bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and properties of the very-low-density-lipoprotein receptor and a comparison with the low-density-lipoprotein receptor
Authors: PATEL Dilip D. , FORDER Robert A. , SOUTAR Anne K. , KNIGHT Brian L.
Published: August 2015

The properties of the very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) receptor have been studied in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with human VLDL-receptor cDNA and compared with those of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expressed under the same conditions. Immunoblotting showed that the cells produced a mature VLDL receptor protein, of apparent Mr 123000 on non-reduced and 158000 on reduced gels, that was less extensively glycosylated than the LDL receptor. The VLDL receptor was more slowly processed than the LDL receptor, with only approx. 70% of the precursor being converted into the mature protein. Nevertheless, the majority of the receptor in the cells was in the mature form, and most of this was present on the cell surface. The human VLDL receptor bound rabbit very-low-density lipoprotein with β electrophoretic mobility (βVLDL), but not human LDL, and uptake through the receptor led to stimulation of oleate incorporation into cholesteryl esters. At 37 °C, the characteristics of VLDL-receptor-mediated uptake and degradation of βVLDL were essentially the same as those mediated by the LDL receptor. However, the VLDL receptor apparently did not show the increase in affinity and decrease in binding of βVLDL on cooling to 4 °C that was exhibited by the LDL receptor. Thus the overexpressed VLDL receptor in CHO cells appears to behave as a lipoprotein receptor with similar, but not identical, properties to the LDL receptor.
Inhibition of the expression of ornithine decarboxylase and c-Myc by cell-permeant ceramide in difluoromethylornithine-resistant leukaemia cells
Authors: FLAMIGNI Flavio , FAENZA Irene , MARMIROLI Sandra , STANIC' Ivana , GIACCARI Antonella , MUSCARI Claudio , STEFANELLI Claudio , ROSSONI Carmen
Published: August 2015

Ceramide has emerged as a novel lipid mediator in cell growth and apoptosis. In difluoromethylornithine-resistant L1210 cells stimulated to growth from quiescence, the cell-permeant analogues of ceramide N-acetylsphingosine (C2-ceramide) and N-hexanoylsphingosine (C6-ceramide) inhibited the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity with IC50 of 8.3 and 1.5 μM respectively. This effect was strictly related to the ability to inhibit cell growth and [3H]thymidine incorporation. The suppression of cell growth was also associated with apoptosis. The addition of bacterial sphingomyelinase resulted in a significant, but limited, reduction of ODC induction and [3H]thymidine incorporation. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide, which may act as a ceramide analogue, also inhibited the induction of the enzyme. Moreover, C6-ceramide largely prevented the accumulation of ODC mRNA and its precursor, ODC heterogeneous nuclear RNA, that accompanied the induction of ODC activity. A slight increase in ODC turnover was also observed. The DNA-binding activity of some transcription factors known to bind and transactivate the ODC gene was investigated by gel mobility-shift assay under the same experimental conditions. However, only the binding of Myc/Max was negatively affected by the treatment with C6-ceramide. Furthermore, the amount of immunoreactive c-Myc, which increased after stimulation of the cells to growth, was strongly reduced by C6-ceramide. These results suggest that the inhibition of c-Myc and ODC expression may be early events in the response of leukaemia cells to ceramide.
Expression of a variant surface glycoprotein of Trypanosoma gambiense in procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei shows that the cell type dictates the nature of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchor attached to the glycoprotein
Authors: PATURIAUX-HANOCQ Françoise , ZITZMANN Nicole , HANOCQ-QUERTIER Jacqueline , VANHAMME Luc , ROLIN Sylvie , GEUSKENS Maurice , FERGUSON Michael A. J. , PAYS Etienne
Published: August 2015

Procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei have been genetically modified to express the major metacyclic variant surface glycoprotein (VSG variant AnTat 11.17) of Trypanosoma gambiense. The VSG is expressed in an intact membrane-bound form that can be detected over the entire plasma membrane, together with procyclin, and as a series of lower-molecular-mass fragments that are mostly soluble degradation products. The presence of degraded VSG in the cells and the culture medium suggests that VSG is not efficiently processed and/or efficiently folded when expressed in procyclic cells. The level of procyclin expressed on the surface of these cells is slightly reduced, although there is no difference in procyclin mRNA levels. The intact membrane-bound form of the VSG is N-glycosylated with oligomannose structures and contains a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) membrane anchor that can be biosynthetically labelled with [3H]ethanolamine. The anchor is sensitive to mammalian GPI-specific phospholipase D but, like the anchor of procyclin, it is resistant to the action of bacterial phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. This pattern of phospholipase sensitivity suggests that the GPI anchor acquired by VSG when expressed in procyclics is acylated on the inositol ring and therefore resembles a procyclic procyclin-type anchor rather than a trypomastigote VSG-type anchor with respect to the lipid structure. The VSG expressed in procyclics was sensitive to the action of a mixture of sialidase, β-galactosidase and β-hexosaminidase, suggesting that the VSG GPI anchor also contains a sialylated polylactosamine side-chain modification similar to that described for procyclin. These results indicate that the nature of the protein expressed has little influence on the post-translational modifications performed in the secretory pathway of procyclic trypanosomes.
DNA glycosylases in the base excision repair of DNA
Authors: KROKAN Hans E. , STANDAL Rune , SLUPPHAUG Geir
Published: August 2015

