Demonstration of a functional receptor for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide on Molt 4b T lymphoblasts

Viable human T lymphoblasts derived from the "Molt 4b" cell line have been shown to possess functional plasma membrane receptors for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Specific binding of 125I-VIP to these lymphoblasts is rapid, reversible and linearly dependent on the number of cells present. Analysis of binding at 17 degrees C reveals a single class of high affinity binding sites over the concentration range of 10(-7) to 10(-11) M VIP (KD = 7.3 +/- 1.3 nM). The Bmax of 0.24 +/- 0.07 nM extrapolates to 15 000 +/- 4000 sites/cell. The binding of 125I-VIP to T lymphoblasts is highly specific; secretin and glucagon, peptides of similar molecular weight which show sequence homology with VIP, are unable to competitively inhibit binding of 125I-VIP to Molt 4b lymphoblasts. VIP activates adenylate cyclase in membrane preparations from Molt 4b lymphoblasts and increases cAMP in intact cells. Half maximal activation in both membrane preparations and intact cells occurs at 5 nM VIP. This demonstration of a functional receptor for VIP suggests that the Molt 4b lymphoblastic cell line may be a useful model system in which to study neuropeptide modulation of T lymphocyte function.     

A prototypical cytidylyltransferase: CTP:glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase from bacillus subtilis.

BACKGROUND: The formation of critical intermediates in the biosynthesis of lipids and complex carbohydrates is carried out by cytidylyltransferases, which utilize CTP to form activated CDP-alcohols or CMP-acid sugars plus inorganic pyrophosphate. Several cytidylyltransferases are related and constitute a conserved family of enzymes. The eukaryotic members of the family are complex enzymes with multiple regulatory regions or repeated catalytic domains, whereas the bacterial enzyme, CTP:glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), contains only the catalytic domain. Thus, GCT provides an excellent model for the study of catalysis by the eukaryotic cytidylyltransferases. RESULTS: The crystal structure of GCT from Bacillus subtilis has been determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction using a mercury derivative and refined to 2.0 A resolution (R(factor) 0.196; R(free) 0.255). GCT is a homodimer; each monomer comprises an alpha/beta fold with a central 3-2-1-4-5 parallel beta sheet. Additional helices and loops extending from the alpha/beta core form a bowl that binds substrates. CTP, bound at each active site of the homodimer, interacts with the conserved (14)HXGH and (113)RTXGISTT motifs. The dimer interface incorporates part of a third motif, (63)RYVDEVI, and includes hydrophobic residues adjoining the HXGH sequence. CONCLUSIONS: Structure superpositions relate GCT to the catalytic domains from class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and thus expand the tRNA synthetase family of folds to include the catalytic domains of the family of cytidylyltransferases. GCT and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze analogous reactions, bind nucleotides in similar U-shaped conformations, and depend on histidines from analogous HXGH motifs for activity. The structural and other similarities support proposals that GCT, like the synthetases, catalyzes nucleotidyl transfer by stabilizing a pentavalent transition state at the alpha-phosphate of CTP.     

Two forms of trehalase in rabbit enterocyte: Purification and chemical modification

Trehalase found to be associated with the brush border membrane vesicles and the Ca₂₊ aggregated basolateral membrane vesicles were purified to homogeneity. They were found to differ in their molecular weight, subunit structure, heal stability, N-terminal residues, amino acid composition and also the active site residues. Chemical modification showed the presence of a histidine and tyrosine at the active site of brush border membrane vesicle trehalase and two histidines at the active site of basolateral membrane vesicle.     

Negative cooperativity of substrate binding but not enzyme activity in wild-type and mutant forms of CTP:glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase

CTP:glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT) catalyzes the synthesis of CDP-glycerol for teichoic acid biosynthesis in certain Gram-positive bacteria. This enzyme is a model for a cytidylyltransferase family that includes the enzymes that synthesize CDP-choline and CDP-ethanolamine for phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis. We have used quenching of intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence to measure binding affinities of substrates to the GCT from Bacillus subtilis. Binding of either CTP or glycerol-3-phosphate to GCT was biphasic, with two binding constants of about 0.1-0.3 and 20-40 microm for each substrate. The stoichiometry of binding was 2 molecules of substrate/enzyme dimer, so the two binding constants represented distinctly different affinities of the enzyme for the first and second molecule of each substrate. The biphasic nature of binding was observed with the wild-type GCT as well as with several mutants with altered Km or kcat values. This negative cooperativity of binding was also seen when a catalytically defective mutant was saturated with two molecules of CTP and then titrated with glycerol-3-phosphate. Despite the pronounced negative cooperativity of substrate binding, negative cooperativity of enzyme activity was not observed. These data support a mechanism in which catalysis occurs only when the enzyme is fully loaded with 2 molecules of each substrate/enzyme dimer.     

The effect of reducing growth in winter wheat on the population dynamics of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae (F.)

1 The effect of reducing the growth of winter wheat on population size and development of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae was studied. 2 Automatic, mobile, crop shading devices, which reduced radiation comparable to levels found on a cloudy day, whilst minimizing other climatic changes, were used to reduce crop growth. Shading was applied between either GS 31 and 39 (1st node detectable → flag leaf ligule just visible) or GS 39 and 55 (flag leaf just visible → 50% of inflorescence emerged). 3 Sitobion avenae populations were initiated at GS 55 and highest populations were subsequently observed on plants shaded between GS 31 and 39. 4 Individual aphids confined within clip cages were observed to measure development from birth to adult moult, adult lifespan and fecundity. Results indicated that adult lifespan was shortest on plants shaded between GS31 and 39, whilst there were no differences in development time or fecundity. 5 Possible explanations for these observations are discussed.