PC5 belongs to the proprotein convertase family and activates precursor proteins by cleavage at basic sites during their transit through the secretory pathway and/or at the cell surface. These precursors include prohormones, proreceptors, growth factors, adhesion molecules, and viral glycoproteins. The Pcsk5 gene encodes two alternatively spliced isoforms, the soluble PC5A and transmembrane PC5B. We have carefully analyzed the expression of PC5 in the mouse during development and in adulthood by in situ hybridization, as well as in mouse tissues and various cell lines by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. The data show that adrenal cortex and intestine are the richest sources of PC5A and PC5B, respectively. To better define the specific physiological roles of PC5, we have generated a mouse Pcsk5(Delta 4)-deficient allele missing exon 4 that encodes the catalytic Asp(173). While Delta 4/+ heterozygotes were healthy and fertile, genotyping of progeny obtained from Delta 4/+ interbreeding indicated that Delta 4/Delta 4 embryos died between embryonic days 4.5 and 7.5. These data demonstrate that Pcsk5 is an essential gene.

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor to various, bioactive peptides including ACTH, beta LPH, alpha MSH, and beta endorphin (beta END). Processing of POMC at dibasic residues is tissue-specific and is performed by either PC1 alone (resulting in ACTH and beta LPH, anterior pituitary corticotrophes) or by a combination of PC1 and PC2 (yielding alpha MSH and beta END, pituitary neurointermediate lobe and hypothalamus). The PC2-specific binding protein 7B2 is intimately involved in the zymogen activation of proPC2 into PC2. Structure-function studies of these enzymes demonstrated the presence of N- and C-terminal domains, as well as specific amino acids within the catalytic segment that influence the degree of activity of each enzyme and the interaction of PC2 with 7B2. The tissue distribution, plasticity of expression, and the multiple precursors that are differentially cleaved by PC1 and/or PC2, predict a wide array of combinatorial activities of these convertases within the endocrine and neuroendocrine system. The phenotypic consequences of the absence of genetic expression of either PC1 or PC2 are now explored using knockout mice and in human patients suffering from obesity and diabetes.

Using reverse transcriptase-PCR and degenerate oligonucleotides derived from the active-site residues of subtilisin/kexin-like serine proteinases, we have identified a highly conserved and phylogenetically ancestral human, rat, and mouse type I membrane-bound proteinase called subtilisin/kexin-isozyme-1 (SKI-1). Computer databank searches reveal that human SKI-1 was cloned previously but with no identified function. In situ hybridization demonstrates that SKI-1 mRNA is present in most tissues and cells. Cleavage specificity studies show that SKI-1 generates a 28-kDa product from the 32-kDa brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor, cleaving at an RGLT downward arrowSL bond. In the endoplasmic reticulum of either LoVo or HK293 cells, proSKI-1 is processed into two membrane-bound forms of SKI-1 (120 and 106 kDa) differing by the nature of their N-glycosylation. Late along the secretory pathway some of the membrane-bound enzyme is shed into the medium as a 98-kDa form. Immunocytochemical analysis of stably transfected HK293 cells shows that SKI-1 is present in the Golgi apparatus and within small punctate structures reminiscent of endosomes. In vitro studies suggest that SKI-1 is a Ca2+-dependent serine proteinase exhibiting a wide pH optimum for cleavage of pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

The prohormone convertase PC2 is one of the major subtilisin/kexin‐like enzymes responsible for the formation of small bioactive peptides in neural and endocrine cells. This convertase is unique among the members of the subtilisin/kexin‐like mammalian serine proteinase family in that it undergoes zymogen processing of its inactive precursor proPC2 late along the secretory pathway and requires the help of a PC2‐specific binding protein known as 7B2. We hypothesized that some of these unique properties of PC2 are dictated by the presence of PC2‐specific amino acids, which in the six other known mammalian convertases are otherwise conserved but distinct. Accordingly, six sites were identified within the catalytic segment of PC2. Herein we report on the site‐directed mutagenesis of Tyr 194 and of the oxyanion hole Asp 309 and the consequences of such mutations on the cellular expression and enzyme activity of PC2. The data show that the Y194D mutation markedly increases the ex vivo ability of PC2 to process proopiomelanocortin (POMC) into β‐endorphin in cells devoid of 7B2, e.g. BSC40 cells. In these cells, expression of native PC2 does not result in the secretion of measurable in vitro activity against a pentapeptide fluorogenic substrate. In contrast, secreted Y194D‐PC2 exhibited significant enzymatic activity, even in the absence of 7B2. Based on co‐immunoprecipitations and Western blots, binding assays indicate that Tyr 194 participates in the interaction of PC2 with 7B2, and that the oxyanion hole Asp 309 is critical for the binding of proPC2 with pro7B2.

