PC phosphorylation increases the ability of AFAP-110 to cross-link actin filaments

The actin filament-associated protein and Src-binding partner, AFAP-110, is an adaptor protein that links signaling molecules to actin filaments. AFAP-110 binds actin filaments directly and multimerizes through a leucine zipper motif. Cellular signals downstream of Src(527F) can regulate multimerization. Here, we determined recombinant AFAP-110 (rAFAP-110)-bound actin filaments cooperatively, through a lateral association. We demonstrate rAFAP-110 has the capability to cross-link actin filaments, and this ability is dependent on the integrity of the carboxy terminal actin binding domain. Deletion of the leucine zipper motif or PKC phosphorylation affected AFAP-110's conformation, which correlated with changes in multimerization and increased the capability of rAFAP-110 to cross-link actin filaments. AFAP-110 is both a substrate and binding partner of PKC. On PKC activation, stress filament organization is lost, motility structures form, and AFAP-110 colocalizes strongly with motility structures. Expression of a deletion mutant of AFAP-110 that is unable to bind PKC blocked the effect of PMA on actin filaments. We hypothesize that upon PKC activation, AFAP-110 can be cooperatively recruited to newly forming actin filaments, like those that exist in cell motility structures, and that PKC phosphorylation effects a conformational change that may enable AFAP-110 to promote actin filament cross-linking at the cell membrane.     

Phosphorylation of cold shock domain/Y-box proteins by ERK2 and GSK3beta and repression of the human VEGF promoter

The hypoxia responsive region (HRR) of the VEGF promoter plays a key role in regulating VEGF expression. We found that the cold shock domain (Y-box) repressor proteins, dbpA and dbpB/YB-1, bind distinct strands of the human VEGF HRR. We find both dbpA and dbpB are phosphorylated by ERK2 and GSK3beta in vitro, and the binding of dbpB to single-strand VEGF HRR DNA is regulated by this phosphorylation. These findings suggest the ERK/MAPK and PI3K pathways may regulate VEGF expression in part through regulating the action of these repressor proteins.     

Bacillus subtilis as cell factory for pharmaceutical proteins: a biotechnological approach to optimize the host organism

Bacillus subtilis is a rod-shaped, Gram-positive soil bacterium that secretes numerous enzymes to degrade a variety of substrates, enabling the bacterium to survive in a continuously changing environment. These enzymes are produced commercially and this production represents about 60% of the industrial-enzyme market. Unfortunately, the secretion of heterologous proteins, originating from Gram-negative bacteria or from eukaryotes, is often severely hampered. Several bottlenecks in the B. subtilis secretion pathway, such as poor targeting to the translocase, degradation of the secretory protein, and incorrect folding, have been revealed. Nevertheless, research into the mechanisms and control of the secretion pathways will lead to improved Bacillus protein secretion systems and broaden the applications as industrial production host. This review focuses on studies that aimed at optimizing B. subtilis as cell factory for commercially interesting heterologous proteins.     

Cytogenetic characterization of the Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) from Miedwie Lake, Poland

Cytogenetic characterization of D. polymorpha was carried out using banding techniques such as C-banding, fluorochrome CMA3 and silver nitrate treatment. The diploid chromosome number of both investigated D. polymorpha forms (typical and albinotic) was the same 2n = 32 (NF = 56). The karyotype consisted of 5 pairs of metacentric, 7 pairs of submetacentric and four pairs of subtelo-acrocentric chromosomes. Ag-NORs were located in the telomeric position on the largest subtelo-acrocentric chromosome pair. C banding patterns indicate many sites of constitutive heterochromatin mainly located in the telomeric regions and interstitially in some chromosomes. CMA3-sites were observed in almost all chromosomes; apart from the Ag-NORs sites, they were located terminally on the chromosome arms and interstitially on three chromosome pairs. Sixteen chromosomes could be counted at the diakinesis stage of meiosis. No differences in banding chromosome patterns were found neither between both analyzed forms of D. polymorpha nor between males and females.     

