Autoregulation of tubulin expression is achieved through specific degradation of polysomal tubulin mRNAs

We have utilized protein synthesis inhibitors to investigate the autoregulatory mechanism that uses the concentration of unpolymerized tubulin subunits to specify tubulin mRNA content in animal cells. Puromycin and pactamycin, both of which remove RNAs from polysomes, completely unlink tubulin RNA content from the level of free subunits, whereas pretreatment of cells with cycloheximide, which traps mRNAs onto stalled polyribosomes, enhances the specific degradation of tubulin RNAs in response to increases in the subunit content. Moreover, in the absence of protein synthesis inhibitors, the tubulin RNAs that are lost from cells with elevated free tubulin subunit levels are those that are associated with polyribosomes. Further, beta-tubulin mRNAs encoding a truncated translation product of only 26 amino acids (and that cannot be polyribosomal) are not substrates for autoregulation. We conclude that autoregulation of tubulin synthesis is achieved by specifically altering the stability of tubulin RNAs that are bound to polyribosomes.     

Intracellular distribution of mammalian stress proteins. Effects of cytoskeletal-specific agents

Following a brief period of heat stress, the two highly conserved mammalian stress proteins, hsp68 and 70, were examined with respect to their intracellular locations. In four independent cell lines, hsp68 and 70 were found to partition into both Triton X-100-soluble and insoluble fractions as assessed by two-dimensional gel analysis of newly synthesized polypeptides, whereas a fifth cell line showed these proteins only in the Triton X-100-insoluble fraction. In addition, a previously described cell fractionation technique was utilized to gain information regarding the segregation of the two major mammalian stress proteins, hsp68 and 70, into distinct biochemically and morphologically characterized subcellular compartments of PtK2-epithelial cells. Two cytoskeletal-specific agents, taxol and colchicine, were also probed for their effects on the disposition of these polypeptides. Under our conditions of acute heat exposure, hsp68, 70 and their isoforms were globally distributed in all subcellular fractions examined, with a few notable exceptions in drug-treated cells. Colchicine, a microtubule-depolymerizing drug, inhibited the association of hsp68 and its variants with the double-detergent-extractable labile "cytoskeleton," whereas taxol, a microtubule-stabilizing agent, in some manner, facilitated the transit of hsp68 and its isovariants from a cytoplasmic to nuclear domain. Degree of cell density is a factor which influences the synthesis of various cytoskeletal proteins; therefore, we studied the effect of cell confluency on the disposition of mammalian stress proteins hsp68 and 70 in human FS-4 fibroblasts. In confluent cultures, where cell-cell contact was maximal, we observed the appearance of a previously undetected polypeptide which was not found in sparsely populated cultures. This protein may represent a post-translationally modified isoform of a preexisting heat shock protein, or perhaps, a novel stress protein.     

Autoregulated changes in stability of polyribosome-bound beta-tubulin mRNAs are specified by the first 13 translated nucleotides.

The expression of tubulin polypeptides in animal cells is controlled by an autoregulatory mechanism whereby increases in the tubulin subunit concentration result in rapid and specific degradation of tubulin mRNAs. We have now determined that the sequences that are necessary and sufficient to specify mouse beta-tubulin mRNAs as substrates for this autoregulated instability reside within the first 13 translated nucleotides (which encode the first four beta-tubulin amino acids Met-Arg-Glu-Ile). This domain has been functionally conserved throughout evolution, inasmuch as sequences isolated from the analogous region of human, chicken, and yeast beta-tubulin mRNAs also confer autoregulation. Further, for an RNA to be a substrate for regulation, not only must it carry the 13-nucleotide coding sequence, but it must also be ribosome bound and its translation must proceed 3' to codon 41.     

Bombesin stimulates inositol polyphosphate production in GH4C1 pituitary tumor cells: comparison with TRH

The hormones bombesin and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulated formation of inositol- monophosphate, bisphosphate, trisphosphate and tetrakisphosphate with parallel time courses in GH4C1 cells, while a more polar inositol polyphosphate peak, consisting of inositol-pentakisphosphate and perhaps also inositol-hexakisphosphate, was unaffected by either hormone. Although bombesin and TRH had similar potencies in stimulating inositol trisphosphate production (Km = 30 nM and 40 nM, respectively), TRH was significantly more efficacious than bombesin. Maximal stimulation of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate formation by TRH was not further increased by addition of a maximally effective dose of bombesin, suggesting that the two hormones act through stimulation of a common pool of phospholipase C, and this enzyme pool can be fully stimulated by TRH, alone.     

beta-Internexin, a ubiquitous intermediate filament-associated protein

In this article we show a Triton-insoluble, intermediate filament-associated protein of approximately 70 kD to be expressed ubiquitously in diverse mammalian cell types. This protein, assigned the name beta-internexin, exhibits extreme homology in each of the various cell lines as demonstrated by identical limited peptide maps, similar mobilities on two-dimensional gels, and detection in Triton-soluble and -insoluble extracts. beta-Internexin also shares some degree of homology with alpha-internexin, an intermediate filament-associated protein isolated and purified from rat spinal cord, which accounts for the immunologic cross-reactivity displayed by these polypeptides. Light microscopic immunolocalization of beta-internexin with a monoclonal antibody (mAb-IN30) reveals it to be closely associated with the vimentin network in fibroblasts. The antigen is also observed to collapse with the vimentin reticulum during the formation of a juxtanuclear cap induced by colchicine treatment. Ultrastructural localization, using colloidal gold, substantiates the affinity of beta-internexin for cytoplasmic filaments and, in addition, demonstrates its apparent exclusion from the intranuclear filament network. We examine also the resemblance of beta-internexin to a microtubule-associated polypeptide and the constitutively synthesized mammalian heat shock protein (HSP 68/70).     

