The role of membrane lectins in Dictyostelium discoideum aggregation as ascertained by specific univalent antibodies against discoidin I

Antibodies against pure discoidin I have been used as a tool to ascertain the role of this lectin in aggregation of Dictyostelium discoideum. Discoidin I is widely expressed over the cell surface of aggregation-competent AX-2 cells, as ascertained by indirect immunofluorescence with specific (antidiscoidin I) antibodies. Univalent antidiscoidin I antibodies (Fab fragments) inhibit the aggregation-specific intercellular adhesion of D discoideum AX-2 cells in an in vitro assay. This inhibition depends on antibody concentration and cell density; a 50% inhibition of cell aggregation was obtained at antidiscoidin I Fab concentration of 4.5 mg/ml and 1 X 10(6) cells/ml. Aggregation and morphogenesis on solid support is also effectively inhibited when AX-2 cells are starved in the presence of antidiscoidin I Fab fragments. The inhibition of morphogenesis is also dose dependent and more effective than in the in vitro assay. No inhibition of aggregation either in the in vitro assay or on morphogenesis on solid support was observed with preimmune Fab fragments at any of the concentrations tested (up to 9.6 mg/ml).     

Alteration of the structure of theEscherichia coli ribosomes on treatment with Fab fragment of immunoglobulin raised against the ribosomes

Rabbits were immunised againstEscherichia coli ribosomes and the partially purified immunoglobulin G fraction had maximum ability to precipitate the ribosomes as well as the extracted ribosomal proteins. By digestion of immuno-globulin G with papain, monovalent Fab fragments were produced. The 70 S ribosome and its subunits (50 S and 30 S) were separately treated with Fab and then tested in the kinetic assay of degradation of ribosomes by ribonuclease I at various Mg²⁺ concentrations. Treated ribosomes and their subunits were degraded at faster rates than the nontreated ones; the rates in both the control and the treated cases were dependent on the concentration of Mg²⁺. These results indicate the unfolding of the structure of the ribosome on treatment with antibody fragments, which may be due to the weakening of the interaction between rRNAs and ribosomal proteins.     

荻草谷网蚜唾液蛋白基因Sm13498的克隆及功能分析

【目的】荻草谷网蚜Sitobion miscanthi为我国小麦Triticum aestivum主产区麦蚜优势种;Sm13498蛋白是在荻草谷网蚜唾液腺中特异表达的唾液蛋白。本研究旨在探析荻草谷网蚜功能未知的Sm13498在调节植物防御反应中的潜在作用。【方法】基于荻草谷网蚜唾液腺转录组测序数据,PCR克隆Sm13498的cDNA全长序列,并进行生物信息学分析;采用RT-qPCR测定Sm13498在取食小麦叶片不同时间的荻草谷网蚜无翅成蚜中的表达动态;通过酵母分泌系统验证Sm13498蛋白信号肽的分泌功能;利用根癌农杆菌Agrobacterium tumefaciens介导在本氏烟Nicotiana benthamiana中瞬时表达技术鉴定Sm13498蛋白功能及亚细胞定位。【结果】克隆获得了荻草谷网蚜Sm13498 cDNA全长序列(GenBank登录号：MW346655),开放阅读框(ORF)全长783 bp,编码260个氨基酸,预测蛋白分子量28.01 kD,第1-22位氨基酸为N端信号肽。系统进化树显示,Sm13498与豌豆蚜Acyrthosiphon pisum的功能未知蛋白LOC100159087precursor(GenBank登录号: NP_001313548.1)亲缘关系最近(氨基酸序列一致性为71.7%)。RT-qPCR结果表明,Sm13498在荻草谷网蚜无翅成蚜取食小麦叶片12 h时表达水平达到最高。含有Sm13498信号肽片段的酿酒酵母Saccharomyces cerevisiae YTK12可在YPRAA培养基正常生长,并可将无色2,3,5-氯化三苯基四氮唑(TTC)还原为不可溶的暗红色的氯化三苯基四氮唑(TTF),证实其信号肽具有分泌活性。经根癌农杆菌介导在本氏烟瞬时表达Sm13498蛋白可抑制Bcl-2相关X蛋白(Bcl-2-associated X protein, BAX)及病原菌激发子INF1诱导的程序性细胞死亡。亚细胞定位结果表明,Sm13498-GFP融合蛋白定位于本氏烟叶片细胞膜。【结论】结果说明荻草谷网蚜唾液蛋白Sm13498可抑制植物防御反应。本研究为发掘荻草谷网蚜唾液中效应子, 深入解析麦蚜对小麦品种强适应性奠定了基础。     

