Multivalent presentation of the cell-penetrating peptide nona-arginine on a linear scaffold strongly increases its membrane-perturbing capacity

Arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) are widely employed as delivery vehicles for a large variety of macromolecular cargos. As a mechanism-of-action for induction of uptake cross-linking of heparan sulfates and interaction with lipid head groups have been proposed. Here, we employed a multivalent display of the CPP nona-arginine (R9) on a linear dextran scaffold to assess the impact of heparan sulfate and lipid interactions on uptake and membrane perturbation. Increased avidity through multivalency should potentiate molecular phenomena that may only play a minor role if only individual peptides are used. To this point, the impact of multivalency has only been explored for dendrimers, CPP-decorated proteins and nanoparticles. We reasoned that multivalency on a linear scaffold would more faithfully mimic the arrangement of peptides at the membrane at high local peptide concentrations. On average, five R9 were coupled to a linear dextran backbone. The conjugate displayed a direct cytoplasmic uptake similar to free R9 at concentrations higher than 10 μM. However, this uptake was accompanied by an increased membrane disturbance and cellular toxicity that was independent of the presence of heparan sulfates. In contrast, for erythrocytes, the multivalent conjugate induced aggregation, however, showed only limited membrane perturbation. Overall, the results demonstrate that multivalency of R9 on a linear scaffold strongly increases the capacity to interact with the plasma membrane. However, the induction of membrane perturbation is a function of the cellular response to peptide binding.     

Characterization of the heparin binding site in the N-terminus of human pro-islet amyloid polypeptide: implications for amyloid formation

Islet amyloid deposits are a characteristic pathological hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), also referred to as amylin, aggregates in the islet extracellular space to form amyloid deposits in up to 95% of patients with the disease. IAPP is stored with insulin in beta-islet cells and is processed in parallel by subtilisin-like prohormone convertases prior to secretion. There is indirect evidence that normal processing of the prohormone precursor, proIAPP, at the N-terminal cleavage site is defective in type 2 diabetes and results in secretion of an N-terminal extended proIAPP intermediate. The N-terminal flanking region of proIAPP is detected in amyloid deposits; however, the C-terminal flanking region is not. Immunohistochemical studies implicate the presence of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) perlecan in islet amyloid deposits, suggesting a role for HSPGs in mediating amyloid deposition in type 2 diabetes and implicating a binding domain in the N-terminus of proIAPP. Initial studies of proIAPP indicated that the HSPG binding region is contained within the first 30 residues. Here, we characterize the potential HSPG binding site of proIAPP in detail by analyzing a set of peptide fragments. Binding is tighter at low pH due to protonation of histidine residues. Deletion studies show that Arg-22 and His-29 play a role in binding. Reduction of the Cys-13 to Cys-18 disulfide leads to a noticeable decrease in binding. We demonstrate the ability of heparan sulfate to induce amyloid formation in N-terminal fragments of proIAPP. The oxidized peptide forms amyloid more rapidly than the reduced variant in the presence of heparan sulfate, but the reduced peptide ultimately forms more extensive amyloid deposits. The potential implications for islet amyloid formation in vivo are discussed.     

A facile method for the direct synthesis of lanthionine containing cyclic peptides

A series of disulfide bridged peptides were designed as potential inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. Following solid phase synthesis, completely deprotected linear peptides were first oxidized to their disulfide analogs and then transformed into their lanthionine equivalents via a base-assisted reaction in water. Peptides consisting of cystine bridges of length i, i+3, with and without discrimination of the chiral centers, were studied for this transformation. Lanthionine peptides were also obtained directly from the reduced linear peptides under mild alkaline treatment, and the reaction proceeded via disulfide bond formation. The extent of conversion of a disulfide bridge into its lanthionine counterpart varied according to the primary sequence. Product characterization revealed diastereomeric lanthionine formation. The presence of D-amino acids, peptide conformation, and/or position of the cystine bridge are among the factors determining the facility of this reaction. Elimination of the backbone proton beta to the sulfur atom followed by intramolecular thiol Michael addition is the most likely mechanism for this transformation.     

