Characterisation of Trypanosoma cruzi populations by dna polymorphism of the cruzipain gene detected by single-stranded dna conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing

Fifty fresh isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi from Triatoma dimidiata vectors and 31 from patients with Chagas disease were analysed for DNA polymorphisms within the 432-bp core region of the cruzipain gene which encodes the active site of cathepsin L-like cystein proteinase. The cruzipain gene showed signs of polymorphism consisting of four different DNA sequences in Central and South American isolates of T. cruzi. The PCR fragments of Guatemalan isolates could be divided into three groups, Groups 1, 2 and 3, based on different patterns of single-stranded DNA conformation polymorphism. All of the strains isolated from Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay, except for the CL strain, showed a Group 4 pattern. Two to four isolates from each group were analysed by cloning and sequencing. A silent mutation occurred between Groups 1 and 2, and five nucleotides and two aa substitutions were detected between Groups 1 and 3. The DNA sequence of Group 4 contained five nucleotides and one aa substitution from Group 1. All of the DNA sequences corresponded well with the single-stranded DNA conformation polymorphism. The Group 1 isolates, the majority in the Guatemalan population (70/81, 86.4%), were isolated from both triatomines and humans, but Group 3 were isolated only from humans. Moreover, the Group 2 isolates were detected only in triatomine vectors (9/50; 18%), but never in humans (0/32, P<0.05) suggesting that this group has an independent life-cycle in sylvatic animals and is maintained by reservoir hosts other than humans.     

Studies on the formation and stability of a complex between Streptomyces proteinaceous metalloprotease inhibitor and thermolysin.

The effects of certain physicochemical parameters on the formation and stability of a complex between Streptomyces proteinaceous metalloprotease inhibitor (SMPI) and thermolysin were investigated. SMPI had its lowest Ki value at a pH of around 6.5 (similar to the pH dependence of the kcat/K(m) of thermolysin catalysis), reflecting the splitting mechanism of the SMPI inhibition of thermolysin. This Ki increased with an increase in pressure, and in (Ki-1) was almost linear with respect to pressure. The volume of the reaction (delta Vcomp), which is the volume change accompanying enzyme-inhibitor complex formation, was calculated as +8.1 +/- 0.3 mL.mol-1, which has a sign opposite to delta Vcomp for neutral peptide inhibitors and acyl-peptide substrates. The temperature dependence of Ki-1 gave the reaction enthalpy (delta Hcomp) and reaction entropy (delta Scomp) of the complex formation as 34.6 +/- 1.4 kJ.mol-1 and 298 +/- 5 J.mol-1.K-1, respectively. These positive reaction volumes and reaction entropies were related to the electrostatic interactions and ionic strength dependence of Ki which corresponded to the key ionic interaction during complex formation. Complex formation with SMPI stabilized thermolysin against pressure perturbation as observed by the changes in the Trp fluorescence of thermolysin with increasing pressure. Thermal stability, however, was affected very little by complex formation with SMPI. Phosphoramidon, Cbz-Phe-Gly-NH2 and Cbz-Phe also positively affected the pressure-tolerance of thermolysin, in the following order: Cbz-Gly-Phe-NH2 < Cbz-Phe < phosphoramidon. The third compound exhibited stabilizing effects comparable with those of SMPI, which suggests that the interaction between SMPI and thermolysin was localized to the reactive site.     

The structure of B-helical C-G-A-T-C-G-A-T-C-G and comparison with C-C-A-A-C-G-T-T-G-G. The effect of base pair reversals

The crystal structure of the DNA decamer C-G-A-T-C-G-A-T-C-G has been solved to a resolution of 1.5 A, with a final R-factor of 16.1% for 5,107 two-sigma reflections. Crystals are orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with cell dimensions a = 38.93 A, b = 39.63 A, c = 33.30 A, and 10 base pairs/asymmetric unit. The final structure contains 404 DNA atoms, 142 water molecules treated as oxygen atoms, and two Mg(H2O)6(2+) complexes. Decamers stack atop one another to simulate continuous helical columns through the crystal, as with three previously solved monoclinic decamers, but the lateral contacts between columns are quite different in the orthorhombic and monoclinic cells. Narrow and wide regions of the minor groove exhibit a single spine or two ribbons of hydration, respectively, and the minor groove is widest when BII phosphate conformations are opposed diagonally across the groove. Phosphate conformation, in turn, appears to have a base sequence dependence. Twist, rise, cup, and roll are linked as has been observed in the three monoclinic decamers and can be characterized by high or low twist profiles. In all five known decamer crystal structures and eight representative dodecamers, a high twist profile is observed with G-C and G-A steps whereas all other R-R steps are low twist profiles (R = purine). A-T and A-C steps are intermediate in character whereas C-A and C-G exhibit behavior that is strongly influenced by the profiles of the preceding and following steps. When sufficient data are in hand, sequence/structure relationships for all helix parameters probably should be considered in a 4-base pair context. At this stage of limited information the problem is compounded because there are 136 unique 4-base steps x-A-B-y in a double helix as compared with only 10 2-base steps A-B.     

Preparation and properties of the water-soluble chlorophyll-bovine serum albumin complexes

By mixing chlorophyll (Chl) a or b with a dense bovine serum albumin solution, the water-soluble Chl-bovine serum albumin complexes were prepared. These complexes, eluted near the void volume on a gel filtration, were separated well from unreacted bovine serum albumin, indicating an aggregation of such molecules in the complexes. Preparation of chlorophyllide (Chlide) a- or Chlide b-bovine serum albumin complex was unsuccessful, while the phytol-, and β-carotene-bovine serum albumin complexes could be obtained. Chls in the Chl-bovine serum albumin complexes had the following characteristics. (i) Main absorption peak of Chl a or b in the red region occurred at 675 nm or 652 nm, respectively. The Chl a-bovine serum albumin complex having absorption peak at 740 nm was also prepared. As compared with the stabilities of Chl a and b in Triton X-100. (ii) Both Chls in the bovine serum albumin-complexes were stable against oxidative stresses, such as photobleaching, Fenton reagent, peroxidase-H₂O₂ system. But (iii) they were easily hydrolyzed by chlorophyllase. These properties of Chls in the bovine serum albumin-complexes were similar to those of Chls in the isolated light-harvesting Chl a/b protein complex. A possible localization of Chls within the bovine serum albumin complexes was suggested that the porphyrin moiety of Chl was buried in bovine serum albumin; however, the hydrophilic edge of porphyrin ring, adjacent to the phytol group, occurred in the hydrophilic region of a bovine serum albumin molecule.     

Relationship between beta-lactamase activity and resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Penicillin-susceptible mutants and beta-lactamase-negative mutants were isolated from Mycobacterium smegmatis after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. Both the mutants were found to be susceptible to low levels of penicillin and cephalosporins by twofold dilution testing. Clavulanic acid reduced the minimal inhibitory concentrations of beta-lactamase-labile beta-lactams for the penicillin-susceptible mutants and the parent strain, but had no effect on the susceptibility of the beta-lactamase-negative mutants. Comparison of the beta-lactamase activities found in these mutants and the parent strain indicated that there was a rough correlation between the beta-lactamase level in these organisms and their susceptibility to beta-lactams.     

