The ubiquitin ligase Ubr2, a recognition E3 component of the N-end rule pathway, stabilizes Tex19.1 during spermatogenesis

Ubiquitin E3 ligases target their substrates for ubiquitination, leading to proteasome-mediated degradation or altered biochemical properties. The ubiquitin ligase Ubr2, a recognition E3 component of the N-end rule proteolytic pathway, recognizes proteins with N-terminal destabilizing residues and plays an important role in spermatogenesis. Tex19.1 (also known as Tex19) has been previously identified as a germ cell-specific protein in mouse testis. Here we report that Tex19.1 forms a stable protein complex with Ubr2 in mouse testes. The binding of Tex19.1 to Ubr2 is independent of the second position cysteine of Tex19.1, a putative target for arginylation by the N-end rule pathway R-transferase. The Tex19.1-null mouse mutant phenocopies the Ubr2-deficient mutant in three aspects: heterogeneity of spermatogenic defects, meiotic chromosomal asynapsis, and embryonic lethality preferentially affecting females. In Ubr2-deficient germ cells, Tex19.1 is transcribed, but Tex19.1 protein is absent. Our results suggest that the binding of Ubr2 to Tex19.1 metabolically stabilizes Tex19.1 during spermatogenesis, revealing a new function for Ubr2 outside the conventional N-end rule pathway.     

Systems level circuit model of C. elegans undulatory locomotion: mathematical modeling and molecular genetics

To establish the relationship between locomotory behavior and dynamics of neural circuits in the nematode C. elegans we combined molecular and theoretical approaches. In particular, we quantitatively analyzed the motion of C. elegans with defective synaptic GABA and acetylcholine transmission, defective muscle calcium signaling, and defective muscles and cuticle structures, and compared the data with our systems level circuit model. The major experimental findings are: (1) anterior-to-posterior gradients of body bending flex for almost all strains both for forward and backward motion, and for neuronal mutants, also analogous weak gradients of undulatory frequency, (2) existence of some form of neuromuscular (stretch receptor) feedback, (3) invariance of neuromuscular wavelength, (4) biphasic dependence of frequency on synaptic signaling, and (5) decrease of frequency with increase of the muscle time constant. Based on (1) we hypothesize that the Central Pattern Generator (CPG) is located in the head both for forward and backward motion. Points (1) and (2) are the starting assumptions for our theoretical model, whose dynamical patterns are qualitatively insensitive to the details of the CPG design if stretch receptor feedback is sufficiently strong and slow. The model reveals that stretch receptor coupling in the body wall is critical for generation of the neuromuscular wave. Our model agrees with our behavioral data (3), (4), and (5), and with other pertinent published data, e.g., that frequency is an increasing function of muscle gap-junction coupling. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

High throughput inclusion body sizing: Nano particle tracking analysis

The expression of pharmaceutical relevant proteins in Escherichia coli frequently triggers inclusion body (IB) formation caused by protein aggregation. In the scientific literature, substantial effort has been devoted to the quantification of IB size. However, particle‐based methods used up to this point to analyze the physical properties of representative numbers of IBs lack sensitivity and/or orthogonal verification. Using high pressure freezing and automated freeze substitution for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) the cytosolic inclusion body structure was preserved within the cells. TEM imaging in combination with manual grey scale image segmentation allowed the quantification of relative areas covered by the inclusion body within the cytosol. As a high throughput method nano particle tracking analysis (NTA) enables one to derive the diameter of inclusion bodies in cell homogenate based on a measurement of the Brownian motion. The NTA analysis of fixated (glutaraldehyde) and non‐fixated IBs suggests that high pressure homogenization annihilates the native physiological shape of IBs. Nevertheless, the ratio of particle counts of non‐fixated and fixated samples could potentially serve as factor for particle stickiness. In this contribution, we establish image segmentation of TEM pictures as an orthogonal method to size biologic particles in the cytosol of cells. More importantly, NTA has been established as a particle‐based, fast and high throughput method (1000–3000 particles), thus constituting a much more accurate and representative analysis than currently available methods.     

