Molecular architecture of acetylcholinesterase collagen-tailed forms; construction of a glycolipid-tailed tetramer.

Asymmetric forms of Torpedo acetylcholinesterase (AChE) are produced in COS cells by the simultaneous expression of collagenic subunits (Q) and catalytic T subunits (AChET). Truncated AChET delta subunits, from which most of the C-terminal peptide (TC) had been deleted by mutagenesis, did not associate with Q subunits. The TC peptide is therefore necessary for the association of the AChET and Q subunits. In order to determine the orientation of the Q subunit in the collagen-tailed forms, we have developed an antiserum against its non-collagenic C-terminal domain, expressed as a fusion protein in Escherichia coli. This antiserum, which recognized the Q subunit in Western blots, was found to react with intact asymmetric forms, but not with collagenase-treated forms, from which the distal part of the tail had been cleaved, suggesting that the N-terminal non-collogenic domain (QN) is responsible for the interaction with the AChET subunits. This was confirmed by creating a chimeric subunit (QN/HC), in which QN was linked to the C-terminal peptide of the H subunit of Torpedo AChE, which contains the glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI) cleavage/attachment signal: co-expression of AChET and QN/NC produced GPI-anchored tetramers, which were sensitive to PI-PLC and largely exposed to the external surface of the cells. We thus demonstrate that: (i) the HC peptide is sufficient to determine the addition of a glycolipid anchor and (ii) the QN domain is sufficient to bind a catalytic AChET tetramer by interacting with the TC peptide.     

Glycosylation and proteolytic processing of 70 kDa C-terminal recombinant polypeptides of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 expressed in mammalian cells

The cDNAs that encode the 70 kDa C-terminal portion of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1), with or without an N-terminal signal peptide sequence and C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) signal sequence of MSP-1, were expressed in mammalian cell lines via recombinant vaccinia virus. The polypeptides were studied with respect to the nature of glycosylation, localization, and proteolytic processing. The polypeptides derived from the cDNAs that contained the N-terminal signal peptide were modified with N -linked high mannose type structures and low levels of O -linked oligosaccharides, whereas the polypeptides from the cDNAs that lacked the signal peptide were not glycosylated. The GPI anchor moiety is either absent or present at a very low level in the polypeptide expressed from the cDNA that contained both the signal peptide and GPI signal sequences. Together, these data establish that whereas the signal peptide of MSP-1 is functional, the GPI anchor signal is either nonfunctional or poorly functional in mammalian cells. The polypeptides expressed from the cDNAs that contained the signal peptide were proteolytically cleaved at their C-termini, whereas the polypeptides expressed from the cDNAs that lacked the signal peptide were uncleaved. While the polypeptide expressed from the cDNA containing both the signal peptide and GPI anchor signal was truncated by approximately 14 kDa at the C-terminus, the polypeptide derived from the cDNA with only the signal peptide was processed to remove approximately 6 kDa, also from the C-terminus. Furthermore, the polypeptides derived from cDNAs that lacked the signal peptide were exclusively localized intra-cellularly, the polypeptides from cDNAs that contained the signal peptide were predominantly intracellular, with low levels on the cell surface; none of the polypeptides was secreted into the culture medium to a detectable level.These results suggest that N -glycosylation alone is not sufficient for the efficient extracellular transport of the recombinant MSP-1 polypeptides through the secretory pathway in mammalian cells.     

Post-translational modifications of Drosophila acetylcholinesterase. In vitro mutagenesis and expression in Xenopus oocytes.

