Structural aspects of ion pumping by Ca2+-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

Ca²⁺-ATPase of muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum is an ATP-powered Ca²⁺-pump that establishes a >10,000-fold concentration gradient across the membrane. Its crystal structures have been determined for nine different states that cover nearly the entire reaction cycle. Presented here is a brief structural account of the ion pumping process, which is achieved by a series of very large domain rearrangements.     

The hydrophobic segment of Arabidopsis thaliana cluster I diacylglycerol kinases is sufficient to target the proteins to cell membranes

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) catalyze the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol into phosphatidic acid. To fulfill their role in many signalling processes, DGKs must be located at, or in, membranes. Most mammalian DGKs are cytosolic and are recruited to membranes upon stimulation, except for epsilon type DGKs that are permanently membrane-associated through a hydrophobic segment. Nothing is known about the mechanism(s) involved in the membrane localization of plant DGKs. By fusion to fluorescent proteins, we show that two DGKs from cluster I in Arabidopsis thaliana possess amino-terminal hydrophobic segments that are sufficient to address them to endoplasmic reticulum membranes.     

Metalloprotease-mediated OPA1 processing is modulated by the mitochondrial membrane potential

Background information. Human OPA1 (optic atrophy type 1) is a dynamin‐related protein of the mitochondrial IMS (intermembrane space) involved in membrane fusion and remodelling. Similarly to its yeast orthologue Mgm1p that exists in two isoforms generated by the serine protease Pcp1p/Rbd1p, OPA1 exists in various isoforms generated by alternative splicing and processing. In the present paper, we focus on protease processing of OPA1. Results. We find that various mammalian cell types display a similar pattern of OPA1 isoforms [two L‐OPA1 (long isoforms of OPA1) and three S‐OPA1 (short isoforms of OPA1)] and that loss of the inner membrane potential, but not inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation or glycolysis, induces rapid and complete processing of L‐OPA1 to S‐OPA1. In isolated mitochondria, OPA1 processing was inhibited by heavy‐metal chelators, pointing to processing by a mitochondrial metalloprotease. The pattern of OPA1 isoforms and its processing kinetics were normal in mitochondria devoid of the serine protease PARL (presenilins‐associated rhomboid‐like protein) – the human orthologue of Pcp1/Rbd1 – and in cells from patients carrying homozygous mutations in SPG7 (spastic paraplegia type 7), a gene encoding the matrix‐oriented metalloprotease paraplegin. In contrast, OPA1 processing kinetics were delayed upon knock‐down of YME1L (human yme1‐like protein), an IMS‐oriented metalloprotease. OPA1 processing was also stimulated during apoptosis, but inhibition of this processing did not affect apoptotic release of OPA1 and cytochrome c. Finally, we show that all OPA1 isoforms interact with Mfn1 (mitofusin 1) and Mfn2 and that these interactions are not affected by dissipation of ΔΨm (inner mitochondrial membrane potential) or OPA1 processing. Conclusions. Metalloprotease‐mediated processing of OPA1 is modulated by the inner membrane potential and is likely to be mediated by the YME1L protease.     

超声波对铜绿微囊藻超微结构和生理特性的影响

为了研究超声波对蓝藻细胞的影响,利用超声波（40W）处理200 mL铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa） 悬浮液20min,之后继续培养并于不同时间取样检测。检测悬浮藻细胞生物量发现其3d降低了97.84%;分别观察1、3、5d时沉降藻细胞超微结构变化,发现13d时细胞内脂质颗粒和藻青素颗粒增多、类囊体片层断裂、藻胆体脱落,5d时拟核区萎缩消失、细胞基础结构解体、胞质出现空洞、胞内结构颗粒降解;检测藻细胞光合放氧速率、叶绿素a （Chl.a）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性、膜透性以及跨膜ATP酶活性,发现光合放氧速率3d下降24.83%,Chl.a含量5d下降23.75%,超声组细胞SOD活性变化幅度比较大,但总体上活性降低,而CAT活性则表现为先增后减,活性始终大于对照组,同时胞内有机物渗出量增大,三种跨膜ATP酶活性（Na+/K+-ATPase、Mg2+-ATPase 和Ca2+-ATPase）均先升后降,并与膜透性变化相关。以上结果表明,超声波使铜绿微囊藻细胞沉降,并对其造成了胁迫,使部分藻细胞光合作用减弱,光合色素遭到损伤,细胞膜透性增大,甚至引起藻细胞程序性死亡。SOD活力的快速降低表明超声波使藻细胞内超氧离子（O2-）过量累积,从而对藻细胞造成氧化损伤,除此之外,超声波使藻细胞基础结构破坏、细胞内结构颗粒降解、细胞膜透性增大,这些都可能是致使部分铜绿微囊藻细胞死亡的重要原因。铜绿微囊藻细胞CAT以及跨膜ATP酶活性增大,表明藻细胞增强抗氧化酶活性以及离子调控和能量活动以抵御超声波的胁迫,而当胁迫随着时间减小后,细胞开始恢复生长和代谢,酶活力开始降低。       

The Decay of the ATPase Activity of Light Plus Thiol-Activated Thylakoid Membranes in the Dark

