Glycoprotein differences among cells of the 14-day embryonic chick neural retina

In order to test the hypothesis that the progressive layering and differentiation of cell types during the development of the neural retina are associated with cell surface alterations we have separated distinct cell populations from the 14-day embryonic chick retina. Cells of these populations have been shown to differ in associative behavior and intramembrane particle content. We now report that these cells differ in cell surface glycoproteins. Proteins were labeled with two different extrinsic labels and one metabolic label. We used enzymatic transfer of galactose from UDP-gal to cellular acceptors, and borotritide reduction after galactose oxidation as extrinsic labels. Glucosamine incorporation was used as the metabolic label. In all these cases, we were able to identify bands on electrophoretic gels which were unique to individual populations.     

Comprehensive analysis of the Brassica juncea root proteome in response to cadmium exposure by complementary proteomic approaches

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is known to both accumulate and tolerate high levels of heavy metals from polluted soils. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the effect of cadmium (Cd) treatment on B. juncea roots, two quantitative proteomics approaches – fluorescence two‐dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2‐D DIGE) and multiplexed isobaric tagging technology (iTRAQ) – were implemented. Several proteins involved in sulfur assimilation, redox homeostasis, and xenobiotic detoxification were found to be up‐regulated. Multiple proteins involved in protein synthesis and processing were down‐regulated. While the two proteomics approaches identified different sets of proteins, the proteins identified in both datasets are involved in similar biological processes. We show that 2‐D DIGE and iTRAQ results are complementary, that the data obtained independently using the two techniques validate one another, and that the quality of iTRAQ results depends on both the number of biological replicates and the number of sample injections. This study determined the involvement of enzymes such as peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase and 2‐nitropropane dioxygenase in alternatives redox‐regulation mechanisms, as well as O‐acetylserine sulfhydrylase, glutathione‐S‐transferase and glutathione‐conjugate membrane transporter, as essential players in the Cd hyperaccumation and tolerance of B. juncea.     

Intrinsic protein-protein interaction-mediated and chaperonin-assisted sequential assembly of stable bardet-biedl syndrome protein complex, the BBSome

The pleiotropic features of obesity, retinal degeneration, polydactyly, kidney abnormalities, cognitive impairment, hypertension, and diabetes found in Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) make this disorder an important model disorder for identifying molecular mechanisms involved in common human diseases. To date, 16 BBS genes have been reported, seven of which (BBS1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9) code for proteins that form a complex known as the BBSome. The function of the BBSome involves ciliary membrane biogenesis. Three additional BBS genes (BBS6, BBS10, and BBS12) have homology to type II chaperonins and interact with CCT/TRiC proteins and BBS7 to form a complex termed the BBS-chaperonin complex. This complex is required for BBSome assembly. Little is known about the process and the regulation of BBSome formation. We utilized point mutations and null alleles of BBS proteins to disrupt assembly of the BBSome leading to the accumulation of BBSome assembly intermediates. By characterizing BBSome assembly intermediates, we show that the BBS-chaperonin complex plays a role in BBS7 stability. BBS7 interacts with BBS2 and becomes part of a BBS7-BBS2-BBS9 assembly intermediate referred to as the BBSome core complex because it forms the core of the BBSome. BBS1, BBS5, BBS8, and finally BBS4 are added to the BBSome core to form the complete BBSome.     

Wolbachia (Rickettsiales) infections and bee (Apoidea) barcoding: a response to Gerth et al.

In a recent Perspective, Gerth et al. (2011) expressed concern over how Wolbachia (Wolbachia pipientis Hertig) infections may affect the success of DNA barcoding efforts in bees. The potential and realized effects of endosymbiont-induced selective sweeps on host mitochondrial DNA diversity have been noted repeatedly – and rightly so – in the literature for some years. However, we are equally concerned with other misconceptions, including (a) presuming that a positive Wolbachia test indicates a stable infection, (b) presuming that Wolbachia-infected hosts cannot be identified with a single-locus barcode, and (c) inferring specific Wolbachia–mtDNA interactions based only on incomplete genotyping of Wolbachia strains. We address these issues in the context of the Gerth et al. (2011) survey of Wolbachia prevalence among the German bee fauna. We also clarify some of the context-dependent strengths and limitations of DNA barcoding when it is used as a research tool by taxonomists and ecologists.     

A Genome-Wide Association Study for Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration Reveals Novel Loci

Glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are the two leading causes of visual loss in the United States. We utilized a novel study design to perform a genome-wide association for both primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and AMD. This study design utilized a two-stage process for hypothesis generation and validation, in which each disease cohort was utilized as a control for the other. A total of 400 POAG patients and 400 AMD patients were ascertained and genotyped at 500,000 loci. This study identified a novel association of complement component 7 (C7) to POAG. Additionally, an association of central corneal thickness, a known risk factor for POAG, was found to be associated with ribophorin II (RPN2). Linked monogenic loci for POAG and AMD were also evaluated for evidence of association, none of which were found to be significantly associated. However, several yielded putative associations requiring validation. Our data suggest that POAG is more genetically complex than AMD, with no common risk alleles of large effect.     

