The association of Amyloid P-Component (AP) With The Amyloid Fibril: An updated Method for Amyloid Fibril Protein Isolation

Abstract

An amyloid fibril isolation procedure is proposed which uses citrate as well as saline washes to dissociate the calcium dependent linkage of amyloid P-component (AP) from the amyloid fibril. In two amyloid rich tissues, the amount of AP was quantitated in each saline and citrate wash and totalled 13.8% and 20.8% of the amyloid fibrils isolated. The amount of AP removed from these and 22 additional amyloid rich tissues was greater than had previously been recognized.

AP protein was present in tissue only when amyloid fibrils were present. It could not be found in normal non-amyloidotic tissue, nor could it be found in tissue sediment after the fibrils were removed.     

Cryo-EM Structure of the Full-length hnRNPA1 Amyloid Fibril

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) is a multifunctional RNA-binding protein that is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multisystem proteinopathy. In this study, we have used cryo-electron microscopy to investigate the three-dimensional structure of amyloid fibrils from full-length hnRNPA1 protein. We find that the fibril core is formed by a 45-residue segment of the prion-like low-complexity domain of the protein, whereas the remaining parts of the protein (275 residues) form a fuzzy coat around the fibril core. The fibril consists of two fibril protein stacks that are arranged into a pseudo-2₁ screw symmetry. The ordered core harbors several of the positions that are known to be affected by disease-associated mutations, but does not encompass the most aggregation-prone segments of the protein. These data indicate that the structures of amyloid fibrils from full-length proteins may be more complex than anticipated by current theories on protein misfolding.     

螺旋藻的纯化

观察了螺旋藻生长过程中藻丝和杂菌的生长规律,发现中性细菌和碱性细菌的数量始终是藻丝的10^5～10^6倍。采用常规的稀释平板法、毛细管法和挑单藻法均无法可靠地获得无菌纯藻。设计用低速离心法洗涤下沉性藻丝,用过滤法洗涤上浮性藻丝,对藻丝进行预处理洗去大量杂菌;对迁移性和非迁移性藻株分别采用夹层法和平板法纯化藻株,使得单根藻丝在平板上形成藻落,获得无菌纯藻。     

Carnosine's Effect on Amyloid Fibril Formation and Induced Cytotoxicity of Lysozyme

Carnosine, a common dipeptide in mammals, has previously been shown to dissemble alpha-crystallin amyloid fibrils. To date, the dipeptide''s anti-fibrillogensis effect has not been thoroughly characterized in other proteins. For a more complete understanding of carnosine''s mechanism of action in amyloid fibril inhibition, we have investigated the effect of the dipeptide on lysozyme fibril formation and induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Our study demonstrates a positive correlation between the concentration and inhibitory effect of carnosine against lysozyme fibril formation. Molecular docking results show carnosine''s mechanism of fibrillogenesis inhibition may be initiated by binding with the aggregation-prone region of the protein. The dipeptide attenuates the amyloid fibril-induced cytotoxicity of human neuronal cells by reducing both apoptotic and necrotic cell deaths. Our study provides solid support for carnosine''s amyloid fibril inhibitory property and its effect against fibril-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. The additional insights gained herein may pave way to the discovery of other small molecules that may exert similar effects against amyloid fibril formation and its associated neurodegenerative diseases.     

Purification and characterization of thermostable pectate-lyases from a newly isolated thermophilic bacterium, Thermoanaerobacter italicus sp. nov.

A novel thermophilic spore-forming anaerobic microorganism (strain Ab9) able to grow on citrus pectin and polygalacturonic acid (pectate) was isolated from a thermal spa in Italy. The newly isolated strain grows optimally at 70°C with a growth rate of 0.23 h⁻¹ with pectin and 0.12 h⁻¹ with pectate as substrates. Xylan, starch, and glycogen are also utilized as carbon sources and thermoactive xylanolytic (highest activity at 70°–75°C), amylolytic as well as pullulolytic enzymes (highest activity at 80°–85°C) are formed. Two thermoactive pectate lyases were isolated from the supernatant of a 300-l culture of isolate Ab9 after growth on citrus pectin. The two enzymes (lyases a and b) were purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate treatment, anion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic chromatography and finally by preparative gel electrophoresis. After sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis, lyase a appeared as a single polypeptide with a molecular mass of 135 000 Da whereas lyase b consisted of two subunits with molecular masses of 93 000 Da and 158 000 Da. Both enzymes displayed similar catalytic properties with optimal activity at pH 9.0 and 80°C. The enzymes were very stable at 70°C and at 80°C with a half-life of more than 60 min. The maximal activity of the purified lyases was observed with orange pectate (100%) and pectate-sodium salt (90%), whereas pectin was attacked to a much lesser extent (50%). The K _m values of both lyases for pectate and citrus pectin were 0.5 g·l⁻¹ and 5.0 g·l⁻¹, respectively. After incubation with polygalacturonic acid, mono-, di-, and tri-galacturonate were detected as final products. A 2.5-fold increase of activity was obtained when pectate lyases were incubated in the presence of 1 mM Ca²⁺. The addition of 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) resulted in complete inhibition of the enzymes. These heat-stable enzymes represent the first pectate-lyases isolated and characterized from a thermophilic anaerobic bacterium. On the basis of the results of the 16S rRNA sequence comparisons and the observed phenotypic differences, we propose strain Ab9 as a new species of Thermoanaerobacter, namely Thermoanaerobacter italicus sp. nov. Received: May 25, 1997 / Accepted: June 5, 1997     

