Presence of di- and polyamines covalently bound to protein in rat liver

Acid hydrolysis of trichloroacetic acid precipitate from rat tissue (liver, kidney and testis) homogenate released significant amounts of acid-insoluble putrescine, spermidine and spermine. Following incubation of liver homogenate with [1,4-14C]putrescine, 1.4% of total radioactivity and 1.0% of labelled diamine were recovered in the acid-insoluble fraction. Exhaustive digestion of acid-precipitable material with proteinases (Pronase, aminopeptidase M, carboxypeptidase A, B and Y) revealed the presence of di- and polyamines and of N1-(gamma-glutamyl)spermidine, N1-(gamma-glutamyl)spermine and N1,N12-bis(gamma-glutamyl)spermine. These derivatives were identified both by chromatographic analysis and by enzymatic digestion with purified gamma-glutamylamine cyclotransferase. The finding of di- and polyamine gamma-glutamyl derivatives in the proteinase-digested acid-insoluble fraction of homogenate may be considered as a proof of the in vivo transglutaminase-catalyzed binding of polyamines to proteins. This evidence suggests that di- and polyamines might have an important role in mammalian tissues through covalent binding to proteins by either one or both the primary amino groups.