Several mutations that cause severe forms of the human disease autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa cluster in the C-terminal region of rhodopsin. Recent studies have implicated the C-terminal domain of rhodopsin in its trafficking on specialized post-Golgi membranes to the rod outer segment of the photoreceptor cell. Here we used synthetic peptides as competitive inhibitors of rhodopsin tra...

The molecular species of gastrin in the circulation and in tumor extracts were studied in two groups of patients: (1) with benign gastrinoma and (2) with gastrinoma with liver metastases. Radioimmunoassays (RIAs) and immunoaffinity chromatography for the amino (NH2)- and amidated COOH-terminus of gastrin-17 (antiserum G17) and the NH2-terminus of gastrin-34 (antiserum G34) were employed. In bot...

We isolated a novel 22-residue, C-terminally amidated antimicrobial peptide, moronecidin, from the skin and gill of hybrid striped bass. Two isoforms, differing by only one amino acid, are derived from each parental species, white bass (Morone chrysops) and striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Molecular masses (2543 and 2571 Da), amino acid sequences (FFHHIFRGIVHVGKTIH(K/R)LVTGT), cDNA, and genomic...

Four neuropeptides that inhibit juvenile hormone synthesis by the corpora allata have been isolated from brains of the virgin female cockroach Diploptera punctata. These allatostatins are 8-13 amino acids long, are amidated, and show sequence similarity, including a 3-amino acid sequence at the C-terminal end that is common to all four peptides. The peptide sequences are as follows: allatostati...

De novo mass spectrometric sequencing of two Conus peptides, Vi1359 and Vi1361, from the vermivorous cone snail Conus virgo, found off the southern Indian coast, is presented. The peptides, whose masses differ only by 2 Da, possess two disulfide bonds and an amidated C-terminus. Simple chemical modifications and enzymatic cleavage coupled with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)...

The antral hormone gastrin regulates gastric acid secretion and growth of the gastric mucosa (1 ). As a result of the elaborate cellular maturation process of progastrin, the antral G cells release a mixture of different acidstimulatory gastrins and other precursor fragments to the circulation (2 ). This mixture comprises gastrin-71, -52, -34, -17, -14, and -6, all of which are carboxyamidated ...

HLA class I presentation of pathogen-derived peptide ligands is essential for CD8+ T-cell recognition of Toxoplasma gondii infected cells. Currently, little data exist pertaining to peptides that are presented after T. gondii infection. Herein we purify HLA-A*02:01 complexes from T. gondii infected cells and characterize the peptide ligands using LCMS. We identify 195 T. gondii encoded ligands ...

ApoLp-Gln-II (or apoA-II), one of the two major apolipoprotein components of human plasma high density lipoproteins, was subjected to enzymatic and nonenzymatic digestion with trypsin and cyanogen bromide. The individual peptides were isolated to homogeneity by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Cm-Sephadex, Sephadex G-100, Sephadex G-75, preparative thin layer plates, and by peptide mapping. Is...