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| 13. |
- Winter, G, et al.
(författare)
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SURFIN is a polymorphic antigen expressed on Plasmodium falciparum merozoites and infected erythrocytes
- 2005
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Ingår i: The Journal of experimental medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 0022-1007 .- 1540-9538. ; 201:11, s. 1853-1863
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The surfaces of the infected erythrocyte (IE) and the merozoite, two developmental stages of malaria parasites, expose antigenic determinants to the host immune system. We report on surface-associated interspersed genes (surf genes), which encode a novel polymorphic protein family, SURFINs, present on both IEs and merozoites. A SURFIN expressed in 3D7 parasites, SURFIN4.2, was identified by mass spectrometric analysis of peptides cleaved off the surface of live IEs with trypsin. SURFINs are encoded by a family of 10 surf genes, including three predicted pseudogenes, located within or close to the subtelomeres of five of the chromosomes. SURFINs show structural and sequence similarities with exported surface-exposed proteins (PvSTP1, PkSICAvar, PvVIR, Pf332, and PfEMP1) of several Plasmodium species. SURFIN4.2 of a parasite other than 3D7 (FCR3S1.2) showed polymorphisms in the extracellular domain, suggesting sequence variability between genotypes. SURFIN4.2 not only was found cotransported with PfEMP1 and RIFIN to the IE surface, but also accumulated in the parasitophorous vacuole. In released merozoites, SURFIN4.2 was present in an amorphous cap at the parasite apex, where it may be involved in the invasion of erythrocytes. By exposing shared polymorphic antigens on IEs and merozoites, the parasite may coordinate the antigenic composition of these attachment surfaces during growth in the bloodstream.
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- Back, M, et al.
(författare)
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Leukotriene B4 is an indirectly acting vasoconstrictor in guinea pig aorta via an inducible type of BLT receptor
- 2004
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Ingår i: American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 0363-6135 .- 1522-1539. ; 287:1, s. H419-H424
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotriene B4(LTB4) is a potent leukocyte chemoattractant recently implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of LTB4on isolated aortic preparations. Rings of guinea pig aorta were challenged with LTB4for recording mechanical responses and measurements of mediator release, and LTB4receptor (BLT1) expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Single concentrations of LTB4induced concentration-dependent contractions that were inhibited by treatment with antihistamines, indomethacin, or the thromboxane receptor antagonist BAYu3405 as well as by denudation of endothelium. In addition, LTB4increased the release of histamine and thromboxane in the bath. The contractions induced by LTB4were inhibited by either the unselective BLT receptor antagonist ONO-4057 or the selective BLT1receptor antagonist U-75302. Pretreatment with all -trans-retinoic acid enhanced the contractions and the release of histamine induced by LTB4, without affecting either the contractions induced by histamine or the histamine release evoked by calcium ionophore A23187. Analysis by RT-PCR indicated the expression of a BLT1receptor in the guinea pig aorta and that BLT1receptor mRNA was upregulated after treatment with retinoic acid. These results suggest that LTB4contracts the guinea pig aorta via an indirect mechanism involving the release of histamine and thromboxane and that this BLT1receptor-mediated response can be upregulated by all -trans-retinoic acid.
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| 24. |
- Checa, A, et al.
(författare)
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Circulating levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate are elevated in severe, but not mild psoriasis and are unresponsive to anti-TNF-α treatment
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 5, s. 12017-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sphingolipids are bioactive molecules with a putative role in inflammation. Alterations in sphingolipids, in particular ceramides, have been consistently observed in psoriatic skin. Herein, we quantified the circulating sphingolipid profile in individuals with mild or severe psoriasis as well as healthy controls. In addition, the effects of anti-TNF-α treatment were determined. Levels of sphingoid bases, including sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), increased in severe (P < 0.001; n = 32), but not in mild (n = 32), psoriasis relative to healthy controls (n = 32). These alterations were not reversed in severe patients (n = 16) after anti-TNF-α treatment despite significant improvement in psoriasis lesions. Circulating levels of sphingomyelins and ceramides shifted in a fatty acid chain length-dependent manner. These alterations were also observed in psoriasis skin lesions and were associated with changes in mRNA levels of ceramide synthases. The lack of S1P response to treatment may have pathobiological implications due to its close relation to the vascular and immune systems. In particular, increased levels of sphingolipids and especially S1P in severe psoriasis patients requiring biological treatment may potentially be associated with cardiovascular comorbidities. The fact that shifts in S1P levels were not ameliorated by anti-TNF-α treatment, despite improvements in the skin lesions, further supports targeting S1P receptors as therapy for severe psoriasis.
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| 25. |
- Checa, A, et al.
