Depurination of plant ribosomes by pokeweed antiviral protein

Mammalian ribosomes have been shown to be enzymatically modified by ribosomal inactivating protein (RIPs) via specific depurination of rRNA. Here we report that ribosomes isolated from wheat germ contain intact and undepurinated rRNA and are depurinated by pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP). Pokeweed ribosomes isolated under the same conditions are depurinated. Total RNA isolated from pokeweed in the presence of strong denaturants was found to pbe partially depurinated. We conclude that wheat germ ribosomes are resistant to the endogenous RIP, tritin, but are sensitive to PAP and that pokeweed ribosomes can be depurinated by the N-glycosidase activity of endogenous PAP during isolation.     

Dodecandrin, a new ribosome-inhibiting protein from Phytolacca dodecandra

Dodecandrin, a newly discovered ribosome-inhibiting protein, has been isolated and purified from the leaves of the African endod plant, Phytolacca dodecandra. Dodecandrin has a molecular weight of approx. 29 000. It cross-reacts with antiserum prepared against pokeweed antiviral protein from Phytolacca americana and exhibits similar requirements for antiribosomal activity. It is more basic than pokeweed antiviral protein, and comparison of the first 30 amino-terminal residues of the two proteins reveals 83% homology. This level of homology is greater than that between pokeweed antiviral protein and pokeweed antiviral protein S, another antiviral protein found in P. americana. Such conservatism in sequence, coupled with the high efficiency of the proteins in deactivating ribosomes and with their abundance in plant tissue, suggests that they serve an important function in the life of the plant, probably as a defense against infection.     

A small RNA targets pokeweed antiviral protein transcript

Ribosome‐inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a class of plant defense proteins with N‐glycosidase activity (EC 3.2.2.22). Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is a Type I RIP isolated from the pokeweed plant, Phytolacca americana, thought to confer broad‐spectrum virus resistance in this plant. Through a combination of standard molecular techniques and RNA sequencing analysis, we report here that a small RNA binds and cleaves the open reading frame of PAP mRNA. Additionally, sRNA targeting of PAP is dependent on jasmonic acid (JA), a plant hormone important for defense against pathogen infection and herbivory. Levels of small RNA increased with JA treatment, as did levels of PAP mRNA and protein, suggesting that the small RNA functions to moderate the expression of PAP in response to this hormone. The association between JA and PAP expression, mediated by sRNA299, situates PAP within a signaling pathway initiated by biotic stress. The consensus sequence of sRNA299 was obtained through bioinformatic analysis of pokeweed small RNA sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first account of a sRNA targeting a RIP gene.     

Purification and partial characterization of another form of the antiviral protein from the seeds of Phytolacca americana L. (pokeweed).

1. The pokeweed antiviral protein, previously identified in two forms (PAP and PAP II) in the leaves of Phytolacca americana (pokeweed) [Obrig. Irvin & Hardesty (1973) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 155, 278-289; Irvin, Kelly & Robertus (1980) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 200, 418-425] is a protein that prevents replication of several viruses and inactivates ribosomes, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. 2. PAP is present in several forms in the seeds of pokeweed. One of them, which we propose to call 'pokeweed antiviral protein from seeds' (PAP-S) was purified in high yield (180 mg per 100 g of seeds) by chromatography on CM-cellulose, has mol.wt. 30 000, and is similar to, but not identical with. PAP and PAP II. 3. PAP-S inhibits protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate with an ID50 (concentration giving 50% inhibition) of 1.1 ng/ml (3.6 x 10(-11) M), but has much less effect on protein synthesis by whole cells, with an ID50 of 1 mg/ml (3.3 x 10(-5) M), and inhibits replication of herpes simplex virus type 1.     

Single-chain ribosome inactivating proteins from plants depurinate Escherichia coli 23S ribosomal RNA.

The rRNA N-glycosidase activities of the catalytically active A chains of the heterodimeric ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) ricin and abrin, the single-chain RIPs dianthin 30, dianthin 32, and the leaf and seed forms of pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) were assayed on E. coli ribosomes. All of the single-chain RIPs were active on E. coli ribosomes as judged by the release of a 243 nucleotide fragment from the 3′ end of 23S rRNA following aniline treatment of the RNA. In contrast, E. coli ribosomes were refractory to the A chains of ricin and abrin. The position of the modification of 23S rRNA by dianthin 32 was determined by primer extension and found to be A₂₆₆₀, which lies in a sequence that is highly conserved in all species.     

