Phosphorylation of Initiation Factor eIF2 in Response to Stress Conditions Is Mediated by Acidic Ribosomal P1/P2 Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic cells contain an unusually large cytoplasmic pool of P1/P2 phosphoproteins, which form the highly flexible 60S subunit stalk that is required to interact with and activate soluble translation factors. In cells, cytoplasmic P1/P2 proteins are exchanged for ribosome-bound proteins in a process that can modulate ribosome function and translation. Here, we analysed different S. cerevisiae stalk mutants grown under stress conditions that result in eIF2α phosphorylation. These mutants either lack a cytoplasmic pool of stalk proteins or contain free but not ribosome-bound proteins. Only cells that contain free P1/P2 proteins induce eIF2 phosphorylation in vivo in response to glucose starvation or osmotic stress. Moreover, we show that free S. cerevisiae P1/P2 proteins can induce in vitro phosphorylation of the initiation factor eIF2 by stimulating the autophosphorylation and activation of GCN2 kinase. Indeed, these ribosomal proteins do not stimulate other eIF2α kinases, such as PKR and HRI. P1/P2 and the known GCN2 activator deacylated tRNA compete for stimulating the eIF2α kinase activity of GCN2, although the P1/P2 proteins are considerably more active. These findings reveal a capacity of free cytoplasmic ribosomal stalk components to stimulate eIF2α phosphorylation, which in turn would modulate translation in response to specific forms of stress that may be linked with the previously described regulatory function of the ribosomal stalk.     

Identification of heparin-binding proteins in bovine seminal plasma

A group of four similar proteins, BSP-A1, BSP-A2, BSP-A3, and BSP-30-kDa, represent the major acidic proteins found in bovine seminal plasma (BSP). These proteins are secretory products of the seminal vesicles; they bind to spermatozoa upon ejaculation and could represent decapacitation factors. It has been shown that the glycosaminoglycans present in the female reproductive tract are involved in the capacitation of spermatozoa. Therefore, it was of interest to investigate whether BSP-A1, -A2, -A3, and -30-kDa proteins of bovine seminal fluid interact with heparin. Chromatography of alcohol precipitates of bovine seminal fluid on a heparin-Sepharose column resolved these proteins into three peaks. Peaks 1 and 2 (retarded proteins) were eluted upon extensive washing of the column with 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4 (equilibrating buffer), and accounted for approximately 25% of the applied proteins. Proteins in peak 3 represented adsorbed proteins and were eluted with phosphate buffer containing 1 M NaCl. Proteins in each peak were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under reducing conditions. Peak 1 contained proteins with molecular weights ranging from 8 to 350 kDa, peak 2 contained a single protein with a molecular weight of 14 kDa, and peak 3 contained proteins with molecular weights of 15.5, 16, 25, and 30 kDa. The proteins in peak 3 were further resolved into unadsorbed (peak 4) and adsorbed (peak 5) proteins on a gelatin-Agarose column. Separation of the proteins of peak 3 and peak 5 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and reducing agents followed by transfer to nitrocellulose and probing with antibodies against the previously well-characterized BSP proteins indicated the presence of BSP-A1, BSP-A2, BSP-A3, and BSP-30-kDa proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The Reg1-interacting proteins, Bmh1, Bmh2, Ssb1, and Ssb2, have roles in maintaining glucose repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a type 1 protein phosphatase complex composed of the Glc7 catalytic subunit and the Reg1 regulatory subunit represses expression of many glucose-regulated genes. Here we show that the Reg1-interacting proteins Bmh1, Bmh2, Ssb1, and Ssb2 have roles in glucose repression. Deleting both BMH genes causes partially constitutive ADH2 expression without significantly increasing the level of Adr1 protein, the major activator of ADH2 expression. Adr1 and Bcy1, the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, are both required for this effect indicating that constitutive expression in Deltabmh1Deltabmh2 cells uses the same activation pathway that operates in Deltareg1 cells. Deletion of both BMH genes and REG1 causes a synergistic relief from repression, suggesting that Bmh proteins also act independently of Reg1 during glucose repression. A two-hybrid interaction with the Bmh proteins was mapped to amino acids 187-232, a region of Reg1 that is conserved in different classes of fungi. Deleting this region partially releases SUC2 from glucose repression. This indicates a role for the Reg1-Bmh interaction in glucose repression and also suggests a broad role for Bmh proteins in this process. An in vivo Reg1-Bmh interaction was confirmed by copurification of Bmh proteins with HA(3)-TAP-tagged Reg1. The nonconventional heat shock proteins Ssb1 and Ssb2 are also copurified with HA(3)-TAP-tagged Reg1. Deletion of both SSB genes modestly decreases repression of ADH2 expression in the presence of glucose, suggesting that Ssb proteins, perhaps through their interaction with Reg1, play a minor role in glucose repression.     