Oxidized ATP synthase of spinach thylakoid membranes catalyzes high rates of ATP synthesis in the light, but very low rates of ATP hydrolysis in the dark. Reduction of the disulfide bond in the γ subunit of the ATP synthase in the light enhances the rate of Mg²⁺-ATP hydrolysis in the dark. The light plus thiol-activated state decays in a few minutes in the dark after illumination in Tris buffer, but not when Tricine was used in place of Tris. In this paper, it is shown that Tris in the assay mixture is an inhibitor of the light plus thiol-activated ATPase activity of thylakoids, but only after the activated membranes had incubated in the dark. Aminopropanediols and diethanolamine, also selectively inhibited ATPase activity of activated membranes after storage in the dark, whereas NH₄Cl and imidazole inhibit the ATPase activity of activated thylakoids almost equally whether they are added directly after the illumination or several minutes later. The fluorescence of 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine (ACMA) is quenched by the establishment of proton gradients by ATP-dependent proton uptake. Addition of ATP to activated membranes results in rapid quenching of ACMA fluorescence. If the activated membranes were incubated in the dark prior to ATP addition, a lag in the ATP-dependent ACMA fluorescence quenching as well as a similar lag in the rate ATP hydrolysis were seen. It is concluded that ADP rebinds to CF1 in the dark following illumination and inhibits the activity of the ATP synthase. Reactivation of the ATP synthase in the dark can occur by the slow generation of proton gradients by ATP hydrolysis in the dark. This reactivation takes place in Tricine buffer, but not in Tris because of its uncoupling action. Whether ADP binding plays a role in the regulation of the activity of the ATP synthase in situ remains to be established.     

钙肥对富士苹果品质及Ca2+-ATPase活性影响的研究

以盛果期的矮化富士为材料,研究了不同钙肥对富士苹果品质和Ca2+-ATPase活性的影响.结果表明,喷钙后单果重增加,Vc含量提高,可溶性固形物和花青苷含量增大,而成熟果实的叶绿素和可滴定酸含量下降.不同钙肥效果顺序为巨金钙>氨基酸钙>翠康钙宝>钙宝2000.钙肥对Ca2+-ATPase活性影响极为显著,其活性明显高于对照,不同钙肥间Ca2+-ATPase活性的变化趋势与果实品质的变化趋势相同.     

大黄鱼虹彩病毒PCR快速检测试剂盒的研制

针对近年来由虹彩病毒所引起的海水养殖鱼类疾病呈日趋严重的态势,该文在证实了引发我国大黄鱼大规模流行病的病原为一种虹彩病毒及测定病毒全基因组序列(111,760bp;GenBank accession numberl．AY779031)的基础上,通过与已报道虹彩病毒核酸序列进行分析比较,结合生物信息学手段,确定了以虹彩病毒ATPase基因保守区序列(295bp)作为扩增靶序列,设计合成了一对特异性引物,通过改进PCR模板的制备方法和优化扩增条件,建立了大黄鱼虹彩病毒PCR快速检测技术,并开发成简便、快速、实用的检测试剂盒,该试剂盒的检测灵敏度相当于30个病毒粒子,模板制备时间约30min、回收率为52％、半个工作日即可得到准确的结果,无非特异性扩增带,适用于大黄鱼虹彩病毒病的早期快速诊断、苗种的检疫及水质环境的监测,目前正在推广应用。     

Characterization of replication fork and phosphorylation stimulated Plasmodium falciparum helicase 45

Helicases are essential enzymes, which play important role in the metabolism of nucleic acids. In the present study we report further characterization of PfH45 (Plasmodium falciparum helicase 45), which is an essential enzyme for parasite survival. The results show that the helicase activity of PfH45 is significantly stimulated by replication fork like structure. The studies using truncated derivatives of PfH45 show that its nucleic acid dependent ATPase activity resides in the N-terminal one third of the protein and its RNA and DNA-binding activity predominantly resides in the C-terminal two third of the protein. The phosphorylation of PfH45 by protein kinase C at Ser and Thr residues stimulated its DNA and RNA helicase and ssDNA and RNA-dependent ATPase activities. DNA-interacting compounds actinomycin, DAPI, daunorubicin, ethidium bromide, netropsin and nogalamycin were able to inhibit the helicase and ssDNA-dependent ATPase activity with apparent IC50 values ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 microM respectively. These compounds distinctively inhibit the helicase activity probably by forming complex with DNA and obstructing enzyme movement.     

Three-dimensional structure of the KdpFABC complex of Escherichia coli by electron tomography of two-dimensional crystals

The KdpFABC complex (Kdp) functions as a K⁺ pump in Escherichia coli and is a member of the family of P-type ATPases. Unlike other family members, Kdp has a unique oligomeric composition and is notable for segregating K⁺ transport and ATP hydrolysis onto separate subunits (KdpA and KdpB, respectively). We have produced two-dimensional crystals of the KdpFABC complex within reconstituted lipid bilayers and determined its three-dimensional structure from negatively stained samples using a combination of electron tomography and real-space averaging. The resulting map is at a resolution of 2.4 nm and reveals a dimer of Kdp molecules as the asymmetric unit; however, only the cytoplasmic domains are visible due to the lack of stain penetration within the lipid bilayer. The sizes of these cytoplasmic domains are consistent with Kdp and, using a pseudo-atomic model, we have described the subunit interactions that stabilize the Kdp dimer within the larger crystallographic array. These results illustrate the utility of electron tomography in structure determination of ordered assemblies, especially when disorder is severe enough to hamper conventional crystallographic analysis.