The C-terminus of pokeweed antiviral protein has distinct roles in transport to the cytosol, ribosome depurination and cytotoxicity

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) produced by pokeweed plants is a single-chain (type I) ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) that depurinates ribosomes at the alpha-sarcin/ricin loop of the large rRNA, resulting in inhibition of translation. Unlike the type II RIPs, which have an active and a binding moiety, PAP has only the active moiety. The mechanism by which toxins without a binding moiety gain access to cytosolic ribosomes is not known. We set up yeast as a simple and genetically tractable system to investigate how PAP accesses ribosomes and showed that the mature form of PAP is targeted to the cytosol from the endomembrane system in yeast. In the present study, we performed a systematic deletion analysis to identify the signal required for transport of PAP to the cytosol. We demonstrate here that processing of the C-terminal extension and sequences at the C-terminus of the mature protein are critical for its accumulation in the cytosol. Using a series of PAP mutants, we identified the C-terminal signal and demonstrated that it is distinct from the sequences required for ribosome depurination and cytotoxicity. The C-terminal motif showed sequence similarity to type II RIPs that retrotranslocate from the endoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. These results demonstrate that a conserved sequence at the C-terminus of a type I RIP mediates its transport to the cytosol and suggest that type I and II RIPs may use a common signal to enter the cytosol.     

A non-toxic pokeweed antiviral protein mutant inhibits pathogen infection via a novel salicylic acid-independent pathway

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), a ribosome-inactivating protein isolated from Phytolacca americana, is characterized by its ability to depurinate the sarcin/ricin (S/R) loop of the large rRNA of prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes. In this study, we present evidence that PAP is associated with ribosomes and depurinates tobacco ribosomes in vivo by removing more than one adenine and a guanine. A mutant of pokeweed antiviral protein, PAPn, which has a single amino acid substitution (G75D), did not bind ribosomes efficiently, indicating that Gly-75 in the N-terminal domain is critical for the binding of PAP to ribosomes. PAPn did not depurinate ribosomes and was non-toxic when expressed in transgenic tobacco plants. Unlike wild-type PAP and a C-terminal deletion mutant, transgenic plants expressing PAPn did not have elevated levels of acidic pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. PAPn, like other forms of PAP, did not trigger production of salicylic acid (SA) in transgenic plants. Expression of the basic PR proteins, the wound-inducible protein kinase and protease inhibitor II, was induced in PAPn-expressing transgenic plants and these plants were resistant to viral and fungal infection. These results demonstrate that PAPn activates a particular SA-independent, stress-associated signal transduction pathway and confers pathogen resistance in the absence of ribosome binding, rRNA depurination and acidic PR protein production.     

Ribosome-inactivating proteins from plant cells in culture.

1. Ribosome-inactivating proteins were found in high amounts in one line of cells of Phytolacca americana (pokeweed) cultured in vitro and, in less quantity, in lines of Saponaria officinalis (soapwort) and of Zea mays (corn) cells. 2. The main ribosome-inactivating protein from pokeweed cells was purified to homogeneity. It is a protein with Mr 29,000 and basic pI, similar to the 'pokeweed antiviral protein' (PAP), a ribosome-inactivating protein from pokeweed leaves. We propose to call the pokeweed antiviral protein isolated from pokeweed cells PAP-C. 3. PAP-C inactivates ribosomes in a less-than-equimolar ratio, thus inhibiting protein synthesis by a rabbit reticulocyte lysate with an IC50 (concentration causing 50% inhibition) of 0.067 nM (2 ng/ml), and modifies rRNA in a manner apparently identical to that of ricin and other ribosome-inactivating proteins. It inhibits protein synthesis by intact cells with an IC50 of 0.7-3.4 microM, and is toxic to mice with an LD50 of 0.95 mg/kg.     

