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Identification of proline-specific carboxypeptidase localized to brush border membrane of rat small intestine and its possible role in protein digestion

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Abstract

A proline-specific carboxypeptidase (carboxypeptidase P, EC 3.4.12.-) was identified and partially characterized in the brush border membrane fraction of rat intestinal enterocytes and shown to be distinct from pancreatic proteases. The carboxypeptidase activity of isolated brush border membranes, with Z-Gly-Pro-Leu as substrate, was 43 nmol/min/mg protein representing a 16-fold purification when compared with mucosal cell homogenates. Activity was maximal in the middle region of the small intestine, and villus cells had twice the activity of crypt cells. Carboxypeptidase activity was maximal at pH 7.0, was stimulated by divalent cations, and was inhibited by metal chelating agents, suggesting that it is a metalloenzyme. The enzyme had the highest activity with synthetic peptides containing proline penultimate to the carboxy terminus. In vivopatterns of hydrolysis and absorption of amino acids from Z-Pro-Trp were examined using an intestinal perfusion technique. These studies indicate that brush border membrane carboxypeptidase may play an important role in the digestion of prolinecontaining peptides and proteins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gastrointestinal Research Laboratory (151M2), Veterans Administration Medical Center, Clement Street, 4150, San Francisco, California, 94121

    Roger H. Erickson PhD IN, S. Song MD, Masahiro Yoshioka MD, Rocco Gulli PhD, Soichiro Miura MD & Young S. Kim MD

  2. School of Medicine, University of California, 94143, San Francisco, California

    Roger H. Erickson PhD IN, S. Song MD, Masahiro Yoshioka MD, Rocco Gulli PhD, Soichiro Miura MD & Young S. Kim MD

Authors
  1. Roger H. Erickson PhD IN
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  2. S. Song MD
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  3. Masahiro Yoshioka MD
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  4. Rocco Gulli PhD
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  5. Soichiro Miura MD
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  6. Young S. Kim MD
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Additional information

This work was supported by grant AM17938 from the National Institutes of Health and by the Veterans Administration Medical Research Service.

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Erickson, R.H., Song, S., Yoshioka, M. et al. Identification of proline-specific carboxypeptidase localized to brush border membrane of rat small intestine and its possible role in protein digestion. Digest Dis Sci 34, 400–406 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536262

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01536262

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