In vivo analysis of the acidic ribosomal proteins BmP1 and BmP2 of the silkworm Bombyx mori in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the silkworm Bombyx mori the ribosomal stalk P-protein family consists of two low MW acidic proteins, BmP1 and BmP2, and of one higher MW protein, BmP0, as shown by electrophoretical and immunoblotting western blot analysis of purified ribosomes. Treatment of ribosomes with alkaline phosphatase followed by electrofocusing shifted the isoelectric points to higher pH, implying phosphorylation of the proteins. The cDNAs encoding BmP1 and BmP2 proteins were constructed and expressed in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strains defective in either the endogenous P1 or P2 proteins. The recombinant silkworm proteins could complement the absence of the homologous yeast proteins and were incorporated to the ribosomes of the transformed strains, helping the binding of the remaining endogenous acidic proteins, present in the cytoplasm in different extent. Thus, BmP1 was able to replace YP1alpha, preferentially binding YP2beta to the ribosome, while BmP2 replaced both yeast P2 proteins and induced the binding of both YP1alpha and YP1beta.     

Proteomic analysis of bovine sperm YWHA binding partners identify proteins involved in signaling and metabolism

Posttranslational modification of proteins by phosphorylation is involved in regulation of sperm function. Protein phosphatase 1 gamma isoform 2 (PPP1CC_v2) and protein YWHA (also known as 14-3-3) are likely to be key molecules in pathways involving sperm protein phosphorylation. We have shown that phosphorylated PPP1CC_v2 is bound to protein YWHAZ in spermatozoa. In somatic cells, protein YWHA is known to bind a number of phosphoproteins involved in signaling and energy metabolism. Thus, in addition to PPP1CC_v2, it is likely that sperm contain other YWHA-binding proteins. A goal of the present study was to identify these sperm YWHA-binding proteins. The binding proteins were isolated by affinity chromatography with GST-YWHAZ followed by elution with a peptide, R-11, which is known to disrupt YWHA complexes. The YWHA-binding proteins in sperm can be classified as those involved in fertilization, acrosome reaction, energy metabolism, protein folding, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. A subset of these putative YWHA-binding proteins contain known amino acid consensus motifs, not only for YWHA binding but also for PPP1C binding. Identification of sperm PPP1CC_v2-binding proteins by microcystin-agarose chromatography confirmed that PPP1CC_v2 and YWHA interactomes contain several common proteins. These are metabolic enzymes phosphoglycerate kinase 2, hexokinase 1, and glucose phosphate isomerase; proteins involved in sperm-egg fusion; angiotensin-converting enzyme, sperm adhesion molecule, and chaperones; heat shock 70-kDa protein 5 (glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa; and heat shock 70-kDa protein 1-like. These proteins are likely to be phosphoproteins and potential PPP1CC_v2 substrates. Our data suggest that in addition to potential regulation of a number of important sperm functions, YWHA may act as an adaptor molecule for a subset of PPP1CC_v2 substrates.     

Characterization of interaction sites in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosomal stalk components

The interactions among the yeast stalk components (P0, P1alpha, P1beta, P2alpha and P2beta) and with EF-2 have been explored using immunoprecipitation, affinity chromatography and the two-hybrid system. No stable association was detected between acidic proteins of the same type. In contrast, P1alpha and P1beta were found to interact with P2beta and P2alpha respectively. An interaction of P0 with P1 proteins, but not with P2 proteins, was also detected. This interaction is strongly increased with the P0 carboxyl end, which is able to form a pentameric complex with the four acidic proteins. The P1/P2 binding site has been located between residues 212 and 262 using different C-terminal P0 fragments. Immunoprecipitation shows the association of EF-2 with protein P0. However, the interaction is stronger with the P1/P2 proteins than with P0 in the two-hybrid assay. This interaction improves using the 100-amino-acid-long C-end of P0 and is even higher with the last 50 amino acids. The data indicate a specific association of P1alpha with P2beta and of P1beta with P2alpha rather than the dimerization of the acidic proteins found in prokaryotes. In addition, they suggest that stalk assembly begins by the interaction of the P1 proteins with P0. Moreover, as functional interactions of the complete P0 were found to increase using protein fragments, the data suggest that some active sites are exposed in the ribosome as a result of conformational changes that take place during stalk assembly and function.     

Occurrence of five different chromosomal HMG1 proteins in various maize tissues

The nuclear HMG1 proteins of higher plants are small non-histone proteins that have DNA-bending activity and are considered architectural factors in chromatin. The occurrence of the chromosomal HMG1 proteins, HMGa, HMGc1/2 and HMGd, in various maize tissues was analyzed, and in the course of these studies a novel HMG1 protein, now termed HMGe, was identified. Purification and characterization of HMGe (M_r 13 655) and cloning of the corresponding cDNA revealed that it displays only moderate similarity to other members of the plant HMG1 protein family. The five maize HMG1 proteins could be detected in kernels, leaves, roots and suspension culture cells, indicating that these proteins can be expressed simultaneously and occur relatively ubiquitously. However, the various HMG1 proteins are present in significantly different quantities with HMGa and HMGc1/2 being the most abundant HMG1 proteins in all tissues tested. Furthermore, the relative amounts of the various HMG1 proteins differ among the tissues examined. The HMG1 proteins were found to be relatively stable proteins in vivo, with HMGc1/2, HMGd and HMGe having a half-life of ca. 50 h in cultured cells, while the half-life of the HMGa protein is ca. 65 h. Collectively, these findings are compatible with the concept that the different plant HMG1 proteins might act as general architectural proteins in concert with site-specific factors in the assembly of certain nucleoprotein structures involved in various biological processes.     

Possible role of HIWI2 in modulating tight junction proteins in retinal pigment epithelial cells through Akt signaling pathway

PIWI subfamily of proteins is shown to be primarily expressed in germline cells. They maintain the genomic integrity by silencing the transposable elements. Although the role of PIWI proteins in germ cells has been documented, their presence and function in somatic cells remains unclear. Intriguingly, we detected all four members of PIWI-like proteins in human ocular tissues and somatic cell lines. When HIWI2 was knocked down in retinal pigment epithelial cells, the typical honeycomb morphology was affected. Further analysis showed that the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins, CLDN1, and TJP1 were altered in HIWI2 knockdown. Moreover, confocal imaging revealed disrupted TJP1 assembly at the TJ. Previous studies report the role of GSK3β in regulating TJ proteins. Accordingly, phospho-kinase proteome profiler array indicated increased phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3α/β in HIWI2 knockdown, suggesting that HIWI2 might affect TJ proteins through Akt-GSK3α/β signaling axis. Moreover, treating the HIWI2 knockdown cells with wortmannin increased the levels of TJP1 and CLDN1. Taken together, our study demonstrates the presence of PIWI-like proteins in somatic cells and the possible role of HIWI2 in preserving the functional integrity of epithelial cells probably by modulating the phosphorylation status of Akt.     

