Skip to main content
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1978 Aug 1;173(2):353–363. doi: 10.1042/bj1730353

Amino acid sequences of alpha-helical segments from S-carboxymethylkerateine-A. Tryptic and chymotryptic peptides from a type-II segment.

D M Hogg, L M Dowling, W G Crewther
PMCID: PMC1185787  PMID: 581263

Abstract

1. Amino acid-sequence studies were done on a peptide of mol.wt. approx. 12500 that was isolated from the highly helical fragments obtained by partial chymotryptic digestion of the low-sulphur proteins (S-carboxymethylkerateine-A) from wool. 2. The peptides obtained by tryptic and chymotryptic digestion of this large peptide were separated by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose at pH8.5 with an (NH4)(2)CO(3) concentration gradient and, where necessary, purified further by paper electrophoresis. 3. Determination of the sequences of many of these peptides showed that a high proportion of the cationic residues occurs in pairs. 4. Although two of the four S-carboxymethylcysteine residues are located in what appears to be a non-helical region near the N-terminus the other two S-carboxymethylcysteine residues occur in or near sequences suggesting a helical conformation. 5. Some peptides were obtained, in low yields, that appeared to be homologues of more major ones. These suggest either homologies in the helical portions of the low-sulphur proteins or the presence of closely related amino acid sequences in helical regions of completely different origins. 6. A partial sequence of the complete peptide is proposed.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

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

  1. BREITENBACH J. W., DERKOSCH J., WESSELY F. Energetics of peptide formation. Nature. 1952 May 31;169(4309):922–922. doi: 10.1038/169922a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barber G. A., Hassid W. Z. Synthesis of cellulose by enzyme preparations from the developing cotton boll. Nature. 1965 Jul 17;207(994):295–296. doi: 10.1038/207295b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CORFIELD M. C. A new fraction from oxidized wool. Biochem J. 1963 Jan;86:125–129. doi: 10.1042/bj0860125. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Consden R., Gordon A. H., Martin A. J. The identification of lower peptides in complex mixtures. Biochem J. 1947;41(4):590–596. doi: 10.1042/bj0410590. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Corfield M. C., Fletcher J. C. Amino acid sequences of peptides from a chymotryptic digest of a urea-soluble protein fraction (U.S.3) from oxidized wool. Biochem J. 1969 Nov;115(2):323–334. doi: 10.1042/bj1150323. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Corfield M. C., Fletcher J. C., Robson A. Amino acid sequences of peptides from a tryptic digest of a urea-soluble protein fraction (U.S.3) from oxidized wool. Biochem J. 1967 Mar;102(3):801–814. doi: 10.1042/bj1020801. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Crewther W. G., Fraser R. D., Lennox F. G., Lindley H. The chemistry of keratins. Adv Protein Chem. 1965;20:191–346. doi: 10.1016/s0065-3233(08)60390-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Crewther W. G., Harrap B. S. The preparation and properties of a helix-rich fraction obtained by partial proteolysis of low sulfur S-carboxymethylkerateine from wool. J Biol Chem. 1967 Oct 10;242(19):4310–4319. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dixon H. B., Perham R. N. Reversible blocking of amino groups with citraconic anhydride. Biochem J. 1968 Sep;109(2):312–314. doi: 10.1042/bj1090312. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dopheide T. A. The primary structure of a protein, component 0.62, rich in glycine and aromatic residues, obtained from wool keratin. Eur J Biochem. 1973 Apr 2;34(1):120–124. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1973.tb02737.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Dowling L. M., Stark G. R. Sequential degradation of peptides with an insoluble Edman reagent. Biochemistry. 1969 Dec;8(12):4728–4734. doi: 10.1021/bi00840a011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Elleman T. C., Dopheide T. A. The sequence of SCMK-B2B, a high-sulfur protein from wool keratin. J Biol Chem. 1972 Jun 25;247(12):3900–3909. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Elleman T. C. The amino acid sequence of protein SCMK-B2A from the high-sulphur fraction of wool keratin. Biochem J. 1972 Dec;130(3):833–845. doi: 10.1042/bj1300833. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Elleman T. C. The amino acid sequence of protein SCMK-B2C from the high-sulphur fraction of wool keratin. Biochem J. 1972 Aug;128(5):1229–1239. doi: 10.1042/bj1281229. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Goodwin T. W., Morton R. A. The spectrophotometric determination of tyrosine and tryptophan in proteins. Biochem J. 1946;40(5-6):628–632. doi: 10.1042/bj0400628. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hartley B. S. Strategy and tactics in protein chemistry. Biochem J. 1970 Oct;119(5):805–822. doi: 10.1042/bj1190805f. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Haylett T., Swart L. S., Parris D. Studies on the high-sulphur proteins of reduced merino wool. Amino acid sequence of protein SCMKB-3B 3 . Biochem J. 1971 Jun;123(2):191–200. doi: 10.1042/bj1230191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Jones L. N. The isolation and characterization of alpha-keratin microfibrils. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1975 Nov 18;412(1):91–98. doi: 10.1016/0005-2795(75)90342-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lindley H., Elleman T. C. The preparation and properties of a group of proteins from the high-sulphur fraction of wool. Biochem J. 1972 Jul;128(4):859–867. doi: 10.1042/bj1280859. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. NAUGHTON M. A., SANGER F., HARTLEY B. S., SHAW D. C. The amino acid sequence around the reactive serine residue of some proteolytic enzymes. Biochem J. 1960 Oct;77:149–163. doi: 10.1042/bj0770149. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Swart L. S., Haylett T. Studies on the high-sulphur proteins of reduced Merino wool. Amino acid sequence of protein SCMKB-3A3. Biochem J. 1973 Aug;133(4):641–654. doi: 10.1042/bj1330641. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Swart L. S., Haylett T. Studies on the high-sulphur proteins of reduced merino wool. Amino acid sequence of protein SCMKB-3B 4 . Biochem J. 1971 Jun;123(2):201–210. doi: 10.1042/bj1230201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES