Lysine residues, hydroxylation

Figure 1.18 Reaction of proline, arginine, and lysine residues with hydroxyl radical results in oxidation of side-chain structures that form carbonyls. Both arginine and proline oxidation result in the same product.

So far, the function of lysyl hydroxylation and glycosylation of Hyls is not clear. In some diseases such as 01, an overmodification of lysine residues occurs. It has been postulated that the triple helix formation is slower in these cases and therefore the unfolded chains are exposed for a longer time to the modifying enzymes. 

Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is found in fruits, especially citrus fruits, and in fresh vegetables. Man is one of the few mammals unable to manufacture vitamin C in the liver. It is essential for the formation of collagen as it is a cofactor for the conversion of proline and lysine residues to hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine. It is also a cofactor for carnitine synthesis, for the conversion of folic acid to folinic acid and for the hydroxylation of dopamine to form norepinephrine. Being a lactone with two hydroxyl groups which can be oxidized to two keto groups forming dehydroascorbic acid, ascorbic acid is also an anti-oxidant. By reducing ferric iron to the ferrous state in the stomach, ascorbic acid promotes iron absorption. 

Hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine Collagen contains hydroxy proline (hyp) and hydroxylysine (hyl), which are not present in most other proteins. These residues result from the hydroxylation of some of the proline and lysine residues after their incorporation into polypeptide chains (Figure 4.6). The hydroxylation is, thus, an example of posttranslational modification (see p. 440). Hydroxy proline is important in stabilizing the triple-helical structure of colla gen because it maximizes interchain hydrogen bond formation. 

Hydroxylation Proline and lysine residues of the a-chains of col lagen are extensively hydroxylated in the endoplasmic reticulum. A discussion of this process was presented on p. 47. 

Hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine result from the hydroxylation by specific hydroxylases of proline and lysine residues after their incorporation into a-chains. The enzymes require ascorbic acid as a cofactor. [Note An ascorbic acid deficiency results in scurvy.] The hydroxyl group of the hydroxylysine residues of collagen may be enzymatically glycosy lated (most commonly, glucose and galactose are added sequentially to the triple helix). 

Our retrosynthetic analysis for lipid I is presented below [Scheme 2], Our protected version of lipid I employed acetate protective groups for the carbohydrate hydroxyls, methyl esters for each of the carboxyl groups in the pentapeptide side chain, and trifluoroacetate for the terminal amino group of the lysine residue. These base-cleavable protective groups could be removed in a single operation in the final step of our synthesis and would not subject the sensitive diphosphate linkage to acidic reagents or reaction conditions. 

Figure 3 Mechanism of steroid-induced cataract according to the most prominent hypothesis. It involves first the formation of Schiff bases between the steroid C-20 ketone group and nucleophilic groups such as e-amino groups of lysine residues of proteins and then a Heyns rearrangement involving the adjacent C-21 hydroxyl group that results in stable amine-linked adducts.

P denotes 4-hydroxyproline k denotes fully hydroxylated and glycosylated lysine residues (-) denotes deletions which had to be introduced to ensure optimal matching of the tripeptide structure of both chains. The non-triple-helical sequences are underlined. Three different types of non-triple-helical interruptions have been observed (1) longer nonhelical sequences, expected to create flexible sites sensitive to proteases (2) an extra amino acid in one of the two chains expected to create a bend (3) neutral substitutions expected to disturb only slightly the structure of the triple helix. 

The other major protein in the extracellular matrix is elastin, which is the main component of elastic fibers found in ligaments, large arteries, and lungs. After synthesis and partial hydroxylation of proline residues, a 72 kDa molecule of tropoelastin is secreted into the matrix. This protein is rich in nonpolar amino acids and contains repeating sequences, such as (Val-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly). These sections form an amorphous, random-coiled structure with frequent reverse turns. Other recurrent sequences are rich in alanine with paired lysine residues, e.g., -Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Lys-Ala-Ala-Lys-... 

Hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine occur most noticeably in collagen. These are formed by modification of proline and lysine residues by specific enzymes after synthesis of the collagen chains. It is interesting to note that proly/hydroxylase, which hydroxylates proline, requires ascorbate (vitamin C) as a coreactant. Other chemical modifications known to occur commonly are the attachment of sugars (glycosylation) to asparagine, serine, and threonine residues and the phosphorylation of serine. Chemical modifications are also associated with the transport of proteins out of the cells in which they are synthesized. 

As already mentioned, one of the products of action of hydroxyl radicals on proteins is protein hydroperoxides (G6). Valine and lysine residues are particu-larily susceptible to hydroperoxide formation. Reduction of hydroperoxides produces respective hydroxy derivatives of amino acids. Three valine hydroxides derived from hydroperoxides of this amino acid have been characterized structurally as p-hydroxyvaline [(2S)-2-amino-3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butanoic acid], (2S,3S)-y-hydroxyvaline [(2S,3S)-2-amino-3-hydroxymethyl-butanoic acid], and (2S,3R)-y -hydroxyvaline [(2S,3R)-2-amino-3-hydroxymethyl-butanoic acid (Fig. 12). They are suggested to be possible markers of protein peroxidation (F21). 

Aldehyde-protein adducts and hydroxyl radicals also stimulate immunological responses directed against the specific modifications of proteins. High antibody titres have been observed from patients with severe alcoholic liver disease, particularly IgA and IgG autoantibodies. Such antibodies have considerable specificity towards aldehyde-lysine residues. Alcohol consumption markedly increases the hepatic output of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), but decreases the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and apolipoprotein B. Ethylation of apo-B-lysine renders LDL immunogenic and accelerates its clearance. Alcoholics have been shown to develop acetaldehyde adducts in apo-B-containing lipoproteins, particularly VLDL. 

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