bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Proteasome and thiol involvement in quality control of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor addition
Authors: WILBOURN Barry , NESBETH Darren N. , WAINWRIGHT Linda J. , FIELD Mark C. 
Published: August 2015

Improperly processed secretory proteins are degraded by a hydrolytic system that is associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and appears to involve re-export of lumenal proteins into the cytoplasm for ultimate degradation by the proteasome. The chimaeric protein hGHDAF28, which contains a crippled glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) C-terminal signal peptide, is degraded by a pathway highly similar to that for other ER-retained proteins and is characterized by formation of disulphide-linked aggregates, failure to reach the Golgi complex and intracellular degradation with a half life of ∼ 2 h. Here we show that N-acetyl-leucinal-leucinal-norleucinal, MG-132 and lactacystin, all inhibitors of the proteasome, protect hGHDAF28; hGHDAF28 is still proteolytically cleaved in the presence of lactacystin or MG-132, by the removal of ∼ 2 kDa, but the truncated fragment is not processed further. We demonstrate that the ubiquitination system accelerates ER-degradation of hGHDAF28, but is not essential to the process. Overall, these findings indicate that GPI quality control is mediated by the cytoplasmic proteasome. We also show that the presence of a cysteine residue in the GPI signal of hGHDAF28 is required for retention and degradation, as mutation of this residue to serine results in secretion of the fusion protein, implicating thiol-mediated retention as a mechanism for quality control of some GPI signals. Removal of the cysteine also prevents inclusion of hGHDAF28 in disulphide-linked aggregates, indicating that aggregate formation is an additional retention mechanism for this class of protein. Therefore our data suggest that an unpaired terminal cysteine is the retention motif of the hGHDAF28 GPI-processing signal and that additional information may be required for efficient engagement of ER quality control systems by the majority of GPI signals which lack cysteine residues.
Molecular basis of bovine red-cell protein 4.2 polymorphism in Japanese black cattle
Authors: MATSUMOTO Mitsuhito , INABA Mutsumi , ONO Ken-ichiro 
Published: August 2015

Cattle were divided into three groups according to the red cell-protein 4.2 (P4.2) phenotypes P4.276, P4.275 and P4.276/75, whose red cells contained Mr 76000 (P4.2/76), 75000 (P4.2/75) and both 76000 and 75000 isoforms respectively. To elucidate the molecular basis that underlies the diversity of P4.2, the gene structures of bovine P4.2/76 and P4.2/75 were investigated. Two P4.2 cDNA clones were isolated from bone-marrow cDNAs of the animal with the P4.276/75 phenotype. These were identical in size (2.2 kb), encoding major erythroid P4.2 with 687 amino acids, but were different in three nucleotides, resulting in changes of amino acids at the 599th, 601st and 627th residues. Analysis of genomic DNA from the three phenotypes demonstrated that these two clones were derived from gene transcripts by which P4.2/76 and/or P4.2/75 were produced. In vitrotranscription and translation of P4.2/76 and P4.2/75 cDNAs indeed generated P4.2/76 and P4.2/75 identical in size to the red-cell proteins. These findings demonstrated that polymorphism of the P4.2 gene at codons 599, 601 and 627 of P4.2 cDNA was the cause of the molecular diversity of bovine red-cell P4.2. Although distinct electrophoretic mobilities suggested a structural difference in the two isoforms, this polymorphism appeared to have little effect at least on P4.2 association with band 3, since no significant difference was observed in the amount of P4.2 relative to total membrane proteins despite the phenotype difference for P4.2.
Bile salts stimulate mucin secretion by cultured dog gallbladder epithelial cells independent of their detergent effect
Authors: KLINKSPOOR J. Henriëtte , YOSHIDA Tadashi , LEE Sum P. 
Published: August 2015

