ADP-dependent glucokinase/phosphofructokinase, a novel bifunctional enzyme from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii

A gene encoding an ADP-dependent phosphofructokinase homologue has been identified in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii via genome sequencing. The gene encoded a protein of 462 amino acids with a molecular weight of 53,361. The deduced amino acid sequence of the gene showed 52 and 29% identities to the ADP-dependent phosphofructokinase and glucokinase from Pyrococcus furiosus, respectively. The gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the produced enzyme was purified and characterized. To our surprise, the enzyme showed high ADP-dependent activities for both glucokinase and phosphofructokinase. A native molecular mass was estimated to be 55 kDa, and this indicates the enzyme is monomeric. The reaction rate for the phosphorylation of D-glucose was almost 3 times that for D-fructose 6-phosphate. The K(m) values for D-fructose 6-phosphate and D-glucose were calculated to be 0.010 and 1.6 mm, respectively. The K(m) values for ADP were 0.032 and 0.63 mm when D-glucose and D-fructose 6-phosphate were used as a phosphoryl group acceptor, respectively. The gene encoding the enzyme is proposed to be an ancestral gene of an ADP-dependent phosphofructokinase and glucokinase. A gene duplication event might lead to the two enzymatic activities.     

Targeted substrate degradation by an engineered double RING ubiquitin ligase

Recognition of the substrates by ubiquitin ligases is crucial for substrate specificity in the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway. In the present study, we designed a double RING finger ubiquitin ligase to direct the ubiquitin machinery to a specific substrate. The engineered ligase contains the RING finger domains of both BRCA1 and BARD1 linked to a substrate recognition site PCNA, which is known to interact with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57. The double RING finger ubiquitin ligase formed a homo-oligomer complex and exhibited significant ligase activity. Co-transfection of the ligase reduced the expression of transfected p57 to the background level in a proteasome-dependent manner and restored the colony formation ability of U2OS cells that is otherwise inhibited by overexpressed p57. The results indicate the ability of the engineered double RING ubiquitin ligase to target the intended substrate. By redesigning the substrate recognition site, expression of engineered double RING ubiquitin ligases may provide a useful tool for removing many different gene products at the protein level.     

Stable ammonia-specific NAD synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus: purification,characterization, gene cloning,and applications

Bacillus stearothermophilus H-804 isolated from a hot spring in Beppu, Japan, produced an ammonia-specific NAD synthetase (EC 6.3.1.5). The enzyme specifically used NH3 as an amide donor for the synthesis of NAD as it formed AMP and pyrophosphate from deamide-NAD and ATP. None of the l-amino acids tested, such as l-asparagine or l-glutamine, or other amino compounds such as urea, uric acid, or creatinine was used instead of NH3. Mg2+ was needed for the activity, and the maximum enzyme activity was obtained with 3 mM MgCl2. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was 50 kDa by gel filtration, and SDS-PAGE showed a single protein band at the molecular mass of 25 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for the activity were from 9.0 to 10.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was stable at a pH range of 7.5 to 9.0 and up to 60 degrees C. The Km for NH3, ATP, and deamide-NAD were 0.91, 0.052, and 0.028 mM, respectively. The gene encoding the enzyme consisted of an open reading frame of 738 bp and encoded a protein of 246 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of the gene had about 32% homology to those of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis NAD synthetases. We caused the NAD synthetase gene to be expressed in E. coli at a high level; the enzyme activity (per liter of medium) produced by the recombinant E. coli was 180-fold that of B. stearothermophilus H-804. The specific assay of ammonia and ATP (up to 25 microM) with this stable NAD synthetase was possible.     

