Biomaterial Database

The effect of urea on the aggregate state and elastase inhibitor activity of the water-insoluble fraction from bovine and human lens. 1992

B J Ortwerth, and K K Sharma, and P R Olesen

Mason Institute of Ophthalmology, Columbia, MO.

Preparations of alpha-crystallin from bovine and human lens exhibited elastase inhibitor activity with a specific activity of 100-250 U mg-1 protein. A washed water-insoluble fraction from bovine, human and cataractous lens nuclei, when solubilized by sonication, gave specific activities of 910, 950 and 1270 U mg-1, respectively. Disaggregation of these water-insoluble fractions in 8.0 M urea, with subsequent reaggregation by urea removal, resulted in a decrease in inhibitor activity. Agarose A-5m gel filtration chromatography after the urea treatment resolved a residual high molecular weight (HMW) fraction and a peak which eluted at the position of water soluble alpha-crystallin. Assays showed that the urea-induced 'alpha-crystallin' peaks from all three preparations had specific activities, equivalent to native alpha-crystallin, whereas the HMW fractions retained their original high specific activity. We conclude that the increased elastase inhibitor activity of the water-insoluble fraction is a property of the aggregate state of the component alpha-crystallin molecules, which is lost upon reaggregation to an 800-kDa alpha-crystallin. Amino acid analysis of the bovine water-insoluble fraction suggested a content of 85-90% alpha-crystallin and 10-15% beta H-crystallin, which was confirmed by SDS-PAGE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D008970	Molecular Weight	The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule.	Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D010196	Pancreatic Elastase	A protease of broad specificity, obtained from dried pancreas. Molecular weight is approximately 25,000. The enzyme breaks down elastin, the specific protein of elastic fibers, and digests other proteins such as fibrin, hemoglobin, and albumin. EC 3.4.21.36.	Elastase,Pancreatopeptidase,Elastase I,Pancreatic Elastase I,Elastase I, Pancreatic,Elastase, Pancreatic
D002386	Cataract	Partial or complete opacity on or in the lens or capsule of one or both eyes, impairing vision or causing blindness. The many kinds of cataract are classified by their morphology (size, shape, location) or etiology (cause and time of occurrence). (Dorland, 27th ed)	Cataract, Membranous,Lens Opacities,Pseudoaphakia,Cataracts,Cataracts, Membranous,Lens Opacity,Membranous Cataract,Membranous Cataracts,Opacities, Lens,Opacity, Lens,Pseudoaphakias
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D003459	Crystallins	A heterogeneous family of water-soluble structural proteins found in cells of the vertebrate lens. The presence of these proteins accounts for the transparency of the lens. The family is composed of four major groups, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta, and several minor groups, which are classed on the basis of size, charge, immunological properties, and vertebrate source. Alpha, beta, and delta crystallins occur in avian and reptilian lenses, while alpha, beta, and gamma crystallins occur in all other lenses.	Lens Proteins,Crystallin,Eye Lens Protein,Lens Protein, Eye,Protein, Eye Lens,Proteins, Lens
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino