The ligands of Numb proteins X1 and X2 are specific markers for chronic Q fever

Q fever is a disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium. Acute Q fever is spontaneously resolutive and is characterized by an efficient immune response. In contrast, chronic Q fever is characterized by dysregulated immune response, as demonstrated by the failure of C. burnetii to induce lymphoproliferation and the lack of granulomas. Recently, it has been demonstrated that when co-expressed in heterologous mammalian cell lines, the ligands of Numb proteins X1 and X2 (LNX1 and LNX2) regulate the level of the T-cell co-receptor CD8, which plays an essential role in T-cell-mediated immune response. We decided to investigate the expression of LNX1 and LNX2 genes in patients with acute or chronic Q fever. Interestingly, we found a high level of LNX1 and LNX2 mRNAs in endocarditis, the principal manifestation of chronic Q fever, but not in acute Q fever. Our data suggest that LNXs may be used as complementary biomarkers to follow the prognosis of chronic Q fever.     

Antibodies to C-C chemokine receptor 5 in normal human IgG block infection of macrophages and lymphocytes with primary R5-tropic strains of HIV-1

In the present study, we demonstrate that normal human IgG for therapeutic use (i.v. Ig) contains natural Abs directed against the CCR5 coreceptor for HIV-1. Abs to CCR5 were isolated from i.v. Ig using an affinity matrix consisting of a synthetic peptide corresponding to the N-terminus of CCR5 coupled to Sepharose. Natural anti-CCR5 Abs inhibited the binding of RANTES to macrophages, demonstrating their interaction with the coreceptor of R5-tropic HIV-1. Affinity-purified anti-CCR5 Ig further inhibited infection of lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages with primary and laboratory-adapted strains of HIV-1, but did not inhibit infection with X4-tropic HIV. Our results suggest that anti-CCR5 Abs from healthy immunocompetent donors may be suitable for development of novel passive immunotherapy regimens in specific clinical settings in HIV infection.     

After Hrs with HIV

To efficiently bud off from infected cells, HIV and other enveloped viruses hijack the host cellular machinery that is normally involved in vacuolar protein sorting and multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis. The HIV Gag protein mimics hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate (Hrs), a modular adaptor protein that links membrane cargo recognition to its degradation after delivery to MVBs. In contrast to T cells, where HIV budding occurs at the plasma membrane, virus buds into vacuoles of macrophages, a process that may facilitate its spread within the infected host.     

Different patterns of immune responses but similar control of a simian-human immunodeficiency virus 89.6P mucosal challenge by modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and DNA/MVA vaccines

Recently we demonstrated the control of a mucosal challenge with a pathogenic chimera of simian and human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV-89.6P) by priming with a Gag-Pol-Env-expressing DNA and boosting with a Gag-Pol-Env-expressing recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (DNA/MVA) vaccine. Here we evaluate the ability of the MVA component of this vaccine to serve as both a prime and a boost for an AIDS vaccine. The same immunization schedule, MVA dose, and challenge conditions were used as in the prior DNA/MVA vaccine trial. Compared to the DNA/MVA vaccine, the MVA-only vaccine raised less than 1/10 the number of vaccine-specific T cells but 10-fold-higher titers of binding antibody for Env. Postchallenge, the animals vaccinated with MVA alone increased their CD8 cell numbers to levels that were similar to those seen in DNA/MVA-vaccinated animals. However, they underwent a slower emergence and contraction of antiviral CD8 T cells and were slower to generate neutralizing antibodies than the DNA/MVA-vaccinated animals. Despite this, by 5 weeks postchallenge, the MVA-only-vaccinated animals had achieved as good control of the viral infection as the DNA/MVA group, a situation that has held up to the present time in the trial (48 weeks postchallenge). Thus, MVA vaccines, as well as DNA/MVA vaccines, merit further evaluation for their ability to control the current AIDS pandemic.     

Biochemical characterization of the Pseudomonas putida 3-hydroxyacyl ACP:CoA transacylase,which diverts intermediates of fatty acid de novo biosynthesis