A wide range of cytotoxic and mutagenic DNA bases are removed by different DNA glycosylases, which initiate the base excision repair pathway. DNA glycosylases cleave the N-glycosylic bond between the target base and deoxyribose, thus releasing a free base and leaving an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site. In addition, several DNA glycosylases are bifunctional, since they also display a lyase activity that cleaves the phosphodiester backbone 3′ to the AP site generated by the glycosylase activity. Structural data and sequence comparisons have identified common features among many of the DNA glycosylases. Their active sites have a structure that can only bind extrahelical target bases, as observed in the crystal structure of human uracil-DNA glycosylase in a complex with double-stranded DNA. Nucleotide flipping is apparently actively facilitated by the enzyme. With bacteriophage T4 endonuclease V, a pyrimidine-dimer glycosylase, the enzyme gains access to the target base by flipping out an adenine opposite to the dimer. A conserved helix–hairpin–helix motif and an invariant Asp residue are found in the active sites of more than 20 monofunctional and bifunctional DNA glycosylases. In bifunctional DNA glycosylases, the conserved Asp is thought to deprotonate a conserved Lys, forming an amine nucleophile. The nucleophile forms a covalent intermediate (Schiff base) with the deoxyribose anomeric carbon and expels the base. Deoxyribose subsequently undergoes several transformations, resulting in strand cleavage and regeneration of the free enzyme. The catalytic mechanism of monofunctional glycosylases does not involve covalent intermediates. Instead the conserved Asp residue may activate a water molecule which acts as the attacking nucleophile.
Bcl-xL overexpression attenuates glutathione depletion in FL5.12 cells following interleukin-3 withdrawal
Authors: BOJES Heidi K. , DATTA Kaushik , XU Jie , CHIN Anita , SIMONIAN Phil , NUÑEZ Gabriel , KEHRER James P.
Published: August 2015

Bcl-xL and bax are bcl-2-related genes whose protein products either inhibit or promote apoptosis. Oxidative damage, including the loss of glutathione, has been implicated in the induction of apoptosis. The ability of the Bcl proteins to affect GSH was assessed in control, bax- and bcl-xL-transfected FL5.12 cells [an interleukin (IL)-3-dependent murine prolymphocytic cell line]. Overall levels of GSH were approximately the same in control and bcl-xL transfectants during the 6 h incubation period, although levels increased in bcl-xL transfectants 24 h after replating. GSH in cells overexpressing bax was reduced by ∼ 36%. There were no consistent differences between these cell lines in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase or glutathione reductase. Following IL-3 withdrawal, a condition known to cause apoptosis in these cells, a rapid loss of intracellular GSH occurred in control and bax transfectants, which preceded the onset of apoptosis. GSH depletion could not be attributed to intracellular oxidation but rather seemed to occur due to a translocation out of the cell. Cells overexpressing bcl-xL did not lose significant amounts of GSH upon withdrawal of IL-3, and no apoptosis was evident. These results suggest a possible role for GSH in the mechanism by which bcl-xL prevents cell death.
Nramp1 locus encodes a 65 kDa interferon-γ-inducible protein in murine macrophages
Authors: ATKINSON Peter G. P. , BLACKWELL Jenefer M. , BARTON C. Howard
Published: August 2015

The murine Nramp1 (natural-resistance-associated macrophage protein) locus, formerly known as Ity/Lsh/Bcg, was isolated previously on the basis of chromosomal location, and as conferring natural resistance to infection against intracellular macrophage pathogens. The gene encodes a transporter molecule of unknown function. We have prepared polyclonal antisera against the C-terminal 35 amino acids of murine Nramp1. This serum is reactive towards a 65 kDa protein, expressed in murine macrophage cells from resistant or susceptible mice stimulated with interferon-γ and lipopolysaccharide, but not in non-macrophage cells. Evidence indicates that Nramp1 is localized in a subcellular membrane rather than at the cell surface. This evidence includes: the identification of conserved endocytic targeting motifs following inspection of human and murine Nramp sequences; the enrichment of Nramp1, following magnetic selection of phagolysosomal vesicles from activated macrophages that were allowed to phagocytose magnetic, IgG-coated beads; confocal microscopy. These studies place Nramp1 on a membrane in close proximity to obligate intracellular pathogens. A link between Nramp1 and divalent-cation transport is suggested by sequence similarity with yeast SMF1. Evidence showing modulation of Nramp1 protein levels by iron chelation provides a direct link with Nramp1 function and divalent-cation metabolism.
Neural regulation of the formation of skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase holoenzyme in adult and developing rat muscle
Authors: NG Dean C. , CARLSEN Richard C. , WALSH Donal A.
Published: August 2015

Neural influences on the co-ordination of expression of the multiple subunits of skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase and their assembly to form the holoenzyme complex, α4β4γ4δ4, have been examined during denervation and re-innervation of adult skeletal muscle and during neonatal muscle development. Denervation of the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus muscles of the rat hindlimb was associated with a rapid decline in the mRNA for the γ subunit, and an abrupt decrease in γ-subunit protein. The levels of the α- and β-subunit proteins in the denervated muscles also declined rapidly, their time course of reduction being similar to that for the γ-subunit protein, but they did not decrease to the same extent. In contrast with the rapid decline in γ-subunit mRNA upon denervation, α- and β-subunit mRNAs stayed at control innervated levels for approx. 8–10 days, but then decreased rapidly. Their decline coincided very closely with the onset of re-innervation. Re-innervation of the denervated muscles, which occurs rapidly and uniformly after the sciatic nerve crush injury, produced an eventual slow and prolonged recovery of the mRNA for all three subunits and parallel increases in each of the subunit proteins. A similar co-ordinated increase of both subunit mRNA and subunit proteins of the phosphorylase kinase holoenzyme was observed during neonatal muscle development, during the period when the muscles were attaining their adult pattern of motor activity. The phosphorylase kinase holoenzyme remains in a non-activated form during all of these physiological changes, as is compatible with the presence of the full complement of the regulatory subunits. These data are consistent with a model whereby the transcriptional and translational expression of phosphorylase kinase γ subunit occurs only with concomitant expression of the α and β subunits. This would ensure that free and unregulated, activated γ subunit alone, which would give rise to unregulated glycogenolysis, is not produced. The data also suggest that control of phosphorylase kinase subunit expression and the formation of the holoenzyme in skeletal muscle is provided by the motor nerve, probably through imposed levels or patterns of muscle activity.
Cloning of a human phosphoinositide 3-kinase with a C2 domain that displays reduced sensitivity to the inhibitor wortmannin
Authors: DOMIN Jan , PAGES Françoise , VOLINIA Stefano , RITTENHOUSE Susan E. , ZVELEBIL Marketa J. , STEIN Rob C. , WATERFIELD Michael D.
Published: August 2015