Termite ecology in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand in terms of stable (δ 13C and δ 15N) and radio (14C, 137Cs and 210Pb) isotopes

Stable (¹³C and ¹⁵N) and radio- (¹⁴C, ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb) isotopes were determined for termites that have been sampled from a dry evergreen forest in Thailand. A wood-feeding termite, Microcerotermes crassus, was separated from soil-feeders: Termes propinquus, Termes comis and Dicuspiditermes makhamensis by ¹³C and ¹⁵N values. The Termes group in Thailand had less diverse values in ¹³C and ¹⁵N than those in Australia, where the feeding habits of the Termes group are more diverse. Other soil-feeding termites produced similar ¹³C values, but a larger range in ¹⁵N values. ¹⁴C-percent modern carbon (pMC) values suggest that the soil-feeding termites used younger carbon than the wood-feeding termites, and this was consistent with the termites from Cameroon, central Africa. Values of ¹³C and ¹⁴C-pMC indicate that surface soil was used by a soil-feeding termite, D. makhamensis, in making the nest mounds, and deeper soil (10–30 cm) by a fungus-growing termite, Macrotermes carbonarius. ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs were scarcely incorporated into the termites, although ²¹⁴Pb was recovered from the workers. The results suggest that stable- and radioisotopes are useful in the study of detritivorous animals, organic matter decomposition and ecosystem engineering.Takuya Abe - deceased.     

Intraspecific variation of cuticular hydrocarbon composition in Formica japonica Motschoulsky (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Cuticular hydrocarbons and morphological features were compared among 80 Formica japonica colonies collected in Japan. Although a few morphological differences were found in workers among the colonies, four different types of cuticular hydrocarbon composition were observed. This was supported by a principal component analysis. We further compared the cuticular hydrocarbons among a total of approximately 400 F. japonica colonies, and categorized the hydrocarbon components into four types based on the result of discriminant analyses for the first 80 colonies. Type 1 was observed in colonies mainly collected in southern Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Types 2, 3, and 4 were from colonies with primary collections in Southern Honshu, central and Pacific coast northern Honshu, and the Sea of Japan coasts of northern Honshu and Hokkaido, respectively. The occurrence of four distinct types of CHC composition suggests that the colonies that produce them are separate species.     

Annulus cells release ATP in response to vibratory loading in vitro

Mechanical forces regulate the developmental path and phenotype of a variety of tissues and cultured cells. Vibratory loading as a mechanical stimulus occurs in connective tissues due to energy returned from ground reaction forces, as well as a mechanical input from use of motorized tools and vehicles. Structures in the spine may be particularly at risk when exposed to destructive vibratory stimuli. Cells from many tissues respond to mechanical stimuli, such as fluid flow, by increasing intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](ic)) and releasing adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), extracellularly, as a mediator to activate signaling pathways. Therefore, we examined whether ATP is released from rabbit (rAN) and human (hAN) intervertebral disc annulus cells in response to vibratory loading. ATP release from annulus cells by vibratory stimulation as well as in control cells was quantitated using a firefly luciferin-luciferase assay. Cultured hAN and rAN cells had a basal level of extracellular ATP ([ATP](ec)) in the range of 1-1.5 nM. Vibratory loading of hAN cells stimulated ATP release, reaching a net maximum [ATP] within 10 min of continuous vibration, and shortly thereafter, [ATP] declined and returned to below baseline level. [ATP] in the supernatant fluid of hAN cells was significantly reduced compared to the control level when the cells received vibration for longer than 15 min. In rAN cells, [ATP] was increased in response to vibratory loading, attaining a level significantly greater than that of the control after 30 min of continuous vibration. Results of the current study show that resting annulus cells secrete ATP and maintain a basal [ATP](ec). Annulus cells may use this nucleotide as a signaling messenger in an autocrine/paracrine fashion in response to vibratory loading. Rapid degradation of ATP to ADP may alternatively modulate cellular responses. It is hypothesized that exposure to repetitive, complex vibration regimens may activate signaling pathways that regulate matrix destruction in the disc. As in tendon cells, ATP may block subsequent responses to load and modulate the vibration response. Rabbit annulus cells were used as a readily obtainable source of cells in development of an animal model for testing effects of vibration on the disc. Human cells obtained from discarded surgical specimens were used to correlate responses of animal to human cells.