A second cell-binding domain on fibronectin (RGDS-independent) for neurite extension of human neuroblastoma cells

Human neuroblastoma cells (Platt and La-N1) have previously been shown to adhere and extend neurites on tissue-culture substrata coated with a 120K chymotryptic cell-binding fragment (CBF) of plasma fibronectin (pFN), a fragment which lacks heparan sulfate- and collagen-binding activities, and to adhere to—but not extend neurites on—substrata coated with the heparan sulfate (HS)-binding protein, platelet factor-4 (PF4) ([3.]). The mechanisms of these processes on CBF, on the intact pFN molecule, or on heparin-binding fragments of pFN have been tested using a heptapeptide (peptide A) containing the Arg---Gly---Asp---Ser (RGDS) sequence which recognizes a specific ‘receptor’ on the surface of a variety of cells or a control peptide with a single amino acid substitution. Adherence and neurite extension were completely inhibited on the 120K CBF by peptide A but not by control peptide; these results indicate that the RGDS-dependent ‘receptor’ is solely responsible for adhesive responses to the 120K CBF-containing region of the pFN molecule. When peptide A was added to cells on CBF which had already formed neuntes to test reversibility, retraction of all neurite processes was induced by 1 h and cells eventually detached. In contrast, on intact pFN, peptide A had very limited effects on either initial adherence or neurite extension, revealing a second ‘cell-binding’ domain on the fibronectin molecule outside of the 120K region competent for neurite differentiation; addition of peptide A at later times to pFN-adherent, neurite-containing cells could induce only a small subset of neurites to retract, thus supporting evidence for the presence of this second domain. A second ‘cell-binding’ domain was further confirmed by quantitation of neurite outgrowth on these substrata and by analyses of cells on substrata coated with mixtures of CBF/PF4. When substrata coated with chymotrypsin-liberated HBF were tested in a similar fashion, adherence was rapid but neurite outgrowth required much longer times and was completely sensitive to RGDS peptides; supplementation of cells with the complex ganglioside GT1b could not induce RGDS-resistant neurites on heparin-binding fragments (HBF). These latter results indicate that neurite extension on HBF is a consequence of a low concentration of RGDS-dependent activity in HBF (but not to HS-binding activity as characterized by Tobey et al. [3]) and that the second ‘cell-binding’ domain is sensitive to chymotrypsin digestion of pFN during the liberation of HBF. Possible candidate molecules for this second activity as well as its preliminary location in the pFN molecule are discussed and evidence, is provided in ref. [37] ([37.]) for the potential role for one class of molecules as a ‘receptor’. These neural tumor cells therefore have multiple and alternative mechanisms of adherence and differentiation on fibronectin matrices.     

Cooperativity of ganglioside-dependent with protein-dependent substratum adhesion and neurite extension of human neuroblastoma cells

The potential involvement of gangliosides in the adherence and neurite extension of human neuroblastoma cells (Platt and La-N1) was investigated on tissue culture substrata coated with the ganglioside GM1-binding protein, cholera toxin B (CTB) subunit, for comparison with similar processes on plasma fibronectin (pFN)-coated substrata. Cells attached with reduced efficiency on CTB substrata as compared with pFN substrata and required a much longer time to form neurite processes for a small percentage of cells on CTB. The specificity of these processes for GM1 binding was tested in a variety of ways. Supplementation of the cells with exogenous GM1, but not GD1a, identified a larger population of cells adherent on CTB (comparable to pFN-adherent cells) and dramatically increased the proportion of cells capable of forming neurites without reducing the time requirement. In ultrastructural studies using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and immunofluorescence (IF) analyses to discriminate microtubule distributions, neurites of GM1-supplemented cells on CTB were virtually identical with pFN-adherent neurites, whereas unsupplemented cells on CTB generated processes with fine-structural differences. Treatment of cells during the GM1 supplementation period with cycloheximide completely abolished the ability of cells to generate neurites on CTB and decreased the adhesive capacity of cells as well; a similar treatment of cells had no adverse effect on adherence or neurite extension on pFN. The importance of one or more proteins in GM1-dependent processes was further confirmed by demonstrating the trypsin sensitivity of a cell surface component(s) required to achieve maximal attachment on CTB; in contrast, adherence and neurite extension on pFN were much more resistant to this treatment process. Therefore, these experiments demonstrate (a) that certain cell surface gangliosides are capable of mediating adherence and neurite outgrowth of human neuroblastoma cells on a suitable ganglioside-binding substratum; (b) this ganglioside dependence is cooperative with one or more cell surface proteins which can now be analysed. These results are discussed in light of the identification in ref. [16] (Exp cell res 169 (1987) 311) of a second ‘cell-binding’ domain on the pFN molecule competent for adherence and neurite extension of these neuroblastoma cells, as well as the potential role of pFN binding to a complex ganglioside on the surface of these neural tumor cells in these processes.     

