Prenylated proteins: synthesis of geranylgeranylcysteine and identification of this thioether amino acid as a component of proteins in CHO cells.

Prenylated proteins, labeled in the isoprenoid residue by growing CHO cells in medium containing [5-3H]mevalonate, were degraded by three different proteolytic procedures, enzymatic or alkaline hydrolysis as well as hydrazinolysis. The products thus obtained were analyzed by HPLC with chemically prepared all-trans-geranylgeranylcysteine as a standard. About 10% of the radioactive products released by each lytic procedure showed the same chromatographic properties as geranylgeranylcysteine. This verifies the earlier conclusion, based on less-direct evidence, that this thioether derivative of cysteine is a component of naturally occurring proteins. The finding of this modified amino acid as a product of hydrazinolysis indicates that it is a carboxyl-terminal amino acid and that it is not carboxyl-methylated.