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of the cDNA for Discoidin II of Dictyostelium discoideum

By using monoclonal antibodies directed against discoidin II,we have isolated cDNA clones from axenically grown Ax-2 cells.On cDNA clone (D2) condtained a 1.2-k.b insert encoding theentire discoidin II protein, which is conposed of 257 aminoacid residuces and has a calculated molecular mass of 28,574.The amino acid sequences, determined by Edman degradation ofsix tryptic peptides of discoidin II, were identical to thosededuced from the cDNA sequences. The protein bears no resemblanceto any proteins in the data banks, except that its sequenceis 49% identical with the amino acid sequence of discoidin I.Discoidin II shares with discoidin I both a carbohydratebindingsite and an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence, which has been foundin fibronectin in mammalian cells. With the onset of aggregation(8 h of development), a 1.3-kb discoidin II mRNA begins to accumulate.A similar pattern of regulation occurs at the protein level. ¹Present address: MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology,University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UnitedKingdom     

Earthworm (Pheretima communissima and Pheretima hilgendorfi) hemoglobins: giant assemblies and subunits

The molecular architecture of hemoglobins and their subunits of the earthworms Pheretima communissima and Pheretima hilgendorfi was investigated. In both species, their s0.20,w of 60.8 S and D020,w of 1.80 . 10(-7) cm2 . s-1 corresponded to a molecular weight of 3.07 . 10(6). From electron microscopic observations, the overall structure of the hemoglobins was shown to be two superimposed hexagonal discs, each composed of six-membered constituents. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of both hemoglobins revealed the presence of five species of subunits with molecular weights of 13,000-14,000 (subunit 1), 27,000-28,000 (subunit 2), 30,000-31,000 (subunit 3), 33,000-34,000 (subunit 4) and approx. 52,000 (subunit 5), respectively, and the molar ratio of these subunits 1:2, 3, 4:5 was 2:3:3. If we consider this set of the subunits 1 to 5 as one unit, the molecular weight of this unit should be 2.7-2.8 . 10(5). This one unit, therefore, should be considered to represent one-twelfth the whole molecule with molecular weight of 3.07 . 10(6).     

Phospholipase A2 from Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei brucei: inhibition by organotins

Activity and kinetics of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (Wellcome strain) and Trypanosoma brucei brucei (GUTat 3.1) were examined using two different fluorescent substrates. The activity in the supernatants of sonicated parasites was Ca2+-independent, strongly stimulated by Triton X-100 with optimum activity at 37 degrees C and pH 6.5-8.5. To encourage a possible interaction between the parasite enzyme and organotin compounds, fatty acid derivatives of dibutyltin dichloride were synthesized and evaluated as potential inhibitors of PLA2. The enzyme from the two-trypanosome species differ with respect to kinetic parameters and are noncompetitively inhibited by the organotin compounds. The Michaelis constant (KM) for PLA2 from T. b. brucei is 63.87 and 30.90 microM while for T. b. gambiense it is 119.64 and 32.91 microM for the substrates 1,2-bis-(1-pyrenebutanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PBGPC) and 2-(12-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)dodecanoyl-1-hexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (NBDC12-HPC), respectively.     

Identification of proteins whose synthesis is preferentially enhanced by polyamines at the level of translation in mammalian cells

In Escherichia coli, several proteins whose synthesis is enhanced by polyamines at the level of translation have been identified. We looked for proteins that are similarly regulated in eukaryotes using a mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cell culture system. Polyamine deficiency was induced by adding an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, α-difluoromethylornithine, to the medium. Proteins enhanced by polyamines were determined by comparison of protein levels in control and polyamine-deficient cells using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and were identified by Edman degradation and/or LC/MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem mass spectrometry. Polyamine stimulation of the synthesis of these proteins at the level of translation was confirmed by measuring levels of the corresponding mRNAs and proteins, and levels of the [³⁵S]methionine pulse-labeled proteins. The proteins identified in this way were T-complex protein 1, β subunit (Cct2); heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (Hnrpl); and phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (Pgam1). Since Cct2 was most strongly enhanced by polyamines among three proteins, the mechanism of polyamine stimulation of Cct2 synthesis was studied using NIH3T3 cells transiently transfected with genes encoding Cct2-EGFP fusion mRNA with normal or mutated 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) of Cct2 mRNA. Polyamines most likely enhanced ribosome shunting on the 5′-UTR of Cct2 mRNA.