tyrosine-o-sulfate and big-gastrin

Tyrosine O-sulfation is a common post-translational modification of secretory and membrane proteins. The biological function of sulfation is known in only a few proteins, where it appears to enhance protein-protein interactions. Based on known sequences around sulfated tyrosines, a consensus sequence for prediction of target tyrosines has been proposed. However, some proteins are tyrosine sulfated at sites that deviate from the proposed consensus. Among these is progastrin. It is possible that the deviation explains the incomplete sulfation characteristic for bioactive gastrin peptides. In order to test this hypothesis, we have performed site-directed mutagenesis of the gastrin gene followed by heterologous expression in an endocrine cell line. The results show that substitution of the alanyl residue immediately N-terminal to the sulfated tyrosine with an acidic amino acid promotes the sulfation of gastrin peptides. Hence, the study supports the proposed consensus sequence for tyrosine sulfation. Importantly, however, the results also reveal that complete sulfation increases the endoproteolytic maturation of progastrin. Thus, our study suggests an additional function for tyrosine sulfation of possible general significance.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Cells, Cultured; Cricetinae; Gastrins; Humans; Lysine; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; Mutation; Protein Precursors; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Tyrosine

The peptide SAEEEDQYN, corresponding to the carboxyl-terminal tryptic fragment of rat progastrin, whose penultimate tyrosyl residue is sulphated in the native peptide, is phosphorylated with Km values of 120 and 180 microM by two spleen tyrosine protein kinases, termed TPK-IIB and TPK-III, respectively. Another spleen tyrosine protein kinase related to the src family (TPK-I/lyn) is poorly active toward this peptide, displaying a Km 6.5 mM. The Tyr-phosphorylated peptide is recognized by an antibody (L304), which reacts with both sulphated and unmodified peptides, while it is not recognized by a second antibody (L303), which reacts with unmodified peptide yet not with the sulphated derivative. These data, in conjunction with previous observations (Hofsteenge, J., Stone, S.R., Donella-Deana, A. and Pinna, L.A. (1990) Eur. J. Biochem. 188, 55-59) support the view that phosphotyrosine is an effective surrogate for sulphotyrosine in a wide spectrum of biological activities.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Gastrins; Molecular Sequence Data; Peptide Fragments; Phosphorylation; Phosphotyrosine; Protein Precursors; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Radioimmunoassay; Rats; Tyrosine