bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Time-dependent pseudo-activation of hepatic glycogen synthase b by glucose 6-phosphate without involvement of protein phosphatases
Authors: WERA Stefaan , BOLLEN Mathieu , MOENS Luc , STALMANS Willy
Published: August 2015

During a 30 min incubation at 25 °C in the presence of 5–10 mM glucose 6-phosphate, pure glycogen-bound glycogen synthase b from dog liver was progressively converted into a form that was fully catalytically active in the presence of 10 mM Na2SO4 plus 0.5 mM glucose 6-phosphate. The latter enzyme was unlike synthase a (which does not require glucose 6-phosphate for activity), and unlike synthase b (which is strongly inhibited by sulphate). The conversion was insensitive to various inhibitors of Ser/Thr-protein phosphatases and alkaline phosphatases, and was therefore termed ‘pseudo-activation’. Kinetically, pseudo-activation increased the Vmax 4-fold without affecting the Km for the substrate UDP-glucose. Pseudo-activation appeared to be an irreversible process, but several lines of evidence argue against a limited proteolysis. Pseudo-activation of glycogen synthase occurred also readily in a rat liver cytosol, but it was not observed with purified synthase from skeletal muscle. These observations have important implications for the assay of liver glycogen-synthase phosphatase; the possible physiological implications remain to be explored.
Interactions of integrin GPIIb/IIIa-derived peptides with fibrinogen investigated by NMR spectroscopy
Authors: YAO Letitia J. , MAYO Kevin H.
Published: August 2015

Three peptides derived from platelet integrin receptor glycoprotein αIIbβ3 (GPIIb/IIIa) have been identified recently as fibrinogen-binding sequences: GPIIb 300–314 and 656–667 and GPIIIa 211–223. NMR spectroscopy has been used here to investigate the interactions of these peptides with parent fibrinogen. Based on resonance broadening and chemical-shift changes of peptides in the presence and absence of fibrinogen, interactions in the fast ligand-exchange regime are apparent and interfacial residues can be proposed. Positively charged arginines and histidines, along with several hydrophobic residues, are implicated as being crucial to the binding process. Transferred nuclear Overhauser effects and distance geometry calculations allow discussion of probable conformations in peptide-‘bound’ states. These identifications are consistent with other biological/ chemical data and provide the basis for further studies aimed at understanding fibrinogen-mediated platelet aggregation on the molecular level.
Uridine diphosphoxylose enhances hepatic microsomal UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity by stimulating transport of UDP-glucuronic acid across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane
Authors: BOSSUYT Xavier , BLANCKAERT Norbert
Published: August 2015

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) system fulfils a pivotal role in the biotransformation of potentially toxic endogenous and exogenous compounds. Here we report that the activity of UGT in rat liver is stimulated by UDP-xylose. This stimulation was found in native microsomal vesicles as well as in the intact endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, as studied in permeabilized hepatocytes, indicating the potential physiological importance of UDP-xylose in the regulation of UGT. We present evidence that UDP-xylose enhances UGT activity by stimulation of (i) the uptake of UDP-glucuronic acid across the ER membrane and (ii) the elimination of the UDP and/or UMP reaction product out of the ER lumen. UDP-xylose produced a marked trans-stimulation of microsomal UDP-glucuronic acid uptake when it was present within the lumen of the ER. When UDP-xylose was presented at the cytosolic side of the ER, it acted as a weak inhibitor of UDP-glucuronic acid uptake. Likewise, cytosolic UDP-glucuronic acid strongly trans-stimulated efflux of intravesicular UDP-xylose, whereas cytosolic UDP-xylose was inefficient in trans-stimulating efflux of UDP-glucuronic acid. Microsomal UDP-xylose influx was markedly stimulated by UMP and UDP. Such stimulation was only apparent when microsomes had been preincubated and thereby preloaded with UMP or UDP, indicating that UMP and UDP exerted their effect on UDP-xylose uptake by trans-stimulation from the luminal side of the ER membrane.
Phosphorylation of membrane proteins in erythrocytes treated with lead
Authors: BELLONI-OLIVI Luisa , ANNADATA Madhu , GOLDSTEIN Gary W. , BRESSLER Joseph P.
Published: August 2015

In immature rat microvessels, endothelial cells and glioma cells, exposure to lead results in an increase in the level of protein kinase C in membranes. In this paper we have extended these studies to human erythrocytes and, in addition, studied the phosphorylation of membrane proteins. A significant increase in the phosphorylation of membrane cytoskeletal proteins of molecular mass 120, 80, 52 and 45 kDa was observed in human erythrocytes treated for 60 min with lead acetate at concentrations greater than 100 nM. These same proteins were phosphorylated when erythrocytes were treated for 10 min with 50 nM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Similarly, protein kinase C activity was elevated and an increase in the amount of protein kinase C-α was observed in membranes from erythrocytes exposed to concentrations of lead acetate above 100 nM. No changes, however, in the activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein phosphatases I and IIA or casein kinase were observed. Phosphorylation of these membrane proteins stimulated by lead acetate or by PMA was not observed in erythrocytes depleted of protein kinase C by a 72-h treatment with 500 nM phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate. Finally, no changes in the levels of calcium or diacylglycerol were observed in erythrocytes stimulated with 100 nM lead acetate. These results indicate that, in erythrocytes, lead acetate stimulates the phosphorylation of membrane cytoskeletal proteins by a mechanism dependent on protein kinase C. Since levels of calcium or diacylglycerols did not increase, it appears that lead may activate the enzyme by a direct interaction.
Diversity of roles of protein kinase Cα in the proliferation of Swiss 3T3 cells
Authors: FLORIN-CHRISTENSEN Jorge , FLORIN-CHRISTENSEN Monica , MEINARDI Elsa , CALLE R
Published: August 2015

