一种可识别神经元特异微管蛋白的抗体

通过人工合成大鼠巢蛋白Ｃ－末端的一段２０肽,制备得到了抗巢蛋白的抗体－Ａｎｔｉ－Ｎｅｓ－２。我们发现该抗体除了能识别小鼠２４０ｋＤ的巢蛋白条带外,还特异性识别另一分子量约为５０ｋＤ的蛋白条带,蛋白印迹反应提示,该５０ｋＤ蛋白可能与神经细胞的增殖和分化相关。经分离纯化和Ｎ－端氨基酸序隐测定证实：该５０ｋＤ蛋白为微管蛋白。     

微管与微管蛋白概述及其研究进展

本文综合了近年来有关微管、微管蛋白的研究进展,介绍了 MT 与微管蛋白的形态构造和生化特征;着重讨论了体内和离体条件下MT 的聚合过程,以及影响聚合的各种因素,如 MAP 和 Tau 蛋白等。最后简单地归纳了一下 MT 与其他细胞器的关系,以及 MT 的功能。MT 是如何由微管蛋白聚合成的,是目前MT 研究的关键。     

γ-微管蛋白研究进展

概述了近年来对γ-微管蛋白复合体结构、分子机制以及功能的研究进展.γ-微管蛋白是真核生物体内一种重要的保守性功能蛋白,以γ-微管蛋白小复合体和γ-微管蛋白环式复合体两种形式存在.通过γ-微管蛋白复合体结合蛋白定位于微管组织中心,参与微管的晶核起始以及有丝分裂纺锤体的组装等细胞功能.     

γ—微管蛋白的研究进展

γ-微管蛋白是微管蛋白超家族(superfam-ily)中新发现的第三个成员。目前已在各类真核生物体中发现这种蛋白质的存在,并相继克隆了这个蛋白的基因。细胞免疫化学定位研究发现这种蛋白质存在于微管组织中心(MTO-C)。γ-微管蛋白与微管的形成有关,并确定微管的极性。     

脊髓神经元中微管相关蛋白—5的分布及可塑性

用新生Wistar大鼠进行脊髓神经元培养,研究微管相关蛋白-5与其单克隆抗体结合后的分布情况,使用微管解聚药nocodazole处理神经元,应用免疫组织化学染色来观察微管相关蛋白-5的改变,另一组神经元使用nocodazole处理后再用PMA处理,观察微管相关蛋白-5及神经元的改变。结果表明,微管相关蛋白-5在胞浆及突起中均有分布,并随着培养天数的递增而递减。使用nocodazole后神经元中微管相关蛋白-5的分布及数量明显减少。PMA处理神经元后尽管使微管相关蛋白-5的正常结构被破坏,而神经元的伸展却不受影响。     

低温对沙土鼠脑缺血后微管运动蛋白和结构蛋白活性的影响

目的：研究低温对脑缺血后沙土鼠微管运动蛋白(Kinesin）微管结构蛋白（microtubule associated protein 2,MAP2）活性的影响,并探讨二者活性变化与延迟性神经元死亡（delayed neuronal death,DND）的关系。方法：Kinesin和MAP2的活性应用免疫组织化学染色结合计算机图象分析的方法测定,DND应用病理检查方法判断。结果：低温明显减少脑缺血后的DND。前脑缺血再灌注后MAP2和kinesin活性随再灌注时间延长而进行性下降,且kinesin活性下降程度大于MAP2。低温明显减少脑缺血后MAP2和kinesin活性的下降程度。Kinesin活性下降的严重程度与脑缺血后DND的严重程度相一致。结论：低温可明显减少脑缺血后的DND,其机制与其减少脑缺血后运动蛋白kine-sin活性的下降有关。     

蛋白磷酸酶2A对微管的调控作用研究进展

微管是细胞骨架的主要成分之一,几乎存在于所有真核生物细胞之中,参与细胞众多生理功能。PP2A是真核生物体内存在最广泛的蛋白磷酸酶之一,可以调控大部分细胞生命活动,其中,包括微管所介导的许多生命活动。该文从以下方面介绍了PP2A在微管功能行使中的重要作用,包括PP2A参与微管蛋白翻译后修饰、调控分子马达和微管相关蛋白的活性、维持细胞周期中微管的动态平衡以及PP2A异常与微管类疾病的相关性。     

靶向微管抗肿瘤药物研究进展

微管由微管蛋白组成,在细胞分裂、细胞内物质运输、信号传递、维持细胞形态等过程中起着重要作用.一些干扰微管功能的化合物可使细胞停滞在有丝分裂期而抑制细胞增殖.相对于正常细胞,肿瘤细胞有丝分裂异常频繁,以微管作为抗肿瘤的靶点已成为研究热点.作用于微管的微管蛋白抑制剂通过抑制微管蛋白的聚合促进微管解聚或者抑制微管解聚促进微管蛋白聚合来破坏微管动态平衡、干扰肿瘤细胞纺锤体形成、阻断细胞分裂、抑制肿瘤增殖,现就微管蛋白抑制剂的研究进展作一综述.     