The generation of phosphatidylinositide 3-phosphates has been observed in a variety of cellular responses. The enzymes that mediate synthesis are the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3-Ks) that form a family of structurally diverse enzymes with distinct substrate specificities. In this paper, we describe the cloning of a novel human PI3-K, namely PI3-K-C2α, which contains a C-terminal C2 domain. This enzyme can be assigned to the class II PI3-Ks, which was defined by characterization of the Drosophila 68D enzyme and includes the recently described murine enzymes m-cpk and p170. Despite the overall similarity in the amino acid sequence of the murine and human enzymes, which suggests that they are encoded by closely related genes, these molecules show marked sequence heterogeneity at their N-termini. Biochemical analysis of recombinant PI3-K-C2α demonstrates a restricted lipid substrate specificity. As reported for other members of this class, the enzyme only phosphorylates PtdIns and PtdIns4P when the lipids are presented alone. However, when lipids were presented together with phosphatidylserine acting as a carrier, phosphorylation of PtdIns(4,5)P2 was also observed. The catalytic activity of PI3-K-C2α is refractory to concentrations of wortmannin and LY294002 which inhibit the PI3-K activity of other family members. The comparative insensitivity of PI3-K-C2α to these inhibitors suggests that their use should be re-evaluated in the study of PI3-Ks.
Characterization of iduronate sulphatase mutants affecting N-glycosylation sites and the cysteine-84 residue
Authors: MILLAT Gilles , FROISSART Roseline , MAIRE Irène , BOZON Dominique
Published: August 2015

Iduronate sulphatase (IDS) is responsible for mucopolysaccharidosis type II, a rare recessive X-linked lysosomal storage disease. The aim of this work was to evaluate the functional importance of each N-glycosylation site, and of the cysteine-84 residue. IDS mutant cDNAs, lacking one of the eight potential N-glycosylation sites, were expressed in COS cells. Although each of the potential sites was used, none of the eight glycosylation sites appeared to be essential for lysosomal targeting. Another important sulphatase co- or post-translational modification for generating catalytic activity involves the conversion of a cysteine residue surrounded by a conserved sequence C-X-P-S-R into a 2-amino-3-oxopropionic acid residue [Schmidt, Selmer, Ingendoh and von Figura (1995) Cell 82, 271–278]. This conserved cysteine, located at amino acid position 84 in IDS, was replaced either by an alanine (C84A) or by a threonine (C84T) using site-directed mutagenesis. C84A and C84T mutant cDNAs were expressed either in COS cells or in human lymphoblastoid cells deleted for the IDS gene. C84A had a drastic effect both for IDS processing and for catalytic activity. The C84T mutation produced a small amount of mature forms but also abolished enzyme activity, confirming that the cysteine residue at position 84 is required for IDS activity.
Methylprednisolone inhibits uptake of Ca2+ and Na+ ions into concanavalin A-stimulated thymocytes
Authors: BUTTGEREIT Frank , KRAUSS Stefan , BRAND Martin D.
Published: August 2015

The glucocorticoid drug methylprednisolone inhibits respiration in concanavalin A-stimulated rat thymocytes at concentrations that are relevant to its acute clinical efficacy against autoimmune diseases and spinal cord injury. Methylprednisolone affects several processes, including ion cycling, substrate oxidation reactions and RNA/DNA synthesis. The inhibition of respiration used to drive ATP-consuming cycles of Ca2+ and Na+ ions across the plasma membrane has been proposed to be either primary or secondary to restriction of cellular ATP supply. By comparing the effects of methylprednisolone with those of myxothiazol, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, we show that the effects of methylprednisolone on Ca2+ and Na+ cycling are primary. We propose that methylprednisolone acts by affecting membrane properties to inhibit Ca2+ and Na+ uptake across the plasma membrane and to increase H+ uptake across the mitochondrial membrane, and that other effects are secondary.
Nitric oxide reversibly inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase
Authors: ESTRADA Carmen , GÓMEZ Carmen , MARTÍN-NIETO José , DE FRUTOS Trinidad , JIMÉNEZ Amparo , VILLALOBO Antonio
Published: August 2015