We examined the role of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) in the stimulation of DNA synthesis of Swiss 3T3 cells induced by bombesin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). We found that cells in which this kinase had been down-regulated showed a partially abrogated mitogenic response to bombesin. The response to PDGF was unaltered; however, the response to PMA was completely suppressed. The mitogenic effect of maximal doses of bombesin and PMA combined was greater than that of either agent alone, suggesting that bombesin does not fully activate the PKC pathway. Accordingly, bombesin-induced PKCα translocation from cytosol to membranes was partial, while that observed with PMA was essentially complete. Moreover, exposure to Ro-31-8220, a PKC inhibitor, had signficantly greater effects on the response to PMA than on that to bombesin. Our findings point out different roles that PKCα may play in diversely activated cells: while, in the case of PMA, stimulation of this kinase may be necessary and sufficient to induce proliferation, it appears to be necessary only for a full response to bombesin, and redundant among the mechanisms triggered by PDGF.
Evidence for differences in the post-transcriptional regulation of rat metallothionein isoforms
Authors: VASCONCELOS M. Helena , TAM Shuk-Ching , BEATTIE John H. , HESKETH John E.
Published: August 2015

The expression of metallothionein (MT)-1 and -2 mRNAs in rat liver following administration of Cd or Cu was investigated using specific oligonucleotides. The specificity was confirmed using a competitive prehybridization assay. Cd injection caused a biphasic induction of both isoform mRNAs, whereas Cu induced a sustained, monophasic response. Analysis of polyribosomal RNA showed that, after both Cd and Cu treatments, the recruitment of MT-1 mRNA into polyribosomes paralleled the increase in transcription, but the increase of polyribosomal MT-2 mRNA was less than that of total MT-2 mRNA. This indicates that not all the MT-2 mRNA induced was translated, suggesting that there is translational control of MT-2 mRNA expression, but not of MT-1 mRNA. This hypothesis was supported by the observation that, after Cu treatment, the induction of MT-1 protein was induced to the same extent as MT-1 mRNA, whereas the total MT protein (MT-1+MT-2) was increased far less (7-fold) than MT-2 mRNA (30-fold).
The role of residues glutamate-50 and phenylalanine-496 in Zymomonas mobilis pyruvate decarboxylase
Authors: CANDY Judith M. , KOGA Jinichiro , NIXON Peter F. , DUGGLEBY Ronald G.
Published: August 2015

Several enzymes require thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) as an essential cofactor, and we have used one of these, pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC; EC 4.1.1.1) from Zymomonas mobilis, as a model for this group of enzymes. It is well suited for this purpose because of its stability, ease of purification, homotetrameric subunit structure and simple kinetic properties. Crystallographic analyses of three ThDP-dependent enzymes [Müller, Lindqvist, Furey, Schulz, Jordan and Schneider (1993) Structure 1, 95–103] have suggested that an invariant glutamate participates in catalysis. In order to evaluate the role of this residue, identified in PDC from Zymomonas mobilis as Glu-50, it has been altered to glutamine and aspartate by site-directed mutagenesis of the cloned gene. The mutant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli. Here we demonstrate that substitution with aspartate yields an enzyme with 3% of the activity of the wild-type, but with normal kinetics for pyruvate. Replacement of Glu-50 with glutamine yields an enzyme with only 0.5% of the catalytic activity of the wild-type enzyme. Each of these mutant enzymes has a decreased affinity for both ThDP and Mg2+. It has been reported that the binding of cofactors to apoPDC quenches the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence [Diefenbach and Duggleby (1991) Biochem. J. 276, 439–445] and we have identified the residue responsible as Trp-487 [Diefenbach, Candy, Mattick and Duggleby (1992) FEBS Lett. 296, 95–98]. Although this residue is some distance from the cofactor binding site, it lies in the dimer interface, and the proposal has been put forward [Dyda, Furey, Swaminathan, Sax, Farrenkopf and Jordan (1993) Biochemistry 32, 6165–6170] that alteration of ring stacking with Phe-496 of the adjacent subunit is the mechanism of fluorescence quenching when cofactors bind. The closely related enzyme indolepyruvate decarboxylase (from Enterobacter cloacae) has a leucine residue at the position corresponding to Phe-496 but shows fluorescence quenching properties that are similar to those of PDC. This suggests that the fluorescence quenching is due to some perturbation of the local environment of Trp-487 rather than to a specific interaction with Phe-496. This latter hypothesis is supported by our data: mutation of this phenylalanine to leucine, isoleucine or histidine in PDC does not eliminate the fluorescence quenching upon addition of cofactors.
Site-directed mutagenesis of rat liver S-adenosylmethionine synthetase. Identification of a cysteine residue critical for the oligomeric state
Authors: Mingorance J , Alvarez L , Sánchez-Góngora E , Mato J M , Pajares M A
Published: August 2015

