Replacement of cysteine-107 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae iso-1-cytochrome c with threonine: improved stability of the mutant protein

Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to change the codon for cysteine-107 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae iso-1-cytochrome c to a threonine codon. The resulting protein is active in vivo, is methylated as in the wild-type protein and has optical properties indistinguishable from those of the wild-type protein. The threonine-107 iso-1-cytochrome c demonstrated fully reversible electrochemical behaviour and a mid-point reduction potential of 272 mV versus NHE. In addition, this mutant does not demonstrate a tendency to autoreduce or to dimerize as does the wild-type protein. These properties of the threonine-107 mutant establish that it will provide a useful background in which to make subsequent mutations for mechanistic and physical studies of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c.     

Physiology of Tuberization in Solanum tuberosum L: cis-Zeatin Riboside in the Potato Plant: Its Identification and Changes in Endogenous Levels as Influenced by Temperature and Photoperiod

Using high pressure liquid chromatography, the cucumber cotyledon bioassay, and mass spectrometry a cytokinin isolated from Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Katahdin plant tissues has been identified as cis-zeatin riboside. Zeatin riboside (ZR) levels in plants grown under inducing conditions (28 C day and 13 C night with a 10-hour photoperiod) were significantly higher than those in plants grown under noninducing conditions (30 C day and 28 C night with an 18-hour photoperiod). The highest level of ZR was noted in below-ground tissue after 4 days exposure to inducing conditions, with tuber initiation observed after 8 days. A companion study conducted to determine the effect of ZR on in vitro tuberization of noninduced rhizomes revealed that after 1 month in culture, controls exhibited 0% tuberization, while ZR treatments of 0.3 and 3.0 milligrams per liter showed 39 and 75% tuberization, respectively.     

Structural model for the trialkyltin binding site on cat hemoglobin

The binding site for trialkyltin complexes on the alpha- chain of cat oxyhemoglobins is proposed to involve the SG and NE2 atoms of Cys-13 and His-113 respectively. On deoxygenation, the conformation of this region changes substantially, allowing complexation only through the ND1 nitrogen atom of His-113, a much less favorable interaction. Thus the model presented explains the preferential binding of trialkyltin complexes to R-state cat hemoglobin and suggests the type of interaction that is likely to occur between these compounds and a variety of less well-characterized enzymes to produce the metabolic effects that trialkyltin complexes are known to produce in vivo.     

Structural and kinetic properties of Rhodobacter sphaeroides photosynthetic reaction centers containing exclusively Zn-coordinated bacteriochlorophyll as bacteriochlorin cofactors

The Zn-BChl-containing reaction center (RC) produced in a bchD (magnesium chelatase) mutant of Rhodobacter sphaeroides assembles with six Zn-bacteriochlorophylls (Zn-BChls) in place of four Mg-containing bacteriochlorophylls (BChls) and two bacteriopheophytins (BPhes). This protein presents unique opportunities for studying biological electron transfer, as Zn-containing chlorins can exist in 4-, 5-, and (theoretically) 6-coordinate states within the RC. In this paper, the electron transfer perturbations attributed exclusively to coordination state effects are separated from those attributed to the presence, absence, or type of metal in the bacteriochlorin at the H_A pocket of the RC. The presence of a 4-coordinate Zn^2 + ion in the H_A bacteriochlorin instead of BPhe results in a small decrease in the rates of the P* → P⁺H_A⁻ → P⁺Q_A⁻ electron transfer, and the charge separation yield is not greatly perturbed; however coordination of the Zn^2 + by a fifth ligand provided by a histidine residue results in a larger rate decrease and yield loss. We also report the first crystal structure of a Zn-BChl-containing RC, confirming that the H_A Zn-BChl was either 4- or 5-coordinate in the two types of Zn-BChl-containing RCs studied here. Interestingly, a large degree of disorder, in combination with a relatively weak anomalous difference electron density was found in the H_B pocket. These data, in combination with spectroscopic results, indicate partial occupancy of this binding pocket. These findings provide insights into the use of BPhe as the bacteriochlorin pigment of choice at H_A in both BChl- and Zn-BChl-containing RCs found in nature.     

Respiratory allergy to Blomia tropicalis: Immune response in four syngeneic mouse strains and assessment of a low allergen-dose,short-term experimental model

Background

The dust mite Blomia tropicalis is an important source of aeroallergens in tropical areas. Although a mouse model for B. tropicalis extract (BtE)-induced asthma has been described, no study comparing different mouse strains in this asthma model has been reported. The relevance and reproducibility of experimental animal models of allergy depends on the genetic background of the animal, the molecular composition of the allergen and the experimental protocol.

Objectives

This work had two objectives. The first was to study the anti-B. tropicalis allergic responses in different mouse strains using a short-term model of respiratory allergy to BtE. This study included the comparison of the allergic responses elicited by BtE with those elicited by ovalbumin in mice of the strain that responded better to BtE sensitization. The second objective was to investigate whether the best responder mouse strain could be used in an experimental model of allergy employing relatively low BtE doses.

Methods

Groups of mice of four different syngeneic strains were sensitized subcutaneously with 100 μg of BtE on days 0 and 7 and challenged four times intranasally, at days 8, 10, 12, and 14, with 10 μg of BtE. A/J mice, that were the best responders to BtE sensitization, were used to compare the B. tropicalis-specific asthma experimental model with the conventional experimental model of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific asthma. A/J mice were also sensitized with a lower dose of BtE.

Results

Mice of all strains had lung inflammatory-cell infiltration and increased levels of anti-BtE IgE antibodies, but these responses were significantly more intense in A/J mice than in CBA/J, BALB/c or C57BL/6J mice. Immunization of A/J mice with BtE induced a more intense airway eosinophil influx, higher levels of total IgE, similar airway hyperreactivity to methacholine but less intense mucous production, and lower levels of specific IgE, IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies than sensitization with OVA. Finally, immunization with a relatively low BtE dose (10 μg per subcutaneous injection per mouse) was able to sensitize A/J mice, which were the best responders to high-dose BtE immunization, for the development of allergy-associated immune and lung inflammatory responses.

Conclusions

The described short-term model of BtE-induced allergic lung disease is reproducible in different syngeneic mouse strains, and mice of the A/J strain was the most responsive to it. In addition, it was shown that OVA and BtE induce quantitatively different immune responses in A/J mice and that the experimental model can be set up with low amounts of BtE.     

Contribution of the heme propionate groups to the electron transfer and electrostatic properties of myoglobin

The role of the heme propionate groups in determining the electron transfer and electrostatic properties of myoglobin have been studied by thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic studies of horse heart myoglobin in which the heme propionate groups are esterified. Spectroelectrochemical analysis has established that the E_m,7 of dimethylester heme-substituted Mb (DME-Mb) (E_m,7 = 100.2(2) mV vs. NHE (Normal Hydrogen Electrode) (25 °C) is increased  40 mV relative to that of the native protein with ΔH° = −12.9(2) kcal/mol and ΔS° = −51.0(8) cal/mol/deg (pH 7.0, μ = 0.1 M (phosphate)). The second order rate constant for reduction of DME-metMb by Fe(EDTA)²⁻ is increased  > 400-fold relative to that for reduction of native metMb to a value of 1.34(2) × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ with ΔS^‡ = −13(1) cal/mol/deg and ΔH^‡ = 9.2(3) (pH 7.0, μ = 0.1 M (phosphate)). Analysis of the pH dependences of the reduction potential and rate constant for reduction by Fe(EDTA)²⁻ demonstrates that heme propionate esterification introduces significant changes into the electrostatic interactions in myoglobin. These changes are also manifested by differences in the pH dependences of the ¹H NMR spectra of native and DME-metMb that reveal shifts in pK_a values for specific His residues as the result of heme propionate esterification. In sum, the current results establish that heme propionate esterification not only affects the electron transfer properties of myoglobin but also influences the titration behavior of specific His residues.     

Rats go genomic

A report on the meeting 'Rat Genomics and Models', Cold Spring Harbor, USA, 8-11 December 2005.