Demonstration of GTP-binding proteins and ADP-ribosylated proteins in rat liver Golgi fraction

A Golgi-rich fraction isolated from rat liver was found to contain GTP-binding proteins with 20-25 kDa, which were tightly bound to the Golgi membrane. The Golgi fraction also contained two species of proteins which were ADP-ribosylated by bacterial toxins. Protein(s) which was ADP-ribosylated by botulinum toxin had a similar molecular mass as those with GTP-binding activity but was easily released from the membrane. Another protein with 46 kDa which was ADP-ribosylated by pertussis toxin was tightly bound to the membrane but had no significant GTP-binding activity under conditions tested here. These proteins were much less or negligible in the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum.     

Interactions of factors bound at two different sites in the 5'-upstream region of the adenovirus 12 E1A gene

A nuclear extract of Ehrlich ascites tumor cell contains factors binding to two distinct sites in the 5'-upstream region of the adenovirus 12 E1A gene. The gel shift assay was performed for characterization of the binding factors with oligo DNA probes containing sequences corresponding to these sites. The specific binding of a factor to one probe was enhanced when the other oligo DNA was present in excess in the binding reaction. Thus possibly, protein-protein interactions between factors may mutually prevent their binding to target sequences.     

Proalbumin is processed to serum albumin in COS-1 cells transfected with cDNA for rat albumin

Synthesis and processing of rat albumin were investigated in COS-1 cells transiently expressing rat albumin. Analysis using isoelectric focusing revealed that serum-type albumin, which is indistinguishable from the counterpart isolated from rat hepatocyte cuture medium, was secreted from the transfected COS-1 cells, indicating that proalbumin is effectively converted into serum albumin in the COS-1 cells, if not completely. Furthermore methylamine was found to cause the diminution of serum albumin released from the cells, substantiating that the proteolytical conversion of proalbumin occurs in the Golgi complex before discharge from the COS-1 cells.     

The fibrinogen-derived peptide (RGDS) prevents proteolytic degradation of protein kinase C in platelets by inhibiting platelet aggregation

The effects of the fibrinogen-derived tetrapeptide, Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS), on platelet activation processes was studied. At concentrations of 100-300 microM, RGDS completely prevented platelet aggregation induced by all the common platelet agonists, 'weak' and 'strong'. In agreement with earlier views on the aggregation-dependency of weak agonist-induced thromboxane synthesis and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) secretion, RGDS (100-300 microM) inhibited these events induced by ADP, adrenaline and low concentrations of thrombin and collagen but not that induced by high concentrations of thrombin and collagen. 5HT secretion induced by the protein kinase C (PKC) activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), was also not affected by RGDS, but proteolytic degradation of the translocated membrane-bound enzyme in PMA-treated platelets, due to the actions of the Ca2+-dependent protease (Ca-DP), was completely prevented such that in the presence of RGDS, sustained increases in membrane-bound PKC activity were observed. PMA alone caused only transient increases in membrane-bound PKC. This effect of RGDS was similar to the effect of E64-d, a recently described inhibitor of Ca-DP in platelets, or the effects seen with PMA in unstirred non-aggregating platelets. It is concluded that RGDS inhibits the actions of Ca-DP in platelets via inhibition of aggregation.     

Inhibition of mouse liver sialidase by plant flavonoids

Flavonoids (103 species) were tested for inhibitory activity against mouse liver sialidase using sodium p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-alpha-D-neuraminate (PNP-NeuAc) as substrate. Isoscutellarein-8-O-glucuronide from the leaf of Scutellaria baicalensis showed most potent activity (IC50, 40 microM), and this flavone appeared to be a non-competitive inhibitor of the enzyme. This flavone inhibited the lysosomal solubilized sialidase against PNP-NeuAc and sialyllactose effectively, but not microsomal enzyme against gangliosides and colominic acid, whereas, negligible or weak inhibitory activities were observed for influenza virus sialidase, beta-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase, and alpha-glucosidase tested. These results indicate that this flavone may be useful to elucidate the function of the lysosomal solubilized sialidase.     

