Active Serine Residue Research Articles

Phosphatidylserine-specific Phospholipase A1Stimulates Histamine Release from Rat Peritoneal Mast Cells through Production of 2-Acyl-1-lysophosphatidylserine

Lysophosphatidylserine (1-acyl-2-lyso-PS) has been shown to stimulate histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC) triggered by FcepsilonRI (high affinity receptor for IgE) cross-linking, although the precise mechanism of lyso-PS production has been obscure. In the present study we show that phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A(1), PS-PLA(1), stimulates histamine release from RPMC through production of 2-acyl-1-lyso-PS in the presence of FcepsilonRI cross-linker. The potency of 2-acyl-1-lyso-PS was almost equal to that of 1-acyl-2-lyso-PS. A catalytically inactive PS-PLA(1), in which an active serine residue (Ser(166)) was replaced with an alanine residue did not show such activity. sPLA(2)-IIA, another secretory PLA(2) that is capable of producing lyso-PS in vitro, was also a poor histamine inducer against RPMC. PS-PLA(1) significantly stimulated histamine release from crude RPMC, indicating that lyso-PS is mainly derived from cells other than mast cells. In agreement with this phenomenon, the enzyme stimulated the histamine release more efficiently when RPMC were mixed with apoptotic Jurkat cells. Under these conditions, lyso-PS with unsaturated fatty acid was released from the apoptotic cells treated with PS-PLA(1). Finally, heparin, which has affinity for PS-PLA(1), completely blocked the stimulatory effect of the enzyme. In conclusion, PS-PLA(1) may bind to heparan sulfate proteoglycan, efficiently hydrolyze PS appearing on plasma membranes of apoptotic cells, and stimulate mast cell activation mediated by 2-acyl-1-lyso-PS.

Molecular cloning of the complement (C1r/C1s/MASP2-like serine proteases from the common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

The classical pathway of complement composed of C1, C4, and C2 is an antibody-dependent activation cascade that is present in jawed vertebrates. C1 is a Ca2+-dependent complex of C1q, C1r, and C1s, and analogous to an initiation complex of the lectin pathway of complement, which consists of the mannose-binding lectin (MBL) homologous to C1q and the MBL-associated serine proteases (MASPs) homologous to C1r and C1s. Thus divergence of Clq and MBL and that of C1r, C1s and the MASPs are considered to be crucial events in the establishment and evolution of the classical complement pathway. However, molecular information on the C1 subcomponents is very limited in lower vertebrates. Here we describe two distinct C1r/C1s/MASP2-like cDNA clones (C1r/s-A, C1r/s-B) isolated from the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). They share 83% identity at the amino acid level and have a domain structure similar to that of C1r/C1s/MASPs from other species. The serine protease domain of the carp homologues lacks the histidine loop and is encoded by a single exon containing an AGY codon for the active serine residue, as in mammalian C1r, C1s, and MASP2. Southern blot and PCR analyses indicated that the carp has at least three copies of the C1r/s-A gene and a single C1r/s-B gene. Although phylogenetic tree analysis does not definitively assign carp C1r/s-A and C1r/s-B, they might represent ancestral molecules which later diverged into C1r, C1s, and MASP2 of higher vertebrates.

Four Genes Encode Acetylcholinesterases in the Nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae. cDNA Sequences, Genomic Structures, Mutations and in vivo Expression

We report the full coding sequences and the genomic organization of the four genes encoding acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae, in relation to the properties of the encoded enzymes. ace-1 and ace-2, located on chromosome X and I, respectively, encode two AChEs (ACE-1 and ACE-2) that present 35 % identity. The C-terminal end of ACE-1 is homologous to the C terminus of T subunits of vertebrate AChEs. ACE-1 oligomerizes into amphiphilic tetramers. ACE-2 has a hydrophobic C terminus of H type. It associates into glycolipid-anchored dimers. In C. elegans and C. briggsae , ace-3 and ace-4 are organized in tandem on chromosome II, with only 356 nt and 369 nt, respectively, between the stop codon of ace-4 (upstream gene) and the ATG of ace-3. ace-3 produces only 5 % of the total AChE activity. It encodes an H subunit that associates into dimers of glycolipid-anchored catalytic subunits, which are highly resistant to the usual AChE inhibitors, and which hydrolyze butyrylthiocholine faster than acetylthiocholine. ACE-4 is closer to ACE-3 (54 % identity) than to ACE-1 or ACE-2. The usual sequence FGESAG surrounding the active serine residue in cholinesterases is changed to FG QSAG in ace-4. ACE-4 was not detected by our current biochemical methods, although the gene is transcribed in vivo. However the level of ace-4 mRNAs is far lower than those of ace-1, ace-2 and ace-3. The ace-2, ace-3 and ace-4 transcripts were found to be trans-spliced by both SL1 and SL2, although these genes are not included in typical operons. The molecular bases of null mutations g72 ( ace-2), p1304 and dc2 ( ace-3) have been identified.

