Silver staining for carboxymethylated metallothioneins in polyacrylamide gels

A sensitive method for detecting metallothioneins (MTs) by use of silver staining after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of carboxymethylated MTs was developed. Carboxymethylation of metallothioneins is indispensable because it prevents their aggregation, thereby allowing each of them to be detected as a single band by SDS-PAGE. However, when the gel was subjected to the silver-staining method of C. R. Merril, D. Goldman, S. A. Sedman, and M. H. Ebert [(1981) Science 211, 1437-1438], the image of carboxymethylated purified MTs was totally negative. Pretreatment of the gel with 1% sodium thiosulfate just prior to the silver-staining procedure successfully reversed the negative image of carboxymethylated MTs. Further, they could be detected with a limit of nanogram levels per lane. This method can be applied to MTs in cell extracts from cultured cell lines treated with cadmium or to those from liver of cadmium-intoxicated mice.     

Immunological and biochemical properties of metallothioneins of golden hamster,mouse and rat

Summary Golden hamster, mouse and rat hepatic cadmium metallothioneins (MT) were purified by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration, DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography and activated Thiol-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Metallothioneins were separated by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography into two forms: MT-1 and MT-2. In mouse and golden hamster liver, MT-1 was the major form. The purified proteins were homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. In non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, migration of mouse, rat and golden hamster hepatic metallothioneins were found to be different. Antibodies to mouse hepatic MT-1 was raised in rabbits. The antiserum cross reacted with mouse and hamster MT-1 and MT-2 giving a single precipitin band. Mouse, rat and hamster hepatic MTs are immunologically identical but electrophoretically different. The kidney and pancreatic MTs of rat and golden hamster were purified by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. They were immunologically distinct. Pancreas MT formed a line of partial identity with hepatic MTs. Kidney MTs form two precipitin band one identical with the pancreatic form and another of complete identity with the hepatic MTs. This indicates the presence of tissue specific MTs.     

Detection of metallothionein on nitrocellulose membrane using Western blotting technique and its application to identification of cadmium-binding proteins

A convenient method for detecting metallothionein (MT) and other cadmium-binding proteins (Cd-BPs) in tissue cytosol was established. A sample that contains MT was separated on a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel and then electrophoretically transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane after reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) on the gel. The membrane was incubated in a buffer containing 109Cd and then subjected to autoradiography. MT-I and -II in rat liver cytosol were detected as radioactive bands together with a Cd-BP of 60,000 Da. On the other hand, three Cd-BPs of 40,000, 29,000, and 24,000 Da were detected in the cytosol when the reduction with 2-ME was omitted.     

Metallothionein induction in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by heavy metals

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes have the capacity to produce metallothioneins (MTs) as a protective response to cadmium exposure. To define the range of metal species inducing lymphocyte MTs, cellular proteins synthesized after exposure to each of 11 heavy metals were analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Toxic metals such as cadmium, mercury and silver were found to induce thioneins (apoproteins of MTs) at relatively low concentrations (maximum at approximately 10 microM), whereas less toxic metals such as zinc, copper and nickel were inductive at relatively high concentrations (maximum at approximately 200 microM). Tin, lead, iron, cobalt, and manganese did not induce thioneins. The heavy metal specificity of MT induction in the lymphocyte resembles that in the liver, and the regulatory mechanism of MT production seems to be similar in both of these tissues. In the cells exposed to highly toxic metals such as cadmium and mercury, expression of cytotoxicity (represented by decline of cysteine uptake) was remarkable at the metal concentrations higher than those saturating thionein induction, supporting the protective role of MTs against heavy metals.     