Although it has been demonstrated that NO inhibits the proliferation of different cell types, the mechanisms of its anti-mitotic action are not well understood. In this work we have studied the possible interaction of NO with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), using transfected fibroblasts which overexpress the human EGFR. The NO donors S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), 1,1-diethyl-2-hydroxy-2-nitrosohydrazine (DEA-NO) and N-{4-[1-(3-aminopropyl)-2-hydroxy-2-nitrosohydrazino]butyl}propane-1,3-diamine (DETA-NO) inhibited DNA synthesis of fibroblasts growing in the presence of fetal calf serum, epidermal growth factor (EGF) or EGF plus insulin, as assessed by [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation. Neither 8-bromo-cGMP nor the cGMP-phosphodiesterase inhibitor zaprinast mimicked this effect, suggesting that NO is unlikely to inhibit cell proliferation via a cGMP-dependent pathway. SNAP, DEA-NO and DETA-NO also inhibited the transphosphorylation of the EGFR and its tyrosine kinase activity toward the exogenous substrate poly-L-(Glu-Tyr), as measured in permeabilized cells using [γ-32P]ATP as phosphate donor. In contrast, 3-[morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride] (SIN-1), a peroxynitrite-forming compound, did not significantly inhibit either DNA synthesis or the EGFR tyrosine kinase activity. The inhibitory action of DEA-NO on the EGFR tyrosine kinase was prevented by haemoglobin, an NO scavenger, but not by superoxide dismutase, and was reversed by dithiothreitol. The binding of EGF to its receptor was unaffected by DEA-NO. The inhibitory action of DEA-NO on the EGF-dependent transphosphorylation of the receptor was also demonstrated in intact cells by immunoblot analysis using an anti-phosphotyrosine antibody. Taken together, these results suggest that NO, but not peroxynitrite, inhibits in a reversible manner the EGFR tyrosine kinase activity by S-nitrosylation of the receptor.
Early steps in glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis in Leishmania major
Authors: SMITH Terry K. , MILNE Fiona C. , SHARMA Deepak K. , CROSSMAN Arthur , BRIMACOMBE John S. , FERGUSON Michael A. J.
Published: August 2015

A cell-free system based on washed Leishmania majormembranes was labelled with GDP-[3H]Man in the presence of synthetic glucosaminyl-phosphatidylinositol (GlcN-PI) and N-acetylglucosaminyl-phosphatidylinositol (GlcNAc-PI). In both cases, the major radiolabelled products were Manα1-4GlcNα1-6myo-inositol1-HPO4- (sn-1,2-dipalmitoylglycerol) and Manα1-4GlcNα1-6myo-inositol1-HPO4- (sn-1-palmitoyl-2-lyso-glycerol), to which an additional D-mannose residue was added when a chase with an excess of GDP-Man was performed. The L. majorcell-free system can therefore be used to observe the actions of four enzymes, namely GlcNAc-PI de-N-acetylase, Dol-P-Man–GlcN-PI α1-4-mannosyltransferase, a phospholipase A2-like activity and a second α-mannosyltransferase activity. The substrate specificities of the first two of these enzymes were studied using a series of substrate analogues. GlcNAc-PI de-N-acetylase was tested against a variety of N-acylated GlcN-PI substrates and was able to cleave N-acetyl and N-propyl groups but not larger groups such as N-butyl, N-isobutyl, N-pentyl and N-hexyl. The Dol-P-Man–GlcN-PI α1-4-mannosyltransferase activity required the amino group of the glucosamine residue and the d-configuration of the myo-inositol residue of the GlcN-PI acceptor substrate.
Identification of bovine liver mitochondrial NAD+ glycohydrolase as ADP-ribosyl cyclase
Authors: ZIEGLER Mathias , JORCKE Dierk , SCHWEIGER Manfred
Published: August 2015

The present investigation identifies bovine liver mitochondrial NADase (NAD+ glycohydrolase) as a member of the class of bifunctional ADP-ribosyl cyclases/cyclic ADP-ribose hydrolases, known to be potential second messenger enzymes. These enzymes catalyse the synthesis and degradation of cyclic ADP-ribose, a potent intracellular calcium-mobilizing agent. The mitochondrial enzyme utilized the NAD+ analogues nicotinamide guanine dinucleotide (NGD+) and nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide (NHD+) to form fluorescent cyclic purine nucleoside diphosphoriboses. ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity was also demonstrated using 32P-labelled NAD+ as substrate. The identity of NADase and ADP-ribosyl cyclase was supported by their co-migration in SDS/polyacrylamide gels. Cyclase activity was visualized directly within the gel by detecting the formation of fluorescent cyclic IDP-ribose from NHD+. The enzyme catalysed the hydrolysis of cyclic ADP-ribose to ADP-ribose. Moreover, in the presence of nicotinamide and cyclic ADP-ribose the enzyme synthesized NAD+. Both the ADP-ribosyl cyclase and NADase activities of the enzyme were strongly inhibited by reducing agents. Treatment of the NADase with dithiothreitol caused the apparent inactivation of the enzyme. Subsequent removal of the reducing agent and addition of oxidized glutathione led to a partial recovery of enzymic activity. The results support a model for pro-oxidant-induced calcium release from mitochondria involving cyclic ADP-ribose as a specific messenger, rather than the non-enzymic modification of proteins by ADP-ribose.
Logical analysis of timing-dependent receptor signalling specificity: application to the insulin receptor metabolic and mitogenic signalling pathways
Authors: SHYMKO Ronald M. , DE MEYTS Pierre , THOMAS René
Published: August 2015

We present a method for logical analysis of signal-transduction networks, focusing on metabolic and mitogenic signalling by the insulin receptor, with specific emphasis on dependence of the signalling properties on the timing of binding events. We discuss a basic model which demonstrates this dependence (hormone binding leads to activation of the receptor which can lead to a commitment to mitogenic signalling), and show how residence time of the hormone on the receptor can determine the specificity of signalling between the alternative metabolic or mitogenic pathways. The method gives conditions for the selection of specific branches in the signalling pathway expressed in terms of inequalities among the characteristic activation or deactivation times of components of that pathway. In this way, the conditions for mitogenic signalling can be given in terms of a required range of values of the hormone residence time on the receptor, which is directly related to the kinetic dissociation rate.
Crystal structure of fibrinogen-Aα peptide 1–23 (F8Y) bound to bovine thrombin explains why the mutation of Phe-8 to tyrosine strongly inhibits normal cleavage at Arg-16
Authors: MALKOWSKI Michael G. , MARTIN Philip D. , LORD Susan T. , EDWARDS Brian F. P.
Published: August 2015