Tex10 is upregulated and promotes cancer stem cell properties and chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma

Testis expressed 10 (Tex10), a new core component of the pluripotency circuitry, has been reported to positively regulate embryonic stem cell (ESC) super-enhancers to promote ESC self-renewal; however, the expression and function of Tex10 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cancer stem cells remains unclear. The present study was designed to investigate the expression patterns of Tex10 with immunohistochemistry, western blotting and RT-qPCR in samples from HCC patients and HCC cell lines. The results obtained show that Tex10 was highly expressed in HCC tissues, and elevated Tex10 protein levels positively correlate with the poorly differentiated carcinoma. Likewise, we found that Tex10 expression in the high-metastasis HCCLM3 potential cell line was higher than that in the low-metastasis HepG2 potential cell line, and Tex10 expression in liver cancer stem cells was also higher than that in adhered HCC cells. In addition, Tex10 knockdown decreased stem cell marker expression and drug resistance. Tex10 promoted cancer stemness through activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway. Taken together, our study demonstrates that Tex10 plays a potent carcinogenic role in HCC tumorigenesis by maintaining cancer stem cell properties through activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway and promoting chemo-resistance. Thus, targeting Tex10 may provide a novel and effective therapeutic strategy to suppress the tumorigenicity of advanced HCC.     

Isolation and characterization of a cone snail protease with homology to CRISP proteins of the pathogenesis-related protein superfamily

The pathogenesis-related (PR) protein superfamily is widely distributed in the animal, plant, and fungal kingdoms and is implicated in human brain tumor growth and plant pathogenesis. The precise biological activity of PR proteins, however, has remained elusive. Here we report the characterization, cloning and structural homology modeling of Tex31 from the venom duct of Conus textile. Tex31 was isolated to >95% purity by activity-guided fractionation using a para-nitroanilide substrate based on the putative cleavage site residues found in the propeptide precursor of conotoxin TxVIA. Tex31 requires four residues including a leucine N-terminal of the cleavage site for efficient substrate processing. The sequence of Tex31 was determined using two degenerate PCR primers designed from N-terminal and tryptic digest Edman sequences. A BLAST search revealed that Tex31 was a member of the PR protein superfamily and most closely related to the CRISP family of mammalian proteins that have a cysteine-rich C-terminal tail. A homology model constructed from two PR proteins revealed that the likely catalytic residues in Tex31 fall within a structurally conserved domain found in PR proteins. Thus, it is possible that other PR proteins may also be substrate-specific proteases.     

Human lymphocyte polymorphisms detected by quantitative two-dimensional electrophoresis.

A survey of 186 soluble lymphocyte proteins for genetic polymorphism was carried out utilizing two-dimensional electrophoresis of 14C-labeled phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human lymphocyte proteins. Nineteen of these proteins exhibited positional variation consistent with independent genetic polymorphism in a primary sample of 28 individuals. Each of these polymorphisms was characterized by quantitative gene-dosage dependence insofar as the heterozygous phenotype expressed approximately 50% of each allelic gene product as was seen in homozygotes. Patterns observed were also identical in monozygotic twins, replicate samples, and replicate gels. The three expected phenotypes (two homozygotes and a heterozygote) were observed in each of 10 of these polymorphisms while the remaining nine had one of the homozygous classes absent. The presence of the three phenotypes, the demonstration of gene-dosage dependence, and our own and previous pedigree analysis of certain of these polymorphisms supports the genetic basis of these variants. Based on this data, the frequency of polymorphic loci for man is: P = 19/186 = .102, and the average heterozygosity is .024. This estimate is approximately 1/3 to 1/2 the rate of polymorphism previously estimated for man in other studies using one-dimensional electrophoresis of isozyme loci. The newly described polymorphisms and others which should be detectable in larger protein surveys with two-dimensional electrophoresis hold promise as genetic markers of the human genome for use in gene mapping and pedigree analyses.     