Multiple and alternative adhesive responses on defined substrata of an immortalized dorsal root neuron hybrid cell line

Attachment and neurite extension processes have been evaluated for an immortalized derivative cell of a rat dorsal root neuron after fusion with a mouse neuroblastoma cell (the clonal F11 hybrid cell line) and these processes compared with previous studies of neuroblastoma cells, since both cell types may be derived from the neural crest of the developing embryo. Biochemically defined substrata were provided by human plasma fibronectin (pFN), the heparan sulfate-binding protein platelet factor-4 (PF4), and the ganglioside GM1-binding protein cholera toxin B subunit (CTB). While some attachment of unsupplemented cells was noted on CTB substrata, GM1 supplementation permitted F11 cells to attach as well on CTB as on pFN or PF4. On PF4, very few neurite processes were observed while on pFN two morphologically distinct types of neurites could be identified: short, linear processes in a low percentage of cells resembling those of neuroblastoma cells and long, irregular and narrow processes in a higher percentage of cells resembling those of dorsal root neurons. On CTB, neurites of the latter class were even more prominent; however, cell bodies on CTB failed to spread by cytoplasmic extension as commonly observed in F11 cells on pFN and, to some extent, on PF4. The formation of both neurite classes on either pFN or CTB was completely inhibited by low concentrations of an RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) peptide in the medium of cultures, indicating the significance of pFN's binding to cell surface integrin or ganglioside GM1's possible interaction with integrin for mediating the differentiative process. In contrast, neurite formation of neuroblastoma cells is refractile to the soluble peptide as reported previously. Neurite extensions of F11 cells on either pFN or CTB were comparably sensitive to low concentrations of cytochalasin D, revealing the mediation of microfilament reorganization in these processes. Treatment of F11 cells with cycloheximide failed to inhibit neurite extension on pFN but did partially inhibit extension on CTB; this contrasts with the very high sensitivity of neurite formation by neuroblastoma cells on CTB substrata reported previously.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effects of plant lectins on the adhesive properties of baby hamster kidney cells

We studied the effects of different lectins on the adhesive properties of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. The purpose of these studies was to learn more about the cell surface receptors involved in cell adhesion. Three adhesive phenomena were analyzed: 1) the adhesion of BHK cells to lectin-coated substrata; 2) the effects of lectins on the adhesion of cells to substrata coated by plasma fibronectin (pFN); and 3) the effects of lectins on the binding of pFN-coated beads to cells. Initial experiments with fluorescein-conjugated lectins indicated that concanavalin A (Con A), ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA I), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) bound to BHK cells but peanut agglutinin (PNA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I) dod not bind. All three of the lectins which bound to the cells promoted cell spreading on lectin substrata, and the morphology of the spread cells was similar to that observed with cells spread on pFN substrata. Protease treatment of the cells, however, was found to inhibit cell spreading on pFN substrata or WGA substrata more than on Con A substrata or RCA I substrata. In the experiment of cells with Con A or WGA inhibited cell spreading on pFN substrata, but RCA I treatment had no effect. Finally, treatment of cells with WGA inhibited binding to cells of pFN beads, but neither Con A nor RCA I affected this interaction. These results indicate that the lectins modify cellular adhesion in different ways, probably by interacting with different surface receptors. The possibility that the pFN receptor is a WGA receptor is discussed.     

Neurite extension by neuroblastoma cells on substratum-bound fibronectin''s cell-binding fragment but not on the heparan sulfate-binding protein, platelet factor-4

Human and rat neuroblastoma cells extend neurites over plasma fibronectin (pFN)-coated substrata. For resolution of which fibronectin binding activities (the cell-binding domain (CBD), the heparan sulfate-binding domains, or a combination of the two) are responsible for neurite outgrowth, CBD was prepared free of heparan sulfate-binding activity as described by Pierschbacher et al. (Cell 26 (1981) 259-267). Neuroblastoma cells attached and extended neurites as stably and as effectively on CBD-coated substrata as on intact pFN, while cytoplasmic spreading was more extensive on pFN-coated substrata. The structures of growth cones on CBD or pFN were virtually identical. On substrata coated with the model heparan sulfate-binding protein, platelet factor 4 (PF4), cells attached and spread somewhat but never extended neurites. When cells were challenged with substrata coated with various ratios of CBD and PF4, PF4 was found to be an effective inhibitor of CBD-mediated neurite extension. Similarly, cells grown on substrata coated at different locations with CBD or PF4 in order to evaluate topographical dependence of growth cone formation extended neurites only onto the CBD-coated region or along the interface between these two proteins, but never onto the PF4 side of cells that bridged the interface. These studies indicate that (a) the CBD activity of pFN, and not its heparan sulfate-binding activity, is the critical determinant in neurite extension of these neural tumor cells from the central nervous system; (b) under some circumstances, heparan sulfate-binding activity can be antagonistic to neurite extension; (c) the chemical nature of the substratum controls the direction of neurite extension; (d) these neuroblastoma cells respond to these binding proteins very differently than fibroblasts or neurons from the peripheral nervous system.     

