Deber C M, Hsu L C
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1986 Jan 29;134(2):731-5. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(86)80481-8.
Synthetic peptides of structure cyclo(Glu(OBz)-Sar-Gly-(N-R)Gly)2 (I), electrogenic Ca2+-selective carriers in phospholipid vesicle membranes, are shown to mediate the uptake of Ca2+ ions into the cytoplasm of dog and human lymphocytes. Ca2+ transport by DECYL-2E (I, R = n-decyl) - monitored by measurements of the fluorescence of an intracellular dye, quin-2 - occurred at a rate comparable to that produced by electroneutral Ca2+ ionophores ionomycin and Br-A23187. Fluorescence quenching experiments using Mn2+ suggested a greater selectivity by DECYL-2E for Ca2+/Mn2+ vs. the other two ionophores. The result that Ca2+ ions can traverse biological membranes bound in a neutral cavity consisting exclusively of peptide carbonyl ligands may imply the functional significance of binding sites of similar structures in membrane transport proteins.