Correlation between the activities of five ribosome-inactivating proteins in depurination of tobacco ribosomes and inhibition of tobacco mosaic virus infection

The rRNA depurination activities of five ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) were compared in vitro using yeast and tobacco leaf ribosomes as substrates. All of the RIPs (pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), dianthin 32, tritin, barley RIP and ricin A-chain) were active on yeast ribosomes. PAP and dianthin 32 were highly active and ricin A-chain weakly active on tobacco ribosomes, whereas tritin and barley RIP were inactive. PAP and dianthin 32 were highly effective in inhibiting the formation of local lesions caused by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) on tobacco leaves, whereas tritin, barley RIP and ricin A-chain were ineffective. The apparent anomaly between the in vitro rRNA depurination activity, but lack of antiviral activity of ricin A-chain was further investigated by assaying for rRNA depurination in situ following the topical application of the RIP to leaves. No activity was detected, a finding consistent with the apparent lack of antiviral activity of this RIP. Thus, it is concluded that there is a positive correlation between RIP-catalysed depurination of tobacco ribosomes and antiviral activity which gives strong support to the hypothesis that the antiviral activity of RIPs works through ribosome inactivation.     

Expression of pokeweed antiviral protein in mammalian cells activates c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase without causing apoptosis

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) is a ribosome inactivating protein isolated from the pokeweed plant (Phytolacca americana L.) that exhibits broad range antiviral activity against several human viruses including HIV and influenza. This characteristic suggests that PAP may have therapeutic applications; however, it is not known whether the protein elicits a ribotoxic stress response that would result in cell death. Therefore, we expressed PAP in 293T cells and showed that the enzyme did not inhibit protein translation even though approximately 15% of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was depurinated. PAP expression induced the activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), which was specific to rRNA depurination, as the enzymatically inactive mutant PAPx did not affect kinase activity. Moreover, incubation of PAP-expressing cells with translation inhibitors diminished JNK activation, indicating that the signal for induction of the kinase pathway originated from ribosomes. JNK activation did not result in apoptosis as demonstrated by the absence of caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and by the lack of cell staining for morphological changes in membrane permeability. Unlike all ribosome inactivating proteins tested thus far, the stress response triggered by PAP expression did not result in cell death, which supports further investigation of the enzyme in the design of novel antiviral agents.     

Tissue culture of endod (Phytolacca dodecandra L'Herit): growth and production of ribosome-inactivating proteins

Summary Leaves and stems from endod (Phytolacca dodecandra L'Herit), known to produce the 29 kDa ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) dodecandrin, were initiated into tissue culture. Callus and suspension cultures were maintained on modified Murashige and Skoog medium plus 1.0 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Six callus and two suspension cell lines were screened for dodecandrin production by western blots with affinitypurified antiserum. Antiribosomal activity of culture extracts was tested by in vitro translation assays. One suspension cell line was found to be free of immunoreactive proteins and a ribosome inhibitor. All other cell lines contain a ribosome inhibitor, although only two callus cell lines show detectable amounts of immunoreactive proteins at the same M_r as dodecandrin. Other immuno-reactive proteins were detected in callus (M_r 31000, 33000, 41000 and 43000) and in suspension cells (M_r 23000 and 43000), and may be ribosome inhibitors related to dodecandrin—either other RIPs or dodecandrin at various stages of processing.     

The ribosomal stalk is required for ribosome binding,depurination of the rRNA and cytotoxicity of ricin A chain in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) like ricin, pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) and Shiga‐like toxins 1 and 2 (Stx1 and Stx2) share the same substrate, the α‐sarcin/ricin loop, but differ in their specificities towards prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes. Ricin depurinates the eukaryotic ribosomes more efficiently than the prokaryotic ribosomes, while PAP can depurinate both types of ribosomes. Accumulating evidence suggests that different docking sites on the ribosome might be used by different RIPs, providing a basis for understanding the mechanism underlying their kingdom specificity. Our previous results demonstrated that PAP binds to the ribosomal protein L3 to depurinate the α‐sarcin/ricin loop and binding of PAP to L3 was critical for its cytotoxicity. Here, we used surface plasmon resonance to demonstrate that ricin toxin A chain (RTA) binds to the P1 and P2 proteins of the ribosomal stalk in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ribosomes from the P protein mutants were depurinated less than the wild‐type ribosomes when treated with RTA in vitro. Ribosome depurination was reduced when RTA was expressed in the ΔP1 and ΔP2 mutants in vivo and these mutants were more resistant to the cytotoxicity of RTA than the wild‐type cells. We further show that while RTA, Stx1 and Stx2 have similar requirements for ribosome depurination, PAP has different requirements, providing evidence that the interaction of RIPs with different ribosomal proteins is responsible for their ribosome specificity.     