Clonal segregation of multiple and overlapping matrix adhesive responses in dorsal root neuronal derivative cells

Clones of F11 hybrid (neuroblastoma X dorsal root neuron) cells have been tested for adherence and neurite outgrowth on three different substrata on which the parental cells display some competence--plasma fibronectin (pFN) with its multiple receptors, cholera toxin subunit B(CTB) as a model ganglioside GM1-binding substratum, and platelet factor-4 (PF4) as a model proteoglycan-binding substratum. This paradigm tests for independently segregating and overlapping mechanisms of neuritogenesis via transmembrane processes in pluripotent hybrid cells based on random loss of chromosomes contributed by the parent neural cells. For the nine clones tested, attachment was significantly lower on CTB but much higher on PF4 for all clones when compared to their attachment on pFN. Supplementation of cells with GM1 stimulated attachment of only two clones (on all three substrata). Neurite outgrowth was observed in a substratum-specific pattern and varied from 0 to greater than 60% on pFN; on CTB and PF4 substrata, the patterns were similar to each other but differed markedly from the pattern on pFN. In contrast, PF4- and CTB-directed neurites differed morphologically from each other while sharing some characteristics with neurites on pFN. Supplementation with GM1 or GT1b, but not GD1a, was inhibitory for neurite outgrowth in certain clones. Cycloheximide pretreatment distinguished several classes of clones based on inhibition of neuritogenesis. While most clones on pFN were unaffected, all clones on CTB and PF4 displayed significant and comparable degrees of inhibition, suggesting the sharing of some protein intermediate(s) on these substrata. Exposure to cycloheximide only during the active period of neuritogenesis generated higher percentages and longer neurites for all clones, indicating a widely-used negative regulation mechanism. Based on substratum type and cycloheximide protocols, these data have resolved six or more different transmembrane signalling processes for generating different classes of neurites. Some mechanisms have been segregated into individual clones while others overlap in other clones, providing cell systems for biochemical and molecular biological dissection of these processes.     

Ganglioside-dependent adhesion events of human neuroblastoma cells regulated by the RGDS-dependent fibronectin receptor and proteoglycans

Human neuroblastoma cells (Platt and La-N1) adhere and extend neurites on a ganglioside GM1-binding substratum provided by cholera toxin B (CTB). These adhesive responses, similar to those on plasma fibronectin (pFN), require the mediation of one or more cell-surface proteins [G. Mugnai and L. A. Culp (1987) Exp. Cell Res. 169, 328]. The involvement of two pFN receptor molecules in ganglioside GM1-mediated responses on CTB have now been tested. In order to test the role of cellular FN binding to its glycoprotein receptor integrin, a soluble peptide containing the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) sequence was added to the medium. It did not inhibit attachment on CTB but completely inhibited formation of neurites; in contrast, the RGDS peptide minimally inhibited attachment or neurite formation on pFN. Once formed, neurites on CTB became resistant to the peptide. In order to test the role of cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HS-PG), two approaches were used. First, the HS-binding protein platelet factor-4 (PF4) was used to dilute CTB or pFN on the substratum or, alternatively, added to the medium. Diluting the substratum ligand with PF4 had no effects on attachment on either CTB or pFN. However, neurite formation on CTB was readily inhibited and on pFN partially inhibited; the effects of PF4 were far greater than a similar dilution with nonbinding albumin. When PF4 was added to the medium of cells, attachment on either substratum was unaffected as was neurite outgrowth on pFN, revealing differences in PF4's inhibition as the substratum-bound or medium-borne component. In contrast, PF4 in the medium at low concentrations (1 microgram/ml) was highly inhibitory for neurite formation on CTB. The second approach utilized the addition of bovine cartilage dermatan sulfate proteoglycan (DS-PG), shown to bind to pFN as well as to substratum-bound CTB by ELISA, or cartilage chondroitin sulfate/keratan sulfate proteoglycan (CS/KS-PG) to the substratum or to the medium. At low concentrations, DS-PG but not CS/KS-PG actually stimulated neurite formation on CTB while at higher concentrations DS-PG completely inhibited attachment and neurite formation. While DS-PG partially inhibited attachment on pFN, it had no effect on neurite formation of the attached cells. Neuroblastoma cells adhered to some extent to substrata coated only with DS-PG, indicating "receptors" for PGs that permit stable interaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Mechanism of inactivation of gamma-aminobutyrate aminotransferase by 4-amino-5-fluoropentanoic acid. First example of an enamine mechanism for a gamma-amino acid with a partition ratio of 0