The Larva and Pupa of Pseudoneureclipsis lusitanicus Malicky, 1980 (Trichoptera: Hydropsychoidea): Description,Ecological Data and Taxonomical Considerations

Pseudoneureclipsis lusitanicus Malicky, 1980, is reported from a large tributary of the Loire River, the first record of this genus and species from France. In Europe, this genus was previously known from Portugal. Larval and pupal characters suggest that the genus does not belong to the family Polycentropodidae, as currently classified.     

受白粉菌诱导大麦抗感等基因系蛋白质变化的双向电泳分析

分别对接种与否的大麦抗—感白粉病等基因系—叶期幼苗取材进行蛋白质双向电泳分析。结果表明,病原的侵入使抗—感两系在30Kd以下的低分子量区域的蛋白质发生了明显变化。接种48小时之后,抗病系在pH5.5、6.0、6.8及8.8附近出现了对照中所没有的蛋白质,而在pH6.0和8.8附近的蛋白质则较对照有减小的趋势;感病系在pH6.0附近蛋白质明显增多,在pH8.8处不仅在量上有大幅度提高,而且种类也有增加。结果还表明,抗—感系间在未接种的情况下双向电泳图谱也有差异,接种之后由于感病系在pH8.8处蛋白质的特异性合成,使抗—感两系间的差异缩小。     

Amyloid Cardiomyopathy in Hereditary Transthyretin V30M Amyloidosis - Impact of Sex and Amyloid Fibril Composition

Purpose

Transthyretin V30M (ATTR V30M) amyloidosis is a phenotypically diverse disease with symptoms ranging from predominant neuropathy to exclusive cardiac manifestations. The aims of this study were to determine the dispersion of the two types of fibrils found in Swedish ATTR V30M patients -Type A consisting of a mixture of truncated and full length ATTR fibrils and type B fibrils consisting of full length fibrils, and to estimate the severity of cardiac dysfunction in relation to fibril composition and sex.

Material and Methods

Echocardiographic data were analysed in 107 Swedish ATTR V30M patients with their fibril composition determined as either type A or type B. Measurements of left ventricular (LV) dimensions and evaluation of systolic and diastolic function including speckle tracking derived strain were performed. Patients were grouped according to fibril type and sex. Multivariate linear regression was utilised to determine factors of significant impact on LV thickness.

Results

There was no significant difference in proportions of the two types of fibrils between men and women. In patients with type A fibrils, women had significantly lower median septal (p = 0.007) and posterior wall thicknesses (p = 0.010), lower median LV mass indexed to height (p = 0.008), and higher septal strain (p = 0.037), as compared to males. These differences were not apparent in patients with type B fibrils. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that fibril type, sex and age all had significant impact on LV septal thickness.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates a clear difference between sexes in the severity of amyloid heart disease in ATTR V30M amyloidosis patients. Even though type A fibrils were associated with more advanced amyloid heart disease compared to type B, women with type A fibrils generally developed less cardiac infiltration than men. The differences may explain the better outcome for liver transplanted late-onset female patients compared to males.     

旋毛虫基因重组抗原的纯化

根据旋毛虫基因重组抗原蛋白的特点,筛选出裂解处理工程菌菌体的方法,并探索了用ＳｅｐｈａｃｒｙｌＳ－３００（ＨＲ）柱层析纯化重组蛋白的程序。用本法处理和纯化后,重组蛋白的纯度可达９０％以上。所纯化的三种重组抗原蛋白均能与猪旋毛虫病血清发生特异性反应而不与正常猪血清和猪囊虫病血清反应,其中以重组蛋白ＲＰ３４的特异性最强,ＲＰ３７较弱,ＲＰ４６介于两者之间。研究结果表明,本纯化方法易于操作、设备简单和特异性蛋白回收率高,是处理和纯化旋毛虫基因重组抗原的最佳程序。     

