title: Prohormone processing in Xenopus oocytes: characterization of cleavage signals and cleavage enzymes.
abstract: In this study, we characterize the sequences required for the cleavage of prohormones in Xenopus oocytes. We demonstrate that the yeast alpha-factor and the Aplysia egg-laying hormone (ELH) precursors are not cleaved in oocytes following simple pairs of basic residues, such as Lys-Arg, but that the ELH precursor is cleaved following the consensus sequence Arg-Xaa-(Lys/Arg)-Arg. This motif is conserved among precursors that are cleaved in virtually all mammalian cell types. Mutations that generate this sequence in the alpha-factor prohormone also result in efficient processing within oocytes. Cleavage at this consensus sequence may be due to the action of the Xenopus homologues of mammalian furin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Korner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Bryan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Axel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001048:Aplysia; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D045683:Furin; D006801:Humans; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000235:genetics*; D000072235:Mating Factor; D008845:Microinjections; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000235:genetics; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013381:Subtilisins / Q000235:genetics*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D010455:Peptides; D010675:Pheromones; D011498:Protein Precursors; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; C026880:egg-laying hormone, Mollusca; D000072235:Mating Factor; D012313:RNA; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D013381:Subtilisins; D045683:Furin