Hydrolysis endopeptidases

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. 

Chymotrypein is a proteolytic and milk-curdling enzyme of the pancreatic secretion. It is a protein endopeptidase which catalyses the hydrolysis of native proteins to peptones, polypeptides and amino acids, by breaking the peptide linkages of the carboxyl groups of tyrosine and phenylalanine. 

The NC-IUBMB classifies peptidases (EC 3.4) into exopeptidases (EC 3.4.11-19), which remove one or a few amino acids, and endopeptidases (proteinases, EC 3.4.21-99), which catalyze the cleavage of peptide bonds away from either end of the polypeptide chain (Fig. 2.1). Exopeptidases are further subdivided into enzymes that carry out hydrolysis at the N-terminus or the C-terminus (Figs. 2.1 and 2.2). Thus, aminopeptidases (EC 3.4.11) cleave a single amino acid from the N-terminus [3] those removing a dipep-... 

The mechanism of hydrolysis of cysteine peptidases, in particular cysteine endopeptidases (EC 3.4.22), shows similarities and differences with that of serine peptidases [2] [3a] [55 - 59]. Cysteine peptidases also form a covalent, ac-ylated intermediate, but here the attacking nucleophile is the SH group of a cysteine residue, or, rather, the deprotonated thiolate group. Like in serine hydrolases, the imidazole ring of a histidine residue activates the nucleophile, but there is a major difference, since here proton abstraction does not appear to be concerted with nucleophilic substitution but with formation of the stable thiolate-imidazolium ion pair. Presumably as a result of this specific activation of the nucleophile, a H-bond acceptor group like Glu or Asp as found in serine hydrolases is seldom present to complete a catalytic triad. For this reason, cysteine endopeptidases are considered to possess a catalytic dyad (i.e., Cys-S plus H-His+). The active site also contains an oxyanion hole where the terminal NH2 group of a glutamine residue plays a major role. 

Fig. 3.10. Mechanism of peptide bond hydrolysis by pepsin, an aspartic endopeptidase [2]...

The brush border enzymes in the intestine play a major role in peptide hydrolysis. Thus, both aminopeptidase and endopeptidase activities were detected with [Leu5]enkephalin as the substrate [146],... 

The in vitro hydrolysis of insulin has been shown to be catalyzed by exopeptidases and endopeptidases. Carboxypeptidase A (EC 3.4.17.1) cleaves the C-terminus of the B-chain (ThrB3°) and that of the A-chain (AsnA21) [145], Leucyl aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.1) cleaves the N-terminus of the B-chain (PheB1) and can continue to shorten it. But, leucyl aminopeptidase appears also able to cleave the N-terminus of the A-chain (GlyA1). In addition to these exopeptidases, entire insulin is also cleaved by endopeptidases of the... 

In another series of investigations, [D-Ala6]LHRH was incubated with various cell types and found to have a rate of hydrolysis 3-8 times lower than that of LHRH [174][176], The use of enzyme inhibitors showed [d-Ala6]LHRH to be resistant to the endopeptidases neprilysin and thimet olig-opeptidase, but to remain sensitive to the peptidyl-dipeptidase ACE. 

Protein digestion occurs in two stages endopeptidases catalyse the hydrolysis of peptide bonds within the protein molecule to form peptides, and the peptides are hydrolysed to form the amino acids by exopeptidases and dipeptidases. Enteropeptidase initiates pro-enzyme activation in the small intestine by catalysing the conversion of trypsinogen into trypsin. Trypsin is able to achieve further activation of trypsinogen, i.e. an autocatalytic process, and also activates chymotrypsinogen and pro-elastase, by the selective hydro-... 

These proteolytic enzymes are all endopeptidases, which hydrolyse links in the middle of polypeptide chains. The products of the action of these proteolytic enzymes are a series of peptides of various sizes. These are degraded further by the action of several peptidases (exopeptidases) that remove terminal amino acids. Carboxypeptidases hydrolyse amino acids sequentially from the carboxyl end of peptides. They are secreted by the pancreas in proenzyme form and are each activated by the hydrolysis of one peptide bond, catalysed by trypsin. Aminopeptidases, which are secreted by the absorptive cells of the small intestine, hydrolyse amino acids sequentially from the amino end of peptides. In addition, dipeptidases, which are structurally associated with the glycocalyx of the entero-cytes, hydrolyse dipeptides into their component amino acids. 

This zinc-dependent nonhemorrhagic endopeptidase [EC 3.4.24.43] isolated from the venom of the rattlesnake Crotalus atrox is a peptidase family M12B member that catalyzes the hydrolysis of the His —Leu, Ser —His, ... 

