Phosphorylation of brain and liver ribosomal proteins during early development of chick embryo

32P-ortophosphate was introduced intraamnionally into 5, 9, 12, 15 and 19 day-old chick embryos. After 4 hours the specific activity of brain and liver ribosomal proteins and their fractions were determined. It was found that the specific activities of those in both tissues were highest at the early stages of development, and they declined rapidly to reach the lowest value at day 19. The observed differences between brain and liver ribosomal proteins are consistent with an unequal rhythm of ontogenesis.     

Age-dependent changes in the level of a 22 KDa plasma membrane phosphoprotein in developing chick embryo brain

In vitro phosphorylation of brain proteins of developing chick embryos showed a drastic increase in the extent of phosphorylation of a 22 KDa protein from the fourteenth day reaching a peak at seventeenth day of development; the phosphorylation of the 22 KDa protein declined afterwards. Phosphoaminoacid analysis of the 22 KDa protein indicated serine residues as targets of phosphorylation. Isoelectric focusing followed by second dimensional SDS-PAGE indicated that the 22 KDa protein had a pI value of 4.5. Polymyxin B, an inhibitor of Ca2+ and phospholipid dependent protein kinases inhibited the phosphorylation of the 22 KDa protein.     

Phosphorylation and protein kinase activities of chromosomal non histone proteins from chick embryo fibroblasts

Confluent chick embryo fibroblasts were cultured in vitro in (i) medium which prevented the cells from dividing, (ii) medium which stimulated the cells to divide synchronously, (iii) medium without lysine in which the cells were blocked in G₁.Chromosomal non histone proteins (NHP) were extracted from cells pulse labelled with ³²P phosphate, and the radioactivity analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Several radioactive peaks were found all along the gel in the NHP from confluent and stimulated cells. The highest phosphorylation was found in the fast moving proteins, but the stimulation of the cells increases the phosphorylation of the slower moving proteins. In the NHP from cells cultured in the medium without lysine only the slow migrating proteins were phosphorylated.NHP were extracted from unlabelled cell cultures in the three different media, incubated with [γ-³²P] ATP and analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Highly labelled peaks were observed in the fast moving proteins from stimulated cells and from cells cultured in a medium deprived from lysine.By comparing in vivo and in vitro phosphorylation, it can be concluded that in confluent cells the turnover of bound phosphate is slow. In stimulated cells there is a fast turnover of the phosphate bound to fast migrating proteins and a slow turnover of the phosphate bound to slow migrating proteins. In cells cultured in a medium without lysine there is a very fast turnover of the phosphate bound to a small group of fast migrating proteins and very little turnover of the phosphate bound to slow migrating proteins.The cells were incubated with labelled lysine and NHP analyzed by gel electrophoresis. The radioactivity of individual NHP varied with the culture conditions, but in all cases, there was little radioactivity in the fast moving proteins. The phosphate groups submitted to a fast turnover are bound to stable proteins.Phosvitin and casein kinase activities were measured in the NHP fractions. Nine-ten peaks of activities were observed with each substrate. Some variations were observed which apparently correlate with the culture conditions.     

Erythropoiesis in the developing chick embryo

The types of erythroid cells of chick embryos developing in ovo have been correlated with the hemoglobins of the embryos. Prior to 5 days, when primitive cells constitute the only erythroid cells, two hemoglobins can be resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The two adult hemoglobins and a minor hemoglobin found only in embryos and young chicks first appear simultaneously with initiation of definitive erythropoiesis.     

Koelliker haemoglobins in developing chick embryo

1. Three Koelliker haemoglobins, HbKE, HbKA and HbKH, derived from a post-translational loss of alpha-Arg-141, were isolated from red cells of chicken embryos. HbKE is typical of embryos up to 7 days of incubation, HbKA and HbKH are found in mature embryos. 2. All the precursor haemoglobins contain alpha A chains. HbKA derives from adult haemoglobin A whose globin composition is alpha A2 beta 2, HbKH from embryonic haemoglobin H with a globin composition alpha A2 beta H2 and HbKE from embryonic haemoglobin E with globin composition alpha A2 epsilon 2. 3. No Koelliker derivatives of haemoglobins with alpha-like chains other than alpha A were observed.     

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D stimulation of specific membrane proteins in chick intestine

Vitamin D-deficient chicks were injected intracardially with physiological doses of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-(OH)₂D₃) and the formation of intestinal brush-border proteins was followed in vitro. Within 4 h of receiving the hormone the incorporation of radioactive leucine into at least two proteins in the brush-borders was increased. The apparent molecular weights of these proteins were 45 000 and 84 000. The change in the synthesis of these proteins was followed with time and compared with the concomitant changes in intestinal calcium transport. The relationship of these changes is such that there is a strong possibility that the proteins are involved in calcium absorption.     

Phosphorylation and protein kinase activities of chromosomal non histone proteins from chick embryo fibroblasts.

Confluent chick embryo fibroblasts were cultured in vitro in (i) medium which prevented the cells from dividing, (ii) medium which stimulated the cells to divide synchronously, (iii) medium without lysine in which the cells were blocked in G1. Chromosomal non histone proteins (NHP) were extracted from cells pulse labelled with 32P phosphate, and the radioactivity analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Several radioactive peaks were found all along the gel in the NHP from confluent and stimulated cells. The highest phosphorylation was found in the fast moving proteins, but the stimulation of the cells increases the phosphorylation of the slower moving proteins. In the NHP from cells cultured in the medium without lysine only the slow migrating proteins were phosphorylated. NHP were extracted from unlabelled cell cultures in the three different media, incubated with [gamma-32P] ATP and analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Highly labelled peaks were observed in the fast moving proteins from stimulated cells and from cells cultured in a medium deprived from lysine. By comparing in vivo and in vitro phosphorylation, it can be concluded that in confluent cells the turnover of bound phosphate is slow. In stimulated cells there is a fast turnover of the phosphate bound to fast turnover of the phosphate bound to a small group of fast migrating proteins and very little turnover of the phosphate bound to slow migrating proteins. The cells were incubated with labelled lysine and NHP analyzed by gel electrophoresis. The radioactivity of individual NHP varied with the culture conditions, but in all cases, there was little radioactivity in the fast moving proteins. The phosphate groups submitted to a fast turnover are bound to stable proteins. Phosvitin and casein kinase activities were measured in the NHP fractions. Nine-ten peaks of activities were observed with each substrate. Some variations were observed which apparently correlate with the culture conditions.     

Phosphorylation in vivo of chick brain microtubule-associated phospholipids

Microtubules were prepared by temperature-dependent cycles of assembly/disassembly from chick brain labeled in vivo with³²P_i and the distribution of labeled phospholipids extracted from cold-insoluble and soluble microtubular protein fractions was analyzed by thin-layer and paper chromatography. While³²P-labeling was associated with all of the phospholipids identified after 2-D TLC, it was found that all of the relatively high radioactivity associated with phosphatidylserine (PS) was in fact associated with a minor co-migrating component which was subsequently identified as phosphatidylinositol(PI) by three independent separation procedures. It was estimated that the relative specific radioactivity in PI was several-fold higher than that associated with other microtubule-associated phospholipids. Additional experiments, in which the protein components of once-cycled microtubules were fractionated by gel permeation chromatography, provided evidence that the 36S component containing ring-like tubulin oligomers (36S) appears to be selectively associated with phospholipid components that were specifically enriched in³²P-PI. The possible significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the effects of phospholipids on microtubule dynamics and to the function of microtubules in their interactions with membranes. Special issue dedicated to Dr. Herman Bachelard.