We describe a bioactive lipopeptide that combines the capacity to promote the adhesion and subsequent self-detachment of live cells, using template-cell-environment feedback interactions. This self-assembling peptide amphiphile comprises a diene-containing hexadecyl lipid chain (C16e) linked to a matrix metalloprotease-cleavable sequence, Thr-Pro-Gly-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln, and contiguous ...

Food products containing angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides reportedly play a role in treatment of mild hypertension. The aim of this placebo-controlled crossover study was to assess the bioavailability of Ile-Pro-Pro and 7 other ACE-inhibiting peptides present in a lactotripeptide (LTP)-enriched yogurt beverage and whether meal intake affects Ile-Pro-Pro bioavailability. S...

This study suggests degradation of salivary acidic proline-rich proteins (PRPs) into potential innate-immunity-like peptides by oral Streptococcus and Actinomyces species. PRP degradation paralleled cleavage of Pro-containing substrates. PRP degradation by S. gordonii strain SK12 instantly released a Pyr(1)-Pro(104)Pro(105) and a Gly(111)-Pro(149)Gln(150) peptide together with a presumed Arg(10...

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the way in which glucose and its metabolites cause cataract, retinopathy and other complications of diabetes, the most convincing being glycation. Glycation, the reaction of sugars with free amino groups of proteins, is one of a variety of non-enzymic post-translational modifications. The aim of the present study was to identify some of the most reactiv...

From purulent cystic fibrosis (CF) sputum, previous investigators partially purified a trypsinlike protease. A similar purified enzyme is available commercially as "human sputum trypsin." To explore the nature and origin of this preparation, we purified and NH2 terminally sequenced its major protein component. The resulting sequence, Ile-Val-Gly-Gly-Tyr-Thr-(Cys)-Ala-Ala-Asn-Ser-Val/Ile-Pro-Tyr...

The tendency to form a beta-turn in alpha-gliadin was estimated using the B-cell determinant prediction program based on the Chou and Fasman probability of beta-turn formation. Six sequences possessing a high probability of beta-turn formation were found. A statistically high agreement was found between these six sequences and three areas in alpha-gliadin with the occurrence of Pro-Ser-Gln-Gln ...

All mitochondrial tRNAs in kinetoplastid protozoa are encoded in the nucleus and imported from the cytosol. Incubation of two in vitro-transcribed tRNAs, tRNA(Ile)(UAU) and tRNA(Gln)(CUG), with isolated mitochondria from Leishmania tarentolae, in the absence of any added cytosolic fraction, resulted in a protease-sensitive, ATP-dependent importation, as measured by nuclease protection. Evidence...

The synthesis of the protected pentapeptide tert-butyloxycarbonly-Gln-Ile-Met-Lys(X)-Gly-p-nitrobenzylester (X = benzyloxycarbonyl, 3-chlor-benzyloxycarbonyl) which is part of the carboxylend of a partial sequence of the active center of the streptococcal proteinase is described. Side reactions are observed if the tert-butyloxycarbonyl-protective group is cleaved by trifluoroacetic acid, not wi...

The spin-lattice relaxation times (Tl) of carbon 13 in natural abundance were determined for proline, N-acetylprolineamide, glycylproline, cyclo(triprolyl), and a series of proline-containing peptide hormones. The data are interpreted in terms of rapid interconversion of proline between various ring-puckered forms. The nature of the puckering depends upon the type of group attached to proline. ...

The Ah receptor is a presumed member of the superfamily of steroid/thyroid hormone receptors, a trace soluble protein present in a wide variety of vertebrate species that mediates the biological effects of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. In this paper, we report the purification to homogeneity of this protein (from the liver of C57BL/6J mice) and its N-terminal amino acid sequence. Selective...