Two mRNAs exist for the Hs PROS-30 gene encoding a component of human prosomes.

Screening of a λgt11 cDNA expression library of the HeLa cell genome with a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes prosomal 30-33-kDa proteins, allowed isolation of a 1264-nucleotide (nt) recombinant cDNA containing a 327-nt untranslated 5'-end. The amino acid (aa) sequence deduced from this cDNA revealed a protein of 269 aa (M_r of 30 227) that includes a consensus box characteristic for Tyr phosphorylation, also observed in other prosomal proteins. Comparison with another prosomal 27-kDa protein, cloned in our laboratory, indicated the presence of three prosomespecific homology boxes observed in these proteins from archaebacteria to man. Interestingly, except for the untranslated 5'-end, as well as the sequence coding for the N-terminal six aa, this cDNA is identical to two recently published cDNAs encoding subunit C2 of human liver proteasome [Tamura et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1089 (1991) 95–102] and subunit NU of human erythrocyte macropain [DeMartino et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1079 (1991) 29–38]. Primer extension and Northern blot analysis using two specific 18-mer oligodeoxyribonucleotides indicated the presence of two mRNAs that have divergent 5'-ends. These results, as confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction, establish the existence of two distinct Hs PROS-30 mRNAs, differing in their 5'-noncoding regions and in the N-terminal six aa of their protein products.     

Gene cluster of the energy-transducing NADH-quinone oxidoreductase of Paracoccus denitrificans: characterization of four structural gene products.

In previous reports from our laboratory, the three structural genes (NQO1, NQO2, and NQO3) of the energy-transducing NADH-quinone oxidoreductase of Paracoccus denitrificans were characterized [Xu, X., Matsuno-Yagi, A., & Yagi, T. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 6422-6428; (1991) Biochemistry 30, 8678-8684; (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 296, 40-48]. In this report, the four structural genes NQO4, NQO5, NQO6, and NQO7 of the same Paracoccus denitrificans oxidoreductase were cloned and sequenced. On the basis of sequence homology and immunological cross-reactivity, these genes encode counterparts of the 49-, 30-, and 20-kDa polypeptides and the mitochondrial DNA ND3 polypeptides of bovine mitochondrial complex I. These seven structural genes were found to be located in the same gene cluster. The order of the seven structural genes of the Paracoccus NADH-quinone oxidoreductase in the gene cluster is NQO7, NQO6, NQO5, NQO4, NQO2, NQO1, and NQO3. Upstream of the NQO7 gene, an open reading frame encoding a predicted polypeptide homologous to the UV repair enzyme A of Escherichia coli and Micrococcus lysodeikticus was detected. The 5'-terminus of the gene cluster carrying the Paracoccus NADH-quinone oxidoreductase was studied, and the possible promoter region is discussed. The NQO4 and NQO5 genes appear to code for the M(r) 48,000 and 21,000 polypeptides of the isolated Paracoccus NADH dehydrogenase complex [Yagi, T. (1986) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 250, 302-311] on the basis of amino acid analyses and N-terminal protein sequence analyses. The antisera to the bovine complex I 49- and 30-kDa polypeptides cross-reacted with the Paracoccus 48- and 21-kDa subunits, respectively.     

Isolation and sequencing of the 5′ end of the rat microtubule-associated protein (MAP1B)-encoding cDNA

We have isolated and sequenced the 5′ end of the cDNA encoding the rat microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B). We found that this region is highly homologous to the corresponding regions of the human [Lien et al., 22 (1994) 273–280] and mouse [Noble et al., J. Cell Biol. 109 (1989) 3367–3376] MAPIB genes. The combination of the sequence that we are presenting with the previously published sequence [Zauner et al., Eur. J. Cell Biol. 57 (1992) 66–74], represents the complete rat MAP1B cDNA coding sequence.     

Prolyl endopeptidase from Flavobacterium meningosepticum: cloning and sequencing of the enzyme gene.

