High expression levels ofras p21 protein in normal mouse heart tissues

We have investigated the levels of protein encoded by the ras oncogene in normal mouse tissues using an immunoblotting technique. We have found that heart from young or adult NIH or Balb C strains of mice contain high levels of ras protein as compared to lung, liver, spleen, kidney, brain and skeletal muscle tissues from the same animal. Our results indicate that cellular ras expression does not in every case correlate with cell proliferation.     

Activated Conformations of the ras-gene-Encoded p21 Protein. 1. An Energy-Refined Structure for the Normal p21 Protein Complexed with GDP

Abstract

A complete three-dimensional structure for the ras-gene-encoded p21 protein with Gly 12 and Gin 61, bound to GDP, has been constructed in four stages using the available α-carbon coordinates as deposited in the Brookhaven National Laboratories Protein Data Bank. No all-atom structure has been made available despite the fact that the first crystallographic structure for the p21 protein was reported almost four years ago. In the p21 protein, if amino acid substitutions are made at any one of a number of different positions in the amino acid sequence, the protein becomes permanently activated and causes malignant transformation of normal cells or, in some cell lines, differentiation and maturation. For example, all amino acids except Gly and Pro at position 12 result in an oncogenic protein; all amino acids except Gin, Glu and Pro at position 61 likewise cause malignant transformation of cells. We have constructed our all-atom structure of the non-oncogenic protein from the x-ray structure in order to determine how oncogenic amino acid substitutions affect the three-dimensional structure of this protein. In Stage 1 we generated a poly-alanine backbone (except at Gly and Pro residues) through the α-carbon structure, requiring the individual Ala, Pro or Gly residues to conform to standard amino acid geometry and to form trans-planar peptide bonds. Since no a-carbon coordinates for residues 60–65 have been determined these residues were modeled by generating them in the extended conformation and then subjecting them to molecular dynamics using the computer application DISCOVER and energy minimization using DISCOVER and the ECEPP (Empirical Conformational Energies for Peptides Program). In Stage 2, the positions of residues that are homologous to corresponding residues of bacterial elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) to which p21 bears an overall 40% sequence homology, were determined from their corresponding positions in a high-resolution structure of EF-Tu. Non-homologous loops were taken from the structure generated in Stage 1 and were placed between the appropriate homologous segments so as to connect them. In Stage 3, all bad contacts that occurred in this resulting structure were removed, and the coordinates of the α-carbon atoms were forced to superimpose as closely as possible on the corresponding atoms of the reference (x-ray) structure. Then the side chain positions of residues of the nonhomologous loop regions were modeled using a combination of molecular dynamics and energy minimization using DISCOVER and ECEPP respectively. All of the residues of the structure were then allowed to move under restrained energy minimization where the restraints were gradually removed. In Stage 4, the nucleotide GOP was added to the model and further energy minimization was carried out. The energy of the protein-GOP complex was minimized by allowing the atoms of GOP to move with the protein held fixed and then by allowing both the nucleotide and the residues of the protein to move together. The reconstructed model agrees with the published features of the p21 protein-GOP complex including the hydrogen bonding scheme, the distribution of backbone dihedral angles, the residues contacting the nucleotide, and the orientation of loops with respect to one another in the protein. The structure also agrees with one that was predicted previously (Chen, J.M. et al., J. Biomol. Struct. Dynamics 6, 850–875 (1989)). In our molecular dynamics-energy minimization procedures, we also have been able to place all residues except Ala 66, which occurs in a poorly-defined region crystallographically, in local single residue minima, including residues reported to be in high energy regions in the x-ray structure. The constructed model can explain observed physical phenomena such as autophosphorylation by GTP on Thr 59 in proteins containing Thr in place of Ala 59.     

CYP21和CYP21P基因启动子序列对绿色荧光蛋白基因表达的影响

特异性扩增CYP21基因和CYP21P基因启动子区域－770bp--1bp片段,去除pEGFP-N1载体中的CMV启动子,构建含CYP21基因启动子的pEGFP-N1载体（pCYP21)和CYP21P基因启动子的pEGFP-N1载体（pCYP21P),分别将上述两种构建载体、野生型pEGFP-N1(阳性对照）质粒及阴性对照转染入肾上腺皮质来源的Y1细胞系中,用倒置荧光显微镜,以及激光共聚焦显微镜等方法观测绿色荧光蛋白的表达。转染后,在荧光倒置显微镜下首次发现Y1细胞中出现绿色荧光蛋白的时间阳性对照为3小时,pCYP21为7小时,pCYP21P与阳性对照（未转染任何载体的Y1细胞）始终未观测到绿色荧光蛋白。阳性对照和pCYP21的绿色荧光蛋白表达强于pCYP21,pCYP21P与阴性对照始终未观测到绿色荧光蛋白。阳性对照和pCYP21的绿色荧光蛋白在胞核中的荧光强度高于胞浆。上述结果进一步表明,含有CYP21和CYP21P两种基因启动子的GFP质粒在Y1细胞中表达存在显著差异。     

