C-Terminal Sequence Analysis with Carboxypeptidase Y

Abstract

To date there is no chemical method that provides the ability to determine extensive lengths of amino acid sequence sequentially at the C-terminus of a protein or a peptide, although the thiocyanate method described in Chapter 92 is showing great promise following recent developments (extensive sequence data from the N-terminus can of course be achieved using the Edman degradation). However, limited C-terminal sequence data can be obtained fairly quickly and easily using a class of enzymes called carboxypeptidases. Such limited information can be useful, for example, in determining positions of proteolytic cleavage in proteins, or for confirming sequence data toward the end of a peptide or protein sequence.