Expression and characterization of recombinant 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

2',5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetases are known as components of the interferon-induced cellular defence mechanism in mammals. The existence of 2-5A synthetases in the evolutionarily lowest multicellular animals, the marine sponges, has been demonstrated and the respective candidate genes from Geodia cydonium and Suberites domuncula have been identified. In the present study, the putative 2-5A synthetase cDNA from G. cydonium was expressed in an Escherichia coli expression system to characterize the enzymatic activity of the recombinant polypeptide. Our studies reveal that, unlike the porcine recombinant 2-5A synthetase, the sponge recombinant protein associates strongly with RNA from E. coli, forming a heterogeneous set of complexes. No complete dissociation of the complex occurs during purification of the recombinant protein and the RNA constituent is partially protected from RNase degradation. We demonstrate that the sponge recombinant 2-5A synthetase in complex with E. coli RNA catalyzes the synthesis of 2',5'-phosphodiester-linked 5'-triphosphorylated oligoadenylates from ATP, although with a low specific activity. Poly(I).poly(C), an efficient artificial activator of the mammalian 2-5A synthetases, has only a minimal effect (an approximate two-fold increase) on the sponge recombinant 2-5A synthetase/bacterial RNA complex activity.     

Chromatin structure from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

The histones isolated from the siliceous sponge Geodia cydonium have been separated using two electrophoretic techniques. A comparison of their mobilities with those of calf thymus and rat liver show that some Geodia histone species (H3, H1 and H1(0) exhibit electrophoretic variance. The results show, that as in other eukaryotic systems the sponge chromatin contains the core histones (H2A, H2B, H3 and H4) and the linker histone (H1). ADP-ribosylation of Geodia histones and separation of the individual histones by electrophoresis resulted in four histones being radiolabeled. Digestion of Geodia chromatin with endogenous endonuclease is shown to result in the formation of nucleosome particles containing approximately 200 base pairs of DNA. A major product of endogenous endonuclease digestion is a relatively stable 110 base pair intermediate. Incubation of chromatin with DNase II and separation of the products under denaturing conditions reveals 20 bands migrating at 10 base intervals.     

Heat-stable protease from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium.

A protease from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium was purified from an aqueous extract by gel filtration and anion-exchange chromatography. A 200-kDa proteolytically active band was obtained when the enzyme was analyzed in gelatin-copolymerized zymograms. The enzyme was also able to degrade casein, bovine collagen, and the synthetic substrate alpha-N-benzoyl-D-arginine p-nitroanilide (BAPNA). Optimal conditions for proteolytic activity were achieved in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 and within the pH range 7.0 to 8.5. The protease showed an extraordinary heat resistance. The enzyme activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF) and N-tosyl-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), suggesting that the enzyme belongs to the group of serine-type proteases. We propose that the protease is involved in sponge collagen catabolism.     

Origin of the interferon-inducible (2'-5')oligoadenylate synthetases: cloning of the (2'-5')oligoadenylate synthetase from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

In vertebrates cytokines mediate innate (natural) immunity and protect them against viral infections. The cytokine interferon causes the induction of the (2'-5')oligoadenylate synthetase [(2-5)A synthetase], whose product, (2'-5')oligoadenylate, activates the endoribonuclease L which in turn degrades (viral) RNA. Three isoforms of (2-5)A synthetases exist, form I (40-46 kDa), form II (69 kDa), and form III (100 kDa). Until now (2-5)A synthetases have only been cloned from birds and mammals. Here we describe the cloning of the first putative invertebrate (2-5)A synthetase from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium. The deduced amino acid sequence shows signatures characteristic for (2-5)A synthetases of form I. Phylogenetic analysis of the putative sponge (2-5)A synthetase indicates that it diverged first from a common ancestor of the hitherto known members of (vertebrate) (2-5)A synthetases I, (2-5)A synthetases II and III. Moreover, it is suggested that the (2-5)A synthetases II and III evolved from this common ancestor (very likely) by gene duplication. Together with earlier results on the existence of the (2'-5')oligoadenylates in G. cydonium, the data presented here demonstrate that also invertebrates, here sponges, are provided with the (2-5)A system. At present, it is assumed that this system might be involved in growth control, including control of apoptosis, and acquired its additional function in innate immune response in evolutionarily younger animals, in vertebrates.     

