In proteomics, postproline cleaving enzymes (PPCEs), such as Aspergillus niger prolyl endopeptidase (AnPEP) and neprosin, complement proteolytic tools because proline is a stop site for many proteases. But while aiming at using AnPEP in online proteolysis, we found that this enzyme also displayed specificity to reduced cysteine. By LC-MS/MS, we systematically analyzed AnPEP sources and conditions that could affect this cleavage preference. Postcysteine cleavage was blocked by cysteine modifications, including disulfide bond formation, oxidation, and alkylation. The last modification explains why this activity has remained undetected so far. In the same experimental paradigm, neprosin mimicked this cleavage specificity. Based on these findings, PPCEs cleavage preferences should be redefined from post-Pro/Ala to post-Pro/Ala/Cys. Moreover, this evidence demands reconsidering PPCEs applications, whether cleaving Cys-rich proteins or assessing Cys status in proteins, and calls for revisiting the proposed enzymatic mechanism of these proteases.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Nepenthes regulates enzyme activities by sensing stimuli from the insect prey. Protein is the best inductor mimicking the presence of an insect prey. Carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes have evolved passive pitcher traps for prey capture. In this study, we investigated the ability of chemical signals from a prey (chitin, protein, and ammonium) to induce transcription and synthesis of digestive enzymes in Nepenthes × Mixta. We used real-time PCR and specific antibodies generated against the aspartic proteases nepenthesins, and type III and type IV chitinases to investigate the induction of digestive enzyme synthesis in response to different chemical stimuli from the prey. Transcription of nepenthesins was strongly induced by ammonium, protein and live prey; chitin induced transcription only very slightly. This is in accordance with the amount of released enzyme and proteolytic activity in the digestive fluid. Although transcription of type III chitinase was induced by all investigated stimuli, a significant accumulation of the enzyme in the digestive fluid was found mainly after protein and live prey addition. Protein and live prey were also the best inducers for accumulation of type IV chitinase in the digestive fluid. Although ammonium strongly induced transcription of all investigated genes probably through membrane depolarization, strong acidification of the digestive fluid affected stability and abundance of both chitinases in the digestive fluid. The study showed that the proteins are universal inductors of enzyme activities in carnivorous pitcher plants best mimicking the presence of insect prey. This is not surprising, because proteins are a much valuable source of nitrogen, superior to chitin. Extensive vesicular activity was observed in prey-activated glands.

• Klíčová slova
• Carnivorous plant, Chitin, Chitinase, Enzyme, Nepenthesin, Pitcher plant, Protease,
• MeSH
• Caryophyllales enzymologie   fyziologie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• chitin metabolismus   MeSH
• chlorid amonný farmakologie   MeSH
• enzymy genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
• masožravci MeSH
• membránové potenciály MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u rostlin * MeSH
• rostlinné proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• sérový albumin hovězí metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chitin MeSH
• chlorid amonný MeSH
• enzymy MeSH
• rostlinné proteiny MeSH
• sérový albumin hovězí MeSH

Trypsin dominates bottom-up proteomics, but there are reasons to consider alternative enzymes. Improving sequence coverage, exposing proteomic "dark matter," and clustering post-translational modifications in different ways and with higher-order drive the pursuit of reagents complementary to trypsin. Additionally, enzymes that are easy to use and generate larger peptides that capitalize upon newer fragmentation technologies should have a place in proteomics. We expressed and characterized recombinant neprosin, a novel prolyl endoprotease of the DUF239 family, which preferentially cleaves C-terminal to proline residues under highly acidic conditions. Cleavage also occurs C-terminal to alanine with some frequency, but with an intriguingly high "skipping rate." Digestion proceeds to a stable end point, resulting in an average peptide mass of 2521 units and a higher dependence upon electron-transfer dissociation for peptide-spectrum matches. In contrast to most proline-cleaving enzymes, neprosin effectively degrades proteins of any size. For 1251 HeLa cell proteins identified in common using trypsin, Lys-C, and neprosin, almost 50% of the neprosin sequence contribution is unique. The high average peptide mass coupled with cleavage at residues not usually modified provide new opportunities for profiling clusters of post-translational modifications. We show that neprosin is a useful reagent for reading epigenetic marks on histones. It generates peptide 1-38 of histone H3 and peptide 1-32 of histone H4 in a single digest, permitting the analysis of co-occurring post-translational modifications in these important N-terminal tails.

• MeSH
• HeLa buňky MeSH
• histony chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• peptidy metabolismus   MeSH
• posttranslační úpravy proteinů MeSH
• proteasy metabolismus   MeSH
• proteomika metody   MeSH
• rekombinantní proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• histony MeSH
• peptidy MeSH
• proteasy MeSH
• rekombinantní proteiny MeSH