生物体内的γ-微管蛋白

γ-微管蛋白在真核生物体内以γ-微管蛋白环式复合体和γ-微管蛋白小复合体两种形式存在.γ-微管蛋白在真核生物体内的主要功能是参与微管晶核形成、有丝分裂纺锤体的形成以及细胞周期调控等.该文重点介绍植物体内的γ-微管蛋白所行使的功能.     

Immunoelectron microscopical detection of tubulins during spermiogenesis in phytophagous bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Summary

Ultrastructural and immunocytochemical studies were carried out in the tail region of spermatids and spermatozoa of the phytophagous bugs, Acrosternum aseadum and Euchistus heros. The axoneme presented a 9+9+2 microtubule pattern and bridges occurred between axonemal microtubules 1, 5, and mitochondrial derivatives. Two paracrystalline structures, embedded in an amorphous matrix, were observed in the mitochondrial derivatives. The axonemal microtubules contained alpha, acetylated and tyrosinated tubulin. Cytoplasmic microtubules contained alpha, beta and gamma tubulin. Moreover, the gamma tubulin was detected near the electron dense rod, an element associated with the centriole, suggesting that this structure may be a microtubule organizing center.     

Higher plant microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs): A survey

Summary— Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are one of the factors which regulate the different properties of microtubules during cell cycle and differentiation. They have been characterized as proteins which promote tubulin assembly in a concentration-dependent manner and bind to the outer surface of the polymers in vitro. Most of our knowledge comes from studies of neural microtubule-associated proteins and recent results highlight their implication in neuronal morphogenesis. In contrast, until recently, few data are available about the proteins that associate with plant tubulins. This is due principally to the fact that plant microtubule-associated proteins cannot be purified by the standard procedures used for neural microtubule-associated proteins. First, we will describe methods which have been used to isolate these proteins in plant cells. We will then discuss the biochemical and immunological properties of the plant microtubule-associated proteins which have been isolated. From these results, putative functions can be proposed for these proteins n the particular plant cytoskeleton activities.     

Identification of tubulins as substrates of serine protease HtrA1 by mixture‐based oriented peptide library screening

Serine protease HtrA1 belongs to a family of chymotrypsin‐like proteases that were first identified in bacteria and later in mammalian systems. These proteases were identified as components of protein quality control in prokaryotic systems and as regulators of diverse signaling pathways in mammalian systems. In particular, HtrA1 is implicated in trophoblast cell migration and invasion, tumor progression, chemotherapy‐induced cytotoxicity, osteoarthritis, age‐related macular degeneration, and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, systematic analysis of its potential substrates in biological system is still lacking. Therefore, we performed a mixture‐based oriented peptide library screening to identify putative substrates of HtrA1. We identified [AEGR]‐[LAGR]‐[IAMLR]‐[TVIAL] as consensus residues for P1 to P4 sites. We identified several putative substrates of HtrA1 involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases. In this study, we report on the identification of tubulins as potential substrates of HtrA1, and validated tubulins as in vitro and intracellular substrates of HtrA1. These results provide initial insights into substrate identification and functional characterization of HtrA1 in pathogenesis of various diseases. J. Cell. Biochem. 107: 253–263, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Site-specific transamidation and deamidation of the small heat-shock protein Hsp20 by tissue transglutaminase

Crosslinking of small heat-shock proteins (sHsps) by tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is enhanced by stress and under pathological conditions. We here used hexapeptide probes to determine the amine donor (K) and acceptor (Q) sites for tTG in Hsp20. Mass spectrometric peptide mass fingerprinting and peptide fragmentation established that Q31 and the C-terminal K162 are involved in inter- and intramolecular crosslinking (transamidation). Q31 is a conserved glutamine in sHsps where the neighboring residue determines its reactivity. Moreover, we detected highly efficient simultaneous deamidation of Q66, which suggests that tTG-catalyzed transamidation and deamidation is specific for different glutamine residues.     

Different stability of posttranslationally modified brain microtubules isolated from cold-temperate fish

Microtubule proteins were isolated by a temperature-dependent assembly-disassembly method from brain tissue of for cold-temperate fish; one fresh water fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and three marine fish (Labrus berggylta, Zoarces viviparus andGadus morhua). The -tubulins from all four fish species were acetylated. The -tubulins from the marine fish were composed of a mixture of tyrosinated and detyrosinated tubulin, while the fresh water fish tubulin only reacted with an antibody against detyrosinated tubulin. The isolated microtubules had a similar MAP composition. A 400 kD protein and a MAP2-like protein were found, but MAP1 was missing. All microtubules disassembled upon cooling to 0°C. In spite of these common characteristics, the assembly of microtubules fromLabrus berggylta was inhibited by colchicine and calcium, in contrast to the assembly of microtubules fromOncorhynchus mykiss andZoarces viviparus. For the latter, colchicine was not completely inhibitory even at a concentration as high as 1 mM, and calcium induced the formation of both loosely and densely coiled ribbons. The effects of calcium and colchicine on microtubules fromOncorhynchus mykiss andZoarces viviparus were modulated by either fish or cow MAPs, indicating that the effects are due to intrinsic properties of the fish tubulins and not the MAPs. In view of these findings, our results suggest that there is not correlation between colchicine sensitivity, inability of calcium to inhibit microtubule assembly, and acetylation and detyrosination.     