Genetic and biochemical characterization of the phosphoenolpyruvate:glucose/mannose phosphotransferase system of Streptococcus thermophilus

In most streptococci, glucose is transported by the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):glucose/mannose phosphotransferase system (PTS) via HPr and IIAB(Man), two proteins involved in regulatory mechanisms. While most strains of Streptococcus thermophilus do not or poorly metabolize glucose, compelling evidence suggests that S. thermophilus possesses the genes that encode the glucose/mannose general and specific PTS proteins. The purposes of this study were to determine (i) whether these PTS genes are expressed, (ii) whether the PTS proteins encoded by these genes are able to transfer a phosphate group from PEP to glucose/mannose PTS substrates, and (iii) whether these proteins catalyze sugar transport. The pts operon is made up of the genes encoding HPr (ptsH) and enzyme I (EI) (ptsI), which are transcribed into a 0.6-kb ptsH mRNA and a 2.3-kb ptsHI mRNA. The specific glucose/mannose PTS proteins, IIAB(Man), IIC(Man), IID(Man), and the ManO protein, are encoded by manL, manM, manN, and manO, respectively, which make up the man operon. The man operon is transcribed into a single 3.5-kb mRNA. To assess the phosphotransfer competence of these PTS proteins, in vitro PEP-dependent phosphorylation experiments were conducted with purified HPr, EI, and IIAB(Man) as well as membrane fragments containing IIC(Man) and IID(Man). These PTS components efficiently transferred a phosphate group from PEP to glucose, mannose, 2-deoxyglucose, and (to a lesser extent) fructose, which are common streptococcal glucose/mannose PTS substrates. Whole cells were unable to catalyze the uptake of mannose and 2-deoxyglucose, demonstrating the inability of the S. thermophilus PTS proteins to operate as a proficient transport system. This inability to transport mannose and 2-deoxyglucose may be due to a defective IIC domain. We propose that in S. thermophilus, the general and specific glucose/mannose PTS proteins are not involved in glucose transport but might have regulatory functions associated with the phosphotransfer properties of HPr and IIAB(Man).     

Immunochemical and kinetic evidence for two different prostaglandin H-prostaglandin E isomerases in sheep vesicular gland microsomes

Splenic lymphocytes from mice immunized with a partially purified prostaglandin (PG) H-PGE isomerase from sheep vesicular glands were fused with SP2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells. Two spleen cell-myeloma hybrids (hei-7 and hei-26) were selected and cloned. The mouse antibodies secreted by the two hybrids, IgG1 (hei-7) and IgG1 (hei-26), caused immunoprecipitation of a maximum of 45 and 22%, respectively, of the solubilized PGH-PGE isomerase activity of sheep vesicular gland; immunoprecipitation of activity by the two antibodies was additive. The antigens reactive with IgG1 (hei-7) and IgG1 (hei-26) were identified as proteins with Mr = 17,500 and 180,000, respectively, by Western transfer blotting or sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated 125I-labeled microsomes. The PGH-PGE isomerase activities precipitated by IgG1 (hei-7) and IgG1 (hei-26) exhibited different kinetic properties with respect to time course, Km for PGH2, and concentration dependence for GSH. No significant GSH-S-transferase activity was present in these immunoprecipitates. These data indicate that there are at least two different proteins in sheep vesicular gland microsomes capable of catalyzing GSH-dependent PGH-PGE isomerase reactions. IgG1 (hei-7), but not IgG1 (hei-26), caused coprecipitation of PGH synthase and PGH-PGE isomerase activities when incubated with intact right-side-out vesicular gland microsomes. Thus, the epitope for IgG1 (hei-7) is located on the cytoplasmic surface of those microsomal spheres which contain PGH synthase. This latter finding suggests that the isomerase reactive with IgG1 (hei-7) is involved in PGE synthesis in sheep vesicular glands.     