Cloning and Sequence Analysis of the estA gene encoding enzyme for producing ( R)-β-acetylmercaptoisobutyric acid from Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1001

The estA gene encoding the enzyme that catalyzes the production of ( R)-β-acetylmercaptoisobutyric acid from ( R,S)-ester from Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1001, was cloned in Escherichia coli and its nucleotide sequence was determined, revealing the presumed open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 316 amino acid residues (948 nucleotides). The overall A+T and C+G compositions were 32.59% and 67.41%, respectively. The amino acid sequence of the estA gene product showed a significant similarity with that of the triacylglycerol lipase from Psychrobacter immobilis (38% identity), triacylglycerol lipase from Moraxella sp. (36% identity), and two forms of carboxyl esterases from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (17% and 17% identities). The deduced amino acid sequences have a pentapeptide consensus sequence, G-X-S-X-G, having an active serine residue, and another active site, dipeptides H-G, located at 70–100 amino acids upstream of the G-X-S-X-G consensus sequence.

Cloning and Sequence Analysis of the estA Gene Encoding Enzyme for Producing (R)-.BETA.-Acetylmercaptoisobutyric Acid from Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1001.

The estA gene encoding the enzyme that catalyzes the production of (R)-beta-acetylmercaptoisobutyric acid from (R,S)-ester from Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1001, was cloned in Escherichia coli and its nucleotide sequence was determined, revealing the presumed open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 316 amino acid residues (948 nucleotides). The overall A + T and C + G compositions were 32.59% and 67.41%, respectively. The amino acid sequence of the estA gene product showed a significant similarity with that of the triacylglycerol lipase from Psychrobacter immobilis (38% identity), triacylglycerol lipase from Moraxella sp. (36% identity), and two forms of carboxyl esterases from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (17% and 17% identities). The deduced amino acid sequences have a pentapeptide consensus sequence, G-X-S-X-G, having an active serine residue, and another active site, dipeptides H-G, located at 70-100 amino acids upstream of the G-X-S-X-G consensus sequence.

Interactions of fluorescent triacylglycerol analogs covalently bound to the active site of a lipase from Rhizopus oryzae.

Fluorescent triacylglycerol analogs were synthesized as covalent inhibitors of lipase activity. The respective 1(3), 2-O-dialkylglycero-3(1)-alkyl-phosphonic acid p-nitrophenyl esters contain a fluorescent pyrenealkyl chain and a long-chain alkyl residue bound to the sn-2 and sn-1(3) positions of glycerol, respectively. The phosphonic acid p-nitrophenyl ester bond is susceptible to nucleophilic substitution by the active serine residue in the catalytic triad of a lipase, leading to inactivation of the enzyme. The fluorescent dialkylglycerophosphonates contain two chiral centers, the sn-2 carbon of glycerol and the phosphorus atom. The (1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-pyrenedecyl-sn-glycero)-O-(p-nitrophenyl)-n-hex yl- phosphonate, first peak during HPLC separation and the (3-O-hexadecyl-2-O-pyrenedecyl-sn-glycero)-O-(p-nitrophenyl)-n-hex yl- phosphonate, second peak during HPLC separation were found to be potent lipase inhibitors. After incubation of an equimolar amount of these isomers with lipase from Rhizopus oryzae complete inactivation was observed. Stable conjugates containing a 1 : 1 molar ratio of lipid to protein were formed. The spatial proximity of the fluorescently labeled sn-2 alkyl chain of the inhibitor and tryptophan residues of the lipase was assessed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The extent of tryptophan fluorescence quenching and the concomitant increase in pyrene fluorescence upon excitation of lipase tryptophans was found to be similar for the above-mentioned isomers. Thus, the (labeled) sn-2 alkyl chains of a triacylglycerol analog are likely to interact with the same binding site of the R. oryzae lipase, irrespective of their steric configuration. However, it was shown that the extent of resonance energy transfer is strongly influenced by the reaction medium, indicating conformational changes of the lipase in different environments.

