Insight into the molecular requirements for pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici through large-scale insertional mutagenesis

Background  

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici is the causal agent of vascular wilt disease in tomato. In order to gain more insight into the molecular processes in F. oxysporum necessary for pathogenesis and to uncover the genes involved, we used Agrobacterium-mediated insertional mutagenesis to generate 10,290 transformants and screened the transformants for loss or reduction of pathogenicity.     

Extending the concept of template-assembled synthetic proteins.

The creation of native-like macromolecules in copying nature's way represents a fascinating challenge in protein chemistry today. In the absence of a detailed knowledge of the complex folding pathway the ultimate goal in protein de novo design, the construction of artificial proteins with predetermined three-dimensional structure and tailor-made functions based on a defined, generally valid set of rules, appears to be still out of reach. With progress in synthesis strategies and biostructural characterization methods, topological templates have become a versatile tool for inducing and stabilizing secondary and tertiary structures, such as protein loops, beta-turns, alpha-helices, beta-sheets and a variety of folding motifs. In this article, we extend the concept of template-assembled synthetic proteins for the construction of protein-like topologies with multiply bridged, oligocyclic chain architectures termed locked-in tertiary folds that exhibit unique physicochemical and folding properties because of the highly confined conformational space. Furthermore, we show that some fundamental questions in protein assembly can be approached applying the template concept. Using covalent template trapping of self-associated peptide assemblies in aqueous solution the structural and physical forces guiding protein folding, supramolecular assembly and molecular recognition processes can be studied on a molecular level.     

Studies on the coupling rates in liquid-phase peptide synthesis using competition experiments.

Competition experiments were carried out in order to determine relative reaction rates, Vrel, for the peptide-forming step. Using the liquid-phase method of peptide synthesis a model system was developed to investigate the influence of coupling method, amino component, derivatization and solvent upon Vrel. According to a standard procedure, Vrel for all 20 commonly occurring amino acids were established. A strong dependence of Vrel upon steric effects of the coupling components was found. The data obtained may serve as a guideline for optimizing the reaction conditions in peptide synthesis.     

Conformational studies on host-guest peptides containing chiral alpha-methyl-alpha-amino acids. Comparison of the helix-inducing potential of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, (S)-2-ethylalanine and (S)-2-methylserine

The conformational behaviour of host-guest peptides of the type Ac-Ala-Xxx-Ala-Ala-Xxx-Ala-Ala-Xxx-Ala-Ala-NH-PEGM (Xxx = alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), (S)-2-ethylalanine ((S)-Iva), (S)-2-methylserine ((S)-alpha-MeSer)) has been studied by CD spectroscopy in CF3CH2OH, CH3OH, and water and by i.r. spectroscopy in CHCl3 and in the solid state. In this way the relative helix-inducing potential of the two chiral alpha-methyl-alpha-amino acids (S)-Iva and (S)-alpha-MeSer could be established in comparison to the strong helix-former Aib. The results show that (S)-Iva exerts a comparable helix-inducing effect as Aib, making this amino acid a valuable complementary tool for the stabilization or induction of helices. No significant helix-promoting effect was observed for (S)-alpha-MeSer in polar solvents; however, the i.r.-spectroscopic data in CHCl3 and in the solid state point to a helical conformation under these conditions. Possible reasons for the different behaviour of (S)-Iva and (S)-alpha-MeSer are briefly discussed.     

Sequence-dependence of secondary structure formation: conformational studies of host-guest peptides in alpha-helix and beta-structure supporting media

A newly designed host–guest approach is introduced as a experimental tool to explore the relationship between the sequence of peptides and their secondary structure. From the CD spectra of the host–guest peptides studied, a tentative scale for the α-helix potential in 2,2,2-trifluorethanol of guest amino acids is delineated. The conformational preferences are also examined in β-structure supporting media (solid state, CH₂Cl₂, CH₃OH, H₂O) using ir-absorption and CD techniques. Scales for the β-forming tendency of guest amino acid residues in the different media are delineated. It is shown that the preferred conformation of the host–guest peptides is a function of the medium, the chain length, and the protecting groups. Given the fact that conformational effects are important in peptide synthesis, the tentative scales may serve as a guideline to predict secondary structures of side-chain-protected or -deprotected peptides in a given solvent, complementing the well-known empirical conformational prediction parameters.     

Tissue transglutaminase-mediated glutamine deamidation of beta-amyloid peptide increases peptide solubility, whereas enzymatic cross-linking and peptide fragmentation may serve as molecular triggers for rapid peptide aggregation

Tissue transglutaminase (TGase) has been implicated in a number of cellular processes and disease states, where the enzymatic actions of TGase may serve in both, cell survival and apoptosis. To date, the precise functional properties of TGase in cell survival or cell death mechanisms still remain elusive. TGase-mediated cross-linking has been reported to account for the formation of insoluble lesions in conformational diseases. We report here that TGase induces intramolecular cross-linking of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), resulting in structural changes of monomeric Aβ. Using high resolution mass spectrometry (MS) of cross-linked Aβ peptides, we observed a shift in mass, which is, presumably associated with the loss of NH3 due to enzymatic transamidation activity and hence intramolecular peptide cross-linking. We have observed that a large population of Aβ monomers contained an 0.984 Da increase in mass at a glutamine residue, indicating that glutamine 15 serves as an indispensable substrate in TGase-mediated deamidation to glutamate 15. We provide strong analytical evidence on TGase-mediated Aβ peptide dimerization, through covalent intermolecular cross-linking and hence the formation of Aβ1-40 dimers. Our in depth analyses indicate that TGase-induced post-translational modifications of Aβ peptide may serve as an important seed for aggregation.