Analysis of the partial nucleotide sequences and deduced primary structures of the protease domains of mammalian blood coagulation factors VII and X

Factor VIIa modified in the 170 loop shows enhanced catalytic activity but does not change the zymogen-like property

Factor VIIa (VIIa) is an unusual trypsin-type serine proteinase that appears to exist in an equilibrium between minor active and dominant zymogen-like inactive conformational states. The binding of tissue factor to VIIa is assumed to shift the equilibrium into the active state. The proteinase domain of VIIa contains a unique structure: a loop formed by a disulfide bond between Cys310 and Cys329, which is five residues longer than those of other trypsin types. To examine the functional role of the loop region, we prepared two mutants of VIIa. One of the mutants, named VII-11, had five extra corresponding residues 316-320 of VII deleted. The other mutant, VII-31, had all of the residues in its loop replaced with those of trypsin. Functional analysis of the two mutants showed that VIIa-11 (Kd = 41 nm) and VIIa-31 (Kd = 160 nm) had lower affinities for soluble tissue factor as compared with the wild-type VIIa (Kd = 11 nm). The magnitude of tissue factor-mediated acceleration of amidolytic activities of VIIa-11 (7-fold) and that of VIIa-31 (2-fold) were also smaller than that of wild-type VIIa (30-fold). In the absence of tissue factor, VIIa-31 but not VIIa-11 showed enhanced activity; the catalytic efficiencies of VIIa-31 toward various chromogenic substrates were 2-18-fold greater than those of the wild-type VIIa. Susceptibility of the alpha-amino group of Ile-153 of VIIa-31 to carbamylation was almost the same as that of wild-type VIIa, suggesting that VIIa-31 as well as wild-type VIIa exist predominantly in the zymogen-like state. Therefore, the tested modifications in the loop region had adverse effects on affinity for tissue factor, disturbed the tissue factor-induced conformational transition, and changed the catalytic efficiency of VIIa, but they did not affect the equilibrium between active and zymogen-like conformational states.

Cloning and recombinant expression of mouse coagulation factor X

Engineering of recombinant coagulation factor X variants, which can be activated by tumor-associated proteinases may lead to the development of new therapeutic molecules. However, the evaluation of such variants requires an appropriate animal model. Therefore, we isolated the complete coding sequence of mouse coagulation factor X from mouse liver cDNA by polymerase chain reaction. The deduced amino acid sequence codes for a prepro protein of 481 amino acids homologous to factor X sequences from various species. Recombinant mouse factor X was expressed in human embryonic kidney cells and secreted into cell culture supernatant as zymogen, which could be converted to catalytically active factor Xa by Russell's viper venom. Purified recombinant mouse factor X restored coagulation in human factor X deficient plasma, demonstrating that mouse factor X is able to functionally interact with the human blood coagulation system. Recombinant mouse factor X opens the possibility to analyze therapeutically useful variants in the mouse system.

Characterization of a full-length cDNA for rabbit factor X

A 300 bp probe generated by the PCR was derived from rabbit genomic DNA using primers from a highly conserved region of the DNA for human factor X (HFX). The probe was used in northern blot analysis of liver RNA to demonstrate an mRNA species of 1.6 kb for the rabbit factor X and subsequently for isolation and characterization of the cDNA for rabbit factor X (RFX) from a lambda Zap II cDNA library generated from rabbit liver mRNA. The cDNA contains 22 bases upstream from the 5'-translation initiation codon, 1470 nucleotides of open reading frame, a stop codon and a 3' poly (A) tail. The cDNA codes for a 40-residue signal/propeptide region, followed by a 447-residue mature protein. The deduced amino acid sequence shows a high degree of homology with the sequence of HFX. Inhibitory peptides derived from interactive sites of HFX for activators, cofactor and substrate exerted degrees of inhibition of RFX activation which showed a dependence on extent of homology with the corresponding regions of RFX.

Mutation pattern in clinically asymptomatic coagulation factor VII deficiency

A total of 122 subjects, referred after presurgery screening or checkup for prolonged prothrombin time, were characterized for the presence of coagulation factor VII deficiency. Fourteen subjects carried a partial and asymptomatic deficiency, and in half of them dysfunctional molecules were detected in plasma. In nine subjects we found five missense mutations differing from those previously found in factor VII deficient patients. The others were homozygous for a common polymorphism (R353Q) that affects factor VII levels. A new codon dimorphism (A330) was also found in exon 8. Four mutations (R223W, M298I, R304Q, and R353Q) located at FVII-specific residues point out protein regions that are important for coagulation factor evolution, and two mutations (G342E and E265K) affect generic or partially generic residues. The newly reported mutations were combined with those we previously found, totalling 17 independent mutations responsible for FVII deficiency in 27 Italian pedigrees. We observed several similarities with the mutation pattern determined in factor IX, which include a high percentage of transitions at CpG doublets, the presence of hot spot sites affected by multiple substitutions, and of several topologically equivalent mutations.

Molecular bases of CRM+ factor X deficiency: a frequent mutation (Ser334Pro) in the catalytic domain and a substitution (Glu102Lys) in the second EGF-like domain

The presence of gene lesions in coagulation factor X (FX, Stuart factor) was investigated in asymptomatic subjects with FX deficiency characterized by the presence of dysfunctional molecules in plasma, as demonstrated by the discrepancy between clotting activity and antigen level. A missense mutation (Ser334Pro) in the catalytic domain was found in three unrelated families in both the homozygous and the heterozygous conditions, and also in the compound heterozygous form with the substitution of Lys for 102 Glu. None of the mutations was detected in 40 unrelated subjects from the same geographic area. The Ser334Pro mutation affects a serine protease region characterized by extensive variation in the coagulation factors but conserved in mammalian factor X molecules. The Glu102Lys mutation affects a residue of the second EGF-like module also conserved in protein C. Both mutated residues are surface-exposed and found in protein regions suggested to be involved in macromolecular interactions which are impaired in the dysfunctional molecules.