The ggpS Gene from Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803 Encoding Glucosyl-Glycerol-Phosphate Synthase Is Involved in Osmolyte Synthesis

A salt-sensitive mutant of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 defective in the synthesis of the compatible solute glucosylglycerol (GG) was used to search for the gene encoding GG-phosphate synthase (GGPS), the key enzyme in GG synthesis. Cloning and sequencing of the mutated region and the corresponding wild-type region revealed that a deletion of about 13 kb occurred in the genome of mutant 11. This deletion affected at least 10 open reading frames, among them regions coding for proteins showing similarities to trehalose (otsA homolog)- and glycerol-3-phosphate-synthesizing enzymes. After construction and characterization of mutants defective in these genes, it became obvious that an otsA homolog (sll1566) (T. Kaneko et al., DNA Res. 3:109–136, 1996) encodes GGPS, since only the mutant affected in sll1566 showed salt sensitivity combined with a complete absence of GG accumulation. Furthermore, the overexpression of sll1566 in Escherichia coli led to the appearance of GGPS activity in the heterologous host. The overexpressed protein did not show the salt dependence that is characteristic for the GGPS in crude protein extracts of Synechocystis.     

Distinction between glycoprotein IIIa and the 100-kDa membrane protein (aggregin) mediating ADP-induced platelet activation

Previous studies from our laboratories showed that 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine (FSBA) inhibits ADP-induced platelet shape change, aggregation, and exposure of fibrinogen sites while covalently binding to 100-kDa platelet membrane protein (aggregin) on the intact platelet. Chymotrypsin digests aggregin to a fragment of 70 kDa, abolishing the inhibition, and also cleaves platelet glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) (100 kDa) to a 70-kDa fragment containing the P1A1 epitope. We questioned whether these platelet membrane proteins were distinct. Both 5'-p-[3H]sulfonylbenzoyl adenosine (SBA)-labeled aggregin and 125I-GPIIIa were precipitated by polyclonal antibodies to a 100-kDa fraction of platelet membranes, but aggregin was not precipitated by a monospecific antibody to P1A1 which precipitates GPIIIa. Further a monospecific polyclonal antibody to immunopurified GPIIIa coupled to protein A-Sepharose adsorbed GPIIIa but not aggregin. Similarly, both aggregin and GPIIIa were precipitated by a polyclonal antibody to an isolated 70-kDa component of platelet membrane but only GPIIIa was precipitated by the monoclonal antibody to GPIIIa, (SSA6). Two patients with Glanzman's thrombasthenia whose platelet membranes contained less than 5% GPIIIa as assayed by monoclonal antibody binding (A2A6), incorporated [3H]SBA to the same extent as normal individuals. Furthermore, FSBA inhibited ADP-induced shape change with a similar concentration dependence for both thrombasthenic and normal platelets. Finally, mobility of GPIIIa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was decreased following reduction with dithiothreitol whereas that of [3H]SBA-labeled MP 100 was not altered. We conclude that GPIIIa and aggregin are distinct platelet membrane proteins.     

Determination of the antitumor agent depsipeptide in plasma by liquid chromatography on serial octadecyl stationary phases

A high-performance liquid chromatographic assay has been developed and validated for the determination of the antitumor agent depsipeptide (FR-901228) in plasma samples from patients with advanced cancer. After the plasma proteins were precipitated with acetonitrile, the supernatant was extracted with ethylacetate. Depsipeptide was chromatographed on two serial octadecylsilica stationary phases using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile–potassium phosphate buffer (0.03 M, pH 3) (27:73, v/v), at a flow-rate of 2.0 ml/min and at ambient temperature. The method was linear over a 50 to 2000 ng/ml range and the intra- and inter-day coefficients of variations were less than 8%. The method was applied to the determination of the plasma concentration–time profile for 14 patients with advanced cancer receiving from 1 to 7.5 mg/m² of depsipeptide per day as a continuous 4-h infusion.     

