Acetyltransfer in natural product biosynthesis--functional cloning and molecular analysis of vinorine synthase

Vinorine synthase (EC 2.3.1.160) catalyses the acetyl-CoA- or CoA-dependent reversible formation of the alkaloids vinorine (or 11-methoxy-vinorine) and 16-epi-vellosimine (or gardneral). The forward reaction leads to vinorine, which is a direct biosynthetic precursor along the complex pathway to the monoterpenoid indole alkaloid ajmaline, an antiarrhythmic drug from the Indian medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina. Based on partial peptide sequences a cDNA clone was isolated and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. The Km values of the native enzyme for gardneral and acetyl-CoA were determined to be 7.5 and 57 microM. The amino acid sequence of vinorine synthase has highest level of identity (28-31%) to that of Papaver salutaridinol acetyltransferase, Fragaria alcohol acyltransferase, and Catharanthus deacetylvindoline acetyltransferase involved in morphine, flavor, and vindoline biosynthesis, respectively. Vinorine synthase is a novel member of the BAHD superfamily of acyltransferases. Site-directed mutagenesis of 13 amino acid residues provided clear evidence that both, His160 and Asp164 of the consensus sequence HxxxD belong to the catalytic center. The mutations also showed that an amino acid triad is not characteristic of vinorine synthase. The experiments demonstrated the importance of the conserved motif SxL/I/VD near the N-terminus and the consensus sequence DFGWG near the C-terminal.     

5-HT7 receptors are involved in mediating 5-HT-induced activation of rat primary afferent neurons

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the 5-hydroxytryptamine7 (5-HT7) receptor is expressed by nociceptor-like neurons in the rat PNS and whether 5-HT activates these nociceptors via the 5-HT7 receptor subtype. Using a polyclonal antibody and the method of immunofluorescence staining, we demonstrated that the 5-HT7 receptor appears predominately on "nociceptor-like" neurons of the rat lumbar dorsal root ganglia. Using immunocytochemical methods, we showed that the immunoreactivity of the 5-HT7 receptor antibody complex is localized in the superficial layers of the spinal cord dorsal horn, which corresponds with laminae I, IIouter and IIinner. Furthermore, we demonstrated that noxious stimulation produced by knee injection of 5-HT or a 5-HT7 agonist dose-dependently increases c-Fos production of the rat spinal cord dorsal horn. This effect was significantly inhibited by the preinjection of a 5-HT7 antagonist. We conclude that the 5-HT7 receptor is expressed by rat primary afferent nociceptors which terminate in the superficial layers of the spinal cord dorsal horn and that the 5-HT7 receptor subtype is involved in nociceptor activation by 5-HT.     

Immunological differences in intestine and rectum of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.)

The defence system of the distal gut (hindgut and rectum) of Atlantic cod, (Gadus morhua L.) was studied using (immuno)histochemical, electron microscopical and real-time quantitative PCR techniques. The uptake and transport of macromolecules in the intestinal epithelium was also investigated.In this study we observed that cod has many and large goblet cells in its intestinal epithelium and that IgM⁺ cells are present in the lamina propria and their number is considerably higher in the rectum than in the intestine. Myeloperoxidase staining revealed low numbers of granulocytes in and under the epithelium of the distal intestine, whereas high numbers were found clustered in the submucosa of the rectum. Electron microscopy not only confirmed these observations, but also revealed the presence of lymphoid cells and macrophages within the intestinal epithelium. Acid phosphatase staining demonstrated more positive macrophage-like cells in the rectum than in the distal intestine. Antigen uptake studies showed a diffused absorption of horse radish peroxidase (HRP) and LTB-GFP, whereas ferritin uptake could not be detected.Basal gene expression of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-10) and immune relevant molecules (hepcidin and BPI/LPB) were compared in both the intestine and rectum and revealed approximately 2–9 times higher expression in the rectum, of which IL-1β expression showed the most prominent difference.The present results clearly indicate that intestinal immunity is very prominent in the rectum of cod.     