The Cryo-EM STRUCTURE of Renal Amyloid Fibril Suggests Structurally Homogeneous Multiorgan Aggregation in AL Amyloidosis

Immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) is caused by the aberrant production of amyloidogenic light chains (LC) that accumulate as amyloid deposits in vital organs. Distinct LC sequences in each patient yield distinct amyloid structures. However different tissue microenvironments may also cause identical protein precursors to adopt distinct amyloid structures. To address the impact of the tissue environment on the structural polymorphism of amyloids, we extracted fibrils from the kidney of an AL patient (AL55) whose cardiac amyloid structure was previously determined by our group. Here we show that the 4.0 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of the renal fibril is virtually identical to that reported for the cardiac fibril. These results provide the first structural evidence that LC amyloids independently deposited in different organs of the same AL patient share a common fold.     

Pseudomonas sp. RT-1低温脂肪酶的纯化及酶学特性

Pseudomonas sp. RT-1是从低温环境下分离的低温脂肪酶产生菌,对该菌产生的胞外脂肪酶(PL-1)进行纯化,并对其酶学特性进行初步研究。Pseudomonas sp. RT-1的发酵上清液经60%(NH4)2SO4沉淀、12~14000截留相对分子质量(MWCO)透析袋透析、Sephadex G75分子筛和超滤浓缩后,得到了电泳纯的P-L1。SDS-PAGE电泳估算其表观相对分子质量为4.43×104。对其酶学特性研究表明:PL-1是低温碱性脂肪酶且对有机溶剂的耐受性较好。10~40℃内有较好的催化活性,最适作用温度为18℃;0~50℃该酶的稳定性较好,当温度超过50℃时则容易失活;最适作用pH为10.2,且pH在9~11时较稳定;该酶对有机溶剂的耐受性较好,10mmol/L的Ca2+、K+、Na+和Fe3+对PL1的酶活力有促进作用,其中Ca2+促进作用最大,提高了146.07%,而10mmol/L的Cu2+、Co2+、Mn2+、Mg2+、Zn2+、Ba2+和Al3+对酶活力具有不同程度的抑制作用,其中Al3+抑制作用最强,抑制了98.55%;PL-1对C链长度小于或等于12的短链脂肪酸形成的甘油三酯具有较强的水解能力;1mmol/L的去氧胆酸盐(desoxycholate)和0.01%的Triton X100对酶活力具有提高作用,分别提高了30.74%和11.83%;0.01%的SDS和Tween-80、1mmol/L的EDTA和尿素对酶活都有抑制作用,其中EDTA的抑制作用最大,抑制了80%。     

毛壳霉内切菊粉酶的纯化与性质

毛壳霉 (Chaetomiumsp .)C34发酵液经硫酸铵分级沉淀、DEAE 纤维素 11离子交换层析、Q SepharoseFastFlow离子交换层析、SephacrylS 2 0 0凝胶过滤、PhenolSepharoseTM HP疏水层析 ,得到电泳纯的内切菊粉酶组分 ,纯化倍数为 30 8倍 ,活力回收率为 7 7%。用SDS PAGE测得该酶亚基的分子量为 6 6kD。菊粉酶的最适pH为 6 0 ,最适温度为 5 0～ 5 5℃。菊粉酶在 5 0℃以下 ,pH5 0～ 8 0时较稳定。Cu2 完全抑制酶的活性 ,Mn2 、Zn2 、Fe2 、EDTA以及NBS(N bromosuccinimide ,N 溴代丁二酰亚胺 )对该酶有很强的抑制作用。该酶对菊粉有较强底物专一性 ,产物主要为低聚果糖 ,也可作用于蔗糖 ,I S值为 2 0。以菊粉为底物时 ,Km 为 0 199mmol L ,Vmax为 115 μmol (mg·min)。     

A Generic Crystallization-like Model That Describes the Kinetics of Amyloid Fibril Formation

Associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, or prion diseases, the conversion of soluble proteins into amyloid fibrils remains poorly understood. Extensive "in vitro" measurements of protein aggregation kinetics have been reported, but no consensus mechanism has emerged until now. This contribution aims at overcoming this gap by proposing a theoretically consistent crystallization-like model (CLM) that is able to describe the classic types of amyloid fibrillization kinetics identified in our literature survey. Amyloid conversion represented as a function of time is shown to follow different curve shapes, ranging from sigmoidal to hyperbolic, according to the relative importance of the nucleation and growth steps. Using the CLM, apparently unrelated data are deconvoluted into generic mechanistic information integrating the combined influence of seeding, nucleation, growth, and fibril breakage events. It is notable that this complex assembly of interdependent events is ultimately reduced to a mathematically simple model, whose two parameters can be determined by little more than visual inspection. The good fitting results obtained for all cases confirm the CLM as a good approximation to the generalized underlying principle governing amyloid fibrillization. A perspective is presented on possible applications of the CLM during the development of new targets for amyloid disease therapeutics.     

