The photoreactive insulin derivatives N epsilon B29-(azidobenzoyl)insulin (MAB-insulin) and N alpha A1, N epsilon B29-di(azidobenzoyl)insulin (DAB-insulin) were synthesized by reacting bovine insulin with the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of 4-azidobenzoic acid. These derivatives were purified by ion exchange chromatography on SP-Sephadex, and their identities were established by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, amino acid analysis, and end-group determination. Their biological activities were measured by receptor binding assay and fat cell assay. The photoreactivity of these two derivatives was demonstrated by spectral changes and by the formation of covalent polymers of high molecular weight when exposed to light. Radioactive MAB-insulin and DAB-insulin were prepared by iodination with [125I]iodine. These radioactive derivatives were characterized for their photoreactivity, immunoreactivity, and receptor binding to liver plasma membrane. Liver plasma membrane preparations of rat, mouse, and guinea pig were incubated with these radioactive insulin derivatives and irradiated with light. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of these plasma membrane preparations after solubilization and reduction showed that two proteins were specifically labeled. The molecular weights of the two radioactive bands were estimated to be about 130 000 and 90 000 in all three species of animals.

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Isolated rat adipocytes were incubated in the dark with either one or two radioiodinated photoreactive insulin derivatives, N epsilon B29-(azidobenzoyl) insulin (B29-MABI) and N alpha B1-(azidobenzoyl) insulin (B1-MABI), and were then exposed to light. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and radioautography of the crude plasma membrane fraction after reduction showed that B29-MABI labeled specifically three proteins of Mr 130 000, 90 000, and 40 000 whereas B1-MABI labeled specifically two proteins of Mr 130 000 and 40 000. B1-MABI also variably labeled some bands of intermediate Mr between 130 000 and 90 000. In contrast, the labeling of the 40-kilodalton protein was not observed in our previous studies in which photolabeling was carried our on isolated plasma membrane preparations [Yip, C. C., Yeung, C. W. T. & Moule, M. L. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 70-76; Yeung, C. W. T., Moule, M. L., & Yip, C. C. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 2196-2203]. Without reduction, an Mr 300 000 band and a larger band which barely entered a 5-15% gradient gel were specifically labeled by both photoreactive insulins. Reduction of these two high molecular weight bands gave rise to the 130-, 90-, and 40-kilodalton bands. The labeling of these proteins was affected neither by the time or temperature of incubation nor by the addition of methylamine, chloroquine, bacitracin, phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, p-(chloromercuri) benzenesulfonic acid, Trasylol, N-ethylmaleimide, or benzamidine. The labeling of these proteins by the photoreactive insulin derivatives was inhibited by first incubating the adipocytes with a human autoimmune serum to insulin receptor. We therefore conclude that these proteins are subunits of the insulin receptor in intact adipocytes.

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