Azide binding to yeast cytochrome c peroxidase and horse metmyoglobin: comparative thermodynamic investigation using isothermal titration calorimetry

Yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) and horse metmyoglobin (Mb) bind HN3 with similar affinities at 25 degrees C. The pH-independent equilibrium association constants for formation of the CcP.HN3 and Mb.HN3 complexes are (1.05 +/- 0.06)x10(5) and (1.6 +/- 0.8)x10(5) M(-1), respectively. However, the thermodynamic parameters for formation of the two complexes are quite different. The DeltaH0 values for formation of CcP.HN3 and Mb.HN3 are -16.4 +/- 0.7 and -9.0 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol, respectively, and the Delta S0 values are -32 +/- 2 and -16 +/- 2 cal/deg mol, respectively. The proton associated with HN3 is retained in both protein complexes at low pH but dissociates with apparent pKA values of 5.5 +/- 0.2 and > or =8.2 for the Mb.HN3 and CcP.HN3 complexes, respectively. CcP and Mb differ significantly in their reactivity toward the azide anion, N3-. CcP binds N3- very weakly, if at all, and only an upper-limit of 18 +/-5 M(-1) for the pH-independent equilibrium association constant for the CcP.N3- complex can be determined. Mb binds N3- with an association constant of (1.8 +/- 0.1)x10(4) M(-1). The ratio of the equilibrium association constants for HN3 and N3- binding provides a discrimination factor between the neutral and charged forms of the ligand. The discrimination factor is greater than 5800 for CcP but only nine for Mb. Protonation of the distal histidines in the two proteins influences binding of HN3. Protonation of His-64 in Mb enhances HN3 binding due to a gating mechanism while protonation of His-52 in CcP decreases the affinity for HN3 due to loss of base-assisted association of the ligand to the heme iron.     

A Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase with characteristics of protein kinase C in leaves and mesophyll cell protoplasts from Digitaria sanguinalis: possible involvement in the C(4)-phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase phosphorylation cascade

We have shown previously that fibroblasts derived from fat or dermal tissue differ in their functional properties, such as proliferation rate and contractile properties. To study these differences further, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D PAGE) was performed on proteins isolated from cultured subcutaneous fat and dermal fibroblasts. The 2D gels were screened for proteins that were differentially expressed in all donors (n = 5). Five protein spots were subjected to further analysis by mass spectrometry. Two proteins could be identified: brain acid soluble protein 1 (BASP1) and cellular retinoic acid binding protein-II (CRABP-II). CRABP-II is of interest in terms of re-epithelialisation and was clearly expressed in dermal fibroblasts but not in fat fibroblasts. Real time PCR was performed to confirm the 2D data on CRABP-II. The CRABP-II mRNA level was significantly increased in dermal tissue and cultured dermal fibroblasts compared to fat tissue and cultured fat-derived fibroblasts, respectively. The mode of action of CRABP-II in skin is to mediate retinoic acid activity. Retinoic acid is known to inhibit migration and to stimulate differentiation of keratinocytes. The expression of CRABP-II by dermal fibroblasts implicates a role for these fibroblasts in wound re-epithelialisation, in contrast to subcutaneous fat-derived fibroblasts.     

Role of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in homologous resensitization of the beta1-adrenergic receptor

