bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylation by protein kinase C decreases catalytic activity of avian phospholipase C-β
Authors: FILTZ Theresa M. , CUNNINGHAM Michelle L. , STANIG Kara J. , PATERSON Andrew , HARDEN T. Kendall 
Published: August 2015

The potential role of protein kinase C (PKC)-promoted phosphorylation has been examined in the G-protein-regulated inositol lipid signalling pathway. Incubation of [32P]Pi-labelled turkey erythrocytes with either the P2Y1 receptor agonist 2-methylthioadenosine triphosphate (2MeSATP) or with PMA resulted in a marked increase in incorporation of 32P into the G-protein-activated phospholipase C PLC-βT. Purified PLC-βT also was phosphorylated by PKC in vitro to a stoichiometry (mean±S.E.M.) of 1.06±0.2 mol of phosphate/mol of PLC-βT. Phosphorylation by PKC was isoenzyme-specific because, under identical conditions, mammalian PLC-β2 also was phosphorylated to a stoichiometry near unity, whereas mammalian PLC-β1 was not phosphorylated by PKC. The effects of PKC-promoted phosphorylation on enzyme activity were assessed by reconstituting purified PLC-βT with turkey erythrocyte membranes devoid of endogenous PLC activity. Phosphorylation resulted in a decrease in basal activity, AlF4--stimulated activity, and activity stimulated by 2MeSATP plus guanosine 5´-[γ-thio]triphosphate in the reconstituted membranes. The decreases in enzyme activities were proportional to the extent of PKC-promoted phosphorylation. Catalytic activity assessed by using mixed detergent/phospholipid micelles also was decreased by up to 60% by phosphorylation. The effect of phosphorylation on Gqα-stimulated PLC-βT in reconstitution experiments with purified proteins was not greater than that observed on basal activity alone. Taken together, these results illustrate that PKC phosphorylates PLC-βT in vivo and to a physiologically relevant stoichiometry in vitro. Phosphorylation is accompanied by a concomitant loss of enzyme activity, reflected as a decrease in overall catalytic activity rather than as a specific modification of G-protein-regulated activity.
Calorimetric studies on the stability of the ribosome-inactivating protein abrin II: effects of pH and ligand binding
Authors: KRUPAKAR Jayarapu , SWAMINATHAN Chittoor P. , DAS Puspendu K. , SUROLIA Avadhesha , PODDER Sunil K. 
Published: August 2015

The effects of pH and ligand binding on the stability of abrin II, a heterodimeric ribosome-inactivating protein, and its subunits have been studied using high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry. At pH 7.2, the calorimetric scan consists of two transitions, which correspond to the B-subunit [transition temperature (Tm) 319.2 K] and the A-subunit (Tm 324.6 K) of abrin II, as also confirmed by studies on the isolated A-subunit. The calorimetric enthalpy of the isolated A-subunit of abrin II is similar to that of the higher-temperature transition. However, its Tm is 2.4 K lower than that of the higher-temperature peak of intact abrin II. This indicates that there is some interaction between the two subunits. Abrin II displays increased stability as the pH is decreased to 4.5. Lactose increases the Tm values as well as the enthalpies of both transitions. This effect is more pronounced at pH 7.2 than at pH 4.5. This suggests that ligand binding stabilizes the native conformation of abrin II. Analysis of the B-subunit transition temperature as a function of lactose concentration suggests that two lactose molecules bind to one molecule of abrin II at pH 7.2. The presence of two binding sites for lactose on the abrin II molecule is also indicated by isothermal titration calorimetry. Plotting ΔHm (the molar transition enthalpy at Tm) against Tm yielded values for ΔCp (change in excess heat capacity) of 27±2 kJ·mol-1·K-1 for the B-subunit and 20±1 kJ·mol-1·K-1 for the A-subunit. These values have been used to calculate the thermal stability of abrin II and to surmise the mechanism of its transmembrane translocation.
Efficient binding of regulated secretory protein aggregates to membrane phospholipids at acidic pH
Authors: LAINÉ Jean , LeBEL Denis 
Published: August 2015

Some regulated secretory proteins are thought to be targeted to secretory granules through an acidic-dependent aggregation in the trans-Golgi network. In this report we use pancreatic zymogens, a paradigm of regulated proteins, to test this hypothesis, because they qualitatively aggregate upon acidification in vitro. Pig zymogens were found to start to aggregate significantly at pH ∼ 6.0, a pH slightly lower than that at which rat zymogens aggregate, but still compatible with the pH of the cell-sorting compartments. When pig zymogen granule membranes were mixed with the zymogens in the aggregation assay, membranes that normally floated on 1 M sucrose were observed to be pelleted by the aggregating zymogens. Rat membranes were pelleted by pig zymogens and vice versa. Igs, typical constitutively secreted proteins, which needed chemical cross-linking to serve as an aggregated protein control, pelleted membranes almost independently of pH. Corresponding cross-linked zymogen-binding ability and pH dependence was unaffected by the chemical modification. Membranes treated with sodium carbonate, pH 11, or with protease K, were still pelleted by zymogens, suggesting that the aggregated zymogens bound to membrane lipids. This hypothesis was confirmed by the efficient pelleting of unilamellar vesicles composed of granule membrane lipids. Vesicles composed of single classes of phospholipids were also pelleted, but with various efficacies. We conclude that pancreatic zymogen aggregates, formed under the acidic conditions of the secretory pathway sorting compartments, have the capacity to bind firmly to membranes through their phospholipid constituents.
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein D0B is a sequence-specificDNA-binding protein
Authors: TOLNAY Mate , VERESHCHAGINA Lyudmila A. , TSOKOS George C. 
Published: August 2015

Complement receptor 2 (CR2) is important in the regulation of the B lymphocyte response; the regulation of its expression is therefore of central importance. We recently reported that a 42 kDa heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) is involved in the transcriptional regulation of the human CR2 gene [Tolnay, Lambris and Tsokos (1997) J. Immunol. 159, 5492–5501]. We cloned the cDNA encoding this protein and found it to be identical with hnRNP D0B, a sequence-specific RNA-binding protein. By using a set of mutated oligonucleotides, we demonstrated that the recombinant hnRNP D0B displays sequence specificity for double-stranded oligonucleotide defined by the CR2 promoter. We conducted electrophoretic mobility-shift assays to estimate the apparent Kd of hnRNP D0B for the double-stranded DNA motif and found it to be 59 nM. Interestingly, hnRNP D0B displayed affinities of 28 and 18 nM for the sense and anti-sense strands of the CR2 promoter-defined oligonucleotide respectively. The significantly greater binding affinity of hnRNP D0B for single-stranded DNA than for double-stranded DNA suggests that the protein might melt the double helix. The intranuclear concentration of sequence-specific protein was estimated to be 250–400 nM, indicating that the protein binds to the CR2 promoter in vivo. Co-precipitation of a complex formed in vivo between hnRNP D0B and the TATA-binding protein demonstrates that hnRNP D0B interacts with the basal transcription apparatus. Our results suggest a new physiological role for hnRNP D0B that involves binding to double- and single-stranded DNA sequences in a specific manner and functioning as a transcription factor.
Cloning and functional characterization of the 5′-flanking region of the human bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene
Authors: SUGIURA Takeyuki 
Published: August 2015

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is involved in bone formation, organogenesis or pattern formation during development. The expression of BMP-2 is regulated accurately and coordinately with that of other transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily members. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of BMP-2 expression, a 6.7 kb SpeI–SalI fragment, from the P1 phage library, encompassing the 5´-flanking region of the human BMP-2 gene, was isolated and sequenced. Transcription start sites were mapped by the 5´-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. It has been found that the human BMP-2 gene contains, largely, two promoter regions surrounded by GC-rich sequences with several Sp1 consensus motifs. The proximal promoter possesses a single start site, whereas several start sites are clustered in the distal promoter region. Neither TATA nor CAAT consensus sequences are found in the proximity of the start sites for either promoter. Interestingly, in no case is the transcription-initiation site common between the human and mouse BMP-2 genes, although the sequence of the BMP-2 gene is well conserved in the promoter region between two species. Transient transfection experiments with the reporter fused with various lengths of the BMP-2 promoter sequence demonstrated that there exist enhancer elements in an 1.1 kb GC-rich fragment covering both promoter regions. It is noteworthy that the enhancer elements are 5´-flanked by a 790 bp strong repressor element that is characterized by numerous AT stretches. This intriguing organization may be amenable to the tight control of the expression of BMP-2 that is essential for development or bone morphogenesis.
Hyperoxia induces the neuronal differentiated phenotype of PC12 cells via a sustained activity of mitogen-activated protein kinase induced by Bcl-2
Authors: KATOH Shinsuke , MITSUI Youji , KITANI Kenichi , SUZUKI Takahiko 
Published: August 2015

