Biochemical Journal 1989-10-15

Confirmation of D-aspartic acid in the novel dipeptide beta-aspartylglycine isolated from tissue extract of Aplysia kurodai.

M Sato, T Yamaguchi, N Kanno, Y Sato

Index: Biochem. J. 263(2) , 617-20, (1989)

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Abstract

A novel o-phthalaldehyde-reactive compound was found in the h.p.l.c. chromatogram of Aplysia kurodai extract. This compound was isolated by ion-exchange chromatography and preparative high-voltage paper electrophoresis. It was shown by optical-rotatory-dispersion spectrum and optical-resolution h.p.l.c. analysis that this compound consisted of equimolar amounts of D-aspartic acid and glycine. This compound resisted cleavage in the Edman reaction. This peptide was inferred to be beta-D-aspartylglycine, and this was confirmed by synthesis. beta-D-Aspartylglycine was detected in all tissues of Aplysia kurodai, with especially high concentrations in body wall (skin and muscle) and gill.