Replacement of a conserved arginine in the assembly domain of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit interferes with holoenzyme formation.

In higher plants the small subunit (S) of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (ribulose-P2 carboxylase, EC 4.1.1.39) contains a segment of 16 amino acids which is absent from cyanobacterial S. This segment connecting two beta sheets has been shown, by crystallographic analysis, to form a hairpin loop. The quaternary structure of ribulose-P2 carboxylase indicates several S to large subunit (L) interactions. Eleven of 22 residues within the loop form the interface with 20 residues from two different L dimers. Eight of the loop residues are involved in hydrogen bonds, salt links, and hydrophobic interactions. To test the hypothesis, whether this loop had a function in the assembly of L and S into the hexadecameric enzyme, 6 amino acids within the loop were modified by site-directed mutagenesis of the pea rbcS-3A gene. All substituted S were imported by isolated chloroplasts from pea with wild type efficiency. Mutants E54-R, H55-A, P59-A, D63-G, D63-L, and Y66-A were assembly-competent, indicating that changes of side chains at these positions are tolerated. Replacement of arginine 53, whose side chain forms H-bonds with L residues Y226 and G261, with glutamate completely abolished assembly into holoenzyme. We suggest that arginine 53 in S is essential for ribulose-P2 carboxylase quaternary structure in higher plants.     

The small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences from the hypotrichous ciliates Oxytricha nova and Stylonychia pustulata

We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the small- subunit ribosomal RNA genes for the ciliate protozoans Stylonychia pustulata and Oxytricha nova. The sequences are homologous and sufficiently similar that these organisms must be closely related. In a phylogeny inferred from comparisons of several eukaryotic small-subunit ribosomal RNAs, the divergence of the ciliates from the eukaryotic line of descent is seen to coincide with the radiation of the plants, the animals, and the fungi. This radiation is preceded by the divergence of the slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum.      

Molecular Genetics of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism

Most higher plants assimilate atmospheric CO2 through the C3 pathway of photosynthesis using ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). However, when CO2 availability is reduced by environmental stress conditions, the incomplete discrimination of CO2 over O2 by Rubisco leads to increased photorespiration, a process that reduces the efficiency of C3 photosynthesis. To overcome the wasteful process of photorespiration, approximately 10% of higher plant species have evolved two alternate strategies for photosynthetic CO2 assimilation, C4 photosynthesis and Crassulacean acid metabolism. Both of these biochemical pathways employ a "CO2 pump" to elevate intracellular CO2 concentrations in the vicinity of Rubisco, suppressing photorespiration and therefore improving the competitiveness of these plants under conditions of high light intensity, high temperature, or low water availability. This CO2 pump consists of a primary carboxylating enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. In C4 plants, this CO2-concentrating mechanism is achieved by the coordination of two carboxylating reactions that are spatially separated into mesophyll and bundle-sheath cell types (for review, see R.T. Furbank, W.C. Taylor [1995] Plant Cell 7: 797-807;M.S.B. Ku, Y. Kano-Murakami, M. Matsuoka [1996] Plant Physiol 111: 949-957). In contrast, Crassulacean acid metabolism plants perform both carboxylation reactions within one cell type, but the two reactions are separated in time. Both pathways involve cell-specific changes in the expression of many genes that are not present in C3 plants.     

Novel MAP kinase substrates identified by solid-phase phosphorylation screening in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Phosphorylation of substrate proteins by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) determines the specific cellular responses elicited by a particular extracellular stimulus. However, downstream targets of plant MPKs remain poorly characterized. In this study, 29 putative substrates of AtMPK3, AtMPK4 and AtMPK6 were identified by solid-phase phosphorylation screening of a λ phage expression library constructed from combined mRNAs from salt-treated, pathogen-treated and mechanically wounded Arabidopsis seedlings. To test the efficiency of this screening, we performed in vitro kinase assay with 10 recombinant fusion proteins. All proteins were phosphorylated by AtMPK3, AtMPK4 and AtMPK6, indicating the efficiency of this screening procedure. To confirm phosphorylation of isolated substrates by plant MPKs, we performed in-gel kinase assays. All test substrates were strongly phosphorylated by wounding or H₂O₂-activated AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. Three substrates, encoded by genes At2g41430, At2g41900, and At3g16770, were strongly phosphorylated, suggesting a function as AtMPK substrates. The type of screening provides a powerful way for identifying potential substrates of MAP kinases responsive to biotic and abiotic stresses.     

Effect of trapidil derivative AR 12456 on intracellular cholesterol homeostasis in human hepatoma cell line Hep G2

The effect of trapidil derivative AR12456 on intracellular cholesterol metabolism was investigated in human hepatoma cell line HepG2. AR12456 enhanced the uptake and degradation of¹²⁵I-LDL in a dose-dependent manner. The drug inhibited cholesterol synthesis and esterification without affecting cellular cholesterol content and bile acid synthesis; cholesterol efflux was slightly increased. These results show that the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis together with the enhanced expression of LDL receptors may partially explain the hypocholesterolemic activity of compound AR12456.