title: Aminopeptidases in Caenorhabditis elegans and Panagrellus redivivus: detection using peptide and non-peptide substrates.
abstract: Aminopeptidase activities were detected in extracts of the free-living nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Panagrellus redivivus using the aminoacyl substrate L-alanine-4-nitroanilide. The activities exhibited similarities in Km (C. elegans = 2.22 mM; P. redivivus = 2.09 mM) and specific activity (C. elegans = 1.38 +/- 0.43 mAU min(-1) x g(-1); P. redivivus, 1.23 +/- 0.18m AU min(-1) microg(-1). Each is inhibited competitively by amastatin (C. elegans IC50 = 0.46 microM; P. redivivus IC50 = 15.90 microM) and non-competitively by leuhistin (C. elegans IC50 = 3.00 microM; P. redivivus IC50 = 37.35 microM). The bioactive peptides adipokinetic hormone and substance P decrease the apparent aminopeptidase activities of each extract suggesting that the peptides compete with the Ala-pNA as substrates. With each extract, adipokinetic hormone appeared to be the more effective substrate. Digestion of adipokinetic hormone by C. elegans and P. redivivus extracts in the presence and absence of 1 mM amastatin produced distinct chromatographic profiles that suggest different digestion patterns for the two species. However, amastatin had clear effects on chromatographic profiles from each species indicating that an aminopeptidase is involved in the digestion of the peptide substrates. The data presented indicate that extracts of free-living nematodes are capable of metabolizing peptide hormones, and that this metabolism involves substrate-selective aminopeptidases.
authors.affiliation: Nematology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA. maslere@ba.ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Masler
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D009348:Nematoda / Q000201:enzymology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013045:Species Specificity; D013373:Substance P / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D007301:Insect Hormones; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; C044833:adipokinetic hormone; C069912:leuhistin; D013373:Substance P; C016977:amastatin; D000626:Aminopeptidases; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid