Affinity capillary electrophoresis employing immobilized glycosaminoglycan to resolve heparin-binding peptides.

A new capillary electrophoresis technique has been developed for the affinity resolution of synthetic heparin-binding peptides using an immobilized glycosaminoglycan. Heparin and heparan sulfate were immobilized onto fused silica capillaries using biotin-neutravidin conjugation. These capillaries exhibited markedly reduced electroosmotic flow and were able to distinguish peptides based on the heparin binding domain of acidic fibroblast growth factor (residues 125-144, GLKKNGSCKRGPRTHYGQKA) that differed only in the stereochemistry of the proline amino acid residue. The peptide based on the native sequence was retarded compared to the peptide having unnatural stereochemistry, consistent with its stronger interaction for immobilized glycosaminoglycan. Improved resolution is also obtained for additional arginine and lysine containing heparin-binding peptides.

Dengue virus infectivity depends on envelope protein binding to target cell heparan sulfate.

Dengue virus is a human pathogen that has reemerged as an increasingly important public health threat. We found that the cellular receptor utilized by dengue envelope protein to bind to target cells is a highly sulfated type of heparan sulfate. Heparin, highly sulfated heparan sulfate, and the polysulfonate pharmaceutical Suramin effectively prevented dengue virus infection of target cells, indicating that the envelope protein-target cell receptor interaction is a critical determinant of infectivity. The dengue envelope protein sequence includes two putative glycosaminoglycan-binding motifs at the carboxy terminus; the first could be structurally modeled and formed an unusual extended binding surface of basic amino acids. Similar motifs were also identified in the envelope proteins of other flaviviridae. Developing pharmaceuticals that inhibit target cell binding may be an effective strategy for treating flavivirus infections.

Polysulfated carbohydrates analyzed as ion-paired complexes with basic peptides and proteins using electrospray negative ionization mass spectrometry.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used in the negative ion mode to analyze complexes of sucrose octasulfate, sucrose heptasulfate and sulfated alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins with synthetically prepared basic peptides, the basic protein ubiquitin and polyamines. The spectra presented demonstrate that complexes with these basic molecules facilitate the analysis of these polysulfated oligosaccharides. Stable (1:1) complexes result from the ion pairing between the protonated basic arginine and lysine residues of the peptide and the anionic sulfate groups of the polysulfated oligosaccharides. Fragmentation of the polysulfated oligosaccharides resulting in the loss of SO3 could be suppressed by controlling the experimental conditions, such as the nozzle-skimmer voltage, used to obtain the spectra. In the absence of fragmentation, it was possible to obtain data on the purity of sucrose octasulfate and sucrose heptasulfate as well as the distribution of the sulfated cyclodextrins. The confounding presence of sodium counter-ions is also eliminated using this method. Complete chemical sulfation of oligosaccharides is difficult to achieve. Thus, data on sample purity are essential for the characterization of sulfated oligosaccharides used as pharmaceutical agents.

Identification of a heparin binding peptide on the extracellular domain of the KDR VEGF receptor.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent and specific activator of endothelial cells, is expressed as multiple homodimeric forms resulting from alternative RNA splicing. VEGF121 does not bind heparin while the other three isoforms do, and it has been documented that the binding of VEGF165 to its receptor is dependent upon cell surface heparin sulfate proteoglycans. Little is known about the biochemical mechanism that allows for heparin regulation of growth factor binding. For example, it is not clear whether heparin interactions with growth factor or with cell surface receptors or both are essential for VEGF binding to its receptor. In this manuscript we provide results which are consistent with the hypothesis that an interaction between heparin and a site on the KDR receptor subtype is essential for VEGF165 binding. First, we demonstrate that expression of KDR into a CHO cell line deficient in heparan sulfate biosynthesis does not allow VEGF165 binding unless heparin is exogenously added during the binding assay. Secondly, we show that a ten amino acid synthetic peptide, corresponding to a sequence from the extracellular domain of the KDR, both inhibits VEGF165 binding to the receptor and also binds heparin with high avidity. Third, affinity purification of heparin molecules on a KDR-derived peptide affinity column, together with capillary electrophoresis and polyacrylamide electrophoresis analysis, was used to show that the KDR-derived peptide interacts with a specific subset of polysaccharide chains contained in the unfractionated heparin. Taken together, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that interactions between cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans and the VEGF receptor contribute to allowing maximal VEGF binding.

