Cloning and Characterization of the cDNA Encoding a Novel Brain-Specific 14-kDa Protein

A new acidic protein with a molecular weight of 14,000 was purified from rat brain, in which it was specifically expressed, and partially sequenced by protein sequencing. On the basis of results obtained from the amino acid sequences, mixed oligonucleotides were synthesized and used as probes to clone a cDNA from a rat brain cDNA library. The cloned cDNA provided the full-length sequence of the 14-kDa protein. Northern blot hybridization using total RNA from several tissues of the rat provided evidence that the 14-kDa protein was expressed specifically in rat brain. Transfection of this cDNA into mammalian cells resulted in expression of the 14-kDa protein. The amino acid sequence predicted from the cDNA of the rat brain 14-kDa protein contained 137 amino acid residues. A hydropathy profile revealed a hydrophobic domain (amino acids 60-80) flanked by highly hydrophilic stretches on both sides. Whereas the N-terminal region of the 14-kDa protein contained four repeating motifs, EKTKEGV, the C-terminal domain was rich in glutamic acid and proline. A computer search of the amino acid sequence of the 14-kDa protein indicated no homology to any other protein reported so far.     

Molecular and immunological characterization of ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolases.

Mono-ADP-ribosylation is a reversible modification of proteins with NAD:arginine ADP-ribosyltransferases and ADP-ribosylarginine hydrolases catalyzing the forward and reverse reactions, respectively. Hydrolase activities were present in a variety of animal species, with the highest specific activities found in rat and mouse brain, spleen, and testis. Rat and mouse hydrolases were dithiothreitol- and Mg(2+)-dependent, whereas the bovine and guinea pig enzymes were dithiothreitol-independent. A rat brain hydrolase was purified approximately 20,000-fold and represented the major approximately 39-kDa protein on denaturing gels. Immunoaffinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibodies reacted with 39-kDa proteins from turkey erythrocytes and rat, mouse, and calf brains. A rat brain cDNA library was screened using oligonucleotide and polymerase chain reaction-generated cDNA probes. Inserts from two overlapping clones yielded a composite sequence that included a 1086-base pair open reading frame, which contained amino acid sequences found in the purified hydrolase. A hydrolase fusion protein, synthesized in Escherichia coli, reacted with anti-39-kDa polyclonal antibodies and exhibited Mg(2+)- and dithiothreitol-dependent hydrolase activity. A coding region cDNA hybridized readily to a 1.7-kilobase band in rat and mouse poly(A)+ RNA, but poorly to bovine, chicken, rabbit, and human poly(A)+ RNA. The immunological and molecular biological data are consistent with partial conservation of hydrolase structure across animal species.     

Immunochemical evidence that myosin I heavy chain-like protein is identical to the 110-kilodalton brush-border protein

In a previous study, we identified a new mammalian myosin heavy chain, termed myosin I heavy chain-like protein (MIHC), by molecular cloning of a bovine intestinal cDNA clone. In this investigation, we examined the relationship between MIHC and the 110-kDa intestinal brush-border protein, which possesses a myosin-like ATPase activity. We raised antibodies against a chemically synthesized oligopeptide representing a part of the MIHC sequence. These antibodies reacted specifically in immunoblots with the 110-kDa protein in both purified 110-kDa protein-calmodulin complex and crude microvillar protein extracts. Staining of tissue sections with these antibodies was specifically localized to the brush-border microvilli of small intestines, indicating an identical cellular localization for both MIHC and the 110-kDa protein. Furthermore, analysis of the MIHC sequence revealed two putative calmodulin-binding sites, which is consistent with the fact that the 110-kDa protein forms a complex with calmodulin. These results strongly support the conclusion that MIHC is identical to the 110-kDa protein and suggest that not only the conventional myosin system but also the MIHC (110-kDa protein)-calmodulin complex may play an important role in ATP-dependent and Ca2+-induced brush-border contraction.     

