Effect of activity duration on recovery and metabolic costs in the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis).

The majority of elevated O(2) consumption associated with short and vigorous activity occurs during recovery, thus an assessment of associated metabolic costs should also examine the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This study examined O(2) uptake during exercise, EPOC and distance traveled during 5-, 15-, 60- and 300-s sprints at maximal treadmill intensity in Dipsosaurus (N=10; 74.3+/-2.1 g). EPOC (0.08, 0.14, 0.23 and 0.18 ml O(2) g(-1), respectively) was large (80-99% of total elevated O(2) consumption) and increased significantly between 5 and 60 s. The cost of activity (C(act); ml O(2) g(-1) x km(-1)), intended to reflect the total net costs associated with the activity, was calculated as the total elevated O(2) consumption per unit distance traveled. C(act) decreased with activity duration due to proportionally larger increases in distance traveled relative to EPOC volume, and is predicted by the equation C(act)=14.7 x activity duration (s)(-0.24). The inclusion of EPOC costs provides an ecologically relevant estimate of the total metabolic cost of locomotor activity. C(act) exceeds standard transport costs at all durations examined due to the addition of obligate recovery costs. The differences are large enough to impact energy budget analyses for ectotherms.     

DNA Sequence Determinants Controlling Affinity,Stability and Shape of DNA Complexes Bound by the Nucleoid Protein Fis

The abundant Fis nucleoid protein selectively binds poorly related DNA sequences with high affinities to regulate diverse DNA reactions. Fis binds DNA primarily through DNA backbone contacts and selects target sites by reading conformational properties of DNA sequences, most prominently intrinsic minor groove widths. High-affinity binding requires Fis-stabilized DNA conformational changes that vary depending on DNA sequence. In order to better understand the molecular basis for high affinity site recognition, we analyzed the effects of DNA sequence within and flanking the core Fis binding site on binding affinity and DNA structure. X-ray crystal structures of Fis-DNA complexes containing variable sequences in the noncontacted center of the binding site or variations within the major groove interfaces show that the DNA can adapt to the Fis dimer surface asymmetrically. We show that the presence and position of pyrimidine-purine base steps within the major groove interfaces affect both local DNA bending and minor groove compression to modulate affinities and lifetimes of Fis-DNA complexes. Sequences flanking the core binding site also modulate complex affinities, lifetimes, and the degree of local and global Fis-induced DNA bending. In particular, a G immediately upstream of the 15 bp core sequence inhibits binding and bending, and A-tracts within the flanking base pairs increase both complex lifetimes and global DNA curvatures. Taken together, our observations support a revised DNA motif specifying high-affinity Fis binding and highlight the range of conformations that Fis-bound DNA can adopt. The affinities and DNA conformations of individual Fis-DNA complexes are likely to be tailored to their context-specific biological functions.     

SWiP-1: novel SOCS box containing WD-protein regulated by signalling centres and by Shh during development.

We describe a novel chick WD-protein, cSWiP-1, expressed in somitic mesoderm and developing limb buds as well as in other embryonic structures where Hedgehog signalling has been shown to play a role. Using embryonic manipulations we show that in somites cSWiP-1 expression integrates two signals originating from structures adjacent to the segmental mesoderm: a positive signal from the notochord and a negative signal from intermediate and/or lateral mesoderm. In explant cultures of somitic mesoderm, Shh protein induces cSWiP-1, while a blocking antibody to Shh inhibits the induction of cSWiP-1 by the notochord. These results show that the positive signal from the notochord is mediated by Shh. We also show that in limb buds cSWiP-1 is upregulated by ectopic Shh. This occurs in about the same time period as upregulation of BMP2, placing cSWiP-1 among the earliest markers for the change of limb pattern caused by ectopic Shh. We also describe a human homologue of cSWiP-1 and a mouse gene, mSWiP-2, that is more distantly related to SWiP-1, suggesting that SWiP-1 belongs to a novel subfamily of WD-proteins.     

