羊毛硫细菌素bovicin HJ50修饰酶BovM双功能域单独催化活性鉴定

【目的】体外重建羊毛硫细菌素bovicin HJ50修饰酶Bov M双功能域(脱水酶与环化酶功能域)各自的催化活性,为深入了解Bov M催化机制奠定基础。【方法】在大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)中分别异源表达纯化Bov M含脱水功能域的N端与含环化功能域的C端重组蛋白,构建体外反应体系,分别对其前肽底物Bov A进行修饰,通过产物抑菌活性及MALDI-TOF MS分子量检测来鉴定两者的修饰活性;并通过体内体外两种方法检测双功能域蛋白之间的协同作用。【结果】Bov M的N端脱水功能域及C端环化功能域分别具有脱水与环化活性,但双功能域重组蛋白之间没有协同作用。【结论】Bov M双功能域均可独立行使各自的催化功能,但Bov M的完整结构对其正常的催化活性非常重要。     

高效广谱猪链球菌7型前噬菌体裂解酶的挖掘及活性研究

【目的】噬菌体具有防控耐药性病原菌的抗菌应用潜力,但是有些病原菌噬菌体的获得非常困难,研究发现大多数病原菌存在前噬菌体(prophage),且由前噬菌体编码的裂解酶(endolysin)具有良好的抗菌应用前景,本研究将挖掘猪链球菌前噬菌体及其编码的裂解酶。【方法】通过对GenBank中登录的数株猪链球菌前噬菌体裂解酶的基因信息分析,挖掘出一株猪链球菌7型菌株前噬菌体编码的裂解酶,研究其生物学活性。以猪链球菌7型菌株7917的基因组为模板,采用PCR技术扩增获得裂解酶基因ly7917,将其克隆至质粒pET28a(+)并转化大肠杆菌DH5α细胞,挑选基因序列正确的阳性克隆、抽提质粒、转化表达菌株大肠杆菌BL21,经IPTG诱导可高效表达裂解酶Ly7917。【结果】平板裂解试验结果显示Ly7917具有高效裂菌活性,能够裂解猪链球菌2型高致病力菌株HA9801;浊度递减试验结果显示该裂解酶能够高效裂解猪链球菌2型、7型、9型和马链球菌兽疫亚种参考株、金黄色葡萄球菌(包括耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌)等多种革兰氏阳性菌。【结论】基于前噬菌体挖掘的裂解酶Ly7917,具有高效广谱裂菌活性,为临床上利用裂解酶治疗耐药菌的混合感染提供了可能。     

粘虫颗粒体病毒增效蛋白基因片段优化及功能

【目的】研究转宿主粘虫颗粒体病毒(Pseudaletia unipuncta granulovirus,Pu GV-Ps)增效蛋白基因截短片段优化及其增效作用,探索增效蛋白基因的合理利用途径。【方法】生物信息学分析增效蛋白结构域,构建增效蛋白基因截短片段原核表达载体,分析目的基因片段表达产物的表达水平、围食膜蛋白降解效能和增强活性,进一步明确Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白基因的功能区域。【结果】Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白含有M60-like结构域、锌离子催化域和糖蛋白结合域,并包含13个潜在的糖基化位点。以此为依据设计P69(短截M60-like结构域)和P77(短截糖蛋白结合域)2个截短片段,构建了表达载体p ET15b-P69和p ET15bP77,原核表达量明显高于全长基因P104。表达产物纯化蛋白围食膜降解活性表明,P69对斜纹夜蛾围食膜大分子蛋白降解程度高于P77,但两者均低于P104。病毒增强苏云金杆菌(Bt)实验表明,截短片段的表达产物提高了Bt对小菜蛾的毒力,但增强活性显著低于P104。【结论】研究结果表明,Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白基因N端M60-like结构域和C端糖蛋白结合域对其增效作用的发挥都具有一定功能,这些结构对维持增效蛋白的构象也发挥了一定的作用,截短片段P69有利于保持Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白的活性、提高表达水平。该研究结果对增效蛋白的工业化生产具有一定的指导意义。     