The mechanism of inactivation of pig brain gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-T) by (S)-4-amino-5-fluoropentanoic acid (1, R = CH2CH2COOH, X = F) previously proposed [Silverman, R. B., & Levy, M. A. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 1197-1203] is revised. apo-GABA-T is reconstituted with [4-3H]pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and inactivated with 1 (R = CH2CH2COOH, X = F). Treatment of inactivated enzyme with base followed by acid denaturation leads to the complete release of radioactivity as 6-[2-hydroxy-3-methyl-6-(phosphonoxymethyl)-4-pyridinyl]-4-oxo-5-+ ++hexenoic acid (4, R = CH2CH2COOH). Alkaline phosphatase treatment of this compound produces dephosphorylated 4 (R = CH2CH2COOH). These results support a mechanism that was suggested by Metzler and co-workers [Likos, J. J., Ueno, H., Feldhaus, R. W., & Metzler, D. E. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 4377-4386] for the inactivation of glutamate decarboxylase by serine O-sulfate (Scheme I, pathway b, R = COOH, X = OSO3-).     

Molecular orbital study of complexes of zinc(II) with sulphide, thiomethanolate, thiomethanol, dimethylthioether, thiophenolate, formiate, acetate, carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, iminomethane and imidazole. Relationships with structural and catalytic zinc in some metallo-enzymes.

Geometry optimization and energy calculations have been performed at the density functional B3LYP/LANL2DZ level on hydrogen sulfide (HS-), dihydrogensulfide (H2S), thiomethanolate (CH3S-), thiomethanol (CH3SH), thiophenolate (C6H5S-), methoxyde (CH3O-), methanol (CH3OH), formiate (HCOO-), acetate (CH3COO-), carbonate (CO3(2-)), hydrogen carbonate (HCO3-), iminomethane (NH=CH2), [ZnS], [ZnS2]2-, [Zn(HS)]+, [Zn(H2S)]2+, [Zn(HS)4]2-, [Zn(CH3S)]+, [Zn(CH3S)2], [Zn(CH3S)3]-, [Zn(CH3S)4]2-, [Zn(CH3SH)]2+, [Zn(CH3SCH3)]2+, [Zn(C6H5S)]+, [Zn(C6H5S)2], [Zn(C6H5S)3]-, [Zn(HS)(NH=CH2)2]+, [Zn(HS)2(NH=CH2)2], [Zn(HS)(H2O)]+, [Zn(HS)(HCOO)], [Zn(HS)2(HCOO)]-, [Zn(CH3O)]+, [Zn(CH3O)2], [Zn(CH3O)3]-, [Zn(CH3O)4]2, [Zn(CH3OH)]2+, [Zn(HCOO)]+, [Zn(CH3COO)]+, [Zn(CH3COO)2], [Zn(CH3COO)3]-, [Zn(CO3)], [Zn(HCO3)]+, and [Zn(HCO3)(Imz)]+ (Imz, 1,3-imidazole). The computed Zn-S bond distances are 2.174A for [ZnS], 2.274 for [Zn(HS)]+, 2.283 for [Zn(CH3S)]+, and 2.271 for [Zn(C6H5S)]+, showing that sulfide anion forms stronger bonds than substituted sulfides. The nature of the substituents on sulfur influences only slightly the Zn-S distance. The optimized tetra-coordinate [Zn(HS)2(NH=CH2)2] molecules has computed Zn-S and Zn-N bond distances of 2.392 and 2.154A which compare well with the experimental values at the solid state obtained via X-ray diffraction for a number of complex molecules. The computed Zn-O bond distances for chelating carboxylate derivatives like [Zn(HOCOO)]+ (1.998A), [Zn(HCOO)]+ (2.021), and [Zn(CH3COO)]+ (2.001) shows that the strength of the bond is not much influenced by the substituent on carboxylic carbon atom and that CH3- and HO- groups have very similar effects. The DFT analysis shows also that the carboxylate Ligand has a preference for the bidentate mode instead of the monodentate one, at least when the coordination number is small.     