A fundamental question in biology is how the various motifs in G protein-coupled receptors participate in the divergent functions orchestrated by these molecules. Here we describe a fundamental role for a serine residue at position 312 in the third intracellular loop of the human beta(1)-adrenergic receptor (beta(1)-AR) in endocytic recycling of the agonist-internalized receptor. In receptor recycling experiments that were monitored by confocal microscopy, the agonist-internalized wild-type (WT) beta(1)-AR recycled with a t(0.5) of 14 +/- 3 min. Mutagenesis of Ser(312) to alanine (Ser(312) --> Ala beta(1)-AR) or to the phosphoserine mimic aspartic acid (Ser(312) --> Asp beta(1)-AR) resulted in beta(1)-AR constructs that were pharmacologically indistinguishable from the WT beta(1)-AR. The internalized Ser(312) --> Asp beta(1)-AR recycled efficiently with a t(0.5) of 11 +/- 3 min, whereas the internalized Ser(312) --> Ala beta(1)-AR was not recycled or functionally resensitized through the endosomal pathway. Because this serine is a putative residue for phosphorylation by the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), we examined the role of this kinase in recycling of the internalized beta(1)-AR. Inhibition of PKA biochemically or genetically using a dominant negative PKA construct blocked the recycling of the internalized WT beta(1)-AR. Phosphorylation studies revealed that the beta(1)-AR is partially phosphorylated by PKA and that phosphorylation of the beta(1)-AR by the catalytic subunit of PKA occurs exclusively at Ser(312). Our results identify a new signaling paradigm in which homologous activation of a kinase provides a reversible modification that shifts the itinerary of the internalized receptor toward recycling and resensitization. Therefore, PKA-mediated phosphorylation of G protein-coupled receptors might result in motif-dependent desensitization or resensitization.     

Catalytic domain crystal structure of protein kinase C-theta (PKCtheta)

A member of the novel protein kinase C (PKC) subfamily, PKC, is an essential component of the T cell synapse and is required for optimal T cell activation and interleukin-2 production. Selective involvement of PKC in TCR signaling makes this enzyme an attractive therapeutic target in T cell-mediated disease processes. In this report we describe the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of PKC at 2.0-A resolution. Human recombinant PKC kinase domain was expressed in bacteria as catalytically active phosphorylated enzyme and co-crystallized with its subnanomolar, ATP site inhibitor staurosporine. The structure follows the classic bilobal kinase fold and shows the enzyme in its active conformation and phosphorylated state. Inhibitory interactions between conserved features of staurosporine and the ATP-binding cleft are accompanied by closing of the glycine-rich loop, which also maintains an inhibitory arrangement by blocking the phosphate recognition subsite. The two major phosphorylation sites, Thr-538 in the activation loop and Ser-695 in the hydrophobic motif, are both occupied in the structure, playing key roles in stabilizing active conformation of the enzyme and indicative of PKC autocatalytic phosphorylation and activation during bacterial expression. The PKC-staurosporine complex represents the first kinase domain crystal structure of any PKC isotypes to be determined and as such should provide valuable insight into PKC specificity and into rational drug design strategies for PKC selective leads.     

Effect of attract and kill formulations and application rates on trap catches of European pine shoot moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and shoot damage in Scots pine saplings

Attract and kill technology was tested for management of European pine shoot moth, Rhyacionia buoliana (Denis & Schiffermüller), in 4-6-yr-old Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L., plantations managed by Jablonna and Pultusk Forest Districts, Poland. In 2001, two formulations based on ricinoleic acid and hydrocarbon fraction (petroleum jelly) in combination with (E)-9-dodecenyl acetate, the sex pheromone of the pine shoot moth; permethrin as a contact insecticide; and Tinuvin UV absorber were used. In 2002, different formulations and application rates of the attracticide based on petroleum jelly were tested. Significantly reduced trap catches occurred in plots treated with three attracticide formulations [Rhykil-1 (with Tinuvin UV absorber), Rhykil-2 (with a new UV absorber, 3,3'-dihydroxy-2,2'-bipyridyl), and Rhykil-3 (without the insecticide)] at 3,000 droplets per hectare in comparison with those in control plots, suggesting that all formulations were highly effective. Significantly lower catches than in control plots also were observed when Rhykil-1 was applied at 1000, 2,000, and 3,000 droplets per hectare. However, only slight reduction of shoot damage in treated plots was observed in both experiments. The formulation without the insecticide had similar efficacy to that of the formulation combined with the insecticide. In 2003, the Rhykil-2 attracticide was tested at 250, 500, and 1000 droplets per hectare. Although there were no significant differences in trap catches between treated and control plots, shoot damage level was reduced substantially in all treated plots. These results suggest that attract and kill technology may be used at rates lower than 1000 droplets per hectare for management of R. buoliana; however, its "kill" effect should be confirmed in further studies.