NURF301 contributes to gypsy chromatin insulator-mediated nuclear organization

Chromatin insulators are DNA-protein complexes that can prevent the spread of repressive chromatin and block communication between enhancers and promoters to regulate gene expression. In Drosophila, the gypsy chromatin insulator complex consists of three core proteins: CP190, Su(Hw), and Mod(mdg4)67.2. These factors concentrate at nuclear foci termed insulator bodies, and changes in insulator body localization have been observed in mutants defective for insulator function. Here, we identified NURF301/E(bx), a nucleosome remodeling factor, as a novel regulator of gypsy insulator body localization through a high-throughput RNAi imaging screen. NURF301 promotes gypsy-dependent insulator barrier activity and physically interacts with gypsy insulator proteins. Using ChIP-seq, we found that NURF301 co-localizes with insulator proteins genome-wide, and NURF301 promotes chromatin association of Su(Hw) and CP190 at gypsy insulator binding sites. These effects correlate with NURF301-dependent nucleosome repositioning. At the same time, CP190 and Su(Hw) both facilitate recruitment of NURF301 to chromatin. Finally, Oligopaint FISH combined with immunofluorescence revealed that NURF301 promotes 3D contact between insulator bodies and gypsy insulator DNA binding sites, and NURF301 is required for proper nuclear positioning of gypsy binding sites. Our data provide new insights into how a nucleosome remodeling factor and insulator proteins cooperatively contribute to nuclear organization.     

Use of a Novel Type of Rotating Disc Electrode and a Flow Cell with Laminar Flow Pattern for the Electrochemical Detection of Biogenic Monoamines and Their Metabolites After Sephadex Gel Chromatographic Purification and High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Isolation from Rat Brain

Abstract: A novel type of rotating disc electrode and a flow cell with laminar flow pattern were developed and applied to the electrochemical detection of dopamine, 3,4-dihy-droxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, 3-methoxytyra-mine (3-MT), noradrenaline, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl-ethyleneglycol (MOPEG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid after HPLC of these compounds. The active surface of the rotating disc working electrode was made from solid paraffin (40%; wt/wt) and graphite powder (60%; wt/wt). The sensitivity of the detector was proportional to the square root of the angular velocity and was practically independent of the flow rate of the mobile phase. The surface of the working electrode was very large (radius = 12 mm), and so the percentage of oxidation was 24–67%; (flow rate = 1.0 ml/min), depending on the compound. Electrical noise between 20 and 40 pA and background current of 20–60 nA were observed. In practice, the sensitivity for the detection of the compounds examined here was 8–16 nA/ng, and so a detection limit of 5 pg/injection could be achieved, when the detector was combined with reversed-phase HPLC. Supernatants obtained from the extracts of the tissue samples (nine brain parts of rat brain were studied) were purified by using Sephadex G-10 gel chromatography. Before this procedure, the proteins of the tissue extracts were precipitated by 0.2 M HC1O₄, and the excess of HC1O₄ was precipitated by KOH/HCOOH buffer. Simultaneously, the pH of the extracts was set to 2.4 by the above buffer. Adjustment of the pH was necessary so that elution of 5-HT from the Sephadex G-10 columns in the same fraction with 3-MT was avoided. If these compounds were in the same solution, their peaks would overlap on HPLC. MOPEG sulfate was purified by diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex A-25 (anion exchange resin) from the first fraction collected from the Sephadex G-10 columns. The contents of the compounds under investigation in nine brain parts agreed with those found by other investigators.     

