REDUCTION AND REOXIDATION OF THE DISULPHIDE BONDS OF PEPSINOGEN

Non-random relationships among amino acids in protein sequences

We have computed the observed distribution of amino acid pairs n, n+1 up to n, n+10 within 100 unrelated protein sequences containing a total of 14,034 amino acids. The expected distribution of the same amino acid pairs was calculated assuming that the amino acids within each sequence are arranged in random order. Statistical analysis of the data shows that amino acids in the n, n+1 and n, n+3 relationship deviate from random expectation at the 1% level of significance. These relationships are consistent with known secondary structures; however, there are no amino acid pairs which obviously contribute to the non-random result.

Reaction of formaldehyde and thioformaldehyde with mercuripapain

In a colorimetric assay with benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide, acetylated and benzoylated papains retain full activity. Thus the ε-amino groups of the lysine residues are not required for enzyme activity. Intramolecular crosslinking of an enzyme could in theory stabilize secondary and tertiary structure and oppose denaturation. Thioformaldehyde is much more reactive with mercuripapain than formaldehyde, incorporating much more readily into the enzyme at equivalent concentrations. Incorporation is extensive, however, on reactive functional groups on the amino acid side chains, since acetylation decreased the incorporation markedly. In no case was there evidence of heat stabilization.