Conformations of the central transforming region (Ile 55-Met 67) of the p21 protein and their relationship to activation of the protein

The GTP-binding p21 protein, encoded by the ras-oncogene, becomes transforming if amino acid substitutions are made at critical positions in the polypeptide chain, e.g., at Gly 12, Gly 13, Ala 59, Gln 61 and Glu 63. Most of these substitutions occur in two phosphate-binding loop regions, Tyr 4-Thr 20, herein designated as segment 1, and Ile 55-Met 67, herein designated, as segment 2. These two segments are homologous to two corresponding regions in the two purine nucleotide binding proteins, bacterial elongation factor (EF-tu) (Val 12-Thr 28 corresponds to segment 1; His 78-Ile 92 corresponds to segment 2) and adenylate kinase (ADK) (Lys 9-Cys 25 corresponds to segment 1 and Tyr 95-Arg 107 corresponds to segment 2). We find that the conformations of the segment 1 region in the p21 protein, EF-tu and ADK are similar to one another and that the conformation of the segment 2 region of EF-tu is superimposable on that of segment 2 of ADK. Furthermore, the relative position of the two segments in EF-tu is strikingly similar to that of the two segments in ADK. In the originally proposed X-ray structure for the p21 protein, the conformation of segment 2 in the p21 protein is not similar to that found for the other two proteins, and its disposition relative to segment 1 and the remainder of the protein is also different from that observed for the other two proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Regulation of human T cell leukemia virus expression

Retroviruses of the type C morphology have been implicated in a wide variety of diseases in animals and humans. The human T cell leukemia viruses types I (HTLV-I) and II (HTLV-II), the prototypic human-type C retroviruses, have been identified as the causative agents of some forms of human leukemia and neurological disorders. The genetic structure and regulation of the HTLVs are more complex than their avian and murine leukemia virus counterparts. In addition to the gag, pol, and env genes that encode the characteristic virion proteins of all replication competent retroviruses, the genomes of HTLV encode the non-structural proteins, Tax and Rex, which are required for regulating viral gene expression. To understand what appears to be a complex mechanism of disease induction by HTLV, elucidating the regulation and function of the viral gene products and the interaction of these products with each other, as well as with cellular factors, will be critical. This review focuses primarily on regulation of HTLV gene expression in the infected human T lymphocyte, but also discusses analogous gene regulation by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It concentrates specifically on the role these gene products play in virus replication and, ultimately, pathogenesis.     

Phase I study of combination recombinant interleukin-2 and interferon gamma in patients with advanced malignancies

A phase I trial of interleukin-2 and interferon gamma combination treatment in patients with advanced malignancies was performed based on preclinical in vitro and in vivo data which demonstrated synergistic antitumor effect. The toxicities, immune parameters, and tumor responses are described. The clinical and biologic maximal tolerated doses were extrapolated from these data.     

An altered pattern of cross-resistance in multidrug-resistant human cells results from spontaneous mutations in the mdr1 (P-glycoprotein) gene

Multidrug resistance in human cells results from increased expression of the mdr1 (P-glycoprotein) gene. Although the same gene is activated in cells selected with different drugs, multidrug-resistant cell lines can be preferentially resistant to their selecting agent. The mdr1 cDNA sequence from vinblastine-selected KB cells, which are uniformly resistant to different lipophilic drugs, was compared with the corresponding sequence from colchicine-selected KB cells preferentially resistant to colchicine. These sequences differ at three positions, resulting in a single amino acid change in P-glycoprotein. These differences result from mutations that occurred during colchicine selection. The appearance of these mutations coincides with the emergence of preferential resistance to colchicine. We have constructed biologically active mdr1 cDNA clones that express either wild-type or mutant P-glycoprotein. Multi-drug-resistant transfectants obtained with the mutant sequence were characterized by increased relative resistance to colchicine compared with transfectants obtained with wild-type sequence. mdr1 mutations are therefore responsible for preferential resistance to colchicine in multidrug-resistant KB cells.     

Production and Purification of d-Aminoacylase from Alcaligenes denitrificans and Taxonomic Study of the Strain

A d-aminoacylase-producing microorganism, strain DA181, isolated from soil was identified as Alcaligenes denitrificans subsp. denitrificans. This strain produced about 29,300 units (micromoles of product formed per hour) of d-aminoacylase and 2,300 units of l-aminoacylase per gram of cells (wet weight) when cultivated in a medium containing 1% N-acetyl-dl-leucine as the carbon source. The d-aminoacylase was purified 345-fold. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 108,600 units per mg of protein when N-acetyl-d-methionine was used as a substrate. The apparent molecular weight was 58,000, as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. N-Acetyl-d-methionine was the favored substrate, followed by N-acetyl-d-phenylalanine. This enzyme had a high stereospecificity, and its hydrolysis of N-acetyl-l-amino acids was almost negligible.     