1. Bile salts stimulate mucin secretion by the gallbladder epithelium. We have investigated whether this stimulatory effect is due to a detergent effect of bile salts. 2. The bile salts taurocholic acid (TC) and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDC) and the detergents Triton X-100 (12.5–400 µM) and Tween-20 (0.1–3.2 mM) were applied to monolayers of cultured dog gallbladder epithelial cells. Mucin secretion was studied by measuring the secretion of [3H]N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-labelled glycoproteins. We also attempted to alter the fluidity of the apical membrane of the cells through extraction of cholesterol with β-cyclodextrin (2.5–15 mM). The effect on TUDC-induced mucin secretion was studied. Cell viability was assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage or 51Cr release. 3. In contrast with the bile salts, the detergents were not able to cause an increase in mucin secretion without causing concomitant cell lysis. Concentrations of detergent that increased mucin release (&gt; 100 µM Triton X-100, &gt; 0.8 mM Tween-20), caused increased LDH release. Incubation with β-cyclodextrin resulted in effective extraction of cholesterol without causing an increase in 51Cr release. However, no effect of the presumed altered membrane fluidity on TUDC (10 mM)-induced mucin secretion was observed. 4. The stimulatory effect of bile salts on mucin secretion by gallbladder epithelial cells is not affected by the fluidity of the apical membrane of the cells and also cannot be mimicked by other detergents. We conclude that the ability of bile salts to cause mucin secretion by the gallbladder epithelium is not determined by their detergent properties.
cDNA cloning, genomic organization and chromosomal localization of human heparan glucosaminyl N-deacetylase/N-sulphotransferase-2
Authors: HUMPHRIES Donald E. , LANCIOTTI Julia , KARLINSKY Joel B. 
Published: August 2015

The cDNA and gene encoding human heparan glucosaminyl N-deacetylase/N-sulphotransferase-2 have been cloned. The cDNA encoded a protein of 883 amino acids that was 94% similar to heparan N-sulphotransferase-2 from mouse mast cells. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of human heparan N-sulphotransferase-1 and -2 showed that the enzymes were 70% similar; greater than 90% of the amino acids between residues 418 and 543 were identical. The least conserved amino acids were found in the N-terminus/putative transmembrane regions of the two enzymes. The human heparan N-sulphotransferase-2 gene was localized to chromosome arm 10q (band 10q22) by in situ fluorescent hybridization. The gene contains 13 exons spanning 6.5 kb, ranging in size from 88 bp (exon 2) to &gt; 1 kb (exon 1), and 12 introns, which were found to occur at similar sites within the coding sequence of the human heparan N-sulphotransferase-1 gene. The structure of the two genes differed in that the heparan N-sulphotransferase-1 gene contained one additional intron. The similarity of the heparan N-sulphotransferase-1 and -2 proteins and their similar exon-intron organization suggest that they derive from a common ancestral gene.
Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38-MAPKs, SAPKs/JNKs and ERKs) by the G-protein-coupled receptor agonist phenylephrine in the perfused rat heart
Authors: LAZOU Antigone , SUGDEN Peter H. , CLERK Angela 
Published: August 2015

We investigated the ability of phenylephrine (PE), an α-adrenergic agonist and promoter of hypertrophic growth in the ventricular myocyte, to activate the three best-characterized mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) subfamilies, namely p38-MAPKs, SAPKs/JNKs (i.e. stress-activated protein kinases/c-Jun N-terminal kinases) and ERKs (extracellularly responsive kinases), in perfused contracting rat hearts. Perfusion of hearts with 100 µM PE caused a rapid (maximal at 10 min) 12-fold activation of two p38-MAPK isoforms, as measured by subsequent phosphorylation of a p38-MAPK substrate, recombinant MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2). This activation coincided with phosphorylation of p38-MAPK. Endogenous MAPKAPK2 was activated 4–5-fold in these perfusions and this was inhibited completely by the p38-MAPK inhibitor, SB203580 (10 µM). Activation of p38-MAPK and MAPKAPK2 was also detected in non-contracting hearts perfused with PE, indicating that the effects were not dependent on the positive inotropic/chronotropic properties of the agonist. Although SAPKs/JNKs were also rapidly activated, the activation (2–3-fold) was less than that of p38-MAPK. The ERKs were activated by perfusion with PE and the activation was at least 50% of that seen with 1 µM PMA, the most powerful activator of the ERKs yet identified in cardiac myocytes. These results indicate that, in addition to the ERKs, two MAPK subfamilies, whose activation is more usually associated with cellular stresses, are activated by the Gq/11-protein-coupled receptor (Gq/11PCR) agonist, PE, in whole hearts. These data indicate that Gq/11PCR agonists activate multiple MAPK signalling pathways in the heart, all of which may contribute to the overall response (e.g. the development of the hypertrophic phenotype).
Alteration of the isoform composition of plasma-membrane-associated rat sperm α-l-fucosidase during late epididymal maturation: comparative characterization of the acidic and neutral isoforms
Authors: ABASCAL Irene , SKALABAN Sheri R. , GRIMM Karen M. , AVILÉS Manuel , MARTÍNEZ-MENÁRGUEZ José Angel , CASTELLS Maria Teresa , BALLESTA José , ALHADEFF Jack A. 
Published: August 2015