Purification, molecular cloning, and genomic organization of human brain long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase

An acyl-CoA hydrolase, referred to as hBACH, was purified from human brain cytosol. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 100 kDa and 43-kDa subunits, and was highly active with long-chain acyl-CoAs, e.g. a maximal velocity of 295 micromol/min/mg and K(m) of 6.4 microM for palmitoyl-CoA. Acyl-CoAs with carbon chain lengths of C(8-18) were also good substrates. In human brain cytosol, 85% of palmitoyl-CoA hydrolase activity was titrated by an anti-BACH antibody, which accounted for over 75% of the enzyme activity found in the brain tissue. The cDNA isolated for hBACH, when expressed in Escherichia coli, directed the expression of palmitoyl-CoA hydrolase activity and a 44-kDa protein immunoreactive to the anti-BACH antibody, which in turn neutralized the hydrolase activity. The hBACH cDNA encoded a 338-amino acid sequence which was 95% identical to that of a rat homolog. The hBACH gene spanned about 130 kb and comprised 9 exons, and was mapped to 1p36.2 on the cytogenetic ideogram. These findings indicate that the long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase present in the brain is well conserved between man and the rat, suggesting a conserved role for this enzyme in the mammalian brain, and enabling genetic studies on the functional analysis of acyl-CoA hydrolase.     

The alpha subunit of type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase is highly conserved in Drosophila

A monoclonal antibody against rat brain type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM kinase) precipitates three proteins from Drosophila heads with apparent molecular weights similar to those of the subunits of the rat brain kinase. Fly heads also contain a CaM kinase activity that becomes partially independent of Ca2+ after autophosphorylation, as does the rat brain kinase. We have isolated a Drosophila cDNA encoding an amino acid sequence that is 77% identical to the sequence of the rat alpha subunit. All known autophosphorylation sites are conserved, including the site that controls Ca(2+)-independent activity. The gene encoding the cDNA is located between 102E and F on the fourth chromosome. The protein product of this gene is expressed at much higher levels in the fly head than in the body. Thus, both the amino acid sequence and the tissue specificity of the mammalian kinase are highly conserved in Drosophila.     

FGF-20, a novel neurotrophic factor, preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta of rat brain

We have isolated cDNA encoding a novel FGF (212 amino acids) from rat brain. Because this is the 20th documented member of the FGF family, we tentatively term it FGF-20. Among FGF family members, FGF-20 is most similar to FGF-9 and FGF-16 (70 and 62% amino acid identity, respectively). Human FGF-20 gene was found in the human genomic sequence mapped to the 8p21.3-p22 region. Human FGF-20 is highly identical to rat FGF-20 (95% amino acid identity). FGF-20 mRNA was preferentially expressed in rat brain among the adult major tissues examined. The localization of FGF-20 mRNA in rat brain was also examined by in situ hybridization. FGF-20 mRNA was preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta. To examine the biological activity of FGF-20, recombinant rat FGF-20 was produced by insect cells infected with recombinant baculovirus containing rat FGF-20 cDNA. Recombinant rat FGF-20 enhanced the survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The present results indicate that FGF-20 is a novel neurotrophic factor preferentially expressed in the substantia nigra pars compacta of rat brain.     

A new form of guanylyl cyclase is preferentially expressed in rat kidney

On the basis of the conserved amino acid sequences of the catalytic domain of both soluble and plasma membrane forms of guanylyl cyclase, we have used the polymerase chain reaction to identify a new form of guanylyl cyclase that is expressed principally in kidney. The cDNA for this new form (GC-S beta 2) codes for a 76.3-kDa protein, which most closely resembles a 70-kDa subunit (GC-S beta 1) of the lung soluble guanylyl cyclase. The mRNA for GC-S beta 1 is preferentially expressed in lung and brain, whereas GC-S beta 2 mRNA is more abundant in kidney and liver. An 86 amino acid carboxyl-terminal region extends beyond the C-terminus of GC-S beta 1 and contains a consensus sequence (-C-V-V-L) for isoprenylation/carboxymethylation. This is the first demonstration of heterogeneity among the heterodimeric forms of guanylyl cyclase and suggests differential regulation.     

Functional analysis of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II expressed in bacteria

The cDNA encoding the 50-kDa subunit of Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II from adult rat brain was cloned into the bacterial expression vector pK223-2 and produced in bacteria. Extensive modification of the cDNA was required to express detectable levels of enzyme. The activity of the bacterially expressed kinase was stringently dependent on Ca2+/CaM but did not exhibit cooperative activation kinetics characteristic of the forebrain enzyme and required 10-fold greater amounts of CaM for half-maximal activation. The bacterially expressed enzyme displayed an apparent Km for a synthetic peptide substrate similar to that of the forebrain enzyme (12 and 10 microM, respectively). Limited proteolysis maps of autophosphorylated peptides, and Western blot analysis demonstrated that the bacterially expressed enzyme was structurally and immunologically indistinguishable from the 50-kDa subunit of the rat forebrain holoenzyme. The bacterially expressed enzyme became Ca2+/CaM-independent after Ca2+/CaM-dependent autophosphorylation in a fashion identical to the forebrain enzyme.     

