Substrate-induced conformational changes in human UMP/CMP kinase

Human UMP/CMP kinase plays a crucial role in supplying precursors for nucleic acid synthesis by catalyzing the conversion of UMP, CMP, and dCMP into their diphosphate form. In addition, this kinase is an essential component of the activation cascade of medicinally relevant nucleoside analog prodrugs such as AraC, gemcitabine, and ddC. During the catalytic cycle the enzyme undergoes large conformational changes from open in the absence of substrates to closed in the presence of both phosphoryl donor and phosphoryl acceptor. Here we report the crystal structure of the substrate-free, open form of human UMP/CMP kinase. Comparison of the open structure with the closed state previously reported for the similar Dictyostelium discoideum UMP/CMP kinase reveals the conformational changes that occur upon substrate binding. We observe a classic example of induced fit where substrate-induced conformational changes in hinge residues result in rigid body movements of functional domains to form the catalytically competent state. In addition, a homology model of the human enzyme in the closed state based on the structure of D. discoideum UMP/CMP kinase aids to rationalize the substrate specificity of the human enzyme.     

HJURP uses distinct CENP-A surfaces to recognize and to stabilize CENP-A/histone H4 for centromere assembly

Centromeres are defined by the presence of chromatin containing the histone H3 variant, CENP-A, whose assembly into nucleosomes requires the chromatin assembly factor HJURP. We find that whereas surface-exposed residues in the CENP-A targeting domain (CATD) are the primary sequence determinants for HJURP recognition, buried CATD residues that generate rigidity with H4 are also required for efficient incorporation into centromeres. HJURP contact points adjacent to the CATD on the CENP-A surface are not used for binding specificity but rather to transmit stability broadly throughout the histone fold domains of both CENP-A and H4. Furthermore, an intact CENP-A/CENP-A interface is a requirement for stable chromatin incorporation immediately upon HJURP-mediated assembly. These data offer insight into the mechanism by which HJURP discriminates CENP-A from bulk histone complexes and chaperones CENP-A/H4 for a substantial portion of the cell cycle prior to mediating chromatin assembly at the centromere.     

Lipocalin2 Promotes Invasion,Tumorigenicity and Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) is a small secreted protein and its elevated expression has been observed in pancreatic as well as other cancer types. LCN2 has been reported to promote resistance to drug-induced apoptosis, enhance invasion through its physical association with matrix metalloproteinase-9, and promote in vivo tumor growth. LCN2 was found to be commonly expressed in patient PDAC samples and its pattern of immunohistochemical staining intensified with increasing severity in high-grade precursor lesions. Downregulation of LCN2 in two pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines (BxPC3 and HPAF-II) with high LCN2 expression significantly reduced attachment, invasion, and tumour growth in vivo, but not proliferation or motility. Downregulation of LCN2 in two pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines (BxPC3 and HPAF-II) with high expression significantly reduced attachment, invasion, and tumour growth in vivo. In contrast, LCN2 overexpression in PANC1, with low endogenous expression, significantly increased invasion, attachment, and enhanced tumor growth. Suppression of LCN2 in BxPC3 and HPAF-II cells increased their sensitivity to gemcitabine in vitro, and in vivo when BxPC3 was tested. Furthermore, LCN2 promotes expression of VEGF and HIF1A which contribute to enhanced vascularity. These overall results demonstrate that LCN2 plays an important role in the malignant progression of pancreatic ductal carcinoma and is a potential therapeutic target for this disease.     

Gastric myoelectrical activity in a population of healthy Croatian subjects

Myoelectrical activity of the stomach was estimated in healthy Croatian subjects using the latest multi-channel percutaneous electrogastrograph. The aim of the study was to determine normal values of gastric myoelectrical activity for the population of Croatia. The study included 120 healthy subjects of both sexes, various age groups, body mass index values, and mode of lead placement. The measurement was performed 60 min before and 60 min after test meal. The following parameters of gastric myoelectrical activity were analyzed: dominant frequency (DF, c/min); dominant frequency within normal range (DFNR, %); coefficient of variation for dominant frequency (CVDF); dominant strength (DS, mV); postprandial increase intensity in dominant strength (PPIIDS; %); bradygastria (c/min, %); tachygastria (c/min, %); and arrhythmia. DF for the study group as a whole was around 3 cpm, at the normal range midpoint, and all other parameters were within the normal limits. On postprandial measurement, the rate of arrhythmias showed a significant decline. Age was found to influence DF, CVDF and arrhythmia in preprandial but not in postprandial period, whereas sex influenced DF, DS and bradygastria in preprandial period, and DF, CVDF, PPIIDS and tachygastria in postprandial period. The mode of lead placement had no impact on the electrogastrographic parameters observed. The values of gastric myoelectrical activity recorded in healthy Croatian subjects were within the normal range of the values defined by previous studies across Europe.     