We previously reported that rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells express the neuronal differentiated phenotype under hyperoxia through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we found that in this phenotype, Bcl-2, an apoptosis inhibitor, affects mitogen-activated protein (MAP)-kinase activity, which is known as a key enzyme of the signal-transduction cascade for differentiation. When PC12 cells were cultured under hyperoxia, a rapid increase in MAP-kinase activity, including that of both p42 and p44, was observed. Although the activity level then decreased quickly, activity higher than the control level was observed for 48 h. PD98059, an inhibitor of MAP kinase, suppressed the hyperoxia-induced neurite extensions, suggesting the involvement of MAP-kinase activity in the mechanism of differentiation induced by ROS. An elevation of Bcl-2 expression was observed after culturing PC12 cells for 24 h under hyperoxia. This Bcl-2 elevation was not affected by treatment with PD98059, suggesting that it did not directly induce neurite extension under hyperoxia. However, the blockade of the Bcl-2 elevation by an antisense oligonucleotide inhibited the sustained MAP-kinase activity and neurite extensions under hyperoxia. Further, in PC12 cells highly expressing Bcl-2, the sustained MAP-kinase activity and neurite extensions under hyperoxia were enhanced. These results suggested that MAP kinase is activated through the production of ROS, and the subsequent elevation of Bcl-2 expression sustains the MAP-kinase activity, resulting in the induction of the neuronal-differentiation phenotype of PC12 cells under hyperoxia.
Identification and characterization of a recombinant metallothionein protein from a marine alga, Fucus vesiculosus
Authors: MORRIS Ceri A. , NICOLAUS Beate , SAMPSON Viola , HARWOOD John L. , KILLE Peter 
Published: August 2015

A cDNA library was constructed from macroalgae adapted to prolonged elevated environmental copper levels. To investigate the possible existence of a metallothionein (MT) gene, the library was screened with degenerate probes designed using plant MT cysteine-rich motifs. A gene was identified (1229 bp) with a putative open reading frame (204 bp) encoding a 67-amino-acid protein exhibiting several characteristic features of MT proteins, including 16 cysteine residues (24%) and only one aromatic residue. Although the protein sequence showed high identity with plant and invertebrate MTs, it contained a unique ‘linker ’ region (14 amino acid residues) between the two putative metal-binding domains which contained no cysteine residues. This extended linker is larger than the tripeptide found in archetypal vertebrate MTs, but does not conform either with the 40-amino-acid linkers commonly found in plant MT sequences. An S-peptide Fucus MT fusion protein expressed in Escherichia coli exhibited a relative molecular mass of ∼ 14 kDa. The recombinant fusion bound seven Cd ions, of which 50% were dissociated at pH 4.1. Under anaerobic conditions, the Cd ions were displaced by Cu(I), which associated with the protein at a ratio of 13:1. Laboratory exposure of F. vesiculosus to elevated copper resulted in induction of the MT gene. Thus this paper describes, for the first time, an MT gene identified from macroalgae which is induced by copper exposure and whose encoded protein product binds cadmium and copper.
UV-A-induced decrease in nuclear factor-κB activity in human keratinocytes
Authors: DJAVAHERI-MERGNY Mojgan , GRAS Marie-Pierre , MERGNY Jean-Louis , DUBERTRET Louis 
Published: August 2015

Previous reports have demonstrated an increase in nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity in response to UV radiation. These studies have essentially focused on the DNA-damaging fraction of solar UV radiation (UV-B and UV-C). In contrast, the effects of UV-A radiation (320–400 nm) on NF-κB are not well known. In this study, we present evidence that UV-A radiation induces a marked decrease in NF-κB DNA-binding activity in NCTC 2544 human keratinocytes. In addition, NCTC 2544 keratinocytes pretreated with UV-A fail to respond to NF-κB inducers. Moreover, UV-A radiation induces a decrease in NF-κB-driven luciferase reporter gene expression in NCTC 2544 keratinocytes. The expression of the gene encoding IκBα (IκB is the NF-κB inhibitor), which is closely associated with NF-κB activity, is also reduced (3-fold) upon UV-A treatment. Our results indicate that the UV-A-induced decrease in NF-κB DNA-binding activity is associated with a decrease in the levels of the p50 and p65 protein subunits. This is the first evidence that an oxidative stress, such as UV-A radiation, may induce a specific decrease in NF-κB activity in mammalian cells, probably through degradation of NF-κB protein subunits. These findings suggest that UV-A could modulate the NF-κB-dependent gene expression.
Phospholipid hydroperoxide cysteine peroxidase activity of human serum albumin
Authors: HURST Rachel , BAO Yongping , RIDLEY Saxon , WILLIAMSON Gary 
Published: August 2015