Pokeweed antiviral protein cleaves double-stranded supercoiled DNA using the same active site required to depurinate rRNA

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are N-glycosylases that remove a specific adenine from the sarcin/ricin loop of the large rRNA in a manner analogous to N-glycosylases that are involved in DNA repair. Some RIPs have been reported to remove adenines from single-stranded DNA and cleave double-stranded supercoiled DNA. The molecular basis for the activity of RIPs on double-stranded DNA is not known. Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), a single-chain RIP from Phytolacca americana, cleaves supercoiled DNA into relaxed and linear forms. Double-stranded DNA treated with PAP contains apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites due to the removal of adenine. Using an active-site mutant of PAP (PAPx) which does not depurinate rRNA, we present evidence that double-stranded DNA treated with PAPx does not contain AP sites and is not cleaved. These results demonstrate for the first time that PAP cleaves supercoiled double-stranded DNA using the same active site that is required for depurination of rRNA.     

Pokeweed antiviral protein depurinates the sarcin/ricin loop of the rRNA prior to binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the ribosomal A-site

Ribosome-inactivating proteins, such as the pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), inhibit translation by depurinating the conserved sarcin/ricin loop of the large ribosomal RNA. Depurinated ribosomes are unable to bind elongation factor 2, and, thus, the translocation step of the elongation cycle is inhibited. Though the consequences of depurination are well characterized, the ribosome conformation required for depurination to take place has not been described. In this report, we correlate biochemical and genetic data to conclude that pokeweed antiviral protein depurinates the sarcin/ricin loop when the A-site of the ribosomal peptidyl-transferase center is unoccupied. We show that prior incubation of ribosomes with puromycin, an analog of the 3'-terminus of aminoacyl-tRNA, inhibits both binding and depurination by PAP in a concentration-dependent manner. Expression of PAP in the yeast strain mak8-1 results in little depurination unless the cells are lysed, a process that would promote loss of aminoacyl-tRNA from the ribosome. The mak8-1 strain is known to exhibit a higher affinity for aminoacyl-tRNA compared with wild-type cells, and therefore, its ribosomes are more resistant to PAP in vivo. These data contribute to the mechanism of action of pokeweed antiviral protein; specifically, they have uncovered the ribosomal conformation required for depurination that leads to subsequent translation inhibition.     

Cytotoxicity acquired by ribosome-inactivating proteins carried by reconstituted Sendai virus envelopes

Association of the ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs): pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), gelonin, Momordica charantia inhibitor (MCI), with reconstituted Sendai virus envelopes (RSVE) was obtained without detectable loss of activities either of RIPs or of viral envelope glycoproteins. RIPs are inactive towards intact cells, but, once encapsulated in RSVE, they become cytotoxic. The concentration of RSVE-associated PAP, which causes 50% inhibition of protein synthesis by Friend erythroleukemic cells, is 0.5 ng/ml. Substances capable to inhibit the viral activities block the acquired cytotoxicity of RIPs associated to RSVE.     

Reduced toxicity and broad spectrum resistance to viral and fungal infection in transgenic plants expressing pokeweed antiviral protein II