In order to define the functional importance of the conserved RRGDL motif in the P-domain of the mammalian proprotein convertases(PCs) we generated and cellularly expressed three mutant PC1 vaccinia-virus (VV) recombinants: ARGDL-PC1, RAGDL-PC1 and RRGEL-PC1. Functionally, these mutants caused a decreased level of processing of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) into beta-lipotropic pituitary hormone (beta-LPH), especially in the constitutively secreting BSC40 cells. Pulse-chase analyses demonstrated that, in part, this effect was due to both an increased degradation of the mutant PC1s within the endoplasmic reticulum and to a diminished level of zymogen processing in the same compartment. In addition, within cells containing secretory granules such as PC12 and GH4C1 cells, such mutations prevented the C-terminal auto-processing of PC1 into the fully mature 66 kDa form stored in the secretory granules of regulated cells. Since the 66 kDa PC1 is the most active form of the enzyme, it is proposed that the RRGDL sequence is critical for the generation of maximal intracellular PC1 activity. In regulated cells, co-expression of POMC with PC1 or its mutants together with the general PC inhibitor alpha1-antitrypsin Portland (alpha1-PDX), which acts primarily within the constitutive secretory pathway, demonstrated that the latter completely inhibited the formation of beta-LPH by PC1 mutants, whereas it only partially inhibited the ability of wild-type PC1 to process POMC. This suggests that RRGDL mutations prevent PC1 from entering secretory granules and hence the formation of the 66 kDa PC1, and result in the mis-sorting of PC1 mutants towards the constitutive secretory pathway. This conclusion was further supported by immunocytochemical data demonstrating that RRGDL mutants exhibit an intracellular localization pattern different from that of the granule-associated wild-type PC1,but similar to that of the Golgi-localized convertase PC5-B.

Biochemical and enzymatic characterization of the novel proprotein convertase rat PC7 (rPC7) was carried out using vaccinia virus recombinants overexpressed in mammalian BSC40 cells. Pro-PC7 is synthesized as a glycosylated zymogen (101 kDa) and processed into mature rPC7 (89 kDa) in the endoplasmic reticulum. No endogenously produced soluble forms of this membrane-anchored protein were detected. A deletion mutant (65 kDa), truncated well beyond the expected C-terminal boundary of the P-domain, produced soluble rPC7 in the culture medium. Enzymatic activity assays of rPC7 using fluorogenic peptidyl substrates indicated that the pH optimum, Ca2+ dependence, and cleavage specificity of this enzyme are largely similar to those of furin. However, with some substrates, cleavage specificity more closely resembled that of yeast kexin, suggesting differential processing of proprotein substrates by this novel convertase. We examined the rPC7- and human furin-mediated cleavage of synthetic peptides containing the processing sites of three proteins known to colocalize in situ with rPC7. Whereas both enzymes correctly processed the pro-parathyroid hormone tridecapeptide and the pro-PC4 heptadecapeptide, neither enzyme cleaved a pro-epidermal growth factor hexadecapeptide. Thus, this study establishes that rPC7 is an enzymatically functional subtilisin/kexin-like serine proteinase with a cleavage specificity resembling that of hfurin. In addition, we have demonstrated that rPC7 can correctly process peptide precursors that contain the processing sites of at least two potential physiological substrates.

In order to define the enzymes responsible for the maturation of the precursor of nerve growth factor (proNGF), its biosynthesis and intracellular processing by the pro-protein convertases furin, PC1, PC2, PACE4, PC5 and the PC5 isoform PC5/6-B were analysed using the vaccinia virus expression system in cells containing a regulated and/or a constitutive secretory pathway. Results demonstrate that in both cell types furin, and to a lesser extent PACE4 and PC5/6-B, are the best candidate proNGF convertases. Furthermore, two processed NGF forms of 16.5 and 13.5 kDa were evident in constitutively secreting cell lines such as LoVo and BSC40 cells, whereas only the 13.5 kDa form was observed in AtT20 cells, which contain secretory granules. Both forms display the same N-terminal sequence as mature NGF, and were also produced following site-directed mutagenesis of the C-terminal Arg-Arg sequence of NGF into Ala-Ala, suggesting that the difference between them is not at the C-terminus. Co-expression of proNGF with furin and either chromogranin B or secretogranin II (but not chromogranin A) in BSC40 cells eliminated the 16.5 kDa form. Data also show that N-glycosylation of the pro-segment of proNGF and trimming of the oligosaccharide chains are necessary for the exit of this precursor from the endoplasmic reticulum and its eventual processing and secretion. Sulphate labelling experiments demonstrated that proNGF is processed into mature NGF following the arrival of the precursor in the trans-Golgi network. This comparative study shows that the three candidate mammalian subtilisin/kexin-like convertases identified process proNGF into NGF and that the nature of the final processed products is dependent on the intracellular environment.