The 3-hydroxyacyl ACP:CoA transacylase (PhaG) was recently identified in various Pseudomonas species and catalyzes the diversion of ACP thioester intermediates of fatty acid de novo biosynthesis toward the respective CoA thioesters, which serve as precursors for polyester and rhamnolipid biosynthesis. PhaG from Pseudomonas putida was overproduced in Escherichia coli as a C-terminal hexahistidine-tagged (His(6)) fusion protein in high yield. The His(6)-PhaG was purified to homogeneity by refolding of PhaG obtained from inclusion bodies, and a new enzyme assay was established. Kinetic analysis of the 3-hydroxyacyl transfer to ACP, catalyzed by His(6)-PhaG, gave K(0.5) values of 28 microm (ACP) and 65 microm (3-hydroxyacyl-CoA) considering V(max) values of 11.7 milliunits/mg and 12.4 milliunits/mg, respectively. A Hill coefficient of 1.38 (ACP) and 1.32 (3-hydroxyacyl-CoA) indicated a positive substrate cooperativity. Subcellular localization studies showed that PhaG is not attached to polyester granules and resides in the cytosol. Gel filtration chromatography analysis in combination with light scattering analysis indicated substrate-induced dimerization of the transacylase. A threading model of PhaG was developed based on the homology to an epoxide hydrolase (1cqz). In addition, the alignment with the alpha/beta-hydrolase fold region indicated that PhaG belongs to alpha/beta-hydrolase superfamily. Accordingly, CD analysis suggested a secondary structure composition of 29% alpha-helix, 22% beta-sheet, 18% beta-turn, and 31% random coil. Site-specific mutagenesis of seven highly conserved amino acid residues (Asp-60, Ser-102, His-177, Asp-182, His-192, Asp-223, His-251) was used to validate the protein model and to investigate organization of the transacylase active site. Only the D182(A/E) mutation was permissive with about 30% specific activity of the wild type enzyme. Furthermore, this mutation caused a change in substrate specificity, indicating a functional role in substrate binding. The serine-specific agent phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) or the histidine-specific agent diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) caused inhibition of 3-hydroxyacyl transfer to holo-ACP, and the S102(A/T) or H251(A/R) PhaG mutant was incapable of catalyzing 3-hydroxyacyl transfer, suggesting that these residues are part of a catalytic triad.     

Molecular characterization of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthase from Ralstonia eutropha: in vitro evolution, site-specific mutagenesis and development of a PHB synthase protein model

A threading model of the Ralstonia eutropha polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase was developed based on the homology to the Burkholderia glumae lipase, whose structure has been resolved by X-ray analysis. The lid-like structure in the model was discussed. In this study, various R. eutropha PHA synthase mutants were generated employing random as well as site-specific mutagenesis. Four permissive mutants (double and triple mutations) were obtained from single gene shuffling, which showed reduced activity and whose mutation sites mapped at variable surface-exposed positions. Six site-specific mutations were generated in order to identify amino acid residues which might be involved in substrate specificity. Replacement of residues T323 (I/S) and C438 (G), respectively, which are located in the core structure of the PHA synthase model, abolished PHA synthase activity. Replacement of the two amino acid residues Y445 (F) and L446 (K), respectively, which are located at the surface of the protein model and adjacent to W425, resulted in reduced activity without changing substrate specificity and indicating a functional role of these residues. The E267K mutant exhibited only slightly reduced activity with a surface-exposed mutation site. Four site-specific deletions were generated to evaluate the role of the C-terminus and variant amino acid sequence regions, which link highly conserved regions. Deleted regions were D281-D290, A372-C382, E578-A589 and V585-A589 and the respective PHA synthases showed no detectable activity, indicating an essential role of the variable C-terminus and the linking regions between conserved blocks 2 and 3 as well as 3 and 4. Moreover, the N-terminal part of the class II PHA synthase (PhaC(Pa)) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the C-terminal part of the class I PHA synthase (PhaC(Re)) from R. eutropha were fused, respectively, resulting in three fusion proteins with no detectable in vivo activity. However, the fusion protein F1 (PhaC(Pa)-1-265-PhaC(Re)-289-589) showed 13% of wild type in vitro activity with the fusion point located at a surface-exposed loop region.     

Vaccine-Induced Linear Epitope-Specific Antibodies to Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVmac239 Envelope Are Distinct from Those Induced to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope in Nonhuman Primates

To evaluate antibody specificities induced by simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) versus human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope antigens in nonhuman primate (NHP), we profiled binding antibody responses to linear epitopes in NHP studies with HIV-1 or SIV immunogens. We found that, overall, HIV-1 Env IgG responses were dominated by V3, with the notable exception of the responses to the vaccine strain A244 Env that were dominated by V2, whereas the anti-SIVmac239 Env responses were dominated by V2 regardless of the vaccine regimen.     

A Mutation in Transmembrane Domain 7 (TM7) of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters Disrupts the Substrate-dependent Gating of the Intrinsic Anion Conductance and Drives the Channel into a Constitutively Open State

In the mammalian central nervous system, excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are responsible for the clearance of glutamate after synaptic release. This energetically demanding activity is crucial for precise neuronal communication and for maintaining extracellular glutamate concentrations below neurotoxic levels. In addition to their ability to recapture glutamate from the extracellular space, EAATs exhibit a sodium- and glutamate-gated anion conductance. Here we show that substitution of a conserved positively charged residue (Arg-388, hEAAT1) in transmembrane domain 7 with a negatively charged amino acid eliminates the ability of glutamate to further activate the anion conductance. When expressed in oocytes, R388D or R388E mutants show large anion currents that display no further increase in amplitude after application of saturating concentrations of Na⁺ and glutamate. They also show a substantially reduced transport activity. The mutant transporters appear to exist preferentially in a sodium- and glutamate-independent constitutive open channel state that rarely transitions to complete the transport cycle. In addition, the accessibility of cytoplasmic residues to membrane-permeant modifying reagents supports the idea that this substrate-independent open state correlates with an intermediate outward facing conformation of the transporter. Our data provide additional insights into the mechanism by which substrates gate the anion conductance in EAATs and suggest that in EAAT1, Arg-388 is a critical element for the structural coupling between the substrate translocation and the gating mechanisms of the EAAT-associated anion channel.