A novel lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase antioxidant activity prevents the formation of oxidized lipids during lipoprotein oxidation.

Recent investigations suggest that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) may play an anti-atherogenic role as an antioxidant and inhibit the oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The antioxidant activity of HDL has been proposed to be associated with several HDL-bound proteins. We have purified one HDL-associated protein, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), to apparent homogeneity and have found that LCAT is not only capable of esterifying cholesterol in the plasma, but can also prevent the accumulation of oxidized lipids in LDL. Addition of pure human LCAT to LDL or palmitoyl-linoleoyl phosphatidylcholine/sodium cholate (PLPC) micelles inhibits the oxidation-dependent accumulation of both conjugated dienes and lipid hydroperoxides. LCAT also inhibits the increase of net negative charge that occurs during oxidation of LDL. LCAT has the ability to prevent spontaneous oxidation and Cu2+ and soybean lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxidation of lipids. The antioxidant activity of LCAT appears to be enzymatic, since the enzyme is active for up to 10 h in the presence of mild free-radical generators. The catalytic serine, residue 181, may mediate this activity and act as a reusable proton donor. Chemical modification of the active serine residue with diisopropylfluorophosphate completely inhibits the ability of LCAT to prevent lipid oxidation. Thus, in addition to its well-characterized phospholipase and acyltransferase activities, LCAT can also act as an antioxidant and prevent the accumulation of oxidized lipid in plasma lipoproteins.

An essential protease involved in bacterial cell-cycle control.

Proteolytic inactivation of key regulatory proteins is essential in eukaryotic cell-cycle control. We have identified a protease in the eubacterium Caulobacter crescentus that is indispensable for viability and cell-cycle progression, indicating that proteolysis is also involved in controlling the bacterial cell cycle. Mutants of Caulobacter that lack the ATP-dependent serine protease ClpXP are arrested in the cell cycle before the initiation of chromosome replication and are blocked in the cell division process. ClpXP is composed of two types of polypeptides, the ClpX ATPase and the ClpP peptidase. Site-directed mutagenesis of the catalytically active serine residue of ClpP confirmed that the proteolytic activity of ClpXP is essential. Analysis of mutants lacking ClpX or ClpP revealed that both proteins are required in vivo for the cell-cycle-dependent degradation of the regulatory protein CtrA. CtrA is a member of the response regulator family of two-component signal transduction systems and controls multiple cell-cycle processes in Caulobacter. In particular, CtrA negatively controls DNA replication and our findings suggest that specific degradation of the CtrA protein by the ClpXP protease contributes to G1-to-S transition in this organism.

Conversion of trypsin into a selenium- containing enzyme by using chemical mutation

A chemical derivative of trypsin, selenotrypsin, was prepared to imitate glutathione peroxidase (GPX) by converting active serine residues in the active site of trypsin into selenocysteines. The strategy for preparation of selenotrypsin contained selective sulfonation by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride and nucleophilic substitution by NaHSe. Seleno-trypsin displayed enzyme activity of GPX, which is 150U/(mol. The kinetic properties of selenotrypsin was demonstrated to be similar to that of native GPX. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998

Partial purification and characterization of PAF acetylhydrolase in human amniotic fluid

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase, which removes the acetyl moiety at thesn-2 position, has been found in human amniotic fluid. We purified this enzyme by ammonium sulfate precipitation, and sequential use of DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, hydroxyapatite, chelating-Sepharose, and Mono Q column chromatographies. This enzyme exhibited broad pH optima and was unaffected by EDTA. Partially purified enzyme had a molecular weight of approximately 34 kDa on SDS-PAGE. In addition, the enzyme activity was inhibited by either diisopropylfluorophosphate(DFP) orp-bromophenacylbromide (p-BPB), suggesting that this enzyme possesses active serine and histidine residues. The enzyme showed similar activity towards PAF and oxidatively modified phosphatidylcholine, but didn't hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine with a long chain fatty acyl group atsn-2 position.

