THE AMINO ACID SEQUENCE OF BOVINE CARBOXYPEPTIDASE A

The amino acid sequence of the four fragments produced by treatment of bovine carboxypeptidase A with cyanogen bromide has been completed. The alignment of these fragments, previously established by peptic digest of the whole protein, allows for the description of the complete primary structure of the molecule. A comparison of the proposed functional residues, identified by X-ray diffraction analyses, has either confirmed their assignments or provided their correct identity. The functional and structural residues of principal importance include Arg 145, Tyr 248, and Glu 270 as the binding site of the substrate carboxyl group, the proton donor, and the nucleophilic moiety, respectively, which were correctly assigned; His 196 as the third zinc ligand and Tyr 265 as the binding site of the alpha-carboxyl group have been corrected from their original X-ray assignments. The other two zinc ligands, His 69 and Glu 72, were identified previously from chemical and X-ray studies. The assignment of the two half-cystinyl residues and the postulation of the existence of a disulfide bond have been confirmed.