Human serum albumin (HSA) reduced the phospholipid hydroperoxide, 1-palmitoyl-2-(13-hydroperoxy-cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoyl)-l-3-phosphatidylcholine (PLPC-OOH) to the corresponding hydroxy-derivative with a high apparent affinity (Km = 9.23±0.95 µM). Removal of bound lipid during purification increased this activity. At physiological concentration, HSA reduced the phospholipid hydroperoxide in the absence of a cofactor. However, in the presence of a cofactor (reductant), the rate of the reaction was increased. All of the major aminothiols in plasma could act as reductants, the best being the most abundant, cysteine (Km = 600±80 µM). For every nanomole of PLPC-OOH reduced by HSA, 1.26 nmol of cystine was formed, indicating a reaction stoichiometry of 1 mol PLPC-OOH to 2 mol cysteine. We used chemical modification to determine which amino acid residues on HSA were responsible for the activity. Oxidation of thiol group(s) by N-ethylmaleimide led to a reduction in the rate of activity, whereas reduction of thiols by either dithiothreitol or the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril, increased the activity. Both N-ethylmaleimide-modified HSA and dithiothreitol-treated HSA exhibited increased apparent affinities for PLPC-OOH. For a range of preparations of albumin with different modifications, the activity on PLPC-OOH was dependent on the amount of free thiol groups on the albumin (correlation coefficient = 0.91). Patients with lowered albumin concentrations after septic shock showed lowered total plasma thiol concentrations and decreased phospholipid hydroperoxide cysteine peroxidase (PHCPx) activities. These results therefore show for the first time that HSA exhibits PHCPx activity, and that the majority of the activity depends on the presence of reduced thiol group(s) on the albumin.
Organization and alternative splicing of the Caenorhabditis elegans cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic-subunit gene (kin-1)
Authors: TABISH Mohammad , CLEGG Roger A. , REES Huw H. , FISHER Michael J. 
Published: August 2015

The cAMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A, PK-A) is multifunctional in nature, with key roles in the control of diverse aspects of eukaryotic cellular activity. In the case of the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, a gene encoding the PK-A catalytic subunit has been identified and two isoforms of this subunit, arising from a C-terminal alternative-splicing event, have been characterized [Gross, Bagchi, Lu and Rubin (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6896–6907]. Here we report the occurrence of N-terminal alternative-splicing events that, in addition to generating a multiplicity of non-myristoylatable isoforms, also generate the myristoylated variant(s) of the catalytic subunit that we have recently characterized [Aspbury, Fisher, Rees and Clegg (1997) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 238, 523–527]. The gene spans more than 36 kb and is divided into a total of 13 exons. Each of the mature transcripts contains only 7 exons. In addition to the already characterized exon 1, the 5´-untranslated region and first intron actually contain 5 other exons, any one of which may be alternatively spliced on to exon 2 at the 5´ end of the pre-mRNA. This N-terminal alternative splicing occurs in combination with either of the already characterized C-terminal alternative exons. Thus, C. elegans expresses at least 12 different isoforms of the catalytic subunit of PK-A. The significance of this unprecedented structural diversity in the family of PK-A catalytic subunits is discussed.
Mechanisms of inhibition of lipolysis by insulin, vanadate and peroxovanadate in rat adipocytes
Authors: CASTAN Isabelle , WIJKANDER Jonny , MANGANIELLO Vincent , DEGERMAN Eva 
Published: August 2015

Vanadate and peroxovanadate (pV), potent inhibitors of tyrosine phosphatases, mimic several of the metabolic actions of insulin. Here we compare the mechanisms for the anti-lipolytic action of insulin, vanadate and pV in rat adipocytes. Vanadate (5 mM) and pV (0.01 mM) inhibited lipolysis induced by 0.01–1 µM isoprenaline, vanadate being more and pV less efficient than insulin (1 nM). A loss of anti-lipolytic effect of pV was observed by increasing the concentration of isoprenaline and/or pV. pV induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 to a greater extent than insulin, whereas vanadate affected these components little if at all. In addition, only a higher concentration (0.1 mM) of pV induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of p85, the 85 kDa regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI-3K). Vanadate activated PI-3K-independent (in the presence of 10 nM isoprenaline) and PI-3K-dependent (in the presence of 100 nM isoprenaline) anti-lipolytic pathways, both of which were found to be independent of phosphodiesterase type 3B (PDE3B). pV (0.01 mM), like insulin, activated PI-3K- and PDE3B-dependent pathways. However, the anti-lipolytic pathway of 0.1 mM pV did not seem to require insulin receptor substrate-1-associated PI-3K and was found to be partly independent of PDE3B. Vanadate and pV (only at 0.01 mM), like insulin, decreased the isoprenaline-induced activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Overall, these results underline the complexity and the diversity in the mechanisms that regulate lipolysis.
Prediction and experimental testing of Bacillus acidocaldarius thioredoxin stability
Authors: PEDONE Emilia , CANNIO Raffaele , SAVIANO Michele , ROSSI Mosè , BARTOLUCCI Simonetta 
Published: August 2015