By using reverse transcription-coupled PCR on rat anterior pituitary RNA, we isolated a 285-bp cDNA coding for a novel subtilisin/kexin-like protein convertase (PC), called rat (r) PC7. By screening rat spleen and PC12 cell lambda gt11 cDNA libraries, we obtained a composite 3.5-kb full-length cDNA sequence of rPC7. The open reading frame codes for a prepro-PC with a 36-amino acid signal peptide, a 104-amino acid prosegment ending with a cleavable RAKR sequence, and a 747-amino acid type I membrane-bound glycoprotein, representing the mature form of this serine proteinase. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that PC7 represents the most divergent enzyme of the mammalian convertase family and that it is the closest member to the yeast convertases krp and kexin. Northern blot analyses demonstrated a widespread expression with the richest source of rPC7 mRNA being the colon and lymphoid-associated tissues. In situ hybridization revealed a distinctive tissue distribution that sometimes overlaps with that of furin, suggesting that PC7 has widespread proteolytic functions. The gene for PC7 (Pcsk7) was mapped to mouse chromosome 9 by linkage analysis of an interspecific backcross DNA panel.

Site directed mutagenesis of the prohormone convertase PC2 was used to define the effect of certain residues on the zymogen activation of proPC2 and on its binding to the neuroendocrine protein 7B2, These included the oxyanion hole Asp(309) (D309N), the N-terminal Glu(25) (E25Q and E25K) of proPC2 and the Asp(519) (D519E) of the RGD motif within the P-domain of PC2, Heterologous vaccinia virus expression of the wild type and mutant PC2's in endocrine pituitary cells such as AtT20 and GH3 cells demonstrated that the most dramatic effect was observed with the D309N mutant which no longer bound pro7B2 and which exhibited a significant reduction in its capacity to produce beta-endorphin from pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC).

By using reverse transcriptase/PCR and oligonucleotide sequences derived from conserved segments (including the conserved RRGDL sequence) of the known proprotein convertases (PCs) PC1, PC2, furin, and PC4, we identified a subtilisin/kexin-like PC called PC5 in both mouse and rat tissues. The composite structure (2.85 kb) was deduced from the analysis of the reverse transcription/PCR products combined with the sequence from a clone isolated from a cDNA library made from corticotropin-activated mouse adrenocortical Y1 cells. The deduced cDNA structures of mouse PC5 and rat PC5 showed that the closest homologue is PACE4. Furthermore, like furin, Drosophila melanogaster (d) dfurin2, and PACE4, PC5 shows the presence of a C-terminal Cys-rich domain containing either 5 (PC5 and PACE4) or 10 (dfurin2) repeats of the consensus motif Cys-Xaa2-Cys-Xaa3-Cys-Xaa(5-7)-Cys-Xaa2-Cys-Xaa (8-15)-Cys-Xaa3-Cys-Xaa(9-16). The richest sources of rat PC5 mRNA (3.8 kb) are the adrenal and gut, but it can also be detected in many endocrine and nonendocrine tissues. Corticotropin-stimulated adrenocortical Y1 cells showed an increased expression of PC5 mRNA, suggesting an upregulation by cAMP. In situ hybridization of rat brain sections demonstrated a unique distribution of PC5 compared to PC1, PC2, and furin.

Using a probe consisting of the full-length cDNA sequence of the mouse pro-hormone convertase PC1 (mPC1), we isolated from a lambda gt10 human pituitary cDNA library a number of contiguous clones, of which composite sequence of 3.3-kb defined the complete coding sequence of human PC1 (hPC1). The cDNA sequence of hPC1 encodes a protein containing 753 amino acids and potentially two N-glycosylation sites, one carboxy-terminal amidation site, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase Ser phosphorylation site, a tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site, and an ArgGlyAsp (RGD) sequence. Like mPC1, the carboxy-terminal sequence of hPC1 exhibits an amphipathic domain potentially involved in membrane association. The coding region of hPC1 exhibits an overall 92.6% protein sequence identity to the mouse mPC1 sequence, with the highest homology (98%) found in the catalytic segment of the molecule (residues 84-399). Whereas Northern blot analysis of tissues obtained from mouse, rat and porcine demonstrated the presence of two mRNAs of 3 kb and 5 kb, Northern blots of human tissues and cells demonstrated the presence of a dominant transcript of 6.2 kb and the presence of smaller transcripts in some tissues. The major site of production of hPC1 seems to be the pituitary and brain, although detection was also possible in pancreas and heart.

