THE AMINO-ACID-SEQUENCE OF THE ASPARTATE-AMINOTRANSFERASE FROM BAKERS-YEAST (SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE)

1. The single (cytosolic) aspartate aminotransferase was purified in high yield from baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). 2. Amino-acid-sequence analysis was carried out by digestion of the protein with trypsin and with CNBr; some of the peptides produced were further subdigested with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase or with pepsin. Peptides were sequenced by the dansyl-Edman method and/or by automated gas-phase methods. The amino acid sequence obtained was complete except for a probable gap of two residues as indicated by comparison with the structures of counterpart proteins in other species. 3. The N-terminus of the enzyme is blocked. Fast-atom-bombardment m.s. was used to identify the blocking group as an acetyl one. 4. Alignment of the sequence of the enzyme with those of vertebrate cytosolic and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferases and with the enzyme from Escherichia coli showed that about 25% of residues are conserved between these distantly related forms. 5. Experimental details and confirmatory data for the results presented here are given in a Supplementary Publication (SUP 50164, 25 pages) that has been deposited at the British Library Document Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7 BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1991) 273, 5.