Acid-soluble, non-histone proteins in rat liver chromatin. Interaction with DNA

Some properties of nonhistone proteins of rat liver chromatin (Mr 40 +/- 1 and 41 +/- 1 KD) are described. These proteins are abundant in monomeric particles formed at the early steps of chromatin fragmentation by Ca2+,Mg2+-DNase. The proteins are not extracted from chromatin by 5% HClO4 and 1 M NaCl, but can be extracted by 0.4 n H2SO4 and 2 M NaCl. Study on proteins binding to DNA demonstrated that in 0.05 M NaCl these proteins are bound both to bovine satellite DNA and to the plasmid pBR 322 DNA.     

Characterization of a gene coding for M proteins which is involved in host range restriction of an avian influenza A virus in monkeys.

The nucleotide sequence of the region of RNA segment 7 coding for the M1 and M2 proteins of avian influenza A/Mallard/New York/6750/78 was determined, and the deduced amino acid sequences were compared to other avian and human M protein sequences. The M2 proteins of the avian and human viruses have diverged much more than the M1 proteins, although amino acids specific for avian and human viruses were found in both M1 and M2 proteins.     

Identification of disulfide-linked transforming growth factor-beta 1-specific binding proteins in rat glomeruli

We have identified two distinct classes of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-binding proteins by affinity labeling rat glomeruli with 125I-TGF-beta 1 and 125I-TGF-beta 2. The first type consists of a group of proteins that bind TGF-beta 1 but do not bind TGF-beta 2. When 125I-TGF-beta 1 affinity-labeled glomeruli were separated under nonreducing conditions, four prominent bands with Mr values of 320,000, 260,000, 170,000, and 90,000 were observed. Following reduction, the 320,000 and 170,000 bands yielded only a 100,000 band, the 260,000 complex yielded bands of 200,000, 100,000, and 85,000, and the 90,000 band migrated with an Mr of 85,000. Binding of 125I-TGF-beta 1 to these proteins was unaffected by the addition of as much as a 1,000-fold excess of TGF-beta 2. The second type of glomerular TGF-beta-binding protein consists of Mr 160,000-200,000 and 280,000 proteins that bind both TGF-beta 1 and beta 2. Digestion of these affinity-labeled proteins with heparitinase and chondroitinase resulted in a decrease of approximately 40,000 in their apparent molecular weights. Glomerular TGF-beta 1-binding proteins are distinct from previously described TGF-beta-binding proteins in their specificity for TGF-beta 1 and their formation of disulfide-linked multimers. The TGF-beta 1/beta 2-binding proteins share some properties of the previously described type III TGF-beta receptor.     

小鼠基质重塑相关7（MXRA7）基因产物在肝脏内互作蛋白质的鉴定

基质重塑相关7（matrix remodeling associated 7,MXRA7）基因于2002年被命名,但无论在人类或其他动物体系,该基因或其蛋白质产物的功能均未知。直至我们最近的研究表明,该基因可能参与眼睛发育或肝损伤及修复。在本研究中,应用酵母双杂交策略,用小鼠MXRA7诱饵载体对小鼠肝cDNA文库进行筛选,发现23种蛋白质（MUP1, Cpt1a, Mat1a, aldh1l1, Cytb, H2-K1, Psmb1, marc2, Atp5j2, Sec24D, Trf, Rdh7, Apoe, Glud1, Gmfb, Alb, Hdlbp, Pzp, Etnk2, Nrn1, Serpina1a, Apoa2, GNMT）可能直接或间接地与MXRA7蛋白发生相互作用。其中,主要尿蛋白1（major urinary protein,MUP1）或其同家族蛋白质占所有候选克隆的1/6,提示其很可能是小鼠肝内与MXRA7蛋白有较强相互作用的蛋白质。通过基因重组在Hepa 1-6肝癌细胞系中同时过表达MXRA7和MUP1蛋白,荧光染色证明这两种蛋白质在细胞内共定位,应用抗MXRA7或MUP1的抗体进行Pull-down检测,则证明二者共同存在于细胞裂解液中。另外,重组MXRA7蛋白和MUP1蛋白在无任何其他蛋白质的缓冲液体系中直接形成复合体。因此,至少在小鼠肝组织体系中,MXRA7蛋白可能通过与MUP1等蛋白质的相互作用而发挥作用。     