Partial purification and properties of a chromatin bound endonuclease from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

A chromatin bound endonuclease (Mr:107,000) has been extracted and partially purified from the siliceous sponge Geodia cydonium. Disc gel electrophoresis showed that only one enzyme was present in the partially purified preparation which was able to degrade DNA and poly(A). The enzyme liberates oligonucleotides on incubation with poly(A), which are further degraded to yield the 5'-mononucleotide, which has a pI of 6.5 and a pH optimum of 7.5-8.0. Cations are not required for enzymic activity and EDTA does not inhibit the enzyme. Only iodosobenzoic acid was found to completely inhibit the enzyme. The enzyme hydrolysed poly(A), poly(U), poly(C), DNA, poly[d(A-T)], poly[d(G-C)], but not poly (dA) or poly(G).     

Expressed 2-5A synthetase genes and pseudogenes in the marine sponge Geodia barretti

In cattle, bovine leukocyte antigens (BoLAs) have been extensively used as markers for bovine diseases and immunological traits. In this study, we sequenced alleles of the BoLA class II loci, BoLA-DRB3 and BoLA-DQA1, from 650 Japanese cattle from six herds [three herds (507 animals) of Japanese Black cattle and three herds (143 animals) of Holstein cattle] using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) methods. We identified 26 previously reported distinct DRB3 alleles in the two populations: 22 in Japanese Black and 17 in Holstein. The number of DRB3 alleles detected in each herd ranged from 9 to 20. Next, we identified 15 previously reported distinct DQA1 alleles: 13 in Japanese Black and 10 in Holstein. The number of alleles in each herd ranged from 6 to 10. Thus, allelic divergence is significantly greater for DRB3 than for DQA1. A population tree on the basis of the frequencies of the DRB3 and DQA1 alleles showed that, although the genetic distance differed significantly between the two cattle breeds, it was closely related within the three herds of each breed. In addition, Wu-Kabat variability analysis indicated that the DRB3 gene was more polymorphic than the DQA1 gene in both breeds and in all herds, and that the majority of the hypervariable positions within both loci corresponded to pocket-forming residues. The DRB3 and DQA1 heterozygosity for both breeds within each herd were calculated based on the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Only one Japanese Black herd showed a significant difference between the expected and observed heterozygosity at both loci. This is the first report presenting a detailed study of the allelic distribution of BoLA-DRB3 and -DQA1 genes in Japanese Black and Holstein cattle from different farms in Japan. These results may help to develop improved livestock breeding strategies in the future.     

Phylogenetic relationship of ubiquitin repeats in the polyubiquitin gene from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

Ubiquitin is a 76-residue protein which is highly conserved among eukaryotes. Sponge (Porifera) ubiquitin, isolated from Geodia cydonium, is encoded by a gene (termed GCUBI) with six repeats, GCUBI-1 to GCUBI-6. All repeat units encode the same protein (with one exception: GCUBI-4 encodes ubiquitin with a change of Leu to Val at position 71). On the nt level the sequences of the six repeats differ considerably. All changes (except in GCUBI-4) are silent substitutions, which do not affect the protein structure. However, there is one major difference between the repeats: Codons from both codon families (TCN and AGPy) are simultaneously used for the serine at position 65. Using this characteristic the repeats were divided into two groups: Group I: GCUBI-1,3 (TCT codon) and GCUBI-5 (TCC); Group II: GCUBI-2,4,6 (AGC codon). Mutational analysis suggests that the sponge polyubiquitin gene evolved from an ancestral monoubiquitin gene by gene duplication and successive tandem duplications. The ancestral monoubiquitin gene most probably coded for threonine (ACC) at position 65. The first event, duplication of the monoubiquitin gene, happened some 110 million years ago. Since sponges from the genus Geodia are known from the Cretaceous (145 million) to recent time, it is very likely that all events in the evolution of polyubiquitin gene occurred in the same genus. Alignment data of the consensus ubiquitin nt sequences of different animals (man to protozoa) reflect very well the established phylogenetic relationships of the chosen organisms and show that the sponge ubiquitin gene branched off first from the multicellular organisms.Correspondence to: W.E.G. Müller     

