Yeast thermotolerance does not require protein synthesis.

Heat shock at 37 degrees C induces synthesis of stress (heat shock) proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also induces thermotolerance. Amino acid analogs that are powerful inducers of stress protein synthesis failed to induce thermotolerance, suggesting that the stress proteins do not play a causal role in acquired thermotolerance at 37 degrees C. This suggestion was confirmed by the observation that protein synthesis was not required for the induction of thermotolerance at 37 degrees C.     

Induction of myogenic differentiation in serum-free medium does not require DNA synthesis

Cells of the myogenic rat cell line L6 can be obtained as a confluent, quiescent population of undifferentiated myoblasts after growth in F12 medium supplemented with fetal calf serum. Myogenic differentiation can be induced in these cells by changing to Dulbecco's modified Eagle's (DME) medium containing insulin as the only protein component. Labeling of the cells with [3H]thymidine demonstrates that this induction of fusion occurs in the absence of DNA synthesis in about 85% of the cells. This result was confirmed using cytosine arabinoside: fusion of quiescent L6 cells was induced in the presence of this inhibitor of DNA synthesis. The myotubes formed in DME + insulin medium, with or without cytosine arabinoside, synthesize or accumulate proteins characteristic of differentiated muscle cells including myosin heavy and light chains, alpha-actin, alpha- and beta-tropomyosins, and the acetylcholine receptor. These experiments represent a direct demonstration that DNA synthesis is not required for the induction of myogenic differentiation in undifferentiated quiescent cells.     

Replication of the nuclear genome in yeast does not require concomitant protein synthesis

Incorporation of ³H-adenine into nuclear DNA in a short pulse in mid-S in a synchronised culture of $\text{Saccharomyces cerevisiae}$ was unaffected by the presence of 100 μg/ml cycloheximide. However, colorimetric DNA analyses showed that entry into S was completely blocked by adding the drug at times earlier than about 10 min before initiation of replication. Cell autoradiography of cultures labelled in various regimes showed that at this time there is a cycloheximide-transition point at which the cell acquires the capacity to both initiate and complete a whole round of replication in the presence of 100 μg/ml of cycloheximide. Thus, all the proteins required for passage through one S period are made in advance of initiation.     

M-phase-specific protein kinase from mitotic sea urchin eggs: cyclic activation depends on protein synthesis and phosphorylation but does not require DNA or RNA synthesis

Histone H1 kinase (H1K) undergoes a transient activation at each early M phase of both meiotic and mitotic cell cycles. The mechanisms underlying the transient activation of this protein kinase were investigated in mitotic sea urchin eggs. Translocation of active H1K from particulate to soluble fraction does not seem to be responsible for this activation. H1K activation cannot be accounted for by the transient disappearance of a putative H1K inhibitor present in soluble fractions of homogenates. Aphidicolin, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis, and actinomycin D, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis, do not impede the transient appearance of H1K activity. H1K activation therefore does not require DNA or RNA synthesis. Fertilization triggers a rise in intracellular pH responsible for the increase of protein synthesis. H1K activation is highly dependent on the intracellular pH. Ammonia triggers an increase of intracellular pH and stimulates protein synthesis and H1K activation. Acetate lowers the intracellular pH, decreases protein synthesis, and blocks H1K activation. Protein synthesis is an absolute requirement for H1K activation as demonstrated by their identical sensitivities to emetine concentration and to time of emetine addition. About 60 min after fertilization, H1K activation and cleavage become independent of protein synthesis. The concentration of p34, a homolog of the yeast cdc2 gene product which has been recently shown to be a subunit of H1K, does not vary during the cell cycle and remains constant in emetine-treated cells. H1K activation thus requires the synthesis of either a p34 postranslational modifying enzyme or another subunit. Finally, phosphatase inhibitors and ATP slow down in the in vitro inactivation rate of H1K. These results suggest that a subunit or an activator of H1K is stored as an mRNA in the egg before mitosis and that full activation of H1K requires a phosphorylation.     

Translational repression by bacteriophage MS2 coat protein does not require cysteine residues.

