Involvement of the cytoplasmic juxtamembrane region of matriptase in its exclusive localization to the basolateral membrane domain of Madin–Darby canine kidney epithelial cells

Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease. This protease is strongly expressed in simple epithelial cells such as enterocytes and kidney tubular cells in which the plasma membranes are separated into apical and basolateral domains. Although matriptase was found previously to occur exclusively on the basolateral membrane of enterocytes, the underlying mechanism of localization is unclear. In the present study, a full-length rat matriptase and a chimera consisting of the cytoplasmic and transmembrane regions of the protease and green fluorescent protein (designated as 1–86GFP) were found to localize exclusively to the basolateral membrane domain when expressed in Madin–Darby canine kidney epithelial cells. Mutagenesis analysis of 1–86GFP revealed that the matriptase cytoplasmic juxtamembrane amino acid residues (Lys45, Val47, and Arg50) play a role in mediating the localization in the cells. This study provides the first evidence that matriptase carries information for its localization in simple epithelia.     

Insights into the catalytic roles of the polypeptide regions in the active site of thermolysin and generation of the thermolysin variants with high activity and stability

The active site of thermolysin is composed of one zinc ion and five polypeptide regions [N-terminal sheet (Asn112-Trp115), alpha-helix 1 (Val139-Thr149), C-terminal loop 1 (Asp150-Gly162), alpha-helix 2 (Ala163-Val176) and C-terminal loop 2 (Gln225-Ser234)]. To explore their catalytic roles, we introduced single amino-acid substitutions into these regions by site-directed mutagenesis and examined their effects on the activity and stability. Seventy variants, in which one of the twelve residues (Ala113, Phe114, Trp115, Asp150, Tyr157, Gly162, Ile168, Ser169, Asp170, Asn227, Val230 and Ser234) was replaced, were produced in Escherichia coli. The hydrolytic activities of thermolysin for N-[3-(2-furyl)acryloyl]-Gly-l-Leu amide (FAGLA) and casein revealed that the N-terminal sheet and alpha-helix 2 were critical in catalysis and the C-terminal loops 1 and 2 were in substrate recognition. Twelve variants were active for both substrates. In the hydrolysis of FAGLA and N-carbobenzoxy-L-Asp-L-Phe methyl ester, the k(cat)/K(m) values of the D150E (in which Asp150 is replaced with Glu) and I168A variants were 2-3 times higher than those of the wild-type (WT) enzyme. Thermal inactivation of thermolysin at 80 degrees C was greatly suppressed with the D150H, D150W, I168A, I168H, N227A, N227H and S234A. The evidence might provide the insights into the activation and stabilization of thermolysin.     

Thermodynamic analysis of ionizable groups involved in the catalytic mechanism of human matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7)

Human matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) exhibits a broad bell-shaped pH-dependence with the acidic and alkaline pK(e) (pK(e1) and pK(e2)) values of about 4 and 10. In this study, we estimated the ionizable groups involved in its catalytic mechanism by thermodynamic analysis. pK(a) of side chains of L-Asp, L-Glu, L-His, L-Cys, L-Tyr, L-Lys, and L-Arg at 25-45°C were determined by the pH titration of amino-acid solutions, from which their enthalpy changes, ?H°, of deprotonation were calculated. pK(e1) and pK(e2) of MMP-7 at 15-45°C were determined in the hydrolysis of (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl-L-Pro-L-Leu-Gly-L-Leu-[N(3)-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-L-2,3-diaminopropionyl]-L-Ala-L-Arg-NH(2), from which ?H(o) for pK(e1) and pK(e2) was calculated. The ?H(o) for pK(e1) (-20.6±6.1kJmol(-1)) was similar to that for L-Glu (-23.6±5.8kJmol(-1)), and the ?H(o) for pK(e2) (89.9±4.0kJmol(-1)) was similar to those for L-Arg (87.6±5.5kJmol(-1)) and L-Lys (70.4±4.4kJmol(-1)). The mutation of the active-site residue Glu198 into Ala completely abolished the activity, suggesting that Glu198 is the ionizable group for pK(e1). On the other hand, no arginine or lysine residues are found in the active site of MMP-7. We proposed a possibility that a protein-bound water is the ionizable group for pK(e2).     

