Carboxypeptidase pancreatic exopeptidase

The action of these two pancreatic exopeptidases on synthetic substrates, proteins, and peptides has been reviewed in detail by Neurath (1960). The specificity requirements which were deduced from studies with synthetic peptides have been confirmed by studies with polypeptides. The structural requirements of specific substrates for both types of carboxy-peptidase are analogous except for the nature of the amino acids which contain the free, ionized a-carboxyl group at the terminus of the substrate. Carboxypeptidase B hydrolyzes most rapidly those bonds formed by terminal lysyl and arginyl residues, whereas carboxypeptidase A hydrolyzes terminal bonds formed by a variety of aromatic, neutral, or acidic amino acids. Of the natural amino acids only carboxyl-terminal prolyl residues are resistant to the action of the enzyme. The rate of hydrolysis depends upon the nature of the side chains of the amino acids which form the susceptible bonds. Thus, differences in the rate of hydrolysis of different substrates may vary several thousandfold. The methods for application of these peptidases to hydrolysis of proteins have been discussed in detail by Canfield and Anfinsen (1963). 

C. Carboxypeptidases A and B are pancreatic exopeptidases, which cleave one amino acid at a time from the C-terminal end of a polypeptide chain. 

EXAMPLE 5.15 X-ray analysis of crystals of the pancreatic exopeptidase carboxypeptidase A, with a bound pseudo substrate (z. false substrate that is not degraded by the enzyme, i.e., an inhibitor) indicates that the susceptible peptide bond is twisted out of the normal planar configuration that is usually seen with peptide bonds (Chap. 4). This distortion leads to a loss of resonance energy in the bond, and enhances its susceptibility to hydrolytic attack. 

Carboxypeptidases A (EIC 3.4.12.2) and B (EC 3.4.12.3) are pancreatic exopeptidases. Carboxypeptidase A preferentially hydrolyzes terminal peptide bonds in which the amino donor is a hydrophobic amino acid whereas the specificity of carboxypeptidase B is directed toward the... 

There are two main classes of proteolytic digestive enzymes (proteases), with different specificities for the amino acids forming the peptide bond to be hydrolyzed. Endopeptidases hydrolyze peptide bonds between specific amino acids throughout the molecule. They are the first enzymes to act, yielding a larger number of smaller fragments, eg, pepsin in the gastric juice and trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase secreted into the small intestine by the pancreas. Exopeptidases catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, one at a time, fi"om the ends of polypeptides. Carboxypeptidases, secreted in the pancreatic juice, release amino acids from rhe free carboxyl terminal, and aminopeptidases, secreted by the intestinal mucosal cells, release amino acids from the amino terminal. Dipeptides, which are not substrates for exopeptidases, are hydrolyzed in the brush border of intestinal mucosal cells by dipeptidases. 

There are five distinct families of zinc proteases, classified by the nature of the zinc binding site. These families, and their variously proposed mechanisms, have recently been reviewed in depth.143 The most studied member is the digestive enzyme bovine pancreatic carboxypeptidase A, which is a metalloenzyme containing one atom of zinc bound to its single polypeptide chain of 307 amino acids and Mr 34 472. It is an exopeptidase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of C-terminal amino acids from polypeptide substrates, and is specific for the large hydrophobic amino acids such as phenylalanine. The closely related carboxypeptidase B catalyzes the hydrolysis of C-terminal lysine and arginine residues. The two en-... 

The specificities of the various digestive exo- and endopep-tidases suggest that they act synergistically to fulfill a major nutritional function. The concerted action of trypsin, chy-motrypsin, pepsin, and carboxypeptidases A and B facilitate and ensure formation of essential amino acids. The chemical characteristics and metalloenzyme nature of two bovine exopeptidases, lens aminopeptidase and pancreatic carboxy-peptidase A, indicate similarities in their mechanisms of action. However, the aminopeptidase exhibits an unusual type of metal ion activation not observed unth carboxy-peptidase. Chemical and physicochemical studies reveal that the latter enzyme has different structural conformations in its crystal and solution states. Moreover, various kinetic data indicate that its mode of action toward ester substrates differs from that toward peptide substrates. The active site metal atom of carboxypeptidase figures prominently in these differences. 

This discussion of the metalloexopeptidases has focused on the general role of these enzymes in the conversion of dietary proteins into amino acids. In particular, the apparent synergistic relationship which the pancreatic carboxypeptidases have with the major endopeptidases, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pepsin, in order to facilitate formation of essential amino acids has been stressed. The chemical characteristics, metalloenzyme nature, and mechanistic details of a representative of each class of exopeptidase have been presented. Leucine aminopeptidase from bovine lens was shown to be subject to an unusual type of metal ion activation which may be representative of a more general situation. Carboxypeptidase A of bovine pancreas was discussed in terms of its three-dimensional structure, the implications of x-ray crystallography to mecha ... 

The most studied member of zinc proteases is the digestive enzyme bovine pancreatic carboxypeptidase A (CPA) which is a metalloenzyme containing one atom of zinc bound to its single polypeptide side chain of 307 amino acids with a molecular weight of 34 kD. It is an exopeptidase, which catalyses the hydrolysis of C-terminal amino... 

Pancreatic carboxypeptidases are also secreted by the pancreas and act in the small bowel as exopeptidases, which trim amino acids one at a time from an end of a polypeptide. Carboxypeptidase A has a pref-... 

Cushman, Ondetti, and coworkers (17,18,19) used SQ 20,881 and other peptide analogues to provide an enhanced understanding of the enzymatic properties of ACE. Using knowledge of substrate-binding specificities and the fact that ACE has properties similar to those of pancreatic carboxypeptidases, these researchers developed a hypothetical model of the enzyme active site. Carboxypeptidase A, like ACE, is a zinc-containing exopeptidase. The binding of a substrate to carboxypeptidase A involves three major interactions (Fig. 28.5A). 

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