Function and regulation of Vibrio campbellii proteorhodopsin: acquired phototrophy in a classical organoheterotroph

Proteorhodopsins (PRs) are retinal-binding photoproteins that mediate light-driven proton translocation across prokaryotic cell membranes. Despite their abundance, wide distribution and contribution to the bioenergy budget of the marine photic zone, an understanding of PR function and physiological significance in situ has been hampered as the vast majority of PRs studied to date are from unculturable bacteria or culturable species that lack the tools for genetic manipulation. In this study, we describe the presence and function of a horizontally acquired PR and retinal biosynthesis gene cluster in the culturable and genetically tractable bioluminescent marine bacterium Vibrio campbellii. Pigmentation analysis, absorption spectroscopy and photoinduction assays using a heterologous over-expression system established the V. campbellii PR as a functional green light absorbing proton pump. In situ analyses comparing PR expression and function in wild type (WT) V. campbellii with an isogenic ΔpR deletion mutant revealed a marked absence of PR membrane localization, pigmentation and light-induced proton pumping in the ΔpR mutant. Comparative photoinduction assays demonstrated the distinct upregulation of pR expression in the presence of light and PR-mediated photophosphorylation in WT cells that resulted in the enhancement of cellular survival during respiratory stress. In addition, we demonstrate that the master regulator of adaptive stress response and stationary phase, RpoS1, positively regulates pR expression and PR holoprotein pigmentation. Taken together, the results demonstrate facultative phototrophy in a classical marine organoheterotrophic Vibrio species and provide a salient example of how this organism has exploited lateral gene transfer to further its adaptation to the photic zone.     

JNK2 and JNK3 combined are essential for apoptosis in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra,but are not required for axon degeneration

Activation of c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) by the mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascade has been shown to play an important role in the death of dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra, one of the principal neuronal populations affected in Parkinson’s disease. However, it has remained unknown whether the JNK2 and JNK3 isoforms, either singly or in combination, are essential for apoptotic death, and, if so, the mechanisms involved. In addition, it has been unclear whether they play a role in axonal degeneration of these neurons in disease models. To address these issues we have examined the effect of single and double jnk2 and jnk3 null mutations on apoptosis in a highly destructive neurotoxin model, that induced by intrastriatal 6‐hydroxydopamine. We find that homozygous jnk2/3 double null mutations result in a complete abrogation of apoptosis and a prolonged survival of the entire population of dopamine neurons. In spite of this complete protection at the cell soma level, there was no protection of axons. These studies provide a striking demonstration of the distinctiveness of the mechanisms that mediate cell soma and axon degeneration, and they illustrate the need to identify and target pathways of axon degeneration in the development of neuroprotective therapeutics.     

Accurate identification and quantification of 11-nor-delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid in urine drug testing: evaluation of a direct high efficiency liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric method

A direct liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for measurement of urinary Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (THCA) was developed. The method involved dilution of the urine sample with water containing (2)H(9)-deuterated analogue as internal standard, hydrolysis with ammonia, reversed phase chromatography using a Waters ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) equipment with gradient elution, negative electrospray ionization, and monitoring of two product ions in selected reaction monitoring mode. The measuring range was 2-1000 ng/mL for THCA, and the intra- and inter-assay imprecision, expressed as the coefficient of variation, was below 5%. Influence from urine matrix on ionization efficiency was noted in infusion experiments, but was compensated for by the internal standard. Comparison with established gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods in authentic patient samples demonstrated accuracy in both qualitative and quantitative results. A small difference in mean ratios (~15%) may be explained by the use of different hydrolysis procedures between methods. In conclusion, the high efficiency LC-MS/MS method was capable of accurately identify and quantify THCA in urine with a capacity of 14 samples per hour.     

The outer segment serves as a default destination for the trafficking of membrane proteins in photoreceptors

Photoreceptors are compartmentalized neurons in which all proteins responsible for evoking visual signals are confined to the outer segment. Yet, the mechanisms responsible for establishing and maintaining photoreceptor compartmentalization are poorly understood. Here we investigated the targeting of two related membrane proteins, R9AP and syntaxin 3, one residing within and the other excluded from the outer segment. Surprisingly, we have found that only syntaxin 3 has targeting information encoded in its sequence and its removal redirects this protein to the outer segment. Furthermore, proteins residing in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria were similarly redirected to the outer segment after removing their targeting signals. This reveals a pattern where membrane proteins lacking specific targeting information are delivered to the outer segment, which is likely to reflect the enormous appetite of this organelle for new material necessitated by its constant renewal. This also implies that every protein residing outside the outer segment must have a means to avoid this “default” trafficking flow.     

