Involvement of Cell Surface Carbohydrates in the Sexual Cell Fusion of Dictyostelium discoideum

In order to analyze the molecular mechanism of sexual cell fusion between cells of HM1 and NC4 (opposite mating type strains in Dictyostelium discoideum ), monoclonal antibodies were raised against partially-purified gp 70, a fusion-related protein of HM1 cells. The antibodies were screened for activity to inhibit cell fusion and 9 hybridoma clones were obtained. One of the fusion-blocking monoclonal antibodies, mAb1G7, was used for further analysis. It recognized nearly ten bands in an immunoblot of fusion competent HM1 cells, but no bands when HM1 membrane proteins had been deglycosylated. These results suggest the importance of carbohydrates in the cell fusion process. To confirm this possibility, effects of sugars or lectins on cell fusion were examined. Although inhibition by the sugars was incomplete, Con A, WGA, LCA, strongly inhibited cell fusion. Furthermore, tunicamycin inhibited the acquisition of fusion competence in HM1 cells, indicating the importance of N-linked glycosylation of proteins in cell fusion. All above results suggest that N-linked carbohydrates on HM1 cell surface are involved in the sexual cell fusion of D. discoideum .     

Coh A,a mutation affecting the post aggregative related (par) cohesive system of Dictyostelium discoideum

Three stage-specific cohesive systems operate in D. discoideum: VEG, elaborated by vegetative cells: AR, by aggregation competent cells; and PAR, by post aggregation stage cells. Previous study of a mutant strain JC-5 had shown the stability of its PAR system (but not the AR) to be temperature sensitive. However, the phenotypic expression of this mutation termed Coh A is complicated by the presence in that strain of a preexisting mutant gene Rde A, which accelerates developmental events generally and alters the pattern of morphogenesis. Genetic evidence presented here indicates that the two mutations have been separated by parasexual recombination yielding a Coh A, Rde A⁺ segregant class of which strain JC-36 is a prototype. At the permissive temperature, JC-36 follows a morphogenetic sequence like that of the wild type in respect to timing, morphogenetic pattern, and spore appearance. At the restrictive temperature, it forms normal aggregates at the usual time but exhibits two morphogenetic aberrancies during post aggregative development. First, fruit construction is arrested at a stage approximating the 16 hr “Bottle” stage of the wild type, though more squat and blunt tipped, and then the aggregate regresses. Cytodifferentiation into spores and stalk cells is also blocked. Second, a shift of slugs migrating normally at the permissive temperature to the restrictive causes the latter to disintegrate progressively as they leave clumps of cells behind them within the flattened sheath. JC-36 cells developing at the restrictive temperature also exhibited a decrease in EDTA resistant cohesivity attributable on two grounds to the sensitivity of the PAR system. In addition, the disappearance of the AR system completed in the wild type by the Mexicanhat (18–19 hr) stage is indefinitely arrested at an intermediate level in JC-36.     

Construction of IAA-Deficient Mutants of Pseudomonas moraviensis and Their Comparative Effects with Wild Type Strains as Bio-inoculant on Wheat in Saline Sodic Soil

Tryptophan role in microbial biosynthesis of Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) is very distinct. In present study IAA producing bacteria Pseudomonas moraviensis was applied on wheat for improving growth and physiology; in the presence or absence of L-tryptophan in saline sodic field. Aqueous solution of tryptophan was added to the rhizosphere soil at 10?mg L^?1 with irrigated water. The survival efficiency of P. moraviensis measured in the presence of NaCl and mixture of salts. P. moraviensis increased P, NO₃–N and K contents in soil by 18–35% and further 12–15% increase was recorded in the presence of tryptophan. There were 40–80% increases in indole acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) contents of rhizosphere soil, and 40–45% increase in leaves when tryptophan was added with P. moraviensis. In the second phase, IAA deficient mutants of P. moraviensis were constructed and tested for the conversion of tryptophan to IAA. In transposon mutagenesis, 1800 trans-conjugants were generated and tested for tryptophan conversion. Among these, 11 mutants were selected and inoculated into wheat to compare their growth responses to the wild type. P. moraviensis wild type served as PGPR under salinity, but IAA- deficient mutants of P. moraviensis were unable to produce IAA and halted plant growth.     