Drosophila acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) is a 150-kDa glycoprotein anchored in plasmic membranes via a glycolipid. It is composed of two active subunits which are themselves made of two noncovalently linked polypeptides of 18 and 55 kDa resulting from the proteolysis of a single precursor of 75 kDa. Active Drosophila acetylcholinesterase can be expressed in Xenopus oocytes as an excreted protein. We have identified some of the amino acids essential in post-translational modifications of the protein by site-directed mutagenesis and expression of mutants in this system. The intersubunit disulfide bond involves cysteine at position 615. Cleavage of the 75-kDa precursor, as observed in Drosophila, originates from a hydrophilic peptide (in position 148 to 180) which does not exist in cholinesterase sequences from vertebrates. This cleavage is associated with excretion out of the cell. Drosophila acetylcholinesterase exhibits four effective sites of asparagine-linked glycosylation in positions 126, 174, 331, and 531. We show that glycosylations and dimerization protect the protein against proteolytic digestion. In contrast, none of these post-translational modifications significantly affects the activity of acetylcholinesterase or affinity for its substrate.     

Primary structure of human placental 5'-nucleotidase and identification of the glycolipid anchor in the mature form

A cDNA was cloned coding for human placental 5'-nucleotidase. The 3547-bp cDNA contains an open reading frame that encodes a 574-residue polypeptide with calculated size of 63 375 Da. The NH2-terminal 26 residues comprise a signal peptide, which is followed by the NH2-terminal sequence of the purified protein. four potential N-linked glycosylation sites are found in the molecule, accounting for a larger mass of the mature form (71 kDa). The predicted structure contains a hydrophobic amino acid sequence at the COOH terminus, a possible signal for the post-translational modification by glycophospholipid. To confirm this possibility, we tried to isolate and characterize the membrane-anchoring domain of 5'-nucleotidase. BrCN-cleaved fragments of the protein were extracted with hexane and subjected to HPLC, resulting in purification of a single component of 2.3 kDa. Chemical analyses revealed that the purified fragment contains the tetradecapeptide Lys-Val-Ile-Tyr-Pro-Ala-Val-Glu-Gly-Arg-Ile-Lys-Phe-Ser, ethanolamine, glucosamine, mannose, inositol, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. The peptide sequence determined is identified at positions 510-523 in the primary structure deduced from the cDNA sequence, which predicts a further extension to position 548, containing the hydrophobic amino acid sequence. Thus, it is concluded that the mature 5'-nucleotidase lacks the predicted COOH-terminal peptide extension (524-548), which has been replaced by the glycophospholipid functioning as the membrane anchor of 5'-nucleotidase.     

Determinants for glycophospholipid anchoring of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAS1 protein to the plasma membrane.

A 125-kDa glycoprotein exposed on the surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells belongs to a class of eucaryotic membrane proteins anchored to the lipid bilayer by covalent linkage to an inositol-containing glycophospholipid. We have cloned the gene (GAS1) encoding the 125-kDa protein (Gas1p) and found that the function of Gas1p is not essential for cell viability. The nucleotide sequence of GAS1 predicts a 60-kDa polypeptide with a cleavable N-terminal signal sequence, potential sites for N- and O-linked glycosylation, and a C-terminal hydrophobic domain. Determination of the anchor attachment site revealed that the C-terminal hydrophobic domain of Gas1p is removed during anchor addition. However, this domain is essential for addition of the glycophospholipid anchor, since a truncated form of the protein failed to become attached to the membrane. Anchor addition was also abolished by a point mutation affecting the hydrophobic character of the C-terminal sequence. We conclude that glycophospholipid anchoring of Gas1p depends on the integrity of the C-terminal hydrophobic domain that is removed during anchor attachment.     

Primary structure of rat liver 5'-nucleotidase deduced from the cDNA. Presence of the COOH-terminal hydrophobic domain for possible post-translational modification by glycophospholipid