MicroRNA-520g Confers Drug Resistance by Regulating p21 Expression in Colorectal Cancer

Development of drug resistance is one of the major causes of colorectal cancer recurrence, yet mechanistic understanding and therapeutic options remain limited. Here, we show that expression of microRNA (miR)-520g is correlated with drug resistance of colon cancer cells. Ectopic expression of miR-520g conferred resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)- or oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis in vitro and reduced the effectiveness of 5-FU in the inhibition of tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model in vivo. Further studies indicated that miR-520g mediated drug resistance through down-regulation of p21 expression. Moreover, p53 suppressed miR-520g expression, and deletion of p53 up-regulated miR-520g expression. Inhibition of miR-520g in p53^−/− cells increased their sensitivity to 5-FU treatment. Importantly, studies of patient samples indicated that expression of miR-520g correlated with chemoresistance in colorectal cancer. These findings indicate that the p53/miR-520g/p21 signaling axis plays an important role in the response of colorectal cancer to chemotherapy. A major implication of our studies is that inhibition of miR-520g or restoration of p21 expression may have considerable therapeutic potential to overcome drug resistance in colorectal cancer patients, especially in those with mutant p53.     

p16INK4A Positively Regulates p21WAF1 Expression by suppressing AUF1-dependent mRNA decay

Background

p16^INK4a and p21^WAF1 are two independent cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors encoded by the CDKN2A and CDKN1A genes, respectively. p16^INK4a and p21^WAF1 are similarly involved in various anti-cancer processes, including the regulation of the critical G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle, senescence and apoptosis. Therefore, we sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the link between these two important tumor suppressor proteins.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We have shown here that the p16^INK4a protein positively controls the expression of p21^WAF1 in both human and mouse cells. p16^INK4a stabilizes the CDKN1A mRNA through negative regulation of the mRNA decay-promoting AUF1 protein. Immunoprecipitation of AUF1-associated RNAs followed by quantitative RT-PCR indicated that endogenous AUF1 binds to the CDKN1A mRNA in a p16^INK4A-dependent manner. Furthermore, while AUF1 down-regulation increased the expression level of the CDKN1A mRNA, the concurrent knockdown of AUF1 and CDKN2A, using specific silencing RNAs, restored the normal expression of the gene. Moreover, we used EGFP reporter fused to the CDKN2A AU-rich element (ARE) to demonstrate that p16^INK4A regulation of the CDKN1A mRNA is AUF1- and ARE-dependent. Furthermore, ectopic expression of p16^INK4A in p16^INK4A-deficient breast epithelial MCF-10A cells significantly increased the level of p21^WAF1, with no effect on cell proliferation. In addition, we have shown direct correlation between p16^INK4a and p21^WAF1 levels in various cancer cell lines.

Conclusion/Significance

These findings show that p16^INK4a stabilizes the CDKN1A mRNA in an AUF1-dependent manner, and further confirm the presence of a direct link between the 2 important cancer-related pathways, pRB/p16^INK4A and p14^ARF/p53/p21^WAF1.     

Inhibition of the ras p21 GTPase-activating protein-stimulated GTPase activity of c-Ha-ras p21 by smg p21 having the same putative effector domain as ras p21s

ras p21 GTPase-activating protein (GAP) has been proposed to interact with the putative effector domain of ras p21s, and smg p21, a ras p21-like guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein), has been shown to have the same amino acid sequence as ras p21s in this region. In the present studies, we examined the effects of ras p21 GAP on the GTPase activity of smg p21 purified from human platelets, of smg p21 on the ras p21 GAP-stimulated GTPase activity of c-Ha-ras p21 purified from Escherichia coli, and of c-Ha-ras p21 on the smg p21 GAP1- or -2-stimulated GTPase activity of smg p21. ras p21 GAP stimulated the GTPase activity of c-Ha-ras p21 but not that of smg p21. The GTP-bound form of smg p21, however, inhibited the ras p21 GAP-stimulated GTPase activity of c-Ha-ras p21 in a dose-dependent manner. The half-maximum inhibition by smg p21 was obtained at 0.4 microM which was more potent than previously observed for ras p21 (2-200 microM). The GDP-bound form also inhibited the ras p21 GAP-stimulated GTPase activity of c-Ha-ras p21, but the efficiency was 40-50% that of the GTP-bound form. smg p21 GAP1 and -2 stimulated the GTPase activity of smg p21 but not that of c-Ha-ras p21. c-Ha-ras p21 did not inhibit the smg p21 GAP1- or -2-stimulated GTPase activity of smg p21. These results indicate that ras p21 GAP interacts with smg p21 without the subsequent stimulation of its GTPase activity.     