A facile method for the direct synthesis of lanthionine containing cyclic peptides

Summary A series of disulfide bridged peptides were designed as potential inhibitors of protein-protein interactions. Following solid phase synthesis, completely deprotected linear peptides were first oxidized to their disulfide analogs and then transformed into their lanthionine equivalents via a base-assisted reaction in water. Peptides consisting of cystine bridges of lengthi, i+3, with and without discrimination of the chiral centers, were studied for this transformation. Lanthionine peptides were also obtained directly from the reduced linear peptides under mild alkaline treatment, and the reaction proceeded via disulfide bond formation. The extent of conversion of a disulfide bridge into its lanthionine counterpart varied according to the primary sequence. Product characterization revealed diastereomeric lanthionine formation. The presence of D-amino acids, peptide conformation, and/or position of the cystine bridge are among the factors determining the facility of this reaction. Elimination of the backbone proton beta to the sulfur atom followed by intramolecular thiol Michael addition is the most likely mechanism for this transformation.     

Histidine 186 of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit requires the presence of the 192-193 disulfide bridge to interact with alpha-bungarotoxin

We have previously shown that two histidine residues of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor are relevant for alpha-bungarotoxin binding. This paper studies: (1) the interaction between alpha-bungarotoxin and the peptide alpha173-202--synthesized according to the sequence of the Torpedo californica receptor alpha subunit--and between the toxin and the same peptide containing His186 modified with ethoxyformic anhydride or substituted by Ala; (2) the influence of the presence of Cys192-Cys193 disulfide bridge on such interactions. Solid-phase and in-solution competition assays were performed: ethoxyformylation of His186 or its substitution by Ala led to a significant drop in the toxin binding capacity only for peptides containing the bridge. Circular dichroism and fourth derivate spectra of all peptides were also analyzed. Results strongly indicate the involvement of His186 in the toxin binding to those peptides with the bridge--also present in the native receptor molecules--but not to their reduced forms; on the other hand, they give further support to the already established premise that, though the bridge does not participate directly in receptor-toxin binding, its presence is relevant to define the appropriate conformation of the interaction area.     

High affinity of the cell-penetrating peptide HIV-1 Tat-PTD for DNA

During cellular uptake of fluorescently labeled cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), intense fluorescent signals are commonly observed in the nucleus of the cell, suggesting intracellular CPP relocation and potential binding to the genome of the host. We therefore investigated the interaction of the CPP HIV-1 Tat(47-57) with double-stranded DNA, and we also tested whether the fluorescence intensity of the labeled CPP allows for linear predictions of its intracellular concentration. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we observe that the CPP has a high affinity for salmon sperm DNA as characterized by a microscopic dissociation constant of 126 nM. The binding is exothermic, with a reaction enthalpy of -4.63 kcal/mol CPP (28 degrees C). The dissociation constant and reaction enthalpy decrease further at higher temperatures. The affinity of the CPP for DNA is thus 1-2 magnitudes higher than for extracellular heparan sulfate, the likely mediator of the CPP uptake. Accordingly, the high affinity for DNA confers stability to extracellular transport complexes of CPP and DNA but potentially affects the regulation and molecular organization of the host's genome after nuclear uptake. Moreover, the CPP leads to the condensation of DNA as evidenced by the pronounced increase in light-scattering intensity. The fluorescence quantum yield of the FITC-labeled CPP decreases considerably at concentrations > 5 micromol/L, at pH < 7, and upon binding to DNA and glycosaminoglycans. This change in fluorescence quantum yield impedes the microscopic identification of uptake routes and the comparison of uptake efficiency of different CPPs, especially if the accumulation in subcellular compartments (self-quenching and pH difference) and transitory binding partners (quenching and condensation) is unknown.     

Revised Role of Glycosaminoglycans in TAT Protein Transduction Domain-mediated Cellular Transduction

Cellular uptake of the human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein transduction domain (PTD), or cell-penetrating peptide, has previously been surmised to occur in a manner dependent on the presence of heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are expressed ubiquitously on the cell surface. These acidic polysaccharides form a large pool of negative charge on the cell surface that TAT PTD binds avidly. Additionally, sulfated glycans have been proposed to aid in the interaction of TAT PTD and other arginine-rich PTDs with the cell membrane, perhaps aiding their translocation across the membrane. Surprisingly, however, TAT PTD-mediated induction of macropinocytosis and cellular transduction occurs in the absence of heparan sulfate and sialic acid. Using labeled TAT PTD peptides and fusion proteins, in addition to TAT PTD-Cre recombination-based phenotypic assays, we show that transduction occurs efficiently in mutant Chinese hamster ovary cell lines deficient in glycosaminoglycans and sialic acids. Similar results were obtained in cells where glycans were enzymatically removed. In contrast, enzymatic removal of proteins from the cell surface completely ablated TAT PTD-mediated transduction. Our findings support the hypothesis that acidic glycans form a pool of charge that TAT PTD binds on the cell surface, but this binding is independent of the PTD-mediated transduction mechanism and the induction of macropinocytotic uptake by TAT PTD.     

