title: Purification and characterization of a dynorphin-processing endopeptidase.
abstract: Dynorphin B (Dyn B-13, also known as rimorphin) is generated from Dyn B-29 (leumorphin) by the cleavage at a single Arg residue. An enzymatic activity capable of processing at this monobasic site has been previously reported in neurosecretory vesicles of the bovine pituitary and pituitary-derived cell lines. This enzyme termed "the dynorphin-converting enzyme" (DCE) has been purified to apparent homogeneity from the neurointermediate lobe of the bovine pituitary using hydrophobic chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, preparative isoelectrofocusing in a granulated gel between pH 4 to 6.5, and non-denaturing electrophoresis on 5% polyacrylamide gel. DCE exhibits a pI of about 5.1 and a molecular mass of about 54 kDa under reducing conditions. DCE is a metallopeptidase and exhibits a neutral pH optimum. Specific Inhibitors of soluble metallopeptidases such as enkephalinase (EC 3.4.24.11) or enkephalin generating neutral endopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15) do not inhibit DCE activity indicating that DCE is distinct from these two enzymes. Cleavage site determination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDITOF) mass spectrometry shows that DCE cleaves the Dyn B-29 N terminus to the Arg14 generating Dyn B-13 and Dyn B-(14-29). Among other peptides derived from Dyn B-29, DCE cleaves only those peptides that fit the predicted "consensus motif" for monobasic processing. These data are consistent with a broader role for the dynorphin converting enzyme in the biosynthesis of many peptide hormones and neuropeptides by processing at monobasic sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Juliano
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Devi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002417:Cattle; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000201:enzymology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D004745:Enkephalins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; D004399:Dynorphins; C036200:rimorphin; C033660:preproenkephalin; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C054870:dynorphin-converting endopeptidase