Motif orientation matters: Structural characterization of TEAD1 recognition of genomic DNA

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Anti-peptide monoclonal antibody imaging of a common binding domain involved in muscle regulation.

Multiple-component regulatory protein systems function through a generalized mechanism where a single regulatory protein or ligand binds to a variety of receptors to modulate specific functions in a physiologically sensitive context. Muscle contraction is regulated by the interaction of actin with troponin I (TnI) or myosin in a Ca(2+)-sensitive manner. Actin utilizes a single binding domain (residues 1-28) to bind to residues 104-115 of TnI (Van Eyk JE, Sönnichsen FD, Sykes BD, Hodges RS, 1991, In: Rüegg JC, ed, Peptides as probes in muscle research, Heidelberg, Germany: Springer-Verlag, pp 15-31) and to myosin subfragment 1 (S1, an enzymatic fragment of myosin containing both the actin and ATP binding sites) (Van Eyk JE, Hodges RS, 1991, Biochemistry 30:11676-11682) in a Ca(2+)-sensitive manner. We have utilized an anti-TnI peptide (104-115) monoclonal antibody, Mab B4, that binds specifically to TnI, to image the common binding domain of actin and thus mimic the activity of actin including activation of the S1 ATPase activity and TnI-mediated regulation of the S1 ATPase. Mab B4 has also been utilized to identify a receptor binding domain on myosin (residues 633-644) that is recognized by actin. Interestingly, Mab B4 binds to the native protein receptors TnI and S1 with relative affinities of 100- and 25,000-fold higher than the binding affinity to the 12-residue peptide immunogen. Thus, anti-peptide monoclonal antibodies prepared against a receptor binding domain can mimic the ligand binding domain and be utilized as a powerful tool for the detailed analysis of complex multiple-component regulatory systems.     

Protein 4.1R expression in normal and dystrophic skeletal muscle

4.1R pre-mRNA alternative splicing results in multiple mRNA and protein isoforms that are expressed in virtually all tissues. More specifically, isoforms containing the alternative exon 17a, are exclusively expressed in muscle tissues. In this report, we show that these isoforms are preferentially present in the myoplasm of fast myofibres. 4.1R epitopes are also found at the sarcolemma of both slow and fast myofibres in normal muscle. Interestingly, they are absent from dystrophin-deficient sarcolemma of DMD muscle, and colocalize with partially expressed dystrophin in BMD muscle. We also show that alternative splicing of exons 16 and 17a is regulated during muscle differentiation in an asynchronous fashion, with an early inclusion of exon 16 in forming myotubes, and a late inclusion of exon 17a. Consistently, Western blot analysis led to characterize mainly an approximately 96/98-kDa doublet bearing exons 16-17a-encoding peptide, exclusively occurring in the differentiated muscle.     

Phospholipids: “Greasing the wheels” of humoral immunity

Phospholipids are major structural components of all cellular membranes. In addition, certain phospholipids execute regulatory activities that affect cell behavior, function and fate in critically important physiological settings. The influence of phospholipids is especially obvious in the adaptive immune system, where these macromolecules mediate both intrinsic and extrinsic effects on B and T lymphocytes. This review article highlights the action of lysophospholipid sphingosine-1-phosphate as a lymphocyte chemoattractant, the function of phosphatidylinositol phosphates as signaling conduits in lymphocytes and the role of phospholipids as raw materials for membrane assembly and organelle biogenesis in activated B lymphocytes. Special emphasis is placed on the means by which these three processes push humoral immune responses forward. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phospholipids and Phospholipid Metabolism.     

The regulation of mRNA stability in mammalian cells: 2.0

Messenger RNA decay is an essential step in gene expression to set mRNA abundance in the cytoplasm. The binding of proteins and/or noncoding RNAs to specific recognition sequences or secondary structures within mRNAs dictates mRNA decay rates by recruiting specific enzyme complexes that perform the destruction processes. Often, the cell coordinates the degradation or stabilization of functional subsets of mRNAs encoding proteins collectively required for a biological process. As well, extrinsic or intrinsic stimuli activate signal transduction pathways that modify the mRNA decay machinery with consequent effects on decay rates and mRNA abundance. This review is an update to our 2001 Gene review on mRNA stability in mammalian cells, and we survey the enormous progress made over the past decade.