Bovine mitochondrial tRNAPhe, tRNASer (AGY) and tRNASer (UCN): preparation using a new detection method and their properties in aminoacylation

Bovine mitochondrial tRNAPhe, tRNASer (AGY), and tRNASer (UCN) possessing unusual structures were purified using a new hybridization assay system and their properties in aminoacylation were examined. Bovine mitochondrial phenyl-alanyl- and seryl-tRNA synthetases could aminoacylate the same amino acid-specific tRNAs obtained not only from the mitochondria but also from other sources such as E. coli, Thermus thermophilus, bovine and yeast cytosols and archaebacteria, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. On the contrary, none of both bacterial and cytosolic synthetases could aminoacylate the same amino acid specific tRNAs from the heterologous sources with some exceptions. We consider that the bovine mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases have considerably simple recognition mechanism toward the substrate tRNAs compared with the non-mitochondrial ones. This mechanism may be correlated with the occurrence of structural varieties of the mitochondrial tRNA species with unusual structures.     

Relationship Between Sex-Pili Formation and Macarbomycin Sensitivity in Escherichia coli

The presence in Escherichia coli strains of derepressed sex factors determining F-type pili formation was found to increase their sensitivity to macarbomycin.     

Some Biochemical Changes Related to Starch Breakdown Induced by Blue Light Illumination and by Addition of Ammonia to Chlorella Cells

Illumination with blue light enhanced the production of ammoniaby cells of C. vulgaris 11h, while no such effect was inducedby red light illumination. Addition of ammonia caused increasesin ATP levels and decreases in Pi and ADP levels. When 5 mMNH₄Cl was added to phosphorylase and amylase isolated from thecells of C. vulgaris 11h, their activities increased about 5–15%and 40–100%, respectively. (Received June 21, 1986; Accepted December 23, 1986)     

Separation of a Water-Soluble Adjuvant (MAF3) from Delipidated Cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain Aoyama B by Hydrogenolysis and Gel Filtration

A water-extract from hydrogenolyzed cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain Aoyama B was separated into four portions (F-1 to F-4 fractions) by gel filtration with a Sephadex G-100 column. The third peak (called MAF3) eluted from the column was the most adjuvant-active fraction. The molecular weight determined by gel filtration was around 16 000 daltons. MAF3 consisted of heteropolymer(s) composed of approximately 76 to 79% neutral sugars (Ara, Gal, Man, and Glc) and 19% mucopeptide (MurN, GlcN, Glu, Ala, Dpm, Gly, Asp, Thr, Ser, Leu, Lys, Arg, His, Pro, Tyr, and Phe). The adjuvanticities of MAF3 and other fractions in water-in-oil emulsion were estimated by the enhancing effect on immune response to egg albumin (EA) in guinea pigs. MAF3 stimulated the production of humoral antibodies, particularly IgG2 antibody specific to the antigen, and induced delayed type hypersensitivity against EA in the skin and cornea of antigen-primed guinea pigs. These adjuvanticities of MAF3 were similar to the characteristics of mycobacterial cell wall in Freund's complete adjuvant.     

Sld7, an Sld3-associated protein required for efficient chromosomal DNA replication in budding yeast

Genetic screening of yeast for sld (synthetic lethality with dpb11) mutations has identified replication proteins, including Sld2, -3, and -5, and clarified the molecular mechanisms underlying eukaryotic chromosomal DNA replication. Here, we report a new replication protein, Sld7, identified by rescreening of sld mutations. Throughout the cell cycle, Sld7 forms a complex with Sld3, which associates with replication origins in a complex with Cdc45, binds to Dpb11 when phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinase, and dissociates from origins once DNA replication starts. However, Sld7 does not move with the replication fork. Sld7 binds to the nonessential N-terminal portion of Sld3 and reduces its affinity for Cdc45, a component of the replication fork. Although Sld7 is not essential for cell growth, its absence reduces the level of cellular Sld3, delays the dissociation from origins of GINS, a component of the replication fork, and slows S-phase progression. These results suggest that Sld7 is required for the proper function of Sld3 at the initiation of DNA replication.     

