A src-related kinase in the brush border membranes of gastrointestinal cells is regulated by c-met.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) elicits pleiotropic cellular responses by binding to c-met, a PTK transmembrane receptor. The recent identification of HGF in fluids which enter the gut lumen suggests a mechanism by which c-met molecules are accessible to ligand that is present near the apical surfaces of polarized enterocytes. A subset of c-met molecules was detected, by confocal and immunoelectron microscopic analysis, which colocalizes with a recently identified src-related gastrointestinal tyrosine kinase (gtk) in the brush border membranes of enterocytes. Furthermore, treatment of c-met/gtk-transfected cells with a chemical cross-linking agent revealed that c-met forms a physical complex with gtk, in vivo. Not surprisingly, activation of the receptor molecules with HGF rapidly stimulated gtk enzymatic activity. Similarly, the stimulation of gtk activity occurred when nontransfected primary hepatocytes were exposed to ligand. These findings suggest a model in which HGF binding to luminally accessible c-met stimulates gtk activity. This brush border-associated c-met-linked pathway may be associated with a defined set of epithelial cell responses.     

Expression of cold and drought regulatory protein (CcCDR) of pigeonpea imparts enhanced tolerance to major abiotic stresses in transgenic rice plants

Main conclusion

Transgenic rice expressing pigeonpea Cc CDR conferred high-level tolerance to different abiotic stresses. The multiple stress tolerance observed in CcCDR -transgenic lines is attributed to the modulation of ABA-dependent and-independent signalling-pathway genes.

Stable transgenic plants expressing Cajanus cajan cold and drought regulatory protein encoding gene (CcCDR), under the control of CaMV35S and rd29A promoters, have been generated in indica rice. Different transgenic lines of CcCDR, when subjected to drought, salt, and cold stresses, exhibited higher seed germination, seedling survival rates, shoot length, root length, and enhanced plant biomass when compared with the untransformed control plants. Furthermore, transgenic plants disclosed higher leaf chlorophyll content, proline, reducing sugars, SOD, and catalase activities, besides lower levels of MDA. Localization studies revealed that the CcCDR-GFP fusion protein was mainly present in the nucleus of transformed cells of rice. The CcCDR transgenics were found hypersensitive to abscisic acid (ABA) and showed reduced seed germination rates as compared to that of control plants. When the transgenic plants were exposed to drought and salt stresses at vegetative and reproductive stages, they revealed larger panicles and higher number of filled grains compared to the untransformed control plants. Under similar stress conditions, the expression levels of P5CS, bZIP, DREB, OsLEA3, and CIPK genes, involved in ABA-dependent and-independent signal transduction pathways, were found higher in the transgenic plants than the control plants. The overall results amply demonstrate that the transgenic rice expressing CcCDR bestows high-level tolerance to drought, salt, and cold stress conditions. Accordingly, the CcCDR might be deployed as a promising candidate gene for improving the multiple stress tolerance of diverse crop plants.

     

Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase/phosphatase regulates cell shape and plant architecture in Arabidopsis

The vacuole occupies most of the volume of plant cells; thus, the tonoplast marker delta-tonoplast intrinsic protein-green fluorescent protein delineates cell shape, for example, in epidermis. This permits rapid identification of mutants. Using this strategy, we identified the cell shape phenotype-1 (csp-1) mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana. Beyond an absence of lobes in pavement cells, phenotypes included reduced trichome branching, altered leaf serration and stem branching, and increased stomatal density. This result from a point mutation in AtTPS6 encoding a conserved amino-terminal domain, thought to catalyze trehalose-6-phosphate synthesis and a carboxy-terminal phosphatase domain, is catalyzing a two-step conversion to trehalose. Expression of AtTPS6 in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants tps1 (encoding a synthase domain) and tps2 (encoding synthase and phosphatase domains) indicates that AtTPS6 is an active trehalose synthase. AtTPS6 fully complemented defects in csp-1. Mutations in class I genes (AtTPS1-AtTPS4) indicate a role in regulating starch storage, resistance to drought, and inflorescence architecture. Class II genes (AtTPS5-AtTPS11) encode multifunctional enzymes having synthase and phosphatase activity. We show that class II AtTPS6 regulates plant architecture, shape of epidermal pavement cells, and branching of trichomes. Thus, beyond a role in development, we demonstrate that the class II gene AtTPS6 is important for controlling cellular morphogenesis.     

Optimization of fermentation conditions for the production of ethanol from sago starch using response surface methodology

The quantitative effects of temperature, pH and time of fermentation were investigated on simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of ethanol from sago starch with glucoamylase (AMG) and Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 using a Box–Wilson central composite design protocol. The SSF process was studied using free enzyme and free cells and it was found that with sago starch, maximum ethanol concentration of 70.68 g/l was obtained using a starch concentration of 140 g/l, which represents an ethanol yield of 97.08%. The optimum conditions for the above yield were found to be a temperature of 36.74 °C, pH of 5.02 and time of fermentation of 17 h. Thus by using the central composite design, it is possible to determine the accurate values of the fermentation parameters where maximum production of ethanol occurs.     

Genome sequences of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, Choleraesuis, Dublin, and Gallinarum strains of well- defined virulence in food-producing animals

Salmonella enterica is an animal and zoonotic pathogen of worldwide importance and may be classified into serovars differing in virulence and host range. We sequenced and annotated the genomes of serovar Typhimurium, Choleraesuis, Dublin, and Gallinarum strains of defined virulence in each of three food-producing animal hosts. This provides valuable measures of intraserovar diversity and opportunities to formally link genotypes to phenotypes in target animals.     

