Repeating structure of chick tropoelastin revealed by complementary DNA cloning

A cDNA library was constructed from chick aorta poly(adenylic acid)-containing RNA in the expression vector pEX1. Several clones were identified by screening the library with a polyclonal antiserum raised against chick tropoelastin and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence, corresponding to the mature tropoelastin and most of the signal peptide, revealed that the molecule is composed of at least 8, and possibly 13, repeating units. The common features of each unit include an N-terminal region composed largely of alanines and lysines and ending with an aromatic amino acid, followed by a GAG span and then a C-terminal region consisting mostly of valines, prolines, and glycines often present in several copies of the sequence (VPGV). This structure is discussed in terms of the functional properties of the molecule.     

Nucleotide sequence and organization of the human S-protein gene: repeating peptide motifs in the "pexin" family and a model for their evolution

The S-protein/vitronectin gene was isolated from a human genomic DNA library, and its sequence of about 5.3 kilobases including the adjacent 5' and 3' flanking regions was established. Alignment of the genomic DNA nucleotide sequence and the cDNA sequence indicated that the gene consisted of eight exons and seven introns. The intron positions in the S-protein gene and their phase type were compared to those in the hemopexin gene which shares amino acid sequence homologies with transin and the S-protein. Three introns have been found at equivalent positions; two other introns are very close to these positions and are interpreted as cases of intron sliding. Introns 3-7 occur at a conserved glycine residue within repeating peptide segments, whereas introns 1 and 2 are at the boundaries of the Somatomedin B domain of S-protein. The analysis of the exon structure in relation to repeating peptide motifs within the S-protein strongly suggests that it contains only seven repeats, one less than the hemopexin molecule. A very similar repeat pattern like that in hemopexin is shown to be present also in two other related proteins, transin and interstitial collagenase. An evolutionary model for the generation of the repeat pattern in the S-protein and the other members of this novel "pexin" gene family is proposed, and the sequence modifications for some of the repeats during divergent evolution are discussed in relation to known unique functional properties of hemopexin and S-protein.     

Induction of clonal monocyte-macrophage tumors in vivo by a mouse c-myc retrovirus: rearrangement of the CSF-1 gene as a secondary transforming event.

A mouse retrovirus containing the c-myc oncogene was found to induce tumors of mononuclear phagocytic cells in vivo. All tumors expressed the c-myc retroviral gene but not the endogenous c-myc gene (with one exception), and virtually all tumors were clonal with a unique proviral integration. This observation, coupled with a lag time in tumor formation, suggests that a second event, in addition to c-myc proviral integration, is necessary for the generation of neoplastic cells in vivo. All of the tumor cells expressed high levels of mRNA for both the putative colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) receptor (c-fms proto-oncogene product), as well as the c-fos proto-oncogene. Although all of the tumor cells proliferated in culture without the addition of exogenous CSF-1, which is required for the proliferation of primary macrophages partially transformed by the same c-myc retrovirus, several phenotypes were observed with respect to the expression of CSF-1 and granulocyte-macrophage CSF and to their growth factor responsiveness. The proliferation of one tumor, which secreted high levels of CSF-1, was blocked by specific anti-CSF-1 serum. This tumor was found to express altered CSF-1 mRNA and to have a DNA rearrangement at the CSF-1 locus. In this particular case, the data indicate that a CSF-1 gene rearrangement was the secondary event in development of the tumor. The pleiotropy of phenotypes among the other tumors indicated that there are a variety of other mechanisms for such secondary events which can be investigated with this system.     

Expression of desmin, laminin and fibronectin during in situ differentiation (decidualization) of rat uterine stromal cells

Immunocytochemical analysis of frozen rat uterine sections containing decidual tissue, formed in response to normal or artificial stimulation of uteri sensitized by endogenous or exogenous hormonal regimens, demonstrated an elevated expression of the intermediate filament protein desmin in decidual cells. Changes in the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components were coordinated with the elevated expression of desmin as stromal cells underwent decidualization. In parallel with the pattern of regional decidualization, as determined by elevated desmin expression, laminin accumulated in ECM of decidual cells while an apparent decrease in fibronectin was associated with altered organization at the decidual cell surface. The in situ observations confirm previous results, which indicated that the expression of desmin in decidual cells formed in vivo or in vitro is a valid marker of their differentiation, and resolve questions unanswered in the previous study: (a) desmin (and laminin) appear to be constitutively expressed in non-decidualized stroma at barely detectable levels, (b) desmin is a valid marker of stromal cell differentiation because it is expressed similarly in decidual cells, irrespective of varying experimental protocols for uterine sensitization and stimulation, and (c) desmin expression follows the same regional progression described for the process of decidualization in morphological and histochemical studies.     

A chromosomal genetic map of Rhizobium sp. NGR234 generated with Tn5-Mob

Summary Rhizobium sp. NGR234 in a fast-growing Rhizobium strain with a broad host range. The location and role of chromosomal genes involved in cellular metabolism or in the legume symbioses is unknown. We isolated a series of auxotrophic and antibiotic resistant mutants of NGR234 and utilized a chromosome mobilization system based on Tn5-Mob and pJB3JI; Tn5-Mob donor strains behaved like Hfr strains, transferring the chromosome polarly at high frequency from a fixed point of insertion. The use of four different strains with Tn5-Mob located at different nutritional loci in crosses with double auxotrophic recipients, allowed us to build up a circular linkage map of NGR234 based on relative recombination frequencies. Also, symbiotically important genes identified by site-directed mutagenesis, such as hemA and ntrA, could be located and mapped on the chromosome.Abbreviations Tc tetracycline - Sp spectinomycin - Rif rifampicin - Km kanamycin     

Molecular cloning of thentrA gene of the broad host-rangeRhizobium sp. NGR234, and phenotypes of a site-directed mutant

Summary The clonedntrA (rpoN) gene andntrA mutants ofRhizobium meliloti were used to isolate the homologous gene from the broad-host rangeRhizobium sp. NGR234 by hybridization and interspecies complementation. The NGR234 locus was analyzed by deletion and insertional mutagenesis. A site-directedntrA mutant, NGR234rn1, was made with an interposon, GmI, and its phenotype was examined ex planta and in symbiosis. NGR234rn1 formed Fix⁻ nodules on six genera tested from among its legume hosts, including both indeterminate and determinate nodule-type plants. Formation of nodules onMacroptilium was delayed, and expression of anR. meliloti nodABC-lacZ fusion was reduced by the mutant allele.     

Sulfation of two tyrosine-residues in human complement S-protein (vitronectin)

Human S-protein (vitronectin) and hemopexin, two structurally related plasma proteins of similar molecular mass and abundance, were analyzed for tyrosine sulfation. Both proteins were synthesized and secreted by the human hepatoma-derived cell line Hep G2, as shown by immunoprecipitation from the culture medium of [35S]methionine-labelled cells. When Hep G2 cells were labelled with [35S]sulfate, S-protein, but not hemopexin, was found to be sulfated. Half of the [35S]sulfate incorporated into S-protein was recovered as tyrosine sulfate. The stoichiometry of tyrosine sulfation was approximately two mol tyrosine sulfate/mol S-protein. Examination of the S-protein sequence for the presence of the known consensus features for tyrosine sulfation revealed three potential sulfation sites at positions 56, 59 and 401. Tyrosine 56 is the most probable site for stoichiometric sulfation, followed by tyrosine 59 which appears more likely to become sulfated than tyrosine 401. Tyrosines 56 and 59 are located in the anionic region of S-protein which has no homologous counterpart in hemopexin. We discuss the possibility that tyrosine sulfation of the anionic region of S-protein may stabilize the conformation of S-protein in the absence of thrombin-antithrombin III complexes and may play a role in its binding to thrombin-antithrombin III complexes during coagulation.     

Structure of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) promoter

The low-density Lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is a 4544-amino-acid membrane protein which closely resembles the LDL receptor in its arrangement of cysteine-rich motifs. Binding studies have suggested that one function of the molecule is as a receptor for ligands containing apolipoprotein E. We present here the sequence and structure of the promoter region of the LRP. These data show that the LRP contains no sterol regulatory element, and is not down-regulated by sterols like the LDL receptor. This lends further support to the identity of the LRP as a chylomicron remnant receptor.     

Regulation of Brain and Cerebrospinal Fluid Calcium by Brain Barrier Membranes Following Vitamin D-Related Chronic Hypo- and Hypercalcemia in Rats

Male Fischer-344 rats, 21 days old, were fed diets containing 0 (LOD), 2,200 (CONT), or 440,000 (HID) international units of vitamin D3 per kilogram for 12 weeks. [Ca] was measured in plasma, CSF, brain, and choroid plexus. In addition, 45Ca and 36Cl transfer coefficients (KCa and KCl) for uptake from blood into CSF and brain were determined. Although plasma ionized [Ca]s in LOD and HID rats were 50% and 136%, respectively, of values in CONT animals, CSF and brain [Ca]s ranged from only 85% to 110% of respective CONT values. Choroid plexus [Ca] was increased by 37% after HID diet, but was decreased only 10% after LOD. KCa values at CSF, parietal cortex, and pons-medulla were negatively correlated with plasma ionized [Ca], whereas KCl values at CSF and brain were not different between the diet groups. The findings demonstrate that central nervous system [Ca] is maintained during chronic hypo- or hypercalcemia by saturable transport of Ca at brain barrier membranes. This transport does not seem to involve modulation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.     

Cloning of hemA from Rhizobium sp. NGR234 and symbiotic phenotype of a gene-directed mutant in diverse legume genera

Summary The hemA gene which encodes -aminolaevulinic acid synthase (ALAS), was cloned and characterized from the broad host-range Rhizobium strain NGR234. A cosmid, identified by hybridization with the cloned gene of R. meliloti and complementation of an R. meliloti hemA mutant, was subcloned to yield a 5.5 kb fragment containing the entire NGR234 gene. A physical-genetic map was made and the interposon was introduced into a single EcoRI site which bisects the gene. The mutated gene was homogenotized into NGR234 to generate a hemA mutant, with a view to evaluating the role of rhizobial bacteroid ALAS activity for a wide variety of legume symbioses. The mutant strain formed an ineffective (Fix^–) symbiosis with all tested host plants. These included tropical legumes that produce either indeterminate (Leucaena) or determinate (Desmodium, Macroptilium, Lablab, Vigna) root nodules.Abbreviations ALA -aminolaevulinic acid - ALAS aminolaevulinic acid synthase - Lb leghaemoglobin - Lb-haem haem moiety of leghaemoglobin