Five genetic loci involved in the synthesis of acidic exopolysaccharides are closely linked in the genome of Rhizobium sp strain NGR234

Summary R-prime plasmids were constructed from a derivative of Rhizobium strain NGR234 (ANU280) and were shown to contain overlapping genomic DNA segments involved in biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides (EPS). The R-primes originally constructed carried the mutant allele from Tn5-induced EPS-deficient (Exo^–) mutant ANU2811. This plasmid-located mutant allele was dominant to the corresponding wild-type allele as merodiploid strains were Exo^–. Exo⁺ revertants occurred at a low rate (1×10^-7) and these were shown to result from double reciprocal recombination events, which led to the isolation of R-prime plasmids carrying functional wild-type exo alleles. R-prime plasmids that carry overlapping segments of DNA from parental strain ANU280 complemented 28 of the 30 group 2 Exo^– mutants of strain ANU280. Complementation of these Exo^– mutants also restored their symbiotic abilities of effective nodulation. Subsequent in vivo recombination between the wild-type alleles located on the R-prime and the corresponding mutated allele on the genome, was used to generate a new family of R-primes, which carried mutations in the exo genes. The 30 group 2 Exo^– mutants were classified into 7 distinct genetic groups based upon complementation and physical mapping data. Five of the seven exo loci were gentically linked and located on a 15-kb region of DNA. Mutations at two loci were dominant only when the mutations were R-prime plasmid-located while a mutation at a second locus was cis-dominant to two other exo loci. At least five genes involved in the synthesis of acidic exopolysaccharide synthesis have been identified.     

The monocyte differentiation antigen, CD14, is anchored to the cell membrane by a phosphatidylinositol linkage

CD14 is a myeloid differentiation Ag expressed primarily on peripheral blood monocytes and macrophages. Although its function is unknown, the CD14 gene maps to a region encoding several myeloid growth factors and receptors. Analysis of the CD14 protein sequence deduced from the cDNA shows that although the CD14 protein contains a characteristic leader peptide, it lacks a characteristic transmembrane region, suggesting that CD14 may be anchored to the membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (PI). Treatment of monocytes as well as a CD14-expressing neuroglioma cell line with PI-phospholipase C removed CD14 from the cell surface. Furthermore, monocytes from a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a disease characterized by lack of expression of other PI-linked proteins, failed to express CD14. Interestingly, the CD14-expressing neuroglioma cell line, which had been transfected with a single CD14 cDNA, released a soluble form of CD14 into the supernatant. Soluble forms of CD14 have previously been observed in serum of normal individuals and in culture supernatants of CD14+ cells. Biosynthetic experiments reveal that this soluble form of CD14 (48 kDa), which is smaller than the form released from the membrane by PI-phospholipase C (53 kDa), does not contain ethanolamine, the first constitutent of the PI-anchoring system. These studies demonstrate that CD14 is a member of the family of PI-anchored proteins and suggest that soluble forms of CD14 represent molecules that completely lack the PI-anchoring system.     

Pre-lysosomal divergence of alpha 2-macroglobulin and transferrin: a kinetic study using a monoclonal antibody against a lysosomal membrane glycoprotein (LAMP-1)

We have used electron microscopic immunocytochemistry to compare the distribution of LAMP-1, a marker for lysosomal membranes, with the intracellular localization of alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M) and transferrin at various time points after their endocytosis into cultured NIH 3T3 cells. The purposes of this study were (a) to determine how soon endocytic ligands reach lysosomal organelles, (b) to examine whether the intermediate endocytic vesicles gained lysosomal markers gradually or in a precipitous, discrete event, and (c) to examine the relationship, if any, between the pathway of recycling ligands and lysosomes. At early time points (0-5 min) after initiation of endocytosis, most structures containing alpha 2-M labeled with colloidal gold (receptosomes) were not labeled by anti-LAMP-1 detected using ferritin bridge or peroxidase immunocytochemistry. At late time points (greater than or equal to 15 min), the structures containing alpha 2-M (lysosomes) were strongly labeled by anti-LAMP-1. In contrast, transferrin that was directly labeled with ferritin was mostly located in LAMP-1-negative structures at all time points studied. The proportion of alpha 2-M-gold containing vesicles strongly labeled for LAMP-1 roughly paralleled the proportion of alpha 2-M-gold-containing structures positive for cytochemically detectable acid phosphatase. Our data indicate that ligands such as transferrin that are internalized through coated pits and receptosomes, but not delivered to lysosomes, do not traverse a lysosomal organelle compartment as marked by LAMP-1 content. Ligands such as alpha 2-M that are destined for lysosomal delivery reach a LAMP-1-positive organelle compartment only after they traverse LAMP-1-negative, non-lysosomal vesicles previously described as receptosomes.