Tyrosine phosphorylation of phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 by the insulin receptor is necessary for insulin metabolic signaling

In L6 myoblasts, insulin receptors with deletion of the C-terminal 43 amino acids (IR(Delta43)) exhibited normal autophosphorylation and IRS-1/2 tyrosine phosphorylation. The L6 cells expressing IR(Delta43) (L6(IRDelta43)) also showed no insulin effect on glucose uptake and glycogen synthase, accompanied by a >80% decrease in insulin induction of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK-1) activity and tyrosine phosphorylation and of protein kinase B (PKB) phosphorylation at Thr(308). Insulin induced the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-dependent coprecipitation of PDK-1 with wild-type IR (IR(WT)), but not IR(Delta43). Based on overlay blotting, PDK-1 directly bound IR(WT), but not IR(Delta43). Insulin-activated IR(WT), and not IR(Delta43), phosphorylated PDK-1 at tyrosines 9, 373, and 376. The IR C-terminal 43-amino-acid peptide (C-terminal peptide) inhibited in vitro PDK-1 tyrosine phosphorylation by the IR. Tyr-->Phe substitution prevented this inhibitory action. In the L6(hIR) cells, the C-terminal peptide coprecipitated with PDK-1 in an insulin-stimulated fashion. This peptide simultaneously impaired the insulin effect on PDK-1 coprecipitation with IR(WT), on PDK-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, on PKB phosphorylation at Thr(308), and on glucose uptake. Upon insulin exposure, PDK-1 membrane persistence was significantly reduced in L6(IRDelta43) compared to control cells. In L6 cells expressing IR(WT), the C-terminal peptide also impaired insulin-dependent PDK-1 membrane persistence. Thus, PDK-1 directly binds to the insulin receptor, followed by PDK-1 activation and insulin metabolic effects.     

Prediction methods and databases within chemoinformatics: emphasis on drugs and drug candidates

MOTIVATION: To gather information about available databases and chemoinformatics methods for prediction of properties relevant to the drug discovery and optimization process. RESULTS: We present an overview of the most important databases with 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional structural information about drugs and drug candidates, and of databases with relevant properties. Access to experimental data and numerical methods for selecting and utilizing these data is crucial for developing accurate predictive in silico models. Many interesting predictive methods for classifying the suitability of chemical compounds as potential drugs, as well as for predicting their physico-chemical and ADMET properties have been proposed in recent years. These methods are discussed, and some possible future directions in this rapidly developing field are described.     

Rnd3/RhoE induces tight junction formation in mammary epithelial tumor cells

Glucocorticoid hormones stimulate adherens and tight junction formation in Con8 mammary epithelial tumor cells through a multistep process in which the membrane organization of structural apical junction proteins and tight junction sealing is controlled by specific signal transduction components. We have previously shown that dexamethasone stimulation of apical junction formation requires down-regulation of the small GTPase RhoA. Here we identified Rnd3/RhoE, a GTPase-deficient Rho family member and RhoA antagonist, as a key regulator of apical junction dynamics. Exogenously expressed Rnd3/RhoE co-localized with actin at the cell periphery and induced the localization of the adherens junction protein beta-catenin and the tight junction protein ZO-1 to sites of cell-cell contact, and led to the formation of highly sealed tight junctions. Treatment with glucocorticoids was not required to achieve complete apical junction remodeling. Consistent with Rnd3/RhoE acting as an antagonist of RhoA, expression of Rnd3/RhoE rescued the disruptive effects of constitutively active RhoA on apical junction organization. Our results demonstrate a new role for the Rho family member Rnd3/RhoE in regulating the assembly of the apical junction complex and tight junction sealing.     

AcmA of Lactococcus lactis is an N-acetylglucosaminidase with an optimal number of LysM domains for proper functioning

AcmA, the major autolysin of Lactococcus lactis MG1363 is a modular protein consisting of an N-terminal active site domain and a C-terminal peptidoglycan-binding domain. The active site domain is homologous to that of muramidase-2 of Enterococcus hirae, however, RP-HPLC analysis of muropeptides released from Bacillus subtilis peptidoglycan, after digestion with AcmA, shows that AcmA is an N-acetylglucosaminidase. In the C-terminus of AcmA three highly similar repeated regions of 45 amino acid residues are present, which are separated by short nonhomologous sequences. The repeats of AcmA, which belong to the lysine motif (LysM) domain family, were consecutively deleted, removed, or, alternatively, one additional repeat was added, without destroying the cell wall-hydrolyzing activity of the enzyme in vitro, although AcmA activity was reduced in all cases. In vivo, proteins containing no or only one repeat did not give rise to autolysis of lactococcal cells, whereas separation of the producer cells from the chains was incomplete. Exogenously added AcmA deletion derivatives carrying two repeats or four repeats bound to lactococcal cells, whereas the derivative with no or one repeat did not. In conclusion, these results show that AcmA needs three LysM domains for optimal peptidoglycan binding and biological functioning.     