Effects of cargo molecules on the cellular uptake of arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides

The identification of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) as vectors for the intracellular delivery of conjugated molecules such as peptides, proteins, and oligonucleotides has emerged as a significant tool to modulate biological activities inside cells. The mechanism of CPP uptake by the cells is still unclear, and appears to be both endocytotic and non-endocytotic, depending on the CPP and cell type. Moreover, it is also unknown whether cargo sequences have an effect on the uptake and cellular distribution properties of CPP sequences. Here, we combine results from quantitative fluorescence microscopy and binding to lipid membrane models to determine the effect of cargo peptide molecules on the cellular uptake and distribution of the arginine-rich CPPs, R₇, and R₇W, in live cells. Image analysis algorithms that quantify fluorescence were used to measure the relative amount of peptide taken up by the cell, as well as the extent to which the uptake was endocytotic in nature. The results presented here indicate that fusion of arginine-rich CPPs to peptide sequences reduces the efficiency of uptake, and dramatically changes the cellular distribution of the CPP from a diffuse pattern to one in which the peptides are mostly retained in endosomal compartments.     

Decoding the entry of two novel cell-penetrating peptides in HeLa cells: lipid raft-mediated endocytosis and endosomal escape

Cellular entry of peptide, protein, and nucleic acid biopharmaceuticals is severely impeded by the cell membrane. Linkage or assembly of such agents and cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) with the ability to cross cellular membranes has opened a new horizon in biomedical research. Nevertheless, the uptake mechanisms of most CPP have been controversially discussed and are poorly understood. We present data on two recently developed oligocationic CPP, the sweet arrow peptide SAP, a gamma-zein-related sequence, and a branched human calcitonin derived peptide, hCT(9-32)-br, carrying a simian virus derived nuclear localization sequence in the side chain. Uptake in HeLa cells and intracellular trafficking of N-terminally carboxyfluorescein labeled peptides was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry using biochemical markers in combination with quenching and colocalization approaches. Both peptides were readily internalized by HeLa cells through interaction with the extracellular matrix followed by lipid raft-mediated endocytosis as confirmed by reduced uptake at lower temperature, in the presence of endocytosis inhibitors and through cholesterol depletion by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, supported by colocalization with markers for clathrin-independent pathways. In contrast to the oligocationic SAP and hCT(9-32)-br, interaction with the extracellular matrix, however, was no prerequisite for the observed lipid raft-mediated uptake of the weakly cationic, unbranched hCT(9-32). Transient involvement of endosomes in intracellular trafficking of SAP and hCT(9-32)-br prior to endosomal escape of both peptides was revealed by colocalization and pulse-chase studies of the peptides with the early endosome antigen 1. The results bear potential for CPP as tools for intracellular drug delivery.     

Extracellular glycosaminoglycans modify cellular trafficking of lipoplexes and polyplexes

It has been shown that extracellular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) limit the gene transfer by cationic lipids and polymers. The purpose of this study was to clarify how interactions with anionic GAGs (hyaluronic acid and heparan sulfate) modify the cellular uptake and distribution of lipoplexes and polyplexes. Experiments on cellular DNA uptake and GFP reporter gene expression showed that decreased gene expression can rarely be explained by lower cellular uptake. In most cases, the cellular uptake is not changed by GAG binding to the lipoplexes or polyplexes. Reporter gene expression is decreased or blocked by heparan sulfate, but it is increased by hyaluronic acid; this suggests that intracellular factors are involved. Confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated that extracellular heparan sulfate and hyaluronic acid are taken into cells both with free and DNA-associated carriers. We conclude that extracellular GAGs may alter both the cellular uptake and the intracellular behavior of the DNA complexes.     