Antifungal activity of organobismuth compounds against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: structure-activity relationship

Antifungal activity of organobismuth(III) and (V) compounds 1-9 was examined against the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A clear structure-activity relationship was observed in these compounds. Thus, triarylbismuth dichlorides 2 [(4-YC6H4)3BiCl2: Y=MeO, F, Cl, CF3, CN, NO2] and halobismuthanes 6 [2-(t)BuSO2C6H4(4-YC6H4)BiX: Y=MeO, Me, H, Cl; X=Cl, Br, I], 7 [Bi(X)(C6H4-2-SO2C6H4-1'-): X=Cl, Br, I], 8 [2-Me2NCH2C6H4(Ph)BiX: X=Cl, Br] and 9 [4-MeC6H4(8-Me2NC10H6-1-)BiCl] showed the growth inhibition effect, while triarylbismuth difluorides 3 [(4-YC6H4)3BiF2] and triarylbismuthanes 1 [(4-YC6H4)3Bi], 4 [2-(t)BuSO2C6H4(4-YC6H4)2Bi] and 5 [4-YC6H4Bi(C6H4-2-SO2C6H4-1'-)] were not active at all irrespective of the nature of the substituents. Generation of the inhibition effect is governed by the facility of nucleophilic reaction at the bismuth center and the Lewis acidic bismuth center is an active site. Of all the bismuth compounds attempted, halobismuthanes 7 derived from diphenyl sulfone exhibited the highest activities. An X-ray crystallographic study of 7a [Bi(Cl)(C6H4-2-SO2C6H4-1'-)] revealed that the bismuth center adopts a seven-coordinated geometry, which is unusual in organobismuth(III) compounds, through the intramolecular and intermolecular coordination between the bismuth and oxygen atoms. The marked inhibition effect of 7 may be attributed to such a highly coordinated geometry, which allows the bismuth center to bind tightly with some biomolecules playing important roles in the growth of S. cerevisiae.     

Neurite outgrowth in dorsal root neuronal hybrid clones modulated by ganglioside GM1 and disintegrins.

Subclones of F11 neuronal hybrid cells (neuroblastoma x dorsal root ganglion neurons) have segregated differing and/or overlapping neuritogenic mechanisms on three substrata--plasma fibronectin (pFN) with its multiple receptor activities, cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) for binding to ganglioside GM1, and platelet factor-4 (PF4) for binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans. In this study, specific cell surface receptor activities for the three substrata were tested for their modulation during neuritogenesis by several experimental paradigms, using F11 subclones representative of three differentiation classes (neuritogenic on pFN only, on CTB only, or on all three substrata). When cycloheximide was included in the medium to inhibit protein synthesis during the active period, neurite formation increased significantly for all subclones on all three substrata, virtually eliminating substratum selectivity for differentiation mediated by cell surface integrin, ganglioside GM1, or heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Therefore, one or more labile proteins (referred to as disintegrins) must modulate functions of matrix receptors (e.g., integrins) mediating neurite formation. To verify whether cycloheximide-induced neuritogenesis was also regulated by integrin interaction with cell surface GM1, two approaches were used. When (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser)-containing peptide A was added to the medium, it completely inhibited cycloheximide-induced neuritogenesis on all three substrata of all subclones, indicating stringent requirement for cell surface integrin function in these mechanisms. In contrast, when CTB or a monoclonal anti-GM1 antibody was also added to the medium, cycloheximide-induced neuritogenesis was amplified further on pFN and sensitivity to peptide A inhibition was abolished. Therefore, in some contexts ganglioside GM1 must complex with integrin receptors at the cell surface to modulate their function. These results also indicate that (a) cycloheximide treatment leads to loss of substratum selectivity in neuritogenesis, (b) this negative regulation of neurite outgrowth is affected by integrin receptor association with labile regulatory proteins (disintegrins) as well as with GM1, and (c) complexing of GM1 by multivalent GM1-binding proteins shifts neuritogenesis from an RGDS-dependent integrin mechanism to an RGDS-independent receptor mechanism.     