Forssman disaccharide is the specific ligand of a galectin from the sponge Geodia cydonium but does not mediate its binding to nuclear protein np56

The galectin from Geodia cydonium (GCA) had previously beenshown to be involved in regulatory mechanisms of cell sortingand adhesion during reaggregation of allogcneic sponge cells.In this contribution the binding specificity of GCA was establishedto be GaINAc     

Cloning and expression of new receptors belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

 A cDNA encoding a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) was previously cloned and expressed from the marine sponge (Porifera) Geodia cydonium. In addition to the two intracellular regions characteristic for RTKs, two immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains are found in the extracellular part of the sponge RTK. In the present study it is shown that no further Ig-like domain is present in the upstream region of the cDNA as well as of the gene hitherto known from the sponge RTK. Two different full-length cDNAs have been isolated and characterized in the present study, which possess two Ig-like domains, one transmembrane segment, and only a short intracellular part, without a TK domain. The two deduced polypeptides were preliminarily termed sponge adhesion molecules (SAM). The longer form of the SAM, GCSAML, encodes a deduced aa sequence, GCSAML, which comprises in the open reading frame 505 amino acids (aa) and has a calculated M _r of 53911. The short form, GCSAMS, has 313 aa residues and an M _r of 33987. The two Ig-like domains in GCSAML and GCSAMS are highly similar to the corresponding Ig-like domains in the RTKs from G. cydonium; the substitutions on both the aa and nt level are restricted to a few sites. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Ig-like domain 1 is similar to the human Ig lambda chain variable region, while the Ig-like domain 2 is related more closely to the human Ig heavy chain variable region. Transplantation experiments (autografting) were performed to demonstrate that the level of expression of the two new genes, GCSAML and GCSAMS, is upregulated during the self/self fusion process. Immunohistochemical analyses using antibodies raised against the two Ig-like domains demonstrate a strong expression in the fusion zone between graft and host. This finding has been supported by northern blotting experiments that revealed that especially GCSAML is strongly upregulated after autografting (up to 12-fold); the expression of GCSAMS reaches a value of 5-fold if compared with the controls. The results presented here demonstrate that the expression of the new molecules described, comprising two Ig-like domains, is upregulated during the process of autograft fusion. Received: 17 November 1998 / Revised: 15 March 1999     

Spectrophotometric pyrophosphate assay of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase.

A nonradioactive multiwell spectrophotometric assay for the interferon-induced enzyme 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase measuring the inorganic pyrophosphate produced during oligoadenylate synthesis has been developed. A coupled enzymatic reaction results in a mole to mole formation of NADPH compared to the inorganic pyrophosphate through the use of the three enzymes UDP-Glc pyrophosphorylase (EC2.7.7.9), phosphoglucomutase (EC5.4.2.2), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC1.1.1.49). The assay is at least as sensitive for measurements of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase activity as the conventional assays using radioactive nucleotides as substrates. Even higher sensitivity of the assay can be obtained by taking advantage of the strong fluorescence of NADPH.     

Molecular cloning and primary structure of a Rhesus (Rh)-like protein from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

 In humans, the 30 000 M _r Rhesus (Rh) polypeptide D (RhD) is a dominant antigen (Ag) of the Rh blood group system. To date, an Rh-like protein has been found in chimpanzees, gorillas, gibbons, and rhesus monkeys. Related to the 30 000 M _r Rh Ag protein are two polypeptides of 50 000 M _r , the human 50 000 M _r Rh Ag and the RhD-like protein from Caenorhabditis elegans. The function of all these proteins is not sufficiently known. Here we characterize a cDNA clone (GCRH) encoding a putative 57 000 M _r polypeptide from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium, which shares sequence similarity both to the RhD Ag and the Rh50 glycoprotein. The sponge Rh-like protein comprises 523 aa residues; hydropathy analysis hints at the presence of ten transmembrane domains. An N-terminal hydrophobic cleavage signal sequence is missing, suggesting that the first membrane-spanning domain of the sponge Rh-like protein acts as a signal-anchor sequence. The sponge Rh-like protein, like the human Rh50, lacks the CLP motif which is characteristic of the 30 000 M _r RhD. In addition, the hydropathy profile of the sponge Rh-like protein is of a similar size and shape as that of human Rh50. This data indicates that the RhD and its structurally related Rh50 glycoprotein, which are highly immunogenic in humans, share a common ancestral molecule with the G. cydonium Rh-like protein. Received: 9 April 1997 / Revised: 29 May 1997     