Isolation and characterization of cAMP unresponsive (frigid) aggregation-deficient mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum

To find mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum that are unable to respond to exogenous cAMP signals (frigid mutants), amoebae of 218 independent aggregation-deficient mutants were treated in suspension with artificial pulses of cAMP and screened for the capacity to form EDTA-resistant cohesion sites. Eleven frigid mutants were identified and further characterized. Using parasexual genetic techniques, these strains were assigned to five complementation groups (fgdA-E) and the fgd loci were mapped in three linkage groups: fgdA and D in group II, fgdC in group III, and fgdB and E in group VII. Biochemical and physiological experiments with these strains indicated that fgd mutants are of two general types. When starved, strains in groups fgdB, D, and E failed to produce detectable levels of membrane-associated cAMP phosphodiesterase, surface cAMP receptors, or extracellular phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and the cells continued to respond chemotactically to folate. Thus, these strains are probably arrested in the vegetative phase or very early in development. In contrast, strains in groups fgdA and C produced low levels of cAMP receptors and secreted phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Moreover, after starvation, some of these mutants elicited a weak chemotactic response to cAMP. Therefore, unlike the former group of mutants, these strains appear to initiate development when starved, but the process is blocked at an early stage.     

Cell adhesion during the migratory slug stage of Dictyostelium discoideum

Prespore-specific Antigen (PsA) is selectively expressed on the surface of prespore cells at the multicellular migratory slug stage of Dictyostelium discoideum development. It is a developmentally regulated glycoprotein that is anchored to the cell membrane through a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. We present the results of an in vitro immunological investigation of the hypothesis that PsA functions as a cell adhesion molecule (CAM), and of a ligand-binding assay indicating that PsA has cell membrane binding partner(s). This is the first evidence to implicate a direct role for a putative CAM in cell-cell adhesion during the multicellular migratory slug stage of D. discoideum development. Cell-cell adhesion assays were carried out in the presence or absence of the monoclonal antibody (mAb) MUD1 that has a single antigenic determinant: a peptide epitope on PsA. These assays showed specific inhibition of cell-cell adhesion by MUD1. Further, it was found that a purified recombinant form of PsA (rPsA), can neutralize the inhibitory effect of MUD1; the inhibitory effect on cell-cell adhesion is primarily due to the blocking of PsA by the mAb. The resistance of aggregates to dissociation in the presence of 10 mM EDTA (ethylenediamintetraacetic acid) indicates that PsA mediates EDTA-stable cell-cell contacts, and that PsA-mediated cell adhesion is likely to be independent of divalent cations such as Ca(2+) or Mg(2+).     

Changes in the Cell Surface Level of GP126 during Development of Dictyostelium discoideum

The developmental regulation of the vegetative cohesion molecule, gp 126, has been monitored in the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum. As judged by immunoprecipitation using an anti-vegetative cell, cohesion blocking antibody, gp126 persisted until at least the grex stage of development although a decline in the level of the molecule was observed thereafter. Further, after the grex stage, cells showed an increasing loss of ability to absorb the cohesion-blocking effect of an anti-vegetative cell Fab. Therefore, the decline of gp 126 could be ascribed to a loss from the cell surface. By radio-iodination of vegetative cells followed by liquid-scintillation counting of gp 126, developmental-regulation could be determined quantitatively.
At the grex stage of development, whole aggregates were embedded in wax. Longitudinal sections were then stained with a monospecific anti-gp 126 Fab, followed by a fluorescent sheep anti-rabbit IgG. Fluorescence was observed only at the tip (the prestalk) region, thereby showing that gp 126 is a prestalk marker.
To confirm the above result, grexes were dissociated and cells were separated into prespore and prestalk populations on a gradient of Percoll. Prestalk but not prespore cells were able to absorb the cohesion-blocking effect of an anti-vegetative cell Fab.
To examine the biosynthesis of gp 126, cells were pulsed with radioactive glucosamine, mannose or acetate. The pattern of incorporation of radioactivity suggested that the de novo synthesis of gp 126 ceases upon commencement of development.     