Rat liver 5'-nucleotidase was purified from a crude microsomal fraction, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 73 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified protein was subjected to cleavage with CNBr or lysyl endopeptidase, and the resulting 21 peptides as well as the NH2 terminus of the native protein were sequenced by Edman degradation. For further information on the molecular structure, we constructed a lambda gt11 liver cDNA library and isolated two cDNA clones for 5'-nucleotidase, lambda cNTP6 and lambda cNT34. The 3.2-kilobase cDNA insert of lambda cNTP6 contains an open reading frame that encodes a 576-residue polypeptide with a calculated size of 63,965 Da, which is in reasonable agreement with that of 5'-nucleotidase (62 kDa) immunoprecipitated from cell-free translation products. The NH2-terminal 28 residues comprise a signal peptide, which is followed by the NH2-terminal sequence of the purified protein. The predicted structure contains all the other peptide sequences determined by Edman degradation. Five potential N-linked glycosylation sites are found in the molecule, accounting for the difference in mass between the precursor and mature forms. Another characteristic feature is that the primary structure contains a highly hydrophobic amino acid sequence at the COOH terminus, a possible signal for the post-translational modification by glycophospholipid. In fact, labeling experiments of rat hepatocytes demonstrated that 3H-labeled compounds such as ethanolamine, myo-inositol, and palmitic acid, components of the glycolipid anchor, were incorporated into 5'-nucleotidase. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C released 5'-nucleotidase from the cell surface, and the released protein no longer contained the radioactivity of [3H]palmitic acid incorporated.     

Subunit structured of pig small-intestinal brush-border aminopeptidase N.

Aminopeptidase N (EC 3.4.11.2), when isolated from pig intestine in either the proteinase- or detergent-released form, frequently appears to contain three polypeptide chains, here termed alpha, beta and gamma. We have established by an immunological technique that the beta- and gamma-polypeptides are derived from the alpha-chain and that the intact enzyme is a dimer, alpha 2. Each alpha-chain of the detergent form was shown to contain a hydrophobic anchor peptide about 35 amino acid residues in length, which included the N-terminal sequences. A peptide bond in the alpha-chain was very sensitive to proteolysis. Its cleavage generated the commonly observed forms: alpha beta gamma and beta 2 gamma 2. The gamma-fragment, which lacked the anchor peptide, was derived from the C-terminal part of the alpha-chain.     

Candidate glycophospholipid precursor for the glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchor of Trypanosoma brucei variant surface glycoproteins

Trypanosoma brucei variant surface glycoproteins are apparently synthesized with a hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal peptide that is cleaved and replaced by a complex glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchor within 1 min of the completion of polypeptide synthesis. The rapidity of this carboxyl-terminal modification suggests the existence of a prefabricated core glycolipid that would be transferred en bloc to the variant surface glycoprotein polypeptide. We report the purification and chemical characterization of a glycolipid from T. brucei that has properties consistent with a role as a variant surface glycoprotein glycolipid donor. This candidate glycolipid precursor has been defined by thin-layer chromatography of extracts of trypanosomes metabolically labeled with radioactive myristic acid, ethanolamine, glucosamine, mannose, and phosphate and by enzymatic, chemical, and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis. Mild alkali released 100% of the myristic acid, and reaction with phospholipase A2 released 50%. Nitrous acid deamination generated dimyristylphosphatidylinositol, and periodate oxidation released phosphatidic acid. Treatment of purified glycolipid with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C released dimyristylglycerol and a water-soluble glycan that was sized on Bio-Gel P-4 columns. The candidate precursor contained mannose, myristic acid, phosphate, and ethanolamine with an unsubstituted amino group, but not galactose.     

The carboxyl terminus of Dictyostelium discoideum protein 1I encodes a functional glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol signal sequence