Serine Phospholipid-specific Phospholipase A That Is Secreted from Activated Platelets: A NEW MEMBER OF THE LIPASE FAMILY

Rat platelets secrete two types of phospholipases upon stimulation; one is type II phospholipase A2 and the other is serine-phospholipid-selective phospholipase A. In the current study we purified serine-phospholipid-selective phospholipase A and cloned its cDNA. The final preparation, purified from extracellular medium of activated rat platelets, gave a 55-kDa protein band on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. [3H]Diisopropyl fluorophosphate, an inhibitor of the enzyme, labeled the 55-kDa protein, suggesting that this polypeptide possesses active serine residues. The cDNA for the enzyme was cloned from a rat megakaryocyte cDNA library. The predicted 456-amino acid sequence contains a putative short N-terminal signal sequence and a GXSXG sequence, which is a motif of an active serine residue of serine esterase. Amino acid sequence homology analysis revealed that the enzyme shares about 30% homology with mammalian lipases (lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, and pancreatic lipase). Regions surrounding the putative active serine, histidine, and aspartic acid, which may form a "lipase triad," were highly conserved among these enzymes. The recombinant protein, which we expressed in Sf9 insect cells using the baculovirus system, hydrolyzed a fatty acyl residue at the sn-1 position of lysophosphatidylserine and phosphatidylserine, but did not appreciably hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidic acid, and triglyceride. The present enzyme, named phosphatidylserine-phospholipase A1, is the first phospholipase that exclusively hydrolyses the sn-1 position and has a strict head group specificity for the substrate.

Cloning and Expression of a cDNA Encoding the β-Subunit (30-kDa Subunit) of Bovine Brain Platelet-activating Factor Acetylhydrolase

Bovine brain platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase isoform Ib is a heterotrimeric enzyme. Its gamma-subunit (which, formerly, we called the 29-kDa subunit) acts as a catalytic subunit, whereas the alpha-subunit (45 kDa) is the bovine homolog of the product of human LIS-1, the causative gene of Miller-Dieker lissencephaly, indicating that this intracellular PAF acetylhydrolase plays a key role in brain development. In the current study, we cloned the cDNA for the beta-subunit (30 kDa) of bovine brain PAF acetylhydrolase Ib. The predicted 229-amino acid sequence was homologous (63.2% identity) to that of the gamma-subunit, especially (86% identity) in the catalytic and PAF receptor homologous domains. The recombinant beta-protein produced in Escherichia coli showed significant PAF acetylhydrolase activity. A mutant protein, in which Ser48, which corresponds to the active serine residue of the gamma-subunit, was replaced with cysteine showed no enzymatic activity, suggesting Ser48 is the active serine residue. Although the beta- and gamma-subunits form a heterocomplex in the native enzyme, both recombinant beta- and gamma-proteins exist as a homodimer. The purified recombinant beta-protein was labeled readily with [1,3-H]diisopropyl fluorophosphate, whereas the beta-subunit in the native complex was only labeled with higher concentrations of [1,3-3H]diisopropyl fluorophosphate to a lesser extent than the gamma-subunit. Combined with our previous data, the present study demonstrated that bovine brain PAF acetylhydrolase Ib is a unique enzyme possessing two catalytic subunits and another, possibly regulatory, subunit.

Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the scpZ gene encoding the serine carboxypeptidase of Absidia zychae

Carboxypeptidase Z is a serine carboxypeptidase secreted by Absidia zychae NRIC 1199. The cDNA and genomic DNA carrying the scpZ gene encoding carboxypeptidase Z were cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences of the cDNA (1.4 kb) and the genomic DNA (3.3 kb) were analyzed and the intervening sequences were located by a comparison of the two. It was found that the scpZ gene was interrupted by 11 short introns, 50-75 nucleotides in length. Genomic Southern analysis showed that there was only one scpZ gene in the genome of A. zychae. The gene encoded a putative pre-pro-enzyme composed of 409 amino-acid residues of the mature carboxypeptidase Z (M(r) 45,421) and an additional N-terminal sequence of 51 amino-acid residues. The amino-acid sequence around the active serine residue of carboxypeptidase Z (-G-E-S-Y-G-G-) differed from the consensus (-G-E-S-Y-A-G-) which is conserved in most of the serine carboxypeptidases so far analyzed.