Ca2+ transients induced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone rapidly lose their ability to cause release of prolactin

To investigate the relationship of changes in cytosolic free calcium concentrations [( Ca2+]c) caused by TRH to changes in PRL secretion, we simultaneously monitored PRL release and [Ca2+]c, using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator indo-1, in freshly isolated perifused cells from rat anterior pituitary glands. We found that a 30-sec pulse of 100 nM TRH triggered a transient spike of [Ca2+]c, but prolonged PRL release for up to 30 min; continuous administration of TRH caused a sustained elevation in [Ca2+]c, but the same pattern and amount of PRL release as that caused by the pulse of TRH. PRL secretion was refractory to further pulses of TRH given at 10-min intervals for 40 min, but did respond to a second pulse of TRH given 40 min after the first pulse with no intervening pulses. Pulses of TRH given every 10 min still triggered spikes of [Ca2+]c of the same magnitude as the first pulse, indicating that the cause of the refractory state must occur at a post-receptor step that is after the mobilization of [Ca2+]c. A 30-sec pulse of a high concentration of KCl caused a transient spike of [Ca2+]c and transient, not prolonged, release. Additional pulses of KCl cause progressively less PRL release, although the magnitude of the spikes in [Ca2+]c did not change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An Ustilago maydis Mutant Partially Blocked in P45014DM Activity Is Hypersensitive to Azole Fungicides

An Ustilago maydis ergosterol biosynthesis mutant (A14) which is partially blocked in sterol 14alpha-demethylase (P45014DM) activity is described. This mutant accumulated the abnormal 14alpha-methyl sterols, eburicol, 14alpha-methylfecosterol, and obtusifoliol, along with significant amounts of ergosterol. Although the A14 mutant grew nearly as well as the wild type, it was impaired in cell extension growth, which indicated a dysfunction in apical cell wall synthesis. The mutant was also found to be hypersensitive to the azole fungicides penconazole and tebuconazole.     

Sequence-specific 1H NMR assignments and secondary structure in solution of Escherichia coli trp repressor

Sequence-specific 1H NMR assignments are reported for the active L-tryptophan-bound form of Escherichia coli trp repressor. The repressor is a symmetric dimer of 107 residues per monomer; thus at 25 kDa, this is the largest protein for which such detailed sequence-specific assignments have been made. At this molecular mass the broad line widths of the NMR resonances preclude the use of assignment methods based on 1H-1H scalar coupling. Our assignment strategy centers on two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy (NOESY) of a series of selectively deuterated repressor analogues. A new methodology was developed for analysis of the spectra on the basis of the effects of selective deuteration on cross-peak intensities in the NOESY spectra. A total of 90% of the backbone amide protons have been assigned, and 70% of the alpha and side-chain proton resonances are assigned. The local secondary structure was calculated from sequential and medium-range backbone NOEs with the double-iterated Kalman filter method [Altman, R. B., & Jardetzky, O. (1989) Methods Enzymol. 177, 218-246]. The secondary structure agrees with that of the crystal structure [Schevitz, R., Otwinowski, Z., Joachimiak, A., Lawson, C. L., & Sigler, P. B. (1985) Nature 317, 782], except that the solution state is somewhat more disordered in the DNA binding region and in the N-terminal region of the first alpha-helix. Since the repressor is a symmetric dimer, long-range intersubunit NOEs were distinguished from intrasubunit interactions by formation of heterodimers between two appropriate selectively deuterated proteins and comparison of the resulting NOESY spectrum with that of each selectively deuterated homodimer. Thus, from spectra of three heterodimers, long-range NOEs between eight pairs of residues were identified as intersubunit NOEs, and two additional long-range intrasubunits NOEs were assigned.     

Hexazonium pararosaniline as a fixative for animal tissues

Hexazonium pararosaniline is a valuable reagent that has been used in enzyme activity histochemistry for 50 years. It is an aqueous solution containing the tris-diazonium ion derived from pararosaniline, an aminotriarylmethane dye, and it contains an excess of nitrous acid that was not consumed in the diazotization reaction. Other investigators have found that immersion for 2 min in an acidic (pH 3.5) 0.0015 M hexazonium pararosaniline solution can protect cryostat sections of unfixed animal tissues from the deleterious effects of aqueous reagents such as buffered solutions used in immunohistochemistry, while preserving specific affinities for antibodies. In the present investigation hexazonium pararosaniline protected lymphoid tissue and striated muscle against the damaging effects of water or saline. The same protection was conferred on unfixed sections treated with dilute nitrous or hydrochloric acid in concentrations similar to those in hexazonium pararosaniline solutions. Model tissues (solutions, gels or films containing gelatin and/or bovine albumin) responded predictably to well known cross-linking (formaldehyde) or coagulant (mercuric chloride) fixatives. Hexazonium pararosaniline solutions prevented the dissolution of protein gels in water only after 9 or more days of contact, during which time considerable swelling occurred. It is concluded that there is no evidence for a “fixative” action of hexazonium pararosaniline. The protective effect on frozen sections of unfixed tissue is attributable probably to the low pH of the solution.