Plasmodium vivax:A Monoclonal Antibody Recognizes a Circumsporozoite Protein Precursor on the Sporozoite Surface

Gonzalez-Ceron, L., Rodriguez, M. H., Wirtz, R. A., Sina, B. J., Palomeque, O. L., Nettel, J. A., and Tsutsumi, V. 1998.Plasmodium vivax:A monoclonal antibody recognizes a circumsporozoite protein precursor on the sporozoite surface.Experimental Parasitology90, 203–211. The major surface circumsporozoite (CS) proteins are known to play a role in malaria sporozoite development and invasion of invertebrate and vertebrate host cells.Plasmodium vivaxCS protein processing during mosquito midgut oocyst and salivary gland sporozoite development was studied using monoclonal antibodies which recognize different CS protein epitopes. Monoclonal antibodies which react with the CS amino acid repeat sequences by ELISA recognized a 50-kDa precursor protein in immature oocyst and additional 47- and 42-kDa proteins in older oocysts. A 42-kDa CS protein was detected after initial sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary glands and an additional 50-kDa precursor CS protein observed later in infected salivary glands. These data confirm previous results with otherPlasmodiumspecies, in which more CS protein precursors were detected in oocysts than in salivary gland sporozoites. A monoclonal antibody (PvPCS) was characterized which reacts with an epitope found only in the 50-kDa precursor CS protein. PvPCS reacted with allP. vivaxsporozoite strains tested by indirect immunofluorescent assay, homogeneously staining the sporozoite periphery with much lower intensity than that produced by anti-CS repeat antibodies. Immunoelectron microscopy using PvPCS showed that the CS protein precursor was associated with peripheral cytoplasmic vacuoles and membranes of sporoblast and budding sporozoites in development oocysts. In salivary gland sporozoites, the CS protein precursor was primarily associated with micronemes and sporozoite membranes. Our results suggest that the 50-kDa CS protein precursor is synthesized intracellularly and secreted on the membrane surface, where it is proteolytically processed to form the 42-kDa mature CS protein. These data indicate that differences in CS protein processing in oocyst and salivary gland sporozoites development may occur.     

Up-Regulation of TREK-2 Potassium Channels in Cultured Astrocytes Requires De Novo Protein Synthesis: Relevance to Localization of TREK-2 Channels in Astrocytes after Transient Cerebral Ischemia

Excitotoxicity due to glutamate receptor over-activation is one of the key mediators of neuronal death after an ischemic insult. Therefore, a major function of astrocytes is to maintain low extracellular levels of glutamate. The ability of astrocytic glutamate transporters to regulate the extracellular glutamate concentration depends upon the hyperpolarized membrane potential of astrocytes conferred by the presence of K⁺ channels in their membranes. We have previously shown that TREK-2 potassium channels in cultured astrocytes are up-regulated by ischemia and may support glutamate clearance by astrocytes during ischemia. Thus, herein we determine the mechanism leading to this up-regulation and assess the localization of TREK-2 channels in astrocytes after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. By using a cell surface biotinylation assay we confirmed that functional TREK-2 protein is up-regulated in the astrocytic membrane after ischemic conditions. Using real time RT-PCR, we determined that the levels of TREK-2 mRNA were not increased in response to ischemic conditions. By using Western blot and a variety of protein synthesis inhibitors, we demonstrated that the increase of TREK-2 protein expression requires De novo protein synthesis, while protein degradation pathways do not contribute to TREK-2 up-regulation after ischemic conditions. Immunohistochemical studies revealed TREK-2 localization in astrocytes together with increased expression of the selective glial marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein, in brain 24 hours after transient middle cerebral occlusion. Our data indicate that functional TREK-2 channels are up-regulated in the astrocytic membrane during ischemia through a mechanism requiring De novo protein synthesis. This study provides important information about the mechanisms underlying TREK-2 regulation, which has profound implications in neurological diseases such as ischemia where astrocytes play an important role.     

