Subtle mutations in the cysteine region of HIV-1 Vif drastically alter the viral replication phenotype

Mutations were introduced into the region encoding the two cysteine and nearby amino acid residues of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vif protein and, 12 single-amino-acid viral mutants were constructed. Determination of their growth characteristics in two lymphocytic cell lines revealed that only a single amino acid change in the cysteine region greatly altered the replication phenotype. In particular, the four mutants of amino acid 132 of Vif were grouped into three categories on the basis of their growth potentials. These results indicate that the cysteine region of Vif is critical for the cell-dependent replication efficiency of HIV-1.     

Asymmetry in the Mitotic Spindle Induced by the Attachment to the Cell Surface during Maturation in the Starfish Oocyte

In order to study the dynamic behavior of the mitotic apparatus leading to unequal cleavage, we investigated the distribution of mitotic microtubules (MTs) during maturation division of starfish oocytes. When the mitotic apparatus attached to the cell surface at metaphase, in both the first and second meiotic division, it is revealed, by immunofluorescence, that the MT distribution in the spindle, as well as in the aster, became asymmetric. MTs in the peripheral half spindle increased in number compared with those in the inner half spindle. Furthermore, these results were confirmed in the living cell by polarization microscopy; shortly after the attachment, the birefringence retardation of the peripheral half spindle became greater than that of the inner one, and the difference increased with time during anaphase. By inhibiting the attachment of the mitotic apparatus by means of centrifugation, the MT distribution maintained a symmetrical pattern through mitosis. These results suggest that the attachment of the mitotic apparatus to the cell surface induces the asymmetrical distribution of MTs not only in the aster but also in the spindle. Such a rich distribution of MTs in the peripheral half spindle appears to ensure chromosome exclusion into the polar body by anchoring them firmly to the cell surface of the animal pole.     

Target protein for eucaryotic arginine-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase

Among ADP-ribosyltransferases reported in eucaryotes, arginine-specific transferases from turkey erythrocytes, chicken heterophils and rabbit skeletal muscle have been purified and extensively studied. They were reported to modify a number of proteinsin vitro. ADP-ribosylation of Ha-ras-p21 and transducin by the turkey erythrocyte transferase inhibits their GTPase and GTP-binding activities. Chicken heterophil enzyme modifies several substrate proteins for protein kinases and decreases the phosphate-acceptor activity. Rabbit skeletal muscle Ca²⁺-ATPase is inhibited by ADP-ribosylation catalyzed by the muscle transferase. Three transferases all ADP-ribosylate small molecular weight guanidino compounds such as arginine, arginine methylester and agmatine and poly-L-arginine and nuclear histones. However, the observation that muscle transferase did not ADP-ribosylate casein or actin, both of which can be modified by the heterophil transferase under the same conditions indicates that substrate specificity of these two enzymes are different. Substrate-dependent effects were observed with polyions of nucleotides such that polyanions stimulate the ADP-ribosylation of possible target protein, p33 by chicken heterophil transferase but has no effect on the modification of casein by the same enzyme.     

Origin of nitrogen in the biosynthesis of solanidine by Veratrum grandiflorum

Veratrum plants accumulate verazine as the major alkaloid in the rhizome during the dormant stage 4 months after cold treatment. The quantitative c     

Ubiquitin dimers control the hydrolase activity of UCH-L3

Ubiquitin (Ub) carboxy terminal hydrolase (UCH)-L1 and UCH-L3 are two of the deubiquitinating enzymes expressed in the brain. Both gad mice, which lack UCH-L1 expression and Uchl3 knockout mice exhibit neurodegeneration, although at distinct areas. These phenotypes indicate the importance of UCH-L1 and UCH-L3 in the regulation of the central nervous system. However, molecular substrates and the molecular regulators of UCH-L1 and UCH-L3 remain poorly identified. Here we show that Ub dimers interact non-covalently with UCH-L3 in vitro and in cells. These interactions were not observed with UCH-L1 in cells. In vitro, K48-linked Ub dimers pronouncedly inhibited the hydrolase activity of UCH-L3, while mono-Ub, a previously identified interacting protein, inhibited the hydrolase activity of UCH-L1. These results indicate that mono-Ub and Ub dimers may regulate the enzymatic functions of UCH-L1 and UCH-L3, respectively, in vivo.     