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cyst lining epithelial cells in an orthologous PCK rat model of autosomal-recessive polycystic kidney disease

In polycystic kidney disease (PKD), cyst lining cells show polarity abnormalities. Recent studies have demonstrated loss of cell contact in cyst cells, suggesting induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Recently, EMT has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PKD. To explore further evidence of EMT in PKD, we examined age- and segment-specific expression of adhesion molecules and mesenchymal markers in PCK rats, an orthologous model of human autosomal-recessive PKD. Kidneys from 5 male PCK and 5 control rats each at 0 days, 1, 3, 10, and 14 wk, and 4 mo of age were serially sectioned and stained with segment-specific markers and antibodies against E-cadherin, Snail1, β-catenin, and N-cadherin. mRNAs for E-cadherin and Snail1 were quantified by real-time PCR. Vimentin, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expressions were assessed as mesenchymal markers. E-cadherin expression pattern was correlated with the disease pathology in that tubule segments showing the highest expression in control had much severer cyst formation in PCK rats. In PCK rats, E-cadherin and β-catenin in cystic tubules was attenuated and localized to lateral areas of cell-cell contact, whereas nuclear expression of Snail1 increased in parallel with cyst enlargement. Some epithelial cells in large cysts derived from these segments, especially in adjacent fibrotic areas, showed positive immunoreactivity for vimentin and fibronectin. In conclusion, these findings suggest that epithelial cells in cysts acquire mesenchymal features in response to cyst enlargement and participate in progressive renal fibrosis. Our study clarified the nephron segment-specific cyst profile related to EMT in PCK rats. EMT may play a key role in polycystic kidney disease.     

Expression and localization of laminin 5, laminin 10, type IV collagen,and amelotin in adult murine gingiva

The biochemical composition of the internal and external basal laminae in the junctional epithelium differs significantly, and the precise cellular origin of their respective molecules remains to be determined. In the present study, the expression and localization of three basement membrane-specific molecules—laminin 5 (γ2 chain), type IV collagen (α1 chain), and laminin 10 (α5 chain)—and one tooth-specific molecule, amelotin, was analyzed in adult murine gingiva by using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the outermost cells in junctional epithelium facing the tooth enamel strongly expressed laminin 5 mRNA, supporting the immunohistochemical staining data. This suggests that laminin 5 is actively synthesized in junctional epithelial cells and that the products are incorporated into the internal basal lamina to maintain firm epithelial adhesion to the tooth enamel throughout life. Conversely, no amelotin mRNA signals were detected in the junctional epithelial cells, suggesting that the molecules localized on the internal basal lamina are mainly derived from maturation-stage ameloblasts. Weak and sporadic expression of type IV collagen in addition to laminin 10 in the gingiva indicates that these molecules undergo turnover less frequently in adult animals.     

Colorimetric inorganic pyrophosphate assay using a double cycling enzymatic method

The biosynthesis of aminocoumarin antibiotics involves the action of amide synthetases which construct amide bonds between aminocoumarins and various acyl moieties. Libraries of aminocoumarin analogues have been generated by in vivo fermentation, via feeding known amide synthetase substrates into producing microbial strains. Critically, such feeding studies rely on the inherent or engineered substrate promiscuity of each amide synthetase. We have initiated a program of directed evolution in order to create mutant amide synthetases for the synthesis of new nonnatural amino coumarin analogues. We used the clorobiocin enzyme CloL as a model amide synthetase to design and validate a fluorimetric high-throughput screen, which can be used to report the activity of mutant amide synthetases toward a broad range of coumarin and acyl donor substrates. Our assay monitors the decrease in fluorescence of aminocoumarins on acylation. The utility of the assay was illustrated by screening a library of amide synthetase mutants created by error-prone PCR. The substrate specificity of an amide synthetase was also rapidly probed using this assay, affording several newly identified substrates. It is anticipated that this high-throughput screen will accelerate the creation of amide synthetase mutants with new specificities by directed evolution.