Inhibitory effect of 0.19 alpha-amylase inhibitor from wheat kernel on the activity of porcine pancreas alpha-amylase and its thermal stability

The inhibitory effect of 0.19 alpha-amylase inhibitor (0.19 AI) from wheat kernel on the porcine pancreas alpha-amylase (PPA)-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-maltoside (pNP-G2) was examined. 0.19 AI is a homodimer of 26.6 kDa with 13.3-kDa subunits under the conditions used. The elution behaviors in gel filtration HPLC of PPA and 0.19 AI indicated that a PPA molecule bound with a 0.19 AI molecule (homodimer) at a molar ratio of 1:1. 0.19 AI inhibited PPA activity in a competitive manner with an inhibitor constant, K(i), of 57.3 nM at pH 6.9, 30 degrees C, and the binding between them was found to be endothermic and entropy-driven. The activation energy for the thermal inactivation of 0.19 AI was determined to be 87.0 kJ/mol, and the temperature, T(50), giving 50% inactivation in a 30-min incubation at pH 6.9 was 88.1 degrees C. The high inhibitory activity of 0.19 AI against PPA and its high thermal stability suggest its potential for use in the prevention and therapy of obesity and diabetes.     

Determination of Biotinylated Proteins as an Index for Purification of Plasma Membrane using Surface Plasmon Resonance-based Optical Biosensor

Proteins of plasma membrane could be an index of purification of the plasma membrane of animal cells. A convenient method is proposed for determining the plasma membrane proteins by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor. Biotinylated proteins were observed only in the peripheral areas of MOLT-4 cells which were treated by 5-[5-(N-succinimidyloxycarbonyl) pentylamido] hexyl-d-biotinamide. The proteins on HeLa cells were also biotinylated. And then the membrane samples of the HeLa cells were injected onto the avidin-immobilized SPR-surface, and components bound non-specifically on the surface were removed by a washout solution. The amount of biotinylated protein (BP) was determined directly from the absolute resonance unit (RU) after injection of the washout solution. In the method a reference surface was not needed. The amount of BP bound to the surface was gradually attenuated with the repeated injection, and a method for calibrating the RU value was introduced by considering the ratio of attenuation by every injection. The correlation between the BP titer calculated by the calibration and the theoretically-estimated one was greatly improved. Three cycles of the BP determination on a sensor surface was performed successfully. During the purification process of membrane fractions, the degree of purification as judged by the BP titer was in good agreement with the degree of increase in aminopeptidase N activity in the membrane fraction. Thus, the BP titer could be used as an index for purification of plasma membrane.     

Use of a surface plasmon resonance biosensor for the determination of binding constants of transiently expressed recombinant antibody to its antigen

Summary By using a commercially available surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor, the values of the association rate constant (kass), dissociation rate constant (kdiss), and association constant (KA = kass / kdiss) for binding to the antigens were determined. They were almost the same for the recombinant antibody expressed in COS cells, CHO cells, and mouse hybridoma cells. The system of transient expression of the recombinant antibody (Ab) in COS cells and SPR analysis of the supernatant should be useful for rapid expression and evaluation of the binding ability of large numbers of engineered Abs.     

Flow cytometric analysis of sialyl Lewis A antigen on human cancer cells by using F(ab')2μ fragments prepared from a mouse IgM monoclonal antibody

F(ab')2 fragments, herein designated as F(ab')2μ fragments, were prepared from a mouse IgM monoclonal antibody specific to sialyl Lewis A antigen. The fragments were applied to flow cytometry to analyze the antigen on human cancer cells. The binding of the fragments to the antigen-positive cells was stronger than that of the original IgM. The non-specific binding of the IgM antibody to the antigen-negative cells was much decreased by using the F(ab')2μ fragments. These results indicate that the F(ab')2μ fragments are more suitable than the original IgM monoclonal antibody in flow cytometric analysis. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Localization of immunoreactive transthyretin (prealbumin) and of transthyretin mRNA in fetal and adult rat brain