Thiol/disulfide exchange is required for membrane fusion directed by the Newcastle disease virus fusion protein

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), an avian paramyxovirus, initiates infection with attachment of the viral hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein to sialic acid-containing receptors, followed by fusion of viral and cell membranes, which is mediated by the fusion (F) protein. Like all class 1 viral fusion proteins, the paramyxovirus F protein is thought to undergo dramatic conformational changes upon activation. How the F protein accomplishes extensive conformational rearrangements is unclear. Since several viral fusion proteins undergo disulfide bond rearrangement during entry, we asked if similar rearrangements occur in NDV proteins during entry. We found that inhibitors of cell surface thiol/disulfide isomerase activity--5'5-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), bacitracin, and anti-protein disulfide isomerase antibody--inhibited cell-cell fusion and virus entry but had no effect on cell viability, glycoprotein surface expression, or HN protein attachment or neuraminidase activities. These inhibitors altered the conformation of surface-expressed F protein, as detected by conformation-sensitive antibodies. Using biotin maleimide (MPB), a reagent that binds to free thiols, free thiols were detected on surface-expressed F protein, but not HN protein. The inhibitors DTNB and bacitracin blocked the detection of these free thiols. Furthermore, MPB binding inhibited cell-cell fusion. Taken together, our results suggest that one or several disulfide bonds in cell surface F protein are reduced by the protein disulfide isomerase family of isomerases and that F protein exists as a mixture of oxidized and reduced forms. In the presence of HN protein, only the reduced form may proceed to refold into additional intermediates, leading to the fusion of membranes.     

Purification of correctly oxidized MHC class I heavy-chain molecules under denaturing conditions: a novel strategy exploiting disulfide assisted protein folding

The aim of this study has been to develop a strategy for purifying correctly oxidized denatured major histocompability complex class I (MHC-I) heavy-chain molecules, which on dilution, fold efficiently and become functional. Expression of heavy-chain molecules in bacteria results in the formation of insoluble cellular inclusion bodies, which must be solubilized under denaturing conditions. Their subsequent purification and refolding is complicated by the fact that (1). correct folding can only take place in combined presence of beta(2)-microglobulin and a binding peptide; and (2). optimal in vitro conditions for disulfide bond formation ( approximately pH 8) and peptide binding ( approximately pH 6.6) are far from complementary. Here we present a two-step strategy, which relies on uncoupling the events of disulfide bond formation and peptide binding. In the first phase, heavy-chain molecules with correct disulfide bonding are formed under non-reducing denaturing conditions and separated from scrambled disulfide bond forms by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. In the second step, rapid refolding of the oxidized heavy chains is afforded by disulfide bond-assisted folding in the presence of beta(2)-microglobulin and a specific peptide. Under conditions optimized for peptide binding, refolding and simultaneous peptide binding of the correctly oxidized heavy chain was much more efficient than that of the fully reduced molecule.     

Effects of cargo molecules on the cellular uptake of arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides

The identification of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) as vectors for the intracellular delivery of conjugated molecules such as peptides, proteins, and oligonucleotides has emerged as a significant tool to modulate biological activities inside cells. The mechanism of CPP uptake by the cells is still unclear, and appears to be both endocytotic and non-endocytotic, depending on the CPP and cell type. Moreover, it is also unknown whether cargo sequences have an effect on the uptake and cellular distribution properties of CPP sequences. Here, we combine results from quantitative fluorescence microscopy and binding to lipid membrane models to determine the effect of cargo peptide molecules on the cellular uptake and distribution of the arginine-rich CPPs, R7, and R7W, in live cells. Image analysis algorithms that quantify fluorescence were used to measure the relative amount of peptide taken up by the cell, as well as the extent to which the uptake was endocytotic in nature. The results presented here indicate that fusion of arginine-rich CPPs to peptide sequences reduces the efficiency of uptake, and dramatically changes the cellular distribution of the CPP from a diffuse pattern to one in which the peptides are mostly retained in endosomal compartments.     

Domain structure of the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan

We have used proteolytic digestions and immunological reactivity to map regional domains of the 400-kilodalton (kDa) core protein of the heparan sulfate containing basement membrane proteoglycan from the Englebreth-Holm-Swarm tumor. Digestion with V8 protease caused the rapid release of numerous large peptides ranging in size from 80 to 200 kDa and a 44-kDa peptide. The 44-kDa peptide (P44) was stable to further digestion, but the larger peptides were eventually degraded to a 46-kDa peptide (P46). Both the P44 and P46 fragments migrate slower in the presence of a reducing agent, indicating intrachain disulfide bonding, and do not have heparan sulfate side chains. Antisera to the P46 fragment, however, did not react with P44 fragment, and the amino acid compositions of P46 and P44 fragments were different. This suggests that these two fragments were unrelated. Trypsin digestion of the proteoglycan immediately released a 200-kDa peptide (P200) that also lacked heparan sulfate side chains. Digestion of the P200 fragment with V8 protease produced the P44 and P46 fragments in the same temporal sequence seen with V8 protease digestion of the proteoglycan. Antisera to the P200 fragment reacted strongly with the P44 and P46 fragments. These results show that the P44 and P46 domains are contained within the P200 domain. The rapid release of the P44 domain indicates that it is located at one end of the core protein. The large size of these proteolytic fragments suggests the core protein contains considerable conformational structure, and the absence of heparan sulfate on the P200 domain indicates that the side chains are asymmetrically located on the core.     

