Characterization of the interaction between lysyl-tRNA synthetase and laminin receptor by NMR

Lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KRS) interacts with the laminin receptor (LR/RPSA) and enhances laminin-induced cell migration in cancer metastasis. In this nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based study, we show that the anticodon-binding domain of KRS binds directly to the C-terminal region of 37LRP, and the previously found inhibitors BC-K-01 and BC-K-YH16899 interfere with KRS–37LRP binding. In addition, the anticodon-binding domain of KRS binds to laminin, observed by NMR and SPR. These results provide crucial insights into the structural characteristics of the KRS–LR interaction on the cell surface.     

Deciphering metal-induced oxidative damages on glycated albumin structure and function

Background

Metal ions such as copper or zinc are involved in the development of neurodegenerative pathologies and metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Albumin structure and functions are impaired following metal- and glucose-mediated oxidative alterations. The aim of this study was to elucidate effects of Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions on glucose-induced modifications in albumin by focusing on glycation, aggregation, oxidation and functional aspects.

Methods

Aggregation and conformational changes in albumin were monitored by spectroscopy, fluorescence and microscopy techniques. Biochemical assays such as carbonyl, thiol groups, albumin-bound Cu, fructosamine and amine group measurements were used. Cellular assays were used to gain functional information concerning antioxidant activity of oxidized albumins.

Results

Both metals promoted inhibition of albumin glycation associated with an enhanced aggregation and oxidation process. Metal ions gave rise to the formation of β-amyloid type aggregates in albumin exhibiting impaired antioxidant properties and toxic activity to murine microglia cells (BV2). The differential efficiency of both metal ions to inhibit albumin glycation, to promote aggregation and to affect cellular physiology is compared.

Conclusions and general significance

Considering the key role of oxidized protein in pathology complications, glycation-mediated and metal ion-induced impairment of albumin properties might be important parameters to be followed and fought.     

Recognition of guanosine by dissimilar tRNA methyltransferases

Guanosines are important for biological activities through their specific functional groups that are recognized for RNA or protein interactions. One example is recognition of N(1) of G37 in tRNA by S-adenosyl-methionine (AdoMet)-dependent tRNA methyltransferases to synthesize m(1)G37-tRNA, which is essential for translational fidelity in all biological domains. Synthesis of m(1)G37-tRNA is catalyzed by TrmD in bacteria and by Trm5 in eukarya and archaea, using unrelated and dissimilar structural folds. This raises the question of how dissimilar proteins recognize the same guanosine. Here we probe the mechanism of discrimination among functional groups of guanosine by TrmD and Trm5. Guanosine analogs were systematically introduced into tRNA through a combination of chemical and enzymatic synthesis. Single turnover kinetic assays and thermodynamic analysis of the effect of each analog on m(1)G37-tRNA synthesis reveal that TrmD and Trm5 discriminate functional groups differently. While both recognize N(1) and O(6) of G37, TrmD places a much stronger emphasis on these functional groups than Trm5. While the exocyclic 2-amino group of G37 is important for TrmD, it is dispensable for Trm5. In addition, while an adjacent G36 is obligatory for TrmD, it is nonessential for Trm5. These results depict a more rigid requirement of guanosine functional groups for TrmD than for Trm5. However, the sensitivity of both enzymes to analog substitutions, together with an experimental revelation of their low cellular concentrations relative to tRNA substrates, suggests a model in which these enzymes rapidly screen tRNA by direct recognition of G37 in order to monitor the global state of m(1)G37-tRNA.     

Screening and comparison of differentially expressed genes between one MDR-TB strain and the virulent M. tuberculosis H37Rv

To screen and compare the differentially expressed genes between one MDR-TB strain separated from one child patient and the virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technology was used to build a library of cDNAs that were differentially expressed in the MDR and H37Rv. From this cDNA library, genes that were expressed in the MDR-TB but not in the H37Rv were selected for gene sequencing and homology analysis; 113 positive clones were obtained, their cDNA fragments were sequenced, and homology analysis was performed. Four novel sequences were identified. The results provide a partial list of genes differentially expressed in MDR-TB and four novel genes were found. Identification of these genes may contribute to our understanding of MDR-TB development.     

Synthesis,biological activity and conformational analysis of head‐to‐tail cyclic analogues of LL37 and histatin 5

LL37 and histatin 5 are antimicrobial peptides. LL37 exhibits killing activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, whereas histatin 5 is primarily an antifungal agent. Head‐to‐tail cyclization of histatin 5 did not affect its antimicrobial and haemolytic activity. The cyclic LL37 exhibits identical antifungal and haemolytic activity as does LL37. Its antimicrobial activity varied in one dilution depending on the kind of bacteria. The structure of cyclic peptides was studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Both peptides undergo a conformational change leading to stabilisation of their α‐helical structure in the presence of negatively charged sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles. However, with cyclic histatin 5, the presence of Zn²⁺ ions is also necessary to fuse the peptide to the micelle. The specific action of the Zn²⁺ ions is attributed to the presence of a zinc‐binding motif, His‐Glu‐X‐X‐His. It has been speculated that this zinc complexing may be related to the well‐established anticandidal activity. In the case of cyclic LL37, also the presence of a zwitterionic dodecylphosphocholine micelle induces formation of the helical structure. A microwave‐assisted procedure for the cleavage of a peptide from the 2‐chlorotrityl chloride resin was, for the first time, successfully used to obtain protected peptide fragments that can be applied to the preparation of head‐to‐tail cyclopeptides or to condensation of peptidic fragments. Copyright © 2012 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalytic mechanism of inulinase from Arthrobacter sp. S37

Detailed catalytic roles of the conserved Glu323, Asp460, and Glu519 of Arthrobacter sp. S37 inulinase (EnIA), a member of the glycoside hydrolase family 32, were investigated by site-directed mutagenesis and pH-dependence studies of the enzyme efficiency and homology modeling were carried out for EnIA and for D460E mutant. The enzyme efficiency (k_cat/K_m) of the E323A and E519A mutants was significantly lower than that of the wild-type due to a substantial decrease in k_cat, but not due to variations in K_m, consistent with their putative roles as nucleophile and acid/base catalyst, respectively. The D460A mutant was totally inactive, whereas the D460E and D460N mutants were active to some extent, revealing Asp460 as a catalytic residue and demonstrating that the presence of a carboxylate group in this position is a prerequisite for catalysis. The pH-dependence studies indicated that the pK_a of the acid/base catalyst decreased from 9.2 for the wild-type enzyme to 7.0 for the D460E mutant, implicating Asp460 as the residue that interacts with the acid/base catalyst Glu519 and elevates its pK_a. Homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulation of the wild-type enzyme and the D460E mutant shed light on the structural roles of Glu323, Asp460, and Glu519 in the catalytic activity of the enzyme.     

人源抗菌肽LL-37在毕赤酵母中的高效表达及其活性检测

根据GenBank CAA86115中的LL-37氨基酸序列, 选择毕赤酵母偏好密码子, 采用SOE方法合成了人源抗菌肽LL-37基因。所合成的LL-37基因全长为141 bp, 并在其N端引入kex2裂解位点, 以保证表达抗菌肽具有天然N端。基因克隆入pPICZa-A质粒, 构建分泌型重组酵母表达载体pPICZa-A-LL-37。pPICZa-A-LL-37经SacⅠ酶切线性化后电转化导入毕赤酵母菌株X-33。PCR鉴定为阳性的酵母转化子经甲醇诱导分泌LL-37于发酵上清液, 其表达量为206 mg/L。表达产物LL-37耐热性强, 在100℃条件下40 min内抗菌活性不变, 煮沸3 h以上仍具有活性。琼脂糖孔穴扩散法检测显示LL-37对多种革兰氏阴性菌和阳性菌均具有很好的抑制活性, 其对金黄色葡萄球菌 CowanⅠ(Staphylococcus aureus)、致病性大肠杆菌K99(Enteropathogenic E.coli)和鸡白痢沙门氏菌(Salmonella pullorum)的最小抑菌浓度(Minimal Inhibitory Concentration, MIC)分别为1.56 mg/mL、3.12 mg/mL和1.56 mg/mL。     

HSP90 is required for TAK1 stability but not for its activation in the pro-inflammatory signaling pathway

The protein kinase transforming-growth-factor-β-activated kinase-1 (TAK1) is a key regulator in the pro-inflammatory signaling pathway and is activated by tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We describe the identification of TAK1 as a client protein of the 90 kDa heat-shock protein (Hsp90)/cell division cycle protein 37 (Cdc37) chaperones. However, Hsp90 is not required for the activation of TAK1 as short exposure to the Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-(allylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) did not affect its activation by LPS or IL-1. Prolonged treatment of cells with 17-AAG inhibits Hsp90 and downregulates TAK1. Our results suggest that Hsp90 is required for the folding and stability of TAK1 but is displaced and no longer required when TAK1 is complexed to TAK1-binding protein-1 (TAB1).

Structured summary

MINT-6797182:

TAK1 (uniprotkb:O43318-2) physically interacts (MI:0218) with CDC37 (uniprotkb:Q16543) and HSP90 (uniprotkb:P07900) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

MINT-6797194:

TAK1 (uniprotkb:O43318-2) physically interacts (MI:0218) with TAB1 (uniprotkb:Q15750), HSP90 (uniprotkb:P07900) and CDC37 (uniprotkb:Q16543) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

MINT-6797248:

TAK1 (uniprotkb:Q62073) physically interacts (MI:0218) with HSP90 (uniprotkb:P07901), CDC37 (uniprotkb:Q61081), TAB2 (uniprotkb:Q99K90) and TAB1 (uniprotkb:Q8CF89) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

MINT-6797232:

TAK1 (uniprotkb:O43318-2) physically interacts (MI:0218) with HSP90 (uniprotkb:P07900) and CDC37 (uniprotkb:Q16543) by pull down (MI:0096)

MINT-6797216:

TAK1 (uniprotkb:O43318-2) physically interacts (MI:0218) with TAB2 (uniprotkb:Q9NYJ8), CDC37 (uniprotkb:Q16543), HSP90 (uniprotkb:P07900) and TAB1 (uniprotkb:Q15750) by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)

     

Fast conventional Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis with HCTU.

1H-Benzotriazolium 1-[bis(dimethyl-amino)methylene]-5-chloro-hexafluorophosphate (1-),3-oxide (HCTU) is a nontoxic, nonirritating and noncorrosive coupling reagent. Seven biologically active peptides (GHRP-6, (65-74)ACP, oxytocin, G-LHRH, C-peptide, hAmylin(1-37), and beta-amyloid(1-42)) were synthesized with reaction times reduced to deprotection times of 3 min or less and coupling times of 5 min or less using HCTU as the coupling reagent. Expensive coupling reagents or special techniques were not used. Total peptide synthesis times were dramatically reduced by as much as 42.5 h (1.8 days) without reducing the crude peptide purities. It was shown that HCTU can be used as an affordable, efficient coupling reagent for fast Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis.     

Immunohistochemistry using antibodies to the cathelicidin LL37/hCAP18 in the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii

Antibodies to the human cathelicidin, hCAP18 have been used to examine epithelial tissues of adult and pouch young marsupials. Immunoreactivity was observed in skin, gastrointestinal tract, lung and mammary node of adults as well as skin, gastrointestinal tract, lung and bone marrow of pouch young. The locations of expression were similar to that reported in human tissues. Although the antibody to hCAP18 is primarily directed at the C-terminal antimicrobial peptide LL37, our observations suggest recognition of a common conserved element of this cathelicidin and lead us to conclude that the epithelial tissues of marsupials are sites of production of cathelicidin. This is consistent with observations in other mammals but is the first report of expression of these compounds in marsupials.