An integrated genetic and physical map for the malaria vector Anopheles funestus

We have constructed a genetic map of the major African malaria vector, Anopheles funestus, using genetic markers segregating in F(2) progeny from crosses between two strains colonized from different field sites. Genotyping was performed on 174 progeny from three families using 33 microsatellite markers, a single RFLP, and 15 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. Four linkage groups were resolved and these were anchored to chromosomes X and 2 and chromosomal arms 3R and 3L by comparison with a physical map of this species. Five markers were linked to the X chromosome, 16 markers to chromosome 2, and 10 and 11 markers to chromosomal arms 3R and 3L, respectively. This significantly increases the number of chromosomally defined genetic markers for this species and will facilitate the identification of genes controlling epidemiologically important traits such as resistance to insecticides or vector competence.     

Structure of the plasminogen kringle 4 binding calcium-free form of the C-type lectin-like domain of tetranectin

Tetranectin is a homotrimeric protein containing a C-type lectin-like domain. This domain (TN3) can bind calcium, but in the absence of calcium, the domain binds a number of kringle-type protein ligands. Two of the calcium-coordinating residues are also critical for binding plasminogen kringle 4 (K4). The structure of the calcium free-form of TN3 (apoTN3) has been determined by NMR. Compared to the structure of the calcium-bound form of TN3 (holoTN3), the core region of secondary structural elements is conserved, while large displacements occur in the loops involved in calcium or K4 binding. A conserved proline, which was found to be in the cis conformation in holoTN3, is in apoTN3 predominantly in the trans conformation. Backbone dynamics indicate that, in apoTN3 especially, two of the three calcium-binding loops and two of the three K4-binding residues exhibit increased flexibility, whereas no such flexibility is observed in holoTN3. In the 20 best nuclear magnetic resonance structures of apoTN3, the residues critical for K4 binding span a large conformational space. Together with the relaxation data, this indicates that the K4-ligand-binding site in apoTN3 is not preformed.     

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) binds to type i collagen and protects against oxidative fragmentation

The antioxidant enzyme extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is mainly found in the extracellular matrix of tissues. EC-SOD participates in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species by catalyzing the dismutation of superoxide radicals. The tissue distribution of the enzyme is particularly important because of the reactive nature of its substrate, and it is likely essential that EC-SOD is positioned at the site of superoxide production to prevent adventitious oxidation. EC-SOD contains a C-terminal heparin-binding region thought to be important for modulating its distribution in the extracellular matrix. This paper demonstrates that, in addition to binding heparin, EC-SOD specifically binds to type I collagen with a dissociation constant (K(d)) of 200 nm. The heparin-binding region was found to mediate the interaction with collagen. Notably, the bound EC-SOD significantly protects type I collagen from oxidative fragmentation. This expands the known repertoire of EC-SOD binding partners and may play an important physiological role in preventing oxidative fragmentation of collagen during oxidative stress.     

AICAR stimulates adiponectin and inhibits cytokines in adipose tissue

5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) can be used as an experimental tool to activate 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. In parallel adiponectin also seems to activate AMPK and to improve insulin sensitivity. We have investigated the effects of AICAR on the gene expression of adiponectin and on gene expression and release of cytokines in human adipose tissue in vitro. AICAR stimulated AMPK alpha1 activity 3-4-fold (p<0.001), and dose-dependently increased adiponectin mRNA levels with significant stimulation (2-4-fold) at AICAR concentrations of 0.5-2mM (p<0.05). The adipose tissue protein release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was decreased by AICAR (p<0.05). In conclusion, AICAR stimulated adipose tissue AMPK alpha1 activity and adiponectin gene expression, while attenuating the release of TNF-alpha and IL-6. Reduced concentrations of these cytokines and increased levels of adiponectin might play a role for the insulin sensitizing effects of AICAR.     

Mucosal vaccine delivery of antigens tightly bound to an adjuvant particle made from food-grade bacteria

Mucosal immunization with subunit vaccines requires new types of antigen delivery vehicles and adjuvants for optimal immune responses. We have developed a non-living and non-genetically modified gram-positive bacterial delivery particle (GEM) that has built-in adjuvant activity and a high loading capacity for externally added heterologous antigens that are fused to a high affinity binding domain. This binding domain, the protein anchor (PA), is derived from the Lactococcus lactis AcmA cell-wall hydrolase, and contains three repeats of a LysM-type cell-wall binding motif. Antigens are produced as antigen-PA fusions by recombinant expression systems that secrete the hybrid proteins into the culture growth medium. GEM particles are then used as affinity beads to isolate the antigen-PA fusions from the complex growth media in a one step procedure after removal of the recombinant producer cells. This procedure is also highly suitable for making multivalent vaccines. The resulting vaccines are stable at room temperature, lack recombinant DNA, and mimic pathogens by their bacterial size, surface display of antigens and adjuvant activity of the bacterial components in the GEM particles. The GEM-based vaccines do not require additional adjuvant for eliciting high levels of specific antibodies in mucosal and systemic compartments.