Prenylated proteins from kidney.

When [5-3H]mevalonate is injected into mice, it is incorporated into macromolecules in the kidney. The incorporated material is stable to treatment with RNase or DNase but not protease, indicating that the radioactivity is associated with protein. Electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels indicates a molecular weight of about 25,000. The incorporated radioactivity can be released from the polypeptide and extracted into organic solvents after hydrolysis with acid or base or by treatment with protease. The conditions required for hydrolysis strongly suggest that the linkage between the protein and the mevalonate-derived material is an allylic ether. The chromatographic mobility of the incorporated material in several systems is similar to that of dolichol C95.