Protein kinase D regulates cofilin activity through p21-activated kinase 4

Dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton at the leading edge is required for directed cell migration. Cofilin, a small actin-binding protein with F-actin severing activities, is a key enzyme initiating such actin remodeling processes. Cofilin activity is tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events that are mediated by LIM kinase (LIMK) and the phosphatase slingshot (SSH), respectively. Protein kinase D (PKD) is a serine/threonine kinase that inhibits actin-driven directed cell migration by phosphorylation and inactivation of SSH. Here, we show that PKD can also regulate LIMK through direct phosphorylation and activation of its upstream kinase p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4). Therefore, active PKD increases the net amount of phosphorylated inactive cofilin in cells through both pathways. The regulation of cofilin activity at multiple levels may explain the inhibitory effects of PKD on barbed end formation as well as on directed cell migration.     

Forkhead Box O1 (FOXO1) Protein,but Not p53, Contributes to Robust Induction of p21 Expression in Fasted Mice

Reporter mice that enable the activity of the endogenous p21 promoter to be dynamically monitored in real time in vivo and under a variety of experimental conditions revealed ubiquitous p21 expression in mouse organs including the brain. Low light bioluminescence microscopy was employed to localize p21 expression to specific regions of the brain. Interestingly, p21 expression was observed in the paraventricular, arcuate, and dorsomedial nuclei of the hypothalamus, regions that detect nutrient levels in the blood stream and signal metabolic actions throughout the body. These results suggested a link between p21 expression and metabolic regulation. We found that short-term food deprivation (fasting) potently induced p21 expression in tissues involved in metabolic regulation including liver, pancreas and hypothalamic nuclei. Conditional reporter mice were generated that enabled hepatocyte-specific expression of p21 to be monitored in vivo. Bioluminescence imaging demonstrated that fasting induced a 7-fold increase in p21 expression in livers of reporter mice and Western blotting demonstrated an increase in protein levels as well. The ability of fasting to induce p21 expression was found to be independent of p53 but dependent on FOXO1. Finally, occupancy of the endogenous p21 promoter by FOXO1 was observed in the livers of fasted but not fed mice. Thus, fasting promotes loading of FOXO1 onto the p21 promoter to induce p21 expression in hepatocytes.     

p65蛋白的诱导表达及电子显微镜观察其显微结构

目的:构建重组原核表达载体pGEX-5x-1-p65,诱导GST-p65融合蛋白的表达并观察其包涵体的显微结构.方法:应用PCR技术扩增得到p65全长序列,并亚克隆至带有GST标签的pGEX-5x-1载体中.经酶切、测序鉴定后,在原核细胞中诱导表达GST-p65融合蛋白并将诱导后的菌体制作透射电镜标本,观察菌体内部显微结构.结果:成功构建表达载体pGEX-5x-1-p65,原核细胞中诱导表达、凝胶电泳后未见可溶性融合蛋白的高效表达.透射电镜观察到在承载有重组载体的菌体内部出现大量高电子密度的包涵体.结论:成功构建了原核表达载体pGEX-5x-1-p65,电子显微镜观察并证实在原核细胞内p65蛋白诱导表达形成包涵体.     

Functional Expression of p64, an Intracellular Chloride Channel Protein

p64 is a protein identified as a chloride channel by biochemical purification from kidney microsomes. We expressed p64 in HeLa cells using a recombinant vaccinia virus/T7 RNA polymerase driven system. Total cell membranes were prepared from infected/transfected cells and fused to a planar lipid bilayer. A novel chloride channel activity was found in cells expressing p64 and not in control cells. The p64-associated activity shows strong anion over cation selectivity. Single channels show prominent outward rectification with single channel conductance at positive potentials of 42 pS. The chloride channel activity is activated by treatment of the membranes with alkaline phosphatase and inhibited by DNDS and by TS-TM calix(4)arene. Whole membrane anion permeability was determined by a chloride efflux assay, revealing that membranes from cells expressing p64 showed a small but highly significant increase in chloride permeability, consistent with expression of a novel chloride channel activity. Received: 17 November 1997/Revised: 9 February 1998     

重组斑马鱼 p8蛋白的原核表达及纯化

目的：在大肠杆菌中重组表达斑马鱼p8蛋白并纯化。方法：PCR扩增斑马鱼p8蛋白基因编码区,连接到带有6×His标签的原核表达载体pET-28a中,构建重组表达质粒pET-28a-p8并转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）,用IPTG诱导表达;优化表达条件后用Ni^2＋柱纯化重组蛋白。结果：构建了pET-28a-p8重组质粒;目的蛋白在大肠杆菌中获得表达,亲和纯化后,SDS-PAGE显示相对分子质量为预期的12．8×10^3。结论：获得了斑马鱼p8融合蛋白,为其生物学功能研究奠定了基础。