DNA base sequence comparisons demonstrate that the principal family of 300-nucleotide interspersed human DNA'sequences, the repetitive double-strand regions of HeLa cell heterogeneous nuclear RNA, and specific RNA polymerase III in vitro transcripts of cloned human DNA sequences are all representatives of a closely related family of sequences. A segment of approximately 30 residues of these sequences is highly conserved in mammalian evolution because it is also present in the interspersed repeated DNA sequences of Chinese hamsters. Further DNA sequence comparisons demonstrate that a portion of this highly conserved segment of repetitive mammalian DNA sequence is similar to a sequence found within a low molecular weight RNA that hydrogen-bonds' to poly(A) terminated RNA molecules of Chinese hamsters and a sequence that forms half of a perfect inverted repeat near the origin of DNA replication in papovaviruses.

A consensus sequence has been determined for a major interspersed deoxyribonucleic acid repeat in the genome of Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO cells). This sequence is extensively homologous to (i) the human Alu sequence (P. L. Deininger et al., J. Mol. Biol., in press), (ii) the mouse B1 interspersed repetitious sequence (Krayev et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 8:1201-1215, 1980) (iii) an interspersed repetitious sequence from African green monkey deoxyribonucleic acid (Dhruva et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:4514-4518, 1980) and (iv) the CHO and mouse 4.5S ribonucleic acid (this report; F. Harada and N. Kato, Nucleic Acids Res. 8:1273-1285, 1980). Because the CHO consensus sequence shows significant homology to the human Alu sequence it is termed the CHO Alu-equivalent sequence. A conserved structure surrounding CHO Alu-equivalent family members can be recognized. It is similar to that surrounding the human Alu and the mouse B1 sequences, and is represented as follows: direct repeat-CHO-Alu-A-rich sequence-direct repeat. A composite interspersed repetitious sequence has been identified. Its structure is represented as follows: direct repeat-residue 47 to 107 of CHO-Alu-non-Alu repetitious sequence-A-rich sequence-direct repeat. Because the Alu flanking sequences resemble those that flank known transposable elements, we think it likely that the Alu sequence dispersed throughout the mammalian genome by transposition.

We have reported that a serine protease from Pronase, homologous with bovine chymotrypsin, is both active and stable in 6 M guanidinium chloride. The present investigation examined the possibility that this unique property might be used to permit the enzyme to engage in its own purification by cleaving companion proteins to low-molecular-weight products. Analysis with model substrates of the several specific activities that were originally present revealed that only the activity against Na-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester was demonstrable after incubation for 100 hr in the denaturant. After a moderate loss within the first 24 hr, the remaining activity against this ester was conserved for many days thereafter. Pronase was routinely incubated for 1 week at 220 in 6 M guanidinium chloride at pH 8.0 where the esterases showed maximal activity. Analysis of the products of incubation revealed unexpectedly the presence of two serine proteases that were easily separated. After purification to homogeneity these components proved themselves to be the previously demonstrated subtilisin-like and stable chymotrypsin-like enzymes. The only amino-terminal residue of the chymotrypsin-like enzyme is isoleucine, as it is in the earlier, conventionally purified product. The migration of the single band of this enzyme during acrylamide gel electrophoresis was the same whether purified by the past or present technique. No free amino-terminal group was demonstrable in the subtilisin-like enzyme. This study presents a unique and rapid technique for isolation of these proteases, with the first reported purification to homogeneity of the subtilisin-like component. These enzymes may be useful as probes for local relaxations of conformation in substrate proteins. Furthermore, they may contribute to the preparation of enzyme-free nonprotein macromolecules.We recently described the complete purification of three serine endopeptidases found in Pronase that are homologous with chymotrypsin (1). Also described was the partial purification of a serine protease homologous with subtilisin. A second communication demonstrated that one of the chymotrypsin-like enzymes was uniquely both stable and active in 6 MI guanidinium chloride (Gnd HCl) (2). This enzyme hydrolyzed Na-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester (AcTyrOEt) in this denaturant and also hydrolyzed casein at a faster rate in the presence than in the absence of 6 M Gnd-HC1. Ovalbumin was hydrolyzed extensively only in the denaturant. These results suggested that selective unfolding of substrate proteins enhanced the rate and extent of proteolysis by the very stable endopeptidase. Circular dichroism studies revealed no differences in the spectrum of the enzyme in the presence or absence of 6 M Gnd-HCI or 8 M urea (2). The very natural consideration arose, therefore, that the marked stability and catalytic properties of this enzyme might be used for its facilitated purification. For, if Pronase were incubated in denaturant, the possible selective hydrolysis of the other protein components c...

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