Occurrence and correlations of nematodes,Fusarium oxysporum and edaphic factors on banana plantations

Problems caused by nematodes and Fusarium wilt (Panama disease) on banana plantations are responsible for yield losses and are limiting to its cultivation. In the state of Goias, there is little information about the nematode occurence on this crop, and its relation with the incidence of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc). This research had the purpose to identify the occurrence of plant‐parasitic nematodes on banana plantations and to verify its correlation with the Fusarium wilt and with the soil attributes (pH, texture, nutrients). Twelve banana orchards in the state of Goias were sampled in the municipalities of Anapolis, Caiaponia, Goiatuba, Itaguaru, Itumbiara (two areas), Jatai, Morrinhos, Ouro Verde, Palestina, Taquaral and Uruana. All sampled areas, except Morrinhos, revealed contamination with Foc, and all areas had different genera of nematodes either in the soil or in the roots samples. Meloidogyne sp., Helicotylenchus sp. and Rotylenchus sp. were the main genera of plant‐parasitic nematodes found in the samples, with Meloidogyne sp. and Rotylenchus sp. being the most dominant and abundant genera. The presence of Pratylenchus sp. increases the population levels of F. oxysporum. Helicotylenchus sp. is highly correlated with high concentrations of Mn. High population density of Meloidogyne sp. was found in irrigated areas with low concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and soil pH.     

白腐真菌SYBC-L2漆酶的分离纯化及其在毛纺染料脱色中的应用

经过硫酸铵分级盐析、DEAE-cellulose离子交换层析、SephacrylTMS-200柱层析,从白腐菌株Phellinus sp. SYBC-L2所产的漆酶中纯化得到电泳纯漆酶Lac3,其纯化倍数为28.27,回收率为14.76%.Lac3为一种糖蛋白,糖含量29.66%,SDS-PAGE表观分子量约为64.3 kD;其催化氧化DMP(2,6-Dimethoxyphenol)的表观Km值和Vmax分别为1.01 mmol/L和186.2 U/mg蛋白.Lac3的最适温度为60℃,最适pH为3.5;在30℃～50℃和pH 4.5～9.0范围内稳定.Cu2+、SO42-、CO32-对Lac3具有一定促进作用,而Fe3+、Fe2+、NO3-则具有抑制作用.色素的最佳脱色条件为(Lac3终浓度为2 U/ml):媒介元PV在温度50 ℃、pH值3.0的条件下反应2 h,脱色率可达95.10%;弱酸蓝在温度40 ℃、pH值4.0的条件下作用3 h,脱色率为75.09%.     

香灰菌凝集素的纯化及其部分性质

香灰菌菌丝体经磷酸缓冲液抽提、20%-70%饱和浓度的硫酸铵沉淀、DEAE-Cellulose和SephadexG-100柱层析纯化得到香灰菌凝集素(Hypoxylonsp.lectin,简称HSL)。HSL经PAGE检测为单一蛋白条带,SDS-PAGE测得其亚基分子量为15.9kD。过碘酸-Schiff染色法表明HSL为一种糖蛋白,糖基的含量为15.5%,β-消去反应测得其糖和蛋白质的连接键为O-型糖肽键。HSL能凝集多种动物红细胞和人的红细胞,在所测试的红细胞中,对兔红细胞的凝集作用最强。HSL对热较敏感,经50°C处理10min,其凝集活性明显降低,其在碱性环境中较稳定,而在酸性环境中较不稳定。HSL的凝集活性受Al3+、Fe3+、Ca2+和Zn2+等阳离子的影响。对鼠红细胞的凝集作用可被半乳糖和乳糖所抑制。     

Seven New Eimeria spp. (Protozoa,Coccidia) from Freshwater Fishes of Canada*

Seven new species of Eimeria are described and figured from the freshwater fishes of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. They are Eimeria catostomi sp. n. and E. fernandoae sp. n. from Catostomus commersoni (Lacépède), E. etheostomae sp. n. from Etheostoma exile (Girard), E. hoffmani sp. n. from Umbra limi (Kirtland), E. micropteri sp. n. from Micropterus dolomieui Lacépède E. pungitii sp. n. from Pungitius pungitius (Linnaeus), and E. salvelini sp. n. from Salvelinus fontinalis (Mitchill). Furthermore, 2 new host records and 2 new distribution records for North America are reported for E. anguillae Léger & Hollande, 1922 and E. truttae Léger & Hesse, 1919 respectively. Finally, morphologically similar oocysts found in various cyprinids are regarded as belonging to E. iroquoina Molnar & Fernando, 1974.