Expression, purification, and characterization of equistatin in Pichia pastoris

Equistatin (EI) is a cysteine protease inhibitor that was isolated from the sea anemone Actinia equina. It belongs to a recently discovered group of thyroglobulin type-I domain inhibitors called thyropins. Since native EI is found only in low amounts in the body of sea anemone and expression of recombinant EI in Escherichia coli yielded only 1 mg/liter of protein, we used the Pichia pastoris expression system to obtain higher yields. A cDNA encoding EI was inserted into pPIC9 vector and transformed into the P. pastoris, strain GS115. Clones expressing high levels of EI were selected from 48 transformants. Recombinant EI was produced in 2-liter shake flasks and recovered from the fermentation broth by affinity chromatography using CM-papain-Sepharose. SDS-PAGE and N-terminal sequence analysis revealed that EI was N-terminally intact and running at the expected molecular weight of 22 kDa. The equilibrium dissociation constants of EI with papain and bovine cathepsin D were determined and were found to be similar to the results for the native inhibitor. EI production was scaled up to a bench top fermentor with a 25 mg/liter yield of active EI.     

Distribution of connexin37, connexin40 and connexin43 in the aorta and coronary artery of several mammals

Intercellular communication between cells of the vessel wall is established by a combination of diffusion and convection of humoral and endothelial factors in the extracellular fluid or by direct intercellular contacts present in the form of gap junctions composed of proteins called connexins. At least connexin (Cx)37, Cx40 and Cx43 are expressed in the vessel wall, but disparate findings with regard to the cell specific localisation of connexins in the vasculature indicate that the distribution of connexins may be species and vessel specific. Moreover, differences in expression exist between cells in culture and tissue sections. We performed an inventory immunohistochemical study on the localisation of Cx37, Cx40 and Cx43 on tissue sections of the bovine, micropig and rat aorta and coronary system, which represent morphologically and functionally different types of vessels in the arterial system. We could observe Cx40 labelling most commonly, although with various intensities, between endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the species studied, with the exception of rat aortic smooth muscle cells. The distribution of Cx43 is more differentiated and mostly confined to smooth muscle cells, although it can be detected scarcely between endothelial cells. Cx37, when detectable, is predominantly expressed between endothelial cells in a heterogeneous pattern. We conclude that Cx40 is the constitutive vascular gap junction protein in situ and guarantees cell coupling between cells in the vessel wall. The differentiated distribution of both Cx37 and Cx43 suggests they are involved in more dynamic processes. Accepted: 12 October 1999     

Shoot organogenesis in leaf explants of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hydrangea macrophylla</Emphasis> ‘Hyd1’ and assessing genetic stability of regenerants using ISSR markers

For the first time, an in vitro regeneration protocol of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hyd1’ was developed. Effects of different plant growth regulators (PGRs) on shoot regeneration were investigated jointly with selecting optimal basal media and cefotaxime concentrations. The highest frequency of shoot organogenesis (100%) and mean number of shoots per explant (2.7) were found on Gamborg B5 basal medium supplemented with 2.25 mg/l 6-benzyladenine (BA), 0.1 mg/l Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 100 mg/l cefotaxime and 30 g/l sucrose solidified by 7 g/l agar. Regenerated shoots were rooted by culturing on perlite plus half strength liquid B5 basal medium with 0.5 mg/l NAA. Rooted plantlets were transplanted to the greenhouse with 100% survival rate. Genetic stability of 32 plantlets (one mother plant and 31 regenerants) was assessed by 44 ISSR markers. Out of 44 ISSR markers, ten markers produced clear, reproducible bands with a mean of 5.9 bands per marker. The in vitro regeneration protocol is potentially useful for the genetic transformation of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hyd1’.     

Differential regulation of distinct types of gap junction channels by similar phosphorylating conditions.

Studies on physiological modulation of intercellular communication mediated by protein kinases are often complicated by the fact that cells express multiple gap junction proteins (connexins; Cx). Changes in cell coupling can be masked by simultaneous opposite regulation of the gap junction channel types expressed. We have examined the effects of activators and inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA), PKC, and PKG on permeability and single channel conductance of gap junction channels composed of Cx45, Cx43, or Cx26 subunits. To allow direct comparison between these Cx, SKHep1 cells, which endogenously express Cx45, were stably transfected with cDNAs coding for Cx43 or Cx26. Under control conditions, the distinct types of gap junction channels could be distinguished on the basis of their permeability and single channel properties. Under various phosphorylating conditions, these channels behaved differently. Whereas agonists/antagonist of PKA did not affect permeability and conductance of all gap junction channels, variable changes were observed under PKC stimulation. Cx45 channels exhibited an additional conductance state, the detection of the smaller conductance states of Cx43 channels was favored, and Cx26 channels were less often observed. In contrast to the other kinases, agonists/antagonist of PKG affected permeability and conductance of Cx43 gap junction channels only. Taken together, these results show that distinct types of gap junction channels are differentially regulated by similar phosphorylating conditions. This differential regulation may be of physiological importance during modulation of cell-to-cell communication of more complex cell systems.     

Event-related Potentials During Target-response Tasks to Study Cognitive Processes of Upper Limb Use in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Unilateral Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is a very common cause of disability in childhood. It is characterized by unilateral motor impairments that are frequently dominated in the upper limb. In addition to a reduced movement capacity of the affected upper limb, several children with unilateral CP show a reduced awareness of the remaining movement capacity of that limb. This phenomenon of disregarding the preserved capacity of the affected upper limb is regularly referred to as Developmental Disregard (DD). Different theories have been postulated to explain DD, each suggesting slightly different guidelines for therapy. Still, cognitive processes that might additionally contribute to DD in children with unilateral CP have never been directly studied. The current protocol was developed to study cognitive aspects involved in upper limb control in children with unilateral CP with and without DD. This was done by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) extracted from the ongoing EEG during target-response tasks asking for a hand-movement response. ERPs consist of several components, each of them associated with a well-defined cognitive process (e.g., the N1 with early attention processes, the N2 with cognitive control and the P3 with cognitive load and mental effort). Due to its excellent temporal resolution, the ERP technique enables to study several covert cognitive processes preceding overt motor responses and thus allows insight into the cognitive processes that might contribute to the phenomenon of DD. Using this protocol adds a new level of explanation to existing behavioral studies and opens new avenues to the broader implementation of research on cognitive aspects of developmental movement restrictions in children.     

Metabolic Engineering of Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Plants

Metabolic engineering of terpenoids in plants is a fascinating research topic from two main perspectives. On the one hand, the various biological activities of these compounds make their engineering a new tool for improving a considerable number of traits in crops. These include for example enhanced disease resistance, weed control by producing allelopathic compounds, better pest management, production of medicinal compounds, increased value of ornamentals and fruit and improved pollination. On the other hand, the same plants altered in the profile of terpenoids and their precursor pools make a most important contribution to fundamental studies on terpenoid biosynthesis and its regulation. In this review we describe our recent results with terpenoid engineering, focusing on two terpenoid classes the monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. The emerging picture is that engineering of these compounds and their derivatives in plant cells is feasible, although with some requirements and limitations. For example, in terpenoid engineering experiments crucial factors are the subcellular localisation of both the precursor pool and the introduced enzymes, the activity of endogenous plant enzymes which modify the introduced terpenoid skeleton, the costs of engineering in terms of effects on other pathways sharing the same precursor pool and the phytotoxicity of the introduced terpenoids. Finally, we will show that transgenic plants altered in their terpenoid profile exert novel biological activities on their environment, for example influencing insect behaviour.A. Aharoni is an Incumbent of the Adolfo and Evelyn Blum Career Development chair     

Cytomegalovirus early and late membrane antigens detected by antibodies in human convalescent sera.

Using indirect immunofluorescence and a panel of human convalescent-phase sera, we identified cytomegalovirus (CMV) early and late membrane antigens (CMV-EMA and CMV-LMA, respectively) as separate entities on the surfaces of viable CMV-infected fibroblasts starting at 6 to 12 and 36 to 48 h postinoculation, respectively. For expression of CMV-EMA and CMV-LMA, infectious virus and active protein synthesis were required, whereas the expression of CMV-LMA, in addition, required viral DNA synthesis. Our data suggest that CMV-EMA and CMV-LMA form an individual set of CMV antigens that are different from intracellular CMV antigens and possibly (partly) different from the viral envelope.