Evidence That Oxidized Proteins are Substrates for N-Terminal Arginylation

While the posttranslational N-terminal arginylation of proteins has been demonstrated in a variety of eukaryotic cells including neurons and their axons, the targets of the reaction are poorly understood. Several lines of evidence suggest that arginylation may be a cytoprotective mechanism used by cells to target oxidatively damaged (and thus potentially toxic) proteins for degradation. In the present experiments, we have begun to test this hypothesis by incubating oxidized test proteins in a rat brain extract capable of arginylating endogenous proteins. Bovine serum albumin, pancreatic ribonuclease-A and the A-chain of insulin were chosen as test proteins and either oxidized by metal catalyzed oxidation or purchased in their oxidized forms and incubated with the extract and [³H]Arg. SDS PAGE of the incubation product showed [³H]Arg migrating with the oxidized forms of BSA and RNase but not with the un-oxidized form of BSA. Following incubation with the oxidized A-chain of insulin, analysis of the [³H]product by SDS PAGE and HPLC showed co-migration of [³H]Arg with A-chain standards and amino acid sequencing showed [³H]Arg at the N-terminus of the A-chain of insulin. The data suggest that oxidative damage to a protein may be a signal for its N-terminal arginylation.     

Posttranslational modification of autophagy-related proteins in macroautophagy

Macroautophagy is an intracellular catabolic process involved in the formation of multiple membrane structures ranging from phagophores to autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Dysfunction of macroautophagy is implicated in both physiological and pathological conditions. To date, 38 autophagy-related (ATG) genes have been identified as controlling these complicated membrane dynamics during macroautophagy in yeast; approximately half of these genes are clearly conserved up to human, and there are additional genes whose products function in autophagy in higher eukaryotes that are not found in yeast. The function of the ATG proteins, in particular their ability to interact with a number of macroautophagic regulators, is modulated by posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, lipidation, and proteolysis. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of the role of ATG protein PTMs and their functional relevance in macroautophagy. Unraveling how these PTMs regulate ATG protein function during macroautophagy will not only reveal fundamental mechanistic insights into the regulatory process, but also provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of autophagy-associated diseases.     

Posttranslational modification of autophagy-related proteins in macroautophagy

Macroautophagy is an intracellular catabolic process involved in the formation of multiple membrane structures ranging from phagophores to autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Dysfunction of macroautophagy is implicated in both physiological and pathological conditions. To date, 38 autophagy-related (ATG) genes have been identified as controlling these complicated membrane dynamics during macroautophagy in yeast; approximately half of these genes are clearly conserved up to human, and there are additional genes whose products function in autophagy in higher eukaryotes that are not found in yeast. The function of the ATG proteins, in particular their ability to interact with a number of macroautophagic regulators, is modulated by posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, lipidation, and proteolysis. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of the role of ATG protein PTMs and their functional relevance in macroautophagy. Unraveling how these PTMs regulate ATG protein function during macroautophagy will not only reveal fundamental mechanistic insights into the regulatory process, but also provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of autophagy-associated diseases.     

Transglutaminase and neuronal differentiation

Summary During mouse brain maturation cellular transglutaminase specific activity increases 2.5 fold from day 3 to adulthood. A more pronounced increase is seen during morphological differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma cells, where serum withdrawal induces neurite outgrowth concomitant with a 10 fold increase in transglutaminase specific activity. In contrast, non-dividing neuroblastoma cells lacking neurites show only a 1.5 fold increase in enzyme specific activity. Transglutaminase activity does not reach maximal levels until extensive neurite formation has occurred. More than 80% of the transglutaminase activity is found in the soluble component of brain and neuroblastoma homogenates. Using [³H]-putrescine as the acyl acceptor, endogenous acyl donor substrates in the neuroblastoma cells included proteins that comigrated on SDS-PAGE with tubulin and actin; however, very high molecular weight crosslinked material is the major reaction product in vitro. When purified brain tubulin, microtubule associated proteins and microtubules were compared as exogenous substrates, only the polymeric microtubules were a good acyl donor substrate. Furthermore, preincubation of purified tubulin with transglutaminase and putrescine stimulated both the rate and extent of microtubule assembly. These findings suggest that transglutaminase may mediate covalent cross-linking of microtubules to other cellular components, or the post-translational modification of tubulin by the formation of -glutamylamines.