We have examined the functional importance of the cysteine residues of rat liver S-adenosylmethionine synthetase. For this purpose the ten cysteine residues of the molecule were changed to serines by site-directed mutagenesis. Ten recombinant enzyme mutants were obtained by using a bacterial expression system. The same level of expression was obtained for the wild type and mutants, but the ratio of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase between soluble and insoluble fractions differed for some of the mutant forms. The immunoreactivity against an anti-(rat liver S-adenosylmethionine synthetase) antibody was equivalent in all the cases. Effects on S-adenosylmethionine synthetase activities were also measured. Mutants C57S, C69S, C105S and C121S showed decreased relative specific activity of 68, 85, 63 and 29%, respectively, compared with wild-type, whereas C312S resulted in an increase of 1.6-fold. Separation of tetramer and dimer forms for wild type and mutants was carried out by using phenyl-Sepharose columns. The dimer/tetramer ratio was calculated based on the activity and on the protein level estimated by immunoblotting. No monomeric forms of the enzyme were detected in any case. Comparison of dimer/tetramer ratios indicates the importance of cysteine-69 (dimer/tetramer protein ratio of 88 versus 10.2 in the wild type) in maintaining the oligomeric state of rat liver S-adenosylmethionine synthetase. Moreover, all the mutations carried out of cysteine residues between cysteine-35 and cysteine-105 altered the ratio between oligomeric forms.
Chinese hamster fibroblasts overexpressing CuZn-superoxide dismutase undergo a global reduction in antioxidants and an increasing sensitivity of DNA to oxidative damage
Authors: TEIXEIRA Henrique D. , MENEGHINI Rogerio
Published: August 2015

Transfection of a CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression vector into V79 Chinese hamster cells produced clones in which CuZn-SOD activities were 2.2–3.5-fold higher than in the parental cells. An overall moderate reduction of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities and of both GSSG and total glutathione levels was found. In one particular clone the catalase activity was also reduced. The pro-oxidant status established by the lower level of antioxidant defence rendered the SOD-overexpressing cells more sensitive to the production of 8-oxo-2´-deoxyguanosine by hydrogen peroxide. The data are discussed in terms of a model resembling the bacterial sox RS system.
Evidence for a role of conventional protein kinase-Cα in the control of homotypic contacts and cell scattering of HT-29 human intestinal cells
Authors: del Mont LLOSAS Maria , BATLLE Eduard , COLL Olga , SKOUDY Anouchka , FABRE Myriam , de HERREROS Antonio GARCÍA
Published: August 2015

Incubation of HT-29 M6 cells with the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induces cell scattering, loss of cellular contacts and inactivation of E-cadherin. We have investigated the involvement of different protein kinase C (PK-C) isoforms in these processes using specific activators. Thymeleatoxin, a derivative of mezerein that activates conventional PK-Cs (cPK-Cs) but not novel PK-Cs (nPK-Cs), promoted effects that were similar to those of PMA, i.e. at concentrations of 200 nM it induced scattering of HT-29 M6 colonies, loss of homotypic contacts and dissociation of E-cadherin from the cytoskeleton. Among the isoforms activated by this compound, only cPK-Cα was detected in HT-29 M6 cells by Western blot. The specificity of this compound with respect to the rest of the PK-C isoforms present in these cells was determined; thymeleatoxin induced, as did PMA, the translocation of cPK-Cα from the cytosol to the membrane and the cytoskeleton, and its partial down-regulation. On the other hand, thymeleatoxin did not modify the cellular levels or localization of nPK-Cε or atypical PK-Cζ. ‘In vitro’ assays also showed that thymeleatoxin did not activate nPK-Cε at the concentrations added to the cell cultures. These results indicate that thymeleatoxin is selective for cPK-Cα over nPK-Cε and show a role for the former enzyme in the regulation of cell–cell contacts and the inactivation of E-cadherin in HT-29 M6 cells.
Heterologous expression, purification and characterization of rat class theta glutathione transferase T2-2
Authors: JEMTH Per , STENBERG Gun , CHAGA Grigoriy , MANNERVIK Bengt
Published: August 2015

Rat glutathione transferase (GST) T2-2 of class Theta (rGST T2-2), previously known as GST 12-12 and GST Yrs-Yrs, has been heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli XL1-Blue. The corresponding cDNA was isolated from a rat hepatoma cDNA library, ligated into and expressed from the plasmid pKK-D. The sequence is the same as that of the previously reported cDNA of GST Yrs-Yrs. The enzyme was purified using ion-exchange chromatography followed by affinity chromatography with immobilized ferric ions, and the yield was approx. 200 mg from a 1 litre bacterial culture. The availability of a stable recombinant rGST T2-2 has paved the way for a more accurate characterization of the enzyme. The functional properties of the recombinant rGST T2-2 differ significantly from those reported earlier for the enzyme isolated from rat tissues. These differences probably reflect the difficulties in obtaining fully active enzyme from sources where it occurs in relatively low concentrations, which has been the case in previous studies. 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a substrate often used with GSTs of classes Alpha, Mu and Pi, is a substrate also for rGST T2-2, but the specific activity is relatively low. The Km value for glutathione was determined with four different electrophiles and was found to be in the range 0.3 mM–0.8 mM. The Km values for some electrophilic substrates were found to be in the micromolar range, which is low compared with those determined for GSTs of other classes. The highest catalytic efficiency was obtained with menaphthyl sulphate, which gave a kcat/Km value of 2.3×106 s-1·M-1 and a rate enhancement over the uncatalysed reaction of 3×1010.
Discovery that the assembly of the dipyrromethane cofactor of porphobilinogen deaminase holoenzyme proceeds initially by the reaction of preuroporphyrinogen with the apoenzyme
Authors: SHOOLINGIN-JORDAN Peter M. , WARREN Martin J. , AWAN Sarah J.
Published: August 2015