Potential role of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1/JE in monocyte/macrophage-dependent IgA immune complex alveolitis in the rat.

We have examined the role of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP 1) in the pathogenesis of monocyte/macrophage-dependent IgA immune complex alveolitis in the rat. Rat MCP 1 was cloned and expressed in order to facilitate analysis of its function in rat models of human disease. A cDNA library was constructed from rat pulmonary artery endothelial cells stimulated with TNF-alpha. The cDNA library was screened with synthetic oligonucleotide probes based on the recently published rat MCP 1 cDNA sequence. Among numerous MCP 1-positive clones, four full length (approximately 480 bp) cDNA were rescued, amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and ligated into a pJVETLZ baculovirus transfer vector. Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells (Sf-21) infected with baculovirus recombinants (Auto-grapha california nuclear polyhedrosis virus) bearing properly oriented MCP 1 cDNA (AcMCP 1) directed the expression of unique peptides of 18, 21, and 23 kDa. Treatment of AcMCP 1-infected Sf-21 cells with tunicamycin resulted in reduced production of the 21- and 23-kDa proteins and an increase in 16- to 18-kDa products, the predicted size range of uncleaved and nonglycosylated rat MCP 1. Denatured and refolded 23-kDa and 21-kDa rat MCP 1 species exhibited dose-dependent monocyte-specific chemotactic activity at concentrations as low as 10(-10) M whereas the 18-kDa species exhibited negligible activity. Antibodies that react with the immunoblot, block rat rMCP 1-directed monocyte chemotaxis, and neutralize monocyte-specific chemotactic activity secreted by TNF-stimulated rat endothelial cells were raised in rabbits immunized with the 23-kDa MCP 1 species. Intravenous administration of anti-MCP 1 antibodies upon initiation of IgA immune complex lung injury resulted in a marked reduction in lung injury as measured by pulmonary vascular permeability, alveolar hemorrhage, and pulmonary monocyte/macrophage recruitment and pulmonary monocyte/macrophage recruitment. These data suggest that MCP 1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of monocyte/macrophage-dependent IgA immune complex alveolitis in the rat.     

Molecular cloning of the 18-kDa growth-associated protein of developing brain

An 18-kDa protein (designated herein as the heparin-binding growth-associated molecule, HB-GAM), the expression of which in rat brain correlates to the rapid postnatal developmental phase, was previously isolated and suggested to have a role in the maturation and growth of brain (Rauvala, H. (1989) EMBO J. 8, 2933-2941). A protein with a similar molecular mass, similar heparin-binding properties, and the same N-terminal sequence was more recently also isolated as a mitogen for NIH 3T3 cells (Milner, P. G., Li, Y.-T., Hoffman, R. M., Kodner, C. M., Siegel, N. R., and Deuel, T. F. (1989) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 165, 1096-1103). This study reports the cloning and sequencing of the cDNA that encodes HB-GAM. The sequence that precedes the structure of the mature molecule has the characteristics of a signal sequence found in secretory proteins. The sequence of HB-GAM is a novel structure that contains 136 amino acid residues. The sequence is very rich in cationic amino acids (24% of the residues); lysine cluster sequences are found in the N-terminal and C-terminal ends of the structure. Cysteine is also abundant in the sequence (7% of the residues). The only homologous sequence found in computer searches is the retinoic acid-induced differentiation factor. The mRNA of HB-GAM detected by the cloned cDNA shows the same kind of developmental regulation as the protein; the mRNA is strongly expressed during the early postnatal growth phase of rat brain as compared with embryonic or adult tissue.     

Molecular cloning of the cDNA encoding the third polypeptide (gamma) of brain calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

cDNA clones for three distinct types of rat brain calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II have been isolated. Two of them were identified as cDNA clones for the alpha and beta subunits of this kinase. The other showed a nucleotide sequence similar but, not identical, to that encoding either the alpha or beta subunit. The cDNA sequence encoded a polypeptide, designated gamma, consisting of 527 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 59,038. The deduced amino acid sequence of gamma was 84 and 87% homologous to those of alpha and beta, respectively. Higher homologies of the sequences were found in the amino-terminal halves of the three species, alpha, beta, and gamma. RNA blot analysis revealed that the mRNAs for alpha, beta, and gamma were expressed in rat brain with different regional specificities.     

