Preparation of Tyr-C-peptide from genetically altered human insulin precursor.

C-peptide radioimmunoassay (C-peptide RIA) is widely used in determination of pancreatic B-cell secretion activity. 125I labeled Tyr-C-peptide is indispensable in C-peptide RIA kit. Herein we discuss a way of obtaining recombinant Tyr-C-peptide. Arg32Tyr human pro-insulin mutant (R32Y-proinsulin) gene was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Purified R32Y-proinsulin was converted to insulin and Tyr-C-peptide by trypsin and carboxypeptidase B codigestion. Tyr-C-peptide was isolated through reverse-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) and identified by C-peptide RIA and amino acid analysis.