金黄色葡萄球菌噬菌体裂解酶Ply187的CHAP结构域的表达及抗菌活性分析

噬菌体裂解酶是一种高效的抗菌蛋白,系统地分析噬菌体裂解酶催化域的活性,有助于设计高效杂合裂解酶。合成噬菌体裂解酶Ply187的CHAP催化结构域(CHAPPly187)基因,并构建表达载体p ET28a-CHAPPly187转化至大肠埃希菌BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导表达和两步纯化,获得高纯度的CHAPPly187,再与溶葡萄球菌酶催化域(CATLysn)进行活性比较。比浊法检测显示CHAPPly187和CATLysn对金黄色葡萄球菌都具有较强的抗菌活性;CHAPPly187具有更宽的抗菌谱,最适作用p H范围更大,对离子强度的耐受能力更好,易受EDTA的影响。低浓度的二价金属离子Ca2+、Mg2+、Mn2+对两种催化域都有明显的促进作用,低浓度的Zn2+、Cu2+、Fe2+对它们有很强的抑制作用。     

人细小病毒B19 VP1u多克隆抗体的制备及其保守区外N端氨基酸对sPLA2活性影响的初步研究

【目的】制备人细小病毒B19-VP1u的多克隆抗体,探究VP1u多克隆抗体及其保守区外N端氨基酸对病毒磷脂酶A2活性的影响。【方法】首先通过分子克隆方法构建相应原核表达载体;利用原核表达系统纯化含MBP标签的VP1u全长及N端系列截短突变融合蛋白;接着免疫新西兰大白兔制备全长VP1u蛋白的多克隆抗体;最后利用磷脂酶A2活性检测试剂盒检测了纯化蛋白的磷脂酶A2活性。【结果】Western blot及免疫荧光实验证实制备的多克隆抗体具有较高的特异性;磷脂酶A2活性检测发现全长VP1u-MBP融合蛋白具有一定的活性,该活性可以被VP1u的抗体抑制;N端保守区外截短系列蛋白的酶活检测发现,N端截掉12个氨基酸时酶活降低53%,截掉67个氨基酸时酶活性几乎完全丧失。【结论】首次发现VP1u保守区外N端氨基酸,尤其是第12个氨基酸前的区域以及第22-67个氨基酸之间的区域,对sPLA2活性的保持具有重要意义,推测该区域可能对维持正常的蛋白构象起重要的作用;而其特异性多克隆抗体的制备也为进一步研究B19病毒VP1u在病毒复制周期的作用奠定基础。     

在大肠杆菌中拓展合成途径合成异胡椒醇北大核心

天然异胡椒醇作为一种植物来源香料,具有很高的经济价值。目前国内外还未见利用大肠杆菌工程菌株转化生产异胡椒醇的报道。【目的】构建工程菌,采用生物合成方法获得天然香料异胡椒醇。【方法】对来自胡椒薄荷的细胞色素P450家族的柠檬烯-3-羟化酶(LIM3H)基因PM2进行改造,截短LIM3H的N端疏水区,分别添加17α短肽或2B1短肽增加其亲水性,采用CO差示光谱法检测LIM3H活性;将N端疏水区截短后的来自拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)的NADPH-细胞色素P450还原酶基因(trATR)和修饰后LIM3H基因(Modi-LIM3H)融合后表达,最终以柠檬烯为底物进行全细胞转化。【结果】3种N端修饰LIM3H基因均检测到LIM3H表达和异胡椒醇生成,其中17α短肽修饰后的蛋白表达量最高,异胡椒醇产量达到1.94 mg/L。【结论】本研究在大肠杆菌中增加外源LIM3H与ATR,成功催化柠檬烯生成异胡椒醇,为天然异胡椒醇的生产提供了新的方法。     

