ASC is an activating adaptor for NF-kappa B and caspase-8-dependent apoptosis

ASC is a pro-apoptotic protein containing a pyrin domain (PD) and a caspase-recruitment domain (CARD). A previous study suggests that ASC interacts with Ipaf, a member of the Apaf-1/Nod1 protein family. However, the functional relevance of the interaction has not been determined. Here, we report that co-expression of ASC with Ipaf or oligomerization of ASC induces both apoptosis and NF-kappa B activation. Apoptosis induced through ASC was inhibited by a mutant form of Caspase-8 but not by that of Caspase-1. The PD of ASC physically interacted with Caspase-8 as well as with pyrin, the familial Mediterranean fever gene product. Caspase-8 deficiency rescued mouse fibroblasts from apoptosis induced by ASC oligomerization. Pyrin disrupted the interaction between ASC and Caspase-8, and inhibited both apoptosis and NF-kappa B activation induced by ASC. These findings suggest that ASC is a mediator of NF-kappa B activation and Caspase-8-dependent apoptosis in an Ipaf signaling pathway.     

Different protofilament-dependence of the microtubule binding between MAP2 and MAP4

To see a molecular basis of the difference in the microtubule binding between MAP2 and MAP4, we compared the binding of them onto microtubule and Zinc-sheet in the presence of various concentrations of NaCl. The Zinc-sheet is the lateral association of protofilaments arranged in an antiparallel fashion with alternatively exposed opposite surfaces, so that binding requiring adjacent protofilaments is restricted. While the salt-dependence of the MAP2 desorption was not altered between these tubulin polymers, MAP4 dissociated from Zinc-sheet at lower concentrations of NaCl than from microtubule. These results suggest that single protofilament is sufficient for microtubule binding of MAP2 as observed by Al-Bassam et al. [J. Cell Biol. 157 (2002) 1187], but MAP4 appeared to interact with adjacent protofilaments during microtubule-binding. Weakened binding on Zinc-sheets was also observed in the projection domain-deletion mutants of MAP4, so that the difference in the protofilament-dependence would lie in the relatively conserved microtubule-binding domain.     

A temperature-sensitive mutant of the mammalian RNA helicase,DEAD-BOX X isoform,DBX, defective in the transition from G1 to S phase

ts ET24 cells are a novel temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant for cell proliferation of hamster BHK21 cells. The human genomic DNA which rescued the temperature-sensitive lethality of ts ET24 cells was isolated and screened for an open reading frame in the deposited human genomic library. X chromosomal DBX gene encoding the RNA helicase, DEAD-BOX X isoform, which is homologous to yeast Ded1p, was found to be defective in this mutant. The single point mutation (P267S) was localized between the Motifs I and Ia of the hamster DBX of ts ET24 cells. At the nonpermissive temperature of 39.5 degrees C, ts ET24 cells were arrested in the G1-phase and survived for more than 3 days. In ts ET24 cells, total protein synthesis was not reduced at 39.5 degrees C for 24 h, while mRNA accumulated in the nucleus after incubation at 39.5 degrees C for 17 h. The amount of cyclin A mRNA decreased in ts ET24 cells within 4 h after the temperature shift to 39.5 degrees C, consistent with the fact that the entry into the S-phase was delayed by the temperature shift.     

Mechanistic study of the oxidation of caffeic acid by digital simulation of cyclic voltammograms

The oxidation mechanism of caffeic acid (CAF) has been studied by means of cyclic voltammetry with the plastic formed carbon or glassy carbon electrode. CAF gives a well-developed two-electron reversible wave in acidic media, whereas it shows an irreversible behavior, i.e., a decrease of the rereduction peak, in less acidic media, suggesting that the oxidation of CAF follows an irreversible chemical reaction(s). Digital simulation analyses based on different oxidation mechanisms have been performed for the voltammograms obtained with the GC electrode in 1:1 (v/v) water:ethanol solutions. The results clearly show that the seeming two-electron oxidation of CAF occurs stepwise via one-electron processes, each of which follows an irreversible chemical reaction. It has also been suggested that the semiquinone radical as an intermediate of the one-electron oxidation should play an important role in the oxidation reaction. Evaluations of the rate constants for the chemical reactions have further suggested that the chemical reactions are dimerization reactions.     

A comparative study on the hydroperoxide and thiol specificity of the glutathione peroxidase family and selenoprotein P

Glutathione peroxidase catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxide by glutathione and functions in the protection of cells against oxidative damage. Glutathione peroxidase exists in several forms that differ in their primary structure and localization. We have also shown that selenoprotein P exhibits a glutathione peroxidase-like activity (Saito, Y., Hayashi, T., Tanaka, A., Watanabe, Y., Suzuki, M., Saito, E., and Takahashi, K. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 2866-2871). To understand the physiological significance of the diversity among these enzymes, a comparative study on the peroxide substrate specificity of three types of ubiquitous glutathione peroxidase (cellular glutathione peroxidase, phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, and extracellular glutathione peroxidase) and of selenoprotein P purified from human origins was done. The specific activities and kinetic parameters against two hydroperoxides (hydrogen peroxide and phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide) were determined. We next examined the thiol specificity and found that thioredoxin is the preferred electron donor for selenoprotein P. These four enzymes exhibit different peroxide and thiol specificities and collaborate to protect biological molecules from oxidative stress both inside and outside the cells.     

F(0) of ATP synthase is a rotary proton channel. Obligatory coupling of proton translocation with rotation of c-subunit ring

Coupling of proton flow and rotation in the F(0) motor of ATP synthase was investigated using the thermophilic Bacillus PS3 enzyme expressed functionally in Escherichia coli cells. Cysteine residues introduced into the N-terminal regions of subunits b and c of ATP synthase (bL2C/cS2C) were readily oxidized by treating the expressing cells with CuCl(2) to form predominantly a b-c cross-link with b-b and c-c cross-links being minor products. The oxidized ATP synthases, either in the inverted membrane vesicles or in the reconstituted proteoliposomes, showed drastically decreased proton pumping and ATPase activities compared with the reduced ones. Also, the oxidized F(0), either in the F(1)-stripped inverted vesicles or in the reconstituted F(0)-proteoliposomes, hardly mediated passive proton translocation through F(0). Careful analysis using single mutants (bL2C or cS2C) as controls indicated that the b-c cross-link was responsible for these defects. Thus, rotation of the c-oligomer ring relative to subunit b is obligatory for proton translocation; if there is no rotation of the c-ring there is no proton flow through F(0).