Efficient infection of cells in culture by type O foot-and-mouth disease virus requires binding to cell surface heparan sulfate.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) enters cells by attaching to cellular receptor molecules of the integrin family, one of which has been identified as the RGD-binding integrin alpha(v)beta3. Here we report that, in addition to an integrin binding site, type O strains of FMDV share with natural ligands of alpha(v)beta3 (i.e., vitronectin and fibronectin) a specific affinity for heparin and that binding to the cellular form of this sulfated glycan, heparan sulfate, is required for efficient infection of cells in culture. Binding of the virus to paraformaldehyde-fixed cells was powerfully inhibited by agents such as heparin, that compete with heparan sulfate or by agents that compete for heparan sulfate (platelet factor 4) or that inactivate it (heparinase). Neither chondroitin sulfate, a structurally related component of the extracellular matrix, nor dextran sulfate appreciably inhibited binding. The functional importance of heparan sulfate binding was demonstrated by the facts that (i) infection of live cells by FMDV could also be blocked specifically by heparin, albeit at a much higher concentration of inhibitor; (ii) pretreatment of cells with heparinase reduced the number of plaques formed compared with that for untreated cells; and (iii) mutant cell lines deficient in heparan sulfate expression were unable to support plaque formation by FMDV, even though they remained equally susceptible to another picornavirus, bovine enterovirus. The results show that entry of type O FMDV into cells is a complex process and suggest that the initial contact with the cell surface is made through heparan sulfate.     

Effects of Sulfate Ions on Alzheimer β/A4 Peptide Assemblies: Implications for Amyloid Fibril-Proteoglycan Interactions

To model the possible involvement of sulfated proteoglycans in amyloidogenesis, we examined the influence of sulfate ions, heparan, and Congo red on the conformation and morphology of peptides derived from the Alzheimer beta/A4 amyloid protein. The peptides included residues 11-28, 13-28, 15-28, and 11-25 of beta/A4. Negative-stain electron microscopy revealed a sulfate-specific tendency of the preformed peptide fibrillar assemblies of beta(11-28), beta(13-28), and beta(11-25), but not beta(15-28), to undergo extensive lateral aggregation and axial growth into "macrofibers" that were approximately 0.1-0.2 micron wide by approximately 20-30 microns long. Such effects were observed at low sulfate concentrations (e.g., 5-50 mM) and could not be reproduced under comparable conditions with Na2HPO4, Na2SeO4, or NaCl. Macrofibers in NaCl were only observed at 1,000 mM. At physiological ionic strength of NaCl, fibril aggregation was observed only with addition of sulfate ions at 5-50 mM. Selenate ions, by contrast with sulfate ions, induced only axial and not substantial lateral aggregation of fibrils. X-ray diffraction indicated that the original cross-beta peptide conformation remained unchanged; however, sulfate binding did produce an intense approximately 65 A meridional reflection not recorded with control peptides. This new reflection probably arises from the periodic deposition of the electron-dense sulfate along the (long) axis of the fibril. The sulfate binding could provide sites for the binding of additional fibrils that generate the observed lateral and axial aggregation. The binding of heparan to beta(11-28) also produced extensive aggregation, suggesting that in vivo sulfated compounds can promote macrofibers. The amyloid-specific, sulfonated dye Congo red, even in the presence of sulfate ions, produced limited aggregation and reduced axial growth of the fibrils. Therefore, electrostatic interactions are important in the binding of exogenous compounds to amyloid fibrils. Our findings suggest that the sulfate moieties of certain molecules, such as glycosaminoglycans, may affect the aggregation and deposition of amyloid fibrils that are observed as extensive deposits in senile plaques and cerebrovascular amyloid.     

NMR structure of oxidized glutaredoxin 3 from Escherichia coli

A high precision NMR structure of oxidized glutaredoxin 3 [C65Y] from Escherichia coli has been determined. The conformation of the active site including the disulphide bridge is highly similar to those in glutaredoxins from pig liver and T4 phage. A comparison with the previously determined structure of glutaredoxin 3 [C14S, C65Y] in a complex with glutathione reveals conformational changes between the free and substrate-bound form which includes the sidechain of the conserved, active site tyrosine residue. In the oxidized form this tyrosine is solvent exposed, while it adopts a less exposed conformation, stabilized by hydrogen bonds, in the mixed disulfide with glutathione. The structures further suggest that the formation of a covalent linkage between glutathione and glutaredoxin 3 is necessary in order to induce these structural changes upon binding of the glutathione peptide. This could explain the observed low affinity of glutaredoxins for S-blocked glutathione analogues, in spite of the fact that glutaredoxins are highly specific reductants of glutathione mixed disulfides.     

Different mechanisms for cellular internalization of the HIV-1 Tat-derived cell penetrating peptide and recombinant proteins fused to Tat.

Translocation through the plasma membrane is a major limiting step for the cellular delivery of macromolecules. A promising strategy to overcome this problem consists in the chemical conjugation (or fusion) to cell penetrating peptides (CPP) derived from proteins able to cross the plasma membrane. A large number of different cargo molecules such as oligonucleotides, peptides, peptide nucleic acids, proteins or even nanoparticles have been internalized in cells by this strategy. One of these translocating peptides was derived from the HIV-1 Tat protein. The mechanisms by which CPP enter cells remain unknown. Recently, convincing biochemical and genetic findings has established that the full-length Tat protein was internalized in cells via the ubiquitous heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans. We demonstrate here that the short Tat CPP is taken up by a route that does not involve the HS proteoglycans.     

Determination of disulfide array and subunit structure of taste-modifying protein, miraculin

The taste-modifying protein, miraculin (Theerasilp, S. et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 6655-6659) has seven cysteine residues in a molecule composed of 191 amino acid residues. The formation of three intrachain disulfide bridges at Cys-47-Cys-92, Cys-148-Cys-159 and Cys-152-Cys-155 and one interchain disulfide bridge at Cys-138 was determined by amino acid sequencing and composition analysis of cystine-containing peptides isolated by HPLC. The presence of an interchain disulfide bridge was also supported by the fact that the cystine peptide containing Cys-138 showed a negative color test for the free sulfhydryl group and a positive test after reduction with dithiothreitol. The molecular mass of non-reduced miraculin (43 kDa) in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was nearly twice the calculated molecular mass based on the amino acid sequence and the carbohydrate content of reduced miraculin (25 kDa). The molecular mass of native miraculin determined by low-angle laser light scattering was 90 kDa. Application of a crude extract of miraculin to a Sephadex G-75 column indicated that the taste-modifying activity appears at 52 kDa. It was concluded that native miraculin in pure form is a tetramer of the 25 kDa-peptide and native miraculin in crude state or denatured, non-reduced miraculin in pure form is a dimer of the peptide. Both tetramer miraculin and native dimer miraculin in crude state had the taste-modifying activity.     

A pH-sensitive heparin-binding sequence from Baculovirus gp64 protein is important for binding to mammalian cells but not to Sf9 insect cells

Binding to heparan sulfate is essential for baculovirus transduction of mammalian cells. Our previous study shows that gp64, the major glycoprotein on the virus surface, binds to heparin in a pH-dependent way, with a stronger binding at pH 6.2 than at 7.4. Using fluorescently labeled peptides, we mapped the pH-dependent heparin-binding sequence of gp64 to a 22-amino-acid region between residues 271 and 292. Binding of this region to the cell surface was also pH dependent, and peptides containing this sequence could efficiently inhibit baculovirus transduction of mammalian cells at pH 6.2. When the heparin-binding peptide was immobilized onto the bead surface to mimic the high local concentration of gp64 on the virus surface, the peptide-coated magnetic beads could efficiently pull down cells expressing heparan sulfate but not cells pretreated with heparinase or cells not expressing heparan sulfate. Interestingly, although this heparin-binding function is essential for baculovirus transduction of mammalian cells, it is dispensable for infection of Sf9 insect cells. Virus infectivity on Sf9 cells was not reduced by the presence of heparin or the identified heparin-binding peptide, even though the peptide could bind to Sf9 cell surface and be efficiently internalized. Thus, our data suggest that, depending on the availability of the target molecules on the cell surface, baculoviruses can use two different methods, electrostatic interaction with heparan sulfate and more specific receptor binding, for cell attachment.