植物液泡膜阳离子/H+反向转运蛋白结构和功能研究进展

阳离子转运蛋白在调节细胞质阳离子浓度过程中发挥关键作用。液泡是一个储存多种离子的重要细胞器,阳离子 (Ca2+)/H+反向转运蛋白CAXs定位在液泡膜上,主要参与Ca2+向液泡的转运,也参与其他阳离子的转运。近年来,植物中分离鉴定了多个CAX基因,植物CAXs主要有4个功能域：NRR通过自抑制机制调节Ca2+转运活性,CaD和C功能域分别赋予CAXs的Ca2+和Mn2+专一性转运活性,D功能域可调节细胞质pH。拟南芥AtCAXs参与植物的生长发育和胁迫适应过程,AtCAX3主要在盐胁迫下转运Ca2+,At     

金黄色葡萄球菌噬菌体vB_Sau_P68的基因组分析和裂解酶

【背景】金黄色葡萄球菌是常见的人畜共患条件致病菌,随着多耐药菌株分离率的增长,研发与抗生素作用模式不同的抗菌剂迫在眉睫。【目的】分离高效且特异性强的金黄色葡萄球菌噬菌体,对其进行功能注释,并对其编码的裂解酶进行功能验证。【方法】通过对噬菌体全基因组序列进行分析找到裂解酶基因,利用原核表达系统对其编码的2个裂解酶蛋白进行克隆,用SDS-PAGE与蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blotting)鉴定目的蛋白是否表达,并采用单斑法验证其裂解活性。【结果】本研究的噬菌体为一株新的金黄色葡萄球菌噬菌体,命名为vB＿Sau＿P68,该基因组全长为139 409 bp,GC含量为31.0%,编码220个开放阅读框(open reading frame,ORF),透射电镜观察具有正二十面体头部和收缩性尾部,形态学分类属于肌尾噬菌体。该噬菌体编码2个裂解酶基因,分别具有CHAP催化结构域与SH3＿5结合结构域,SDS-PAGE与Western blotting表明Lys161能够表达且有裂解活性,Lys163则无法外源表达。对Lys161序列进行分析,该裂解酶无信号肽,无跨膜区域,以无规则卷曲为主。【...     

基于谷氨酸棒杆菌NCgl1221蛋白的新型细菌表面展示系统

【目的】开发一种新型的大肠杆菌表面展示系统,为C末端截短NCgl1221蛋白作为锚定蛋白提供科学依据,丰富并优化细菌表面展示系统。【方法】扩增C末端截短NCgl1221序列和β-淀粉酶基因,构建融合蛋白表达载体。将重组载体PET-NA和空载体PET-28a分别转入Rosetta(DE3)pLysS中,IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PAGE和Western blot鉴定融合蛋白表达情况。将诱导表达菌株进行免疫荧光染色,荧光显微镜观察和流式细胞分析检测β-淀粉酶的展示。酶活测定和淀粉水解分析验证被展示β-淀粉酶的活性。【结果】融合蛋白成功地在大肠杆菌中表达,有活性的β-淀粉酶通过与锚定蛋白C末端的融合被展示在了宿主菌表面,展示β-淀粉酶的重组菌可以水解利用培养基中的淀粉。【结论】成功开发了一种以C末端截短NCgl1221为锚定蛋白的新型大肠杆菌表面展示系统,并以此系统展示了分子量大小为56 kDa的活性酶,为该系统在全细胞催化剂或吸附剂等方面的应用奠定了基础。     