Characterization of the nature of photosynthetic recovery of wheat seedlings from short-term dark heat exposures and analysis of the mode of acclimation to different light intensities

The nature of photosynthetic recovery was investigated in 10-d-old wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Moskovskaya-35) seedlings exposed to temperatures of 40 and 42 °C for 20 min and to temperature 42 °C for 40 min in the dark. The aftereffect of heat treatment was monitored by growing the heat-treated plants in low/moderate/high light at 20 °C for 72 h. The net photosynthetic rates (P_N) and the fluorescence ratios F_v/F_m were evaluated in intact primary leaves and the rates of cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation were measured in the isolated thylakoids. At least two temporally separated steps were identified in the path of recovery from heat stress at 40 and 42 °C in the plants growing in high and moderate/high light, respectively. Both photochemical activity of the photosystem II (PSII) and the activity of CO₂ assimilation system were lowered during the first step in comparison with the corresponding activities immediately after heat treatment. During the second step, the photosynthetic activities completely or partly recovered. Recovery from heat stress at 40 °C was accompanied by an appreciably higher rate of cyclic photophosphorylation in comparison with control non-heated seedlings. In pre-heated seedlings, the tolerance of the PSII to photoinhibition was higher than in non-treated ones. The mode of acclimation to different light intensities after heat exposures is analyzed.     

Some properties of human small heat shock protein Hsp20 (HspB6).

Human heat shock protein of apparent molecular mass 20 kDa (Hsp20) and its mutant, S16D, mimicking phosphorylation by cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases, were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The proteins were obtained in a homogeneous state without utilization of urea or detergents. On size exclusion chromatography at neutral pH, Hsp20 and its S16D mutant were eluted as symmetrical peaks with an apparent molecular mass of 55-60 kDa. Chemical crosslinking resulted in the formation of dimers with an apparent molecular mass of 42 kDa. At pH 6.0, Hsp20 and its S16D mutant dissociated, and were eluted in the form of two peaks with apparent molecular mass values of 45-50 and 28-30 kDa. At pH 7.0-7.5, the chaperone activity of Hsp20 (measured by its ability to prevent the reduction-induced aggregation of insulin or heat-induced aggregation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase) was similar to or higher than that of commercial alpha-crystallin. Under these conditions, the S16D mutant of Hsp20 possessed lower chaperone activity than the wild-type protein. At pH 6.0, both alpha-crystallin and Hsp20 interacted with denatured alcohol dehydrogenase; however, alpha-crystallin prevented, whereas Hsp20 either did not affect or promoted, the heat-induced aggregation of alcohol dehydrogenase. The mixing of wild-type human Hsp27 and Hsp20 resulted in a slow, temperature-dependent formation of hetero-oligomeric complexes, with apparent molecular mass values of 100 and 300 kDa, which contained approximately equal amounts of Hsp27 and Hsp20 subunits. Phosphorylation of Hsp27 by mitogen activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 was mimicked by replacing Ser15, 78 and 82 with Asp. A 3D mutant of Hsp27 mixed with Hsp20 rapidly formed a hetero-oligomeric complex with an apparent molecular mass of 100 kDa, containing approximately equal quantities of two small heat shock proteins.     

Angiostatin effects on endothelial cells mediated by ceramide and RhoA

Angiostatin is a cleavage product of plasminogen that has anti-angiogenic properties. We investigated whether the effects of angiostatin on endothelial cells are mediated by ceramide, a lipid implicated in endothelial cell signaling. Our results demonstrate that angiostatin produces a transient increase in ceramide that correlates with actin stress fiber reorganization, detachment and death. DNA array expression analysis performed on ceramide-treated human endothelial cells demonstrated induction of certain genes involved in cytoskeleton organization. Specifically, we report that treatment with angiostatin or ceramide results in the activation of RhoA, an important effector of cytoskeletal structure. We also show that treatment of endothelial cells with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine abrogates morphological changes and cytotoxic effects of treatment with angiostatin or ceramide. These findings support a model in which angiostatin induces a transient rise in ceramide, RhoA activation and free radical production.     

A GPR-protein interaction surface of Gi(alpha): implications for the mechanism of GDP-release inhibition.

Proteins containing G-protein regulatory (GPR) motifs represent a novel family of guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs) for G(alpha) subunits from the Gi family. They selectively interact with the GDP-bound conformation of Gi(alpha) and transducin-alpha (Gt(alpha)), but not with Gs(alpha). A series of chimeric proteins between Gi(alpha)(1) and Gs(alpha) has been constructed to investigate GPR-contact sites on G(alpha) subunits and the mechanism of GPR-protein GDI activity. Analysis of the interaction of two GPR-proteins-AGS3GPR and Pcp2-with the chimeric G(alpha) subunits demonstrated that the GPR-Gi(alpha)(1) interface involves the Gi(alpha)(1) switch regions and Gi(alpha)(1)-144-151, a site within the helical domain. Residues within Gi(alpha)(1)-144-151 form conformation-sensitive contacts with switch III, and may directly interact with a GPR-protein or form a GPR-binding surface jointly with switch III. The helical domain site is critical to the ability of GPR-proteins to act as GDIs. Our data suggest that a mechanism of the GDI activity of GPR-proteins is different from that of GDIs for monomeric GTPases and from the GDI-like activity of G(betagamma) subunits. The GPR-proteins are likely to block a GDP-escape route on G(alpha) subunits.