A peptide containing residues 1–50 of the Aα-chain of fibrinogen, expressed as a fusion peptide with β-galactosidase, is rapidly cleaved by thrombin at Arg-16, similarly to whole fibrinogen. When Phe-8, which is highly conserved, is replaced with tyrosine (F8Y), the cleavage is slowed drastically [Lord, Byrd, Hede, Wei and Colby (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 838–843]. To examine the structural basis for this result, we have determined the crystal structure of bovine thrombin complexed with a synthetic peptide containing residues 1–23 of fibrinogen Aα and the F8Y mutation. The crystals are in space group P43212, with unit-cell dimensions of a = 88.3 Å (1 Å = 0.1 nm), c = 195.5 Å and two complexes in the asymmetric unit. The final R factor is 0.183 for 2σ data from 7.0 to 2.5 Å resolution. There is continuous density for the five residues in the P3, P2, P1, P1′ and P2′ positions of the peptide (Gly-14f to Pro-18f) at the active site of thrombin, and isolated but well-defined density for Tyr-8f at position P9 in the hydrophobic pocket of thrombin. The tyrosine residue is shifted relative to phenylalanine in the native peptide because the phenol side chain is larger and makes a novel, intrapeptide hydrogen bond with Gly-14f. Adjacent peptide residues cannot form the hydrogen bonds that stabilize the secondary structure of the native peptide. Consequently, the ‘reaction’ geometry at the scissile bond, eight residues from the mutation, is perturbed and the peptide is mostly uncleaved in the crystal structure.
Molecular cloning of cDNA species for rat and mouse liver α-methylacyl-CoA racemases
Authors: SCHMITZ Werner , HELANDER Heli M. , HILTUNEN J. Kalervo , CONZELMANN Ernst
Published: August 2015

cDNA species coding for α-methylacyl-CoA racemase were cloned from rat and mouse liver cDNA libraries and characterized. The rat liver λgt11 cDNA expression library was screened with anti-racemase IgG [Schmitz, Albers, Fingerhut and Conzelmann (1995) Eur. J. Biochem. 231, 815–822]. Several full-length clones were obtained that contained an open reading frame of 1083 bp, coding for a protein of 361 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 39679 Da. The sequences of three peptides that were isolated by HPLC from a tryptic digest of purified rat liver racemase fully matched the cDNA-derived amino acid sequence. The cDNA coding for mouse racemase was cloned from a mouse liver λZAP cDNA expression library and sequenced. The coding region of 1080 bp codes for a 360-residue protein (molecular mass 39558 Da) that shares 89.7% similarity with the rat protein. Expression of the rat racemase as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli with the pTrcHisB-expression vector yielded enzymically active protein. The amino acid sequences of α-methylacyl-CoA racemases do not resemble any known sequence of β-oxidation or auxiliary enzymes, supporting the view of a highly diverse evolutionary origin of enzymes acting on fatty acyl-CoA S-esters.
Bovine retinal pigment epithelium contains novel types of phospholipase A2
Authors: JACOB Michèle , WEECH K. Philip , SALESSE Christian
Published: August 2015

We have recently demonstrated the presence of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in cells from bovine retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) [Jacob et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 19209-19218]. We report here our results on the characterization of this RPE-PLA2 activity. We show that RPE probably contains two types of PLA2 enzyme, as indicated by the results obtained with different PLA2-active fractions eluted from cation-exchange columns and treated with Ca2+/EGTA, dithiothreitol, p-bromophenacyl bromide or heat. These results, in addition to those from PLA2 assays using different substrates, also suggest that RPE-PLA2 enzymes are different from the well-known secretory, cytoplasmic and Ca2+-independent forms. Sequential extraction of RPE with (1) isotonic, (2) hypertonic and (3) detergent-containing PBS argues for the presence of weakly membrane-associated enzymes. Control experiments using ‘back and forth’ TLC allowed us to discriminate between PLA2 and phospholipase C/diacylglycerol lipase activity and confirmed that, in our assay conditions, the release of fatty acids was indeed due to PLA2 enzymes. These results, together with those obtained by treating RPE homogenates with H2SO4, guanosine 5ʹ-[γ-thio]triphosphate, ATP and different protease inhibitors, permitted us to make the first characterization of these RPE-PLA2 enzymes. We conclude that RPE contains novel types of PLA2 that are different from the secretory, cytoplasmic and Ca2+-independent forms.
The DNA damage-recognition problem in human and other eukaryotic cells: the XPA damage binding protein
Authors: CLEAVER E. James , STATES J. Christopher
Published: August 2015

The capacity of human and other eukaryotic cells to recognize a disparate variety of damaged sites in DNA, and selectively excise and repair them, resides in a deceptively small simple protein, a 38-42 kDa zinc-finger binding protein, XPA (xeroderma pigmentosum group A), that has no inherent catalytic properties. One key to its damage-recognition ability resides in a DNA-binding domain which combines a zinc finger and a single-strand binding region which may infiltrate small single-stranded regions caused by helix-destabilizing lesions. Another is the augmentation of its binding capacity by interactions with other single-stranded binding proteins and helicases which co-operate in the binding and are unloaded at the binding site to facilitate further unwinding of the DNA and subsequent catalysis. The properties of these reactions suggest there must be considerable conformational changes in XPA and associated proteins to provide a flexible fit to a wide variety of damaged structures in the DNA.
Allosteric modulation of rat brain nitric oxide synthase by the pterin-site enzyme inhibitor 4-aminotetrahydrobiopterin
Authors: PFEIFFER Silvia , GORREN C. F. Antonius , PITTERS Eva , SCHMIDT Kurt , WERNER R. Ernst , MAYER Bernd
Published: August 2015

