Search results for "leucine"

α-Aminoalkylphosphonates as a tool in experimental optimisation of P1 side chain shape of potential inhibitors in S1 pocket of leucine- and neutral a…

2005

Abstract The synthesis and biological activity studies of the series of structurally different α-aminoalkylphosphonates were performed in order to optimise the shape of the side chain of the potential inhibitors in S1 pocket of leucine aminopeptidase [E.C.3.4.11.1]. Analysis of a series of compounds with aromatic, aliphatic and alicyclic P1 side chains enabled to find out the structural features, optimal for that fragment of inhibitors of LAP. The most active among all investigated compounds were the phosphonic analogues of homo-tyrosine ( K i  = 120 nM) and homo-phenylalanine ( K i  = 140 nM), which even as racemic mixtures were better inhibitors in comparison with the best till now-phosph…

2021

Amino acids with small side chains and motifs of small residues in a distance of four are rather abundant in human single-span transmembrane helices. While interaction of such helices appears to be common, the role of the small residues in mediating and/or stabilizing transmembrane helix oligomers remains mostly elusive. Yet, the mere existence of (small)xxx(small) motifs in transmembrane helices is frequently used to model dimeric TM helix structures. The single transmembrane helix of the human carbonic anhydrases XII contains a large number of amino acids with small side chains, and critical involvement of these small amino acids in dimerization of the transmembrane domain has been sugges…

Cell Surface-Bound Leucine Aminopeptidase: Target of the Immunomodulator Bestatin

1986

The study of low molecular weight enzyme inhibitors of microbial origin was initiated by Umezawa in 1965 (see Umezawa 1972). Since the discovery of an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase, nearly 50 inhibitors of various enzymes have been found by him; their structures were elucidated and most of the compounds were chemically synthesized (Umezawa 1982). Among them one inhibitor of both aminopeptidase B and the ectoenzyme, leucine aminopeptidase was found in 1976 and was termed bestatin (Fig. 1), [(2S,3R)-3-amino-2-hydroxy 4-phenyl-butanoyl]-(S)-leucine (Umezawa et al. 1976).

Amino acid contents of infant foods.

2006

The protein quality of three milk-cereal-based infant foods (paps) was evaluated by determining their amino acid contents and calculating the amino acid score. Proteins were subjected to acid hydrolysis, prior to which cysteine and methionine were oxidized with performic acid. Amino acids were determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection with a prior derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate. Tryptophan was determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection after basic hydrolysis. Glutamic acid, proline and leucine were the most abundant amino acids, whereas tryptophan and …

Transport-related amino acid metabolism in germinating barley grains

1987

When eight [14C]-labelled amino acids were separately injected into the endosperm of germinating (4 days at 20°C) barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Himalaya) grains, the label was rapidly taken up by the scutellum and further transported to the shoot and roots. Some of the amino acids (leucine, lysine and asparagine) were transported in an intact form through the scutellum to the seedling, whilst glutamic acid and aspartic acid were largely converted to glutamine in the scutellum. Proline was mainly transported unchanged, but a small part of the label appeared in glutamine. Arginine was mostly broken down in the scutellum, possibly providing ammonia for the synthesis of glutamine. During furth…

Effects of KL4-Type Peptides on the Surface Activity and Stability of Pulmonary Surfactant Films as Evaluated in the Captive Bubble Surfactometer

2012

Although SP-B is the most critical protein in lung surfactant, recombinant or synthetic forms of SP-B as a basis for the development of therapeutic surfactants are still not available. An alternative is the design and production of peptides mimicking the structure and general properties of essential motifs in SP-B.In the present study the surface activity of different KL4-derived peptides, as sequence variations of the original peptide designed to replicate a general amphipathic motif of SP-B [1], has been assessed in the captive bubble surfactometer. The peptides were reconstituted in a surfactant lipid matrix: DPPC/POPC/POPG (50:25:15, w/w/w). This mixture was selected because it offers a…

Chromatographic Determination of Thiols After Pre‐column Derivatization witho‐Phthalaldehyde and Isoleucine

2004

Abstract The reaction of primary amines with excess o‐phthalaldehyde (OPA) and thiol yields unique isoindole derivatives that are readily separated by reversed‐phase liquid chromatography. In a previous work, a spectrophotometric procedure was proposed for the assay of N‐acetylcysteine by derivatization with OPA and isoleucine at pH 9.5, with satisfactory results. The chromatographic determination of this and other low molecular‐weight thiols, after isoindole formation with isoleucine, using mobile phases of acetonitrile–water at pH 3 and spectrophotometric detection, is now examined. From the assayed thiols (thioglycolic acid, 3‐mercaptopropionic acid, tiopronin, N‐acetylcysteine, N‐acetyl…

Use of the o-Phthalaldehyde and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine the Evaluation of Milk Proteins

1991

Abstract o -Phthalaldehyde and N-acetyl-Lcysteine are used in the determination of milk proteins. Three procedures are proposed and compared. One of them is based on reaction of o -phthalaldehyde and N-acetyl-Lcysteine with the intact proteins and the two others on reaction of the reagents with the released amino acids after total acid hydrolysis of the protein samples. When the protein sample is hydrolyzed, calibration is performed either with a hydrolyzed protein standard or with isoleucine. A procedure for the measurement of the degree of enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins without separation of the unhydrolyzed protein, which makes use of the same reagents, is also described. In all c…

Purification and characterization of leucine aminopeptidase from kidney bean cotyledons

1992

A leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3,4,11.1) was purified from cotyledons of resting kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Processor) by acidic extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, Sephacryl S-300, Mono Q HPLC and Superose HPLC columns. The yield of the 317-fold purified enzyme was 9%. On gel filtrations on Sephacryl S-300 and Superose HPLC the elution volumes of the enzyme corresponded to an M, of 360 000. The enzyme gave one band on native gel electrophoresis and an electrophoretic titration in an immobilized pH gradient gave a single curve with a pI of 4.8. Two bands were observed in an SDS-gel electrophoresis with Mr values of 58 000 and 60 000 bot…

Determination of the protein and free amino acid content in a sample using o-phthalaldehyde and N-acetyl-L-cysteine

1990

A spectrophotometric method is proposed for determining the protein content in a sample after total acid hydrolysis. In the procedure, free amino acids are caused to react with o-phthalaldehyde and N-acetyl-L-cysteine at pH 9.5, using isoleucine as the reference compound. Correction factors are used to take into account the differences between the molar absorptivities of the amino acid isoindoles and the recoveries of the amino acids after the hydrolysis treatment. The limit of detection was in the range 40-50 micrograms of protein, and the recoveries were usually 101 +/- 3% with a coefficient of variation lower than 4%. The free amino acid content in a partially hydrolysed protein was also…