Activin A and transforming growth factor-β stimulate heart formation in axolotls but do not rescue cardiac lethal mutants

In the Mexican axolotl (salamander), Ambystoma mexicanum, a recessive cardiac lethal mutation causes an incomplete differentiation of the myocardium. Mutant hearts lack organized sarcomeric myofibrils and do not contract throughout their lengths. We have previously shown that RNA purified from normal anterior endoderm or from juvenile heart tissue is able to rescue mutant embryonic hearts in an in vitro organ culture system. Under these conditions as many as 55% of formerly quiescent mutant hearts initiate regular contractions within 48 hours. After earlier reports that transforming growth factor-1 and, to a lesser extent, platelet-derived growth factor-BB could substitute for anterior endoderm as a promoter of cardiac mesodermal differentiation in normal axolotl embryos, we decided to examine the effect of growth factors in the cardiac mutant axolotl system. In one type of experiment, stage 35 mutant hearts were incubated in activin A, transforming growth factors-1 or 2, platelet-derived growth factor, or epidermal growth factor, but no rescue of mutant hearts was achieved. Considering the possibility that growth factors would only be effective at earlier stages of development, we tested transforming growth factors-1 and 5, and activin A on normal and mutant precardiac mesoderm explanted in the absence of endoderm at neurula stage 14. We found that, although these growth factors stimulated heart tube formation in both normal and mutant mesodermal explants, only normal explants contained contractile myocardial tissue. We hypothesize that transforming growth factor- superfamily peptides initiate a cascade of responses in mesoderm that result in both changes in cell shape (the basis for heart morphogenesis) and terminal myocardial cytodifferentiation. The cardiac lethal mutation appears to be deficient only in the latter process.This work was supported by NIH grants HL-32184 and HL-37702 and a grant-in-aid from the American Heart Association to L.F.L.F.J. Mangiacapra and M.E. Fransen contributed equally to this work     

The human homologue of yeast CRM1 is in a dynamic subcomplex with CAN/Nup214 and a novel nuclear pore component Nup88.

The oncogenic nucleoporin CAN/Nup214 is essential in vertebrate cells. Its depletion results in defective nuclear protein import, inhibition of messenger RNA export and cell cycle arrest. We recently found that CAN associates with proteins of 88 and 112 kDa, which we have now cloned and characterized. The 88 kDa protein is a novel nuclear pore complex (NPC) component, which we have named Nup88. Depletion of CAN from the NPC results in concomitant loss of Nup88, indicating that the localization of Nup88 to the NPC is dependent on CAN binding. The 112 kDa protein is the human homologue of yeast CRM1, a protein known to be required for maintenance of correct chromosome structure. This human CRM1 (hCRM1) localized to the NPC as well as to the nucleoplasm. Nuclear overexpression of the FG-repeat region of CAN, containing its hCRM1-interaction domain, resulted in depletion of hCRM1 from the NPC. In CAN-/- mouse embryos lacking CAN, hCRM1 remained in the nuclear envelope, suggesting that this protein can also bind to other repeat-containing nucleoporins. Lastly, hCRM1 shares a domain of significant homology with importin-beta, a cytoplasmic transport factor that interacts with nucleoporin repeat regions. We propose that hCRM1 is a soluble nuclear transport factor that interacts with the NPC.     

Ultrastructural localization of the circulating cathodic antigen in the digestive tract of various life-cycle stages of Schistosoma mansoni

In the present study the ultrastructural localization of the schistosome-derived circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) within the digestive tract of various life-cycle stages of the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni has been determined. Use was made of CCA-specific monoclonal antibodies in a two-step gold-labeling procedure. The following results were obtained: In cercariae gold label was found in the cytoplasm and in the luminal surface coat of the gut epithelium. The oesophagus of this life-cycle stage of the parasite showed minimal CCA reactivity, as gold label was limited to the luminal surface coat, locating proximally to the gut. In 3 1/2-week-old worms and in adult male and female worms CCA was demonstrable in the Golgi apparatus, in cytoplasmic vesicles and in the luminal surface coat; in the caudal quarter of the gut of adult worms CCA was also present in lysosome-like bodies. The oesophagus of these worm preparations did not show any CCA reactivity. In miracidia CCA was not present.     

Presence of small GTP-binding proteins in the peroxisomal membrane.

Highly purified peroxisomal membranes stripped from their peripheral membrane proteins and only minimally contaminated with other membranes, contained three GTP-binding proteins of 29, 27 and 25 kDa, respectively. Bound radioactive GTP was displaced by unlabelled GTP, GTP analogs and GDP but not by GMP or other nucleotides. GTP binding was markedly decreased by trypsin treatment of intact purified peroxisomes; it increased 2-3-fold after pretreatment of the animals with a peroxisome proliferator. We conclude that the peroxisomal membrane contains small GTP-binding proteins that are exposed to the cytosol and that are firmly anchored in the membrane. We speculate that these proteins are involved in peroxisome multiplication by fission or budding during peroxisome biogenesis and proliferation.     

On the origin of the FcRIII (CD16)-containing vesicle population in human neutrophil granulocytes.