We investigated the functional and allosteric effects of the 4-amino analogue of tetrahydrobiopterin, (6R)-2,4-diamino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-6-(l-erythro-1,2-dihydroxypropyl)pteridine (4-amino-H4biopterin) on pteridine-free rat neuronal nitric oxide synthase. In the presence of added (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-L-erythrobiopterin (H4biopterin; 10 μM), 4-amino-H4biopterin completely inhibited the conversion of both L-arginine and NG-hydroxy-L-arginine with half-maximally effective concentrations of 1.1±0.09 and 1.3±0.09 μM, respectively. Inhibition was reversible, as shown by a time-dependent restoration of citrulline formation upon dilution of the inhibitor-treated enzyme (t1/2 = 3.0 min). Binding of 4-amino-H4biopterin led to a complete conversion of the haem from low-spin to high-spin state, and to the formation of stable homodimers which partially survived electrophoresis under denaturating conditions. These results show that oxidation of both L-arginine and NG-hydroxy-L-arginine is pteridine-dependent, and that the allosteric effects of H4biopterin do not fully explain the essential role of the pteridine cofactor in nitric oxide biosynthesis.
The 3′-untranslated region of the mouse cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase mRNA contains elements responsive to post-transcriptional regulation by bile acids
Authors: AGELLON B. Luis , CHEEMA K. Sukhinder
Published: August 2015

To investigate the importance of the 3ʹ-untranslated region (UTR) of the mouse cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (cyp7) mRNA in post-transcriptional regulation of expression of the cyp7 gene, chimaeric genes encoding mRNA containing the structural sequence of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) linked to either the 3ʹ-UTR of the mouse cyp7 mRNA or the SV40 early gene mRNA were constructed. The human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter was used to drive the expression of all the chimaeric genes. Thus the transgenes had identical sequences in the promoter, the regions encoding the 5ʹ-UTR and translated sequence but differed in the region encoding the 3ʹ-UTR of their respective mRNA species. The transgene containing the entire cyp7 3ʹ-UTR (designated CMV.CAT.CYP7) gave rise to CAT activity in transfected hepatoma cells that was one-quarter of that obtained in cells transfected with the transgene containing the SV40 3ʹ-UTR (designated CMV.CAT.SV40). The 3ʹ-UTR of the cyp7 mRNA contains sequences resembling AU-rich elements (AREs). Deleting eight of nine putative AREs from the CYP7 3ʹ-UTR sequence increased the CAT activity to a level greater than that observed for CMV.CAT.SV40, whereas deletion of the intron region had no effect. These results show that the AREs of the 3ʹ-UTR of the cyp7 mRNA decrease transgene expression. Bile acids are known to repress the expression of the cyp7 gene. To test whether the 3ʹ-UTR of the cyp7 mRNA has a role in this process, the expression of the chimaeric genes was evaluated in hepatoma cells competent for bile acid uptake. Conjugated bile acids, but not unconjugated bile acids, further decreased the expression of the CMV.CAT.CYP7 transgene. The same bile acids had no effect on the expression of the CMV.CAT.SV40 transgene. Deletion of the intron from the cyp7 sequence did not alter the CAT activity compared with the parental plasmid, and also did not alter the sensitivity of the transgene to the conjugated bile acids. Deletion of the AREs from the cyp7 3ʹ-UTR, which increased the expression of the transgene, did not abolish the sensitivity of the transgene to repression by conjugated bile acids. Thus the 3ʹ-UTR of the mouse cyp7 mRNA also contains elements that facilitate the further repression of transgene expression in the presence of conjugated bile acids. The results indicate that the 3ʹ-UTR of the mouse cyp7 mRNA contains information specifying regulation at the post-transcriptional level.
Cleavage of arginyl-arginine and lysyl-arginine from the C-terminus ofpro-hormone peptides by human germinal angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) and the C-domain of human somatic ACE
Authors: ISAAC R. Elwyn , WILLIAMS A. Tracy , SAJID Mohammed , CORVOL Pierre , COATES David
Published: August 2015

Mammalian germinal angiotensin I-converting enzyme (gACE) is a single-domain dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase found exclusively in male germ cells, which has almost identical sequence and enzymic properties with the C-domain of the two-domain somatic ACE. Mutant mice that do not express gACE are infertile, suggesting a role for the enzyme in the processing of undefined peptides involved in fertilization. A number of spermatid peptides [e.g. cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin] are processed from pro-hormones by endo- and exo-proteolytic cleavages which might generate substrates for gACE. We have shown that peptide hormone intermediates with Lys/Arg-Arg at the C-terminus are high-affinity substrates for human gACE. gACE from human sperm cleaved Arg-Arg from the C-terminus of the CCK5-GRR (GWMDFGRR), a peptide corresponding to the C-terminus of a CCK-gastrin prohormone intermediate. Hydrolysis of CCK5-GRR by recombinant human C-domain ACE was Cl- dependent, with maximal activity achieved in 5-10 mM NaCl at pH 6.4. C-Domain ACE cleaved Lys/Arg-Arg from the C-terminus of dynorphin-(1-7), a pro-TRH peptide KRQHPGKR, and two insect peptides FSPRLGKR and FSPRLGRR. C-Domain ACE displayed high affinity towards all these substrates with Vmax/Km values between 14 and 113 times greater than the Vmax/Km for the conversion of the best known ACE substrate, angiotensin I, into angiotensin II. In conclusion, we have identified a new class of substrates for human gACE, and we suggest that gACE might be an alternative to carboxypeptidase E for the trimming of basic dipeptides from the C-terminus of intermediates generated from pro-hormones by subtilisin-like convertases in human male germ cells.
N-Acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosylamine 6-phosphate is a specific inhibitor of glycogen-bound protein phosphatase 1
Authors: BOARD Mary
Published: August 2015