Prolyl aminopeptidase is not a sulfhydryl enzyme: identification of the active serine residue by site-directed mutagenesis.

Prolyl aminopeptidase (PAP) has been classified as a sulfhydryl enzyme on the basis of its high sensitivity to p-chloromercuribenzoate and heavy metals. Recently, however, the possibility of PAP being instead a serine enzyme has been raised as a result of two observations--the conservation of some residues among the PAPs hitherto sequenced, and a similarity to some serine hydrolases. This is the first report describing an attempt to identify the active residue by site-directed mutagenesis. The pap genes from Bacillus coagulans and Aeromonas sobria, were used for the study. The changes made were Cys62Ser and Ser101Ala for the first enzyme, and Thr92Ala and Ser146Ala for the second. For both enzymes, only the changes made on the serine residues resulted in their complete inactivation, indicating that PAP is a serine peptidase.

The catalytic subunit of bovine brain platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase is a novel type of serine esterase.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase is the key enzyme in PAF inactivation. We recently purified one isoform of the enzyme from a bovine brain soluble fraction and revealed it as a heterotrimeric enzyme consisting of 29-, 30-, and 45-kDa subunits. Among them, the 29-kDa subunit possesses an active serine residue since diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), an inhibitor of the enzyme, labeled only this subunit (Hattori, M., Arai, H., and Inoue, K. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 18748-18753). In the current study, we cloned the cDNA for the 29-kDa catalytic subunit. The predicted sequence of 232 amino acids is unique and is not homologous with those of any other proteins reported so far. When transfected into either Escherichia coli or COS7 cells, the cDNA produced PAF acetylhydrolase activity in both types of cells, indicating that this subunit alone is enough for catalysis. The recombinant 29-kDa protein was also inhibited and labeled by DFP. Furthermore, we isolated and sequenced the [3H]DFP-labeled peptide fragment, revealing that Ser47 is the active serine residue. The sequence surrounding it is different from the consensus sequence of the serine esterase family. Interestingly, the sequence of about 30 amino acids located 6 residues downstream from the active serine site exhibits significant homology to the first transmembrane region of the PAF receptor. These data demonstrate that the catalytic subunit of brain PAF acetylhydrolase is a novel type of serine esterase.

The three-dimensional structure of the complex of proteinase K with its naturally occurring protein inhibitor, PKI3

Proteinase K forms a 1:1 stable complex with its naturally occurring protein inhibitor, PKI3. The crystal structure of this complex has been determined by a combination of molecular replacement and single isomorphous replacement methods. The model comprises all of the 459 residues: 279 for proteinase K and 180 for PKI3, and it was refined to an R-factor of 19.2% at a resolution of 2.5 Å. Association of these two molecules in the complex indicates the binding of PKI3 in the substrate recognition site of the enzyme. The active serine residue of proteinase K in this complex possesses a somewhat different configuration to that found in its native structure and hence renders the enzyme inactive.

ATP hydrolysis is not stoichiometrically linked with proteolysis in the ATP-dependent protease La from Escherichia coli.

Protein degradation in Escherichia coli involves the ATP-dependent serine protease La. Protease La is a homotetramer with one proteolytic and one ATP binding site per monomer. Its proteolytic activity has been shown to be highly increased by simultaneous hydrolysis of ATP, which is essential for the degradation of protein substrates by this enzyme. We have cloned and purified a proteolytically inactive La mutant, in which the catalytically active serine residue at position 679 was replaced by alanine. Fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra of the purified wild type and mutant enzyme revealed identical conformations of the proteins. Based on this observation, the catalytic properties of the wild type enzyme and the S679A mutant were compared. Although the S679A mutant lacks proteolytic activity toward both peptide and protein substrates under all conditions investigated, its ATPase activity is completely unaffected by the removal of the protease activity. Since protein substrates stimulate the ATP-dependent hydrolysis of peptides by protease La, it has been argued that this stimulation is due to interactions with a regulatory binding site on the enzyme. In accordance with this model, protein substrates such as alpha-casein and denatured bovine serum albumin stimulate the ATPase activity of the S679A mutant to the same degree as in the active protease. Therefore, the intrinsic ATPase activity of protease La as well as its stimulation is not dependent on the simultaneous hydrolysis of the protein substrate.