Fish and molluscan metallothioneins

Metallothioneins (MTs) are noncatalytic peptides involved in storage of essential ions, detoxification of nonessential metals, and scavenging of oxyradicals. They exhibit an unusual primary sequence and unique 3D arrangement. Whereas vertebrate MTs are characterized by the well-known dumbbell shape, with a beta domain that binds three bivalent metal ions and an alpha domain that binds four ions, molluscan MT structure is still poorly understood. For this reason we compared two MTs from aquatic organisms that differ markedly in primary structure: MT 10 from the invertebrate Mytilus galloprovincialis and MT A from Oncorhyncus mykiss. Both proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli as glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins, and the MT moiety was recovered after protease cleavage. The MTs were analyzed by gel electrophoresis and tested for their differential reactivity with alkylating and reducing agents. Although they show an identical cadmium content and a similar metal-binding ability, spectropolarimetric analysis disclosed significant differences in the Cd7-MT secondary conformation. These structural differences reflect the thermal stability and metal transport of the two proteins. When metal transfer from Cd7-MT to 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol was measured, the mussel MT was more reactive than the fish protein. This confirms that the differences in the primary sequence of MT 10 give rise to peculiar secondary conformation, which in turn reflects its reactivity and stability. The functional differences between the two MTs are due to specific structural properties and may be related to the different lifestyles of the two organisms.     

Oxidative burst and metallothionein as a scavenger in macrophages

The role of metallothionein (MT) in the scavenging of superoxide radicals (*O2-) generated by macrophages has been examined. The present work has focused on the effects of added cadmium, a known inducer of MT biosynthesis, on determined amounts of superoxide radicals produced by in vitro cultured rat peritoneal macrophages on their stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). The levels of superoxide radicals (*O2-) have been found to decrease when cadmium was added to cells exposed to PMA. However, substantially lower levels of MT have been determined in this case compared to cells untreated with PMA. This effect could be reversed by incubation of the PMA and cadmium-treated cells with a reducing agent, 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME). Results suggest that *O2- caused thiolate oxidation and subsequent metal loss, thus reducing the cellular MT content as quantified by the silver saturation METHOD: This conclusion is supported by cell-free experiments in which the oxidation of rabbit MT-I by a xanthine/xanthine-oxidase system could be reversed by its subsequent reduction with 2-ME. The data presented provide direct evidence of the involvement of MT in scavenging superoxide radicals in living cells.     

Effect of metallothionein on cell viability and its interactions with cadmium and zinc in HEK293 cells

Metallothioneins (MTs) are thought to participate in a wide variety of physiological roles, but the mechanisms involved are still unclear. The study was designed to examine the possible factors related to these mechanisms. Methods, including transfection, MTT assay and flow cytometry, were used to investigate the effect of MTs on cell viability and their interactions with cadmium and zinc in HEK293 cells. The results showed that transient overexpression of human MT1A, MT2 and MT3 genes dynamically affected cell viability, and the effect was influenced by zinc and cadmium ions. Overexpressed MTs with added zinc showed a greater inhibitory effect on cell viability. Overexpressed MTs protected cells against low concentrations of cadmium ions (10 microM), but increased cell death in response to high concentrations (20-50 microM). Out of the three MTs, MT1A was more efficient than MT2 and MT3 in its resistance to cadmium (10 microM), and MT3 together with zinc showed more cell growth inhibition than MT1 and MT2. These results indicate that both of the divalent metal ions that could bind MTs, as well as the individual MT isoforms, affect the role of MTs on cell viability, which may explain in part why the comprehensive effect of MTs on the cells was elusive.     

Purification and Characterization of the Egg Jelly Macromolecules, Sialoglycoprotein and Fucose Sulfate Glycoconjugate, of the Sea Urchin Hemicentrotus Pulcherrimus

