Theory of chaperonin action: inertial model for enhancement of prokaryotic Rubisco assembly.

We have performed a computational simulation of the aggregation and chaperonin-dependent reconstitution of dimeric prokaryotic ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), based on the data of P. Goloubinoff et al. (1989, Nature 342, 884-889) and P. V. Viitanen et al. (1990, Biochemistry 29, 5665-5671). The aggregation is simulated by a set of 12 differential equations representing the aggregation of the Rubisco folding intermediate, Rubisco-I, with itself and with aggregates of Rubisco-I, leading up to dodecamers. Four rate constants, applying to forward or reverse steps in the aggregation process, were included. Optimal values for these constants were determined using the ellipsoid algorithm as implemented by one of us (Ecker, J.G. & Kupferschmid, M., 1988, Introduction to Operations Research, Wiley, New York, pp. 315-322). Intensive exploration of simpler aggregation models did not identify an alternative that could simulate the data as well as this one. The activity of the chaperonin in this system was simulated by using this aggregation model, combined with a model similar to that proposed by Goloubinoff et al. (1989). The model assumes that the chaperonin can bind the folding intermediate rapidly, and that the chaperonin complex releases the Rubisco molecule slowly, permitting time for its spontaneous folding while interacting with the chaperonin. This is followed by self-association of the folded Rubisco monomer to yield the active dimeric Rubisco. A modification of the model that simulates temperature effects was also constructed. The most important results we obtained indicate that the chaperonin-dependent reconstitution of Rubisco can be simulated adequately without invoking any catalysis of folding by the chaperonin. In addition, the simulations predict values for the association rate constant of Rubisco-I with the chaperonin, and other variables, that are subject to experimental verification.     

A YAC contig across the fragile X site defines the region of fragility.

The fragile X syndrome is a common cause of mental retardation and is associated with a fragile site at Xq27.3 (FRAXA). Recently, evidence has been presented for the role of methylation and genomic imprinting in the expression of the disease. We have identified a site of methylation in patients by long range restriction mapping of the region. In this paper we present a YAC contig of this area, localise the CpG sequences which are methylated, and show by in situ hybridisation that the site of fragility lies within this region.     

The sn-1,2-diacylglycerol ethanolaminephosphotransferase activity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Isolation of mutants and cloning of the EPT1 gene

A colony autoradiographic assay was used to identify nine Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants defective in in situ ethanolaminephosphotransferase activity (ept mutants). Genetic analysis revealed five complementation groups. The EPT1 gene was cloned by complementation of ept1 using a yeast genomic library and was localized to a 2.1-kilobase region of DNA. An ept1 deletional mutant was constructed and introduced into the chromosome by integrative transformation. The ethanolaminephosphotransferase activities in membranes prepared from ept1 and ept2 mutants were reduced 30- to 90-fold and 2- to 3-fold compared with wild-type activity, respectively; the other ept mutants had activities similar to wild type. In strains transformed with a multicopy EPT1-bearing plasmid, a 22- to 33-fold overproduction of ethanolaminephosphotransferase activity was observed. The sn-1,2-diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase activities in membranes prepared from ept1 mutants were reduced 3.5- to 7-fold. In contrast to the residual CMP-sensitive cholinephosphotransferase activity observed in cpt1 mutants (Hjelmstad, R. H., and Bell, R. M. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 3909-3917), the residual cholinephosphotransferase activity of ept1 mutants was CMP-insensitive. The cholinephosphotransferase activities in strains bearing the EPT1 gene on multicopy plasmids were elevated 13- to 23-fold and were CMP-sensitive. The data indicate that 1) the cloned EPT1 gene most likely represents the structural gene for the yeast ethanolaminephosphotransferase, 2) the EPT1 gene product possesses both ethanolamine- and cholinephosphotransferase activities, and 3) the EPT1 gene is nonessential for growth.     

