Compilation and Characterization of Histidine-Containing Phosphotransmitters Implicated in His-to-Asp Phosphorelay in Plants: AHP Signal Transducers of Arabidopsis thaliana

Histidine (His)-to-Aspartate (Asp) phosphorelay signal transduction systems are generally made up of a “sensor histidine (His)-kinase”, a “response regulator”, and a “histidine-containing phosphotransmitter (HPt)”. In the higher plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, results from recent intensive studies suggested that the His-to-Asp phosphorelay mechanism is at least partly responsible for propagation of environmental stimuli, such as phytohormones (e.g. ethylene and cytokinin). Here we compiled the members of the HPt family of phosphotransmitters in Arabidopsis thaliana (AHP- series, Arabidopsis HPt phosphotransmitters), based on both database and experimental analyses, in order to provide a comprehensive basis at the molecular level for understanding the function of the AHP phosphotransmitters that are implicated in the His-to-Asp phosphorelay of higher plants.     

Comparative Studies of the AHP Histidine-containing Phosphotransmitters Implicated in His-to-Asp Phosphorelay in Arabidopsis thaliana

The evolutionarily-conserved histidine to aspartate (His-to-Asp) phosphorelay signal transduction is common in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Such a phosphorelay system is generally made up of ‘a histidine (His)-kinase’, ‘a histidine-containing phosphotransmitter (HPt)’, and ‘a phospho-accepting response regulator (RR)’. In general, an HPt factor acts as an intermediate in a given multistep His-to-Asp phosphorelay. In Arabidopsis thaliana, this model higher plant has five genes (named AHP1 to AHP5), each of which seems to encode an HPt factor. Recent studies suggested that the His-to-Asp phosphorelay involving the AHP factors is at least partly implicated in signal transduction in response to cytokinin (a plant hormone). Nevertheless, the properties of AHPs have not yet been fully clarified. Here we did comparative studies of all the AHP factors, in terms of (i) expression profiles in plants, (ii) intracellular localization, (iii) ability to acquire a phosphoryl group in vitro, and (iv) ability to interact with the downstream components, ARRs (Arabidopsis response regulators). The results of this study provided us with a comprehensive view at the molecular level for understanding the functions of the AHP phosphotransmitters in the His-to-Asp phosphorelay.     

l-Serine Production Improved by Analogue-resistant Mutants of a Methanol-utilizing Bacterium

In the higher plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, histidine-to-aspartate (His-to-Asp) phosphorelay signal transduction systems play crucial roles in propagation of environmental stimuli, including plant hormones. This plant has 11 sensor His-kinases, 5 histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) factors (AHPs), and 20 response regulators (ARRs). To gain new insight into the functions of these phosphorelay components, their intracellular localization was examined with use of GFP-fusion proteins, constructed for certain representatives of HPt factors (AHP2) and type-A and type-B ARRs (ARR6/ARR7 and ARR10, respectively). The results showed that AHP2 is mainly located in the cytoplasmic space, while both the types of ARRs have an ability to enter preferentially into the nuclei, if not exclusively. Together with the results from an in vitro phosphorelay assay with AHP2 and ARRs, these results are discussed, in terms of a geneal framework of the Arabidopsis His-to-Asp phosphorelay network.     

Characterization of the RcsC→YojN→RcsB Phosphorelay Signaling Pathway Involved in Capsular Synthesis in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli and other enteric microorganisms produce an extracellular polysaccharide capsule, called colanic acid, under certain environmental conditions. This capsular synthesis is regulated by the RcsC (sensor kinase)→YojN (phosphotransfer intermediate)→RcsB (response regulator) phosphorelay signal transduction under certain growth conditions. Nonetheless, little is known about signals that exaggerate the Rcs-system. To gain insight into signals that activate the Rcs-system, here we searched for genes that activate the Rcs-system, provided that those on a multicopy plasmid were introduced into E. coli. We identified several such genes, namely, rcsB, rcsA, djlA, lolA, and ompG. The DjlA, LolA, and OmpG proteins are particularly interesting in that they are all located on the cell surface, where the primary sensor RcsC histidine-kinase is localized. Implications of these findings are discussed with special reference to the mechanism by which RcsC perceives external signals.     

Important Roles of Minor Peroxide Components in the Autoxidation of Methyl Linoleate

Superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like compounds and activators of SOD were screened for in the extracts of fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms by measuring their effects on pyrogallol autoxidation, which is catalyzed by superoxide anion. SOD-like activity was high in aqueous extract of nameko, garlic, broccoli, and oriental lettuce. Ethanolic extracts of onion and watermelon could enhance human SOD activity more than 40%.     

Physical and Chemical Properties of the Lipase of Thermophilic Fungus Humicola lanuginosa S-38

Some physical and chemical properties of the extracellular lipase from the thermophilic fungus, Humico la lanuginosa S–38, were investigated. The results were as follows: Sedimentation coefficient was 2.4 × 10^?13 (cm-g/sec-dyne); diffusion coefficient was 8.8 × 10^?7 (cm²/sec); and frictional coefficient was 1.22. Molecular weight was 27,500±500 and α-helix content was 18.9%. The number of amino acid residues contained in 1 mole of protein of Humicola lipase was 224. Sugar and lipid were not detected. The effect of calcium ion and denaturing reagents, such as urea, sodium dodecyl sulfate and dithiothreitol, on the thermostability of Humicola lipase was examined. It was concluded that the thermostability of Humicola lipase was not influenced by protective cofactors but was attributable to the enzyme itself. Some properties of enzyme structure which were concerned with the thermostability of Humicola lipase are also discussed.     

Sulfur amino acid metabolism in Schizosaccharomyces pombe: occurrence of two O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylases and the lack of the reverse transfulfuration pathway

Abstract The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has a unique organization of sulfur amino acid metabolism: it has two distinct O -acetylhomoserine sulfhydrylases (homocysteine synthases). Similar to Enterobacteriaceae, S. pombe lacks cystathionine β-synthase and cystathionine γ-lyase - the enzymes of the reverse transsulfuration pathway, by which methionine is readily metabolized to cysteine - a likely effector in the sulfur metabolite repression system. Consequently no repression of sulfate assimilation is observed when methionine is added to the growth medium.     

The Journey from Two-Step to Multi-Step Phosphorelay Signaling Systems

BackgroundThe two-component signaling (TCS) system is an important signal transduction machinery in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, excluding animals, that uses a protein phosphorylation mechanism for signal transmission.ConclusionProkaryotes have a primitive type of TCS machinery, which mainly comprises a membrane-bound sensory histidine kinase (HK) and its cognate cytoplasmic response regulator (RR). Hence, it is sometimes referred to as two-step phosphorelay (TSP). Eukaryotes have more sophisticated signaling machinery, with an extra component - a histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPT) protein that shuttles between HK and RR to communicate signal baggage. As a result, the TSP has evolved from a two-step phosphorelay (His–Asp) in simple prokaryotes to a multi-step phosphorelay (MSP) cascade (His–Asp–His–Asp) in complex eukaryotic organisms, such as plants, to mediate the signaling network. This molecular evolution is also reflected in the form of considerable structural modifications in the domain architecture of the individual components of the TCS system. In this review, we present TCS system''s evolutionary journey from the primitive TSP to advanced MSP type across the genera. This information will be highly useful in designing the future strategies of crop improvement based on the individual members of the TCS machinery.     

