Oligomeric State of Purified Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin-1 (TRPM1), a Protein Essential for Dim Light Vision

Transient receptor potential melastatin-1 (TRPM1) is essential for the light-induced depolarization of retinal ON bipolar cells. TRPM1 likely forms a multimeric channel complex, although almost nothing is known about the structure or subunit composition of channels formed by TRPM1 or any of its close relatives. Recombinant TRPM1 was robustly expressed in insect cells, but only a small fraction was localized to the plasma membrane. Similar intracellular localization was observed when TRPM1 was heterologously expressed in mammalian cells. TRPM1 was affinity-purified from Sf9 cells and complexed with amphipol, followed by detergent removal. In blue native gels and size exclusion chromatography, TRPM1 migrated with a mobility consistent with detergent- or amphipol-bound dimers. Cross-linking experiments were also consistent with a dimeric subunit stoichiometry, and cryoelectron microscopy and single particle analysis without symmetry imposition yielded a model with approximate 2-fold symmetrical features. Finally, electron microscopy of TRPM1-antibody complexes revealed a large particle that can accommodate TRPM1 and two antibody molecules. Taken together, these data indicate that purified TRPM1 is mostly dimeric. The three-dimensional structure of TRPM1 dimers is characterized by a small putative transmembrane domain and a larger domain with a hollow cavity. Blue native gels of solubilized mouse retina indicate that TRPM1 is present in two distinct complexes: one similar in size to the recombinant protein and one much larger. Because dimers are likely not functional ion channels, these results suggest that additional partner subunits participate in forming the transduction channel required for dim light vision and the ON pathway.     

The conduction of protons in different stereoisomers of dioxolane-linked gramicidin A channels

Two different stereoisomers of the dioxolane-linked gramicidin A (gA) channels were individually synthesized (the SS and RR dimers;. Science. 244:813-817). The structural differences between these dimers arise from different chiralities within the dioxolane linker. The SS dimer mimics the helicity and the inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding of the monomer-monomer association of gA's. In contrast, there is a significant disruption of the helicity and hydrogen bonding pattern of the ion channel in the RR dimer. Single ion channels formed by the SS and RR dimers in planar lipid bilayers have different proton transport properties. The lipid environment in which the different dimers are reconstituted also has significant effects on single-channel proton conductance (g(H)). g(H) in the SS dimer is about 2-4 times as large as in the RR. In phospholipid bilayers with 1 M [H(+)](bulk), the current-voltage (I-V) relationship of the SS dimer is sublinear. Under identical experimental conditions, the I-V plot of the RR dimer is supralinear (S-shaped). In glycerylmonooleate bilayers with 1 M [H(+)](bulk), both the SS and RR dimers have a supralinear I-V plot. Consistent with results previously published (. Biophys. J. 73:2489-2502), the SS dimer is stable in lipid bilayers and has fast closures. In contrast, the open state of the RR channel has closed states that can last a few seconds, and the channel eventually inactivates into a closed state in either phospholipid or glycerylmonooleate bilayers. It is concluded that the water dynamics inside the pore as related to proton wire transfer is significantly different in the RR and SS dimers. Different physical mechanisms that could account for this hypothesis are discussed. The gating of the synthetic gA dimers seems to depend on the conformation of the dioxolane link between gA's. The experimental results provide an important framework for a detailed investigation at the atomic level of proton conduction in different and relatively simple ion channel structures.     

Monoclonal antibodies to rabbit liver cytochrome P-448

Cytochrome P-448 (mol wt 55,000 Daltons) from rabbit liver was purified to a specific content of 16.6 nmol/mg. Mice were immunised with this preparation, their spleens removed and dissociated lymphocytes hybridised with myeloma cells. Four monoclonal antibodies against cytochrome P-448 were raised and partially characterised. All four antibodies interacted with cytochrome P-448 in intact microsomal fractions and selectively immunoadsorbed cytochrome P-448 from solubilised microsomal preparations. One of the antibodies inhibited benzo[a] pyrene hydroxylase activity in a reconstituted system, one had no effect on activity and two increased activity. The possible applications of such antibodies are discussed.     

Interfacial Effects of Tin Oxide Atomic Layer Deposition in Metal Halide Perovskite Photovoltaics

Metal halide perovskites offer a wide and tunable bandgap, making them promising candidates for top‐cell absorbers in tandem photovoltaics. In this work, the authors aim to understand the atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursor–perovskite interactions of the tin oxide ALD system and the role of organic fullerenes at the perovskite–tin oxide interface while establishing a framework for developing alternative perovskite‐compatible ALD processes in the future. It is shown, in the case of tin oxide ALD growth with tetrakis(dimethylamino)tin(IV) and water on FA_0.83Cs_0.17Pb(I_0.83Br_0.17)₃ perovskite, that perovskite stability is most sensitive to metal–organic exposure at elevated temperatures with an onset near 110 °C, resulting in removal of the formamidinium cation. Transitioning from ALD to pulsed‐chemical vapor deposition tin oxide growth can minimize the degradation effects. Investigation of fullerenes at the perovskite interface shows that thin fullerene layers offer minor improvements to perovskite stability under ALD conditions, but significant enhancement in carrier extraction. Fullerene materials are undesirable due to fabrication cost and poor mechanical stability. Compositional tuning of the perovskite material can improve the fullerene‐free device performance. This method is demonstrated with a bromine‐rich perovskite phase to enable an 8.2% efficient perovskite device with all‐inorganic extraction layers.     