Affinity labeling of the nuclear vitamin D receptor with nonsteroidal alkylating agents

Synthesis of an affinity alkylating non steroidal mimic of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) and its radiolabeled counterpart is presented. We also report the affinity labeling of the VDR-ligand binding domain (VDR-LBD) with this analogue.     

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer — An approach to visualize the spatiotemporal regulation of macromolecular complex formation and compartmentalized cell signaling

Background

Signaling messengers and effector proteins provide an orchestrated molecular machinery to relay extracellular signals to the inside of cells and thereby facilitate distinct cellular behaviors. Formations of intracellular macromolecular complexes and segregation of signaling cascades dynamically regulate the flow of a biological process.

Scope of review

In this review, we provide an overview of the development and application of FRET technology in monitoring cyclic nucleotide-dependent signalings and protein complexes associated with these signalings in real time and space with brief mention of other important signaling messengers and effector proteins involved in compartmentalized signaling.

Major conclusions

The preciseness, rapidity and specificity of cellular responses indicate restricted alterations of signaling messengers, particularly in subcellular compartments rather than globally. Not only the physical confinement and selective depletion, but also the intra- and inter-molecular interactions of signaling effectors modulate the direction of signal transduction in a compartmentalized fashion. To understand the finer details of various intracellular signaling cascades and crosstalk between proteins and other effectors, it is important to visualize these processes in live cells. Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) has been established as a useful tool to do this, even with its inherent limitations.

General significance

FRET technology remains as an effective tool for unraveling the complex organization and distribution of various endogenous signaling proteins, as well as the spatiotemporal dynamics of second messengers inside a single cell to distinguish the heterogeneity of cell signaling under normal physiological conditions and during pathological events.     

Asymmetrical Macromolecular Complex Formation of Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 2 (LPA2) Mediates Gradient Sensing in Fibroblasts

Chemotactic migration of fibroblasts toward growth factors relies on their capacity to sense minute extracellular gradients and respond to spatially confined receptor-mediated signals. Currently, mechanisms underlying the gradient sensing of fibroblasts remain poorly understood. Using single-particle tracking methodology, we determined that a lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) gradient induces a spatiotemporally restricted decrease in the mobility of LPA receptor 2 (LPA₂) on chemotactic fibroblasts. The onset of decreased LPA₂ mobility correlates to the spatial recruitment and coupling to LPA₂-interacting proteins that anchor the complex to the cytoskeleton. These localized PDZ motif-mediated macromolecular complexes of LPA₂ trigger a Ca²⁺ puff gradient that governs gradient sensing and directional migration in response to LPA. Disruption of the PDZ motif-mediated assembly of the macromolecular complex of LPA₂ disorganizes the gradient of Ca²⁺ puffs, disrupts gradient sensing, and reduces the directional migration of fibroblasts toward LPA. Our findings illustrate that the asymmetric macromolecular complex formation of chemoattractant receptors mediates gradient sensing and provides a new mechanistic basis for models to describe gradient sensing of fibroblasts.     

Inhibition of insulin receptor function by a human,allosteric monoclonal antibody: A potential new approach for the treatment of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia

Novel therapies are needed for the treatment of hypoglycemia resulting from both endogenous and exogenous hyperinsulinema. To provide a potential new treatment option, we identified XMetD, an allosteric monoclonal antibody to the insulin receptor (INSR) that was isolated from a human antibody phage display library. To selectively obtain antibodies directed at allosteric sites, panning of the phage display library was conducted using the insulin-INSR complex. Studies indicated that XMetD bound to the INSR with nanomolar affinity. Addition of insulin reduced the affinity of XMetD to the INSR by 3-fold, and XMetD reduced the affinity of the INSR for insulin 3-fold. In addition to inhibiting INSR binding, XMetD also inhibited insulin-induced INSR signaling by 20- to 100-fold. These signaling functions included INSR autophosphorylation, Akt activation and glucose transport. These data indicated that XMetD was an allosteric antagonist of the INSR because, in addition to inhibiting the INSR via modulation of binding affinity, it also inhibited the INSR via modulation of signaling efficacy. Intraperitoneal injection of XMetD at 10 mg/kg twice weekly into normal mice induced insulin resistance. When sustained-release insulin implants were placed into normal mice, they developed fasting hypoglycemia in the range of 50 mg/dl. This hypoglycemia was reversed by XMetD treatment. These studies demonstrate that allosteric monoclonal antibodies, such as XMetD, can antagonize INSR signaling both in vitro and in vivo. They also suggest that this class of allosteric monoclonal antibodies has the potential to treat hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia resulting from conditions such as insulinoma, congenital hyperinsulinism and insulin overdose.     

膜荚黄芪种子中2种几丁质酶的分离纯化及活性测定

运用传统的层析技术对膜荚黄芪种子中两种几丁质酶进行分离纯化,并对分离纯化中各个步骤得到的蛋白进行了活性研究.结果表明:(1)粗提液的硫酸铵沉淀经再生几丁质亲和柱和凝胶过滤层析Sephadex G-75得到几丁质酶A.(2)粗提液的硫酸铵沉淀经离子交换色谱DE-52、CM、凝胶过滤层析Sephadex G-75得到几丁质酶B.(3)几丁质酶A、B的比活性分别为35.6 U/mg和4.1 U/mg.(4)从膜荚黄芪种子中分离纯化的几丁质酶A和B均为糖蛋白,含糖量分别为6.1%和5.8%.(5) SDS-PAGE显示,几丁质酶A、B的分子量分别为35.5 ku、39.6 ku;凝胶过滤层析测定几丁质酶A、B的分子量分别为36.9 ku、40.8 ku;表明几丁质酶A、B均为单亚基蛋白.