Identification of the cDNA clone which encodes the 58-kDa protein containing the amino acid sequence of rat liver non-specific lipid-transfer protein (sterol-carrier protein 2). Homology with rat peroxisomal and mitochondrial 3-oxoacyl-CoA thiolases

The relationship between the rat liver non-specific lipid-transfer protein (nsLTP) and the 58-kDa protein cross-reactive with anti-nsLTP antibodies, was investigated by cDNA analysis. A 1945-bp cDNA clone was isolated which encodes a 58.7-kDa protein. This protein is identical to the 58-kDa immunoreactive protein determined by N-terminal sequence analysis of the purified 58-kDa protein. It consists of 546 amino acid residues, of which the 123 C-terminal residues are identical to the sequence of nsLTP. The N-terminal 400 amino acid residues of the 58.7-kDa protein were found to have 23.5% identity with the sequence of both mitochondrial and peroxisomal rat 3-oxoacyl-CoA thiolases, including a hypothetical substrate-binding site. The cDNA insert hybridizes with 1.1-kb, 1.7-kb, 2.4-kb and 3.0-kb mRNA species in RNA isolated from various rat tissues and from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Southern blot analysis suggests that these mRNA species are generated from a single gene. Mutant CHO cells, deficient in peroxisomes, lack nsLTP. We have found that the mRNA encoding nsLTP is still present in these cells, which suggests that the absence of this protein is related to the lack of peroxisomes.     

Mammalian homologues of the Drosophila slit protein are ligands of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan glypican-1 in brain.

Using an affinity matrix in which a recombinant glypican-Fc fusion protein expressed in 293 cells was coupled to protein A-Sepharose, we have isolated from rat brain at least two proteins that were detected by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a single 200-kDa silver-stained band, from which 16 partial peptide sequences were obtained by nano-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Mouse expressed sequence tags containing two of these peptides were employed for oligonucleotide design and synthesis of probes by polymerase chain reaction and enabled us to isolate from a rat brain cDNA library a 4.1-kilobase clone that encoded two of our peptide sequences and represented the N-terminal portion of a protein containing a signal peptide and three leucine-rich repeats. Comparisons with recently published sequences also showed that our peptides were derived from proteins that are members of the Slit/MEGF protein family, which share a number of structural features such as N-terminal leucine-rich repeats and C-terminal epidermal growth factor-like motifs, and in Drosophila Slit is necessary for the development of midline glia and commissural axon pathways. All of the five known rat and human Slit proteins contain 1523-1534 amino acids, and our peptide sequences correspond best to those present in human Slit-1 and Slit-2. Binding of these ligands to the glypican-Fc fusion protein requires the presence of the heparan sulfate chains, but the interaction appears to be relatively specific for glypican-1 insofar as no other identified heparin-binding proteins were isolated using our affinity matrix. Northern analysis demonstrated the presence of two mRNA species of 8. 6 and 7.5 kilobase pairs using probes based on both N- and C-terminal sequences, and in situ hybridization histochemistry showed that these glypican-1 ligands are synthesized by neurons, such as hippocampal pyramidal cells and cerebellar granule cells, where we have previously also demonstrated glypican-1 mRNA and immunoreactivity. Our results therefore indicate that Slit family proteins are functional ligands of glypican-1 in nervous tissue and suggest that their interactions may be critical for certain stages of central nervous system histogenesis.     

A monoclonal antibody, 3A10, recognizes a specific amino acid sequence present on a series of developmentally expressed brain proteins

Immunoblotting showed that a monoclonal antibody, 3A10, binds to a series of rat brain-specific antigens with molecular masses of 150-, 120-, 118-, 106-, 104-, 79-, and 77-kDa. The expression of 3A10 antigens is dependent on the developmental stage of the brain; only the 106-kDa antigen is detected during embryonic stages of rat brain development, while the expression of the remaining 6 antigens starts after birth and reaches a maximum during postnatal days 15-21. Detection of the 3A10 antigens in cultured neuronal and glial cells derived from cerebral cortices of rat brain at embryonic day 18 showed that the 77-, 79-, 106-, and 150-kDa antigens are specifically expressed in neuronal cells. The 77-kDa antigen was purified and identified as synapsin I by amino acid sequence analyses of the peptide fragments isolated after Achromobacter protease I treatment. During the isolation of 3A10-reactive proteins by immunological screening of cDNA libraries constructed from adult rat brain, we found that all of the 3A10-reactive clones contain nucleotide sequences encoding the unique amino acid sequence TRSP(S, R,G)P. Analyses of 3A10-binding to various synthetic peptides showed that the monoclonal antibody recognizes a specific conformational structure formed by either the TRSPXP sequence or similar amino acid sequences that are expressed on a series of developmentally expressed brain proteins.