Bovine lens acylpeptide hydrolase

An acylpeptide hydrolase has been purified from bovine lens tissue by anion-exchange and hydrophobic-interaction chromatography. The enzyme, purified over 27000-fold with 44% recovery, has a molecular mass of 300 kDa under native conditions. Under denaturing conditions it shows a subunit molecular mass of 75 kDa. The enzyme is inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate (iPr2P-F), phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and N-ethylmaleimide, indicating the presence of an essential serine residue and -SH group. Each subunit of the enzyme has one active serine residue which can be labelled with [3H]iPr2P-F. N alpha-blocked amino acids in L form act as competitive inhibitors of the enzyme. The antibiotics penicillin-G and ampicillin partially inhibit the enzyme. Exposure of the purified enzyme to the proteases trypsin, chymotrypsin or elastase do not result in any loss of activity. Digestion of the native enzyme with bovine trypsin generates a 55-kDa protein containing the active-site serine and a 22-kDa polypeptide, indicating the presence of a unique trypsin site. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the 55-kDa polypeptide shows that the bovine lens enzyme has a sequence at the trypsin cleavage site identical to the porcine liver acylpeptide hydrolase sequence 196-215. The data show that the split enzyme is as active as the native enzyme towards the synthetic substrate Ac-Ala-p-nitroanilide. The enzyme activity decreases with increasing urea, but 15% of the activity remains even in the presence of 6.0 M urea. On removal of urea, complete recovery of the enzyme activity is observed. However, treatment with 1 M guanidine/HCl completely inactivates the enzyme.

Intestinal vitamin A metabolism: coordinate distribution of enzymes and CRBP(II)

In the mucosal layer of the small intestine, we found nearly identical gradients of CRBP(II), retinal reductase, and LRAT levels down the duodenal-ileal axis, suggesting coordinate regulation of these three proteins. In all cases the level of binding protein or enzyme activity was greatest in the proximal intestine and then decreased sharply in the distal half. This pattern fits with the known capacity of the intestine to absorb vitamin A. In addition, the retinal reductase activity was found predominantly in the intestinal mucosa, while LRAT activity was found in both the intestinal mucosa and muscle. An even distribution of LRAT activity along the longitudinal axis of the intestinal muscle was consistent with an even distribution of CRBP in that tissue. In conjunction with LRAT activity and CRBP, we found endogenous retinyl ester stores in the intestinal muscle layer. The patterns of retinyl ester produced by LRAT in vitro and found in vivo were similar, with retinyl palmitate predominating and a high percentage comprised of retinyl stearate. We also observed a bile salt-independent retinyl ester hydrolase activity in intestinal muscle whose distribution paralleled the retinyl ester stores and LRAT levels. This hydrolase appears to be distinct from retinyl ester hydrolases described from other organs as its activity was insensitive to retinyl ester chain length, the presence of bile salts, or the addition of apo-CRBP. This activity was inhibited by diethyl-p-nitrophenyl-phosphate (IC50 100 microM) and diethylpyrocarbonate (IC50 10 microM), demonstrating a requirement for active serine and histidine residues. In addition, we describe an activity present in some intestinal microsomal preparations that can perturb determinations of reductase and LRAT activity and must be avoided.

Purification and characterization of bovine brain platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase, which removes the acetyl moiety at the sn-2 position, has been found in plasma and tissue cytosol. PAF acetylhydrolase in bovine brain cytosol was chromatographically separated into three distinct fractions, all of which exhibited pH optima in the neutral to mild alkaline region and were unaffected by EDTA. We have purified the major fraction of the enzyme to near homogeneity. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of about 100 kDa, as estimated by gel filtration chromatography, and gave three distinct bands of 45, 30, and 29 kDa, respectively, on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These polypeptides exclusively co-migrated with the activity throughout the purification steps. These data suggest that this set of polypeptides corresponds to the subunits of bovine brain PAF acetylhydrolase. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate completely inhibited the activity at 0.1 mM. [3H]Diisopropyl fluorophosphate labeled only the 29-kDa polypeptide, suggesting that this polypeptide possesses an active serine residue(s). The purified enzyme displayed similar activity against PAF and oxidatively modified phosphatidylcholine, but did not hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine with two long chain acyl groups. Thus, the intracellular PAF acetylhydrolase is likely to be a new member of the calcium-independent phospholipases A2 in mammalian tissues.