Cloning of an alternate form of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1).

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) of the Ig superfamily is induced by the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). It binds to mononuclear leukocytes via the integrin VLA-4. We have cloned and expressed a cDNA encoding a new form of human VCAM1 containing an additional Ig homologous domain inserted between the third and fourth domains of the original six-domain protein. Characterization of mRNA from HUVECs from three individuals at various time points after induction by tumor necrosis factor indicates that both the long and short VCAM1 mRNAs are made by all three individuals, with the long form predominating quantitatively. Immunoprecipitation of VCAM1 protein from cos7 cells transfected with each cDNA and from cultured endothelial cells followed by deglycosylation suggests that the long form is the major form found on endothelium. The two forms may result from alternate splicing of a precursor mRNA. Both forms support adhesion of VLA-4-expressing cell lines.     

Isolation and characterization of a plasma membrane fraction from sea urchin sperm exhibiting species specific recognition of the egg surface

A method is described for isolating preparative quantities of plasma membranes from sea urchin sperm. The final membrane fraction is homogeneous by sucrose density sedimentation and is enriched in adenylate cyclase as well as in the four glycoproteins accessible to radioiodination of intact sperm. The electrophoretic profiles of sperm membranes from three sea urchin species are very similar. The membrane preparation consists primarily of sealed vesicles which release carboxyfluorescein when exposed to detergents or distilled water. Ninety-two percent of the 125I-labeled vesicle material binds to wheat germ lectin columns, suggesting a right-side-out orientation. The isolated sperm membrane vesicles exhibit species specific adhesion to the surfaces of sea urchin eggs; this adhesion is blocked by pretreatment of the vesicles with trypsin or egg jelly. This method will be useful for isolating biologically active sperm membrane components involved in sperm-egg recognition during fertilization.     

Antifungal chemical compounds identified using a C. elegans pathogenicity assay

There is an urgent need for the development of new antifungal agents. A facile in vivo model that evaluates libraries of chemical compounds could solve some of the main obstacles in current antifungal discovery. We show that Candida albicans, as well as other Candida species, are ingested by Caenorhabditis elegans and establish a persistent lethal infection in the C. elegans intestinal track. Importantly, key components of Candida pathogenesis in mammals, such as filament formation, are also involved in nematode killing. We devised a Candida-mediated C. elegans assay that allows high-throughput in vivo screening of chemical libraries for antifungal activities, while synchronously screening against toxic compounds. The assay is performed in liquid media using standard 96-well plate technology and allows the study of C. albicans in non-planktonic form. A screen of 1,266 compounds with known pharmaceutical activities identified 15 (approximately 1.2%) that prolonged survival of C. albicans-infected nematodes and inhibited in vivo filamentation of C. albicans. Two compounds identified in the screen, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, a major active component of honeybee propolis, and the fluoroquinolone agent enoxacin exhibited antifungal activity in a murine model of candidiasis. The whole-animal C. elegans assay may help to study the molecular basis of C. albicans pathogenesis and identify antifungal compounds that most likely would not be identified by in vitro screens that target fungal growth. Compounds identified in the screen that affect the virulence of Candida in vivo can potentially be used as "probe compounds" and may have antifungal activity against other fungi.     

Localization and Substrate Selectivity of Sea Urchin Multidrug (MDR) Efflux Transporters

In this study, we cloned, expressed and functionally characterized Stronglycentrotus purpuratus (Sp) ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. This screen identified three multidrug resistance (MDR) transporters with functional homology to the major types of MDR transporters found in humans. When overexpressed in embryos, the apical transporters Sp-ABCB1a, ABCB4a, and ABCG2a can account for as much as 87% of the observed efflux activity, providing a robust assay for their substrate selectivity. Using this assay, we found that sea urchin MDR transporters export canonical MDR susbtrates such as calcein-AM, bodipy-verapamil, bodipy-vinblastine, and mitoxantrone. In addition, we characterized the impact of nonconservative substitutions in the primary sequences of drug binding domains of sea urchin versus murine ABCB1 by mutation of Sp-ABCB1a and treatment of embryos with stereoisomeric cyclic peptide inhibitors (QZ59 compounds). The results indicated that two substitutions in transmembrane helix 6 reverse stereoselectivity of Sp-ABCB1a for QZ59 enantiomers compared with mouse ABCB1a. This suggests that subtle changes in the primary sequence of transporter drug binding domains could fine-tune substrate specificity through evolution.     

A functional genomic and proteomic perspective of sea urchin calcium signaling and egg activation

The sea urchin egg has a rich history of contributions to our understanding of fundamental questions of egg activation at fertilization. Within seconds of sperm-egg interaction, calcium is released from the egg endoplasmic reticulum, launching the zygote into the mitotic cell cycle and the developmental program. The sequence of the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus genome offers unique opportunities to apply functional genomic and proteomic approaches to investigate the repertoire and regulation of Ca(2+) signaling and homeostasis modules present in the egg and zygote. The sea urchin "calcium toolkit" as predicted by the genome is described. Emphasis is on the Ca(2+) signaling modules operating during egg activation, but the Ca(2+) signaling repertoire has ramifications for later developmental events and adult physiology as well. Presented here are the mechanisms that control the initial release of Ca(2+) at fertilization and additional signaling components predicted by the genome and found to be expressed and operating in eggs at fertilization. The initial release of Ca(2+) serves to coordinate egg activation, which is largely a phenomenon of post-translational modifications, especially dynamic protein phosphorylation. Functional proteomics can now be used to identify the phosphoproteome in general and specific kinase targets in particular. This approach is described along with findings to date. Key outstanding questions regarding the activation of the developmental program are framed in the context of what has been learned from the genome and how this knowledge can be applied to functional studies.