肺炎链球菌中青霉素结合蛋白PBP3在大肠杆菌中的可溶性表达及活性鉴定

【目的】克隆肺炎链球菌R6的pbp3基因,构建原核表达载体并转化大肠杆菌表达,为PBP3的结构及应用研究创造条件。【方法】利用PCR法克隆肺炎链球菌R6中N端截短的pbp3基因(15-413 aa),BamHⅠ和XhoⅠ酶切后插入pGEX-6p-1构建pGEX-6p-pbp3*表达质粒,在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中胞内表达GST-PBP3融合蛋白,Glutathione-Sepharose 4B column亲和纯化GST-PBP3融合蛋白,PreScission Protease切除GST标签,再次过谷胱甘肽亲和层析柱获得纯化的PBP3蛋白。利用PBP3对头孢喹诺的结合试验来鉴定表达蛋白是否有活性。【结果】经测序鉴定成功扩增出N端截短的pbp3基因,成功构建了pGEX-6p-pbp3*表达载体,并纯化出可溶性PBP3蛋白,而且有活性。【结论】肺炎链球菌pbp3基因原核表达系统的成功构建以及有活性重组蛋白的获得,为PBP3蛋白的结构及应用研究奠定了基础。     

Molecular recognition of macrocyclic peptidomimetic inhibitors by HIV-1 protease.

High-resolution crystal structures are described for seven macrocycles complexed with HIV-1 protease (HIVPR). The macrocycles possess two amides and an aromatic group within 15-17 membered rings designed to replace N- or C-terminal tripeptides from peptidic inhibitors of HIVPR. Appended to each macrocycle is a transition state isostere and either an acyclic peptide, nonpeptide, or another macrocycle. These cyclic analogues are potent inhibitors of HIVPR, and the crystal structures show them to be structural mimics of acyclic peptides, binding in the active site of HIVPR via the same interactions. Each macrocycle is restrained to adopt a beta-strand conformation which is preorganized for protease binding. An unusual feature of the binding of C-terminal macrocyclic inhibitors is the interaction between a positively charged secondary amine and a catalytic aspartate of HIVPR. A bicyclic inhibitor binds similarly through its secondary amine that lies between its component N-terminal and C-terminal macrocycles. In contrast, the corresponding tertiary amine of the N-terminal macrocycles does not interact with the catalytic aspartates. The amine-aspartate interaction induces a 1.5 A N-terminal translation of the inhibitors in the active site and is accompanied by weakened interactions with a water molecule that bridges the ligand to the enzyme, as well as static disorder in enzyme flap residues. This flexibility may facilitate peptide cleavage and product dissociation during catalysis. Proteases [Aba67,95]HIVPR and [Lys7,Ile33,Aba67,95]HIVPR used in this work were shown to have very similar crystal structures.     

Receptor binding activity and cytosolic free calcium response by synthetic endothelin analogs in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Using a variety of synthetic analogs of porcine endothelin (pET), we have studied the effects of these analogs on receptor binding activity and cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Removal of C-terminal Trp21 residue, truncated derivatives pET(1-15) and (16-21), substitution of disulfide bond, Cys(3-11) or Cys(1-15), by Cys (Acm), all resulted in a complete loss of receptor binding activity and [Ca2+]i response, while N-terminal elongation of Lys-Arg residues, but not oxidation of Met7 residue, decreased receptor binding activity and [Ca2+]i response. [Cys1-15,Cys3-11]pET was far more potent than [Cys1-11,Cys3-15]pET in receptor binding and [Ca2+]i response. These data indicate that the C-terminal Trp21 as well as the proper double cyclic structure formed by the intramolecular disulfide bonds of the pET molecule are essential for receptor binding and subsequent [Ca2+]i increase in rat VSMC.     

Functional characterization of a special thermophilic multifunctional amylase OPMA-N and its N-terminal domain