Bacteria in cancer therapy: a novel experimental strategy

Resistance to conventional anticancer therapies in patients with advanced solid tumors has prompted the need of alternative cancer therapies. Moreover, the success of novel cancer therapies depends on their selectivity for cancer cells with limited toxicity to normal tissues. Several decades after Coley's work a variety of natural and genetically modified non-pathogenic bacterial species are being explored as potential antitumor agents, either to provide direct tumoricidal effects or to deliver tumoricidal molecules. Live, attenuated or genetically modified non-pathogenic bacterial species are capable of multiplying selectively in tumors and inhibiting their growth. Due to their selectivity for tumor tissues, these bacteria and their spores also serve as ideal vectors for delivering therapeutic proteins to tumors. Bacterial toxins too have emerged as promising cancer treatment strategy. The most potential and promising strategy is bacteria based gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy. Although it has shown successful results in vivo yet further investigation about the targeting mechanisms of the bacteria are required to make it a complete therapeutic approach in cancer treatment.     

Atomic Layer Deposition of CdS Quantum Dots for Solid‐State Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells

Functioning quantum dot (QD) sensitized solar cells have been fabricated using the vacuum deposition technique atomic layer deposition (ALD). Utilizing the incubation period of CdS growth by ALD on TiO₂, we are able to grow QDs of adjustable size which act as sensitizers for solid‐state QD‐sensitized solar cells (ssQDSSC). The size of QDs, studied with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), varied with the number of ALD cycles from 1‐10 nm. Photovoltaic devices with the QDs were fabricated and characterized using a ssQDSSC device architecture with 2,2',7,7'‐tetrakis‐(N,N‐di‐p methoxyphenylamine) 9,9'‐spirobifluorene (spiro‐OMeTAD) as the solid‐state hole conductor. The ALD approach described here can be applied to fabrication of quantum‐confined structures for a variety of applications, including solar electricity and solar fuels. Because ALD provides the ability to deposit many materials in very high aspect ratio substrates, this work introduces a strategy by which material and optical properties of QD sensitizers may be adjusted not only by the size of the particles but also in the future by the composition.     

Phylogenetic evidence for horizontal transmission of group I introns in the nuclear ribosomal DNA of mushroom-forming fungi

Group I introns were discovered inserted at the same position in the nuclear small-subunit ribosomal DNA (nuc-ssu-rDNA) in several species of homobasidiomycetes (mushroom-forming fungi). Based on conserved intron sequences, a pair of intron-specific primers was designed for PCR amplification and sequencing of intron-containing rDNA repeats. Using the intron-specific primers together with flanking rDNA primers, a PCR assay was conducted to determine presence or absence of introns in 39 species of homobasidiomycetes. Introns were confined to the genera Panellus, Clavicorona, and Lentinellus. Phylogenetic analyses of nuc-ssu-rDNA and mitochondrial ssu-rDNA sequences suggest that Clavicorona and Lentinellus are closely related, but that Panellus is not closely related to these. The simplest explanation for the distribution of the introns is that they have been twice independently gained via horizontal transmission, once on the lineage leading to Panellus, and once on the lineage leading to Lentinellus and Clavicorona. BLAST searches using the introns from Panellus and Lentinellus as query sequences retrieved 16 other similar group I introns of nuc-ssu-rDNA and nuclear large-subunit rDNA (nuc-lsu-rDNA) from fungal and green algal hosts. Phylogenetic analyses of intron sequences suggest that the mushroom introns are monophyletic, and are nested within a clade that contains four other introns that insert at the same position as the mushroom introns, two from different groups of fungi and two from green algae. The distribution of host lineages and insertion sites among the introns suggests that horizontal and vertical transmission, homing, and transposition have been factors in intron evolution. As distinctive, heritable features of nuclear rDNAs in certain lineages, group I introns have promise as phylogenetic markers. Nevertheless, the possibility of horizontal transmission and homing also suggest that their use poses certain pitfalls.      

Rainfall-driven sex-ratio genes in African buffalo suggested by correlations between Y-chromosomal haplotype frequencies and foetal sex ratio

Background  

The Y-chromosomal diversity in the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) population of Kruger National Park (KNP) is characterized by rainfall-driven haplotype frequency shifts between year cohorts. Stable Y-chromosomal polymorphism is difficult to reconcile with haplotype frequency variations without assuming frequency-dependent selection or specific interactions in the population dynamics of X- and Y-chromosomal genes, since otherwise the fittest haplotype would inevitably sweep to fixation. Stable Y-chromosomal polymorphism due one of these factors only seems possible when there are Y-chromosomal distorters of an equal sex ratio, which act by negatively affecting X-gametes, or Y-chromosomal suppressors of a female-biased sex ratio. These sex-ratio (SR) genes modify (suppress) gamete transmission in their own favour at a fitness cost, allowing for stable polymorphism.     

Involvement of the nitric oxide-cyclic GMP pathway in the desensitization of bradykinin responses of cultured rat sensory neurons.

Bradykinin (BK) excites a subset of dorsal root ganglion neurons by inducing an inward cation current (IBK) that strongly desensitizes and is accompanied by elevations in cGMP. We have examined the links between cGMP metabolism and IBK. The BK dose dependencies of IBK activation, desensitization, and cGMP production are comparable. Stimulation (with sodium nitroprusside [NP] or 8-bromo-cGMP [8Br-cGMP]) or inhibition (with methylene blue, hemoglobin, and nitric oxide synthase [NOS] inhibitors) of cGMP levels did not mimic or diminish IBK. However, desensitization was affected by the following agents: first, desensitization was enhanced by NP and reduced by NOS inhibitors. Second, the effects of NOS inhibitors could be overcome by 8Br-cGMP or L-arginine. Third, 8Br-cGMP modification of desensitization required receptor occupancy. We conclude that the NO-cGMP pathway affects a component of IBK desensitization at the receptor or G protein level.