Growth temperature affects accumulation of exogenous fatty acids and fatty acid composition in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schizosaccharomyces pombe</Emphasis>

The incorporation of exogenously supplied fatty acids, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid, was examined in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe at two growth temperatures, 20 °C and 30 °C. Fatty acids supplied to S. pombe in the growth medium were found to be preferentially incorporated into the cells, becoming a dominant species. The relative increase in exogenous fatty acids in cells came at the expense of endogenous oleic acid as a proportion of total fatty acids. Lowering the temperature at which the yeast were grown resulted in decreased levels of incorporation of the fatty acids palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid and linoleic acid compared to cells supplemented at 30 °C. In addition, the relative amount of the endogenously produced unsaturated fatty acid oleic acid, while greatly reduced compared to unsupplemented cells, was increased in cells supplemented with fatty acids at 20 °C compared to supplemented cells at 30 °C. The differential production of oleic acid in S. pombe cells indicates that regulation of unsaturated fatty acid levels, possibly by control of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase, is an important control point in membrane composition in response to temperature and diet in this species.     

Identification of 24-methylene-24,25-dihydrolanosterol as a precursor of ergosterol in the yeasts Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Schizosaccharomyces octosporus

Abstract Study of the plasma membrane sterol composition in the yeasts Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Schizosaccharomyces octosporus revealed the presence of ergosterol, lanosterol, dehydroergosterol, fecosterol, episterol and 24-methylene-24,25-dihydrolanosterol (eburicol), a C-31 derivative. The growth of both yeasts in the presence of ketoconazole led to a decrease by 85% of the ergosterol content while the levels of lanosterol and eburicol increased. This suggests that in the biosynthetic pathway of ergosterol in Schizosaccharomyces species, the transmethylation process on the C-24 may occur directly on lanosterol and not only on zymosterol. On the other hand, it cannot be excluded that in the genus Schizosaccharomyces two routes exist from lanosterol to ergosterol: the classical one via a direct C-14, C-4 demethylation of lanosterol and the second one via the formation of a C-31 derivative followed by demethylations.     

Isolation of β-Amylase Producing Microorganisms

l,3-Diphenyl-2-propen-l-one (chalcone) was selectively hydrogenated at the carbon-carbon double bond on incubation with Corynebacterium equi IFO 3730, to give the corresponding saturated ketone, 1,3-diphenyl-l-propanone. Practically no alcoholic compounds were detected in the reaction mixture. This highly selective hydrogenation reaction was also successful with substrates having substituents on aromatic rings. On the other hand, two hydrogen atoms on the olefinic carbons were essential, because substitution of either one of the hydrogens by a methyl group completely inhibited the reaction.     

Adaptive response of Schizosaccharomyces pombe to hydrogen peroxide

Abstract Schizosaccharomyces pombe becomes resistant to killing by high concentration of hydrogen peroxide and other severe stresses including oxidants, high temperature and high concentration of ethanol when pretreated with nonlethal levels of hydrogen peroxide. In the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, during hydrogen peroxide pretreatment, the cell obtained partial resistance to a higher level of hydrogen peroxide. The partial resistance to hydrogen peroxide in the presence of cycloheximide was acquired within 30 min of pretreatment but complete resistance obtained with de novo protein synthesis was not attained before 45 min of pretreatment. During adaptation to hydrogen peroxide, at least 15 polypeptides are induced, as analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Catalase activity is induced eight-fold by treatment with a nonlethal level of hydrogen peroxide.     

Preliminary Screening of Microorganisms Producing Succinic Acid from n-Paraffin

Screening tests in search for microorganisms capable of producing succinic acid from n-paraffin were carried out. Most of the microorganisms that accumulated succinic acid in culture broth when incubated in the media containing super heavy n-paraffin as the carbon source were found to belong to the genus Candida. The largest quantity of succinic acid production from n-paraffin, 4160 μ/ml, was obtained with a strain, Candida brumptii IFO 0731.     

