Primary structure of lobster-muscle arginine kinase. Amino and carboxyl-terminal structure of the enzyme and complete alignment of the cyanogen-bromide peptides

Post-translational chemical modifications of proteins--III. Current developments in analytical procedures of identification and quantitation of post-translational chemically modified amino acid(s) and its derivatives

1. The Chemical modifications of amino acids and their derivatives are mainly due to different post-translational enzymatic reactions. 2. The enzymatic reactions resulting in amino acids such as acetylation-, formylation, methylation-phosphorylation-, sulfation-, hydroxylation, ADP ribosylation-, carboxylation-, amidation-, adenylylation-, glycosylation-, ubiquitination-, prenylation and acylation are listed and analytical methods are reported and extensively reviewed. 3. The post-translationally modified cross-linking molecules after maturations such as desmosines, allo-desmosine, hydroxy-, lysylpyridinoline, 3-hydroxypyridinium derivatives, cyclopentenosine recently found in matured elastin, and in collagen, and pulcherosine a novel tyrosine-derived found in fertilization envelope of Sea Urchin embryo, di-tyrosine in resilin, gamma-glutamyl-lysine isopeptide cross-linking molecule etc. are listed and both physico-chemical and analytical methods are extensively reviewed and discussed. 4. Other consequences of post-translational modifications encountered in the analytical procedure such as N-terminal step-wise Edman degradation of glycosylated site(s), phosphorylated-site(s) and or sulfated-site(s) were also reported by us.

Monoclonal antibody studies suggest a catalytic site at the interface between domains in creatine kinase

We have located the epitopes recognized by four different monoclonal antibodies which bind to partially unfolded creatine kinase (CK) (ATP: creatine N-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.2) but not to the native enzyme. The epitopes appear to be buried within the CK structure in its native, proteinase-resistant, state. When the epitopes are made accessible to antibody by mild denaturation, CK becomes enzymically-inactive and can be cleaved by proteinase V8 into two large fragments which retain the epitopes and may represent domains. Epitopes on each V8 fragment are associated with highly conserved sequences and are brought physically close to the active site of the enzyme during the later stages of CK refolding and reactivation. The results suggest a catalytic site formed at the interface between two domains which carry the epitopes on their interacting surfaces. Separation of loosely associated domains before or during immunization may account for the origin of antibodies against buried epitopes.

Purification and characterization of arginine kinase from sea-urchin eggs

In most invertebrates, creatine kinase is replaced by arginine kinase, which catalyzes reversibly the transfer of a phosphate group between adenosine triphosphate and arginine. In sea-urchin larvae, arginine kinase only is expressed whereas in adult sea-urchins both arginine kinase and creatine kinase can be found in the same tissue. In order to study their developmental regulation and properties, we have purified arginine kinase to homogeneity from the eggs of the sea-urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The purification involves ethanol and ammonium sulfate precipitations, followed by an anion-exchange chromatography, an affinity chromatography and a gel filtration. A 500-fold increase in specific activity leads to a specific activity of 360 IU/mg protein at 25 degrees C. Arginine kinase (pI = 5.7) is rapidly and irreversibly inactivated at 45 degrees C. Amino acid composition and Km values (2.08 mM for phospho-L-arginine and 1.25 mM for ADP) are also given. Determination of molecular mass by gel filtration and separation by SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicate that the enzyme is an 81-kDa dimer of two subunits of 42 kDa.

Monoclonal antibody studies of creatine kinase. Antibody-binding sites in the N-terminal region of creatine kinase and effects of antibody on enzyme refolding

(1) The binding sites of two monoclonal antibodies, CK-2A7 and CK-5H5, have been located to a 60-amino-acid sequence in the N-terminal region of creatine kinase (CK) by the use of chemical cleavage with formic acid (which cleaves proteins at Asp-Pro bonds) and cyanogen bromide (which cleaves at Met residues). (2) A simple method for preparing chemically-cleaved fragments of proteins for electrophoresis and Western blotting is described. (3) Binding studies with CK preparations from different animal species show that single amino acid changes at residues 39 or 82 prevent binding of CK-2A7 and CK-5H5 respectively. We suggest that Lys-39 and Glu-82 form parts of the binding sites on CK for the two monoclonal antibodies. The two sites lie in variable regions at each end of a highly-conserved sequence (residues 46 to 79) and are inaccessible to antibody in the native enzyme. (4) One of the antibodies, CK-2A7, inhibits the refolding of CK to native enzyme after denaturation by urea.

The mouse muscle creatine kinase cDNA and deduced amino acid sequences: comparison to evolutionarily related enzymes

The nucleotide sequence of cloned DNA corresponding to full-length mouse muscle creatine kinase mRNA has been determined. This 1415 base pair DNA sequence and the deduced 381 amino acid sequence of the protein have been compared to creatine kinase sequences from other vertebrate species and to invertebrate guanidino kinase sequences. These comparisons show that the vertebrate muscle creatine kinases constitute a remarkably conserved protein family with a unit evolutionary period of 30. The creatine kinases also retain marked sequence similarity with the more distantly related invertebrate guanidino kinases. A portion of the sequence, presumably part of the ATP binding site, shows similarity to other nucleotide binding proteins with diverse functions. Comparisons of the untranslated regions of the creatine kinase cDNA sequences show that the 5' untranslated regions are more highly conserved than are the 3' untranslated regions; this may point to some regulatory function in the 5' region.

Special problems encountered during the cyanogen bromide cleavage of lobster arginine kinase

During structural analysis of Lobster muscle arginine-kinase, we have isolated a CNBr resulting peptide with a blocked N-terminal residue. This peptide was sequenced after unblocking by mild acid treatment (1 N HCl at 100 degrees C for 10 min). The blocked form is not due to the formation of pyroglutamic acid nor is it due to the formation of diketopiperazine. We have applied the experimental conditions used for CNBr cleavage of lobster arginine-kinase to a synthetic peptide the structure of which is similar to the above CNBr peptide. We bring evidence that during CNBr cleavage partial formylation occurs with a possible cyclization of a 7 membered ring of Gly--Asp...