In order to investigate further the determinants of protein stability, four mutants of thioredoxin from Bacillus acidocaldarius were designed: K18G, R82E, K18G/R82E, and D102X, in which the last four amino acids were deleted. The mutants were constructed on the basis of molecular dynamic studies and the prediction of the structure of thioredoxin from B. acidocaldarius, performed by a comparative molecular modelling technique using Escherichia coli thioredoxin as the reference protein. The mutants obtained by PCR strategy were expressed in E. coli and then characterized. CD spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry and thermodynamic comparative studies permitted comparison of the relative physicochemical behaviour of the four proteins with that of the wild-type protein. As predicted for the molecular dynamic analysis at 500 K in vacuo, the wild-type structure was more stable than that of the mutants; in fact the Tm of the four proteins showed a decrease of about 15 °C for the double and the truncated mutants, and a decrease of about 12 °C for the single mutants. A difference in the resistance of the proteins to denaturants such as guanidine HCl and urea was revealed; the wild-type protein always proved to be the most resistant. The results obtained show the importance of hydrogen bonds and ion pairs in determining protein stability and confirm that simulation methods are able to direct protein engineering in site-directed mutagenesis.
Roles of key active-site residues in flavocytochrome P450 BM3
Authors: NOBLE Michael A. , MILES Caroline S. , CHAPMAN Stephen K. , LYSEK Dominikus A. , MACKAY Angela C. , REID Graeme A. , HANZLIK Robert P. , MUNRO Andrew W. 
Published: August 2015

The effects of mutation of key active-site residues (Arg-47, Tyr-51, Phe-42 and Phe-87) in Bacillus megaterium flavocytochrome P450 BM3 were investigated. Kinetic studies on the oxidation of laurate and arachidonate showed that the side chain of Arg-47 contributes more significantly to stabilization of the fatty acid carboxylate than does that of Tyr-51 (kinetic parameters for oxidation of laurate: R47A mutant, Km 859 µM, kcat 3960 min-1; Y51F mutant, Km 432 µM, kcat 6140 min-1; wild-type, Km 288 µM, kcat 5140 min-1). A slightly increased kcat for the Y51F-catalysed oxidation of laurate is probably due to decreased activation energy (ΔG‡) resulting from a smaller ΔG of substrate binding. The side chain of Phe-42 acts as a phenyl ‘cap ’ over the mouth of the substrate-binding channel. With mutant F42A, Km is massively increased and kcat is decreased for oxidation of both laurate (Km 2.08 mM, kcat 2450 min-1) and arachidonate (Km 34.9 µM, kcat 14620 min-1; compared with values of 4.7 µM and 17100 min-1 respectively for wild-type). Amino acid Phe-87 is critical for efficient catalysis. Mutants F87G and F87Y not only exhibit increased Km and decreased kcat values for fatty acid oxidation, but also undergo an irreversible conversion process from a ‘fast ’ to a ‘slow ’ rate of substrate turnover [for F87G (F87Y)-catalysed laurate oxidation: kcat ‘fast ’, 760 (1620) min-1; kcat ‘slow ’, 48.0 (44.6) min-1; kconv (rate of conversion from fast to slow form), 4.9 (23.8) min-1]. All mutants showed less than 10% uncoupling of NADPH oxidation from fatty acid oxidation. The rate of FMN-to-haem electron transfer was shown to become rate-limiting in all mutants analysed. For wild-type P450 BM3, the rate of FMN-to-haem electron transfer (8340 min-1) is twice the steady-state rate of oxidation (4100 min-1), indicating that other steps contribute to rate limitation. Active-site structures of the mutants were probed with the inhibitors 12-(imidazolyl)dodecanoic acid and 1-phenylimidazole. Mutant F87G binds 1-phenylimidazole &gt; 10-fold more tightly than does the wild-type, whereas mutant Y51F binds the haem-co-ordinating fatty acid analogue 12-(imidazolyl)dodecanoic acid &gt; 30-fold more tightly than wild-type.