Previous work has shown that the C-1-substituted glucose-analogue N-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosylamine (1-GlcNAc) is a competitive inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase (GP) and stimulates the inactivation of this enzyme by GP phosphatase. In addition to its effects on GP, 1-GlcNAc also prevents the glucose-led activation of glycogen synthase (GS) in whole hepatocytes. Such an effect on GS was thought to be due to the formation of 1-GlcNAc-6-P by the action of glucokinase within the hepatocyte [Board, Bollen, Stalmans, Kim, Fleet and Johnson (1995) Biochem. J. 311, 845-852]. To investigate this possibility further, a pure preparation of 1-GlcNAc-6-P was synthesized. The effects of the phosphorylated glucose analogue on the activity of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), the enzyme responsible for dephosphorylation and activation of GS, are reported. During the present study, 1-GlcNAc-6-P inhibited the activity of the glycogen-bound form of PP1, affecting both the GSb phosphatase and GPa phosphatase activities. A level of 50% inhibition of GSb phosphatase activity was achieved with 85 μM 1-GlcNAc-6-P in the absence of Glc-6-P and with 135 μM in the presence of 10 mM Glc-6-P. At either Glc-6-P concentration, 500 μM 1-GlcNAc-6-P completely inhibited activity. The Glc-6-P stimulation of the GPa phosphatase activity of PP1 was negated by 1-GlcNAc-6-P but there was no inhibition of the basal rate in the absence of Glc-6-P. 1-GlcNAc-6-P inhibition was specific for the glycogen-bound form of PP1 and did not inhibit the GSb phosphatase activity of the cytosolic form of the enzyme. The present work explains our previous observations on the inactivating effects on GS of incubating whole hepatocytes with 1-GlcNAc. These observations have their basis in the inhibition of glycogen-bound PP1 by 1-GlcNAc-6-P. A novel inhibitor of PP1, specific for the glycogen-bound form of the enzyme, is presented.
Nascent very-low-density lipoprotein triacylglycerol hydrolysis by lipoprotein lipase is inhibited by apolipoprotein E in a dose-dependent manner
Authors: JONG C. Miek , DAHLMANS E. H. Vivian , HOFKER H. Marten , HAVEKES M. Louis
Published: August 2015

In the present study it was investigated whether apolipoprotein (apoE) can inhibit the lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-mediated hydrolysis of very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) triacylglycerols (TAGs). Previous studies have suggested such an inhibitory role for apoE by using as a substrate for LPL either plasma VLDL or artificial TAG emulsions. To mimic the in vivo situation more fully, we decided to investigate the effect of apoE on the LPL-mediated TAG hydrolysis by using VLDL from apoE-deficient mice that had been enriched with increasing amounts of apoE. Furthermore, since plasma VLDL isolated from apoE-deficient mice was relatively poor in TAGs and strongly enriched in cholesterol as compared with VLDL from wild-type mice, we used nascent VLDL obtained by liver perfusions. Nascent VLDL (d < 1.006) isolated from the perfusate of the apoE-deficient mouse liver was rich in TAGs. Addition of increasing amounts of apoE to apoE-deficient nascent VLDL effectively decreased TAG lipolysis as compared with that of apoE-deficient nascent VLDL without the addition of apoE (63.1±6.3 and 20.8±1.8% of the control value at 2.7 μg and 29.6 μg of apoE/mg of TAG added respectively). Since, in vivo, LPL is attached to heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPG) at the endothelial matrix, we also performed lipolysis assays with LPL bound to HSPG in order to preserve the interaction of the lipoprotein particle with the HSPG-LPL complex. In this lipolysis system a concentration-dependent decrease in the TAG lipolysis was also observed with increasing amounts of apoE on nascent VLDL, although to a lesser extent than with LPL in solution (72.3±3.6% and 56.6±1.7% of control value at 2.7μg and 29.6 μg of apoE/mg TAGs added respectively). In conclusion, the enrichment of the VLDL particle with apoE decreases its suitability as a substrate for LPL in a dose-dependent manner.
Human endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE-1): three isoforms with distinct subcellular localizations
Authors: SCHWEIZER Anja , VALDENAIRE Olivier , NELBÖCK Peter , DEUSCHLE Ulrich , DUMAS MILNE EDWARDS Jean-Baptiste , STUMPF Jürgen G. , LÖFFLER Bernd-Michael
Published: August 2015

Endothelin-converting enzyme 1 (ECE-1) is a membrane-bound metalloprotease that catalyses the conversion of inactive big endothelins into active endothelins. Two different isoforms (ECE-1a and ECE-1b) have previously been identified for human ECE-1. In the present study we have cloned a novel human ECE-1 isoform, termed ECE-1c, and have thus shown for the first time the existence of three distinct ECE-1 isoforms. The three isoforms differ only in their N-terminal regions and are derived from a single gene through the use of alternative promoters. Ribonuclease protection experiments revealed that, although the relative levels of the three isoform mRNA species vary between human tissues, ECE-1c mRNA is generally the predominant isoform messenger. Immunofluorescence microscopy analysis showed distinct subcellular localizations for the three isoforms: whereas ECE-1a and ECE-1c are localized at the cell surface, ECE-1b was found to be intracellular and showed significant co-localization with a marker protein for the trans-Golgi network. We determined that the three isoforms have similar kinetic rate constants (Km, kcat and Vmax) for the processing of big endothelin 1 and that the big endothelin isoforms 1, 2 and 3 are cleaved with similar relative velocities of 1.0:0.1:0.1 by the three isoenzymes.
Importance of the redox state of cytochrome c during caspase activation in cytosolic extracts
Authors: HAMPTON B. Mark , ZHIVOTOVSKY Boris , SLATER F. G. Andrew , BURGESS H. David , ORRENIUS Sten
Published: August 2015