The assembly process of the dipyrromethane cofactor of Escherichia coli porphobilinogen deaminase holoenzyme is initiated by the reaction of the porphobilinogen deaminase apoenzyme with preuroporphyrinogen. The resulting enzyme-bound tetrapyrrole (bilane) is equivalent to the holoenzyme intermediate complex ES2 and yields the dipyrromethane cofactor by reactions of the normal catalytic cycle. These observations indicate that preuroporphyrinogen, rather than porphobilinogen, is the preferred precursor for the dipyrromethane cofactor and explain the existence of the D84A and D84N deaminase mutants as catalytically inactive ES2 complexes.
Interaction of Ash/Grb-2 via its SH3 domains with neuron-specific p150 and p65
Authors: MIURA Kenji , MIKI Hiroaki , SHIMAZAKI Kuniko , KAWAI Nobufumi , TAKENAWA Tadaomi
Published: August 2015

We found that 180 kDa, 150 kDa (p150), 110 kDa, 100 kDa and 65 kDa (p65) proteins comprise the major Ash/Grb-2-binding proteins in bovine brain. Among these proteins, 180 kDa and 100 kDa proteins have already been identified as Sos and dynamin respectively. Here, p150 and p65 were affinity-purified with glutathione S-transferase–Ash fusion protein and their partial amino acid sequences were determined. Analysis showed p150 and p65 to be new proteins. These two proteins bind to both the N-terminal SH3 domain and the C-terminal SH3 domain of Ash. It was found that p150 and p65 are expressed predominantly in brain, although Ash is widely distributed in all tissues examined by Western blots. Immunohistochemical staining of rat brain showed p150 and p65 to be localized in a variety of neurons in the cerebellum and hippocampus, with p65 being especially concentrated in the nerve terminal. When the Ash-binding-motif peptide of the epidermal growth factor receptor was used to detect complexes formed with Ash in vivo, 180 kDa, 150 kDa, 110 kDa, 100 kDa and 65 kDa proteins were also bound; this shows that these proteins form complexes with Ash in brain. In addition, p150 and p65 co-immunoprecipitated with Ash. All these results suggest that Ash may function as a regulator of synaptic vesicle transport through dynamin, p150 and p65.
A role of asialoglycoproteins for plasma-membrane-induced inhibition of the switching from α1 to β subtypes in adrenergic response during primary culture of rat hepatocytes
Authors: KAJIYAMA Yasuo , SANAI Yutaka , UI Michio
Published: August 2015

Adrenergic responses of rat hepatocytes were studied by measuring Ins(1,4,5)P3 (for the response via α1-subtype receptors) and cAMP (for β-subtype response) generation during brief incubation of cells with respective agonists. Hepatocytes from young rats with an age of 1 week displayed a very high β response without a significant α1 response. The β response decreased and the α1 response increased progressively as the age increased; the response was almost exclusively via α1 receptors in hepatocytes of adult rats 9 weeks or more old. The β response developed, again at the expense of the α1 response, in hepatocytes from adult rats during the primary culture at low cell densities [(1–2.5)×104 cells/cm2]. Such ‘α1 to β subtype switching’ of adrenergic responses in vitro was totally inhibited by adding plasma membranes prepared from adult rat liver into the low-cell-density culture, but not inhibited at all by membranes from young rat liver. The inhibitory effect of adult rat liver membranes was lost when the membranes had been exposed to endoglycosidase F or β-galactosidase but was not affected by prior treatment with sialidase. On the contrary, young rat liver membranes became inhibitory to ‘α1 to β subtype switching’ after prior treatment with sialidase. Thus glycoproteins with unsialylated galactosyl termini on the surface of adult rat hepatocytes are likely to function as a determinant of the relative development of α1/β subtypes of adrenergic responses; the β response is predominant in hepatocytes in the juvenile, presumably as a result of sialylation of the galactosyl termini of the functional glycoproteins.
Purification and characterization of an extracellular (1 → 6)-β-glucanase from the filamentous fungus Acremonium persicinum
Authors: PITSON Stuart M. , SEVIOUR Robert J. , McDOUGALL Barbara M. , STONE Bruce A. , SADEK Maruse
Published: August 2015

An endo-(1 → 6)-β-glucanase has been isolated from the culture filtrates of the filamentous fungus Acremonium persicinum and purified by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation followed by anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. SDS/PAGE of the purified enzyme gave a single band with an apparent molecular mass of 42.7 kDa. The enzyme is a non-glycosylated, monomeric protein with a pI of 4.9 and pH optimum of 5.0. It hydrolysed (1 → 6)-β-glucans (pustulan and lutean), initially yielding a series of (1 → 6)-β-linked oligoglucosides, consistent with endo-hydrolytic action. Final hydrolysis products from these substrates were gentiobiose and gentiotriose, with all products released as β-anomers, indicating that the enzyme acts with retention of configuration. The purified enzyme also hydrolysed Eisenia bicyclis laminarin, liberating glucose, gentiobiose, and a range of larger oligoglucosides, through the apparent hydrolysis of (1 → 6)-β- and some (1 → 3)-β-linkages in this substrate. Km values for pustulan, lutean and laminarin were 1.28, 1.38, and 1.67 mg/ml respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by N-acetylimidazole, N-bromosuccinimide, dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide, Woodward's Regent K, 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide, KMnO4 and some metal ions, whereas D-glucono-1,5-lactone and EDTA had no effect.
Overexpression of human glucocerebrosidase containing different-sized leaders
Authors: PASMANIK-CHOR Metsada , ELROY-STEIN Orna , AERTS Hans , AGMON Vered , GATT Shimon , HOROWITZ Mia
Published: August 2015