Deletion of the pluripotency-associated Tex19.1 gene causes activation of endogenous retroviruses and defective spermatogenesis in mice

As genetic information is transmitted through successive generations, it passes between pluripotent cells in the early embryo and germ cells in the developing foetus and adult animal. Tex19.1 encodes a protein of unknown function, whose expression is restricted to germ cells and pluripotent cells. During male spermatogenesis, Tex19.1 expression is highest in mitotic spermatogonia and diminishes as these cells differentiate and progress through meiosis. In pluripotent stem cells, Tex19.1 expression is also downregulated upon differentiation. However, it is not clear whether Tex19.1 has an essential function in germ cells or pluripotent stem cells, or what that function might be. To analyse the potential role of Tex19.1 in pluripotency or germ cell function we have generated Tex19.1(-/-) knockout mice and analysed the Tex19.1(-/-) mutant phenotype. Adult Tex19.1(-/-) knockout males exhibit impaired spermatogenesis. Immunostaining and histological analysis revealed defects in meiotic chromosome synapsis, the persistence of DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis, and a loss of post-meiotic germ cells in the testis. Furthermore, expression of a class of endogenous retroviruses is upregulated during meiosis in the Tex19.1(-/-) testes. Increased transposition of endogenous retroviruses in the germline of Tex19.1(-/-) mutant mice, and the concomitant increase in DNA damage, may be sufficient to disrupt the normal processes of recombination and chromosome synapsis during meiosis and cause defects in spermatogenesis. Our results suggest that Tex19.1 is part of a specialised mechanism that operates in the germline to repress transposable genetic elements and maintain genomic stability through successive generations.     

Soft tissue sarcoma and the hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome: formulation of an hypothesis

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is a genetic disorder caused by mutation in one of the mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) which predisposes to colorectal cancer and other malignances, that not yet include sarcomas. For sustaining that soft tissue sarcomas could be HNPCC related malignances, we report on a HNPCC patient with leiomyosarcoma and review the English literature. Overall, we report on eleven cases of soft tissue malignant tumors involving HNPCC patients, with a mean age of 34 years at diagnosis of sarcomas. In the majority of these tumors loss of MSH2 expression can be found at immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in 10 patients a germline mutation in one of the MMR genes was found (7 cases were MSH2 defective and 3 cases MLH1 defective). Data for supporting our hypothesis are also experimental, epidemiologic, histopathological: excess of sarcomas in PMS2 defective mice; sporadic soft tissue sarcomas are rare, with mean age at onset of 56 years and normal IHC for MMR proteins. In conclusion, the data collected support the hypothesis that soft tissue sarcomas could be included in the spectrum of tumors that, even if rarely, depend on MMR genes deficiency.     

Visual Search Strategies of Soccer Players Executing a Power vs. Placement Penalty Kick

Introduction

When taking a soccer penalty kick, there are two distinct kicking techniques that can be adopted; a ‘power’ penalty or a ‘placement’ penalty. The current study investigated how the type of penalty kick being taken affected the kicker’s visual search strategy and where the ball hit the goal (end ball location).

Method

Wearing a portable eye tracker, 12 university footballers executed 2 power and placement penalty kicks, indoors, both with and without the presence of a goalkeeper. Video cameras were used to determine initial ball velocity and end ball location.

Results

When taking the power penalty, the football was kicked significantly harder and more centrally in the goal compared to the placement penalty. During the power penalty, players fixated on the football for longer and more often at the goalkeeper (and by implication the middle of the goal), whereas in the placement penalty, fixated longer at the goal, specifically the edges. Findings remained consistent irrespective of goalkeeper presence.

Discussion/conclusion

Findings indicate differences in visual search strategy and end ball location as a function of type of penalty kick. When taking the placement penalty, players fixated and kicked the football to the edges of the goal in an attempt to direct the ball to an area that the goalkeeper would have difficulty reaching and saving. Fixating significantly longer on the football when taking the power compared to placement penalty indicates a greater importance of obtaining visual information from the football. This can be attributed to ensuring accurate foot-to-ball contact and subsequent generation of ball velocity. Aligning gaze and kicking the football centrally in the goal when executing the power compared to placement penalty may have been a strategy to reduce the risk of kicking wide of the goal altogether.