Solution structure of ribosomal protein L16 from Thermus thermophilus HB8

Ribosomal protein L16 is an essential component of the bacterial ribosome. It organizes the architecture of aminoacyl tRNA binding site in the ribosome 50S subunit. The three-dimensional structure of L16 from Thermus thermophilus HB8 was determined by NMR. In solution, L16 forms an alpha+beta sandwich structure combined with two additional beta sheets located at the loop regions connecting the two layers. The terminal regions and a central loop region did not show any specific secondary structure. The structured part of L16 could be superimposed well on the C(alpha) model of L16 determined in the crystal structure of the ribosome 50S subunit. By overlaying the L16 solution structure onto the coordinates of the ribosome crystal structure, we constructed the combined model that represents the ribosome-bound state of L16 in the detailed structure. The model showed that L16 possesses residues in contact with helices 38, 39, 42, 43 and 89 of 23S rRNA and helix 4 of 5S rRNA. This suggests its broad effect on the ribosome architecture. Comparison of L16 with the L10e protein, which is the archaeal counterpart, showed that they share a common fold, but differ in some regions of functional importance, especially in the N-terminal region. All known mutation sites in L16 that confer resistance to avilamycin and evernimicin were positioned so that their side-chains were exposed to solvent in the internal cavity of the ribosome. This suggests the direct participation of L16 as a part of the binding site for antibiotics.     

Expression of H type 1 antigen of ABO histo-blood group in normal colon and aberrant expressions of H type 2 and H type 3/4 antigens in colon cancer

We have immunohistochemically examined the distribution of the H antigens of type 1, type 2 and type 3/4 chains of the ABO(H) histo-blood group system in human normal colon and in colon cancer using three monoclonal antibodies specific for each of the H type 1/2, H type 2, and the H type 3/4 chain. We unexpectedly found that mucosa of the normal colon from secretors but not that from nonsecretors expressed only H type 1 and did not express H type 2 or H type 3/4. The H type 1 was expressed in goblet cells. Positive goblet cells expressing H type 1 were decreased in number progressively from the proximal colon to the rectum. In tumors, 4 (57%) of 7 cancer tissues of the proximal colon from secretors expressed no H type 1, whereas all 8 cancer tissues of the distal colon from secretors expressed H type 1. The aberrant expressions of H type 2 and H type 3/4 (47 and 67%, respectively) were found in cancer tissues from both the proximal and the distal colon. Tumors from nonsecretors did not express any H antigens. Our results suggested that the expression of H type 1 in the normal colon and the aberrant expressions of H type 2 and H type 3/4 in colon cancer tissues were regulated by FUT2-encoded Se type (1,2)fucosyltransferase. However, UEA-I-positive substance(s) rather than H type 2 were uniquely expressed throughout the normal colon and in colon cancers from both secretors and nonsecretors.     

High throughput easy microinjection with a single-cell manipulation supporting robot

A single-cell manipulation supporting robot (SMSR) has been developed for the high throughput and easy microinjection. Its concept is to let an experimenter concentrate his/her attention only on the microinjection by facilitating other associated works. SMSR was applied to the microinjection into rice protoplasts and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. The microinjection into these cells is exceptionally difficult than usual animal cells such as fibroblasts. In the case of rice protoplast, for example, non-stop microinjection into 100 cells could be done within 1h that was 17-times faster than that of the robot-less work. The success rate was 7-8% that was same level obtained by the robot-less work. The present results indicate that SMSR is a useful machine for the microinjection of specific genes and proteins in living cells to analyze their respective functions, which is an urgent and important subject in the post-genome era.