Promoter and exon-intron structure of the protein kinase C gene from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium: evolutionary considerations and promoter activity

We report the gene structure of a key signaling molecule from a marine sponge, Geodia cydonium. The selected gene, which codes for a classical protein kinase C (cPKC), comprises 13 exons and 12 introns; the introns are, in contrast to those found in cPKC from higher Metazoa, small in size ranging from 93 nt to 359 nt. The complete gene has a length of 4229 nt and contains exons which encode the characteristic putative regulatory and catalytic domains of metazoan cPKCs. While in the regulatory domain only one intron is in phase 0, in the catalytic domain most introns are phase 0 introns, suggesting that the latter only rarely undergo module duplication. The 5'-flanking sequence of the sponge cPKC gene contains a TATA-box like motif which is located 35-26 nt upstream from the start of the longest sequenced cDNA. This 5'-flanking sequence was analyzed for promoter activity. The longest fragment (538 nt) was able to drive the expression of luciferase in transient transfections of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts; the strong activity of the sponge promoter was found to be half the one displayed by the SV40 reference promoter. Deletion analysis demonstrates that the AP4 site and the GC box which is most adjacent to the TATA box are the crucial elements for maximal promoter activity. The activity of the promoter is not changed in 3T3 cells which are kept serum starved or in the presence of a phorbol ester. In conclusion, these data present the phylogenetically oldest cPKC gene which contains in the 5'-flanking region a promoter functional in the heterologous mammalian cell system.     

Porcine conceptus proteins: antiviral activity and effect on 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase.

Interferon-like proteins synthesized by conceptuses of domestic ruminants inhibit luteolysis during early pregnancy. Although pig conceptuses secrete trophoblast interferons during the period of CL maintenance, estrogen is involved with maintenance of the CL. The principal purposes of this work were to confirm production of trophoblast interferons by porcine conceptuses and to compare the effect of trophoblast interferons on endometrium of pigs and cattle. When measured using Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells challenged with vesicular stomatitis virus, antiviral activity in uterine flushings from cyclic gilts was not detectable throughout the estrous cycle; however, in pregnant gilts, antiviral activity increased from undetectable amounts to 4-11 x 10(3) U on Days 14, 16, and 18. Porcine embryos in culture produced 1,100 U/embryo/ml/24 h. Porcine conceptus secretory proteins induced 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase in MDBK cells and in endometrial explants of cows but had no measurable effect on 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase activity of endometrial explants of pigs. Similarly, endometrial 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase of pregnant pigs was unaffected in vivo during the period of maximal synthesis of conceptus secretory proteins. Porcine conceptus secretory proteins produced no detectable increase in serum antiviral activity or 2',5'-oligo(A) synthetase activity of blood mononuclear leukocytes in utero-ovarian venous blood. These results suggest that conceptus interferons of pigs play different roles in the establishment of pregnancy compared to their roles in ruminants.     

2',5'-Oligoadenylates and related 2',5'-oligonucleotide analogues. 1. Substrate specificity of the interferon-induced murine 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and enzymatic synthesis of oligomers