Gaucher disease results from impaired activity of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase. Aiming at overexpressing the human glucocerebrosidase and testing the efficiency of the two in-frame ATGs of its gene in directing synthesis of an active enzyme, it was coupled to the T7 RNA polymerase promoter in a vaccinia virus-derived expression vector (pTM-1). cDNAs containing either one or both ATGs of the glucocerebrosidase mRNA were linked to the T7 polymerase promoter. Recombinant viruses were produced and used for infecting human cells in tissue culture. The results demonstrated that both ATGs directed translation of active glucocerebrosidase, resulting in a 10-fold increase in enzymic activity. Most of the protein remained sensitive to endoglycosidase H. The active enzyme represented a small fraction of the expressed glucocerebrosidase. The recombinant enzyme had the same Km and optimal pH towards the artificial substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl glucopyranoside as the authentic endogenous human enzyme. Measurements of intracellular enzymic activity directed by the cDNAs with either one or both ATGs in cells loaded with a fluorescent glucosylceramide demonstrated a 30% increase in activity directed by the cDNAs containing the first ATG over that containing the second ATG. This indicates that the protein synthesized from the first ATG, with a 38 amino acid leader, is translocated through the endoplasmic reticulum more readily than its counterpart directed by the second ATG, with a 19 amino acid leader. The elevation in glucocerebrosidase activity and the reproducibility of the data leads us to propose the use of the vaccinia virus-derived expression system as a tool for studying glucocerebrosidase mutants in Gaucher disease.
Phosphatidylserine-mediated adhesion of T-cells to endothelial cells
Authors: QU Jiamin , CONROY Louise A. , WALKER John H. , WOODING F. B. Peter , LUCY Jack A.
Published: August 2015

Phosphatidylserine was exposed on the surface of human umbilical endothelial cells (ECV304) a few minutes after adding thrombin in vitro, as monitored by prothrombinase assays with and without annexin V. Jurkat T cells adhered to the thrombin-treated cells. The adhesion was inhibited by annexin V, indicating that it was mediated by exposed phosphatidylserine on the endothelial cells.
Magnetic and optical properties of copper-substituted alcohol dehydrogenase: a bisthiolate copper (II) complex
Authors: FARRAR Jacqueline A. , FORMICKA Grazyna , ZEPPEZAUER Michael , THOMSON Andrew J.
Published: August 2015

Replacement of the catalytic Zn(II) in horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) with copper produces a mononuclear Cu(II) chromophore with a ligand set consisting of two cysteine sulphurs, one histidine nitrogen plus one further atom. The fourth ligand to the metal ion and the conformation of the protein may be altered by addition of exogenous ligands and/or the cofactor NADH. Absorbance, CD, low-temperature magnetic CD (MCD) and EPR spectra are presented of copper-substituted HLADH samples in both ‘open’ and ‘closed’ conformations and in the presence and absence of the exogenous ligands pyrazole and DMSO. The EPR spectra indicate a strong, predominantly axial field about the copper(II) ion with high copper–thiol (cysteine) covalence. The optical and MCD spectra are interpreted in terms of four d-d transitions to low energy, also reflecting the axial ligand field, and four charge-transfer transitions to copper(II) between 30000 and 16000 cm-1 arising from the two cysteine sulphur atoms which give two pairs of oppositely signed MCD C-terms. These transitions are polarized mainly in the axial plane defined by Cys-46, Cys-174 and His-67. The binary complex formed with pyrazole displays quite different EPR and optical spectra which can be understood in terms of a rotation of the copper hole-orbital away from the axial plane thus decreasing sharply the copper–thiol covalence. The magneto-optical spectra in the presence and absence of DMSO are indistinguishable.
Evidence that residues exposed on the three-fold channels have active roles in the mechanism of ferritin iron incorporation
Authors: LEVI Sonia , SANTAMBROGIO Paolo , CORSI Barbara , COZZI Anna , AROSIO Paolo
Published: August 2015

Iron is thought to enter the ferritin cavity via the three-fold channel, which is lined in its narrowest part by the residues Asp-131 and Glu-134. We describe here variants of human ferritins with active and inactive ferroxidase centres having Asp-131 and Glu-134 substituted with Ala and Ala or with Ile and Phe respectively. The two types of substitution had similar effects on ferritin functionality: (i) they decreased the amount of iron incorporated from Fe(II) solutions and decreased ferroxidase activity by about 50%; (ii) they inhibited iron incorporation from Fe(III) citrate in the presence of ascorbate; (iii) they resulted in loss of Fe and Tb binding sites; and (iv) they resulted in a marked decrease in the inhibition of iron oxidation by Tb (but not by Zn). In addition, it was found that substitution with Ala of Cys-130 and His-118, both of which face the three-fold channel, decreased the capacity of H-ferritin to bind terbium and to incorporate iron from Fe(III) citrate in the presence of ascorbate. The results indicate that: (i) the three-fold channels are the major sites of iron transfer into the cavity of H- and L-ferritins; (ii) at least two metal binding sites are located on the channels which play an active role in capturing and transferring iron into the cavity; and (iii) the permeability of the channel is apparently not affected by the hydrophilicity of its narrowest part. In addition, it is proposed that iron incorporation from Fe(III) citrate complexes in the presence of ascorbate is a reliable, and possibly more physiological, approach to the study of ferritin functionality.
Synthesis of non-hydroxy-galactosylceramides and galactosyldiglycerides by hydroxy-ceramide galactosyltransferase
Authors: van der BIJL Petra , STROUS Ger J. , LOPES-CARDOZO Matthijs , THOMAS-OATES Jane , van MEER Gerrit
Published: August 2015