A sialoglycoprotein and a fucose sulfate glycoconjugate (FSG) were purified from egg jelly of the sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus . Sialoglycoprotein which consisted of sialic acid (90%, w/w) and protein (10%, w/w) did not cause induction of the acrosome reaction and sperm isoagglutination. FSG which contained one mol sulfate/mol fucose possessed 2.0 times protein to fucose by weight. The proteins in intact FSG were separated to two major (258 kDa and 237 kDa) and one minor (120 kDa) proteins by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) while the proteins could not be separated by HPLC in the presence of 0.1% SDS or SDS-PAGE without 2-ME. However, after carboxymethylation of FSG, two major (260 kDa and 240 kDa) proteins and two minor (140 kDa and 135 kDa) proteins were separated from the fucose sulfate moiety by HPLC in the presence of 0.1% SDS or SDS-PAGE without 2-ME. When FSG was first carboxymethylated with non-radioactive iodoacetic acid and then reduced with 2-ME and finally carboxymethylated with ¹⁴C-iodoacetic acid, the most of radioactivity was detected in 140 kDa and 135 kDa proteins. Carboxymethylted-FSG was less potent than intact FSG in induction of the acrosome reaction. Fucoidan, a fucose sulfate polymer, did not induce the acrosome reaction.     

Metallothionein separation and analysis by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

The feasibility of using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the separation of metallothioneins (MTs) and subsequent determination of cadmium in MTs by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) in rabbit kidney and liver has been studied. RP-HPLC was used to isolate, characterise and quantitate liver and kidney MT isoforms. The MTs were eluted from a radially compressed C18 column with a neutral sodium phosphate buffer and detected by UV absorbance at 254 nm. Rabbit liver MTs was found to be comprised of seven distinct isoforms with five of which were found to be subspecies of the MT-I isoform. Rabbit kidney MTs exhibited only two predominant isoforms. A standard calibration curve was constructed using purified rabbit kidney MT-I and MT-II which demonstrated excellent linear correlation between peak height and the quantity of MT injected into the column. Recovery of MT from RP-HPLC was found to exceed 90%. Kidney and liver tissues from rabbit by feeding low levels of cadmium in diets was assayed using the RP-HPLC analysis of cytosol samples. Feeding stable cadmium in the diet resulted in the deposition of MT in the kidney rather than in the liver. The cadmium content in MT isoforms was determined by GFAAS. Less than 10% of the total cadmium in kidney was associated with MTs.     

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of zinc, cadmium, and copper metallothioneins: evidence for metal-binding cooperativity

Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra of both well-characterized and novel metallothioneins (MTs) from various species were recorded to explore their metal-ion-binding modes and stoichiometries. The ESI mass spectra of the zinc- and cadmium-binding MTs showed a single main peak corresponding to metal-to-protein ratios of 4, 6, or 7. These findings combined with data obtained by other methods suggest that these MTs bind zinc or cadmium in a single predominant form and are consistent with the presence of three- and four-metal clusters. An unstable copper-specific MT isoform from Roman snails (Helix pomatia) could be isolated intact and was shown to preferentially bind 12 copper ions. To obtain additional information on the formation and relative stability of metal-thiolate clusters in MTs, a mass spectrometric titration study was conducted. One to seven molar equivalents of zinc or of cadmium were added to metal-free human MT-2 at neutral pH, and the resulting complexes were measured by ESI mass spectrometry. These experiments revealed that the formation of the four-metal cluster and of the thermodynamically less stable three-metal cluster is sequential and largely cooperative for both zinc and cadmium. Minor intermediate forms between metal-free MT, Me4MT, and fully reconstituted Me7MT were also observed. The addition of increasing amounts of cadmium to metal-free blue crab MT-I resulted in prominent peaks whose masses were consistent with apoMT, Cd3MT, and Cd6MT, reflecting the known structure of this MT with two Me3Cys9 centers. In a similar reconstitution experiment performed with Caenorhabditis elegans MT-II, a series of signals corresponding to apoMT and Cd3MT to Cd6MT species were observed.     

