Peptide Phosphorylation

Peptide Phosphorylation

Phosphorylation is the addition of a phosphate (PO4) group to a protein molecule or a small molecule. It can also be thought of as the introduction of a phosphate group into a synthetic peptide. Its prominent role in biochemistry is the subject of a very large body of research. Bio-Synthesis offer custom phosphorylated peptide synthesis and antibody production with various scales and host animals.

Types of Phosphorylation

Within a protein, phosphorylation can occur on several amino acids. Phosphorylation on serine is the most common, followed by threonine. Tyrosine phosphorylation is relatively rare. However, since tyrosine phosphorylated proteins are relatively easy to purify using antibodies, tyrosine phosphorylation sites are relatively well understood. Histidine and aspartate phosphorylation occurs in prokaryotes as part of two-component signaling and in some cases in eukaryotes in some signal transduction pathways.

Detection and Characterization

Antibodies can be used as powerful tools to detect whether a protein is phosphorylated at a particular site. Antibodies bind to and detect phosphorylation-induced conformational changes in the protein. Such antibodies are called phospho-specific antibodies; hundreds of such antibodies are now available. They are becoming critical reagents both for basic research and for clinical diagnosis.

Atrial natriuretic Peptide

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), or atriopeptin, is a protein (polypeptide) hormone secreted by heart muscle cells. It is involved in the homeostatic control of body water, sodium, potassium and fat (adiposity). It is released by muscle cells in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart (atrial myocytes), in response to high blood pressure. ANP acts to reduce the water, sodium and adipose loads on the circulatory system, thereby reducing blood pressure.