the activation segment, while procarboxypeptidases A2 and B require a single cleavage each. The carboxypeptidases released participate in the trimming of the activation segment in A1 and B, but not in A2, probably because of the high specificity of the latter in the active form.

The amino acid sequence of the activation peptide of bovine pro-carboxypeptidase A

The amino acid sequence of the activation peptide of bovine pro-carboxypeptidase A subunit I has been determined by automated Edman degradation of the cyanogen bromide fractions derived from the precursor protein. The activation peptide contains 94 amino acid residues in a unique sequence which precedes directly the amino-terminal alanine residue of carboxypeptidase A alpha. A notable feature of the activation peptide is the presence of acidic amino acid residues immediately preceding the site of activation. The amino acid sequence of the activation peptide of bovine pro-carboxypeptidase A shows extensive similarity to those of the corresponding porcine and rat enzymes.

Primary structure of the activation segment of procarboxypeptidase A from porcine pancreas

The complete primary structure of the activation segment of monomeric procarboxypeptidase A from porcine pancreas has been determined by automated and manual Edman-like degradation methods performed on its fragments generated by enzymatic cleavage. The polypeptide consists of 94 residues, with a molecular mass of 10,768, and presents a high proportion of acidic and hydrophobic residues and a proline-rich region in the center of the molecule. Comparison of this sequence with the already reported equivalent sequence deduced from rat procarboxypeptidase A cDNA reveals a very high degree of homology between the two propeptides (up to a 81% of identities), which is even higher in certain large zones of the molecule.

Preparative isolation of the two forms of pig pancreatic pro-(carboxypeptidase A) and their monomeric carboxypeptidases A

A method is reported for the preparative isolation of the two forms of pro-(carboxypeptidase A) from pig pancreas: the monomer and the binary complex with pro-(proteinase E). This method, which is mainly based on chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose at pH 5.7, allows these proenzymes to be prepared more quickly and in safer conditions than with other reported methods. Undegraded and homogeneous carboxypeptidase A1 and A2 species (peptidyl-L-amino acid hydrolase, EC 3.4.17.1), in monomeric forms with high specific activity, are also obtained in high yield by controlled trypsin activation of either of the pro-(carboxypeptidases A) followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose at pH 5.8 under dissociating conditions (7 M-urea).

The severed activation segment of porcine pancreatic procarboxypeptidase A is a powerful inhibitor of the active enzyme. Isolation and characterisation of the activation peptide

The activation peptide of the monomeric procarboxypeptidase A from porcine pancreas was isolated by means of controlled trypsin digestion of the proenzyme followed by ion-exchange chromatography under dissociating conditions (7 M urea). The molecular weight of the isolated peptide was estimated to be around 11500-12000 (corresponding to approx. 100-103 residues) as judged by SDS electrophoresis and amino acid analysis, a figure that agrees with the differences between the corresponding values for procarboxypeptidase A and carboxypeptidase A (peptidyl-L-amino acid hydrolase, EC 3.4.17.1). The activation peptide has a high content of hydrophobic and acidic amino acids, and lacks cysteine. A remarkable feature is the strong competitive inhibitory action of the peptide on both porcine and bovine pancreatic carboxypeptidase A activity, with a Ki in the nanomolar range, and its null ability to inhibit porcine pancreatic carboxypeptidase B (EC 3.4.17.2). The above properties, and the fact that the peptide has the same N-terminal residue (lysine) as the parent procarboxypeptidase A, suggest that the isolated peptide contains most (if not all) of the activation segment of the proenzyme.