A gene encoding a special thermophilic multifunctional amylase OPMA-N was cloned from Bacillus sp. ZW2531-1. OPMA-N has an additional 124-residue N-terminal domain compared with typical amylases and forms a relatively independent domain with a β-pleated sheet and random coil structure. Here we reported an unusual substrate and product specificities of OPMA-N and the impact of the additional N-terminal domain (1-124 aa) on the function and properties of OPMA-N. Both OPMA-N (12.82 U/mg) and its N-terminal domain-truncated ΔOPMA-N (12.55 U/mg) only degraded starch to produce oligosaccharides including maltose, maltotriose, isomaltotriose, and isomaltotetraose, but not to produce glucose. Therefore, the N-terminal domain did not determine its substrate and product specificities that were probably regulated by its C-terminal β-pleated sheet structure. However, the N-terminal domain of OPMA-N seemed to modulate its catalytic feature, leading to the production of more isomaltotriose and less maltose, and it seemed to contribute to OPMA-N's thermostability since OPMA-N showed higher activity than ΔOPMA-N in a temperature range from 40 to 80°C and the half-life (t(1/2)) was 5 h for OPMA-N and 2 h for ΔOPMA-N at 60°C. Both OPMA-N and ΔOPMA-N were Ca(2+)-independent, but their activities could be influenced by Cu(2+), Ni(2+), Zn(2+), EDTA, SDS (1 mM), or Triton-X100 (1%). Kinetic analysis and starch-adsorption assay indicated that the N-terminal domain of OPMA-N could increase the OPMA-N-starch binding and subsequently increase the catalytic efficiency of OPMA-N for starch. In particular, the N-terminal domain of OPMA-N did not determine its oligomerization, because both OPMA-N and ΔOPMA-N could exist in the forms of monomer, homodimer, and homooligomer at the same time.     

The effects of the main body cations on the peptidase(s) activity against pyroGlu6[125I-Tyr8]SP6-11 in the nuclear and synaptosomal fraction of the cortex and hippocampus of rat brain

1. Peptidase(s) activity of nuclear and synaptosomal fraction from cortex and hippocampus of rat brain against pyroGlu6[125I-Tyr8]SP6-11 was evaluated in different concentration of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ in about "isotonic" conditions. 2. The effects of studied ions on the peptidase activities forming N-terminal and C-terminal fragments are different especially in synaptosomes of both areas. 3. The differences of ionic requirements for N- and C-forming activities are particularly relevant for Ca2+ at the cortex and K+ at the hippocampus. 4. Ca2+ activate forming of N-terminal fragments in the nuclear fraction whereas inhibit it in synaptosomes from both areas. 5. The ionic requirements for C-terminal fragments' formation in synaptosomes of both areas are contradictory.     

The PsbQ protein stabilizes the functional binding of the PsbP protein to photosystem II in higher plants

PsbP and PsbQ proteins are extrinsic subunits of photosystem II (PSII) and optimize the oxygen evolution reaction by regulating the binding properties of the essential cofactors Ca(2+) and Cl(-). PsbP induces conformational changes around the catalytic Mn cluster required for Ca(2+) and Cl(-) retention, and the N-terminal region of PsbP is essential for this reaction. It was reported that PsbQ partially restores the functional defect of N-terminal truncated PsbP [Ifuku and Sato (2002) Plant Cell Physiol. 43, 1244-1249]; however, the mechanism of this restoration is yet to be clarified. In this study, we demonstrate that PsbQ is able to restore the functional binding of mutated PsbPs. In the presence of PsbQ, ?15-PsbP, a truncated PsbP lacking 15 N-terminal residues, was able to specifically bind to NaCl-washed spinach PSII membranes and significantly restore the oxygen evolving activity. Furthermore, PsbQ was also able to compensate for the impaired ion-retention of H144A-PsbP, in which a conserved histidine at position 144 in the C-terminal domain was substituted with an alanine. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) difference spectroscopy showed that PsbQ restored the ability of ?15- and H144A-PsbP to induce proper conformational changes during S(1) to S(2) transition. These data suggest that the major function of PsbQ is to stabilize PsbP binding, thereby contributing to the maintenance of the catalytic Mn cluster of the water oxidation machinery in higher plant PSII. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Photosynthesis Research for Sustainability: from Natural to Artificial.     

Conserved amino acids at the C-terminus of rat phospholipase D1 are essential for enzymatic activity.