高产耐高温脂肪酶生产菌的筛选与鉴定

从小笼包蒸屉垫中筛选得到了两株脂肪酶高产菌株J2和J3,经形态观察以及26S rRNA基因(26S rDNA)序列比对鉴定,两株菌分别属于Aureobasidium属的两个变体。200 r/min、30℃下摇瓶发酵3-5 d后,以对硝基苯酚棕榈酸酯(p-NPP)作为底物,用分光光度法测得J2和J3发酵上清液中的脂肪酶酶活分别为10.61 U/m L和14.43 U/m L。对两株菌所产脂肪酶的耐热特性研究显示,菌株J2产脂肪酶的最适反应温度为50℃,并且酶液在50℃保温5 h无酶活损失;另一株菌J3所产脂肪酶的最适反应温度为60℃,酶液在50℃保温5 h后酶活剩余42.19%,在40℃保温5 h没有酶活损失。这表明J2和J3菌株所产脂肪酶具有较好的热稳定性和较高的最适反应温度。     

粟酒裂殖酵母全基因组中含信号肽蛋白质的研究

对粟酒裂殖酵母全基因组3条染色体上的4,997个蛋白序列进行了全局性的分析,利用signalP3.0软件分析这些蛋白的N-末端信号肽序列, 预测有N-末端分泌信号肽序列的蛋白196个;利用TMpred 软件分析跨膜结构, 预测跨膜蛋白117个; 使用PrositeScan程序分析膜脂蛋白的脂结合位点, 预测有膜脂结合蛋白13个, 进而预测分泌性蛋白序列66个。使用Target P分析66个分泌蛋白的蛋白序列, 研究这些蛋白在细胞中的定位。这些分泌蛋白的功能涉及粟酒裂殖酵母的营养、生殖、细胞间以及细胞与环境间的交流等许多方面, 对细胞的生存和繁殖有重要意义, 在系统生物学的研究中有重要参考价值。粟酒裂殖酵母分泌组的研究也将为粟酒裂殖酵母作为药物筛选模型以及开发为外源蛋白表达的宿主提供基础。     

Purification and Some Properties of Cyclomaltodextrin Glucanotransferase from Bacillus circulans

Cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase was purified from B. circulans C31 through two successive steps of starch and Biogel column chromatography. The enzyme was purified up to 90-fold with a 30% yield. Its molecular weight was around 103,000. The purified enzyme converted 28% of the soluble starch to β-cyclodextrin at pH 7.0 and a substrate concentration of 5%. The optimum pH for the enzyme was found to be 5.5. The optimum temperature was 60°C. The enzyme optimum was stable from pH 5.5~9.0 and up to 50°C.     

Identification of Open Reading Frames in Schizosaccharomyces pombe cDNAs

A total of 214 non-overlapping cDNA clones from Schizosaccharomycespombe were selected and completely sequenced. The clones notpreviously reported were divided into the following three groups:1) homologous to Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes (139 clones);2) homologous to genes from other organisms but not to thosefrom Sac. cerevisiae (4 clones); and 3) no similar sequences(40 clones). Among the 31 sequences identical to those in thepublic databases, 4 genes have regions corresponding to introns.Protein sequences which had homologs both in budding yeast andmammals were compared with those from Sac. cerevisiae and mammals.The search revealed that the evolutionary distances among thesespecies are similar at least with genes of this category.     

Fragmentation of Penicillin-binding Protein-1Bs of Escherichia coli by Proteolytic Enzymes: A Preliminary Study on the Location of the Penicillin-binding Site on the Bifunctional Peptidoglycan Synthetase Protein

The absolute configurations of fenvalerate and other related cyanohydrin esters were studied by circular dichroism (CD) measurements and by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fenvalerate has UV absorption peaks around 278 nm associated with the ¹L_b phenyl transitions and corresponding positive CD peaks were observed around 281 nm for the enantiomers of (S)-configuration at the cyanohydrin chiral center. Most of the other cyanohydrin esters also gave positive CD peaks for the enantiomers of (S)-configuration. CD spectra in the 180 to 250 nm range were also studied.

By HPLC, the elution order of the diastereoisomers of cyanohydrin esters were closely correlated with their absolute configuration and the (RS,SR)-pair consistently eluted earlier than the (RR,SS)-pair for α-substituted phenylacetic acid esters.