(författare)
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Hexosylceramides as intrathecal markers of worsening disability in multiple sclerosis
- 2015
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Ingår i: Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England). - : SAGE Publications. - 1477-0970 .- 1352-4585. ; 21:10, s. 1271-1279
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sphingolipids are important components of neurons and the myelin sheath whose levels are altered in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives: We aimed to determine if cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sphingolipids can be used as markers of MS disease progression. Methods: Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we analysed sphingolipids in CSF from 134 individuals. The MS group included 65 patients divided into 41 relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) and 24 progressive MS (ProgMS). In addition, a group of 13 early MS/clinically isolated syndrome (EarlyMS) and two control groups consisting of 38 individuals with other neurological diseases (OND) and 18 OND with signs of inflammation (iOND) were analysed. A follow-up study included 17 additional RRMS patients sampled at two time points 4.7±1.7 years apart. Results: Levels of sphingomyelin (SM)- and hexosylceramide (HexCer)-derived sphingolipids increased in the CSF of patients with MS independently of the fatty acid chain length in RRMS ( p<0.05). Levels of palmitic acid (16:0)-containing HexCer (HexCer16:0) increased significantly in ProgMS compared with the OND ( p<0.001), iOND ( p<0.05) and EarlyMS ( p<0.01) groups and correlated with Expanded Disability Status Scale in RRMS in both studies ( p=0.048; p=0.027). Conclusion: HexCer16:0 is a promising candidate marker of disease progression in MS, especially in RRMS.
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| 29. |
- Haeggstrom, JZ, et al.
(författare)
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Resolving resolvins
- 2013
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Ingår i: Chemistry & biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1301 .- 1074-5521. ; 20:2, s. 138-140
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 30. |
- Haeggstrom, S, et al.
(författare)
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The clinically relevant CYP2C8*3 and CYP2C9*2 haplotype is inherited from Neandertals
- 2022
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Ingår i: The pharmacogenomics journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1473-1150 .- 1470-269X. ; 22:4, s. 247-249
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genetic variation in genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes influences the metabolism of drugs and endogenous compounds. The locus containing the cytochrome genes CYP2C8 and CYP2C9 on chromosome 10 exhibits linkage disequilibrium between the CYP2C8*3 and CYP2C9*2 alleles, forming a haplotype of ~300 kilobases. This haplotype is associated with altered metabolism of several drugs, most notably reduced metabolism of warfarin and phenytoin, leading to toxicity at otherwise therapeutic doses. Here we show that this haplotype is inherited from Neandertals.
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| 33. |
- Janhunen, P., et al.
(författare)
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Invited Article: Electric solar wind sail : Toward test missions
- 2010
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Ingår i: Review of Scientific Instruments. - : AIP Publishing. - 0034-6748 .- 1089-7623. ; 81:11, s. 111301-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The electric solar wind sail (E-sail) is a space propulsion concept that uses the natural solar wind dynamic pressure for producing spacecraft thrust. In its baseline form, the E-sail consists of a number of long, thin, conducting, and centrifugally stretched tethers, which are kept in a high positive potential by an onboard electron gun. The concept gains its efficiency from the fact that the effective sail area, i.e., the potential structure of the tethers, can be millions of times larger than the physical area of the thin tethers wires, which offsets the fact that the dynamic pressure of the solar wind is very weak. Indeed, according to the most recent published estimates, an E-sail of 1 N thrust and 100 kg mass could be built in the rather near future, providing a revolutionary level of propulsive performance (specific acceleration) for travel in the solar system. Here we give a review of the ongoing technical development work of the E-sail, covering tether construction, overall mechanical design alternatives, guidance and navigation strategies, and dynamical and orbital simulations.
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| 35. |
- Kirkland, Thomas A., et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis of glutamic acid analogs as potent inhibitors of leukotriene A(4) hydrolase
- 2008
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Ingår i: Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0968-0896 .- 1464-3391. ; 16:9, s. 4963-4983
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotriene B-4 (LTB4) is a potent pro-inflammatory mediator that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, including psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and asthma. As a method to decrease the level of LTB4 and possibly identify novel treatments, inhibitors of the LTB4 biosynthetic enzyme, leukotriene A(4) hydrolase (LTA(4)-h), have been explored. Here we describe the discovery of a potent inhibitor of LTA(4)-h, arylamide of glutamic acid 4f, starting from the corresponding glycinamide 2. Analogs of 4f are then described, focusing on compounds that are both active and stable in whole blood. This effort culminated in the identification of amino alcohol 12a and amino ester 6b which meet these criteria.
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| 39. |
- Lundstrom, Susanna L., et al.
