Conversion of proparathyroid hormone to parathyroid hormone by a particulate enzyme of the parathyroid gland.

The conversion of proparathyroid hormone (proparathormone) to parathyroid hormone (parathormone) by subcellular fractions of the bovine parathyroid has been investigated. The identification of the conversion product as parathormone was established by its elution postion during ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration, and by partial amino acid sequence analysis of its NH2-terminal region. Total homogenates and derived subcellular fractions (600 X g pellet, 5,000 X g pellet, 20,000 X g pellet, 190,000 X g pellet, and 190,000 X g supernatant) all catalyzed the conversion of exogenous [3H]- or [14C]prohormone. Over 60% of the converting activity was in the particulate fractions; the 190,000 X g particulate fraction contained the highest specific converting activity. The converting activity appeared to be an integral component of the membranes since it could only be partially removed by extraction with Triton X-100. The production of parathormone by the particulate converting enzyme increased with time and the concentration of enzyme protein. The optimum pH range was between 7 and 9, and the enzyme was inactive below pH 6. Conversion by the particulate enzyme was inhibited by benzamidine or chloroquine, but not by pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, indicating its dissimilarity to trypsin. When a mixture of [14C]proparathormone and [3H]parathormone was used as substrate, the particulate enzyme did not metabolize the hormone despite over 70% conversion of the prohormone to hormone and other peptides. There was a close correlation between the subcellular distribution of converting activity and that of newly formed parathormone found in the membrane fraction. These data suggest that the particulate converting activity is that concerned with the formation of parathormone in vivo.