Abstract
Four nitric oxide (NO)-carrying proteins have been isolated from salivary glands of the blood-sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus. These have been given the collective name "nitrophorins," and individual proteins are designated NP1-NP4 in order of their relative abundance in the glands. All four reversibly bind NO; spectral shifts associated with NO binding indicate the interaction of NO with an Fe(III) heme. Physical properties, amino acid composition, and amino-terminal sequences of the nitrophorins are reported. The most abundant nitrophorin was cloned, and its sequence was determined.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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Chromatography, Ion Exchange
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Cloning, Molecular
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DNA, Complementary
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Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
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Hemeproteins / genetics*
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Hemeproteins / isolation & purification
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Hemeproteins / metabolism
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
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Protein Binding
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Rhodnius / genetics
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Rhodnius / metabolism*
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Salivary Glands / metabolism*
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Salivary Proteins and Peptides / genetics*
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Salivary Proteins and Peptides / isolation & purification
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Salivary Proteins and Peptides / metabolism
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Substances
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DNA, Complementary
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Hemeproteins
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Salivary Proteins and Peptides
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nitrophorin
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Nitric Oxide