Copper(I)-alkyl sulfide and -cysteine tri-nuclear clusters as models for metallo proteins: a structural density functional analysis

After having set up the computational methodology for Cu(I)-sulfur systems as models for copper proteins, namely using the simple ligands H(2)S, HS(-), CH(3)SH, and CH(3)S(-), the Cu(I)-Cysteine systems have been investigated: [Cu(I)( S -H(2)Cys) (n) ](+) (H(2)Cys, cysteine, NH(2),SH,COOH) [Cu(I)( S -HCys) (n) ](1-) (n) (NH(2),S(-),COOH). Finally, the structures for bi-nuclear [Formula: see text] (Et, CH(2)CH(3)), [Formula: see text] and tri-nuclear [Cu(I)( S -SH)](3), [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] (NH(2),SH,COOH), [Formula: see text] (NH(2),S(-),COOH, and NH(2),SH,COO(-)), as well as [Formula: see text] (NH(2),S(-),COO(-)), were also optimized to mimic the active center for a metallo-chaperone copper transport protein (CopZ). The X-ray structures for the biomolecules were matched fairly well as regards the Cu-S bond distances and Cu…Cu contact distances in the case the model cysteine S atom is deprotonated. Upon protonation of ligand S atoms, the conformation of clusters is altered and might bring about the di- and tri-nuclear core breakage. These findings suggest that subtle protonation/deprotonation steps, i.e. small and/or local pH changes play a significant role for copper transport processes.     

Modulation of matrix adhesive responses of human neuroblastoma cells by neighboring sequences in the fibronectins

Attachment and neurite extension have been measured when Platt or La-N1 human neuroblastoma cells respond to tissue culture substrata coated with a panel of complementary fragments from the individual chains of human plasma (pFN) or cellular fibronectins (cFN) purified from thermolysin digests. A 110-kD fragment (f110), which contains the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser sequence (RGDS)-dependent cell-binding domain but no heparin-binding domains and whose sequences are shared in common by both the alpha- and beta-subunits of pFN, facilitated attachment of cells that approached the level observed with either intact pFN or the heparan sulfate-binding platelet factor-4 (PF4). This attachment on f110 was resistant to RGDS-containing peptide in the medium. Neurite outgrowth was also maximal on f110, and half of these neurites were also resistant to soluble RGDS peptide. Treatment of cells with glycosaminoglycan lyases failed to alter these responses on f110. Therefore, there is a second "cell-binding" domain in the sequences represented by f110 that is not RGDS- or heparan sulfate-dependent and that facilitates stable attachment and some neurite outgrowth; this domain appears to be conformation-dependent. Comparisons were also made between two larger fragments generated from the two subunits of pFN-f145 from the alpha-subunit and f155 from the beta-subunit--both of which contain the RGDS-dependent cell-binding domain and the COOH-terminal heparin-binding domain but which differ in the former's containing some IIICS sequence at its COOH terminus and the latter's having an additional type III homology unit. Heparin-binding fragments (with no RGDS activity) of f29 and f38, derived from f145 or f155 of pFN, respectively, and having the same differences in sequence, were also compared with f44 + 47 having the "extra domain" characteristic of cFN. Attachment on f145 was slightly sensitive to soluble RGDS peptide; attachment on f155 was much more sensitive. There were also differences in the percentage of cells with neurites on f145 vs. f155 but neurites on either fragment were completely sensitive to RGDS peptide. Mixing of f29, f38, or PF4 with f110 could not reconstitute the activities demonstrated in f145 or f155, demonstrating that covalently linked sequences are critical in modulating these responses. However, mixing of f44 + 47 from cFN with f110 from pFN increased the sensitivity to RGDS peptide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Interaction between alkaline earth cations and oxo ligands: a DFT study of the affinity of Mg2+ for carbonyl ligands

The affinities of Mg(2+) for various substituted carbonyl ligands were determined at the DFT (B3LYP/6-31+G(d)) and semi-empirical (PM6) levels of theory. Two sets of carbonyl ligands were studied: monosubstituted [aldehydes R-CHO and RPh-CHO] and homodisubstituted [ketones R(2)C=O and (RPh)(2)C=O], where R = NH(2), OCH(3), OH, CH(3), H, F, Cl, Br, CN, or NO(2)). In the (RPh)(2)CO case, the R group was bonded to the para position of a phenyl ring. The enthalpies of interaction between the ligands and a pentaaquomagnesium(II) complex were calculated to determine the affinity of each ligand for the Mg(2+) cation and to correlate with geometrical and electronic parameters. These parameters exhibited the same trends for all of the ligands studied, showing that the affinity of Mg(2+) for electron-donating ligands is higher than its affinity for electron-withdrawing ligands. In the complexes, electron-donating groups increase both the electrostatic and the covalent components of the Mg-ligand interaction. This behavior correlates with the Mg-O(carbonyl) distance and the ligand electron-donor strength.     