The rat cDNA sequence of PC4 (rPC4), representing a new member of the Kex2/subtilisin-like proprotein convertases, demonstrated the presence of at least three rPC4 mRNAs resulting in the production of rPC4-A (654 amino acids), rPC4-B (619 amino acids), and rPC4-C (609 amino acids) with different C-terminal sequences. Analogous to rat PC4, three cDNAs were also found for the mouse PC4. The observed molecular diversity of PC4 mRNA possibly results from the differential splicing and/or exon skipping of the parent gene. PC4 mRNA, with a major form at 2.8 kilobases, was highly abundant in the rat testis but could not be detected by Northern analysis in any other tissues including the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Testicular cell separation studies combined with Northern analysis indicate the high expression levels of PC4 in germ cells but not in Leydig, Sertoli, or peritubular cells. In situ hybridization histochemistry confirms the site of PC4 gene expression as the pachytene spermatocytes and the round spermatids but not in the elongating spermatids. We also demonstrate the colocalization of PC4 with proenkephalin in testicular germ cells by in situ hybridization. A study of the ontogeny of PC4 indicated that PC4 mRNA was first expressed postnatally between days 19 and 22, coinciding with the first stages of spermiogenesis. The stage-specific expression of PC4 in testis indicates its potential role in the developmental maturation of germ cells and that this convertase may play a specific physiological function in reproduction.

There is differential regulation of liver mRNA levels of rat (r) and mouse (m) plasma kallikrein (PK), as observed on Northern blots. Affinity purification of mPK and rPK, microsequencing, and radioimmunoassay in either rat or mouse showed that the difference in mRNA levels does not appreciably affect the circulating PK concentration. Nuclear run-off assays demonstrated that the regulation of the mRNA level of PK is post-transcriptionally controlled. Complete cDNA sequence determination of mPK was achieved using a combination of polymerase chain reaction and lambda-gt11 library screening procedures. Within the coding region, the overall sequence homology between mPK and rPK is about 91-92% in amino acid and nucleotide sequence. Although the 3' noncoding segment of mPK is shorter than that of rPK, we calculate a 53% homology with a 5% higher A/T content for mPK. The largest difference is found at the 5' end of the mRNAs: whereas rPK is predicted from its gene structure to have a 167-nucleotide leader sequence, mPK is expected to have more than 605 nucleotides, of which the last 291 are very similar to those found in the rPK gene. The regulation of the mRNA stability and/or turnover rate of PK may possibly be affected by its 5' end in a species-dependent manner.

From a liver cDNA library we have isolated and characterized the cDNA encoding rat plasma kallikrein. The cDNA structure contains 2,456 nucleotides with a 2,082-nucleotide-long open reading frame. Protein sequence data suggest that the signal peptide is 19 amino acids long. This results in a mature plasma prekallikrein containing 619 amino acids. Determination of tissue distributions using Northern blot analysis (3.0-kb transcript) and the polymerase chain-reaction methodology on RNA preparations demonstrated that in the rat the liver is the main source of this enzyme. Southern blots suggested the presence of a single gene coding for rat plasma kallikrein. Finally, although Southern blots revealed a homologous gene in mouse, the mRNA corresponding to the mouse hepatic proteinase is barely detectable on Northern blots, suggesting inefficient transcription or high turnover of the mRNA in this species.

IRCM-serine protease 1 (SP1), originally isolated from porcine pituitaries and exhibiting preference for cleavage at pairs of basic residues has now been isolated in sufficient quantities to be structurally characterized from both porcine and human pituitaries and plasmas. Whereas the porcine protease shows a high degree of amino acid sequence homology to human plasma pre-kallikrein, the human homologue exhibits an identity of sequence in the first 25 residues of each chain (regulatory and catalytic chains). In addition, human plasma and pituitary IRCM-SP1 and human plasma pre-kallikrein show virtually identical immunological and molecular properties. These data strongly suggest that IRCM-SP1 and plasma pre-kallikrein originate from the same gene product. Purified extracts from perfused rat pituitaries show that 32% of the IRCM-SP1 activity found in normal rat pituitaries, still remain. These data together with the demonstrated association of IRCM-SP1 with particulate fractions of the pituitary suggest that IRCM-SP1 represents a tissue form of plasma pre-kallikrein. The characterization of the digestion products obtained upon reaction of IRCM-SP1 with pro-insulin, ACTH1–39, pro-dynorphin and pro-enkephalin-derived peptides, somatostatin-28, and a pro-renin-like peptide confirmed the high degree of cleavage selectivity of this enzyme for pairs of basic residues.