Bypassing the Requirement for an Essential MYST Acetyltransferase

Histone acetylation is a key regulatory feature for chromatin that is established by opposing enzymatic activities of lysine acetyltransferases (KATs/HATs) and deacetylases (KDACs/HDACs). Esa1, like its human homolog Tip60, is an essential MYST family enzyme that acetylates histones H4 and H2A and other nonhistone substrates. Here we report that the essential requirement for ESA1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be bypassed upon loss of Sds3, a noncatalytic subunit of the Rpd3L deacetylase complex. By studying the esa1∆ sds3∆ strain, we conclude that the essential function of Esa1 is in promoting the cellular balance of acetylation. We demonstrate this by fine-tuning acetylation through modulation of HDACs and the histone tails themselves. Functional interactions between Esa1 and HDACs of class I, class II, and the Sirtuin family define specific roles of these opposing activities in cellular viability, fitness, and response to stress. The fact that both increased and decreased expression of the ESA1 homolog TIP60 has cancer associations in humans underscores just how important the balance of its activity is likely to be for human well-being.     

Proteomics and systems biology to tackle biological complexity: Yeast as a case study

In this note we discuss how, by using budding yeast as model organism (as has been done in the past for biochemical, genetics and genomic studies), the integration of "omics" sciences and more specifically of proteomics with systems biology offers a very profitable approach to elucidating regulatory circuits of complex biological functions.     

Barnase-barstar high affinity interaction phenomenon as the base for the heterogenous bioluminescence pseudorabies virus' immunoassay

The effective new variant of "sandwich" bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay (BEIA) for the sensitive detection of glycoprotein B (gB) of pseudorabies virus (PrV) was presently developed. The high affinity interaction of barnase-barstar protein pair and photoprotein obelin as bioluminescent marker were for the first time successfully applied to BEIA development. Preliminary the two monoclonal antibodies, 11/5 and 34/2, were raised against gB for ELISA PrV detection. Presently we used the same immuno-"sandwich" principle for BEIA. To do this the two different bioconjugates were elaborated. Recombinant barnase was chemically conjugated with monoclonal anti-PrV's gB IgG, and also barstar was fused in frame to obelin. The characteristics of BEIA method have been compared to ELISA PrV detection. We have shown the proposed here gB-BEIA was 40-fold more sensitive as opposed to gB-ELISA test. The construction might have a broad promise in multiple potential immunological applications.     

Contribution of endocytic motifs in the cytoplasmic tail of herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein B to virus replication and cell-cell fusion

The use of endocytic pathways by viral glycoproteins is thought to play various functions during viral infection. We previously showed in transfection assays that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein B (gB) is transported from the cell surface back to the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and that two motifs of gB cytoplasmic tail, YTQV and LL, function distinctly in this process. To investigate the role of each of these gB trafficking signals in HSV-1 infection, we constructed recombinant viruses in which each motif was rendered nonfunctional by alanine mutagenesis. In infected cells, wild-type gB was internalized from the cell surface and concentrated in the TGN. Disruption of YTQV abolished internalization of gB during infection, whereas disruption of LL induced accumulation of internalized gB in early recycling endosomes and impaired its return to the TGN. The growth of both recombinants was moderately diminished. Moreover, the fusion phenotype of cells infected with the gB recombinants differed from that of cells infected with the wild-type virus. Cells infected with the YTQV-mutated virus displayed reduced cell-cell fusion, whereas giant syncytia were observed in cells infected with the LL-mutated virus. Furthermore, blocking gB internalization or impairing gB recycling to the cell surface, using drugs or a transdominant negative form of Rab11, significantly reduced cell-cell fusion. These results favor a role for endocytosis in virus replication and suggest that gB intracellular trafficking is involved in the regulation of cell-cell fusion.     

Influx of Enterococci and Associated Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Genes from Ready-To-Eat Food to the Human Digestive Tract

The influx of enterococcal antibiotic resistance (AR) and virulence genes from ready-to-eat food (RTEF) to the human digestive tract was assessed. Three RTEFs (chicken salad, chicken burger, and carrot cake) were sampled from five fast-food restaurants five times in summer (SU) and winter (WI). The prevalence of enterococci was significantly higher in SU (92.0% of salad samples and 64.0% of burger samples) than in WI (64.0% of salad samples and 24.0% of burger samples). The overall concentrations of enterococci during the two seasons were similar (~10³ CFU/g); the most prevalent were Enterococcus casseliflavus (41.5% of isolates) and Enterococcus hirae (41.5%) in WI and Enterococcus faecium (36.8%), E. casseliflavus (27.6%), and Enterococcus faecalis (22.4%) in SU. Resistance in WI was detected primarily to tetracycline (50.8%), ciprofloxacin (13.8%), and erythromycin (4.6%). SU isolates were resistant mainly to tetracycline (22.8%), erythromycin (22.1%), and kanamycin (13.0%). The most common tet gene was tet(M) (35.4% of WI isolates and 11.9% of SU isolates). The prevalence of virulence genes (gelE, asa1, cylA, and esp) and marker genes for clinical isolates (EF_0573, EF_0592, EF_0605, EF_1420, EF_2144, and pathogenicity island EF_0050) was low (≤12.3%). Genotyping of E. faecalis and E. faecium using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that the food contamination likely originated from various sources and that it was not clonal. Our conservative estimate (single AR gene copy per cell) for the influx of tet genes alone to the human digestive tract is 3.8 × 10⁵ per meal (chicken salad). This AR gene influx is frequent because RTEFs are commonly consumed and that may play a role in the acquisition of AR determinants in the human digestive tract.     

The role of vitellogenin during gestation of Girardinichthys viviparus and Ameca splendens; two goodeid fish with matrotrophic viviparity

Goodeid fish have matrotrophic viviparity, and unlike lecitotrophic fish, yolk loss forces the female to provide the nutritional requirements for embryonic development. Vitellogenin (VTG) is the yolk precursor protein synthesized in the maternal liver, but there is only circumstantial evidence regarding VTG supply during the ontogenesis of bony fish with matrotrophic viviparity. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to identify and quantify VTG during gestation of the black fin goodeid Girardinichthys viviparus and the butterfly split-fin goodeid Ameca splendens. Females at different gonadic developmental stages were selected in order to evaluate VTG mRNA expression in the maternal liver using RT-PCR; VTG quantification in maternal muscle and liver, as well as in the embryos, was done using ELISA, and immunohistochemical detection of VTG was done in the black fin goodeid. The results suggest that VTG supplies nutrients during embryonic development of both species, which have different life histories. It is possible that the transition from lecitotrophy to matrotrophic viviparity in bony fish with intraluminal gestation involved adaptive transition strategies that included changes in the relationship between oocytes and follicular cells, as well as a gradual loss of VTG synthesis during embryonic development.     

Gender related differences in the oxidative stress response to PCB exposure in an endangered goodeid fish (Girardinichthys viviparus)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent xenobiotics within aquatic environments, which elicit diverse toxic effects such as induction of oxidative stress. Despite numerous earlier studies, no detailed information exists on the toxic response by different sexes in fish. The aim of this study was to determine sex-linked differences in oxidative stress response and antioxidant defenses in Girardinichthys viviparus, an endangered fish endemic to Mexico, when exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of waterborne PCBs. The biological markers evaluated were lipid peroxidation (LPOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity. Adult eight-month-old specimens born in the laboratory were exposed to ½ of the LC₀ (0.92 mg PCBs/L) in semi-hard synthetic water and sacrificed on days 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 for biomarker assays. Sex-linked differences were observed in the control fish with respect to all three factors assayed. PCBs elicited significant (p < 0.01) time- and sex-dependent LPOX levels which were higher in the case of males. In PCB-treated G. viviparus, SOD activity was depressed in both sexes and appears to return to pre-exposure levels after 16 days in males only. In contrast, CAT was significantly induced (p < 0.01) in both sexes. This enzyme may be responsible for balancing oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses under experimental conditions. PCBs at sub-lethal concentrations are hazardous to both sexes of G. viviparus since these compounds are able to induce liver LPOX and changes in the antioxidant defense activities. The relationship between these biomarkers and cytochrome P450 and CYP1A induction is also discussed.