The prolyl endopeptidase [EC 3.4.21.26] gene of Flavobacterium meningosepticum was cloned in Escherichia coli with the aid of an oligonucleotide probe which was prepared based on the amino acid sequence. The hybrid plasmid, pFPEP1, with a 3.5 kbp insert at the HincII site of pUC19 containing the enzyme gene, was subcloned into pUC19 to construct plasmid pFPEP3. The whole nucleotide sequence of an inserted HincII-BamHI fragment of plasmid pFPEP3 was determined by the dideoxy chain-terminating method. The purified prolyl endopeptidase was labeled with tritium DFP, and the sequence surrounding the reactive serine residue was found to be Ala (551)-Leu-Ser-Gly-Arg-*Ser-Asn(557). Ser-556 was identified as a reactive serine residue. The enzyme consists of 705 amino acid residues as deduced from the nucleotide sequence and has a molecular weight of 78,705, which coincides well with the value estimated by ultra centrifugal analysis. The amino acid sequence was 38.2% homologous to that of the porcine brain prolyl endopeptidase [Rennex et al. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 2195-2203] and 24.5% homologous to E. coli protease II, which has substrate specificity for basic amino acids [Kanatani et al. (1991) J. Biochem. 110, 315-320].     

Sequence of the gene (pheA) encoding phenol monooxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. EST1001: expression in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida.

The plasmid pEST1412 contains the genes, pheA and pheB, encoding phenol monooxygenase (PMO) and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12]), respectively. Thse were originally cloned from the plasmid DNA of Pseudomonas sp. EST1001 [Kivisaar et al., Plasmid 24 (1990) 25-36]. Although pheA and pheB are cotranscribed using the promoter sequences derived from Tn4652 and the level of expression of C120 activities from pEST1412 was equal both in Escherichia coli and in Pseudomonas putida, the level of PMO activity measured in the cell-free extracts of E. coli was lower than that in P. putida. The nucleotide sequence of the 2.0-kb PstI-HindIII fragment of pEST1412 carrying pheA was determined. A 1821-bp ORF was found in this DNA. The structural gene (tfdB) encoding 2,4-dichlorophenol hydroxylase from pJP4 has been sequenced [Perkins et al., J. Bacteriol. 172 (1990) 2351-2359]. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of tfdB and pheA revealed highly conserved regions in the protein products of these genes.     

Molecular analysis of the gene encoding α-lytic protease: evidence for a preproenzyme

A 1.7-kb EcoRI fragment containing the structural gene for α-lytic protease has been cloned from Lysobacter enzymogenes 495 chromosomal DNA: the first example of a gene cloned from this organism. The protein sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence encoding this serine protease matches the published amino acid sequence [Olson et al., Nature 228 (1970) 438–442] precisely. Sequence analysis and S 1 mapping indicate that, like subtilisin [e.g. Wells et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 11 (1983) 7911–7925] α-lytic protease is synthesized as a pre-pro protein (41 kDa) that is subsequently processed to its mature extracellular form (20 kDa). This first finding of a large N-terminal protease precursor in a Gram-negative bacterial protease strengthens the hypothesis that large precursors may be a general property of extracellular bacterial proteases, and suggests that the N- or C-terminal location of the precursor segment may be significant.     

Complex organization of the Streptomyces avermitilis genes encoding the avermectin polyketide synthase.

The avermectin (Av) polyketide synthase (PKS) and erythromycin (Er) PKS are encoded by modular repeats of DNA, but the genetic organization of the modules encoding Av PKS is more complex than Er PKS. Sequencing of several related DNA fragments from Streptomyces avermitilis that are part of the Av biosynthetic gene cluster, revealed that they encode parts of large multifunctional PKS proteins. The Av PKS proteins show strong similarity to each other, as well as similarity to Er PKS proteins [Donadio et al., Science 252 (1991) 675-679] and fatty acid synthases. Partial DNA sequencing of the 65-kb region containing all the related sequence elements in the avr genes provides evidence for twelve modular repeats encoding FAS-like domains. The genes encoding the Av PKS are organized as two sets of six modular repeats which are convergently transcribed.     