Developmentally regulated alterations in Polycomb repressive complex 1 proteins on the inactive X chromosome

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins belonging to the polycomb (Pc) repressive complexes 1 and 2 (PRC1 and PRC2) maintain homeotic gene silencing. In Drosophila, PRC2 methylates histone H3 on lysine 27, and this epigenetic mark facilitates recruitment of PRC1. Mouse PRC2 (mPRC2) has been implicated in X inactivation, as mPRC2 proteins transiently accumulate on the inactive X chromosome (Xi) at the onset of X inactivation to methylate histone H3 lysine 27 (H3-K27). In this study, we demonstrate that mPRC1 proteins localize to the Xi, and that different mPRC1 proteins accumulate on the Xi during initiation and maintenance of X inactivation in embryonic cells. The Xi accumulation of mPRC1 proteins requires Xist RNA and is not solely regulated by the presence of H3-K27 methylation, as not all cells that exhibit this epigenetic mark on the Xi show Xi enrichment of mPRC1 proteins. Our results implicate mPRC1 in X inactivation and suggest that the regulated assembly of PcG protein complexes on the Xi contributes to this multistep process.     

Odorant-binding proteins and chemosensory proteins in pheromone detection and release in the silkmoth Bombyx mori

The genome of the silkmoth Bombyx mori contains 44 genes encoding odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and 20 encoding chemosensory proteins (CSPs). In this work, we used a proteomic approach to investigate the expression of proteins of both classes in the antennae of adults and in the female pheromone glands. The most abundant proteins found in the antennae were the 4 OBPs (PBP, GOBP1, GOBP2, and ABP) and the 2 CSPs (CSP1 and CSP2) previously identified and characterized. In addition, we could detect only 3 additional OBPs and 2 CSPs, with clearly different patterns of expression between the sexes. Particularly interesting, on the other hand, is the relatively large number of binding proteins (1 OBP and 7 CSPs) expressed in the female pheromone glands, some of them not present in the antennae. In the glands, these proteins could be likely involved in the solubilization of pheromonal components and their delivery in the environment.     

Detection of antigen-specific human serum proteins related to the T-cell receptor in infectious disease and in an immune response to milk proteins or chemicals

A monoclonal IgG2 antibody, MG3C9-1 A12, was prepared by immunization of mice with human serum Cohn Fraction III proteins enriched for TCR Ca+ proteins. MG3C9-1 A12 bound to Mr 28,000, antigen-specific TCR Ca+, beta-, and TCR Ca+, beta+ serum proteins associated with TGF-beta1, 2. The IgG2 monoclonal antibody also bound to T-lymphocyte proteins but did not bind to B lymphocyte proteins, human albumin, IgM, IgG, IgA, or TGF-beta1, 2, 3 immunogenic peptides. Monoclonal MG3C9-1 A12 detected TCR-related proteins specific for filarial extract, milk proteins, or benzoic acid in the sera of individuals with chronic or asymptomatic filariasis, milk intolerance, or sensitivity to toluene, respectively. TCR-related serum proteins were also detected intracellularly in mononuclear cells in frozen sections of ileum from a patient with milk intolerance and reactive mesenteric lymph nodes from a patient with a gastric ulcer. The results suggest that antigen-specific TCR-related serum proteins may be elevated during an immune response to oral, environmental, or infectious stimuli.