This enzyme [EC 3.4.21.39], also referred to as mast cell protease I and skeletal muscle (SK) protease, is an endopeptidase that has been isolated from mast cell granules. It belongs to the peptidase family SI and catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, preferring Phe-Xaa > Tyr-Xaa > Trp-Xaa > Leu-Xaa. 

Glutamyl endopeptidase [EC 3.4.21.19] (also known as staphylococcal serine proteinase, V8 proteinase, protease V8, and endoproteinase Glu-C), a member of the peptidase family S2B, catalyzes the hydrolysis of Asp-Xaa and Glu-Xaa peptide bonds. In appropriate buffers, the specificity of the bond cleavage is restricted to Glu-Xaa. Peptide bonds involving bulky side chains of hydrophobic aminoacyl residues are hydrolyzed at a lower rate. 

Glutamyl endopeptidase 11 [EC 3.4.21.82], also known as glutamic acid-specific protease, catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, exhibiting a preference for Glu-Xaa bonds much more than for Asp-Xaa bonds. The enzyme has a preference for prolyl or leucyl residues at P2 and phenylalanyl at P3. Hydrolysis of Glu-Pro and Asp-Pro bonds is slow. This endopeptidase is a member of the peptidase family S2A. 

These zinc-dependent endopeptidases (meprin A [EC 3.4.24.18] and meprin B [EC 3.4.24.63] ) are members of the peptidase family M12A. They catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins and peptide substrates. Meprin A, a membrane-bound enzyme that has been isolated from mouse and rat kidney and intestinal brush borders as well as salivary ducts, acts preferentially on carboxyl side of hydrophobic amino acyl residues. Meprin A and B are insensitive to inhibition by phosphora-midon and thiorphan. 

This zinc-dependent endopeptidase [EC 3.4.24.11] catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds and exhibits preferential cleavage at the amino group of hydrophobic residues in proteins and polypeptides. Neprilysin is a membrane-bound glycoprotein that is inhibited by phos-phoramidon and thiorphan. 

This endopeptidase [EC 3.4.24.16] catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, preferentially cleaving neurotensin between Pro-10 and Tyr-11. However, there is no absolute requirement for a prolyl bond. 

This enzyme [EC 3.4.24.57], also known as O-sialoglyco-protein endopeptidase and glycoprotease, catalyzes the hydrolysis of O-sialoglycoproteins for example, it cleaves the Arg — Asp peptide bond in glycophorin A. 

This enzyme [EC 3.4.21.62], a serine endopeptidase that evolved independently of chymotrypsin, contains no cys-teinyl residues. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins and has a broad specificity, with a preference for a large uncharged aminoacyl residue in the PI subsite. 

Thermolysin is a metalloenzyme isolated from Bacillus thermoproteo-lyticus. It is a heat-stable extracellular endopeptidase of molecular weight 34,600. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds that have the amino group as part of hydrophobic residues such as phenylalanine, isoleucine, or leucine. 

The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology recommends that the term peptidase be used synonymously with the term peptide hydrolase (IUBMB, 1992). Thus, in this unit the term peptidase is used in reference to any enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, without distinguishing between exo- and endopeptidase activities. Peptidases may be assayed using native or modified proteins, peptides, or synthetic substrates. In this unit, the focus is on assays based on the hydrolysis of common, commercially available, protein substrates. Thus, the assays are not intended to be selective for a given peptidase they are designed to provide estimates of overall peptidase activity. Other units in this publication focus on synthetic or model substrates, which can be designed for the measurement of specific endo- and/or exopeptidase activities. 

In this respect, Scheme 27, the ring opening of /V-sulfonyl p-lactam 80 with a dipeptide affords a-keto amide precursor 81. Subsequent elaboration of 81 and final hydrolysis of the ketal moiety affords poststatin 82, a naturally occurring pentapeptide which shows inhibitory activity against prolyl endopeptidase. 

Bunnett, N.W., et al. 1988. Isolation of endopeptidase-24.11 (EC 3.4.24.11, enkephalinase ) from the pig stomach. Hydrolysis of substance P, gastrin-releasing peptide 10, [Leu5] enkephalin, and [Met5] enkephalin. Gastroenterology 95 952. 

The S -(-)-a-[(acetylthio)methyl]phenylpropionic acid (21) is a key chiral intermediate for the neutral endopeptidase inhibitor (22) [48], We [44] have demonstrated the lipase-catalyzed stereoselective hydrolysis of thioester bond of racemic a-[(acetylthio)methyl]phenylpropionic acid (21) in organic solvent to yield A-(+)-a-[(mercapto)methyl]phenylpropionic acid (23) and Y-(-)-(21). Using lipase PS-30, the Y-(-)-(21) was obtained in 40% reaction yield (theoretical max. 50%) and 98% e.e. (Fig. 9). 

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