Catabolism of terbuthylazine by mixed bacterial culture originating from s-triazine-contaminated soil

The s-triazine herbicide terbuthylazine (TERB) has been used as the main substitute of atrazine in many EU countries for more than 10 years. However, the ecological consequences of this substitution are still not fully understood. Since the fate of triazine herbicides is primarily dependent on microbial degradation, in this paper, we investigated the ability of a mixed bacterial culture, M3-T, originating from s-triazine-contaminated soil, to degrade TERB in liquid culture and soil microcosms. The M3-T culture grown in mineral medium with TERB as the N source and citrate as the C source degraded 50 mg L^?1 of TERB within 3 days of incubation. The culture was capable of degrading TERB as the sole C and N source, though at slower degradation kinetics. A thorough LC-MS analysis of the biodegradation media showed the formation of hydroxyterbuthylazine (TERB-OH) and N-t-butylammelide (TBA) as major metabolites, and desethylterbuthylazine (DET), hydroxydesethylterbuthylazine (DET-OH) and cyanuric acid (CA) as minor metabolites in the TERB degradation pathway. TBA was identified as a bottleneck in the catabolic pathway leading to its transient accumulation in culture media. The supplementation of glucose as the exogenous C source had no effect on TBA degradation, whereas citrate inhibited its disappearance. The addition of M3-T to sterile soil artificially contaminated with TERB at 3 mg kg^?1 of soil resulted in an accelerated TERB degradation with t _1/2 value being about 40 times shorter than that achieved by the native microbial community. Catabolic versatility of M3-T culture makes it a promising seed culture for accelerating biotransformation processes in s-triazine-contaminated environment.     

Nitric oxide production from rat adipocytes is modulated by beta3-adrenergic receptor agonists and is involved in a cyclic AMP-dependent lipolysis in adipocytes.

It is established that the modulation of beta(3)-adrenoceptor function could be associated with impairment of lipolysis in white fat and be responsible for disturbed lipid metabolism. Though two isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were reported in adipocytes, the role of nitric oxide (NO) in adipose tissue is still ambiguous. The present work was directed to study the interplay between NO production and beta-adrenoceptor/cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway on lipid mobilization (glycerol and nonesterified fatty acids, NEFA) in cultures of rat adipocytes isolated from epididymal white adipose tissue. beta-Nonselective (isoprenaline) and beta(3)-selective (BRL-37344) agonists and the postadrenoceptor agents such as dibutyryl-cAMP, forskolin, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine significantly increased nitrite, glycerol, and NEFA levels with BRL-37344 being the most potent. Conversely, addition of beta-nonselective (propranolol) or beta(3)-selective (bupranolol) antagonist or the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor (SQ 22,536) significantly reduced beta-agonist-induced NO production and lipolysis. For beta-adrenoceptor agonists, antagonists, and their pairs, there was a positive correlation between medium nitrite and glycerol or NEFA with r(2) being 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. The possible relationship between NO and lipolysis was revealed after adipocyte treatment with nonspecific (N(omega)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, l-NAME) and specific (aminoguanidine) NOS inhibitors. Both l-NAME and aminoguanidine significantly inhibited the lipolytic effect of BRL-37344. Moreover, NO-donor (S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine) at higher concentration increased basal glycerol and NEFA levels. 8-bromo-cyclic GMP had no effect on adipocyte lipolysis. These data suggest that beta-adrenergic lipolysis, specifically beta(3)-adrenoceptor effect, which is realized via the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP/protein kinase A signaling cascade, involves NO production downstream of beta(3)-adrenoceptor/cAMP pathway.     

The morphological and immunocytochemical evaluation of primary rat hepatocytes undergoing spontaneous cell death: modulation by the nitric oxide donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine

Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the smallest molecules synthesised in the human body. It is produced by three distinct nitric oxide synthase isoenzymes (NOS) and plays a number of physiological functions in many organs and tissues. Among its numerous properties is the ability to influence programmed cell death. NO can either inhibit or induce apoptosis depending on the context of its production. In the liver, NO is produced in greater amounts especially during inflammation. The effect of NO in liver physiology and pathophysiology can be both beneficial and detrimental. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine NO effect on cell viability and cell death in primary rat hepatocyte culture. By using NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), the potential of exogenously delivered NO to influence spontaneous cell death in culture was examined. The morphological approach was used in order to discriminate between apoptotic and necrotic cell death. The nitrite level, urea production and alanine aminotransferase leakage were determined in the culture medium. The immunocytochemical detection of three apoptotic markers: cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and lamin A, was performed. Immunocytochemical analysis of hepatocyte apoptosis revealed different labelling pattern for each method, while the detection of cleaved caspase-3 best correlated with defined phenotypical criteria. Our data showed that under present conditions NO improved the viability of primary rat hepatocytes compared to untreated cells. This was manifested by the increase of viable hepatocytes in contrast to the decrease of necrotic and apoptotic hepatocytes as assessed by the morphological examination of cell culture. The NO effect was dose-dependent in the range of SNAP concentration between 200-800 microM.     

Cyclodextrin glucanotransferase production by cell biocatalysts of alkaliphilic bacilli

Cells of obligated alkaliphiles Bacillus pseudalcaliphilus 20RF and Bacillus pseudalcaliphilus 8SB isolated from Bulgarian habitats, producers of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase, EC 2.4.1.19), were immobilized by three different techniques: on two types of polysulphone membranes; entrapped in agar-gel beads containing magnetite and by nano-particles of silanized magnetite covalently bound on the cell surface. The biocatalysts obtained demonstrated the opportunity for a significantly enhanced CGTase production compared to free cells for a long period of time (10 days semicontinuous cultivation) without impact on their mechanical stability. The cell membrane-biocatalysts exhibited the highest enzyme activity after 240 h repeated batch cultivation and retained 1.3–2.3-fold increase of the CGTase yield compared to free cells at the end of the process. Membrane biocatalysts were applied for a direct cyclodextrin (CD) production. The results obtained demonstrated the possibility of starch conversion into cyclodextrins by immobilized cells without using of crude or purified enzyme. The membrane biocatalysts of both obligated alkaliphiles formed mainly β- and γ-CDs after 6 h enzyme reaction at pH 9.0 of the reaction mixture. Under these conditions, the quantity of γ-CDs was a relative high, to 35–37% of the total CD amount.