Pokeweed antiviral protein II (PAPII), a 30 kDa protein isolated from leaves of Phytolacca americana, inhibits translation by catalytically removing a specific adenine residue from the large rRNA of the 60S subunit of eukaryotic ribosomes. The protein sequence of PAPII shows only 41% identity to PAP and PAP-S, two other antiviral proteins isolated from pokeweed. We isolated a cDNA corresponding to PAPII and introduced it into tobacco plants. PAPII expressed in transgenic tobacco was correctly processed to the mature form as in pokeweed and accumulated to at least 10-fold higher levels than wild-type PAP. We had previously observed a significant decrease in transformation frequency with PAP and recovered only two transgenic lines expressing 1–2 ng per mg protein. In contrast, eight different transgenic lines expressing up to 250 ng/mg PAPII were recovered, indicating that PAPII is less toxic than PAP. Two symptomless transgenic lines expressing PAPII were resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, potato virus X and the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. The level of viral and fungal resistance observed correlated well with the amount of PAPII protein accumulated. Pathogenesis-related protein PR1 was constitutively expressed in transgenic lines expressing PAPII. Although PR1 was constitutively expressed, no increase in salicylic acid levels was detected, indicating that PAPII may elicit a salicylic acid-independent signal transduction pathway.     

Purification and properties of new ribosome-inactivating proteins with RNA N-glycosidase activity

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) similar to those already known (Stirpe & Barbieri (1986) FEBS Lett. 195, 1-8) were purified from the seeds of Asparagus officinalis (two proteins, asparin 1 and 2), of Citrullus colocynthis (two proteins, colocin 1 and 2), of Lychnis chalcedonica (lychnin) and of Manihot palmata (mapalmin), from the roots of Phytolacca americana (pokeweed antiviral protein from roots, PAP-R) and from the leaves of Bryonia dioica (bryodin-L). The two latter proteins can be considered as isoforms, respectively, of previously purified PAP, from the leaves of P. americana, and of bryodin-R, from the roots of B. dioica. All proteins have an Mr at approx, 30,000, and an alkaline isoelectric point. Bryodin-L, colocins, lychnin and mapalmin are glycoproteins. All RIPs inhibit protein synthesis by a rabbit reticulocyte lysate and phenylalanine polymerization by isolated ribosomes and alter rRNA in a similar manner as the A-chain of ricin and related toxins (Endo et al. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 5908-5912).     

Pokeweed antiviral protein region Gly209-Lys225 is critical for RNA N-glycosidase activity of the prokaryotic ribosome

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) isolated from Phytolacca americana is a ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) that has RNA N-glycosidase (RNG) activity towards both eukaryotic and prokaryotic ribosomes. In contrast, karasurin-A (KRN), a RIP from Trichosanthes kirilowii var. japonica, is active only on eukaryotic ribosomes. Stepwise selection of chimera proteins between PAP and KRN indicated that the C-terminal region of PAP (residues 209–225) was critical for RNG activity toward prokaryotic ribosomes. When the region of PAP (residues 209–225) was replaced with the corresponding region of KRN the PAP chimera protein, like KRN, was active only on eukaryotic ribosomes. Furthermore, insertion of the region of PAP (residues 209–225) into the KRN chimera protein resulted not only in the detectable RNG activity toward prokaryotic ribosome, but also activity toward the eukaryotic ribosomes as well that was seven-fold higher than for the original KRN. In this study, the possibility of genetic manipulation of the activity and substrate specificity of RIPs is demonstrated.     

High-level expression and purification of biologically active recombinant pokeweed antiviral protein.

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) from the leaves of the pokeweed plant, Phytolacca americana, is a naturally occurring single-chain ribosome-inactivating protein, which catalytically inactivates both prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomes. The therapeutic potential of PAP has gained considerable interest in recent years due to the clinical use of native PAP as the active moiety of immunoconjugates against cancer and AIDS. The clinical use of native PAP is limited due to inherent difficulties in obtaining sufficient quantities of a homogenously pure and active PAP preparation with minimal batch to batch variability from its natural source. Previous methods for expression of recombinant PAP in yeast, transgenic plants and Escherichia coli have resulted in either unacceptably low yields or were too toxic to the host system. Here, we report a successful strategy which allows high level expression of PAP as inclusion bodies in E. coli. Purification of refolded recombinant protein from solubilized inclusion bodies by size-exclusion chromatography yielded biologically active recombinant PAP (final yield: 10 to 12 mg/L). The ribosome depurinating in vitro N-glycosidase activity and cellular anti-HIV activity of recombinant PAP were comparable to those of the native PAP. This expression and purification system makes it possible to obtain sufficient quantities of biologically active and homogenous recombinant PAP sufficient to carry out advanced clinical trials. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale expression and purification of biologically active recombinant PAP from E. coli.