Skip to main content
PMC home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1973 Sep;136(1):45–55. doi: 10.1042/bj1360045

Biosynthetic pathway of desmosines in elastin

Gillian Francis 1, Rhys John 1, John Thomas 1
PMCID: PMC1165923  PMID: 4772627

Abstract

1. Elastins purified by various methods from the ligamentum nuchae and the lungs of cattle of various ages were analysed for amino acid compositions and lysine-derived cross-links. 2. In fully mature elastins from adults the main cross-links were desmosine, isodesmosine and lysinonorleucine and the so-called aldol-condensation product. Trace amounts of merodesmosine were also found. 3. During the normal maturation of elastins the amounts of desmosine, isodesmosine and lysinonorleucine increased, whereas the aldol-condensation product and intact lysine residues decreased and merodesmosine remained the same. 4. Elastins from young animals contained significant amounts of dehydromerodesmosine whereas elastins from adults contained virtually nil. Evidence is presented which suggests that the biosynthetic pathway of desmosine and isodesmosine proceeds via the aldol-condensation product and dehydromerodesmosine.

Full text

PDF
45

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Davis N. R., Anwar R. A. On the mechanism of formation of desmosine and isodesmosine cross-links of elastin. J Am Chem Soc. 1970 Jun 17;92(12):3778–3782. doi: 10.1021/ja00715a040. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Franzblau C., Sinex F. M., Faris B., Lampidis R. Identification of a new crosslinking amino acid in elastin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1965 Dec 21;21(6):575–581. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(65)90524-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. John R., Thomas J. Chemical compositions of elastins isolated from aortas and pulmonary tissues of humans of different ages. Biochem J. 1972 Mar;127(1):261–269. doi: 10.1042/bj1270261. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. LANSING A. I., ROSENTHAL T. B., ALEX M., DEMPSEY E. W. The structure and chemical characterization of elastic fibers as revealed by elastase and by electron microscopy. Anat Rec. 1952 Dec;114(4):555–575. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091140404. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Lent R. W., Smith B., Salcedo L. L., Faris B., Franzblau C. Studies on the reduction of elastin. II. Evidence for the presence of alpha-aminoadipic acid delta-semialdehyde and its aldol condensation product. Biochemistry. 1969 Jul;8(7):2837–2845. doi: 10.1021/bi00835a022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Miller E. J., Pinnell S. R., Martin G. R., Schiffmann E. Investigation of the nature of the intermediates involved in desmosine biosynthesis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1967 Jan 23;26(2):132–137. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(67)90224-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Paz M. A., Henson E., Blumenfeld O. O., Seifter S., Gallop P. M. Dehydromerodesmosine and merodesmosine in elastin. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1971 Sep 17;44(6):1518–1523. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(71)80258-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. SLACK H. G. Metabolism of elastin in the adult rat. Nature. 1954 Sep 11;174(4428):512–513. doi: 10.1038/174512a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Sandberg L. B., Weissman N., Smith D. W. The purification and partial characterization of a soluble elastin-like protein from copper-deficient porcine aorta. Biochemistry. 1969 Jul;8(7):2940–2945. doi: 10.1021/bi00835a037. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Sandberg L. B., Zeikus R. D., Coltrain I. M. Tropoelastin purification from copper-deficient swine: a simplified method. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1971 Jun 29;236(3):542–545. doi: 10.1016/0005-2795(71)90237-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Starcher B. C., Partridge S. M., Elsden D. F. Isolation and partial characterization of a new amino acid from reduced elastin. Biochemistry. 1967 Aug;6(8):2425–2432. doi: 10.1021/bi00860a019. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sykes B. C., Partridge S. M. Isolation of a soluble elastin from lathyritic chicks. Biochem J. 1972 Dec;130(4):1171–1172. doi: 10.1042/bj1301171. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. THOMAS J., ELSDEN D. F., PARTRIDGE S. M. PARTIAL STRUCTURE OF TWO MAJOR DEGRADATION PRODUCTS FROM THE CROSS-LINKAGES IN ELASTIN. Nature. 1963 Nov 16;200:651–652. doi: 10.1038/200651a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES