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Showing papers on "Cyclase published in 1987"


Journal ArticleDOI
07 May 1987-Nature
TL;DR: The first direct demonstration of a covalent modification of the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase is provided, providing a potential biochemical mechanism for a regulatory link between the two major transmembrane signalling systems.
Abstract: Receptor-mediated activation of both adenylate cyclase and phosphatidylinositide hydrolysis systems occurs through guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins and ultimately leads to specific activation of either cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A or Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C. Given the remarkable diversity of agents that influence cellular metabolism through these pathways and the similarities of their components, interactions between the two signalling systems could occur. In fact, stimulation of cells with 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a phorbol ester that activates protein kinase C, influences hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase. In some cells TPA induces desensitization of receptor-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase, whereas in others, such as frog erythrocytes, phorbol ester treatment results in increased agonist-stimulated as well as basal, guanine nucleotide- and fluoride ion-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities. We show here that TPA produces phosphorylation of the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase in frog erythrocytes. Moreover, purified protein kinase C can directly phosphorylate in vitro the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase purified from bovine brain. These results suggest that phosphorylation of the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase by protein kinase C may be involved in the phorbol ester-induced enhancement of adenylate cyclase activity. In addition to providing the first direct demonstration of a covalent modification of the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase, these results provide a potential biochemical mechanism for a regulatory link between the two major transmembrane signalling systems.

508 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Dec 1987-Nature
TL;DR: A profoundly altered Gs protein is found in a group of human growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas, characterized by high secretory activity and intracellular cyclic AMP levels.
Abstract: Gs and Gi are guanine nucleotide-binding, heterotrimer proteins that regulate the activity of adenylate cyclase, and are responsible for transferring stimulatory and inhibitory hormonal signals, respectively, from cell surface receptors to the enzyme catalytic unit. These proteins can be directly activated by agents such as GTP and analogues, fluoride and magnesium. Decreased amounts of Gs and Gi, and even the absence of Gs, have been described, whereas an altered Gs has been reported in a cultured cell line (UNC variant of S49 lymphoma cells), but has never been observed in human disease states. We have found a profoundly altered Gs protein in a group of human growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas, characterized by high secretory activity and intracellular cyclic AMP levels. In the membranes from these tumours no stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by growth hormone-releasing hormone, by GTP or by fluoride was observed. Indeed, the last two agents caused an inhibition, probably mediated by Gi. In contrast, adenylate cyclase stimulation by Mg2+ was enormously increased. This altered pattern of adenylate cyclase regulation was reproduced when a cholate extract of the tumour membranes (which contains G proteins) was reconstituted with Gs-free, cyc- S49 cell membranes. Inasmuch as secretion from somatotrophic cells is known to be a cAMP-dependent function, the alteration of Gs could be the direct cause of the high secretory activity of the tumours in which it occurs.

490 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
13 Mar 1987-Cell
TL;DR: It is proposed that CDC25 regulates adenylate cyclase by regulating the guanine nucleotide bound to RAS proteins, suggesting that normal RAS is dependent on CDC25 function.

437 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A role is suggested for the regions of the beta-adrenergic receptor encompassing amino acids 222-229 and 258-270, which are predicted to form amphiphilic helices, in the agonist-promoted activation of Gs.

262 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
06 Mar 1987-Science
TL;DR: The evidence presented here indicates that CDC25, identified by conditional cell cycle arrest mutations, encodes such an upstream function of RAS in the adenylate cyclase pathway.
Abstract: The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two functional homologues of the ras oncogene family, RAS1 and RAS2. These genes are required for growth, and all evidence indicates that this essential function is the activation of adenylate cyclase. In contrast, ras in mammalian cells does not appear to influence adenylate cyclase activity. To clarify the relation between ras function in yeast and in higher eukaryotes, and the role played by yeast RAS in growth control, it is necessary to identify functions acting upstream of RAS in the adenylate cyclase pathway. The evidence presented here indicates that CDC25, identified by conditional cell cycle arrest mutations, encodes such an upstream function.

219 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The observations indicate that cAMP is a sufficient initial signal for all of the known mating reaction events in C. reinhardtii, and suggest that the flagellar cyclase and/or phosphodiesterase may be important loci of control for the agglutination-stimulated production of this signal.
Abstract: When Chlamydomonas reinhardtii gametes of opposite mating type are mixed together, they adhere by a flagella-mediated agglutination that triggers three rapid mating responses: flagellar tip activation, cell wall loss, and mating structure activation accompanied by actin polymerization. Here we show that a transient 10-fold elevation of intracellular cAMP levels is also triggered by sexual agglutination. We further show that gametes of a single mating type can be induced to undergo all three mating responses when presented with exogenous dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP). These events are also induced by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which elevate endogenous cAMP levels and act synergistically with db-cAMP. Non-agglutinating mutants of opposite mating type will fuse efficiently in the presence of db-cAMP. No activation of mating events is induced by calcium plus ionophores, 8-bromo-cGMP, dibutyryl-cGMP, nigericin at alkaline pH, phorbol esters, or forskolin. H-8, an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase, inhibits mating events in agglutinating cells and antagonizes the effects of cAMP on non-agglutinating cells. Adenylate cyclase activity was detected in both the gamete cell body and flagella, with the highest specific activity displayed in flagellar membrane fractions. The flagellar membrane adenylate cyclase is preferentially stimulated by Mn++, unresponsive to NaF, GTP, GTP gamma S, AlF4-, and forskolin, and is inhibited by trifluoperazine. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity is also present in flagella. Our observations indicate that cAMP is a sufficient initial signal for all of the known mating reaction events in C. reinhardtii, and suggest that the flagellar cyclase and/or phosphodiesterase may be important loci of control for the agglutination-stimulated production of this signal.

206 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
21 May 1987-Nature
TL;DR: It is shown here that experimentally-induced type I diabetes leads to the loss of expression of G{ in rat liver, as it has been suggested that Gi may couple receptors to K+-channels as well as mediating the inhibition of adenylate cyclase, which may lead to pleiotropic effects.
Abstract: Many cell-surface receptors for hormones appear to exert their effects on target cells by interacting with specific guanine nucleotide binding regulatory proteins (G-proteins) which couple receptors to their second-messenger signal generation systems. A common intracellular second messenger, which is used by many hormones, is cyclic AMP. This is produced by adenylate cyclase, whose activity is controlled by two G-proteins, Gs which mediates stimulatory effects and Gi inhibitory effects on adenylate cyclase activity1. In liver, the hormone glucagon increases intracellular cAMP concentrations by activating adenylate cyclase by a Gs-mediated process. This effect of glucagon is antagonised by the hormone insulin, although the molecular mechanism by which insulin elicits its actions is obscure. However, insulin receptors exhibit a tyrosyl kinase activity2 and appear to interact with G-proteins2,3, perhaps by causing phosphorylation of them4. In type I diabetes, circulating insulin levels are abnormally low, giving rise to gross perturbations of metabolism as well as to a variety of complications such as ionic disturbances, neuropathies of the nervous system, respiratory and cardiovascular aberrations and predispostion to infection5. We show here that experimentally-induced type I diabetes leads to the loss of expression of G{ in rat liver. As it has been suggested that Gi may couple receptors to K+-channels6,7 as well as mediating the inhibition of adenylate cyclase, aberrations in the control of expression of this key regulatory protein in type I diabetes may be expected to lead to pleiotropic effects.

206 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that there are two types of P2-purinergic receptors: one is linked to adenylate cyclase via an inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Gi) and the other is link to phospholipase C.

204 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is proposed that PA interacts with its own specific membrane receptors, thereby triggering multiple effector systems in 3T3 cells, and mediated by an islet-activating protein substrate GTP-binding protein.

201 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings indicate that besides inhibition of phosphodiesterase, VP has a dual interaction with the pituitary adenylate cyclase system; a direct inhibitory effect, manifested only in broken cells, that is mediated by a receptor-coupled guanyl nucleotide-binding protein, and a physiologically predominant indirect stimulatory effect in the intact cell.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: P pertussis toxin treatment enhanced guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) and isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities and attenuated the ANF-mediated inhibition of basal, isoprotserenol-, and forskolin-stimulation of adenyatecyclase activities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the adenylate cyclase catalytic protein partially purified from rat brain membranes was activated by the stimulatory GTP-binding protein (Gs), forskolin, and Ca2+-calmodulin.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An allosteric ATP binding site is suggested to participate in ANF‐induced regulation of membrane‐bound guanylate cyclase in Percoll‐purified liver plasma membranes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Lithium ions in vitro at 2-4 mM inhibited cyclase stimulated by isoproterenol and forskolin, but had no effect on the inhibition induced by met-enkephalin of the enzyme stimulated by forSkolin, mediated by the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding subunit (Ni).

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The contribution of β1- and β2-adrenoceptors to the positive inotropic effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline cannot be inferred straightforwardly from biochemical estimates of receptor fractions and fractional adenylate cyclase stimulation.
Abstract: Experiments were designed to unravel the relative contribution of β1- and β2-adrenoceptors to the positive inotropic effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline in isolated tissues of left ventricular myocardium of man. We also analyzed relationships between the fractions of human left ventricular β1- and β2-adrenoceptors, estimated from binding assays, and stimulation of adenylate cyclase and contractile force by adrenaline and noradrenaline. 1) Selective blockade of β2-adrenoceptors by erythro(±)-(α-methyl-indan-4-yloxy)-3-isopropylaminobutan-2-ol (ICI 118,551) attenuated the increase of contractile force caused by adrenaline but not by noradrenaline, suggesting some involvement of β2-adrenoceptors. Selective blockade of β2-adrenoceptors without affecting α1-adrenoceptors still enabled both adrenaline and noradrenaline to cause maximum possible increases of contractile force through β1-adrenoceptors. 2) A direct involvement of β2-adrenoceptors became manifest by selectively antagonizing β1-adrenoceptors by 1-[2((3-carbamoyl-4-hydroxy)phenoxy)ethylamino]3-[4(1-methyl-4-trifluoromethyl-2-imidazolyl)phenoxy]-2-propanol (CGP 20712 A) without affecting β2-adrenoceptor. β2-adrenoceptors can mediate half of the maximum increase of contractile force elicited by low concentrations of adrenaline and also contribute to the increase of contractile force caused by high concentrations of noradrenaline. 3) β-adrenoceptors were labelled in membrane particles with 3H-(−)-bupranolol in the absence (β1 & β2) and presence of 500 nmol/l CGP 20712 A (β2). 71 % of the β-adrenoceptors Were β1 and 29% β2. Binding inhibition experiments with CGP 20712 A and ICI 118,551 yielded 74% β1 and 26% β2-4) With the help of ICI 118,551 and CGP 20712 A it was found that, in membrane particles, 33–36% and 64–67% of maximum stimulation of the adenylate cyclase by noradrenaline was mediated through β1- and β2-adrenoceptors, respectively. Adrenaline caused 11–25% and 75–89% of maximum cyclase stimulation through β1- and β2-adrenoceptors, respectively. 5) The contribution of β1- and β2-adrenoceptors to the positive inotropic effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline cannot be inferred straightforwardly from biochemical estimates of receptor fractions and fractional adenylate cyclase stimulation.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results suggest that neuropeptide Y may mediate some of its physiological effects through specific receptors linked to the inhibitory pathway of adenylate cyclase.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Heterologous desensitization, manifested by a diminished capacity to inhibit adenylatecyclase and an enhanced responsiveness to stimulatory effectors, can be induced in the A1 adenosine receptor-adenylate cyclase system of adipocytes.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that these piperazine based drugs act in both brain homogenate preparations and in intact neurons in a similar manner, and the biochemical models described here may aid in the development of even more active drugs in this class.
Abstract: Two putative anxiolytic drugs [ipsapirone (TVXQ 7821) and buspirone], structurally unrelated to benzodiazepines, have negligible ataxic and sedative side effects. These drugs are piperazine analogs which interact at 5-HT1 binding sites. It is demonstrated here that these drugs and two other piperazine derivatives, trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine (TFMPP) and m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP), are agonists at 5-HT1A receptors, a subclass of the 5-HT1 receptor, mediating inhibition of forskolin (100 μM) stimulated adenylate cyclase in particulate fractions of guinea pig hippocampus as well as inhibition of the formation of cyclic AMP promoted by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (0.1 μM) plus forskolin (1 μM) in mouse hippocampal neurons in primary culture. This study demonstrates that these piperazine based drugs act in both brain homogenate preparations and in intact neurons in a similar manner. The biochemical models described here may aid in the development of even more active drugs in this class.

Journal Article
TL;DR: Data provide strong support for the hypothesis that B. pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin can increase cAMP levels in monocytes without compromising target cell viability or impairing ingestion of particles and that the resultant accumulated cAMP is responsible for the inhibition of oxidative responses to a variety of stimuli.
Abstract: Bordetella pertussis and the other Bordetella species produce a novel adenylate cyclase toxin which enters target cells to catalyze the production of supraphysiologic levels of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). In these studies, dialyzed extracts from B. pertussis containing the adenylate cyclase toxin, a partially purified preparation of adenylate cyclase toxin, and extracts from transposon Tn5 mutants of B. pertussis lacking the adenylate cyclase toxin, were used to assess the effects of adenylate cyclase toxin on human peripheral blood monocyte activities. Luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence of monocytes stimulated with opsonized zymosan was inhibited greater than 96% by exposure to adenylate cyclase toxin-containing extract, but not by extracts from adenylate cyclase toxin-deficient mutants. The chemiluminescence responses to particulate (opsonized zymosan, Leishmania donovani, and Staphylococcus aureus) and soluble (phorbol myristate acetate) stimuli were inhibited equivalently. The superoxide anion generation elicited by opsonized zymosan was inhibited 92% whereas that produced by phorbol myristate acetate was inhibited only 32% by B. pertussis extract. Inhibition of oxidative activity was associated with a greater than 500-fold increase in monocyte cAMP levels, but treated monocytes remained viable as assessed by their ability to exclude trypan blue and continued to ingest particulate stimuli. The major role of the adenylate cyclase toxin in the inhibition of monocyte oxidative responses was demonstrated by: 1) little or no inhibition by extracts from B. pertussis mutants lacking adenylate cyclase toxin; 2) high level inhibition with extract from B. parapertussis, a related species lacking pertussis toxin; and 3) a reciprocal relationship between monocyte cAMP levels and inhibition of opsonized zymosan-induced chemiluminescence using both crude extract and partially purified adenylate cyclase toxin. Pertussis toxin, which has been shown to inhibit phagocyte responses to some stimuli by a cAMP-independent mechanism, had only a small (less than 20%) inhibitory effect when added at concentrations up to 100-fold in excess of those present in B. pertussis extract. These data provide strong support for the hypothesis that B. pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin can increase cAMP levels in monocytes without compromising target cell viability or impairing ingestion of particles and that the resultant accumulated cAMP is responsible for the inhibition of oxidative responses to a variety of stimuli.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggested that each of the enzyme-modulating activities was due to a single complex carbohydrate substance which contained inositol, phosphate, glucosamine, and other monosaccharides.
Abstract: Some of the acute actions of insulin may be mediated by the intracellular generation of a chemical substance that modulates certain enzymes. Such a substance has been identified which is released from liver plasma membranes after exposure to insulin. This substance was purified on sequential ion exchange, reverse phase, and gel permeations columns. The purified substance modulated the activities of cAMP phosphodiesterase, adenylate cyclase, and pyruvate dehydrogenase. The activities that modulated each of these enzymes exhibited singular chromatographic behavior and sensitivity to a variety of chemical reagents. Each activity was also produced by treatment of membranes with a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. These results suggested that each of the enzyme-modulating activities was due to a single complex carbohydrate substance which contained inositol, phosphate, glucosamine, and other monosaccharides. The actions of this substance on these three enzymes mimicked those of insulin, suggesting...