Binding of Lectins to the Cell Surface of Trypanosoma cruzi*

SYNOPSIS. Differences in the composition and distribution of cell membrane carbohydrates were demonstrated in the 3 life cycle forms of 3 Trypanosoma cruzi strains by using lectins with different specificities. The results suggest that lectin binding may be useful in characterization of the parasite strains.     

野生型和突变型荞麦蛋白酶抑制剂的活性比较及抗肿瘤功能分析

运用定点突变技术研究重组荞麦胰蛋白酶抑制剂(rBTI)的作用位点,先后构建了R45A-aBTI 和R45F-fBTI 两个突变体．抑制活性测定显示,aBTI 和fBTI 均丧失了胰蛋白酶抑制活性,却分别增加了对弹性蛋白酶和胰凝乳蛋白酶的抑制活性,确定Arg⁴⁵为野生型rBTI 的作用位点．稳定性分析表明,rBTI、aBTI 和fBTI 均具有很高的热稳定性及酸碱稳定性．采用MTT 比色法分别检测野生型和突变型抑制剂对肿瘤细胞生长的抑制作用．结果表明,突变前后的3种抑制剂对HL-60 和EC9706 细胞的生长均显示出很强的抑制作用,并且具有明显的浓度依赖性和时间依赖性．通过研究不仅确定了rBTI 的作用位点,而且获得了两种新型蛋白酶抑制剂,且作用位点的改变并不影响其对肿瘤细胞的生长抑制作用．为进一步研究胰蛋白酶抑制剂的结构与功能的关系以及抗肿瘤药物的研制提供了新的思路．     

The crystal and molecular structures of cellulose I and II

The paper describes molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the crystal structures of the Iβ and II phases of cellulose. Structural proposals for each of these were made in the 1970s on the basis of X-ray diffraction data. However, due to the limited resolution of these data some controversies remained and details on hydrogen bonding could not be directly obtained. In contrast to structure factor amplitudes in X-ray diffraction, energies, as obtained from MD simulations, are very sensitive to the positions of the hydroxyl hydrogen atoms. Therefore the latter technique is very suitable for obtaining such structural details. MD simulations of the Iβ phase clearly shows preference for one of the two possible models in which the chains are packed in a parallel orientation. Only the parallel-down mode (in the definition of Gardner and Blackwell (1974) J Biopolym 13: 1975-2001) presents a stable structure. The hydrogen bonding consists of two intramolecular hydrogen bonds parallel to the glycosidic linkage for both chains, and two intralayer hydrogen bonds. The layers are packed hydrophobically. All hydroxymethyl group are positioned in the tg conformation. For the cellulose II form it was found that, in contrast to what seemed to emerge from the X-ray fibre diffraction data, both independent chains had the gt conformation. This idea already existed because of elastic moduli calculations and 13C-solid state NMR data. Recently, the structure of cellotetraose was determined. There appear to be a striking similarity between the structure obtained from the MD simulations and this cellotetraose structure in terms of packing of the two independent molecules, the hydrogen bonding network and the conformations of the hydroxymethyl group, which were also gt for both molecules. The structure forms a 3D hydrogen bonded network, and the contribution from electrostatics to the packing is more pronounced than in case of the Iβ structure. In contrast to what is expected, in view of the irreversible transition of the cellulose I to II form, the energies of the Iβ form is found to be lower than that of II by 1 kcal mol-1 per cellobiose. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cell Fusion and Its Application to Genetic Analysis of Development in Dictyostelium discoideum

Dictyostelium cells were fused by a modification of the polyethylene glycol method of Kuhn and Parish. In the modified method Tricine buffer and Concanavalin A were used in place of Ca⁺⁺. The efficiency of genetic complementation through cell fusion was about 10 times higer by the modified method than by the original method with glycine buffer and Ca⁺⁺. Complementation between developmental mutants without any selectable growth character was clearly detected by the modified system, at efficiencies of about 1 in 10–20 surviving cells.     

A New Collection of Thermosensitive Endocytosis Mutants in the Cellular Slime Mold Dictyostelium discoideum

ABSTRACT. We used a photoactivatable fluid-phase marker to isolate a new collection of thermosensitive endocytosis mutants in the cellular slime mold Dicfyostelium discoideum. All the strains were thermosensitive for growth on bacteria or axenic medium at 27° C. Initial rates of endocytosis rapidly decreased upon incubation at the restrictive temperature, but surprisingly most of the strains showed a transient recovery of activity with prolonged exposure to 27° C. Endocytosis and exocytosis activities were uncoupled for some of the cell lines at 27° C whereas the others had to be shifted to 29° C. Further molecular analysis of these mutants could lead to the discovery of new proteins involved in endocytosis and its regulation.     