Rat brain phospholipase D1 (rPLD1) has two highly conserved motifs [H(X)K(X)4D, denoted HKD] located at the N-terminal and C-terminal halves, which are required for activity. Association of the two halves is essential for rPLD1 activity, which probably brings the two HKD domains together to form a catalytic center. In the present study, we find that an intact C-terminus is also essential for the catalytic activity of rPLD1. Serial deletion of the last four amino acids, EVWT, which are conserved in all mammalian PLD isoforms, abolished the catalytic activity of rPLD1. This loss of catalytic activity was not due to a lack of association of the N-terminal and C-terminal halves. Mutations of the last three amino acids showed that substitutions with charged or less hydrophobic amino acids all reduced PLD activity. For example, mutations of Thr1036 and Val1034 to Asp or Lys caused marked inactivation, whereas mutation to other amino acids had less effect. Mutation of Trp1035 to Leu, Ala, His or Tyr caused complete inactivation, whereas mutation of Glu1033 to Ala enhanced activity. The size of the amino acids at the C-terminus also affected the catalytic activity of PLD, reduced activity being observed with conservative mutations within the EVWT sequence (such as T/S, V/L or W/F). The enzyme was also inactivated by the addition of Ala or Val to the C-terminus of this sequence. Interestingly, the inactive C-terminal mutants could be complemented by cotransfection with a wild-type C-terminal half to restore PLD activity in vivo. These data demonstrate that the integrity of the C-terminus of rPLD1 is essential for its catalytic activity. Important features are the hydrophobicity, charge and size of the four conserved C-terminal amino acids. It is proposed that these play important roles in maintaining a functional catalytic structure by interacting with a specific domain within rPLD1.     

Interaction between the pRb2/p130 C-terminal domain and the N-terminal portion of cyclin D3

An association between cyclin D3 and the C-terminal domain of pRb2/p130 was demonstrated using the yeast two-hybrid system. Further analysis restricted the epitope responsible for the binding within the 74 N-terminal amino acids of cyclin D3, independent of the LXCXE amino acid motif present in the D-type cyclin N-terminal region. In a coprecipitation assay in T98G cells, a human glioblastoma cell line, the C-terminal domain of pRb2/p130 was able to interact solely with cyclin D3, while the corresponding portion of pRb interacted with either cyclin D3 or cyclin D1. In T98G cells, endogenous cyclin D3-associated kinase activity showed a clear predisposition to phosphorylate preferentially the C-terminal domain of pRb2/p130, rather than that of pRb. This propensity was also confirmed in LAN-5 human neuroblastoma cells, where phosphorylation of the pRb2/p130 C-terminal domain and expression of cyclin D3 also decreased remarkably in the late neural differentiation stages.     

Functional assembly of fragments from bisected smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase

The C-terminal regulatory segment of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase folds back on its catalytic core to inhibit kinase activity. This regulatory segment consists of autoinhibitory residues linking the catalytic core to the calmodulin-binding sequence and perhaps additional C-terminal residues including an immunoglobulin-like motif. However, mutational and biochemical analyses showed no specific involvement of residues C-terminal to the calmodulin-binding sequence. To obtain additional insights on the proposed mechanisms for autoinhibition and Ca(2+)/calmodulin activation of the kinase, the polypeptide backbone chain of myosin light chain kinase was cleaved by genetic means to produce N- and C-terminal protein fragments. The N-terminal fragment containing the catalytic core was catalytically inactive when expressed alone. Co-expression of the N-terminal fragment with the C-terminal fragment containing the regulatory segment restored kinase activity. Deletion of the autoinhibitory linker residues without or with the calmodulin-binding sequence prevented restoration of kinase activity. In the presence or absence of Ca(2+)/calmodulin, regulatory segment binding occurred through the linker region connecting the catalytic core to the calmodulin-binding sequence. Collectively, these results indicate that residues C-terminal to the calmodulin-binding sequence (including the immunoglobulin-like motif) are not functional components of the regulatory segment. Furthermore, the principal autoinhibitory motif is contained in the sequence linking the catalytic core of myosin light chain kinase to the calmodulin-binding sequence.     