Agonist-mediated regulation of presynaptic receptor function during development of rat septal neurons in culture

Presynaptic receptors modulating the release of acetylcholine (ACh) were studied in fetal septal neurons cultured in a growth medium to which various drugs were added from day 3 in vitro (DIV 3) to DIV 14. The influence of these drugs on the function of the presynaptic muscarinic (M-) autoreceptor was determined at DIV 14 by measuring the inhibitory effect of the M-agonist oxotremorine on the electrically-evoked release of [(3)H]ACh from cultures pre-incubated with [(3)H]choline. The presence of the M-agonists oxotremorine (100 micromol/L) or carbachol (100 micromol/L) from DIV 3 to DIV 14, or from DIV 13 to DIV 14, abolished M-autoreceptor function at DIV 14, whereas the presence of the M-antagonist atropine (10 micromol/L from DIV 3 to DIV 14) during growth left M-autoreceptor function unaltered. Inhibition of ACh esterase by donepezil (1 micromol/L from DIV 3 to DIV 14) weakly decreased M-autoreceptor function at DIV 14; inhibition of neuronal firing by 0.1 tetrodotoxin (0.1 micromol/L from DIV 3 to DIV 14) did not tend to affect M-autoreceptor function at DIV 14. Co-cultivation of fetal septal and raphe neurons for 2 weeks yielded cell cultures containing both vesicular ACh transporter- and tryptophan hydroxylase-immunopositive cells. From these cultures, the release of both [(3)H]ACh and [(3)H]5-HT could be induced by electrical field stimulation. In co-cultured neurons versus septal-only ones the inhibitory effect of oxotremorine on the evoked release of [(3)H]ACh appeared almost normal, whereas that of the selective 5-HT(1B) agonist 3-(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyrid-4-yl)pyrrollo[3,2-b]pyrid-5-one (CP-93,129) was completely abolished. The effects of CP-93,129 were also absent on DIV 14 in septal mono-cultures grown in the presence of CP-93,129 (10 micromol/L) from DIV 3 to DIV 14. It is therefore concluded that the regulation of presynaptic receptor function strongly depends on the concentrations of endogenous transmitters in the neuronal environment.     

ISMmy1, a novel insertion sequence of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony type

A new insertion sequence, ISMmy1, has been identified in the bovine pathogen Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides biotype small colony (MmymySC). The occurrence of ISMmy1 in 15 MmymySC strains and 12 other mycoplasmas was examined by Southern blotting. All MmymySC strains showed identical hybridisation patterns except for the type strain PG1(T), the vaccine strain T1Sr49, and the strain Afadé, which all had unique patterns. ISMmy1-like sequences were also found in the bovine pathogen Mycoplasma bovis strain Donetta(T) while mycoplasmas that are phylogenetically closer to MmymySC lack ISMmy1. This observation suggests horizontal transfer between MmymySC and M. bovis.     

Rational Design of a Fibroblast Growth Factor 21-Based Clinical Candidate,LY2405319

Fibroblast growth factor 21 is a novel hormonal regulator with the potential to treat a broad variety of metabolic abnormalities, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hepatic steatosis, and cardiovascular disease. Human recombinant wild type FGF21 (FGF21) has been shown to ameliorate metabolic disorders in rodents and non-human primates. However, development of FGF21 as a drug is challenging and requires re-engineering of its amino acid sequence to improve protein expression and formulation stability. Here we report the design and characterization of a novel FGF21 variant, LY2405319. To enable the development of a potential drug product with a once-daily dosing profile, in a preserved, multi-use formulation, an additional disulfide bond was introduced in FGF21 through Leu118Cys and Ala134Cys mutations. FGF21 was further optimized by deleting the four N-terminal amino acids, His-Pro-Ile-Pro (HPIP), which was subject to proteolytic cleavage. In addition, to eliminate an O-linked glycosylation site in yeast a Ser167Ala mutation was introduced, thus allowing large-scale, homogenous protein production in Pichia pastoris. Altogether re-engineering of FGF21 led to significant improvements in its biopharmaceutical properties. The impact of these changes was assessed in a panel of in vitro and in vivo assays, which confirmed that biological properties of LY2405319 were essentially identical to FGF21. Specifically, subcutaneous administration of LY2405319 in ob/ob and diet-induced obese (DIO) mice over 7–14 days resulted in a 25–50% lowering of plasma glucose coupled with a 10–30% reduction in body weight. Thus, LY2405319 exhibited all the biopharmaceutical and biological properties required for initiation of a clinical program designed to test the hypothesis that administration of exogenous FGF21 would result in effects on disease-related metabolic parameters in humans.     

Chromatin replication and epigenome maintenance

Stability and function of eukaryotic genomes are closely linked to chromatin structure and organization. During cell division the entire genome must be accurately replicated and the chromatin landscape reproduced on new DNA. Chromatin and nuclear structure influence where and when DNA replication initiates, whereas the replication process itself disrupts chromatin and challenges established patterns of genome regulation. Specialized replication-coupled mechanisms assemble new DNA into chromatin, but epigenome maintenance is a continuous process taking place throughout the cell cycle. If DNA synthesis is perturbed, cells can suffer loss of both genome and epigenome integrity with severe consequences for the organism.