Expression screening of bacterial libraries of recombinant alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor variants for candidates with thrombin inhibitory capacity

Exhaustive mutagenesis studies of the reactive centre loop (RCL), a key structural component of proteins belonging to the serpin superfamily of protease inhibitors, are complicated by the size of the RCL, serpin conformational complexity, and, for most serpins, the lack of a serpin-dependent phenotype of expressing cells. Here, we describe a thrombin capture assay that distinguished thrombin-inhibitory recombinant human alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API M358R) from non-inhibitory API variants in Escherichia coli lysates prepared from either single clones or pools. Binding of API proteins in the lysates to thrombin immobilized on microtiter plate wells was quantified via colour generated by a peroxidase-coupled anti-API antibody. Bacterial expression plasmids encoding inhibitory API M358R were mixed 1:99 with plasmids encoding non-inhibitory API T345R/M358R and the resulting library screened in pools of 10. All above-background signals arising from pools or subsequently re-probed single clones were linked to the presence of plasmids encoding API M358R. Screening of a portion of another expression library encoding hypervariable API with all possibilities at codons 352–358 also yielded only novel, thrombin-inhibitory variants. Probing a smaller library expressing all possible codons at Ala347 yielded the wild type, 6 different functional variants, one partially active variant, and two variants with no thrombin-inhibitory activity. API antigen levels varied considerably less among Ala347 variants than activity levels, and comparison of rate constants of inhibition of purified API variants to their corresponding thrombin capture assay lysate values was used to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. The results indicate that the approach is sufficiently robust to correctly identify functional versus non-functional candidates in API expression libraries, and could be of value in systematically probing structure/function relationships not only in the API RCL, but also in that of other serpins.     

Mapping the NPHP-JBTS-MKS protein network reveals ciliopathy disease genes and pathways

Nephronophthisis (NPHP), Joubert (JBTS), and Meckel-Gruber (MKS) syndromes are autosomal-recessive ciliopathies presenting with cystic kidneys, retinal degeneration, and cerebellar/neural tube malformation. Whether defects in kidney, retinal, or neural disease primarily involve ciliary, Hedgehog, or cell polarity pathways remains unclear. Using high-confidence proteomics, we identified 850 interactors copurifying with nine NPHP/JBTS/MKS proteins and discovered three connected modules: "NPHP1-4-8" functioning at the apical surface, "NPHP5-6" at centrosomes, and "MKS" linked to Hedgehog signaling. Assays for ciliogenesis and epithelial morphogenesis in 3D renal cultures link renal cystic disease to apical organization defects, whereas ciliary and Hedgehog pathway defects lead to retinal or neural deficits. Using 38 interactors as candidates, linkage and sequencing analysis of 250 patients identified ATXN10 and TCTN2 as new NPHP-JBTS genes, and our Tctn2 mouse knockout shows neural tube and Hedgehog signaling defects. Our study further illustrates the power of linking proteomic networks and human genetics to uncover critical disease pathways.     

Phage Display of the Serpin Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor Randomized at Consecutive Residues in the Reactive Centre Loop and Biopanned with or without Thrombin

In spite of the power of phage display technology to identify variant proteins with novel properties in large libraries, it has only been previously applied to one member of the serpin superfamily. Here we describe phage display of human alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API) in a T7 bacteriophage system. API M358R fused to the C-terminus of T7 capsid protein 10B was directly shown to form denaturation-resistant complexes with thrombin by electrophoresis and immunoblotting following exposure of intact phages to thrombin. We therefore developed a biopanning protocol in which thrombin-reactive phages were selected using biotinylated anti-thrombin antibodies and streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. A library consisting of displayed API randomized at residues 357 and 358 (P2–P1) yielded predominantly Pro-Arg at these positions after five rounds of thrombin selection; in contrast the same degree of mock selection yielded only non-functional variants. A more diverse library of API M358R randomized at residues 352–356 (P7–P3) was also probed, yielding numerous variants fitting a loose consensus of DLTVS as judged by sequencing of the inserts of plaque-purified phages. The thrombin-selected sequences were transferred en masse into bacterial expression plasmids, and lysates from individual colonies were screening for API-thrombin complexing. The most active candidates from this sixth round of screening contained DITMA and AAFVS at P7–P3 and inhibited thrombin 2.1-fold more rapidly than API M358R with no change in reaction stoichiometry. Deep sequencing using the Ion Torrent platform confirmed that over 800 sequences were significantly enriched in the thrombin-panned versus naïve phage display library, including some detected using the combined phage display/bacterial lysate screening approach. Our results show that API joins Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) as a serpin amenable to phage display and suggest the utility of this approach for the selection of “designer serpins” with novel reactivity and/or specificity.