In a previous study, evidence was provided for the presence of a novel plasma-membrane-associated neutral-pH-optimum α-l-fucosidase in rat sperm. In the present study, rat sperm α-l-fucosidase was characterized during epididymal maturation. The pH 7 activity optimum of α-l-fucosidase and its subunit composition (one or two closely spaced immunoreactive protein bands of about 53±2 kDa) did not appear to change during transit through the epididymis. Isoelectric focusing of α-l-fucosidase indicated the presence of a major isoform (B) with a pI near 7 in sperm from testis, caput, corpus and the proximal half of the cauda. α-l-Fucosidase from sperm from the distal half of the cauda, which contained a significant enrichment of sperm and α-l-fucosidase activity, contained isoform B and an additional minor isoform (A) with a pI near 5.2. Isoform B and small amounts of isoform A were present in sperm from the vas deferens. The two fucosidase isoforms present in sperm from the distal cauda were separated by isoelectric focusing and comparatively characterized. They had similar pH–activity curves (with optima near pH 7) and comparable apparent KM values (0.4±0.04 mM) for 4-methylumbelliferyl α-l-fucopyranoside. Preincubation of the isoforms at different temperatures indicated that isoform A is considerably more thermostable than isoform B. Immunoprecipitation studies using polyclonal antibodies against human liver α-l-fucosidase indicated that approx. 90% of the enzymic activity for both isoforms was immunoprecipitable under conditions that immunoprecipitated essentially all the human liver enzyme. Neuraminidase treatment of sperm α-l-fucosidase from distal cauda (when compared with the appropriate heat-treated control) led to disappearance of isoform A and a concomitant increase in isoform B. The overall results suggest that isoform A is derived by sialylation of isoform B near the end of epididymal maturation.
Native rat kidney mineralocorticoid receptor is a phosphoprotein whose transformation to a DNA-binding form is induced by phosphatases
Authors: GALIGNIANA Mario D. 
Published: August 2015

Addition of alkaline phosphatase to rat kidney cytosol diminishes the ability of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) to bind aldosterone in a time-, temperature- and concentration-dependent form. A variety of phosphatase inhibitors, including levamisole, are effective in preventing this inactivation. On the other hand, when the steroid–receptor complex is incubated in the presence of alkaline phosphatase, an increment in the rate of receptor transformation is evidenced by a change in the sedimentation coefficient from 8.8 S to 5.1 S, as well as increased DNA-binding capacity. The effects of alkaline phosphatase on activation and transformation can also be observed when the MR is incubated at 20 °C in the cytosolic medium, indicating that the catalytic action of an endogenous phosphatase may be involved in the transformation process. The ability of phosphatase inhibitors such as levamisole for suppressing both alkaline phosphatase- and endogenous phosphatase-directed transformation does not correspond well between them. Evidence is presented to affirm that the endogenous phosphatase activity is not due to an alkaline phosphatase-type, but it may be due to a protein serine/threonine phosphatase, as evidenced by the inhibitory effects of okadaic acid. The experimental results also show direct evidence that the MR undergoes phosphorylation in a physiological milieu.
Stimulation of multiple mitogen-activated protein kinase sub-families by oxidative stress and phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein, HSP25/27, in neonatal ventricular myocytes
Authors: CLERK Angela , MICHAEL Ashour , SUGDEN Peter H. 
Published: August 2015

We investigated the activation of three subfamilies of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), namely the stress-activated protein kinases/c-Jun N-terminal kinases (SAPKs/JNKs), the extracellularly responsive kinases (ERKs) and p38-MAPK, by oxidative stress as exemplified by H2O2 in primary cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. The 46 and 54 kDa species of SAPKs/JNKs were activated 5- and 10-fold, respectively, by 0.1 mM H2O2 (the maximally effective concentration). Maximal activation occurred at 15–30 min, but was still detectable after 2 h. Both ERK1 and ERK2 were activated 16-fold by 0.1 mM H2O2 with a similar time course to the SAPKs/JNKs, and this was comparable with their activation by 1 µM PMA, the most powerful activator of ERKs that we have so far identified in these cells. The activation of ERKs by H2O2 was inhibited by PD98059, which inhibits the activation of MAPK (or ERK) kinases, and by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, GF109203X. ERK activation was also inhibited by down-regulation of PMA-sensitive PKC isoforms. p38-MAPK was activated by 0.1 mM H2O2 as shown by an increase in its phosphorylation. However, maximal phosphorylation (activation) was more rapid (&lt; 5 min) than for the SAPKs/JNKs or the ERKs. We studied the downstream consequences of p38-MAPK activation by examining activation of MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2) and phosphorylation of the MAPKAPK2 substrate, the small heat shock protein HSP25/27. As with p38-MAPK, MAPKAPK2 was rapidly activated (maximal within 5 min) by 0.1 mM H2O2. This activation was abolished by 10 µM SB203580, a selective inhibitor of certain p38-MAPK isoforms. The phosphorylation of HSP25/27 rapidly followed activation of MAPKAPK2 and was also inhibited by SB203580. Phosphorylation of HSP25/27 was associated with a decrease in its aggregation state. These data indicate that oxidative stress is a powerful activator of all three MAPK subfamilies in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Activation of all three MAPKs has been associated with the development of the hypertrophic phenotype. However, stimulation of p38-MAPK and the consequent phosphorylation of HSP25/27 may also be important in cardioprotection.
Tyrosinase kinetics: failure of the auto-activation mechanism of monohydric phenol oxidation by rapid formation of a quinomethane intermediate
Authors: COOKSEY Christopher J. , GARRATT Peter J. , LAND Edward J. , RAMSDEN Christopher A. , RILEY Patrick A. 
Published: August 2015