Cloning and expression of two genes encoding highly homologous hemolysins from a Kanagawa phenomenon-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus T4750 strain

We have cloned and sequenced the gene encoding thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), a possible virulence factor in Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis, from a Kanagawa-phenomenon-positive strain, T4750. This strain was found to contain two sequences (tdhA and tdhS) homologous to the tdh gene previously reported by Nishibuchi and Kaper [J. Bacteriol 162 (1985) 558-564] and Taniguchi et al. [Microb. Pathog. 1 (1986) 425-432]. Sequence homology of the coding regior between tdhA and tdhS was 97.2%. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence of TdhA, excluding the putative signal peptide was identical to that of TDH protein purified from V. parahaemolyticus [Tsunasawa et al., J. Biochem. 101 (1987) 111-121] except for Glu118 instead of Gln118. Although the aa sequence deduced from the second gene, tdhS, differed in eight residues from the TDH protein, it agreed with the sequence of Tdh deduced from the previously cloned tdh gene. Both tdhA and tdhS expressed biologically active hemolysins in Escherichia coli. While the apparent molecular size of TDH purified from a culture supernatant of V. parahaemolyticus T4750 was identical to TdhA protein synthesized in E. coli, it was larger than TdhS. Only one band was detected in the culture supernatant of V. parahaemolyticus T4750 by Western blotting; its mobility was indistinguishable from that of purified TDH. These data suggest that tdhA is the structural gene for TDH found in the culture supernatant of V. parahaemolyticus T4750, and that there was only partial, if any, tdhS expression in the strain T4750 under the test conditions employed.     

A small plasmid for recombination-based screening.

We reported recently the construction of the 4.4-kb R6K-derived pMAD1 plasmid carrying supF [Stewart et al., Gene 106 (1991) 97-101] that does not share nt sequences with ColE1 and therefore permits recombination-based screening of lambda libraries that contain ColE1 sequences. Here we describe the construction of the 2.5-kb R6K-derived plasmid, pMAD3, that lacks the pi-encoding pir gene required for R6K replication. To supply pi [Inuzuka and Helinski, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75 (1978) 5381-5385] in trans, we employed pPR1 delta 22pir116, referred to henceforth as pPR1 [McEachern et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86 (1989) 7942-7946; Dellis and Filutowicz, J. Bacteriol. 173 (1991) 1279-1286]. Plasmid pMAD3 is small enough to be amplified readily by PCR [Saiki et al., Science 230 (1985) 1350-1354]. This permits the insertion of larger fragments and the retrieval of larger lambda inserts, as well as the use of a simplified PCR-based cloning protocol which utilizes annealing rather than ligation to create recombinants in pMAD3 [Nisson et al., PCR Methods and Applications 1 (1991) 120-123].     

Recognition of damaged DNA by Escherichia coli Fpg protein: insights from structural and kinetic data

Formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) excises oxidized purines from damaged DNA. The recent determination of the three-dimensional structure of the covalent complex of DNA with Escherichia coli Fpg, obtained by reducing the Schiff base intermediate formed during the reaction [Gilboa et al., J. Biol. Chem. 277 (2002) 19811] has revealed a number of potential specific and non-specific interactions between Fpg and DNA. We analyze the structural data for Fpg in the light of the kinetic and thermodynamic data obtained by the method of stepwise increase in ligand complexity to estimate relative contributions of individual nucleotide units of lesion-containing DNA to its total affinity for this enzyme [Ishchenko et al., Biochemistry 41 (2002) 7540]. Stopped-flow kinetic analysis that has allowed the dissection of Fpg catalysis in time [Fedorova et al., Biochemistry 41 (2002) 1520] is also correlated with the structural data.     

Bovine dopamine beta-hydroxylase, primary structure determined by cDNA cloning and amino acid sequencing

A cDNA clone encoding bovine dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) has been isolated from bovine adrenal glands. The clone hybridizes to two oligonucleotide probes, one based on a previously reported active site peptide [DeWolf, W. E., Jr., et al. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 9093-9101] and the other based on the human DBH sequence [Lamouroux, A., et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6, 3931-3937]. The clone contains a 1.9-kb open reading frame that codes for the soluble form of bovine DBH, with the exception of the first six amino acids. Direct confirmation of 93% of the cDNA-derived sequence was obtained from cleavage peptides by protein sequencing and mass spectrometry. Differences were found between these two sequences at only two positions. Of the four potential N-linked carbohydrate attachment sites, two, Asn-170 and Asn-552, were shown to be partially and fully glycosylated, respectively. Within the 69% of the protein sequence confirmed by mass spectrometry, no other covalent modifications were detected.     

Cloning and sequence determination of a cDNA encoding Aspergillus nidulans calmodulin-dependent multifunctional protein kinase.