An islet amyloid peptide is derived from an 89-amino acid precursor by proteolytic processing

Amyloid deposits occurring in the islets of Langerhans in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and some insulinomas contain a 37-amino acid peptide that is structurally related to calcitonin gene-related peptide. We have identified three cDNA clones encoding islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) or diabetes-associated peptide (DAP) by oligonucleotide screening of a lambda gt10 human insulinoma cDNA library. Two of the three cDNAs contained a domain encoding IAPP/DAP but had an intron-like sequence in their 5' region. The other cDNA contained an open reading frame encoding an 89-amino acid precursor having a typical signal peptide followed by a small prohormone-like sequence containing within it the IAPP/DAP peptide bracketed at its NH2 and COOH termini by Lys-Arg and Gly-Lys-Arg, respectively. These data indicate that this amyloid peptide is generated by proteolytic processing similar to that for proinsulin and other islet prohormones and also that the peptide may be carboxyamidated. The isolation of cDNA clones having 5'-unprocessed intron-like sequences suggests that inefficient or alternative splicing of this mRNA occurred in the insulinoma.     

The microheterogeneity of androgen-binding protein in rat serum and epididymis is due to differences in glycosylation of their subunits

The microheterogeneity of androgen-binding protein (ABP) from rat serum and epididymis was examined by subjecting purified native or deglycosylated preparations to analysis by one- or two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) followed by electrophoretic transfer to nitrocellulose and immunochemical localization. Analysis of native ABP by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE confirmed earlier observations that it is composed of subunits and that the subunits of serum ABP had higher apparent molecular weights than those of epididymal ABP. Treatment with neuraminidase, N-glycanase, or O-glycanase, alone or in combination, resulted in decreases in the apparent molecular weight of the subunits. These analyses indicated that terminal sialic acid residues and Asn-linked oligosaccharides were present on both subunits of ABP from the two sources. The fact that the greatest reduction in the Mr of the heavy subunit occurred following treatment with all three enzymes provides evidence that O-linked sugars are present on it. While enzyme treatment did not result in the appearance of a single subunit, chemical deglycosylation did (Mr 39,600). The carbohydrate composition of the heavy and light subunits of intact serum and epididymal ABP was 22 and 9% and 19 and 8%, respectively. Analysis by two-dimensional PAGE indicated that both subunits of the ABPs were composed of isoelectric variants. Although ABP from the two sources had several variants in common, differences were also observed. Treatment of the ABPs with the enzymes resulted in a shift of the pI values to a more basic pH range, indicating that carbohydrate removal also removed charged moieties. The most dramatic shift in the pI values of the isoforms occurred when O-glycanase was present in the enzyme mixture, providing further evidence for the presence of O-linked oligosaccharides on ABP. Isoelectric variants were present even after chemical deglycosylation of ABP.     

Asbestos bodies in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A study of 20 asbestos-exposed individuals and comparison to patients with other chronic interstitial lung diseases

We studied the asbestos body (AB) content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 20 patients with a history of occupational asbestos exposure, 31 patients with sarcoidosis and 5 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The cellular lavage pellet was digested in sodium hypochlorite and filtered onto Nuclepore filters for AB quantification by light microscopy. ABs were found in 15 of 20 asbestos-exposed individuals, 9 of 31 sarcoidosis cases and 2 of 5 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of ABs per million cells recovered or per milliliter of recovered lavage fluid in the asbestos-exposed group as compared to the other categories of chronic interstitial lung disease. The highest levels occurred in patients with asbestosis. Large numbers of asbestos bodies in the lavage fluid (greater than 1 AB/10(6) cells) were indicative of considerable occupational asbestos exposure, whereas occasional bodies were a nonspecific finding.     

Reversal of Con A-induced suppression by a platelet-derived factor which binds to activated suppressor T cells

A platelet-derived factor found in serum as well as in platelet releasate prepared either with calcium ionophore or with thrombin was shown to reverse Con A-induced suppression of the plaque forming cell (PFC) response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) in vivo in (CB6)F1 mice. In addition, as shown previously, lymphoma cell-induced suppression in SJL mice was similarly reversed. The factor could be injected prior to Con A on the day before SRBC injection, or on the same day as antigen with comparable results. It also enhanced PFC responses in the absence of Con A. Suppressor cell induction by Con A in vivo, as demonstrated by assay on PFC responses of normal spleen cells in vitro, was abrogated by simultaneous injection of the platelet factor. Cells from mouse spleen and lymph node, but not from thymus could absorb the factor from human serum at 4 degrees C. The phenotype of the relevant spleen cells was L3T4-, Ly1-, Ly2+, Thy1+, Ly22+, Qa1+, Qa4+, Qa5+, and Ly6.IE+. These results suggest that this factor binds to activated peripheral T cells of the suppressor cell phenotype.     

Quantitative measurement of sn-1,2-diacylglycerols present in platelets, hepatocytes, and ras- and sis-transformed normal rat kidney cells

A simple enzymatic method for the quantitation of the mass of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) present in crude lipid extracts was developed to assess the function of DAGs as intracellular "second messengers" of extracellular agents and of oncogene products. The assay employed Escherichia coli DAG kinase which constituted approximately 15% of the membrane protein of a plasmid-bearing strain and defined mixed micellar conditions to solubilize the DAG present and allow its quantitative conversion to [32P]phosphatidic acid. The assay was proportional with the amount of DAG added over the range of 25 pmol to 25 nmol. The rapid rise of DAG in platelets stimulated with thrombin (210% over basal) and in hepatocytes stimulated with vasopressin (230% over basal) was quantitated and the values agreed with previous measurements. The amounts of DAG in normal rat kidney (NRK) cells grown at 34 and 38 degrees C, respectively, were 0.47 and 0.61 nmol/100 nmol of phospholipid. In K-ras-transformed NRK cells grown at 34 or 38 degrees C, DAG levels were elevated 168 or 138%, respectively. When a temperature-sensitive K-ras NRK cell line was investigated, the amount of DAG present was elevated at the permissive but not at the restrictive temperature. These data are consistent with the K-ras protein functioning in transmembrane signalling by activating phospholipase C. Protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme) activation by DAG may play an important role in cellular transformation.     

Regulation of proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and adventitial fibroblasts in collagen lattices

We compared the proliferation of bovine aortic cells grown in collagen lattices. Smooth muscle cells continued to divide for 2 weeks while adventitial fibroblasts ceased to divide after 4-5 days. Endothelial cells did not proliferate within an untreated collagen lattice; however, if the lattice was covered with culture medium, endothelial cells populated its surface and proliferated to form a monolayer. We also found that both smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, like fibroblasts, are able to contract a collagen lattice to a small fraction of its original volume, although endothelial cells are able to do so only if the lattice is covered with culture medium.     

Arthrin: a new actin-like protein in insect flight muscle

There are one or more proteins of 50,000 to 60,000 Mr in the thin filaments of insect flight muscle. A protein of 55,000 Mr has been isolated from insect fibrillar flight muscle and called arthrin. Despite its higher molecular weight, arthrin is in many ways like actin. The amino acid composition of arthrin was similar to that of actin. There were similarities in the peptides produced by digesting the denatured proteins and mild digestion of polymerized proteins cleaved similar-sized fragments from arthrin and actin. Polymerized arthrin activated the Mg2+ ATPase of myosin to the same extent as actin and the ATPase was regulated by rabbit or Lethocerus troponin and tropomyosin. Arthrin did not itself act as troponin-T. Electron microscopy of negatively stained specimens showed that arthrin and actin filaments were similar in structure and that arthrin could be decorated by rabbit subfragment-1 to form normal-looking arrowheads. Arthrin formed paracrystals at an optimum concentration of MgCl2 (25 mM) that was somewhat lower than the optimum for actin paracrystals. Optical diffraction showed that the structure of the paracrystals was similar to those formed from actin. The mass of arthrin and actin filaments relative to phage fd was measured by scanning transmission electron microscopy; the relative mass of arthrin and actin was 1.33, in agreement with molecular weight estimations. Therefore arthrin has the properties of a heavy form of actin. The proportion of actin, arthrin and troponin-T in Lethocerus myofibrils was six moles of actin to one mole of arthrin and one mole of troponin-T. The function of arthrin is not known.