The substrate specificity of the interferon-induced mouse L-cell enzyme, 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase, was determined with a number of nucleoside 5'-triphosphate analogues. Selected nucleoside 5'-triphosphates were converted to 2',5'-oligonucleotides with the following order of efficiency for the nucleoside: 8-azaadenosine greater than adenosine = 2-chloroadenosine greater than sangivamycin greater than toyocamycin greater than formycin greater than 3-ribosyladenine greater than ribavirin greater than tubercidin greater than adenosine 1-oxide greater than 2-beta-D-ribofuranosylthiazole-4-carboxamide greater than inosine = 1,N6-ethenoadenosine greater than guanosine greater than 8-bromoadenosine = uridine greater than cytidine. Adenosine 5'-((beta, gamma-imidotriphosphate) did not seem to be a recognizable substrate since no detectable product resulted. Either the 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase is not as specific as had been previously thought, or there may be more than one 2',5'-oligonucleotide synthetase. The 2',5'-oligonucleotide analogue products in which the adenosine of ppp(A2'P5')nA was replaced by the various nucleoside analogues were separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography and the chain length and number of 5'-phosphate residues analyzed by a rapid, efficient high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) system involving ion-pairing C18 reversed-phase column chromatography. Separation of the 5'-mono-, 5'-di-, and 5'-triphosphorylated forms of the 2',5'-oligonucleotide analogue dimers, trimers, tetramers, and pentamers was readily achieved by this useful HPLC system. No 5'-nonphosphorylated forms were detected for any of the 2',5'-oligonucleotide analogue products.     

Origin of neuronal-like receptors in Metazoa: cloning of a metabotropic glutamate/GABA-like receptor from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

To date, no conclusive evidence has been presented for the existence of neuronal-like elements in Porifera (sponges). In the present study, isolated cells from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium are shown to react to the excitatory amino acid glutamate with an increase in the concentration of intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i. This effect can also be observed when the compounds L-quisqualic acid (L-QA) or L-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP-4) are used. The effect of L-QA and L-AP-4, both agonists for metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), can be abolished by the antagonist of group I mGluRs, (RS)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine. These data suggest that sponge cells contain an mGluR-like protein. A cDNA encoding rat mGluR subtype 1 has been used to identify the complete nucleotide sequence of G. cydonium cDNA coding for a 528-amino-acid-long protein (59 kDa) that displays marked overall similarity to mGluRs and to gamma-aminobutyric acid B receptors. The deduced sponge polypeptide, termed putative mGlu/GABA-like receptor, displays the highest similarity to the two families of metabotropic receptors within the transmembrane segment. The N-terminal part of the sponge sequence shows similarity to mGluR4 and mGluR5. These findings suggest that the earliest evolutionary metazoan phylum, the Porifera, possesses a sophisticated intercellular communication and signaling system, as seen in the neuronal network of higher Metazoa.     

Antiviral and antiproliferative activity of human interferons and their induction of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase

Native preparations of alpha, beta and gamma-interferons as well as recombinant beta-interferon and purified leukocyte alpha-interferon and purified leukocyte alpha-interferon exert antiviral and antiproliferative activity in CaOv cells. Native interferon preparations were shown to be more antiproliferative than purified interferons per unit of antiviral activity (with EMC as well as with less susceptible VSV used as test viruses). It was shown that level of 2'5' oligoadenylatesynthetase activity induction in general correlates with antiproliferative and pronounced antiviral activity of interferons, besides that, the earlier (by 11 hours) induction of the enzyme activity by beta-interferon correlates with more rapid expression of antiproliferative effects by this interferon in comparison with that of alpha-interferon, the latter inducing the peak of enzyme activity by 24 hours.     

Chloroquine impairs the interferon-induced antiviral state without affecting the 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase

Chloroquine, a weak base which raises the pH in acidic cellular compartments such as lysosomes and endosomes, counteracts the induction by interferon of the antiviral state but not that of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase in three different types of cell lines (MDBK, WISH, and L929). Active interferon is recovered in crude extracts of cells which have been treated with interferon and chloroquine together, but not in extracts of cells treated with interferon alone, indicating that chloroquine has inhibited the intralysosomal proteolysis of interferon. A low pH-dependent event in the intracellular fate of interferon (perhaps its intralysosomal degradation) is, therefore, necessary for the establishment of the antiviral state but not for the induction of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase.     

Isolation of geodiatoxins 2-4 from the marine sponge Geodia mesotriaena

1. In a previous study of the marine sponge Geodia mesotriaena von Lendenfeld for antineoplastic constituents, evidence was obtained for the presence of several toxins and geodiatoxin 1 was isolated. 2. Further separations guided by bioassay using CDF1 mice have led to the isolation of three additional chromoprotein toxins lethal at 8 mg/kg.