In-vitro biosynthesis of multiple preproglucagons results from acetylation of the primary translation products

Abstract

ABSTRACT In-vitro translation of anglerfish islet mRNA revealed three glucagon precursors (preproglucagons): one with Mr 16 000 and two with Mr 14 000. The two Mr 14 000 precursors were well separated upon isoelectric focusing gels (pI values of 7·2 and 7·3), but had identical peptide maps. Translation of hybrid-selected Mr 14 000 preproglucagon mRNA in the presence of microsomal vesicles revealed that both precursors were processed to the same proglucagon. Northern blot analysis detected two mRNA species encoding Mr 14 000 precursor. A full-length Mr 14 000 preproglucagon cDNA was subcloned into a transcription vector, and coupled in-vitro transcription—translation was performed; surprisingly, both Mr 14 000 precursors were synthesized. To test whether acetylation of the free amino terminus generated the more acidic precursor, acetylase activity was partially inactivated with the inhibitor S-acetonyl-CoA, and acetyl-CoA was depleted by addition of oxaloacetate and citrate synthetase. Under these conditions, the level of the most basic preproglucagon was greatly enhanced, but when exogenous acetyl-CoA was added, the acidic form predominated. We conclude that acetylation generates the acidic precursor, and we discuss the implications of our findings for the biogenesis of other peptide hormones.