Journal Article
TL;DR: The characteristics of RH suggest that it is a functional correlate of the 5-HT1A-binding site in brain, and the relatively low affinities of the selective 5- HT antagonists ketanserin and MDL 72222 for RH and RL indicate that neither receptor may be classified as the5-HT2 or as the 4-HT3 (i.e., peripheral neuronal) type.
Abstract: Two 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors mediate stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in membranes of adult guinea pig hippocampus. The two receptors were characterized with agonists and antagonists and with the aid of computerized curve-fitting procedures. Each receptor mediates about 50% of the maximal response to 5-HT. 5-HT is about 10-fold more potent in eliciting response through one cyclase-linked receptor (RH) than the other (RL). The concentrations of 5-HT that elicit half-maximal response through RH and RL are 43 +/- 6 nM and 414 +/- 53 nM, respectively. 5-Methoxytryptamine (5-MeOT) and 5-HT are approximately equipotent at each receptor. The agonists tryptamine and bufotenine are less potent than 5-HT at both receptors, and each is about 50-fold selective for RH. The two receptors are best discriminated by the agonists 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CONH2-T) and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), both of which are selective for RH. 5-CONH2-T is about 7-fold more potent than 5-HT at RH. The rank order of agonist potencies at RH (5-CONH2-T greater than 8-OH-DPAT = 5-HT = 5-MeOT greater than bufotenine greater than tryptamine) differs from that at RL (5-HT = 5-MeOT greater than bufotenine greater than tryptamine = 5-CONH2-T greater than 8-OH-DPAT). Spiperone acts as a simple competitive antagonist at RH, with a dissociation constant of 20 nM, but it is at least 100-fold less potent as an antagonist at RL. The relatively low affinities of the selective 5-HT antagonists ketanserin and MDL 72222 for RH and RL indicate that neither receptor may be classified as the 5-HT2 or as the 5-HT3 (i.e., peripheral neuronal) type. The characteristics of RH suggest that it is a functional correlate of the 5-HT1A-binding site in brain. RL appears not to correspond to a known 5-HT-binding site, but it may be homologous to receptors that mediate 5-HT-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in other systems such as infant rat colliculi. RH and RL may also mediate stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by 5-HT in hippocampal membranes of adult rat.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The recently cloned human beta-adrenergic cDNA and several mutated forms expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes are validated and the utility of the Xenopus oocyte system for studying functional and regulatory properties of receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase is documented, and the possibility that elements in the 5' untranslated region of the beta 2- adrenergic receptor RNA may regulate its translation in vivo is suggested.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that one biochemical effect of vagal stimulation in the central airways of dogs may be attenuated adenylate cyclase activity in the smooth muscle.
Abstract: The goal of our study was to test for an inhibitory effect of acetylcholine on adenylate cyclase activity in canine trachealis muscle. Therefore, cells were dispersed from the muscle enzymatically and lysed, and adenylate cyclase activity was assayed in a membrane suspension isolated from the lysates. Maximal beta-adrenergic stimulation, in the presence of GTP (10(-4) M), increased the activity of adenylate cyclase twofold above the activity induced by GTP alone. In the presence of GTP, acetylcholine (10(-4) M) decreased activity from 97 +/- 21 to 55 +/- 13 pmol cyclic AMP X min-1 X mg protein-1 (means +/- SE; n = 5; P less than 0.05); in the presence of GTP plus isoproterenol (10(-4) M), the acetylcholine-induced decreases were from 163 +/- 29 to 101 +/- 15 pmol cyclic AMP X min-1 X mg protein-1 (P less than 0.05). These decreases were dose dependent and they were altered by a series of cholinergic agents in a pattern consistent with a muscarinic effect. Our results suggest that one biochemical effect of vagal stimulation in the central airways of dogs may be attenuated adenylate cyclase activity in the smooth muscle.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The presence of two subtypes of ANF receptor in bovine adrenal cortex is demonstrated and two different modes of intracellular action of ANf are indicated.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work has shown that activation of adenylate cyclase produces a single intracellular messenger, cyclic AMP, but stimulation of the phosphoinositide system generates at least two, inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, which are especially abundant in brain.