A partial cDNA encoding Aspergillus nidulans calmodulin-dependent multifunctional protein kinase (ACMPK) was isolated from a lambda ZAP expression library by immunoselection using monospecific polyclonal antibodies to the enzyme. The sequence of both strands of the cDNA (CMKa) was determined. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence contained all eleven consensus domains found in serine/threonine protein kinases [Hanks et al., Science 241 (1988) 42-52], as well as a putative calmodulin-binding domain. The cDNA contained an intron, lacked an in-frame start codon, and was not polyadenylated. A full-length copy of CMKa was subsequently isolated from a lambda gt10 library of A. nidulans cDNA using a restriction fragment of the first clone as a probe. It contained an in-frame start codon, an open reading frame (ORF) of 1242 bp and was polyadenylated. The ORF encoded a protein of 414 aa residues with an M(r) of 46,895 and an isoelectric point pI = 6.4. These values are in good agreement with that observed for the native enzyme [Bartelt et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988) 3279-3283]. When aligned to optimize homology, 29% of the predicted aa sequence of ACMPK is identical to that of the alpha-subunit of rat brain calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. ACMPK shares 40 and 44% identity in aa sequence with YCMK1 and YCMK2, respectively, two Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases recently cloned from Saccharomyces cerevisiae [Pausch et al., EMBO J. 10 (1991) 1511-1522]. Results of Southern analysis of restriction digests of genomic DNA indicate that ACMPK is encoded by a single-copy gene.     

NMR studies of [U-C]cyclosporin A bound to human cyclophilin B

NMR data (¹H and ¹³C chemical shifts, NOEs) on [[U-¹³C]cyclosporin A bound to cyclophilin B were compared to previously published data on the [U-¹³C]CsA/CyPA complex [Fesik et al., (1991) Biochemistry 30, 6574–6583]. Despite only 64% sequence identity between CyPA and CyPB, the conformation and active site environment of CsA when bound to CyPA and CyPB are nearly identical as judged by the similarity of the NMR data.     

Two isozymes of clavaminate synthase central to clavulanic acid formation: cloning and sequencing of both genes from Streptomyces clavuligerus.

Clavaminate synthase (CS) is an alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenase central to the biosynthesis of clavulanic acid, a potent inhibitor of beta-lactamases. CS catalyzes the oxidative cyclization/desaturation of proclavaminic acid to clavaminic acid in a two-step process involving the intermediacy of dihydroclavaminic acid [Salowe, S. P., Krol, W. J., Iwata-Reuyl, D., & Townsend, C. A. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 2281-2292]. During the purification of CS to homogeneity from Streptomyces clavuligerus [Salowe, S. P., Marsh, E. N., & Townsend, C. A. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 6499-6508], two forms of the enzyme capable of carrying out the complete reaction having very similar molecular weights and kinetic properties were isolated by Mono-Q chromatography. The gene for each has been cloned, sequenced, and found to be significantly homologous (87% identity). The two genes so isolated, cs1 and cs2, have open reading frames of 975 and 978 nucleotides, respectively, encoding proteins of M(r) 35,347 and 35,774. These genes are located in different loci of the genome separated by > 20 kbp. This separation is large for a natural product biosynthetic pathway in bacteria where gene duplication and limited divergence are typically observed to occur within narrower confines of a gene cluster. Sequence comparisons made between cs1/cs2 and other genes encoding iron-dependent proteins involved in penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthesis in the same organism show minimal homology. Further sequence alignments made to other non-heme iron oxygenases reveal unexpected dissimilarity within the alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent class itself. The limited data available suggests evolutionary convergence among these proteins.     

Structural features of the 66-kDa subunit of the energy-transducing NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (NDH-1) of Paracoccus denitrificans.

