We have used the chemically synthesized sequence of pre-pro-parathyroid hormone and several of its analogues to test the notion that the capacity of amphipathic peptides to aggregate in membranes and form ion-permeable channels correlates with their ability to function as signal sequences for secreted proteins. We found that pre-pro-parathyroid hormone (the signal sequence and pro-region of parathyroid hormone (M)), as well as some of its analogues, forms aggregates of monomers which are ion-permeable. The ion-permeable aggregates (2–3 monomers) formed by (M) are voltage-dependent and are more permeable for cations than for anions. The compounds which formed ion channels in bilayers also acted as potential signal sequences. We conclude that the ability of peptides to form ion-permeable pathways in bilayers may be correlated to their ability to function as signal peptides.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Rapid Communication|
April 01 1988
The synthetic precursor specific region of pre-pro-parathyroid hormone forms ion channels in lipid bilayers
Magdalena T. Tosteson;
Magdalena T. Tosteson
1Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Michael P. Caulfield;
Michael P. Caulfield
2Merck, Sharp & Dohme, West Point, PA, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Jay J. Levy;
Jay J. Levy
2Merck, Sharp & Dohme, West Point, PA, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Michael Rosenblatt;
Michael Rosenblatt
2Merck, Sharp & Dohme, West Point, PA, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Daniel C. Tosteson
Daniel C. Tosteson
1Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 23 1988
Online ISSN: 1573-4935
Print ISSN: 0144-8463
© 1988 Plenum Publishing Corporation
1988
Biosci Rep (1988) 8 (2): 173–183.
Article history
Received:
February 23 1988
Citation
Magdalena T. Tosteson, Michael P. Caulfield, Jay J. Levy, Michael Rosenblatt, Daniel C. Tosteson; The synthetic precursor specific region of pre-pro-parathyroid hormone forms ion channels in lipid bilayers. Biosci Rep 1 April 1988; 8 (2): 173–183. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01116462
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |