Identification of Cell Cycle Dependent Interaction Partners of the Septins by Quantitative Mass Spectrometry

The septins are a conserved family of GTP-binding proteins that, in the baker''s yeast, assemble into a highly ordered array of filaments at the mother bud neck. These filaments undergo significant structural rearrangements during the cell cycle. We aimed at identifying key components that are involved in or regulate the transitions of the septins. By combining cell synchronization and quantitative affinity-purification mass-spectrometry, we performed a screen for specific interaction partners of the septins at three distinct stages of the cell cycle. A total of 83 interaction partners of the septins were assigned. Surprisingly, we detected DNA-interacting/nuclear proteins and proteins involved in ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis predominantly present in alpha-factor arrested that do not display an assembled septin structure. Furthermore, two distinct sets of regulatory proteins that are specific for cells at S-phase with a stable septin collar or at mitosis with split septin rings were identified.Complementary methods like SPLIFF and immunoprecipitation allowed us to more exactly define the spatial and temporal characteristics of selected hits of the AP-MS screen.     

Oat mesophyll protoplasts: their response to various feeder cultures

Oat (Avena sativa L.) mesophyll protoplasts were recently demonstrated to be capable of dedifferentiation, repeated divisions, and colony formation. Since the development of oat mesophyll protoplasts is decisively influenced by the nature of the used feeder culture (species, variety and concentration), we conducted a systematic study of this parameter. Generally, graminaceous feeders promoted protoplast proliferation, while dicot species repressed protoplast divisions. The beneficial effect of those feeders that promote divisions was counterbalanced by a factor that causes necrosis. The correct balance between promotion of divisions or necrosis depended on the nature of the feeder and its plating density.     

The exosome of Trypanosoma brucei.

The yeast exosome is a complex of at least 10 essential 3'-5' riboexonucleases which is involved in 3'-processing of many RNA species. An exosome-like complex has been found or predicted to exist in other eukaryotes but not in Escherichia coli. The unicellular parasite Trypanosoma brucei diverged very early in eukaryotic evolution. We show here that T.brucei contains at least eight exosome subunit homologs, but only a subset of these associate in a complex. Accordingly, the T.brucei exosome is smaller than that of yeast. Both free and complex-associated homologs are essential for cell viability and are involved in 5.8S rRNA maturation. We suggest that the exosome was present in primitive eukaryotes, and became increasingly complex during subsequent evolution.     

Midbrain auditory sensitivity in the spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer): correlations with behavioral studies

1. We derived audiograms from recordings of multiunit activity in the torus semicircularis of 10 males and 6 females of the spring peeper from central Missouri, USA. We used free-field stimulation with tone bursts that had temporal properties similar to typical advertisement calls and that ranged in frequency from 500-6000 Hz. 2. Audiograms from different electrode positions in the same animal had the same general shape. There was no evidence of tonotopy. 3. Audiograms showed two regions of maximal sensitivity: a low-frequency region (500-700 Hz); and a high-frequency region (2000-4000 Hz). Absolute thresholds and frequencies of maximum sensitivity varied considerably from individual to individual. 4. Audiograms derived from all individuals of each sex indicated that in the high-frequency region, corresponding to the frequency range of advertisement calls, males were more broadly tuned than females. However, tuning in both sexes was relatively weak, and the data predict relatively little selectivity in behavioral responses over the entire range of variation in frequency of the advertisement call in local populations. 5. The results are discussed in terms of behavioral experiments with both males and females from the same populations in central Missouri. We show that merely summarizing the audiograms based on estimates of minimum thresholds of a population or species may mask significant individual differences in tuning. Moreover, most behavioral studies are conducted at playback levels considerably above threshold. For these reasons, behavioral selectivity is not always accurately predicted by inspection of "average" audiograms.     

Endogenous activation by indirect muta-carcinogens and DNA-repair synthesis in mouse-lung fibroblast cultures

Cultures of adult mouse-lung fibroblasts have been treated by series of strong and weak muta-carcinogens. Unscheduled DNA synthesis has been measured by quantitative autoradiography using automatic image analysis. Some of the muta-carcinogens (AFB1, DMN, B(a)P, DMBA, MNNG, 4-NQO) yielded a measurable UDS response, whereas others (2-AA, AFB2, B(e)P, ICR-191) usually known as weak carcinogens, gave no response. The response was not improved by addition of liver S9. This shows that mouse-lung fibroblasts possess their own but limited metabolic activation systems.     

The folding of ovalbumin. Renaturation in vitro versus biosynthesis in vitro.

Hen ovalbumin, the major secretory product of oviduct cells, is a 43 000-dalton glycoprotein. Many studies have led to controversy over the question of whether ovalbumin (OA) can be fully renatured after chemical denaturation. We have studied the renaturation of OA after denaturation with guanidinium chloride, urea or alkaline pH. Denatured OA displays an intrinsic viscosity consistent with nearly complete unfolding of the protein. Removal of the denaturant results in a complete reversal of the changes in intrinsic viscosity. However, closer examination of the renatured protein reveals major differences from the native form. Renatured OA (OAR) can be completely separated from the native form (OAN) by affinity chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose. OAR displays altered tryptophan fluorescence, u.v.-absorption and c.d. spectra. Only OAR binds anilinonaphthalenesulphonate (as measured by fluorescence enhancement). OAR, but not OAN, binds about 2 mol of the covalent hydrophobic affinity probe phenyl isothiocyanate/mol. Renaturation, and the production of OAR, occurs regardless of the oxidation state of the disulphide bonds, of phosphorylation of the protein, and of the presence or the absence of the single carbohydrate chain. OAR may be either monomeric or an irreversible aggregate. Which of these two states is formed depends on the protein concentration during renaturation. Monomeric and aggregated OAR can be distinguished on the basis of some spectroscopic characteristics, but they share the essential hydrophobic characteristics that distinguish them from OAN. OAN and OAR do not spontaneously interconvert. Antibodies raised to each can be made monospecific by immunoabsorption. Thus two stable forms of OA can be obtained, one of which, OAR, displays hydrophobic characteristics. OAN, but not OAR, is formed when OA is synthesized in vitro in a translation system.     

Maltose excretion by the symbiotic Chlorella of the heliozoan Acanthocystis turfacea

Chlorella sp. strain 3.83, a symbiotic Chlorella isolated from the heliozoan Acanthocystis turfacea, excreted between 8% and 16% of assimilated ¹⁴CO₂ as maltose in the light (15000 lx), with a pH optimum around 4.8. This percentage increased when the illuminance was lowered (36% at 1700 lx). Release of [¹⁴C]maltose continued in darkness and could be inhibited by the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoro-methoxyphenylhydrazone and by diethylstilbestrol. Net efflux of maltose was observed even at a concentration ratio of extracellular/intracellular maltose of 7.8. Exogenous [¹⁴C]maltose (5 mM) was taken up by the cells with a rate <2% of that of simultaneous maltose release, indicating a practically unidirectional transport. It is concluded that maltose excretion is an active-transport process.Abbreviations DES diethylstilbestrol - FCCP carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone - p.c. packed cells This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Thanks are due to Doris Meindl for skillful experimental help.