Mutational tests of the NMR-docked structure of the staphylococcal nuclease–metal–3′,5′-pdTp complex

In the X-ray structure of the staphylococcal nuclease–Ca²⁺ ?3′,5′-pdTp complex, the conformation of the inhibitor 3′,5′-pdTp is distroteed Lys-70* and Lys-71* from an adjacent molecule of staphylococcal nuclease (Loll, P.J., Lattman, E.E. Proteins 5 : 183-201, 1989). In order to correct this crystal packing problem, the solution conformation of enzyme-bound 3′,5′-pdTp in the staphylococcal nuclease–metal–pdTp Complex determined by NMR methods was docked into the X-ray structure of the enzyme [Weber, D. J., Serpersu, E. H., Gittis, A. G., Lattman, E. E., Mildvan, A. S. (preceding paper)]. In the NMR-docked structure, the 5′-phophate of 3′,5′-pdTp overlaps with that in the X-ray Structure. However the 3′-phosphate accepts a hydrogen bond from Lys-49 (2.89Å) rather than from Lys-84 (8.63 Å), and N3 of thymine donates a hydrogen bond to the OH of Tyr-115 (3.16 Å) which does not occur in the X-ray structure (5.28 Å). These interactions have been tested by binding studies of 3′,5′-pdTp, Ca²⁺, and Mn²⁺ to the K49A, K84A, and Y115A mutants of staphylococcal nuclease using water proton relaxation rate and EPR methods. Each mutant was fully active and structurally intact, as found by CD and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, but bound Ca²⁺ 9.1- to 9.9-fold more weakly than the wild-type enzyme. While thye K84A mutation did not significantly weaken 3′,5′-pdTp binding to the enzyme (1.5 ± 0.7 fold), the K49A mutation weakened 3′,5′-pdTp binding to the enzyme by the factor of 4.4 ± 1.8-fold. Similarly, the Y115A mutation weakened 3′,5′-pdTp binding to the enzyme 3.6 ± 1.6-fold. Comparable weakening effects of these mutations were found on the binding of Ca²⁺-3′,5′-pdTp. These results are more readily explained by the NMR-docked structure of staphylococcal nuclease-metal-3′,5′-pdTp than by the X-ray structure. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE POLYMORPHISMS AT THE Adh AND αGpdh LOCI AND THE In(2L)t INVERSION IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER IN RELATION TO TEMPERATURE

Substantial allele-frequency changes were observed at the Adh and αGpdh loci in a seminatural population of Drosophila melanogaster kept in a tropical greenhouse during 1972–1985. Further analysis of the changes at the Adh and αGpdh loci showed that linkage disequilibrium between these loci occurred for a prolonged period due to the presence of In(2L)t, a long inversion on the left arm of the second chromosome. We observed increases in the frequencies of In(2L)t and of short inversions on the left arm of the second chromosome in subpopulations kept at 29.5°C or 33°C. These inversion-frequency increases were accompanied by an increase in Adh^s and a decrease in αGpdh^s frequency. In populations kept at 20°C and 25°C, inversion frequencies decreased, while αGpdh^s allele frequencies decreased at 25°C and increased at 20°C. At 33°C, egg-to-adult survival of individuals possessing In(2L)t, either in the homokaryotypic or the heterokaryotypic state, was higher than that of the other karyotypes of identical allozyme constitution (i.e., Adh^s αGpdh^F). Thus it seems that In(2L)t has a selective advantage at high temperature. We argue that the observed changes in allele frequencies at the Adh and αGpdh loci are, in part, due to genic selection and are not merely the result of selection acting on the chromosome rearrangements and hitchhiking of the allozymes. The results are discussed with respect to the latitudinal clines found for In(2L)t, Adh, and αGpdh.     

Regulation of DOPA Decarboxylase Activity in Brain of Living Rat

Abstract: To test the hypothesis that l -DOPA decarboxylase (DDC) is a regulated enzyme in the synthesis of dopamine (DA), we developed a model of the cerebral uptake and metabolism of [³H]DOPA. The unidirectional blood-brain clearance of [³H]DOPA ( K ^D₁) was 0.049 ml g⁻¹ min⁻¹. The relative DDC activity ( k ^D₃) was 0.26 min⁻¹ in striatum, 0.04 min⁻¹ in hypothalamus, and 0.02 min⁻¹ in hippocampus. In striatum, 3,4-[³H]dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ([³H]DOPAC) was formed from [³H]DA with a rate constant of 0.013 min⁻¹, [³H]homovanillic acid ([³H]HVA) was formed from [³H]DOPAC at a rate constant of 0.020 min⁻¹, and [³H]HVA was eliminated from brain at a rate constant of 0.037 min⁻¹. Together, these rate constants predicted the ratios of endogenous DOPAC and HVA to DA in rat striatum. Pargyline, an inhibitor of DA catabolism, substantially reduced the contrast between striatum and cortex, in comparison with the contrast seen in autoradiograms of control rats. At 30 min and at 4 h after pargyline, k ^D₃ was reduced by 50% in striatum and olfactory tubercle but was unaffected in hypothalamus, indicating that DDC activity is reduced in specific brain regions after monoamine oxidase inhibition. Thus, DDC activity may be a regulated step in the synthesis of DA.     

The Yeast Red1 Protein Localizes to the Cores of Meiotic Chromosomes

Mutants in the meiosis-specific RED1 gene of S. cerevisiae fail to make any synaptonemal complex (SC) or any obvious precursors to the SC. Using antibodies that specifically recognize the Red1 protein, Red1 has been localized along meiotic pachytene chromosomes. Red1 also localizes to the unsynapsed axial elements present in a zip1 mutant, suggesting that Red1 is a component of the lateral elements of mature SCs. Anti-Red1 staining is confined to the cores of meiotic chromosomes and is not associated with the loops of chromatin that lie outside the SC. Analysis of the spo11 mutant demonstrates that Red1 localization does not depend upon meiotic recombination. The localization of Red1 has been compared with two other meiosisspecific components of chromosomes, Hop1 and Zip1; Zip1 serves as a marker for synapsed chromosomes. Double labeling of wild-type meiotic chromosomes with anti-Zip1 and anti-Red1 antibodies demonstrates that Red1 localizes to chromosomes both before and during pachytene. Double labeling with anti-Hop1and anti-Red1 antibodies reveals that Hop1 protein localizes only in areas that also contain Red1, and studies of Hop1 localization in a red1 null mutant demonstrate that Hop1 localization depends on Red1 function. These observations are consistent with previous genetic studies suggesting that Red1 and Hop1 directly interact. There is little or no Hop1 protein on pachytene chromosomes or in synapsed chromosomal regions.     

Release of arachidonic acid from 1-alkyl-2-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, a precursor of platelet-activating factor, in rat alveolar macrophages

Platelet activating factor and the bioactive metabolites of arachidonic acid are secreted by alveolar macrophages in response to stimulation by phagocytic agents or calcium ionophore. We have previously shown a deacylation-acetylation sequence in the formation of 1-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PAF) from alkylacyl-(long chain)-GPC (Albert, D.H. and Snyder, F. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 97-102). This sequence may be an important source of 20:4 during inflammatory reactions since, in alveolar macrophages, the ether lipid precursor of PAF represents 35% of the choline glycerophospholipids and has a much higher content (35%) of 20:4 in the sn-2 position than does diacyl-GPC (17%). Alveolar macrophages prelabeled with 14C-labeled fatty acids (16:0, 18:1, 18:2 and 20:4) and [1-3H]alkyllyso-GPC were used to study the release of fatty acids from ether-linked and diacyl phospholipids. Each of these fatty acids was incorporated primarily into the choline glycerophospholipids of alveolar macrophages. The release of 20:4 from macrophage phospholipids was increased by treatment of the labeled cells with the calcium ionophore A23187 (2 microM) or zymosan (1 mg/ml), whereas the release of 16:0, 18:1 and 18:2 was not increased above control levels by either stimuli. Although more of the labeled 20:4 is released from the diacyl-GPC (50% of the total released), substantial amounts (44%) of 20:4 are derived from alkylacyl-GPC after incubating the stimulated cells for 60 min. The loss of 20:4 continued from the diacyl species throughout the incubation period studied, whereas a slower net release of 20:4 lost from the alkylacyl-GPC fraction was evident after 2 h. We conclude that the deacylation-reacylation cycle is an important aspect of the metabolism of 20:4 and alkylacyl-GPC during inflammatory stimulation of alveolar macrophages and that the deacylation of this ether-linked phospholipid (which is the first step in the formation of PAF) is responsible for a significant amount of the 20:4 released.     

Cell attachment and spreading on extracellular matrix-coated beads

Parietal yolk sac cells M1536-B3 grown on cytodex 2 beads deposited an extracellular matrix on the surface of the beads. Cell-free matrix-coated beads were isolated by treatment of the cell monolayer with cytochalasin B (CB) at a concentration of 10 μg/ml of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The matrix when analysed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels (PAGE) revealed that the major components were laminin and entactin. The matrix-coated beads were used to study the attachment, spreading, and growth of African Green monkey BSC-40, human mammary MCF-7, mouse fibroblast L929, rat liver clone 9, and rat hepatoma H-4-II-E cells in defined serum-free growth medium. The different cell lines exhibited varying responses to matrix-coated vs uncoated beads with respect to rate of attachment, spreading, and growth. One of the most consistent responses observed was the enhancement of cell spreading on matrix-coated beads. The results suggested that the matrix-coated beads will provide a readily available and valuable tool for studies on cell surface-extracellular matrix interactions and the physiological consequences of those interactions.