We used a combination of immunohistochemical and molecular-biological techniques to investigate the localization of transthyretin (TTR) in the brains of adult and fetal rats. The immunohistochemical studies employed antibodies purified by immunosorbent affinity chromatography, permitting the specific staining and localization of TTR using the unlabeled peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. TTR mRNA levels were measured by Northern-blot analysis of poly (A+) RNA, followed by hybridization to 32P-labeled TTR cDNA; TTR mRNA was localized in brain tissue sections by in situ hybridization. Immunoreactive TTR was found to be specifically localized in the choroid plexus epithelial cells of adult rat brain. High levels of TTR mRNA were found in poly (A+) RNA samples obtained from the choroid plexus. In addition, the specific localization of TTR mRNA in the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus was demonstrated by in situ hybridization. Neither immunoreactive TTR nor TTR mRNA were found in other regions of adult rat brains. The levels of TTR mRNA in the choroid plexus were at least 30 times higher than those observed in the adult liver. Immunoreactive TTR was observed in the brains of fetal rats on as early as the 11th day of gestation. This immunoreactive TTR was localized in the tela choroidea, the developmental forerunner of the choroid plexus. Immunoreactive TTR was also observed in the fetal choroid plexus as it began to form (14th day of gestation) as well as in the more completely developed choroid plexus (18th day of gestation).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of site-directed mutagenesis of the surface residues Gln128 and Gln225 of thermolysin on its catalytic activity

Thermolysin is remarkably activated and stabilized by neutral salts with varying degrees depending on salt species, and particular surface residues are thought to be especially important in its activity and stability [Inouye, K. (1992) J. Biochem. 112, 335-340; Inouye, K. et al. (1998) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1388, 209-214]. In this study, we examined the mutational effects of the surface residues of thermolysin. Gln128 and Gln225 were selected as the residues to be mutated because they are located on the surface loop and close to but not in the active site (23.5 and 15.8 A far from the active site zinc ion, respectively) and fully solvent accessible. Nine single mutants [Q128K (Gln128 is replaced with Lys), Q128E, Q128A, Q225K, Q225R, Q225E, Q225D, Q225A and Q225V] were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. Mutational changes in catalytic activity were found only in the mutant thermolysins having a hydrophobic residue at the position 225 (Q225A and Q225V). In the hydrolysis of a neutral substrate N-[3-(2-furyl)acryloyl]-glycyl-l-leucine amide (FAGLA), the alkaline pK(a) value of Q225A is 8.48 +/- 0.04, being higher by 0.42 +/- 0.07 units than that of the wild-type thermolysin. The k(cat)/K(m) value of the wild-type enzyme is enhanced 14 times with 4 M NaCl, and those of Q225A and Q225V are enhanced 10 and 19 times, respectively. In the hydrolysis of a negatively charged substrate N-carbobenzoxy-l-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine methyl ester (ZDFM), unlike FAGLA, the initial velocities of Q225A and Q225V decreased to 30 and 50% of that of the wild-type enzyme, respectively. Their thermal stability is similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. These findings indicate that even a single mutation at the thermolysin surface induces changes in the electrostatic environment in the active site and affects the activity. Thus, site-directed mutagenesis of surface residues of thermolysin, including apparently thermodynamically unfavorable introduction of hydrophobic residues, should be explored to improve its activity and stability.     

Comparison of the wild-type alpha-amylase and its variant enzymes in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in activity and thermal stability, and insights into engineering the thermal stability of bacillus alpha-amylase

The starch hydrolysis activity and thermal stability of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase (wild-type enzyme or WT) and its variant enzymes, designated as M77, M111, and 21B, were compared. All have an optimal pH at around 6, as well as almost the same reaction rates and Km and kcat values. The optimal temperature in the absence of Ca2+ ions is 60 degrees C for WT and M77 and 40 degrees C for M111 and 21B. Those of M111 and 21B rose to 50-60 degrees C upon the addition of 5 mM CaCl2, while those of WT and M77 did not change. The dissociation constants Kd for Ca2+ to WT and M77 are much lower than those of M111 and 21B. Asp233 in WT is replaced by Asn in M111 and 21B, while it is retained in M77, suggesting that Asp233 is involved in the thermal stability of the enzyme through Ca2+ ion binding. These findings provide insight into engineering the thermal stability of B. amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase, which would be useful for its applications in the baking industry and in glucose manufacturing.