The structural gene of the Paracoccus denitrificans NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase encoding a homologue of the 75-kDa subunit of bovine complex I (NQO3) has been located and sequenced. It is located approximately 1 kbp downstream of the gene coding for the NADH-binding subunit (NQO1) [Xu, X., Matsuno-Yagi, A., and Yagi, T. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 6422-6428] and is composed of 2019 base pairs and codes for 673 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 73,159. The M(r) 66,000 polypeptide of the isolated Paracoccus NADH dehydrogenase complex is assigned the NQO3 designation on the basis of N-terminal protein sequence analysis, amino acid analysis, and immuno-cross-reactivity. The encoded protein contains a putative tetranuclear iron-sulfur cluster (probably cluster N4) and possibly a binuclear iron-sulfur cluster. An unidentified reading frame (URF3) which is composed of 396 base pairs and possibly codes for 132 amino acid residues was found between the NQO1 and NQO3 genes. When partial DNA sequencing of the regions downstream of the NQO3 gene was performed, sequences homologous to the mitochondrial ND-1, ND-5, and ND-2 gene products of bovine complex I were found, suggesting that the gene cluster carrying the Paracoccus NADH dehydrogenase complex contains not only structural genes encoding water-soluble subunits but also structural genes encoding hydrophobic subunits.     

A human cDNA encoding the small subunit of RNA polymerase II transcription factor SIII

A full-length cDNA encoding a human homolog of the 15-kDa subunit (p15) of RNA polymerase II elongation factor SIII was isolated and sequenced. Comparison of the open reading frames of the human p15 cDNA and the previously characterized rat p15 cDNA [Garrett et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91 (1994) 5237-5241] indicates that they encode identical proteins and are 93% conserved in nucleotide sequence.     

Isolation and sequence determination of peptide components of atrial natriuretic factor

The independent isolation and sequence determination in our laboratories of three closely related Atrial Natriuretic Factor peptides from rat atria confirm the sequences of ANF peptides reported by Seidah et al and synthesized by Nutt et al [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., (1984) in press] and contain the sequences reported by Flynn et al [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (1983) 117: 859-865] and by Currie et al [Science (1984) 223: 67-69]. In addition, we provide proof for a C-terminal tyrosine rather than tyrosine amide in our isolated peptides.     

Extracting hydrophobic free energies from experimental data: relationship to protein folding and theoretical models

Solubility and vapor pressure measurements of hydrocarbons in water are generally thought to provide estimates of the strength of the hydrophobic effect in the range 20-30 cal/(mol.A2). Our reassessment of the solubility data on the basis of new developments in solution thermodynamics suggests that the hydrophobic surface free energy for hydrocarbon solutes is 46-47 cal/(mol.A2), although the actual value depends strongly on curvature effects [Nicholls et al. (1991) Proteins (in press); Sharp et al. (1991) Science 252, 106-109]. The arguments to support such a significant increase in the estimate of the hydrophobic effect stem partly from theoretical considerations and partly from the experimental results of De Young and Dill [(1990) J. Phys. Chem. 94, 801-809] on benzene partition between water and alkane solvents. Previous estimates of the hydrophobic effect derive from an analysis of solute partition data, which does not fully account for changes in volume entropy. We show here how the ideal gas equations, combined with experimental molar volumes, can account for such changes. Revised solubility scales for the 20 amino acids, based on cyclohexane to water and octanol to water transfer energies, are derived. The agreement between these scales, particularly the octanol scale, and mutant protein stability measurements from Kellis et al. [(1989) Biochemistry 28, 4914-4922] and Shortle et al. [(1990) Biochemistry 29, 8033-8041] is good. The increased strength of the hydrophobic interaction has implications for the energetics of protein folding, substrate binding, and nucleic acid base stacking and the interpretation of computer simulations.     

Nucleotide sequence of the gene for the delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase of Pseudomonas testosteroni

The structural gene for the delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase of Pseudomonas testosteroni has been sequenced by the dideoxy method. The sequence obtained confirms the amino acid (aa) sequence of Benson et al. [J. Biol. Chem. 246 (1971) 7514-7525] at all but 5 aa residues of the 125-aa polypeptide. Amino acid residues 22, 24, 33, and 38, reported to be asparagines by Benson et al., are found to be encoded by aspartic acid codons. Amino acid residue 77, reported to be a glutamine by Benson et al., is encoded by a glutamic acid codon. The identification of aa 38 as aspartic acid, coupled with its presence in the active site, as indicated by previous affinity and photoaffinity-labeling studies and confirmed independently by x-ray crystallographic studies, strengthens the hypothesis that Asp-38 is the aa responsible for the 4 beta to 6 beta proton transfer which is part of the enzymatic reaction.