The role of membrane lectins in Dictyostelium discoideum aggregation as ascertained by specific univalent antibodies against discoidin I

Antibodies against pure discoidin I have been used as a tool to ascertain the role of this lectin in aggregation of Dictyostelium discoideum. Discoidin I is widely expressed over the cell surface of aggregation-competent AX-2 cells, as ascertained by indirect immunofluorescence with specific (antidiscoidin I) antibodies. Univalent antidiscoidin I antibodies (Fab fragments) inhibit the aggregation-specific intercellular adhesion of D discoideum AX-2 cells in an in vitro assay. This inhibition depends on antibody concentration and cell density; a 50% inhibition of cell aggregation was obtained at antidiscoidin I Fab concentration of 4.5 mg/ml and 1 X 10(6) cells/ml. Aggregation and morphogenesis on solid support is also effectively inhibited when AX-2 cells are starved in the presence of antidiscoidin I Fab fragments. The inhibition of morphogenesis is also dose dependent and more effective than in the in vitro assay. No inhibition of aggregation either in the in vitro assay or on morphogenesis on solid support was observed with preimmune Fab fragments at any of the concentrations tested (up to 9.6 mg/ml).     

Inhibition by CIPC of mitosis and development in Dictyostelium discoideum and the isolation of CIPC-resistant mutants

The anti-mitotic herbicide isopropyl N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate (CIPC) prevents the growth of amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum without killing the cells for a period of time equivalent to one generation. During in-hibition, amoebae accumulate in prophase and metaphase of mitosis. After removal of CIPC, they continue through mitosis and then divide. The addition of CIPC to amoebae under starvation conditions prevents aggregation and concomitant cell elongation. The cells, however, do not lose their ability to adhere to a surface, and they remain viable. When CIPC is added to amoebae which have formed streams, it leads to the disintegration of streams into small clusters of cells and to a loss of cell elongation. Post-aggregation stages of development can be inhibited by CIPC at the mound, slug, or Mexican hat stages. Slugs break apart into distinct aggregates. Mutants resistant to CIPC can be obtained easily. Among these mutants, many become temperature sensititive for growth (27°C) or development (27°C or 15.5°C). Others show various abnormalities at the normal temperature (22°C). Most mutants are cross resistant to the microtubule inhibitors nocodazole and thiabendazole, and some are also resistant to CIPC during development.     

Comparison of Coding Capabilities of Type I and Type II Neurons

We consider the dependence of information transfer by neurons on the Type I vs. Type II classification of their dynamics. Our computational study is based on Type I and II implementations of the Morris-Lecar model. It mainly concerns neurons, such as those in the auditory or electrosensory system, which encode band-limited amplitude modulations of a periodic carrier signal, and which fire at random cycles yet preferred phases of this carrier. We first show that the Morris-Lecar model with additive broadband noise ("synaptic noise") can exhibit such firing patterns with either Type I or II dynamics, with or without amplitude modulations of the carrier. We then compare the encoding of band-limited random amplitude modulations for both dynamical types. The comparison relies on a parameter calibration that closely matches firing rates for both models across a range of parameters. In the absence of synaptic noise, Type I performs slightly better than Type II, and its performance is optimal for perithreshold signals. However, Type II performs well over a slightly larger range of inputs, and this range lies mostly in the subthreshold region. Further, Type II performs marginally better than Type I when synaptic noise, which yields more realistic baseline firing patterns, is present in both models. These results are discussed in terms of the tuning and phase locking properties of the models with deterministic and stochastic inputs.     