Mouse thymoma cell line expresses a gluconeogenic enzyme, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase

Fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase was observed in a thymic lymphoma cell line, WEH17.1 (11.5 +/- 0.8 munits/mg cytosol protein). Only a trace amount of the enzyme activity was observed in normal thymus tissue. The WEH17.1 enzyme had a pH optimum at around 7.5. The AMP-concentration giving 50% inhibition of the activity was about 73 microM. That of the crude mouse liver enzyme was 35 microM. The antibodies against the liver and intestinal enzymes cross-reacted with the WEH17.1 enzyme with a lower affinity than the liver enzyme. Immunoblot showed that the subunit molecular weight of the WEH17.1 enzyme was the same as that of the liver enzyme.     

Cloning and sequence analysis of a cDNA encoding the Rieske iron-sulfur protein of rat mitochondrial cytochrome bc1 complex

We have isolated a cDNA clone for the Rieske iron-sulfur protein of rat cytochrome bc1 complex, by screening a rat liver cDNA expression library using antiserum directed against the corresponding protein of bovine. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA indicated that the mature polypeptide of the rat protein consists of 196 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 21,465, and that it is formed as a precursor with an amino-terminal extension. Northern blot analysis indicated that rat liver possibly contains different sizes of mRNAs for the Rieske iron-sulfur protein, and Southern blot analysis demonstrated that rats and mice possess a single gene for this protein.     

Mutagenesis of human granulocyte colony stimulating factor

To define the structure-function relationship, we have made a number of mutants of human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (hG-CSF) by in vitro mutagenesis. The results indicate that most of the mutations located in the internal and C-terminal regions of the molecule abolished the activity, whereas the mutants without N-terminal 4, 5, 7, or 11 amino acids retained the activity. N-terminal amino acids were also altered by cassette mutagenesis using a synthetic oligonucleotide mixture. Among them, KW2228, in which Thr-1, Leu-3, Gly-4, Pro-5 and Cys-17 were respectively substituted with Ala, Thr, Tyr, Arg and Ser, showed more potent granulopoietic activity than that of intact hG-CSF both in vitro and in vivo.     

Low Mr GTP-binding proteins in human platelets: cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates m22KG(I) in membrane but not c21KG in cytosol

We have purified and characterized two kinds of GTP-binding proteins with Mr of 22,000 in human platelet membrane (main; m22KG(I), minor; m22KG(II)) (Nagata, K. and Nozawa, Y. (1988) FEBS Lett. 238, 90-94). In this study, the main GTP-binding protein (m22KG(I)) was found to be phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase), but not by protein kinase C. About 0.5 mol of phosphate was maximally incorporated into one mol of the protein and this phosphorylation was inhibited in the presence of A-kinase inhibitor. Phosphorylation of m22KG(I) did not alter either its GTP-binding or GTPase activity. When m22KG(I) was incubated alone or in the presence of 100 microM guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S) and then exposed to A-kinase, no significant changes in the level of phosphorylation were observed. On the other hand, the most abundant GTP-binding protein with Mr of 21,000 (c21KG) in human platelet cytosol, which was identified as a transformation suppressor gene product (rap 1 protein, smg p21 and Krev-1 protein), was not phosphorylated by A-kinase under the same condition. However, c21KG was phosphorylated by A-kinase after pretreatment with alkaline phosphatase.     

Endothelin inhibits presynaptic adrenergic neurotransmission in rat mesenteric artery

The effect of endothelin(ET) on adrenergic neurotransmission was examined in isolated perfused rat mesenteric arteries. Porcine ET(10(-12) to 10(-10)M) attenuated the pressor response to sympathetic nerve stimulation (NS). It also stimulated the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), but its inhibition of the pressor response to NS was not affected by indomethacin treatment. ET also caused dose-dependent inhibition of [3H]norepinephrine release during NS. Higher doses of ET rather enhanced the pressor response to NS. These results suggest that ET inhibits presynaptic adrenergic neurotransmission without mediation of PGE2, while it potentiates the responsiveness of the postsynaptic alpha-adrenergic receptor. Thus ET appears to act directly on the neuroeffector junction as well as on the peripheral vasculature.