The 1I gene is expressed in the prespore cells of culminating Dictyostelium discoideum. The open reading frame of 1I cDNA encodes a protein of 155 amino acids with hydrophobic segments at both its NH(2)- and COOH-termini that are indicative of a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein. A hexaHis-tagged form of 1I expressed in D. discoideum cells appeared on Western blot analysis as a doublet of 27 and 24 kDa, with a minor polypeptide of 22 kDa. None of the polypeptides were released from the cell surface with bacterial phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, although all three were released upon nitrous acid treatment, indicating the presence of a phospholipase-resistant GPI anchor. Further evidence for the C-terminal sequence of 1I acting as a GPI attachment signal was obtained by replacing the GPI anchor signal sequence of porcine membrane dipeptidase with that from 1I. Two constructs of dipeptidase with the 1I GPI signal sequence were constructed, one of which included an additional six amino acids in the hydrophilic spacer. Both of the resultant constructs were targeted to the surface of COS cells and were GPI-anchored as shown by digestion with phospholipase C, indicating that the Dictyostelium GPI signal sequence is functional in mammalian cells. Site-specific antibodies recognising epitopes either side of the expected GPI anchor attachment site were used to determine the site of GPI anchor attachment in the constructs. These parallel approaches show that the C-terminal signal sequence of 1I can direct the addition of a GPI anchor.     

Foreign transmembrane peptides replacing the internal signal sequence of transferrin receptor allow its translocation and membrane binding

Each subunit of the human transferrin receptor (TR) dimer is inserted into the ER membrane as a transmembrane polypeptide having its N-terminus in the cytoplasm. The transmembrane segment of the molecule serves both as a signal for chain translocation and as a membrane anchor. To study which structural features of this segment are required for its dual function, we have essentially replaced the transmembrane peptide with the C-terminal membrane-spanning segment of two proteins having a separate N-terminal translocation signal and with an artificial uncharged peptide. In each case the mutant TR molecules are efficiently translocated in vitro. In contrast, substitution of the transmembrane peptide of TR with a hydrophilic peptide results in no detectable translocation activity of the mutant TR. This suggests that the hydrophobic character of the transmembrane peptide of TR, rather than its actual amino acid sequence, is important for chain translocation and membrane binding.     

Determinants of the t peptide involved in folding, degradation, and secretion of acetylcholinesterase

The C-terminal 40-residue t peptide of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) forms an amphiphilic alpha helix with a cluster of seven aromatic residues. It allows oligomerization and induces a partial degradation of AChE subunits through the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway. We show that the t peptide induces the misfolding of a fraction of AChE subunits, even when mutations disorganized the cluster of aromatic residues or when these residues were replaced by leucines, indicating that this effect is due to hydrophobic residues. Mutations in the aromatic-rich region affected the cellular fate of AChE in a similar manner, with or without mutations that prevented dimerization. Degradation was decreased and secretion was increased when aromatic residues were replaced by leucines, and the opposite occurred when the amphiphilic alpha helix was disorganized. The last two residues (Asp-Leu) somewhat resembled an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal and caused a partial retention but only in mutants possessing aromatic residues in their t peptide. Our results suggested that several "signals" in the catalytic domain and in the t peptide act cooperatively for AChE quality control.     

Cloning of cDNA encoding the membrane-bound form of bovine beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase

UDPgalactose: N-acetyl-D-glucosamine 4-beta-D-galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38) (GalT) is a Golgi-membrane-bound enzyme that participates in the biosynthesis of the oligosaccharide structures of glycoproteins and glycolipids. Synthetic DNA oligomers representing segments of the published partial cDNA sequence for bovine GalT were used as molecular probes to isolate from bovine-liver cDNA libraries overlapping cDNA clones that span 1728 nucleotides and potentially code for the entire polypeptide chain of bovine galactosyltransferase. The cDNA sequence for bovine GalT reveals a 1206-base-pair open reading frame that codes for 402 amino acids, including a presumptive N-terminal membrane anchoring domain of 20 hydrophobic amino acids. The colinearity between the cDNA sequence and 29 non-overlapping amino acid residues which were positively identified by N-terminal sequencing of two polypeptides isolated from the soluble form of the enzyme was consistent with the translation frame and confirmed the authenticity of the cDNA clones. The finding of an N-terminal hydrophobic segment which serves as the membrane anchor and signal sequence suggests that the C-terminal region of the GalT polypeptide is oriented within the lumen of the Golgi membranes. This conclusion is in agreement with previous biochemical studies which indicated that the 51-kDa and 42-kDa soluble forms of the enzyme which encompass the C-terminal 324 and 297 amino acid residues of the entire GalT polypeptide, respectively, include the catalytic site.     

The membrane form of acetylcholinesterase from rat brain contains a 20 kDa hydrophobic anchor

Rat brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) consists of about 80% amphiphilic detergent-soluble (DS-) AChE and 20% hydrophilic salt-soluble (SS-) AChE. DS-AChE contains about 65% tetrameric, 20% dimeric and 10% monomeric, SS-AChE about 40% tetrameric and 60% monomeric forms. N-terminal sequencing of DS- and SS-AChE gave identical N-termini corresponding to the published cDNA sequence of the mature enzyme. The band pattern on SDS-gels is similar to that of AChE from human and bovine brain. SDS-PAGE of hydrophobically labeled DS-AChE revealed the presence of a disulfide bonded hydrophobic membrane anchor of about 20 kDa. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing the anchor-containing subunits of mammalian brain DS-AChE, crossreacted with rat brain DS-AChE but not with SS-AChE. DS- and SS-AChE also reacted with antibodies raised against a peptide comprising the last 10 amino acids of the sequence of bovine brain AChE. Our results led us to conclude that both DS- and SS-AChE from rat brain contain T-type catalytic subunits, and DS-AChE in addition a P-type hydrophobic anchor similar to other mammalian brain DS-AChE.     

Oligomerization of glycolipid-anchored and soluble forms of the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein.

The vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein forms noncovalently linked trimers in the endoplasmic reticulum before being transported to the Golgi apparatus. The experiments reported here were designed to determine if the extracellular domain of the glycoprotein contains structural information sufficient to direct trimer formation. To accomplish this, we generated a construct encoding G protein with the normal transmembrane and anchor sequences replaced with the sequence encoding 53 C-terminal amino acids from the Thy-1.1 glycoprotein. We show here that these sequences were able to specify glycolipid addition to the truncated G protein, probably after cleavage of 31 amino acids derived from Thy-1.1. The glycolipid-anchored G protein formed trimers and was expressed on the cell surface in a form that could be cleaved by phosphoinositol-specific phospholipase C. However, the rate of transport was reduced, compared with that of wild-type G protein. A second form of the G protein was generated by deletion of only the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. This mutant protein also formed trimers with relatively high efficiency and was secreted slowly from cells.     

Expression in Escherichia coli of the psbO gene encoding the 33 kd protein of the oxygen-evolving complex from spinach.

The cDNA for the 33 kd protein from the oxygen-evolving complex of spinach together with the coding region for the hydrophobic C-terminal part of the transit sequence was cloned into the expression plasmid pDS12/33Ex. The 33 kd protein precursor was expressed in Escherichia coli, secreted into the periplasm and correctly processed to the mature 33 kd protein. Thus the hydrophobic domain of the transit sequence, preceded by a methionine and two lysine residues, can function as a bacterial signal peptide. The periplasmic proteins were released from the cells by osmotic shock and the expressed protein was purified by anion exchange chromatography. The protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. N-terminal sequence analysis showed that the cleavage of the signal peptide occurred at the correct position. The expressed protein could be rebound to CaCl2-washed PSII particles and oxygen evolution was restored in equal amounts by the 33 kd protein from both E. coli and spinach.     

Acetylcholinesterases of the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Characterization of two types of amphiphilic forms differing in their mode of membrane association.