Thiorphan and retro-thiorphan display equivalent interactions when bound to crystalline thermolysin

The three-dimensional structures of (S)-thiorphan and (R)-retro-thiorphan bound to thermolysin have been determined crystallographically and refined to residuals of 0.183 and 0.187 at 1.7-A resolution. Thiorphan [N-[(S)-2-(mercaptomethyl)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropyl]glycine] [HSCH2CH(CH2C6H5)CONHC-H2COOH] and retro-thiorphan [[[(R)-1-(mercaptomethyl)-2-phenylethyl] amino]-3-oxopropanoic acid] [HSCH2CH(CH2C6H5)NHCOCH2COOH] are isomeric thiol-containing inhibitors of endopeptidase EC 24-11 (also called "enkephalinase"). The mode of binding of thiorphan to thermolysin is similar to that of (2-benzyl-3-mercaptopropanoyl)-L-alanylglycinamide [Monzingo, A.F., & Matthews, B.W. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 3390-3394] with the inhibitor sulfur atom coordinated to the active site zinc and the peptide portion forming substrate-like interactions with the enzyme. The isomeric inhibitor retro-thiorphan, which differs from thiorphan by the inversion of an amide bond, utilizes very similar interactions with enzyme. Despite the inversion of the -CO-NH- linkage the carbonyl oxygen and amide nitrogen display very similar hydrogen bonding, as anticipated by B.P. Roques et al. [(1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 3178-3182]. These results explain why thermolysin and possibly other zinc endopeptidases such as endopeptidase EC 24-11 fail to discriminate between these retro-inverso inhibitors.     

Lys-65 and Glu-168 are the residues for carbodiimide-catalyzed cross-linking between the two heads of rigor smooth muscle heavy meromyosin

We have previously demonstrated that the two heads of chicken gizzard heavy meromyosin (HMM) in a rigor complex with rabbit skeletal F-actin could be cross-linked by the water-soluble carbodiimide 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide. Here, we report the location of the cross-linked sites in the amino acid sequence of the HMM heavy chain. One of the cross-linked residues was identified as Glu-168 by sequencing the CN1.CN6 cross-linked peptide containing residues 1-77 (CN1) and 164-203 (CN6). This site is located close to the ATP-binding site of HMM. Since the other site was further into the amino acid sequence of CN1, another cross-linked peptide corresponding to residues 53-66 and 145-182 was isolated from the 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide-treated acto-tryptic gizzard HMM digested further by other proteolytic enzymes. The amino acid sequence of this peptide and its cyanogen bromide fragment indicated that the cross-linking occurred between Glu-168 and Lys-65. Our results suggests that these two amino acid side chains are in contact with each other in the acto-gizzard HMM rigor complex and participate in the electrostatic interaction between the two HMM heads bound to F-actin. Based on the head-to-head contact, we propose a three-dimensional model for the attachment of gizzard HMM heads to F-actin.     

The conventional and saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance of spin-labeled myosin subfragment-1 in the presence of F-actin and nucleotides

SH-1 thiol of S-1 was modified with N-(1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl) iodoacetoamide spin label (IASL). The extent of dissociation, alpha, of spin-labeled myosin subfragment-1 (IASL-S-1) from acto-IASL-S-1 by a nucleotide was measured by an ultracentrifugal separation method, a light-scattering method, and a saturation transfer EPR method. The alpha values obtained by these three methods were the same within the limits of the experimental errors. The dependence of alpha on the concentrations of AMPPNP, [S], and F-actin, [A], could be described by the equation: alpha-1 = 1 + (1 + Ks/[S])[A]/KA. The Ks and KA values were 0.65-1.2 mM and 1.7-2.7 mg/ml, respectively, in 0.5 M KCl and 4 mM MgCl2 at pH 7.0 and 20 degrees C. The height of the weakly immobilized peak of the conventional EPR spectrum of IASL-S-1, W, increased linearly with increase in the ATP or AMPPNP concentration, and became saturated at 1 mol nucleotide/mol IASL-S-1. No change in W was observed upon the binding of IASL-S-1 with F-actin. The dependence of the extent of change in W, delta W, on [A] and [S] was given by delta W-1 = 1 + Ks/[S], where Ks = Ks/(1 + KA/[A]). This finding indicates that the delta W value is proportional to the amount of a nucleotide bound to IASL-S-1 and independent of the binding of F-actin to IASL-S-1.     

Effect of zinc ion on the interaction of some amino acid compounds of copper(II) with hydrogen peroxide.