Distribution of excitation energy among photosystem I and photosystem II in red algae. I. Action spectra of light reactions I and II

Action spectra of light reaction I and light reaction II from red algae (marine members of Florideae and Bangiales) were measured with 550 nm (light 2) or 699 nm (light 1) background light, using a Teflon-covered platinum electrode for O₂ measurement. Care was taken to ensure that maximum enhancement was reached by the background light.The action spectra of light reaction I, we found under these conditions, are very similar to the thallus absorption, whilst the action spectra of light reaction II show, besides strong bands of the phycobilins, only minor bands of chlorophyll a, which account for only 10–20% of the total chlorophyll.The spectra are discussed on the basis of two main types of models of energy distribution over both photosynthetic systems. If this distribution is considered to be invariable (models 1a and b), one has to assume that almost exactly half of the total chlorophyll is not involved in the supply of the non-cyclic electron transport with excitation energy. This part, however, has to be thought of as incorporated in the thylakoid membrane in a similar manner to the chlorophyll in photosystem I. However, if one supposes an almost complete equilibration in the energy distribution over both systems as long as the primary absorption in photosystem II prevails (models 2a and b), there is no need for the assumption of such photosynthetically ‘inactive’ or less active chlorophyll. Some evidence is shown that strongly supports model 2.     

Serum Factors Inhibit Melanoma Cell Surface Expression of Type I and Type II IGF Receptors

Abstract

We have identified one class of IGF-I-binding sites and two classes of IGF-II-binding sites at the surface of the melanoma cell line IGR39. By means of affinity labeling with ¹²⁵I-IGF-I, a 290–300 kDa form was characterized. Using ¹²⁵I-IGF-II, a 270 kDa polypeptide was labeled, corresponding to the type II IGF receptor. In the two serials of experiments, the order of potency in inhibiting 125I-IGF-I or ¹²⁵I-IGF-II labeling of IGF-related peptides and αIR3, an antibody directed against type I receptor α subunit, was the same as in competition experiments. When IGR39 cells were cultured in a serum-free medium, the number of both high affinity IGF-II and IGF-I binding sites was increased, by 8-and 5-fold respectively, without any significant change in K_d values. In both culture conditions, we found IGFBP-2, -3, -4 and a 30 kDa form which Mr was consistent with IGFBP-5 or -6. Except for IGFBP-2, the amount of secreted IGFBPs was modified depending on culture conditions: in conditioned medium from cells cultured with 10% FCS, the amount of IGFBP-3 or -4 was higher, and the amount of the 30 kDa IGFBP was lower when compared to conditioned medium from cells cultured in serum-free medium.     

Sequence and expression of the discoidin I gene family in Dictyostelium discoideum

We have isolated recombinant phage and plasmids containing the four developmentally regulated discoidin I genes of Dictyostelium discoideum. Two of the genes are linked within 0.5 × 10³ bases with the same polarity. S¹ nuclease mapping shows that at least three members of the gene family are expressed and that the 5′ ends of the mRNAs start at equivalent sites. The genes have homologous 5′ untranslated regions and extremely divergent 3′ untranslated regions. In addition, some of the genes are flanked by homologous repeat sequences. The genes encode three different isoelectric forms of the protein. Examination of nucleotide sequences in the protein coding region shows that most nucleotide changes in the 5′ half of the gene result in amino acid substitutions while most base substitutions in the 3′ half are neutral.     

Mutations Affecting the Trichocysts in Paramecium aurelia. I. Morphology and Description of the Mutants*

Six types of genic mutants have been isolated. Their phenotypes range from animals with no trichocysts (trichless), to animals with morphologically abnormal trichocysts (football, stubby, pointless, screwy-cigar), to animals which are incapable of extruding otherwise normal looking trichocysts (nondischarge). The football mutant possesses football-shaped trichocysts, which, unlike wild-type trichocysts, do not attach at the cortex. The stubby mutant possesses shorter trichocysts which have a very highly variable morphology. The screwy-cigar animals have thinner and usually longer trichocysts than those found in wild-type cells. The trichocysts of the pointless mutant have all the components of the wild-type organelles but not in their proper relationship. Electron microscopic studies of the mutants have demonstrated that although the morphology of the various mutant trichocysts may differ, their ultrastructure and early developmental stages are comparable to those of trichocysts found in wild type. The mutations are usually pleiotropic, affecting other systems besides trichocysts. The existence of these mutants, particularly trichless, poses some interesting questions regarding the function of trichocysts, and also gives insight into the development of trichocysts.