Cyclopentanoid analogs of phosphatidylcholine: susceptibility to phospholipase A2

Six isomers of dipalmitoylcyclopentanetriol phosphocholine (cyclopentano-lecithin) were tested as potential substrates for phospholipase A2. Since each of these analogs possesses a configuration that mimics a narrow range of conformations of a glycerophospholipid molecule, the analogs were used to assess the enzyme's conformational requirements. Studies showed that all of the analogs containing the phosphocholine at the C-1 (or C-3) position could be hydrolyzed, while only one of the three analogs that contains the polar head group at the C-2 position was susceptible. Kinetic studies, however, revealed that only the all-trans-(1,3/2-1P)-cyclopentano-lecithin gave initial rates of hydrolysis that were measurable by pH-stat. Acyl group specificity of the enzyme towards the all-trans isomer was determined with an analog was acyl groups were distinguishable. The synthesis of this mixed-acid-cyclopentano-PC is described herein. When this analog was enzymatically assayed, results unequivocally showed the enzyme to be specific for C-2 acyl hydrolysis. This specificity, and data showing that the all-trans analog is stereospecifically hydrolyzed, indicate that it is acted on in an analogous manner to dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. These studies indicate that although the configuration of the analog is not necessarily a prerequisite for hydrolysis, there does appear to be an optimal spatial orientation for enzymatic activity. The analogy between the susceptibilities of all-trans-(1,3/2-1P)-cyclopentano-lecithin and glycero-lecithin suggests that the conformation of the glycero-lecithin during phospholipase A2-mediated hydrolysis may be best simulated by the all-trans orientation of C-O bonds in the artificial substrate.     

Characterization of two surface-localized antigenic sites on porin protein F of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A rapid colony immunoblot screening procedure was used to demonstrate the surface localization of porin protein F on bacterial colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By this method, we demonstrated that protein F was accessible to four different specific monoclonal antibodies in a wide variety of both mucoid and nonmucoid P. aeruginosa strains. Controls were performed to demonstrate that, using this procedure, only surface-exposed epitopes bound monoclonal antibodies and that nonspecific binding of monoclonal antibodies either to cells lacking protein F or to mucoid exopolysaccharide did not occur. Monoclonal antibodies MA4-4, MA2-10, and MA4-10, specific for protein F, also interacted with colonies of Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas syringae, whereas the protein F specific monoclonal antibody MA5-8 interacted only with P. aeruginosa strains. Using the above-named monoclonal antibodies, we investigated the antigenic structure of protein F. Monoclonal antibodies MA4-4, MA2-10, and MA4-10 bound to 29-31 kilodalton proteolytic fragments produced after papain or trypsin digestion of purified protein F or of protein F in outer membranes or intact cells. Antibody MA5-8 did not interact with proteolytically digested protein F but did interact with two of the six fragments produced after partial cyanogen bromide cleavage of protein F. Antibodies MA4-4, MA2-10, and MA4-10 did not interact with protein F after reduction of its internal disulphide bonds with 2-mercaptoethanol; in contrast, the reactivity of MA5-8 was unaffected. This data suggests that there are at least two distinct highly conserved surface epitopes on porin protein F.     

H-Ras Nanocluster Stability Regulates the Magnitude of MAPK Signal Output

H-Ras is a binary switch that is activated by multiple co-factors and triggers several key cellular pathways one of which is MAPK. The specificity and magnitude of downstream activation is achieved by the spatio-temporal organization of the active H-Ras in the plasma membrane. Upon activation, the GTP bound H-Ras binds to Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and becomes transiently immobilized in short-lived nanoclusters on the plasma membrane from which the signal is propagated to Raf. In the current study we show that stabilizing the H-Ras-Gal-1 interaction, using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), leads to prolonged immobilization of H-Ras.GTP in the plasma membrane which was measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and increased signal out-put to the MAPK module. EM measurements of Raf recruitment to the H-Ras.GTP nanoclusters demonstrated that the enhanced signaling observed in the BiFC stabilized H-Ras.GTP nanocluster was attributed to increased H-Ras immobilization rather than to an increase in Raf recruitment. Taken together these data demonstrate that the magnitude of the signal output from a GTP-bound H-Ras nanocluster is proportional to its stability.