Reaction of elemental copper and zinc powder mixtures with glycine (NH2.CH2COOH; HA) or aspartic acid (NH2CHCOOHCH2COOH; H2B) (in 1:1:2 ratio, respectively) in the presence of excess hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at 50 degrees C, results in the formation of a new mixed metal peroxy carbonate compound corresponding to formula [Cu(Zn)2(O2(2-) (CO3)2(H2O)4], while the same reaction with elemental copper powder alone yields merely peroxy amino acid compounds having the formula [Cu(O2(2-)) (HA)2(H2O)] and [Cu(O2(2-)) (H2B) (H2O)2] for glycine and aspartic acid, respectively. These compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, ESR, and electronic and IR spectra. It is interesting to note that both amino acids are converted to carbonate in the presence of zinc alone. A method analogous to that described above, for the reaction of elemental copper, zinc powder mixtures with succinic acid [(CH2COOH)2] or acetic acid (CH3COOH) in excess H2O2, on the other hand, gave a product essentially comprising copper succinate or acetate, respectively. These observations suggest an interesting and perhaps important phenomenon by which only the simple amino acids such as glycine and aspartic acid are converted to carbonates while their corresponding carboxylic acids form only their respective salts.     

Reactions of 1-bromo-2-[14C]pinacolone with acetylcholinesterase from Torpedo nobiliana. Effects of 5-trimethylammonio-2-pentanone and diisopropyl fluorophosphate

1-Bromo-2-[14C]pinacolone, (CH3)3C14COCH2Br [( 14C]BrPin), was prepared from [1-14C]acetyl chloride and tert-butylmagnesium chloride with cuprous chloride catalyst, followed by bromination. It was examined as an active-site directed label for acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine acetylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) (AcChE). AcChE, isolated from Torpedo nobiliana, has k(cat) = (4.00 +/- 0.04).10(3) s-1, Km = 0.055 +/- 0.008 mM in hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine, and k(cat) = (5.6 +/- 0.2).10(3) s-1, Km = 0.051 +/- 0.003 mM in hydrolysis of acetylcholine. BrPin, binding in the trimethyl cavity, acts initially as a reversible competitive inhibitor, Ki = 0.20 +/- 0.09 mM, and, with time, as an irreversible covalently bound inactivator. Introduction of 14C from [14C]BrPin into Torpedo AcChE at pH 7.0 was followed by SDS-PAGE, autoradiography and scintillation counting, in the absence and presence of 5-trimethylammonio-2-pentanone (TAP), a competitive inhibitor (Ki = 0.075 +/- 0.001 mM) isosteric with acetylcholine; 1.8-1.9 14C was incorporated per inactivated enzyme unit at 50% inactivation. TAP retarded inactivation by [14C]BrPin, and prevented introduction of 0.9-1.1 14C per unit of enzyme protected. Prior inactivation of AcChE by BrPin prevents reaction with [3H]diisopropyl fluorophosphate [( 3H]DFP). Prior inactivation by DFP or [3H]DFP does not prevent reaction with [14C]BrPin, and this subsequent reaction with BrPin does not displace the [3H] moiety. [14C]BrPin alkylates a nucleophile in the active site, and this reaction does not alkylate or utilize the serine-hydroxyl.     

Effect of hydrophobic structure on the catalysis of nitric oxide release from zwitterionic diazeniumdiolates in surfactant and liposome media.

The effect of phospholipid liposomes and surfactant micelles on the rate of nitric oxide release from zwitterionic diazeniumdiolates, R1R2N[N(O)NO]-, with significant hydrophobic structure, has been explored. The acid-catalyzed dissociation of NO has been examined in phosphate-buffered solutions of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) micelles and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-(1-glycerol)] sodium salt (DPPG) phospholipid liposomes. The reaction behavior of dibenzylamine-, monobenzylamine-, and dibutylamine-derived substrates [1]: R1 = C6H5CH2, R2 = C6H5CH2 NH2+(CH2)2, 2: R1 = C6H5CH2, R2 = NH3+(CH2)2, and 3: R1 = n-butyl, R2 = n-butyl-NH2+(CH2)6] has been compared with that of SPER/NO, 4: R1 = H2N(CH2)3, R2 = H2N(CH2) 3NH2+(CH2)4]. Catalysis of NO release is observed in both micellar and liposome media. Hydrophobic interactions contribute to micellar binding for 1-3 and appear to be the main factor facilitating catalysis by charge neutral DPPC liposomes. Binding constants for the association of 1 and 3 with SDS micelles were 3-fold larger than those previously obtained with comparable zwitterionic substrates lacking their hydrophobic structure. Anionic DPPG liposomes were much more effective in catalyzing NO release than either DPPC liposomes or SDS micelles. DPPG liposomes (at 10 mM total lipid) induced a 30-fold increase in the NO dissociation rate of SPER/NO compared to 12- and 14-fold increases in that of 1 and 3.