When 3,4-dihydroxybenzylcyanide (DBC) is oxidized by mushroom tyrosinase, the first visible product, identified as the corresponding quinomethane, exhibits an absorption maximum at 480 nm. Pulse-radiolysis experiments, in which the o-quinone is formed by disproportionation of semiquinone radicals generated by single-electron oxidation of DBC, showed that the quinomethane (A480 6440 M-1·cm-1) is formed through the intermediacy of the o-quinone with a rate constant at neutral pH of 7.5 s-1. The oxygen stoichiometry of the formation of the quinomethane by tyrosinase-catalysed oxidation of DBC was 0.5:1. On the basis of oxygen utilization rates the calculated Vmax was 4900 nmol·min-1 and the apparent Km was 374 µM. The corresponding monohydric phenol, 4-hydroxybenzylcyanide (HBC), was not oxidized by tyrosinase unless the enzyme was pre-exposed to DBC, the maximum acceleration of HBC oxidation being obtained by approximately equimolar addition of DBC. These results are consistent with tyrosinase auto-activation on the basis of the indirect formation of the dihydric phenol-activating cofactor. The rapid conversion of the o-quinone to the quinomethane prevents the formation of the catechol by reduction of the o-quinone product of monohydric phenol oxidation from occurring in the case of the compounds studied. In the absence of auto-activation, the kinetic parameters for HBC oxidation by tyrosinase were estimated as Vmax 70 nmol·min-1 and Km 309 µM. The quinomethane was found to decay with a rate constant of 2k 38 M-1·s-1, as determined both by pulse-radiolysis and tyrosinase experiments. The second-order kinetics indicate that a dimer is formed. In the presence of tyrosinase, but not in the pulse-radiolysis experiments, the quinomethane decay was accompanied by a steady-state oxygen uptake concurrently with the generation of a melanoid product measured by its A650, which is ascribed to the formation of an oligomer incorporating the oxidized dimer.
Trichomonas vaginalis thymidine kinase: purification, characterization and search for inhibitors
Authors: STROSSELLI Silvia , SPADARI Silvio , WALKER Richard T. , BASNAK Ivan , FOCHER Federico 
Published: August 2015

We report that a thymidine kinase (TK) activity is present in Trichomonas vaginalis and can be separated from the deoxyribonucleoside phosphotransferase. T. vaginalis TK, purified 11200-fold to apparent homogeneity, has a molecular mass of 31500 Da. It phosphorylates not only thymidine (Km 0.18 µM) but also deoxycytidine (Km 0.88 µM) and deoxyuridine (Km 0.14 µM). In contrast with T. vaginalis deoxyribonucleoside phosphotransferase, the TK activity is strongly inhibited by novel deoxyuridine analogues such as 5-methyl-4´-thio-2´-deoxyuridine (MTdU) (Ki 20 nM) and 5-iodo-4´-thio-2´-deoxyuridine (ITdU) (Ki 24 nM). MTdU and ITdU are phosphorylated by T. vaginalis TK in vitro. In vivo they inhibit [3H]thymidine incorporation in T. vaginaliscultured cells and T. vaginalis growth (IC50 7.5 and 24 µM respectively; minimal lethal dose 100 µM). Thus the TK inhibitors described here demonstrate the key role of T. vaginalis TK for protozoal growth and viability and indicate TK as a new target for the design of antitrichomonal drugs.
Haem propionates control oxidative and reductive activities of horseradish peroxidase by maintaining the correct orientation of the haem
Authors: ADAK Subrata , BANERJEE Ranajit K. 
Published: August 2015

