Parasitoid wasp affects metabolism of cockroach host to favor food preservation for its offspring

Unlike predators, which immediately consume their prey, parasitoid wasps incapacitate their prey to provide a food supply for their offspring. We have examined the effects of the venom of the parasitoid wasp Ampulex compressa on the metabolism of its cockroach prey. This wasp stings into the brain of the cockroach causing hypokinesia. We first established that larval development, from egg laying to pupation, lasts about 8 days. During this period, the metabolism of the stung cockroach slows down, as measured by a decrease in oxygen consumption. Similar decreases in oxygen consumption occurred after pharmacologically induced paralysis or after removing descending input from the head ganglia by severing the neck connectives. However, neither of these two groups of cockroaches survived more than six days, while 90% of stung cockroaches survived at least this long. In addition, cockroaches with severed neck connectives lost significantly more body mass, mainly due to dehydration. Hence, the sting of A. compressa not only renders the cockroach prey helplessly submissive, but also changes its metabolism to sustain more nutrients for the developing larva. This metabolic manipulation is subtler than the complete removal of descending input from the head ganglia, since it leaves some physiological processes, such as water retention, intact.     

Single point mutations in the zinc finger motifs of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nucleocapsid alter RNA binding specificities of the gag protein and enhance packaging and infectivity

A specific interaction between the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of the Gag polyprotein and the RNA encapsidation signal (Psi) is required for preferential incorporation of the retroviral genomic RNA into the assembled virion. Using the yeast three-hybrid system, we developed a genetic screen to detect human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag mutants with altered RNA binding specificities. Specifically, we randomly mutated full-length HIV-1 Gag or its NC portion and screened the mutants for an increase in affinity for the Harvey murine sarcoma virus encapsidation signal. These screens identified several NC zinc finger mutants with altered RNA binding specificities. Furthermore, additional zinc finger mutants that also demonstrated this phenotype were made by site-directed mutagenesis. The majority of these mutants were able to produce normal virion-like particles; however, when tested in a single-cycle infection assay, some of the mutants demonstrated higher transduction efficiencies than that of wild-type Gag. In particular, the N17K mutant showed a seven- to ninefold increase in transduction, which correlated with enhanced vector RNA packaging. This mutant also packaged larger amounts of foreign RNA. Our results emphasize the importance of the NC zinc fingers, and not other Gag sequences, in achieving specificity in the genome encapsidation process. In addition, the described mutations may contribute to our understanding of HIV diversity resulting from recombination events between copackaged viral genomes and foreign RNA.     

Metabolomics, genomics, proteomics, and the identification of enzymes and their substrates and products

A large proportion of the genes in any plant genome encode enzymes of primary and specialized (secondary) metabolism. Not all plant primary metabolites, those that are found in all or most species, have been identified. Moreover, only a small portion of the estimated hundreds of thousand specialized metabolites, those found only in restricted lineages, have been studied in any species. The correlative analysis of extensive metabolic profiling and gene expression profiling has proven a powerful approach for the identification of candidate genes and enzymes, particularly those in secondary metabolism. The final characterization of substrates, enzymatic activities, and products requires biochemical analysis, which has been most successful when candidate proteins have homology to other enzymes of known function. The challenges are to identify new types of enzymes and to develop biochemical techniques that are suitable for large-scale analysis.     

Generation of a novel anti-geldanamycin antibody

Geldanamycin (GA) and herbimycin A are benzoquinone ansamycins (BAs) that inhibit the molecular chaperone HSP90. The central role of HSP90 in maintaining the conformation, stability, and function of key oncogenic proteins involved in signal transduction pathways renders BAs attractive candidates for clinical development. Two GA derivatives, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin and 17-demethoxy-17-N,N-dimethylaminoethylamino-geldanamycin are currently evaluated in clinical trials. The present study demonstrates generation of a polyclonal antibody elicited against GA that was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin via its 17 position. The anti-GA antibody recognizes GA as well as other BAs, suggesting its possible application for monitoring plasma levels of GA derivatives. The specificity of the antibody towards BAs is demonstrated by its inability to recognize radicicol, an HSP90 inhibitor not related to BAs. This antibody thus presents a novel research tool as well as a possible alternative approach for monitoring drug levels in patients.     

Expression, location, and interactions of ErbB2 and its intramembrane ligand Muc4 (sialomucin complex) in rat mammary gland during pregnancy

Muc4 (also called Sialomucin complex) is a heterodimeric glycoprotein complex consisting of a peripheral O-glycosylated subunit ASGP-1 (ascites sialoglycoprotein-1) tightly but non-covalently bound to an N-glycosylated transmembrane subunit ASGP-2. Muc4/SMC can act as an intramembrane ligand for ErbB2 via an EGF-like domain present in the transmembrane subunit. The complex is developmentally regulated in normal rat mammary gland and overexpressed in a number of mammary tumors. Overexpression of Muc4/SMC has been shown to block cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, protect tumor cells from immune surveillance, promote metastasis, and protect from apoptosis. We have investigated whether Muc4/SMC and ErbB2 are co-expressed and co-localized in normal rat mammary gland and whether Muc4/SMC-ErbB2 complex formation is developmentally regulated in this tissue. Muc4/SMC and ErbB2 have different expression patterns and regulatory mechanisms in the developing rat mammary gland, but both are maximally expressed during late pregnancy and lactation. The two proteins form a complex in lactating mammary gland which is not detected in the virgin gland. Moreover, this complex does not contain ErbB3. ErbB2 is co-localized with Muc4/SMC at the apical surfaces of ductal and alveolar cells in lactating gland; however, another form of ErbB2, recognized by a different antibody, localizes to the basolateral surfaces of these cells. ErbB2 phosphorylated on Tyr 1248 co-localized with Muc4/SMC at the apical surface but not at the basolateral surfaces of these cells. To investigate the function of Muc4 in the mammary gland, transgenic mice were derived using an MMTV-Muc4 construct. Interestingly, mammary gland development in the transgenic mice was aberrant, exhibiting a bifurcated pattern, including invasion down the blood vessel, similar to that exhibited by transgenic mice inappropriately expressing activated ErbB2 in the mammary gland. These data provide further evidence of the ability of Muc4/SMC to interact with ErbB2 and influence its behavior in normal epithelia.     

On the mechanism of accumulation of cholestanol in the brain of mice with a disruption of sterol 27-hydroxylase

The rare disease cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is due to a lack of sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) and is characterized by cholestanol-containing xanthomas in brain and tendons. Mice with the same defect do not develop xanthomas. The driving force in the development of the xanthomas is likely to be conversion of a bile acid precursor into cholestanol. The mechanism behind the xanthomas in the brain has not been clarified. We demonstrate here that female cyp27a1^−/− mice have an increase of cholestanol of about 2.5- fold in plasma, 6-fold in tendons, and 12-fold in brain. Treatment of cyp27a1^−/− mice with 0.05% cholic acid normalized the cholestanol levels in tendons and plasma and reduced the content in the brain. The above changes occurred in parallel with changes in plasma levels of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, a precursor both to bile acids and cholestanol. Injection of a cyp27a1^−/− mouse with ²H₇-labeled 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one resulted in a significant incorporation of ²H₇-cholestanol in the brain. The results are consistent with a concentration-dependent flux of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one across the blood-brain barrier in cyp27a1^−/− mice and subsequent formation of cholestanol. It is suggested that the same mechanism is responsible for accumulation of cholestanol in the brain of patients with CTX.