We analyzed the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Two major AChEs are involved in acetylcholine hydrolysis. The first class of AChE is highly sensitive to eserine (IC50 = 0.05 microM). The corresponding molecular forms are: an amphiphilic 14S form converted into a hydrophilic 14.5S form by mild proteolysis and two hydrophilic 12S and 7S forms. Reduction of the amphiphilic 14S form with 10 mM dithiothreitol produces hydrophilic 7S and 4S forms, indicating that it is an oligomer of hydrophilic catalytic subunits linked by disulfide bond(s) to a hydrophobic structural element that confers the amphiphilicity to the complex. Sedimentation coefficients suggest that 4S, 7S, 12S forms correspond to hydrophilic monomer, dimer, tetramer and that the 14S form is also a tetramer linked to one structural element. The second class of AChE is less sensitive to eserine (IC50 = 0.1 mM). Corresponding molecular forms are hydrophilic and amphiphilic 4S forms (monomers) and a major amphiphilic 7S form converted into a hydrophilic dimer by Bacillus thuringiensis phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. This amphiphilic 7S form thus possesses a glycolipid anchor. It appears that Steinernema (a very primitive invertebrate) presents AChEs with two types of membrane association that closely resemble those described for amphiphilic G2 and G4 forms of AChE in more evolved animals.     

Cloning a rat meprin cDNA reveals the enzyme is a heterodimer.

The structure of the kidney microvillar membrane metallopeptidase meprin (EC 3.4.24.18) from rats has been examined. Previously reported to be a homotetramer, we demonstrate that the enzyme is composed of two similar but distinct subunits through tryptic peptide mapping and the sequencing of peptides of the papain solubilized form of the enzyme. Two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals that the native rat meprin tetramer is dissociated by detergent into disulfide-linked heterodimers. A full-length cDNA clone encoding one of the meprin subunits has been isolated and sequenced. The cDNA contains an open reading frame of 668 amino acids, coding for a polypeptide of molecular weight 75,054. The enzyme contains the zinc binding sequence HEFLH and a potential membrane-spanning region near its amino terminus. Comparison of this clone with peptide sequences from mouse meprins A and B shows that the clone is a B type or beta subunit. Northern blot analysis is consistent with the existence of two distinct subunits and further indicates that rat meprin subunits may be differentially expressed in various rat tissues.     

The murine homologue of the T lymphocyte antigen CD28. Molecular cloning and cell surface expression

The human T lymphocyte Ag CD28 (Tp44) is a homodimeric glycoprotein expressed on the surface of a majority of human peripheral T cells and thymocytes. Although exposure of T cells to anti-CD28 mAb does not activate T cells, stimulation of CD28 can synergize with signals transmitted through the TCR or other stimuli to augment proliferation and lymphokine production. We have used a portion of the human CD28 cDNA to isolate a homologous murine cDNA from an EL4 T lymphoma library. The murine clone has 61% nucleotide identity with the human cDNA. Both human and murine sequences exhibit homology with members of the Ig supergene family and CTLA-4, a T cell specific murine gene. Many characteristics of the human CD28 molecule are conserved within the putative murine CD28 polypeptide. The murine cDNA sequence encodes a polypeptide of 218 amino acids that has 68% identity with the human sequence. Both the murine and human molecules are integral membrane glycoproteins with hydrophobic signal peptide sequences and transmembrane region. All five potential N-linked glycosylation sites are conserved and six of the seven cysteine residues of the mouse protein are found in the human CD28 polypeptide. The murine cDNA is encoded by a single copy nonrearranging gene whose expression at the mRNA level is restricted to T cells. A rabbit antiserum was raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a hydrophilic portion of the translated murine cDNA sequence. This antiserum identifies an 80-kDa homodimer consisting of disulfide-bonded subunits of 40 kDa that is expressed on splenic T cells, thymocytes, and several T cell tumors, but not on B cells. deglycosylation studies indicate that four of the five N-linked glycosylation sites are used and that the mature core protein has a molecular mass of 25 kDa, close to that predicted by the cDNA sequence. Transfection of the murine cDNA into Chinese hamster ovary cells resulted in the expression of an 80-kDa dimeric molecule that was immunoprecipitated by the antipeptide antiserum. Taken together, these data provide strong support that we have identified the murine homologue of CD28.