The localization of heparin-binding fragments on human C4b-binding protein

C4b-binding protein (C4BP) is a multimeric plasma protein, which regulates the classical pathway of the C system. C4BP interacts with C C4b on a domain located in a 48-kDa chymotryptic fragment. We now demonstrate that C4BP contains heparin-binding fragments, which are located within the C4b binding domain. We have used an assay using heparin coupled to Sepharose CL-6B to show that 125I-C4BP binds to heparin in a time-dependent, saturable, and reversible manner. Binding could be inhibited by purified 48-kDa fragments and direct binding on the 48-kDa fragments to heparin-Sepharose was demonstrated by SDS-PAGE. mAb against native C4BP and the isolated 160-kDa central core fragment were evaluated for their ability to block the binding of 125I-C4BP to heparin and C4b. The relative efficacy of mAb against intact C4BP in blocking C4BP binding to heparin-Sepharose was similar to that for blocking 125I-C4BP binding to C4b. In addition, heparin blocked the binding of 125I-C4BP to C4b and vice versa. It is therefore likely that the heparin-binding fragments are localized on or close to the C4b-binding site of C4BP.     

Cleavage of double helical DNA by Cu2+ ion in the presence of bisintercalator containing penta(ethylene glycol) connector chain

In designing new DNA recognizing and cleaving reagents, we introduce herein a bisacridine derivative (referred to as bisacridine) in which two acridine heterocycles are connected by a penta(ethylene glycol) bridging chain. This compound offers two possible functions: 1, stabilization of DNA bisacridine intercalator complex by metal ion. The penta(ethylene glycol) chain stabilizes metal ions binding to the phosphate site of DNA, where the penta(ethylene glycol) chain constitutes a part of a pseudomacrocyclic ligand for metal binding; and 2, enhancement of metal-assisted hydrolytic cleavage of DNA by means of a metal concentration effect by the pseudomacrocyclic ethereal chain. The binding isotherms of bisacridine with DNA in the presence of metal ions showed that the binding was mainly governed by the cation exchange reaction on the anionic DNA polymer chain, i.e., the exchange between metal ions and the cationic bisacridine. The bisacridine showed an increase DNA binding ability compared to quinacrine, the monoacridine counterpart, and caused an enhancement of DNA cleavage in the presence of Cu2+ ions. Additional experiments which included DNase 1 footprinting in the presence of bisacridine and the DNA cleavage by Cu2+/bisacridine using a 32P end-labelled DNA fragment, suggested that the Cu2(+)-assisted DNA cleavage sites in the presence of bisacridine were in reasonable overlap with the DNA binding sites of bisacridine.     

Fungal proteinase expression in the interaction of the plant pathogen Magnaporthe poae with its host.

Infection by pathogenic fungi involves breaching the outer layer of the host by either mechanical or enzymatic means. Subtilisin-like proteinases are considered to be important in the infection process of entomopathogenic, nematophagous, and mycoparasitic fungi. Little is known regarding the expression of such proteinases by plant pathogenic fungi. Magnaporthe poae, a fungal pathogen of Kentucky bluegrass, expressed a subtilisin-like proteinase, proteinase Mp1, in the infected roots. Antibody was produced against the purified enzyme. From immunoblot analysis, expression of the proteinase in infected roots correlated with increasing severity of disease symptoms. Sequence analysis of a genomic clone indicated proteinase Mp1 was homologous to other fungal subtilisin-like proteinases. DNA gel blot analysis indicated proteinase Mp1 was encoded by a small gene family.     

Identification of UDP-linked murein precursors as contaminants in recombinant proteins of low molecular weight.

The A(280)/A(260) ratio of a purified protein is frequently used as an indication of the purity of the preparation with respect to nucleic acids. We show here that for low-molecular-weight recombinant proteins purified from Escherichia coli, a low A(280)/A(260) ratio can also result from contamination with UDP-linked murein precursors derived from bacterial cell wall metabolism. Although these precursors are small molecules of molecular weight 1000-1200, they comigrate in gel filtration with recombinant human FKBP (MW 11,820). This gel filtration behavior, which is distinct from that of unmodified mononucleotides, does not reflect binding interactions with FKBP, but is an intrinsic property of these precursors. Therefore, these molecules would be expected to copurify with other low-molecular-weight proteins, especially in the abbreviated purification protocols made possible by freeze-thaw release of recombinant proteins from E. coli (Johnson, B. H., and Hecht, M. H. (1994) BioTechnology 12, 1357-1360). Several alternative strategies are discussed for integrating these findings into the design of improved purification procedures for low-molecular-weight recombinant proteins.     

Somatic growth processes: how are they altered in captivity?

The cellular growth mechanisms of captive cephalopods were examined to determine whether the growth processes in aquaria are the same as those of wild individuals. Mantle muscle tissue growth in cephalopods is a function of both the production of muscle fibres and the growth of existing fibres. After seven days, captive animals had thicker mantles, a greater proportion of mitochondria-rich tissue, muscle fibres with smaller mitochondrial cores and fewer small muscle fibres. This suggests a reduced rate of new fibre generation, indicating an alteration to the cellular growth mechanisms and not simply a change in the physiological rate of growth. Smaller individuals were affected to a greater extent. Such modifications to the actual mechanisms of growth may have the potential to alter the shape of an individual''s growth curve and can also affect final body size. Alterations to the proportion and structure of mantle components may impact upon many critical aspects of an individual''s biology, as the muscular mantle is central to locomotion, ventilation of gills, energy storage and possibly subcutaneous oxygen extraction.