Examining the specific contributions of individual Arabidopsis metallothioneins to copper distribution and metal tolerance

Metallothioneins (MTs) are small cysteine-rich proteins found in various eukaryotes. Plant MTs are classified into four types based on the arrangement of cysteine residues. To determine whether all four types of plant MTs function as metal chelators, six Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) MTs (MT1a, MT2a, MT2b, MT3, MT4a, and MT4b) were expressed in the copper (Cu)- and zinc (Zn)-sensitive yeast mutants, Deltacup1 and Deltazrc1 Deltacot1, respectively. All four types of Arabidopsis MTs provided similar levels of Cu tolerance and accumulation to the Deltacup1 mutant. The type-4 MTs (MT4a and MT4b) conferred greater Zn tolerance and higher accumulation of Zn than other MTs to the Deltazrc1 Deltacot1 mutant. To examine the functions of MTs in plants, we studied Arabidopsis plants that lack MT1a and MT2b, two MTs that are expressed in phloem. The lack of MT1a, but not MT2b, led to a 30% decrease in Cu accumulation in roots of plants exposed to 30 mum CuSO(4). Ectopic expression of MT1a RNA in the mt1a-2 mt2b-1 mutant restored Cu accumulation in roots. The mt1a-2 mt2b-1 mutant had normal metal tolerance. However, when MT deficiency was combined with phytochelatin deficiency, growth of the mt1a-2 mt2b-1 cad1-3 triple mutant was more sensitive to Cu and cadmium compared to the cad1-3 mutant. Together these results provide direct evidence for functional contributions of MTs to plant metal homeostasis. MT1a, in particular, plays a role in Cu homeostasis in the roots under elevated Cu. Moreover, MTs and phytochelatins function cooperatively to protect plants from Cu and cadmium toxicity.     

Evidence for more than two metallothionein isoforms in primates

Two isoforms of metallothionein (MT) have in general been identified in mammalian cells. We have analyzed Cd2+-induced MTs of primate origin and demonstrated the presence of more than two isoforms. Four low molecular weight Cd2+-binding proteins were separated from Cd2+-exposed HeLa cells by gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography and identified as MTs by amino acid analysis. These were carboxymethylated and analyzed by electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. Three of these proteins were found to be distinct molecules. We also analyzed hepatic MTs from Cd2+-exposed rhesus monkeys, which have previously been partially separated. In this case, five distinct isomers were detected.     

金属硫蛋白抗自由基损伤研究

采用电子自旋共振技术(ESR),以马来酰亚胺自旋标记完整血红细胞和细胞膜,监测氧自由基引起的ESR波谱的变化,研究了不同亚型、不同结合金属的兔肝金属硫蛋白(MT)清除·OH和其对辐射损伤的防护作用。首次观察到四种MT清除·OH及抗辐射的能力与其亚型和结合金属种类有以下顺序的关系:ZnMT_2>ZnMT_1>CdMT_2>CdMT_1。而且还观察到MT对自由基损伤具有修复作用,其作用的强弱和清除·OH的能力大小顺序一致。对实验结果的分子机制进行了某些探讨。     

Changes in the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase protein under denaturing conditions used for sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

The electrophoretic pattern of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) ATPase protein was found to change, depending on the conditions used to denature the SR vesicles in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), prior to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A smearing of the gel pattern above the ATPase protein was observed when the SR vesicles were denatured at 100 °C in SDS, in the absence of β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME). Denaturation of the SR vesicles in SDS at 100 °C in the presence and the absence of β-ME reduced the amount of SR ATPase protein by half. More high-molecular-weight aggregates were formed in the presence than in the absence of β-ME. The other proteins of the SR as well as myofibrils and bovine serum albumin were found to be relatively unaffected by these treatments. It is concluded that, for the study of SR ATPase protein by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, denaturation at 100 °C should be avoided.     

Isoform‐specific responses of metallothioneins in a marine pollution biomonitor,the green‐lipped mussel Perna viridis,towards different stress stimulations