A human pituitary-derived serine protease, immunologically identical to human lung tryptase (Smith, T. J., Hougland, M.W., and Johnson, D.A. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 11046-11051), was found immunohistochemically to be associated with mast cells present in pituitary connective tissue. Western blotting combined with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated the presence of multiple forms: a major Mr 36,300 form and three minor forms with Mr 32,400, 33,400, and 34,600. Two major forms with Mr 35,600 and 34,100 were detected by affinity labeling with 125I-D-Tyr-Glu-Phe-Lys-Arg-CH2Cl. Treatment of the pituitary tryptase preparation with N-glycosidase F indicated that some of the molecular weight heterogeneity results from N-linked glycosylation. The multiple molecular weight forms appear to have the same NH2-terminal sequence: Ile-Val-Gly-Gly-Gln-Glu-Ala-Pro. Pituitary tryptase has an apparent Mr = 110,000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 in the presence of 0.3 M NaCl, indicating that the enzyme may be a tetramer of Mr = 32,400-36,300 subunits. However, this quaternary structure was not stable to gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Human pituitary tryptase was so reactive toward synthetic tripeptide coumarin-containing substrates containing a pair of basic amino acids at the site of cleavage such as benzyloxylcarbonyl-L-Ala-L-Lys-L-Arg-4-methylcoumarin-7-amide (k cat/Km = 2.38 X 10(8) M-1 s-1) that Briggs-Haldane kinetics may apply. The reversible inhibitor NaCl at a concentration of 1 M decreased the k cat/Km for benzyloxylcarbonyl-L-Ala-L-Lys-L-Arg-4-methylcoumarin-7-amide to 6.53 X 10(6) M-1 s-1, which reflected a 100-fold increase in apparent Km. Based on active site titration with fluorescein mono-p-guanidinobenzoate hydrochloride, NaCl had no effect on the number of accessible active sites. Substrate specificity studies with prohormones indicated that pituitary tryptase has a preference for cleaving COOH-terminal to arginine or lysine residues which are preceded by a proline residue 4 or 6 residues NH2-terminal to the site of cleavage.

Bovine parathyroid chromogranin A inhibits the cleavage of Z-Ala-Lys-Arg-AMC by either trypsin or IRCM-serine protease 1 (IRCM-SP1), a putative novel processing enzyme originally isolated from porcine pituitary anterior and neurointermediate lobes. On larger substrates, chromogranin A is a reversible competitive inhibitor of the cleavage at pairs of basic amino acids by IRCM-SP1. The substrates tested included pituitary ACTH and adrenal medulla pro-enkephalin-derived peptides such as the 8.6 kDa synenkephalincontaining precursor and peptide B. Chromogranin A is itself selectively processed by IRCM-SP1, and ACTH was shown to compete for such cleavage. These data suggest that chromogranins as a class of acidic proteins could participate in the tissue-specific processing of pro-hormones.

Homogenates of rat neurointermediate lobes were purified by centrifugation on a Percoll gradient. Lysates of the Percoll gradient fractions were incubated with a synthetic octapeptide and pentapeptide substrate (N-acetyl Lys-Arg-Tyr-Asn-Leu-Thr-Ser-Val-amide and N-acetyl Lys-Arg-Tyr-Asn-Leu-amide), and enzymatic characteristics were compiled. Early assays on nonamidated forms revealed carboxypeptidase activity, whereas with the amide derivatives no carboxypeptidase activity could be detected. These amide substrates were therefore used in all subsequent incubations. High levels of a Leu/Thr and Lys/Arg cleavage were present in fractions almost throughout the Percoll gradient. Cleavages at Tyr/Asn, Thr/Ser, and Arg/Tyr were localized at different regions of the Percoll gradient. Surprisingly, none of the five enzymatic activities appear to be localized in the secretory granule fractions as defined by the presence of immunoreactive beta-endorphin in the gradient. All of the five proteolytic activities have a basic pH optimum (pH 8-9), and four of them seem to be thiol proteases, as categorized by inhibitor studies. The fifth one, namely the Try/Asn cleavage, is more likely to be due to a metalloendopeptidase, since it is activated by Zn2+ and Co2+.