EFFECTS OF DIPEPTIDES CONTAINING THE AMINO ACID, PROLINE ON THE CHEMOTAXIS OFTETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS. EVOLUTIONARY CONCLUSIONS ON THE FORMATION OF HORMONE RECEPTORS AND HORMONES

✍ Scribed by LÁSZLÓ KÖHIDAI; PÁL SOÓS; GYÖRGY CSABA

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 121 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1065-6995
• DOI: 10.1006/cbir.1997.0161

✦ Synopsis

Our investigations demonstrate that proline‐containing dipeptides can provoke a chemosensory response from the unicellular Tetrahymena pyriformis The chemotactic effects of the dipeptides have a close relationship with the side chain and the lipophilicity of the amino‐terminal amino acid. Comparison of ‘mirror’ variants of proline‐containing dipeptides points to the fact that dipeptides with small side chain and non‐polar character amino acids (Gly‐Pro, Ala‐Pro) are preferred on the amino‐terminal end. In the case of amino acids with very variable side chains, small (Pro‐Gly) and the large side chain and non‐polar character amino acids (Pro‐Leu, Pro‐Phe) on the carboxyl‐terminal end can induce significant chemotactic responses. With valine on any terminus the proline‐containing dipeptide induced a weak repellent effect.