Metallothioneins (MTs) are commonly used as biomarker for metal pollution assessment in marine ecosystems. Using integrated genomic and proteomic analyses, this study characterized two types of MT isoform in the digestive gland of a common biomonitor, the green‐lipped mussel Perna viridis, towards the challenges of a metal (cadmium; Cd) and a non‐metal oxidant (hydrogen peroxide; H₂O₂) respectively. The two isoforms differed in their deduced protein sequences, with 73 amino acids for MT10‐I and 72 for MT10‐II (a novel type), but both consisted of a high percentage (27.4 to 29.2%) of cysteine. Two‐dimensional gel and Western blot showed that the MT proteins were present in multiple isoform spots, and they were further validated to be MT10‐I and MT10‐II using MS analysis coupled with unrestricted modifications searching. Expression of mRNA revealed that MT10‐I responded promptly to Cd but had a lagged induction to H₂O₂ treatments, while MT10‐II was exclusively induced by Cd treatment over the course of exposure. Expression of the MT proteins also showed a delayed response to H₂O₂, compared to Cd treatments. This study uncovered the potential different functional roles of various MTs isoforms in P. viridis and thus advances the resolution of using MTs as biomarkers in future applications.     

In vivo metallothionein and glutathione status in an acute response to cadmium in Mercenaria mercenaria brown cells

Brown cells that are found in the red glands of Mercenaria mercenaria accumulate, detoxify and excrete cadmium. Brown cell involvement in metal detoxification was due in part to endogenous glutathione (GSH) and protein sulfhydryl. Metallothionein (MT) and GSH have been shown to play an important role in metal detoxification in bivalve molluscs. This study showed that the protein sulfhydryl in brown cells of Mercenaria was in fact MT, that brown cell GSH functioned in acute protection against Cd2+ toxicity, that GSH provided the initial defense against Cd2+ toxicity prior to MT induction and that MT variants were unequal in response to Cd2+. During treatment of Mercenaria with 0.5 and 1.0 ppm Cd2+, brown cells were analyzed for MT by capillary electrophoresis and GSH colorimetrically after 0.25, 1, 2, 3, and 4 days. The data indicated that the cadmium-binding protein was MT with an apparent molecular weight of 9 kDa determined by gel filtration or 6 kDa as indicated by capillary electrophoresis. Glutathione appeared to prevail in the brown cell acute response to 0.5 ppm Cd2+, whereas MT appeared to prevail in the acute response to 1.0 ppm Cd2+. Capillary electrophoresis can be used to monitor and quantify MT and its variants in brown cells without need for prior separation of cytosolic components by chromatography. The change in MT-II was greater relative to the change in MT-I in the brown cell acute response to 0.5 ppm Cd2+, whereas the change in MT-1 was greater relative to the change in MT-II in the acute response to 1.0 ppm Cd2+. The variants of brown cell MT appeared to respond differentially to Cd2+ depending upon the Cd2+ treatment concentration.     

Metallothionein responses in the Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) after exposure to trivalent arsenic

The main objective of this work was to evaluate arsenic effects on metallothionein (MT) induction by exposing a freshwater Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) to different concentrations of this metalloid. The presence of MT-like proteins was detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and compared with a standard rabbit MT. In addition, the polarographic response showed good correspondence between standard MT and MT-like curves from C. fluminea, allowing MT quantification. The results show that clams exposed to different concentrations of arsenic are able to induce significant levels of MTs. Although variability was found in MT induction, significant differences in MT levels were found after 28 days of exposure in all treatments in comparison with the controls, suggesting that exposure to arsenic induced MT-like proteins in C. fluminea.     

Tubulin isoform usage in maize microtubules

Summary Antibodies specific to two of the maize -tubulin isoforms and to the three subfamilies of maize -tubulins were used in immunofluorescence microscopy to determine where and into which microtubule (MT) arrays these tubulin isoforms are incorporated in maize plants. All the tubulins examined appear to be incorporated into MTs in at least some cell types, with the possible exception of subfamily II -tubulins, which have been found only in the form of diffuse, nonfibrillar staining. Whereas the -tubulins of subfamily I appear to be used constitutively, others are used much more selectively in the plant, with 2-tubulin found in microtubules only during sexual reproduction. If a particular tubulin is used in the MTs of a given cell type, it appears to be incorporated into all the MT arrays found in the cell.Abbreviations DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide - MT microtubule - Pipes 1,4-piperazinediethanesulfonic acid - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis