Bm-iAANAT3: Expression and characterization of a novel arylalkylamine N-acyltransferase from Bombyx mori.

The arylalkylamine N-acyltransferases (AANATs) are enzymes that catalyze the acyl-CoA-dependent formation of N-acylarylalkylamides: acyl-CoA + arylalkylamine → N-acylarylalkylamides + CoA-SH. Herein, we describe our study of a previously uncharacterized AANAT from Bombyx mori: Bm-iAANAT3. Bm-iAANAT3 catalyzes the direct formation of N-acylarylalkylamides and accepts a broad range of short-chain acyl-CoA thioesters and amines as substrates.

Substituted hippurates and hippurate analogs as substrates and inhibitors of peptidylglycine alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM).

Peptidyl alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM) functions in vivo towards the biosynthesis of alpha-amidated peptide hormones in mammals and insects. PHM is a potential target for the development of inhibitors as drugs for the treatment of human disease and as insecticides for the management of insect pests. We show here that relatively simple ground state analogs of the PHM substrate hippuric acid (C(6)H(5)-CO-NH-CH(2)-COOH) inhibit the enzyme with K(i) values as low as 0.

Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-derived peptides as substrates for peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase.

Ubiquitin (Ub) and the ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) mediate an array of cellular functions. These proteins contain a C-terminal glycine residue that is key to their function. Oxidative conversion of C-terminal glycine-extended prohormones to the corresponding alpha-amidated peptide is one step in the biosynthesis of bioactive peptide hormones.

UV-visible spectrophotometric approach to blood typing II: phenotyping of subtype A2 and weak D and whole blood analysis.

Background: A recently introduced quantitative blood typing approach uses antibody-induced changes in the UV-visible spectra of blood. Changes in the blood spectra's slope, caused by RBC agglutination, are translated into a numerical agglutination index (AI). Comparing the AI value against an established threshold yields a "yes and/or no" output from which to determine the phenotype.