Previous studies implicated cysteine residues in the translational repressor (i.e. RNA binding) activity of the coat protein of bacteriophage MS2. It has been proposed that a protein sulfhydryl forms a transient covalent bond with an essential pyrimidine in the translational operator by a Michael addition reaction. We have utilized codon-directed mutagenesis methods to determine the importance of each of the two coat protein cysteines for repressor function in vivo. The results indicate that cys46 can be replaced by a variety of amino acids without loss of repressor function. Cys101, on the other hand, is more sensitive to substitution. Most position 101 substitutions inactivate the repressor, but one (arginine) results in normal repressor activity. Although the possibility of a transient covalent contact between cys101 and RNA is not categorically ruled out, construction of double mutants demonstrates that cysteines are not absolutely required for translational repression by coat protein.     

Formation of primary constriction and heterochromatin in mouse does not require minor satellite DNA.

Whereas the major satellite fraction in mouse extends its domain from the centromere to the distal end of the pericentric heterochromatin, the minor satellite DNA is present specifically in the centromere or primary constriction. We hybridized the biotinylated minor satellite sequence to L929 cells of mouse origin. The sequence hybridized to all chromosomes. Whereas hybridization was detected on all active centromeres, the inactive centromeres in certain dicentrics did not show any signal. This satellite, however, was detected in all inactive centromeres in a heptacentric chromosome. The intensity of fluorescence on the inactive centromeres of the heptacentric was similar to that present on the active centromeres. Several heterochromatin blocks, which were not associated with any centromere, were also found to lack hybridization with the minor satellite. The inactive centromeres, whether carrying the minor satellite DNA fraction or not, generally do not react with the antikinetochore antibodies present in the scleroderma serum. These studies are interpreted to show that (1) the primary constriction in mouse can be formed without the participation of minor satellite, (2) heterochromatin in mouse may constitute without this fraction, (3) the major and minor satellite may not be interspersed but are joined at some defined boundary, and (4) the binding of CENP-B does not depend upon the quantity of minor satellite or the number of CENP boxes present in the inactive centromeres.     

DNA demethylation induced by 5-azacytidine does not affect fragile X expression.

Experiments were performed to determine the role of DNA demethylation in fragile X expression. Fragile X positive lymphoblastoid cells were treated with 5-azacytidine and harvested for analysis of fragile X expression both directly following treatment and after a recovery period in the absence of the drug. The effectiveness of 5-azacytidine treatment in inducing DNA demethylation was concurrently monitored by analysis of methylation changes at random autosomal loci in isolated DNA from treated cells. Under conditions where 5-azacytidine was found to inhibit fragile X expression, no DNA demethylation was observed. At the time when demethylation did occur, fragile X expression was not affected. These results strongly indicate that DNA demethylation is not involved in fragile X expression.     

Establishment of thermotolerance in maize by exposure to stresses other than a heat shock does not require heat shock protein synthesis

Maize (Zea mays) seedlings were pretreated prior to heat shock with either a progressive water stress of −0.25 megapascal PEG/hour from 0 to −1.25 megapascal over a 6-hour time period, or various concentrations of copper, cadmium, or zinc for 4 days. When the subsequent heat shock of 40 or 45°C was administered for 3 hours, the seedlings showed an induced thermotolerance to these temperatures, which were otherwise lethal to control (water grown) seedlings. Thermotolerance was exhibited by both the root and the shoot of pretreated seedlings, even though the water and heavy metal stresses were applied only to the roots. Neither of these pretreatments had induced the synthesis of detectable levels of heat shock proteins (Hsps) at the time of heat shock. Pretreatment of seedlings with a progressive heat shock of 2°C/hour from 26 to 36°C, which did induce Hsps 18, 70, and 84, resulted in tolerance of a severe water stress of −1.5, −1.75, or −2.0 megapascal for 24 hours. But these seedlings producing Hsps were no better protected against water stress than those pretreated with a progressive water stress which did not produce Hsps. Hsps appear not to act as general stress proteins and their presence is not always required for the establishment of thermotolerance.     

Changes of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools induced by hydroxyurea and their relation to DNA synthesis

Hydroxyurea inactivates ribonucleotide reductase from mammalian cells and thereby depletes them of the deoxynucleoside triphosphates required for DNA replication. In cultures of exponentially growing 3T6 cells, with 60-70% of the cells in S-phase, 3 mM hydroxyurea rapidly stopped ribonucleotide reduction and DNA synthesis (incorporation of labeled thymidine). The pool of deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) decreased in size primarily, but also the pools of the triphosphates of deoxyguanosine and deoxycytidine (dCTP) were depleted. Paradoxically, the pool of thymidine triphosphate increased. After addition of hydroxyurea this pool was fed by a net influx and phosphorylation of deoxyuridine from the medium and by deamination of intracellular dCTP. An influx of deoxycytidine from the medium contributed to the maintenance of intracellular dCTP. 10 min after addition of hydroxyurea, DNA synthesis appeared to be completely blocked even though the dATP pool was only moderately decreased. As possible explanations for this discrepancy, we discuss compartmentation of pools and/or vulnerability of newly formed DNA strands to nuclease action and pyrophosphorolysis.     