(författare)
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Allergic Asthmatics Show Divergent Lipid Mediator Profiles from Healthy Controls Both at Baseline and following Birch Pollen Provocation
- 2012
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 7:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Asthma is a respiratory tract disorder characterized by airway hyper-reactivity and chronic inflammation. Allergic asthma is associated with the production of allergen-specific IgE and expansion of allergen-specific T-cell populations. Progression of allergic inflammation is driven by T-helper type 2 (Th2) mediators and is associated with alterations in the levels of lipid mediators. Objectives: Responses of the respiratory system to birch allergen provocation in allergic asthmatics were investigated. Eicosanoids and other oxylipins were quantified in the bronchoalveolar lumen to provide a measure of shifts in lipid mediators associated with allergen challenge in allergic asthmatics. Methods: Eighty-seven lipid mediators representing the cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolic pathways were screened via LC-MS/MS following off-line extraction of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Multivariate statistics using OPLS were employed to interrogate acquired oxylipin data in combination with immunological markers. Results: Thirty-two oxylipins were quantified, with baseline asthmatics possessing a different oxylipin profile relative to healthy individuals that became more distinct following allergen provocation. The most prominent differences included 15-LOX-derived omega-3 and omega-6 oxylipins. Shared-and-Unique-Structures (SUS)-plot modeling showed a correlation (R-2 = 0.7) between OPLS models for baseline asthmatics ((RY)-Y-2[cum] = 0.87, Q(2)[cum] = 0.51) and allergen-provoked asthmatics ((RY)-Y-2[cum] = 0.95, Q(2)[cum] = 0.73), with the majority of quantified lipid mediators and cytokines contributing equally to both groups. Unique structures for allergen provocation included leukotrienes (LTB4 and 6-trans-LTB4), CYP-derivatives of linoleic acid (epoxides/diols), and IL-10. Conclusions: Differences in asthmatic relative to healthy profiles suggest a role for 15-LOX products of both omega-6 and omega-3 origin in allergic inflammation. Prominent differences at baseline levels indicate that non-symptomatic asthmatics are subject to an underlying inflammatory condition not observed with other traditional mediators. Results suggest that oxylipin profiling may provide a sensitive means of characterizing low-level inflammation and that even individuals with mild disease display distinct phenotypic profiles, which may have clinical ramifications for disease.
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| 42. |
- MUELLER, MJ, et al.
(författare)
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Leukotriene A4 hydrolase: mapping of a henicosapeptide involved in mechanism-based inactivation
- 1995
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 92:18, s. 8383-8387
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase [7E,9E,11Z,14Z)-(5S,6S)-5,6-epoxyicosa-7,9 ,11,14-tetraenoate hydrolase; EC 3.3.2.6] is a bifunctional zinc metalloenzyme which converts LTA4 into the chemotactic agent leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Suicide inactivation, a typical feature of LTA4 hydrolase/aminopeptidase, occurs via an irreversible, apparently mechanism-based, covalent binding of LTA4 to the protein in a 1:1 stoichiometry. Differential lysine-specific peptide mapping of unmodified and suicide-inactivated LTA4 hydrolase has been used to identify a henicosapeptide, encompassing the amino acid residues 365-385 of human LTA4 hydrolase, which is involved in the binding of LTA4, LTA4 methyl ester, and LTA4 ethyl ester to the native enzyme. A modified form of this peptide, generated by lysine-specific digestion of LTA4 hydrolase inactivated by LTA4 ethyl ester, could be isolated for complete Edman degradation. The sequence analysis revealed a gap at position 14, which shows that binding of the leukotriene epoxide had occurred via Tyr-378 in LTA4 hydrolase. Inactivation of the epoxide hydrolase and the aminopeptidase activity was accompanied by a proportionate modification of the peptide. Furthermore, both enzyme inactivation and peptide modification could be prevented by preincubation of LTA4 hydrolase with the competitive inhibitor bestatin, which demonstrates that the henicosapeptide contains functional elements of the active site(s). It may now be possible to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying suicide inactivation and epoxide hydrolysis by site-directed mutagenesis combined with structural analysis of the lipid molecule, covalently bound to the peptide.
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| 43. |
- Mueller, MJ, et al.