Structure-function relationships in EF-hand Ca2+-binding proteins. Protein engineering and biophysical studies of calbindin D9k

Genes encoding the minor A component of bovine calbindins D9k--the smallest protein known with a pair of EF-hand calcium-binding sites--with amino acid substitutions and/or deletions have been synthesized and expressed in Escherichia coli and characterized with different biophysical techniques. The mutations are confined to the N-terminal Ca2+-binding site and constitute Pro-20----Gly (M1), Pro-20----Gly and Asn-21 deleted (M2), Pro-20 deleted (M3), and Tyr-13----Phe (M4). 1H, 43Ca, and 113Cd NMR studies show that the structural changes induced are primarily localized in the modified region, with hardly any effects on the C-terminal Ca2+-binding site. The Ca2+ exchange rate for the N-terminal site changes from 3 s-1 in the wild-type protein (M0) and M4 to 5000 s-1 in M2 and M3, whereas there is no detectable variation in the Ca2+ exchange from the C-terminal site. The macroscopic Ca2+-binding constants have been obtained from equilibration in the presence of the fluorescent chelator 2-[[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)-amino]- 5-methylphenoxy]methyl]-6-methoxy-8-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]quinoline or by using a Ca2+-selective electrode. The Ca2+ affinity of M4 was similar to that of M0, whereas the largest differences were found for the second stoichiometric step in M2 and M3. Microcalorimetric data show that the enthalpy of Ca2+ binding is negative (-8 to -13 kJ.mol-1) for all sites except the N-terminal site in M2 and M3 (+5 kJ.mol-1). The binding entropy is strongly positive in all cases. Cooperative Ca2+ binding in M0 and M4 was established through the values of the macroscopic Ca2+-binding constants. Through the observed changes in the 1H NMR spectra during Ca2+ titrations we could obtain ratios between site binding constants in M0 and M4. These ratios in combination with the macroscopic binding constants yielded the interaction free energy between the sites delta delta G as -5.1 +/- 0.4 kJ.mol-1 (M0) and less than -3.9 kJ.mol-1 (M4). There is evidence (from 113Cd NMR) for site-site interactions also in M1, M2, and M3, but the magnitude of delta delta G could not be determined because of sequential Ca2+ binding.     

A noncatalytic domain conserved among cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases modifies the kinase function and transforming activity of Fujinami sarcoma virus P130gag-fps.

Proteins encoded by oncogenes such as v-fps/fes, v-src, v-yes, v-abl, and v-fgr are cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases which, unlike transmembrane receptors, are localized to the inside of the cell. These proteins possess two contiguous regions of sequence identity: a C-terminal catalytic domain of 260 residues with homology to other tyrosine-specific and serine-threonine-specific protein kinases, and a unique domain of approximately 100 residues which is located N terminal to the kinase region and is absent from kinases that span the plasma membrane. In-frame linker insertion mutations in Fujinami avian sarcoma virus which introduced dipeptide insertions into the most stringently conserved segment of this N-terminal domain in P130gag-fps impaired the ability of Fujinami avian sarcoma virus to transform rat-2 cells. The P130gag-fps proteins encoded by these transformation-defective mutants were deficient in protein-tyrosine kinase activity in rat cells. However v-fps polypeptides derived from the mutant Fujinami avian sarcoma virus genomes and expressed in Escherichia coli as trpE-v-fps fusion proteins displayed essentially wild-type enzymatic activity, even though they contained the mutated sites. Deletion of the N-terminal domain from wild-type and mutant v-fps bacterial proteins had little effect on autophosphorylating activity. The conserved N-terminal domain of P130gag-fps is therefore not required for catalytic activity, but can profoundly influence the adjacent kinase region. The presence of this noncatalytic domain in all known cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases of higher and lower eucaryotes argues for an important biological function. The relative inactivity of the mutant proteins in rat-2 cells compared with bacteria suggests that the noncatalytic domain may direct specific interactions of the enzymatic region with cellular components that regulate or mediate tyrosine kinase function.