Abstract: Second-messenger systems play a major role in mediating neurotransmitter actions. In recent years our understanding of the organization and function of two prominent second-messenger systems has progressed rapidly--the adenylate cyclase and phosphoinositide systems. Guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins, which are especially abundant in brain, couple transmitter receptors to the key second-messenger generating enzymes in both of these systems. Whereas activation of adenylate cyclase produces a single intracellular messenger, cyclic AMP, stimulation of the phosphoinositide system generates at least two, inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. Inositol trisphosphate mobilizes calcium from intracellular stores, and diacylglycerol, like cyclic adenosine monophosphate, activates a phosphorylating enzyme, protein kinase C. These second-messenger systems are particularly enriched in the brain where they modulate many aspects of synaptic transmission.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Data are consistent with the presence of a receptor coupled to a PT sensitive G protein initiating motility independently of the adenylate cyclase system.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Affinity-purified adenylate cyclase of Bordetella pertussis, free of contaminating pertussi toxin, was demonstrated to have biological effects on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), and these PMN metabolic functions were impaired.
Abstract: Affinity-purified adenylate cyclase (AC) of Bordetella pertussis, free of contaminating pertussis toxin, was demonstrated to have biological effects on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). AC at doses of 25 and 50 micrograms/ml increased intracellular cAMP levels in the phagocytes 7.6- to 23.5-fold, respectively, above basal levels. AC inhibited PMN chemiluminescence, chemotaxis, and superoxide production in a dose-dependent manner. The 50% inhibitory dose for chemotaxis and chemiluminescence was 36.5 micrograms/ml; for superoxide generation it was 71.0 micrograms/ml. Although these PMN metabolic functions were impaired, no effect on phagocytic activity was observed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Three isoforms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) have been recently isolated from aortic tissue and two of them specifically hydrolyzed adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosine 3':5'- cyclic monophile (cGMP) and cGMP, respectively were investigated by the use of PDE inhibitors.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Measurements on a series of glucagon/secretin hybrids indicated that replacement of Asp9 in glucagon by Glu9, found in secretin, was the important sequence difference in the N terminus of the two hormones.
Abstract: Several glucagon analogs were synthesized in an effort to find derivatives that would bind with high affinity to the glucagon receptor of rat liver membranes but would not activate membrane-bound adenylate cyclase and, therefore, would serve as antagonists of the hormone. Measurements on a series of glucagon/secretin hybrids indicated that replacement of Asp9 in glucagon by Glu9, found in secretin, was the important sequence difference in the N terminus of the two hormones. Further deletion of His1 and introduction of a C-terminal amide resulted in des-His1-[Glu9]glucagon amide, which had a 40% binding affinity relative to that of native glucagon but caused no detectable adenylate cyclase activation in the rat liver membrane. This antagonist completely inhibited the effect of a concentration of glucagon that alone gave a full agonist response. It had an inhibition index of 12. The pA2 was 7.2. An attempt was made to relate conformation with receptor binding. The peptides were synthesized by solid-phase methods and purified to homogeneity by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on C18-silica columns.