S-Alk(en)yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides are pharmaceutically important secondary metabolites produced by plants that belong to the genus Allium. Biosynthesis of S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides is initiated by S-alk(en)ylation of glutathione, which is followed by the removal of glycyl and γ-glutamyl groups and S-oxygenation. However, most of the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of S-alk(en)yl-L-...

We propose a new method for molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations, which is referred to as the replica-permutation method (RPM), to realize more efficient sampling than the replica-exchange method (REM). In RPM, not only exchanges between two replicas but also permutations among more than two replicas are performed. Furthermore, instead of the Metropolis algorithm, the Suwa-Todo algori...

Endothelins (ETs) are a family of potent vasoactive peptides found in at least three distinct isoforms: ET-1, ET-2, and ET-31}. Two major subtypes of endothelin receptors, termed ETAand ETB, have been identified in various target cells2). It is well known that ETs act on these G protein-coupled receptors and exert multiple pharmacological effects3). As the development of potent and selective en...

Ubiquitin binding proteins regulate the stability, function, and/or localization of ubiquitinated proteins. Here we report the crystal structures of the zinc-finger ubiquitin binding domain (ZnF UBP) from the deubiquitinating enzyme isopeptidase T (IsoT, or USP5) alone and in complex with ubiquitin. Unlike other ubiquitin binding domains, this domain contains a deep binding pocket where the C-t...

Single crystals of glycine zinc sulfate penta-hydrate [systematic name: hexa-aqua-zinc tetra-aquadiglycinezinc bis-(sulfate)], [Zn(H2O)6][Zn(C2H5NO2)2(H2O)4](SO4)2, have been grown by isothermal evaporation from aqueous solution at room temperature and characterized by single-crystal neutron diffraction. The unit cell contains two unique ZnO6 octa-hedra on sites of symmetry -1 and two SO4 tetra...

A newly synthesized substrate, 3-hydroxybutyrylglycyl-glycyl-glycine (3HB-GGG), was applied to the assay of ACE-inhibiting activity to overcome the smaller selectivity and sensitivity of the conventional method. In this study, an ACE-inhibiting assay was improved by the use of a water-soluble tetrazolium salt, 4-[3-(4-iodophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]-1,3-benzene disulfonate sodium...

A perfusion technique has been used to quantitate the effect of the amino acids glycine and alanine and the dipeptides glycyl-glycine and glycyl-L-alanine on sodium and water absorption from the human jejunum. Although no net absorption of sodium and water was seen in the absence of non-electrolytes, a significant stimulation occurred in the presence of both free amino acids and dipeptides. In ...

The levels of two peptide hydrolases were studied in intestinal mucosa from normal subjects, patients with untreated coeliac disease, and treated patients. The mucosa from the untreated patients had significantly reduced activity against glycyl-glycine and leucylleucine. No such difference was found for the treated patients and it was concluded that the reduction in peptidase activity was secon...

By J. FRE!, CL. BOREL, G. HORVATH, B. CULLITY AND A. VANNOTFI I ODAY it is known that the leukocyte possesses a very complete enzymatic equipment. As well as the systems connected with its special functions, the majority of the fundamental cellular processes are represented in the white cell, as is shown in the monograph on the metabolism of the leukocyte written by Bazm and Delaunay.’ However,...

LytM is a Staphylococcus aureus autolysin and a homologue of the S. simulans lysostaphin. Both enzymes are members of M23 metallopeptidase family (MEROPS) comprising primarily bacterial peptidoglycan hydrolases. LytM occurs naturally in a latent form, but can be activated by cleavage of an inhibitory N-terminal proregion. Here, we present a 1.45 Å crystal structure of LytM catalytic domain with...