Differences in the interaction of heparin with arginine and lysine and the importance of these basic amino acids in the binding of heparin to acidic fibroblast growth factor.

Although the interaction of proteins with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as heparin are of great importance, the general structural requirements for protein- or peptide-GAG interaction have not been well characterized. Electrostatic interactions between sulfate and carboxylate groups on the GAG and basic residues in the protein or peptide dominate the interaction, but the thermodynamics of these electrostatic interactions have not been studied. Arginine residues occur frequently in the known heparin binding sites of proteins. Arginine is also more common than lysine in randomly synthesized 7-mer peptides that bind to immobilized heparin and heparan sulfate. We have used heparin affinity chromatography, equilibrium dialysis, and isothermal titration calorimetry techniques to further investigate these interactions. A 7-mer of arginine eluted from a heparin-affinity column at 0.82 M NaCl, whereas the analogous 7-mer of lysine eluted at 0.64 M. Similarly, the putative heparin binding site peptide (amino acid residues 110-130) from acidic fibroblast growth factor, which contained four lysine and two arginine residues, eluted at 0.50 M, whereas the analogous peptide with six lysine residues eluted at 0.41 M and one with six arginine residues eluted at 0.54 M. At 25 degrees C in 10 mM sodium phosphate, pH 7.4, carboxy and amino termini blocked arginine (blocked arginine) bound to heparin twice as tightly as blocked lysine as measured by equilibrium dialysis Similarly, at 30 degrees C in 10 mM sodium phosphate, pH 7.4, and in water, blocked arginine bound 2.5 times more tightly to anions in heparin than blocked lysine. Using titration calorimetry, the enthalpy of blocked arginine and lysine binding to heparin was 1.14 +/- 0.24 and 0.45 +/- 0.35 kJ/mol, respectively, under identical conditions. Our observations show that blocked arginine- and arginine-containing peptides bound more tightly to GAGs than the analogous lysine species and suggest that the difference was due to the intrinsic properties of the arginine and lysine side chains. The greater affinity of the guanidino cation for sulfate in GAGs is probably due to stronger hydrogen bonding and a more exothermic electrostatic interaction. This can be rationalized by soft acid, soft base concepts.

Synthesis and characterization of conjugates formed between periodate-oxidized ribonucleotides and amine-containing fluorophores.

The synthesis and purification of new fluorescently labeled derivatives of GDP and ATP are described. The fluorescent groups are coupled initially through amine-containing linker arms to periodate-oxidized nucleotides. Reduction of the initial product yields primarily a six-membered morpholine-like ring. Fluorescein-labeled GDP, rhodamine-labeled GDP, and fluorescein-labeled ATP were characterized by absorbance spectroscopy and TLC. NMR and FAB-MS studies were carried out on a single nucleotide derivative formed by reacting periodate-oxidized guanosine and benzylamine with subsequent reduction to establish the modification to the ribose moiety. The synthesis of the guanosine-benzylamine conjugate led to a mixture of products that were separated. The predominant product (70%) resulted in conversion of the ribose moiety to a six-membered morpholine-like ring having no hydroxyl group, and the minor product (30%) resulted in an open ring structure having one hydroxyl. When NaCNBH3 was used as the sole reductant, only the product with the morpholine-like ring was formed. These probes were prepared for use in solution studies of the interactions of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 with other components of mammalian protein synthesis initiation.

Characteristics of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 associated 67-kDa polypeptide.

A eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) associated 67-kDa polypeptide (p67) protects the eIF-2 alpha-subunit from eIF-2 kinase(s) catalyzed phosphorylation, and this promotes protein synthesis in the presence of active eIF-2 kinase(s), [Datta, B., et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 3324-3328]. This report presents the results of studies related to characteristics of p67 action and the mechanism of p67:eIF-2 interaction: (1) p67 antibodies inhibited protein synthesis in hemin-supplemented rabbit reticulocyte lysates, and such inhibition was reversed by preincubation of the antibodies, specifically with p67. (2) p67 inhibited HRI- and dsI-catalyzed phosphorylations of the eIF-2 alpha-subunit and histones, but it did not inhibit casein kinase catalyzed phosphorylation of the eIF-2 beta-subunit. (3) p67 bound specifically to the eIF-2 gamma-subunit. p67 co-immunoprecipitated with the eIF-2 subunits when a p67/eIF-2 mixture was treated with p67 or eIF-2 subunit antibodies and protein A agarose. However, when eIF-2 was preincubated specifically with the eIF-2 gamma-subunit antibodies, subsequent co-immunoprecipitation of p67 with the eIF-2 subunits was completely inhibited. Similarly, preincubation of p67 and p67 antibodies prevented subsequent p67 binding to eIF-2. Preincubation of eIF-2, with either eIF-2 alpha- or beta-subunit antibodies, had no effect on p67 co-immunoprecipitation with the eIF-2 subunits. (4) p67:eIF-2 interaction is necessary for p67 activity to protect the eIF-2 alpha-subunit from eIF-2 kinase(s) catalyzed phosphorylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cloning and characterization of complementary DNA encoding the eukaryotic initiation factor 2-associated 67-kDa protein (p67).

The eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2)-associated 67-kDa glycoprotein (p67) protects eIF-2 alpha-subunit from inhibitory phosphorylation by eIF-2 kinases, such as heme-regulated inhibitor and double-stranded RNA-activated inhibitor. This promotes protein synthesis in the presence of eIF-2 kinases present in animal cells (Ray, M. K., Datta, B., Chakraborty, A., Chattopadhyay, A., Meza-Keuthen, S., and Gupta, N. K. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 539-543). In this study, the primary structure of rat p67 is determined by cDNA cloning. Based on the partial amino acid sequences of overlapping tryptic and cyanogen bromide cleaved fragments, degenerate oligonucleotides were synthesized and used as primers for the polymerase chain reaction to amplify the corresponding p67 cDNA fragment from rat liver first strand cDNA. The amplified DNA was then used as a probe to screen a rat tumor hepatoma (KRC-7) cDNA library, and a positive clone covering the entire coding region was obtained. From the cDNA sequence, an open reading frame that encodes p67 as a 480-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 53 kilodaltons was predicted for the unglycosylated protein. The cloned cDNA was further characterized by in vitro transcription-coupled translation in micrococcal nuclease-treated reticulocyte lysate. The translated product migrated similarly to p67 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and was precipitated with antibodies against p67. Northern blot analysis of rat liver poly(A)+ RNA showed a single size class (approximately 2 kilobases) of mRNA. The deduced amino acid sequence of the protein showed a highly charged N-terminal region composed of two basic polylysine blocks and an acidic aspartic acid block. The protein also exhibits significant sequence identity in the N-terminal region with human eIF-2 beta-subunit.

Natural mRNA is required for directing Met-tRNA(f) binding to 40S ribosomal subunits in animal cells: involvement of Co-eIF-2A in natural mRNA-directed initiation complex formation.

Two protein factors, eIF-2 as well as a high molecular weight protein complex from reticulocyte ribosomal high-salt wash which we term Co-eIF-2, promote Met-tRNA(f) binding to 40S ribosomes. This binding is dependent on the presence of an AUG codon or natural mRNAs [Roy et al. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 122, 1418-1425]. Co-eIF-2 contains two component activities, Co-eIF-2A and Co-eIF-2C. Previously, we have purified an 80-kDa polypeptide containing Co-eIF-2A activity and showed that this polypeptide is a component of Co-eIF-2 and is responsible for Co-eIF-2A activity in Co-eIF-2 [Chakravarty et al. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 6945-6949]. We now report purification of a protein complex (subunits of Mr 180K, 110K, 65K, 63K, 53K, 50K, 43K, and 40K) containing Co-eIF-2C activity and devoid of Co-eIF-2A activity. In SDS-PAGE, the purified Co-eIF-2C preparation and an eIF-3 preparation (purified in Dr. A. Wahba's laboratory) separated into seven similar major polypeptides (Mr 110K, 65K, 63K, 53K, 50K, 43K, and 40K). The 50-kDa polypeptide in Co-eIF-2C was immunoreactive with a monoclonal antibody against eIF-4A (50 kDa). We have studied the roles of purified Co-eIF-2A and Co-eIF-2C activities in ternary and Met-tRNA(f).40S ribosome complex formation. The results are as follows: (1) At low and presumably physiological factor concentration (30 nM), eIF-2 did not form detectable levels of ternary complex. Moreover, such complex formation was totally dependent on the presence of Co-eIF-2A and/or Co-eIF-2C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)