DNA synthesis induced by some but not all growth factors requires Src family protein tyrosine kinases.

The Src family of protein tyrosine kinases have been implicated in the response of cells to several ligands. These include platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and colony stimulating factor type 1 (CSF-1, in macrophages and in fibroblasts engineered to express the receptor). We recently described a microinjection approach which we used to demonstrate that Src family kinases are required for PDGF-induced S phase entry of fibroblasts. We now use this approach to ask whether other ligands also require Src kinases to stimulate cells to replicate DNA. An antibody specific for the carboxy terminus of Src, Fyn, and Yes (anti-cst.1) inhibited Src kinase activity in vitro and caused morphological reversion of Src transformed cells in vivo. Microinjection of this antibody was used to demonstrate that Src kinases were required for both CSF-1 and EGF to drive cells into the S phase. Expression of a kinase-inactive form of Src family kinases also prevented EGF- and CSF-1-stimulated DNA synthesis. However, even though the Src family kinases were necessary for both PDGF- and EGF-induced DNA synthesis in Swiss 3T3 cells, the responses to two other potent growth factors for these cells, lysophosphatidic acid and bombesin, were unaffected by the neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, some but not all growth factors required functional Src family kinases to transmit mitogenic responses.     

Hyperoxia-induced apoptosis does not require mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and is regulated by Bcl-2 proteins

Exposure of animals to hyperoxia results in lung injury that is characterized by apoptosis and necrosis of the alveolar epithelium and endothelium. The mechanism by which hyperoxia results in cell death, however, remains unclear. We sought to test the hypothesis that exposure to hyperoxia causes mitochondria-dependent apoptosis that requires the generation of reactive oxygen species from mitochondrial electron transport. Rat1a cells exposed to hyperoxia underwent apoptosis characterized by the release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase-9, and nuclear fragmentation that was prevented by the overexpression of Bcl-X(L.) Murine embryonic fibroblasts from bax(-/-) bak(-/-) mice were resistant to hyperoxia-induced cell death. The administration of the antioxidants manganese (III) tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin, ebselen, and N-acetylcysteine failed to prevent cell death following exposure to hyperoxia. Human fibrosarcoma cells (HT1080) lacking mitochondrial DNA (rho(0) cells) that failed to generate reactive oxygen species during exposure to hyperoxia were not protected against cell death following exposure to hyperoxia. We conclude that exposure to hyperoxia results in apoptosis that requires Bax or Bak and can be prevented by the overexpression of Bcl-X(L). The mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species is not required for cell death following exposure to hyperoxia.     

Internucleosomal DNA fragmentation is not obligatory for castration induced rat ventral prostate cell apoptosis in vivo

Castrated male rats were treated with the reversible S1-phase cell cycle blocking drug, mimosine, and the effects of this drug on prostate cell apoptosis was characterized. At a single dose of mimosine (25 mg/kg/day), we found that the internucleosomal DNA fragmentation associated with apoptosis was partially suppressed in the rat ventral prostate at all early time points (24, 48 and 72 h) analyzed post-castration. This suppression was dose-dependent, and treatment with mimosine up to 150 mg/kg/day was sufficient to reduce the internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in the prostate by 90% at 72 h post-castration. Intriguingly, this drug did not suppress the induction of mRNAs for several apoptosis-associated gene products in the ventral prostate gland (bcl-2, p53, TGF-beta and SGP-2/clusterin). Moreover, this treatment did not suppress the histological appearance of apoptotic bodies in the ventral prostate detectable by fast green staining of thin sections of tissue. The apoptotic bodies present in mimosine-treated regressing ventral prostate tissues, however, were refractory to labeling by the in situ gap labeling method, further demonstrating lack of nuclear DNA fragmentation in the condensed nuclei of apoptotic cells. In summary, the cell cycle-blocking drug mimosine does not appear to affect the rate of apoptosis in the regressing rat ventral prostate gland. However, this drug was capable of suppressing the nuclear DNA fragmentation associated with androgen-regulated prostate cell apoptosis. These results support the concept that nuclear DNA fragmentation is not obligatory for apoptosis. Additionally, they imply that cell cycle movement from the G1/S-phase boundary might be important for the terminal DNA degradation associated with androgen-regulated prostate cell apoptosis.     

Unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene is not sensitive to regulation by ADP-ribosyl transferase

We have directly compared in resting human mononuclear leukocytes the DNA repair effects caused by ADP-ribosyl transferase (ADPRT) activity following DNA damage induction by gamma radiation, UV radiation, ethylene oxide (EO) and N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (NA-AAF). The presence of inhibitors of ADPRT during the quantitation of unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) resulted in about a 2-fold increase of UDS when induced by gamma radiation, UV radiation or EO. The stimulation of UDS by EO, UV- or gamma-radiation in the presence of an ADPRT inhibitor was equally strong whether 1 mM or 10 mM hydroxyurea was used to suppress scheduled DNA synthesis. The level of NA-AAF induced UDS was not affected by inhibitors of ADPRT. In addition, direct estimation of ADPRT activity revealed that at doses giving maximal UDS, NA-AAF damage did not induce a measurable enzymatic activity whereas gamma-radiation, UV radiation and EO all showed a significant dose response increase. We have interpreted our data to mean that NA-AAF induced UDS estimates DNA repair relating mainly to DNA lesions that are recognized with difficulty, and hence, the rate of endonuclease-induced DNA strand break accumulation is not sufficient to allow a stimulation of ADPRT and affect the quantitation of UDS.     

A transferrin-like protein that does not bind iron is induced by iron deficiency in the alga Dunaliella salina

Iron deficiency induces two major transferrin-like proteins in the plasma membrane (Pm) of the halotolerant alga Dunaliella salina. TTf, a 150-kDa protein, previously identified as a salt-induced triplicated transferrin, having iron-binding characteristics resembling animal transferrins, and a 100-kDa protein designated idi-100 (for iron-deficiency-induced 100 kDa protein). According to the predicted amino acid sequence of idi-100, it is only 30% identical to TTf and differs from it in having two, rather than three, homologous internal repeats and in a lower conservation of canonical iron/bicarbonate binding residues. Both are localized in the outer surface of the membrane; however, TTf can be dissociated from the membrane by treatment with EDTA, whereas release of idi-100 requires detergents. The accumulation of idi-100 under iron deficiency lags behind that of TTf and in contrast to TTf, it is not induced by high salinity, suggesting that induction of idi-100 requires lower Fe threshold levels than that of TTf. In contrast to TTf, idi-100 does not bind Fe; however, there are indications for interactions with bicarbonate ions. These results suggest that despite their common resemblance to transferrins, their similar subcellular localization and their induction by iron deficiency, idi-100 and TTf fulfill different functions.     

Epidermal growth factor receptor down-regulation induced by UVA in human keratinocytes does not require the receptor kinase activity

Activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor by EGF, its ligand, results in receptor internalization and down-regulation, which requires receptor kinase activity, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. In contrast, we have found here in human HaCaT keratinocytes that exposure to UVA induces EGF receptor internalization and down-regulation without receptor phosphorylation and ubiquitination. The presence of the receptor kinase activity inhibitor AG1478 increased UVA-induced receptor down-regulation, whereas it inhibited EGF-induced receptor down-regulation. These observations demonstrate that, in contrast to EGF, receptor kinase activity is not required for receptor down-regulation by UVA. Concurrent with receptor down-regulation, caspases were activated by UVA exposure. The presence of caspase inhibitors blocked receptor down-regulation in a pattern similar to poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase cleavage. Much more receptor down-regulation was observed after UVA exposure in apoptotic detached cells in which caspase is activated completely. These results indicate that UVA-induced receptor down-regulation is dependent on caspase activation. Similar to UVA, both UVB and UVC induced receptor down-regulation, in which receptor kinase activity is not required, whereas caspase activation is involved. Inhibition of EGF receptor down-regulation increased receptor activation and activation of its downstream survival signaling ERK and AKT after UVA exposure. Preventing the activation of each of these pathways enhanced apoptosis induced by UVA. These findings suggest that EGF receptor down-regulation by UVA may play an important role in the execution of the cell suicide program by attenuating its anti-apoptotic function and thereby preventing cell transformation and tumorigenesis in vivo.