Human blood neutrophils bear two types of Fc receptors that recognize the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G: FcRII and FcRIII. In earlier studies we found that neutrophils not only express FcRIII on their plasma membrane but also contain a large population of FcRIII-containing vesicles mainly located in the juxtanuclear area. To find out whether these vesicles derive from the plasma membrane, we used electron microscopic techniques to study compartments involved in ligand-independent endocytosis in human neutrophil granulocytes. The endocytic compartments were labeled with BSA-gold. This marker entered the cell through non-coated invaginations of the plasma membrane as well as via coated pits. After internalization, BSA-gold was present in numerous electron-lucent vesicles in the juxtanuclear area and in the trans-Golgi reticulum, endosomes, and lysosome-like structures. FcRIII also occurred in the BSA-gold-containing electron-lucent vesicles in the juxtanuclear area, as shown by postembedding immunocytochemical labeling of FcRIII in cells already containing BSA-gold. Quantification showed that 29% of all FcRIII-containing vesicles also bear BSA-gold while the remaining 71% contain only the receptor. In sum, our findings show that one third of the FcRIII-containing electron-lucent vesicles in neutrophil granulocytes derive from the plasma membrane and are involved in ligand-independent endocytosis of FcRIII. The majority of these vesicles, however, are not of an endocytic origin and might constitute an "internal pool" of receptors in these cells.     

Expression of Escherichia coli PhoE protein in avirulent Salmonella typhimurium aroA and galE strains

Abstract Escherichia coli K-12 PhoE protein is found to be normally expressed and incorporated into the outer membrane of two avirulent Salmonella typhimurium strains, G30 and SH aroA . A hybrid protein which contains an insertion of an antigenic epitope of VP1 protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus into the PhoE protein, was also normally assembled into the Salmonella outer membranes. In the case of the G30 stain, which carries a galE mutation, the inserted epitope is accessible to antibodies in intact cells. In contrast, the epitope is less accessible in the case of the SH aroA strain, probably due to the shielding effect of the O-antigen in this strain.     

Effect of free fatty acids and detergents on H,K-ATPase. The steady-state ATP phosphorylation level and the orientation of the enzyme in membrane preparations.

The effects of detergents and free fatty acids on the K(+)-activated ATPase activity and on the steady-state phosphorylation level of pig gastric H,K-ATPase were studied. Unsaturated free fatty acids inhibited the K(+)-activated ATPase activity, due to inactivation of the enzyme (long-term effects) and to a decrease in the K(+)-sensitive dephosphorylation rate (short-term effects). The degree of inhibition depended on the reaction conditions: the protein concentration, the temperature and the ligands used. No effect was observed when saturated- or methylated unsaturated fatty acids were tested. Free fatty acids and the detergent C12E8 increased the steady-state ATP phosphorylation level, indicating the presence of vesicular structures in the H,K-ATPase preparations. At higher concentrations these compounds inactivated H,K-ATPase, which was measured as a decrease in phosphorylation capacity. By combining the data from the ATP phosphorylation level in the absence and presence of C12E8 (without inactivation) and the data from the K(+)-activated ATPase activity with and without ionophore the tightness of vesicular preparations and the orientation of H,K-ATPase was determined. A rather simple method for the isolation of H,K-ATPase is reported, which yields highly purified H,K-ATPase preparations with a ATP phosphorylation capacity of 3.9 nmol P per mg protein or 0.57 mol P per mol alpha beta protomer. This number suggests that each alpha-subunit H,K-ATPase can be phosphorylated at the same time.     

Functional consequences of sphingomyelinase-induced changes in erythrocyte membrane structure

Inflammation enhances the secretion of sphingomyelinases (SMases). SMases catalyze the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin into phosphocholine and ceramide. In erythrocytes, ceramide formation leads to exposure of the removal signal phosphatidylserine (PS), creating a potential link between SMase activity and anemia of inflammation. Therefore, we studied the effects of SMase on various pathophysiologically relevant parameters of erythrocyte homeostasis. Time-lapse confocal microscopy revealed a SMase-induced transition from the discoid to a spherical shape, followed by PS exposure, and finally loss of cytoplasmic content. Also, SMase treatment resulted in ceramide-associated alterations in membrane–cytoskeleton interactions and membrane organization, including microdomain formation. Furthermore, we observed increases in membrane fragility, vesiculation and invagination, and large protein clusters. These changes were associated with enhanced erythrocyte retention in a spleen-mimicking model. Erythrocyte storage under blood bank conditions and during physiological aging increased the sensitivity to SMase. A low SMase activity already induced morphological and structural changes, demonstrating the potential of SMase to disturb erythrocyte homeostasis. Our analyses provide a comprehensive picture in which ceramide-induced changes in membrane microdomain organization disrupt the membrane–cytoskeleton interaction and membrane integrity, leading to vesiculation, reduced deformability, and finally loss of erythrocyte content. Understanding these processes is highly relevant for understanding anemia during chronic inflammation, especially in critically ill patients receiving blood transfusions.     

Metabolism of germinating teliospores of Ustilago nuda

Teliospores of Ustilago nuda are exogenously dormant. Germination and respiration of these thick-walled spores were greatly stimulated by glucose. Cycloheximide, actinomycine D, salicylhydroxamic acid and cyanide inhibited germination completely. Dormant spores in water had a R.Q. of about 0.85. However, during early germination in glucose containing media the R.Q. increased to 1.4. The chemical composition of the spores did not change dramatically during early germination. The main reserve compounds of the spores were glycogen and lipid. Trehalose could not be detected. Radiorespirometric as well as enzymatic evidence suggested that glucose was metabolized along glycolysis and the hexose monophosphate pathway. The increasing activity of phosphofructokinase might allow an increased flow through the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway during early germination.Abbreviations EMP-pathway Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway - HMP-pathway hexose monophosphate pathway - SHAM salicyl-hydroxamic acid - HEPES 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethane-sulfonic acid - MES 2-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid