Mammalian copper chaperone Cox17p has an essential role in activation of cytochrome C oxidase and embryonic development

Cox17p is essential for the assembly of functional cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) and for delivery of copper ions to the mitochondrion for insertion into the enzyme in yeast. Although this small protein has already been cloned or purified from humans, mice, and pigs, the function of Cox17p in the mammalian system has not yet been elucidated. In vitro biochemical data for mammalian Cox17p indicate that the copper binds to the sequence -KPCCAC-. Although mouse embryos homozygous for COX17 disruption die between embryonic days E8.5 and E10, they develop normally until E6.5. This phenotype is strikingly similar to embryos of Ctr1(-/-), a cell surface copper transporter, in its lethality around the time of gastrulation. COX17-deficient embryos exhibit severe reductions in CCO activity at E6.5. Succinate dehydrogenase activity and immunoreactivities for anti-COX subunit antibodies were normal in the COX17(-/-) embryos, indicating that this defect was not caused by the deficiency of other complexes and/or subunits but was caused by impaired CCO activation by Cox17p. Since other copper chaperone (Atox1 and CCS)-deficient mice show a more moderate defect, the disruption of the COX17 locus causes the expression of only the phenotype of Ctr1(-/-). We found that the activity of lactate dehydrogenase was also normal in E6.5 embryos, implying that the activation of CCO by Cox17p may not be essential to the progress of embryogenesis before gastrulation.     

Systemic and microvascular responses to hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation with Hb vesicles

A phospholipid vesicle encapsulating hemoglobin (Hb vesicle, HbV) has been developed to provide O(2)-carrying capacity to plasma expanders. Its ability to restore systemic and microcirculatory conditions after hemorrhagic shock was evaluated in the dorsal skinfold window preparation of conscious hamsters. The HbV was suspended in 8% human serum albumin (HSA) at Hb concentrations of 3.8 g/dl [HbV(3.8)/HSA] and 7.6 g/dl [HbV(7.6)/HSA]. Shock was induced by 50% blood withdrawal, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 40 mmHg was maintained for 1 h by the additional blood withdrawal. The hamsters receiving either HbV(3.8)/HSA or HbV(7.6)/HSA suspensions restored MAP to 93 +/- 14 and 93 +/- 10 mmHg, respectively, similar with those receiving the shed blood (98 +/- 13 mmHg), which were significantly higher by comparison with resuscitation with HSA alone (62 +/- 12 mmHg). Only the HSA group tended to maintain hyperventilation and negative base excess after the resuscitation. Subcutaneous microvascular blood flow reduced to approximately 10-20% of baseline during shock, and reinfusion of shed blood restored blood flow to approximately 60-80% of baseline, an effect primarily due to the sustained constriction of small arteries A(0) (diameter 143 +/- 29 microm). The HbV(3.8)/HSA group had significantly better microvascular blood flow recovery and nonsignificantly better tissue oxygenation than of the HSA group. The recovery of base excess and improved tissue oxygenation appears to be primarily due to the increased oxygen-carrying capacity of HbV fluid resuscitation.     

An endoplasmic reticulum stress-specific caspase cascade in apoptosis. Cytochrome c-independent activation of caspase-9 by caspase-12

Activation of caspase-12 from procaspase-12 is specifically induced by insult to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (Nakagawa, T., Zhu, H., Morishima, N., Li, E., Xu, J., Yankner, B. A., and Yuan, J. (2000) Nature 403, 98-103), yet the functional consequences of caspase-12 activation have been unclear. We have shown that recombinant caspase-12 specifically cleaves and activates procaspase-9 in cytosolic extracts. The activated caspase-9 catalyzes cleavage of procaspase-3, which is inhibitable by a caspase-9-specific inhibitor. Although cytochrome c released from mitochondria has been believed to be required for caspase-9 activation during apoptosis (Zou, H., Henzel, W. J., Liu, X., Lutschg, A., and Wang, X. (1997) Cell 90, 405-413, Li, P., Nijhawan, D., Budihardjo, I., Srinivasula, S. M., Ahmad, M., Alnemri, E. S., and Wang, X. (1997) Cell 91, 479-489), caspase-9 as well as caspase-12 and -3 are activated in cytochrome c-free cytosols in murine myoblast cells under ER stress. These results suggest that caspase-12 can activate caspase-9 without involvement of cytochrome c. To examine the role of caspase-12 in the activation of downstream caspases, we used a caspase-12-binding protein, which we identified in a yeast two-hybrid screen, for regulation of caspase-12 activation. The binding protein protects procaspase-12 from processing in vitro. Stable expression of the binding protein renders procaspase-12 insensitive to ER stress, thereby suppressing apoptosis and the activation of caspase-9 and -3. These data suggest that procaspase-9 is a substrate of caspase-12 and that ER stress triggers a specific cascade involving caspase-12, -9, and -3 in a cytochrome c-independent manner.     

Two novel genes expressed in Xenopus germ line: characteristic features of putative protein structures,their gene expression profiles and their possible roles in gametogenesis and embryogenesis

We compared the secondary spermatogonia and the primary spermatocytes of Xenopus for the proteins in their microsomal fractions and identified a newly synthesized protein (94 kDa) and three other proteins (99, 85, and 72 kDa) which increased their amount after entering the meiotic phase. These four proteins were used as antigens to produce polyclonal antibody which was found to react with the four proteins as well as two other proteins (208 and 60 kDa). Immunoscreening of Xenopus testis cDNA library with this polyclonal antibody yielded two cDNA clones (Xmegs and Xtr) encoding novel proteins. Xmegs mRNA was specifically expressed in the spermatogenic cells from the mid-pachytene stage to completion of two meiotic divisions. The putative Xmegs protein contained 19 tandem repeats of 26 amino acid residues rich in proline as well as potential phosphorylation sites (i.e., serine and threonine residues). Around this repetitive area, we found five PEST sequences known as a proteolytic signal to target protein for degradation. The presence of PEST sequences was believed to allow protein levels to closely parallel mRNA abundance. These results suggested the possible role of this novel protein in the regulation of two meiotic divisions specific to the spermatogenesis in a phosphorylation- and/or dephosphorylation-dependent manner. On the other hand, Xtr mRNA was expressed in both spermatogenic and oogenic cells except for round spermatids and the later stage cells. This mRNA was also expressed in the early stage embryos and its amount was kept constant from the St. I oocyte to the gastrula stage and decreased thereafter. The putative Xtr protein contained four complete and one partial tudor-like domains that were discovered in Drosophila tudor protein which plays an important role in PGC differentiation and abdominal segmentation. The characteristic expression profile of Xtr and the protein structure similar to the Drosophila tudor protein suggested its possible role in the progression of meiosis and PGC differentiation.     

Antioxidant action of 2,2,4,6-tetra-substituted 2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxybenzofuran against lipid peroxidation: effects of substituents and side chain

With increasing evidence suggesting the involvement of oxidative stress in various disorders and diseases, the role of antioxidants in vivo has received much attention. 2,3-Dihydro-5-hydroxy-2,2-dipentyl-4,6-di-tert-butylbenzofuran (BO-653) was designed, synthesized and has been evaluated as a novel antiatherogenic drug. In order to further understand the action of BO-653 and also radical-scavenging antioxidants in general, the dynamics of inhibition of oxidation by BO-653 were compared with those of the related compounds, 2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-4,6-di-tert-butylbenzofuran (BOB), 2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-2,2,4,6-tetramethylbenzofuran (BOM), alpha-tocopherol and 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-6-chromanol (PMC), aiming specifically at elucidating the effects of substituents and side chain length of the phenolic antioxidants. These five antioxidants exerted substantially the same reactivities toward radicals and antioxidant capacities against lipid peroxidation in organic solution. When compared with di-methyl side chains, the di-pentyl side chains of BO-653 reduced its inter-membrane mobility but exerted less significant effect than the phytyl side chain of alpha-tocopherol on the efficacy of radical scavenging within the membranes. Di-tert-butyl groups at both ortho-positions made BO-653 and BOB more lipophilic than di-methyl substituents and reduced markedly the reactivity toward Cu(II) and also the synergistic interaction with ascorbate. The results of the present study together with those of the previous work on the effect of substituents on the stabilities of aryloxyl radicals suggest that tert-butyl group is more favorable than methyl group as the substituent at the ortho-positions and that di-pentyl side chains may be superior to a phytyl side chain.     

Biotinylated lithocholic acids for affinity chromatography of mammalian DNA polymerases alpha and beta

Biotinylated lithocholic acids have been synthesized. The compounds inhibited mammalian DNA polymerases alpha and beta with dose-dependent manner. The streptavidine columns conjugated with the synthetic biotinylated compounds chromatographed both two enzymes eluted by KCl solution at the different concentrations.     

Photochemical properties of the flavin mononucleotide-binding domains of the phototropins from Arabidopsis,rice, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Phototropins (phot1 and phot2, formerly designated nph1 and npl1) are blue-light receptors that mediate phototropism, blue light-induced chloroplast relocation, and blue light-induced stomatal opening in Arabidopsis. Phototropins contain two light, oxygen, or voltage (LOV) domains at their N termini (LOV1 and LOV2), each a binding site for the chromophore flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Their C termini contain a serine/threonine protein kinase domain. Here, we examine the kinetic properties of the LOV domains of Arabidopsis phot1 and phot2, rice (Oryza sativa) phot1 and phot2, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii phot. When expressed in Escherichia coli, purified LOV domains from all phototropins examined bind FMN tightly and undergo a self-contained photocycle, characterized by fluorescence and absorption changes induced by blue light (T. Sakai, T. Kagawa, M. Kasahara, T.E. Swartz, J.M. Christie, W.R. Briggs, M. Wada, K. Okada [2001] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98: 6969-6974; M. Salomon, J.M. Christie, E. Knieb, U. Lempert, W.R. Briggs [2000] Biochemistry 39: 9401-9410). The photocycle involves the light-induced formation of a cysteinyl adduct to the C(4a) carbon of the FMN chromophore, which subsequently breaks down in darkness. In each case, the relative quantum efficiencies for the photoreaction and the rate constants for dark recovery of LOV1, LOV2, and peptides containing both LOV domains are presented. Moreover, the data obtained from full-length Arabidopsis phot1 and phot2 expressed in insect cells closely resemble those obtained for the tandem LOV-domain fusion proteins expressed in E. coli. For both Arabidopsis and rice phototropins, the LOV domains of phot1 differ from those of phot2 in their reaction kinetic properties and relative quantum efficiencies. Thus, in addition to differing in amino acid sequence, the phototropins can be distinguished on the basis of the photochemical cycles of their LOV domains. The LOV domains of C. reinhardtii phot also undergo light-activated spectral changes consistent with cysteinyl adduct formation. Thus, the phototropin family extends over a wide evolutionary range from unicellular algae to higher plants.