The role of haem propionates in oxidative and reductive reactions catalysed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was studied after successful reconstitution of ferric protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester (PPDME) into the apoperoxidase. The reconstituted enzyme oxidizes neither guaiacol (aromatic electron donor) nor iodide or thiocyanate (inorganic donor). Although the reconstituted enzyme binds guaiacol with a similar Kd (13 mM) to that of the native enzyme (10 mM), the Kd for SCN- binding (5 mM) is decreased 20-fold compared with that of the native enzyme (100 mM). This indicates that haem propionates hinder the entry or binding of inorganic anion to the active site of the native HRP. However, the reconstituted enzyme is catalytically inactive as it does not form spectroscopically detectable compound II with H2O2. CD measurements indicate a significant loss of haem CD spectrum of the reconstituted enzyme at 409 nm, suggesting a loss of asymmetry of the haem–protein interaction. Thus the inability of the reconstituted enzyme to form catalytic intermediates results from the change in orientation of the haem due to loss of interactions via the haem propionates. HRP also catalyses reductive reactions such as reduction of iodine (I+) in the presence of EDTA and H2O2. The reconstituted enzyme cannot catalyse I+ reduction because of the loss of I+ binding to the haem propionate. Since I+ reduction requires formation of the catalytically active enzyme–I+–EDTA ternary complex, the loss of reductive activity is primarily due to the loss of active enzyme formation. Haem propionates thus play a vital role in the oxidative and reductive reactions of HRP by favouring the formation of catalytic intermediates with H2O2 by maintaining the correct orientation of the haem with respect to the surrounding residues.
Thermal inactivation and chaperonin-mediated renaturation of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase
Authors: LAWTON James M. , DOONAN Shawn 
Published: August 2015

Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase is inactivated irreversibly on heating. The inactivated protein aggregates, but aggregation is prevented by the presence of the chaperonin 60 from Escherichia coli (GroEL). The chaperonin increases the rate of thermal inactivation in the temperature range 55–65 °C but not at lower temperatures. It has previously been shown [Twomey and Doonan (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1342, 37–44] that the enzyme switches to a modified, but catalytically active, conformation at approx. 55–60 °C and the present results show that this conformation is recognized by and binds to GroEL. The thermally inactivated protein can be released from GroEL in an active form by the addition of chaperonin 10 from E. coli (GroES)/ATP, showing that inactivation is not the result of irreversible chemical changes. These results suggest that the irreversibility of thermal inactivation is due to the formation of an altered conformation with a high kinetic barrier to refolding rather than to any covalent changes. In the absence of chaperonin the unfolded molecules aggregate but this is a consequence, rather than the cause, of irreversible inactivation.
A glutamate residue contributes to the exopeptidase specificity in aminopeptidase A
Authors: VAZEUX Gilles , ITURRIOZ Xavier , CORVOL Pierre , LLORENS-CORTES Catherine 
Published: August 2015

Aminopeptidase A (EC 3.4.11.7, APA) is a 130 kDa membrane-bound aminopeptidase that contains the consensus sequence HEXXH (385–389) found in the zinc metalloprotease family, the zincins. Sequence alignment of the mouse APA with other monozinc-aminopeptidases indicates the presence of a highly conserved glutamate residue (Glu352 in APA) found in the conserved motif GAMEN (349–353). In monozinc-aminopeptidases, the negative charge of the glutamate side-chain carboxylate may constitute the anionic binding site involved in the recognition of the free amino group of substrates or inhibitors. The functional role of Glu352 in APA was investigated by substituting this residue with an aspartate (Asp352), a glycine (Gly352), a glutamine (Gln352) or an arginine (Arg352) residue by site-directed mutagenesis. Kinetic studies showed that the Km values of the mutant enzymes were unaffected, whereas kcat values were decreased 10–250-fold, resulting in a 10-, 30- 260- and 400-fold reduction in cleavage efficiencies for the mutants Asp352, Gly352, Gln352 and Arg352 respectively. The inhibitory potency of two different classes of inhibitors, a thiol and a phosphonate compound, was significantly (P&lt; 0.05) decreased by 10- and 4-fold respectively in the mutated enzymes. Moreover, the inhibitory potency of angiotensin I, used as a competitor of the synthetic substrate α-l-glutamyl β-naphthylamide, displayed a 4-fold reduction (P&lt; 0.01) in the mutated enzymes, whereas the Ki values of its N-acetyl derivative were unchanged. These data strongly suggest that Glu352 is involved in the catalytic process of APA and contributes to the exopeptidase activity of this enzyme through interaction with the N-terminal part of substrates or inhibitors.