Galactosylceramide (GalCer) is the major glycolipid in brain. In order to characterize the activity of brain UDPgalactose: ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGalT), it has been stably expressed in CGalT-negative Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. After fractionation of transfected cells, CHO-CGT, on sucrose gradients, the activity resides at the density of endoplasmic reticulum and not of Golgi. A lipid chromatogram from CHO-CGT cells revealed two new iodine-staining spots identified as GalCer, since they comigrate with GalCer standards, can be metabolically labelled with [3H]galactose, are recognized by anti-GalCer antibodies, and are resistant to alkaline hydrolysis. A third [3H]galactose lipid was identified as galactosyldiglyceride. In the homogenate CGalT displays a 25-fold preference for hydroxy fatty acid-containing ceramides. Remarkably, endogenous GalCer of transfected cells contains exclusively non-hydroxy fatty acids: fast atom bombardment and collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometric analysis revealed mainly C16:0 in the lower GalCer band on TLC and mainly C22:0 and C24:0 in the upper band. Our results suggest that CGalT galactosylates both hydroxy- and non-hydroxy fatty acid-containing ceramides and diglycerides, depending on their local availability. Thus, CGalT alone may be responsible for the synthesis of hydroxy- and non-hydroxy-GalCer, and galactosyldiglyceride in myelin.
Molecular characterization of quail apolipoprotein very-low-density lipoprotein II: disulphide-bond-mediated dimerization is not essential for inhibition of lipoprotein lipase
Authors: MacLACHLAN Ian , STEYRER Ernst , HERMETTER Albin , NIMPF Johannes , SCHNEIDER Wolfgang J.
Published: August 2015

As part of the avian reproductive effort, large quantities of triglyceride-rich very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles are transported by receptor-mediated endocytosis into the female germ cells. Although the oocytes are surrounded by a layer of granulosa cells harbouring high levels of active lipoprotein lipase, non-lipolysed VLDL is transported into the yolk. This is because VLDL particles from laying chickens are protected from lipolysis by apolipoprotein (apo)-VLDL-II, a potent dimeric lipoprotein lipase inhibitor [Schneider, Carroll, Severson and Nimpf (1990) J. Lipid Res. 31, 507–513]. To determine whether this protection depends on dimer formation and constitutes a general mechanism to ensure high levels of yolk triglycerides for embryonic utilization in birds, we have now molecularly characterized apo-VLDL-II in the Japanese quail, a frequently used avian species. Quail apo-VLDL-II shows 72% amino acid identity with the chicken protein, with most replacements being in the C-terminal region. Importantly, quail apo-VLDL-II lacks the single cysteine residue present eight residues from the C-terminus of chicken apo-VLDL-II, which is responsible for dimerization of the chicken lipoprotein lipase inhibitor. Nevertheless, monomeric quail and dimeric chicken apo-VLDL-II display, on a molar basis, identical inhibitory effects on lipoprotein lipase, underscoring the biological importance of their function. Furthermore secondary structure prediction of the 3´-untranslated region of the quail message supports a role for loop structures in the strictly oestrogen-dependent production of the lipoprotein lipase inhibitors. Our findings shed new light on the essential role of this small, hormonally regulated, protein in avian reproduction.
pH-dependent hysteretic behaviour of human myeloblastin (leucocyte proteinase 3)
Authors: BAICI Antonio , SZEDLACSEK Stefan E. , FRÜH Hans , MICHEL Beat A.
Published: August 2015

Human myeloblastin (leucocyte proteinase 3) showed a very slow approach to the steady-state velocity when the pH was rapidly increased from 3.2 to 7.0. The kinetic mechanism of this hysteretic process was interpreted as a slow conformational change of myeloblastin from an inactive form at acidic pH to the active form at neutral pH. The transition between the two enzyme forms could occur spontaneously in the absence of substrates with a first-order rate constant of 0.0033 s-1. In the presence of peptide substrates activation occurred more rapidly: the observed rate constant was linearly dependent upon the substrate concentration and contained a contribution of the spontaneous as well as of the substrate-dependent process, whose second-order rate constant was characteristic of the particular substrate. This pH-dependent phenomenon of hysteresis on the part of myeloblastin, that is not manifested by the closely related leucocyte elastase, may have a physiological control function during phagocytosis by damping the rate of interconversion between enzymically inactive and active enzyme conformations.
The role of lipoprotein lipase and apoprotein E in the recognition of chylomicrons and chylomicron remnants by cultured isolated mouse hepatocytes
Authors: CHANG Suyi , MAEDA Nobuyo , BORENSZTAJN Jayme
Published: August 2015