Aphid–willow interactions in a high Arctic ecosystem: responses to raised temperature and goose disturbance

Recently, there have been several studies using open top chambers (OTCs) or cloches to examine the response of Arctic plant communities to artificially elevated temperatures. Few, however, have investigated multitrophic systems, or the effects of both temperature and vertebrate grazing treatments on invertebrates. This study investigated trophic interactions between an herbivorous insect (Sitobion calvulum, Aphididae), a woody perennial host plant (Salix polaris) and a selective vertebrate grazer (barnacle geese, Branta leucopsis). In a factorial experiment, the responses of the insect and its host to elevated temperatures using open top chambers (OTCs) and to three levels of goose grazing pressure were assessed over two summer growing seasons (2004 and 2005). OTCs significantly enhanced the leaf phenology of Salix in both years and there was a significant OTC by goose presence interaction in 2004. Salix leaf number was unaffected by treatments in both years, but OTCs increased leaf size and mass in 2005. Salix reproduction and the phenology of flowers were unaffected by both treatments. Aphid densities were increased by OTCs but unaffected by goose presence in both years. While goose presence had little effect on aphid density or host plant phenology in this system, the OTC effects provide interesting insights into the possibility of phenological synchrony disruption. The advanced phenology of Salix effectively lengthens the growing season for the plant, but despite a close association with leaf maturity, the population dynamics of the aphid appeared to lack a similar phenological response, except for the increased population observed.     

Characterization of the complex formed between a potent neutralizing ovine-derived polyclonal anti-TNFα Fab fragment and human TNFα

TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) is an early mediator in the systemic inflammatory response to infection and is therefore a therapeutic target in sepsis. AZD9773 is an ovine-derived, polyclonal anti-TNFα Fab fragment derived from a pool of serum and currently being developed as a treatment for severe sepsis and septic shock. In the present study, we show that although AZD9773 has a modest affinity for TNFα in a binding assay, the K_i in a cell-based assay is approximately four orders of magnitude lower. We show using SEC (size exclusion chromatography) that the maximum size of the complex between AZD9773 and TNFα is consistent with approximately 12 Fabs binding to one TNFα trimer. A number of approaches were taken to map the epitopes recognized by AZD9773. These revealed that a number of different regions on TNFα are involved in binding to the polyclonal Fab. The data suggest that there are probably three epitopes per monomer that are responsible for most of the inhibition by AZD9773 and that all three can be occupied at the same time in the complex. We conclude that AZD9773 is clearly demonstrated to bind to multiple epitopes on TNFα and suggest that the polyclonal nature may account, at least in part, for the very high potency observed in cell-based assays.     

Anti‐human CD9 antibody Fab fragment impairs the internalization of extracellular vesicles and the nuclear transfer of their cargo proteins

The intercellular communication mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) has gained international interest during the last decade. Interfering with the mechanisms regulating this cellular process might find application particularly in oncology where cancer cell‐derived EVs play a role in tumour microenvironment transformation. Although several mechanisms were ascribed to explain the internalization of EVs, little is our knowledge about the fate of their cargos, which are crucial to mediate their function. We recently demonstrated a new intracellular pathway in which a fraction of endocytosed EV‐associated proteins is transported into the nucleoplasm of the host cell via a subpopulation of late endosomes penetrating into the nucleoplasmic reticulum. Silencing tetraspanin CD9 both in EVs and recipient cells strongly decreased the endocytosis of EVs and abolished the nuclear transfer of their cargos. Here, we investigated whether monovalent Fab fragments derived from 5H9 anti‐CD9 monoclonal antibody (referred hereafter as CD9 Fab) interfered with these cellular processes. To monitor the intracellular transport of proteins, we used fluorescent EVs containing CD9‐green fluorescent protein fusion protein and various melanoma cell lines and bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells as recipient cells. Interestingly, CD9 Fab considerably reduced EV uptake and the nuclear transfer of their proteins in all examined cells. In contrast, the divalent CD9 antibody stimulated both events. By impeding intercellular communication in the tumour microenvironment, CD9 Fab‐mediated inhibition of EV uptake, combined with direct targeting of cancerous cells could lead to the development of novel anti‐melanoma therapeutic strategies.