(författare)
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Leukotriene A4 hydrolase: protection from mechanism-based inactivation by mutation of tyrosine-378
- 1996
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 93:12, s. 5931-5935
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase [(7E,9E,11Z,14Z)-(5S,6S)-5,6-epoxyicosa-7, 9,11,14-tetraenoate hydrolase; EC 3.3.2.6] is a bifunctional zinc metalloenzyme that catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of the potent chemotactic agent leukotriene B4 (LTB4). LTA4 hydrolase/aminopeptidase is suicide inactivated during catalysis via an apparently mechanism-based irreversible binding of LTA4 to the protein in a 1:1 stoichiometry. Previously, we have identified a henicosapeptide, encompassing residues Leu-365 to Lys-385 in human LTA4 hydrolase, which contains a site involved in the covalent binding of LTA4 to the native enzyme. To investigate the role of Tyr-378, a potential candidate for this binding site, we exchanged Tyr for Phe or Gln in two separate mutants. In addition, each of two adjacent and potentially reactive residues, Ser-379 and Ser-380, were exchanged for Ala. The mutated enzymes were expressed as (His)6-tagged fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, purified to apparent homogeneity, and characterized. Enzyme activity determinations and differential peptide mapping, before and after repeated exposure to LTA4, revealed that wild-type enzyme and the mutants [S379A] and [S380A]LTA4hydrolase were equally susceptible to suicide inactivation whereas the mutants in position 378 were no longer inactivated or covalently modified by LTA4. Furthermore, in [Y378F]LTA4 hydrolase, the value of kcat for epoxide hydrolysis was increased 2.5-fold over that of the wild-type enzyme. Thus, by a single-point mutation in LTA4 hydrolase, catalysis and covalent modification/inactivation have been dissociated, yielding an enzyme with increased turnover and resistance to mechanism-based inactivation.
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| 46. |
- Qiu, H, et al.
(författare)
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Human CMV infection induces 5-lipoxygenase expression and leukotriene B4 production in vascular smooth muscle cells
- 2008
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Ingår i: The Journal of experimental medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 1540-9538 .- 0022-1007. ; 205:1, s. 19-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotrienes (LTs) are powerful proinflammatory lipid mediators that may play a central role in cardiovascular diseases, including arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Owing to restricted expression of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), the enzyme required for their synthesis, LTs are almost exclusively produced by myeloid cells. Here, we report that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection of human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) increases 5-LO mRNA levels by up to 170-fold in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Infected cells expressed 5-LO protein, as shown by immunohistochemistry, enabling them to synthesize bioactive LTB4. HCMV-infected vascular SMCs expressing 5-LO protein were readily detected in tissue samples from CMV-infected patients with inflammatory bowel disease or AIDS. Thus, pathogen-induced LT production in HCMV-infected tissues may contribute to local inflammation, consistent with the ability of HCMV to control cellular and immunological functions. HCMV-induced LT biosynthesis in SMCs offers a molecular mechanism to explain HCMV-induced pathogenesis in inflammatory diseases.
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| 47. |
- Rudberg, P C, et al.
(författare)
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Leukotriene A(4) hydrolase - Identification of a common carboxylate recognition site for the epoxide hydrolase and aminopeptidase substrates
- 2004
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 1083-351X .- 0021-9258. ; 279:26, s. 27376-27382
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leukotriene ( LT) A(4) hydrolase is a bifunctional zinc metalloenzyme, which converts LTA(4) into the neutrophil chemoattractant LTB4 and also exhibits an anion-dependent aminopeptidase activity. In the x-ray crystal structure of LTA(4) hydrolase, Arg(563) and Lys(565) are found at the entrance of the active center. Here we report that replacement of Arg(563), but not Lys(565), leads to complete abrogation of the epoxide hydrolase activity. However, mutations of Arg(563) do not seem to affect substrate binding strength, because values of K-i for LTA(4) are almost identical for wild type and ( R563K) LTA(4) hydrolase. These results are supported by the 2.3-Angstrom crystal structure of (R563A) LTA(4) hydrolase, which does not reveal structural changes that can explain the complete loss of enzyme function. For the aminopeptidase reaction, mutations of Arg(563) reduce the catalytic activity (V-max = 0.3 - 20%), whereas mutations of Lys(565) have limited effect on catalysis (V-max = 58 - 108%). However, in (K565A)- and (K565M) LTA(4) hydrolase, i.e. mutants lacking a positive charge, values of the Michaelis constant for alanine-p-nitroanilide increase significantly (K-m = 480 - 640%). Together, our data indicate that Arg(563) plays an unexpected, critical role in the epoxide hydrolase reaction, presumably in the positioning of the carboxylate tail to ensure perfect substrate alignment along the catalytic elements of the active site. In the aminopeptidase reaction, Arg(563) and Lys(565) seem to cooperate to provide sufficient binding strength and productive alignment of the substrate. In conclusion, Arg(563) and Lys(565) possess distinct roles as carboxylate recognition sites for two chemically different substrates, each of which is turned over in separate enzymatic reactions catalyzed by LTA(4) hydrolase.
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