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) has been proposed to play a role in the uptake of chylomicron remnants by hepatocytes by mediating the binding of these lipoproteins to cell-surface glycosaminoglycans and to the low-density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP). This proposal is based on studies that examined the binding of chylomicrons to HepG2 cells, fibroblasts and Chinese hamster ovary cells in culture, in the presence of large amounts of LPL [Beisiegel (1995) Curr. Opin. Lipidol. 6, 117–122]. We have investigated whether LPL attached to the surface of chylomicrons enhances the binding and uptake of these lipoproteins to isolated hepatocytes maintained in culture. Bovine milk LPL was bound to mouse chylomicrons, double-labelled in vivo with [3H]retinol (in retinyl esters) and with [14C]palmitic acid (in triacylglycerols), collected from the mesenteric lymph of normal mice and from mice lacking the apoprotein E (apo E) gene. Normal chylomicrons (containing apo E) and apo E-free chylomicrons, with or without bound LPL, were incubated with cultured hepatocytes isolated from mice lacking the apo E gene. At 0 °C LPL did not enhance the binding of the normal or apo E-free chylomicrons by the hepatocytes. When incubations were performed at 37 °C the triacylglycerols of normal and apo E-free chylomicrons were hydrolysed by LPL and there was a significant uptake of [14C]fatty acids and [3H]retinol by the hepatocytes. The addition of heparin or lactoferrin, a known inhibitor of hepatic uptake of chylomicron remnants, to the incubation medium inhibited the uptake of [3H]retinol, present in the lipoprotein core, but not the uptake of the [14C]fatty acids. We conclude that: (1) LPL attached to chylomicrons in amounts sufficient to effectively hydrolyse their core triacylglycerols does not enhance the binding of these lipoproteins to the surface of isolated hepatocytes; (2) the recognition and uptake of chylomicrons by hepatocytes requires that these lipoproteins be first hydrolysed by LPL; and (3) the uptake of lipolysed chylomicrons (remnants) by hepatocytes does not require the mediation of apo E.
Involvement of an arginyl residue in the nucleotide-binding site of Ca2+-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum as seen by reaction with phenylglyoxal
Authors: CORBALÁN-GARCÍA Senena , TERUEL José A. , GÓMEZ-FERNÁNDEZ Juan C.
Published: August 2015

1. Chemical modification of the Ca2+-ATPase with phenylglyoxal, as a modifier of arginine residues, leads to an almost total loss of the ATPase activity. The presence of nucleotides in the reaction medium protects against the binding of 18 nmol of phenylglyoxal/mg of protein and this reduction in the binding of phenylglyoxal is accompanied by a substantial retention of ATPase activity. The incorporation of phenylglyoxal to the protein alters neither calcium binding nor phosphorylation from inorganic phosphate. Nevertheless the binding of nucleotides is dramatically inhibited and, consequently, so is phosphorylation from ATP. Fluorescein 5´-isothiocyanate labelling of the phenylglyoxal-modified ATPase is not affected but, on the other hand, phenylglyoxal is not able to modify the fluorescein 5´-isothiocyanate-prelabelled ATPase. The way in which ATPase inhibition depends on the presence of phenylglyoxal indicates that this process occurs in a pseudo-first-order reaction. However, the dependence of the apparent first-order rate constant on phenylglyoxal concentration appears to be more complex and an inhibition mechanism of two steps, with phenylglyoxal binding, has to be taken into account. 2. We have found that phenylglyoxal labels both A and B tryptic fragments, but only B fragment labelling is prevented by ATP. The sequencing of peptides from mild acid hydrolysis of phenylglyoxal-labelled ATPase shows that phenylglyoxal is located in the Ala506–Gly595 peptide that is a part of the B fragment. 3. We conclude that phenylglyoxal inactivates the calcium pump in a two-step mechanism in which the second step is irreversible. Phenylglyoxal labels an arginyl residue in the Ala506–Gly595 peptide that can be protected by the binding of ATP to its site.
Growth-condition-dependent regulation of insulin-like growth factor II mRNA stability
Authors: SCHEPER Wiep , HOLTHUIZEN Elly , SUSSENBACH John S P.
Published: August 2015

Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) is synthesized in many tissues, but the main site of production is the liver. In this paper we show that IGF-II mRNA levels are dependent on the growth conditions of the cells. In Hep3B cells, serum deprivation leads to a marked increase in IGF-II mRNA levels. Serum stimulation of starved Hep3B cells induces a decrease in the amount of IGF-II mRNA, which is not caused by a change in promoter activity. IGF-II mRNAs are subject to endonucleolytic cleavage, a process that requires two widely separated elements in the 3´ untranslated region of the mRNA. Specific regions of these elements can form a stable stem structure which is involved in the formation of RNA–protein complexes. By employing electrophoretic mobility shift assays, two complexes have been identified in cytoplasmic extracts of Hep3B cells. The formation of these complexes is related to the growth conditions of the cells and is correlated with the regulation of IGF-II mRNA levels. Our data suggest that, depending on whether serum is present or absent, a transition from one complex to the other occurs. A decrease in the IGF-II mRNA level is also observed when IGF-I or IGF-II is added to serum-deprived Hep3B cells, possibly providing a feedback mechanism for IGF-II production. The serum-induced degradation of IGF-II mRNAs does not require de novo protein synthesis, and is abolished by rapamycin, an inhibitor of p70 S6 kinase.
ATP synthase from bovine heart mitochondria: reconstitution into unilamellar phospholipid vesicles of the pure enzyme in a functional state
Authors: GROTH Georg , WALKER John E.
Published: August 2015

A highly purified and monodisperse preparation of proton-translocating F1Fo-ATPase from bovine heart mitochondria is an assembly of 16 unlike polypeptides. This preparation has been reconstituted in the presence of various detergents into unilamellar phospholipid vesicles. Incorporation of the enzyme into vesicles increases the ATP hydrolase activity of the enzyme by 10–20-fold, depending on the detergent, and the highest activities of ATP hydrolysis, 70 units/mg, were obtained by reconstitution from dodecylmaltoside or CHAPS. This activity is mostly sensitive to inhibitors that act on the Fo membrane sector of the complex. From the quenching of the pH-sensitive probe, 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine, it was shown that the reconstituted enzyme was able to form a transmembrane proton gradient in an ATP-dependent manner. By co-reconstitution of the enzyme with bacteriorhodopsin, it was demonstrated that in the presence of a light-induced proton gradient the enzyme can synthesize ATP from ADP and phosphate. Therefore, the characteristic biological functions of the F1Fo-ATPase in mitochondria have been demonstrated with the purified enzyme. Thus, in terms of both its physical and biochemical properties, the purified enzyme fulfils important pre-requisites for formation of two- and three-dimensional crystals.
Characterization of a novel methanol dehydrogenase containing a Ba2+ ion at the active site
Authors: GOODWIN Matthew G , ANTHONY Christopher
Published: August 2015