The export of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytoplasm has been detected during apoptosis. Addition of cytochrome c to cytosolic extracts can activate the caspases, suggesting that this export could be an important intracellular signal for initiating the apoptotic programme. We have investigated the mechanism of caspase activation by cytochrome c. Mitochondrial cytochrome c normally shuttles electrons between complexes III and IV of the electron transport chain. Interaction with these complexes is dependent on electrostatic interactions via a polylysine binding pocket. Cytosolic caspase activation was only observed with intact holocytochrome c, and increasing the ionic composition of the extracts prevented activation, suggesting that stringent allosteric interactions between cytochrome c and other cytoplasmic factors are necessary. Cytochrome c was fully reduced within 5 min of addition to the cytosolic extracts. Potassium ferricyanide could maintain cytochrome c in an oxidized state, but care was taken to use ferricyanide at concentrations where its polyanion effect did not cause interference. The oxidized form of cytochrome c was able to activate the caspases. We conclude that reduced cytochrome c will function in the cytoplasm; however, its reduction is not a critical step, and electron transfer from cytochrome c to its cytoplasmic-binding partner(s) is not necessary in the pathway leading to apoptosis.
Structural and functional properties of the N transcriptional activation domain of thyroid transcription factor-1: similarities with the acidic activation domains
Authors: TELL Gianluca , PERRONE Lorena , FABBRO Dora , PELLIZZARI Lucia , PUCILLO Carlo , FELICE Mario DE , ACQUAVIVA Renato , FORMISANO Silvestro , DAMANTE Giuseppe
Published: August 2015

The thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) is a tissue-specific transcription factor involved in the development of thyroid and lung. TTF-1 contains two transcriptional activation domains (N and C domain). The primary amino acid sequence of the N domain does not show any typical characteristic of known transcriptional activation domains. In aqueous solution the N domain exists in a random-coil conformation. The increase of the milieu hydrophobicity, by the addition of trifluoroethanol, induces a considerable gain of α-helical structure. Acidic transcriptional activation domains are largely unstructured in solution, but, under hydrophobic conditions, folding into α-helices or β-strands can be induced. Therefore our data indicate that the inducibility of α-helix by hydrophobic conditions is a property not restricted to acidic domains. Co-transfections experiments indicate that the acidic domain of herpes simplex virus protein VP16 (VP16) and the TTF-1 N domain are interchangeable and that a chimaeric protein, which combines VP16 linked to the DNA-binding domain of TTF-1, undergoes the same regulatory constraints that operate for the wild-type TTF-1. In addition, we demonstrate that the TTF-1 N domain possesses two typical properties of acidic activation domains: TBP (TATA-binding protein) binding and ability to activate transcription in yeast. Accordingly, the TTF-1 N domain is able to squelch the activity of the p65 acidic domain. Altogether, these structural and functional data suggest that a non-acidic transcriptional activation domain (TTF-1 N domain) activates transcription by using molecular mechanisms similar to those used by acidic domains. TTF-1 N domain and acidic domains define a family of proteins whose common property is to activate transcription through the use of mechanisms largely conserved during evolutionary development.
Sulphation of N-linked oligosaccharides of vesicular stomatitis and influenza virus envelope glycoproteins: host cell specificity, subcellular localization and identification of substituted saccharides
Authors: KARAIVANOVA K. Velislava , SPIRO G. Robert
Published: August 2015

The presence of sulphate groups on various saccharide residues of N-linked carbohydrate units has now been observed in a number of glycoproteins. To explore the cell specificity of this post-translational modification, we evaluated sulphate incorporation into virus envelope glycoproteins by a variety of cells, since it is believed that assembly of their N-linked oligosaccharides is to a large extent dependent on the enzymic machinery of the host. Employing the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) envelope glycoprotein (G protein) as a model, we noted that the addition of [35S]sulphate substituents into its complex carbohydrate units occurred in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK), Madin-Darby bovine kidney, LLC-PK1 and BHK-21 cell lines but was not detectable in BRL 3A, BW5147.3, Chinese hamster ovary, HepG2, NRK-49F, IEC-18, PtK1 or 3T3 cells. The sulphate groups were exclusively located on C-3 of galactose [Gal(3-SO4)] and/or C-6 of N-acetylglucosamine [GlcNAc(6-SO4)] residues in the N-acetyllactosamine sequence of the branch chains. Moreover, we observed that the pronounced host-cell-dependence of the terminal galactose sulphation was reflected by the 3ʹ-phosphoadenosine 5ʹ-phosphosulphate:Gal-3-O-sulphotransferase activity assayed in vitro. Comparative studies carried out on the haemagglutinin of the influenza virus envelope formed by MDCK and LLC-PK1 cells indicated that sulphate in this glycoprotein was confined to its complex N-linked oligosaccharides where it occurred as Gal(3-SO4) and GlcNAc(6-SO4) on peripheral chains as well as on the mannose-substituted N-acetylglucosamine of the core. Since sulphation in both internal and peripheral locations of the virus glycoproteins was found to be arrested by the α1 → 2 mannosidase inhibitor, kifunensine, as well as by the intracellular migration block imposed by brefeldin A, it was concluded that this modification is a late biosynthetic event which most likely takes place in the trans-Golgi network.