The quinoprotein methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) contains a Ca2+ ion at the active site. Ca2+-free enzyme (from a processing mutant) was used to obtain enzyme containing Sr2+ or Ba2+, the Ba2+-MDH being the first enzyme to be described in which a Ba2+ ion functions at the active site. The activation energy for oxidation of methanol by Ba2+-MDH is less than half that of the reaction catalysed by Ca2+-MDH (a difference of 21.4 kJ/mol), and the Vmax value is 2-fold higher. The affinities of Ba2+-MDH for substrate and activator are very much less than those of Ca2+-MDH; the Km for methanol is 3.5 mM (compared with 3 µM) and the KA for ammonia is 52 mM (compared with 2 mM). The different activity of Ba2+-MDH is probably due to a change in the conformation of the active site, leading to a decrease in the free energy of substrate binding and hence a decrease in activation energy. The kinetic model for Ba2+-MDH with respect to substrate and activator is consistent with previous models for Ca2+-MDH. The pronounced deuterium isotope effect (6.0–7.6) is influenced by ammonia, and is consistent with activation of the pyrroloquinoline quinone reduction step by ammonia. Because of its low affinity for substrates, it is possible to prepare the oxidized form of Ba2+-MDH. No spectral intermediates could be detected during reduction by added substrate, and so it is not possible to distinguish between those mechanisms involving covalent substrate addition and those involving only hydride transfer.
Histidine residues in rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 2B4 control electron transfer from NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome b5
Authors: HLAVICA Peter , LEHNERER Michael , EULITZ Manfred
Published: August 2015

Treatment of cytochrome P-450 2B4 (P-450 2B4) with diethylpyrocarbonate to introduce 10–11 equivalents of acylating agent per polypeptide chain resulted in the selective derivatization of histidine residues characterized by differential susceptibility toward the modifier. Second-derivative spectral analysis as well as fluorescence measurements disproved gross alterations in P-450 2B4 structure as a consequence of labelling. The modified haemoprotein retained its ability to bind hexobarbital and catalyse cumene hydroperoxide-sustained N-demethylation of the barbiturate. However, there was a steady attenuation of NAD(P)H-driven electron flux with increasing extent of P-450 2B4 carbethoxylation in reconstituted systems fortified with either NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase or NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase/cytochrome b5 as the redox partners, with 50% inhibition occurring when 6–7 histidines were blocked. Hampered P-450 2B4 reductase activities recovered to differing degrees upon treatment of the acylated mono-oxygenase with neutral hydroxylamine. Spectral data indicated that docking of the redox components to derivatized P-450 2B4 was not perturbed, so that disruption of the electron flows most likely resulted from some injury of the electron-transfer mechanisms.
cDNA cloning of rat pS2 peptide and expression of trefoil peptides in acetic acid-induced colitis
Authors: ITOH Hiroshi , TOMITA Masaki , UCHINO Hirofumi , KOBAYASHI Takahiko , KATAOKA Hiroaki , SEKIYA Ryo , NAWA Yukifumi
Published: August 2015

By using a combination of the methods of reverse transcription-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends, a cDNA for rat pS2 peptide (rpS2) was successfully cloned and sequenced from rat stomach. By RNA blot analysis, the gene was shown to be expressed abundantly in the stomach and only faintly in the duodenum, but not in other tissues including the distal small and large intestines. rpS2 expression was also examined in the rectum during the course of acetic acid-induced colitis; rpS2 mRNA was detected during the acute phase of colitis but not in normal controls or during the recovery phase. On the other hand, expression of rat intestinal trefoil factor (rITF) was down-regulated during the acute phase of colitis and then up-regulated during the recovery phase, whereas rat spasmolytic peptide was not detectable throughout the course of the induced colitis. These results indicate that the patterns and timing of the expression of these trefoil peptides are different from each other. rpS2 may play an important role in the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells during the acute phase of mucosal ulceration, whereas rITF may be involved in differentiation of the cells, particularly to form goblet cells, during the recovery phase.
Localization and targeting of isocitrate lyases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: TAYLOR Kathryn M , KAPLAN Claude P , GAO Xiaoping , BAKER Alison
Published: August 2015

Native isocitrate lyase from castor bean and a C-terminally truncated variant were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under the control of a galactose-inducible promoter. Both forms of isocitrate lyase were targeted to the yeast peroxisomes. They co-fractionated with catalase on sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation of a post-nuclear supernatant prepared from cells grown on oleic acid plus galactose, but were found in the cytosolic fractions when the cells were grown under conditions that repress peroxisome formation. The endogenous S. cerevisiae isocitrate lyase was found solely in the cytoplasmic fractions, even under growth conditions that induce peroxisome proliferation. This result shows that the presence of isocitrate lyase in peroxisomes is not essential for a functional glyoxylate cycle. Although the heterologous enzyme was transported to peroxisomes it was not enzymically active. Immunocytochemical studies provide independent evidence that the plant enzyme is imported into the matrix of yeast peroxisomes.