Negative autoregulation by FAS mediates robust fetal erythropoiesis

Tissue development is regulated by signaling networks that control developmental rate and determine ultimate tissue mass. Here we present a novel computational algorithm used to identify regulatory feedback and feedforward interactions between progenitors in developing erythroid tissue. The algorithm makes use of dynamic measurements of red cell progenitors between embryonic days 12 and 15 in the mouse. It selects for intercellular interactions that reproduce the erythroid developmental process and endow it with robustness to external perturbations. This analysis predicts that negative autoregulatory interactions arise between early erythroblasts of similar maturation stage. By studying embryos mutant for the death receptor FAS, or for its ligand, FASL, and by measuring the rate of FAS-mediated apoptosis in vivo, we show that FAS and FASL are pivotal negative regulators of fetal erythropoiesis, in the manner predicted by the computational model. We suggest that apoptosis in erythroid development mediates robust homeostasis regulating the number of red blood cells reaching maturity.     

Intracellular dissemination of peroxidative stress. Internalization, transport, and lethal targeting of a cholesterol hydroperoxide species by sterol carrier protein-2-overexpressing hepatoma cells

Sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) plays a crucial role in the trafficking and metabolism of cholesterol and other lipids in mammalian cells. Lipid hydroperoxides generated under oxidative stress conditions are relatively long-lived intermediates that damage cell membranes and play an important role in redox signaling. We hypothesized that SCP-2-facilitated translocation of lipid hydroperoxides in oxidatively stressed cells might enhance cytolethality if highly sensitive sites are targeted and detoxification capacity is insufficient. We tested this using a clone (SC2A) of rat hepatoma cells that overexpress mature immunodetectable SCP-2. When challenged with liposomal cholesterol-7alpha-hydroperoxide (7alpha-OOH), SC2A cells were found to be much more sensitive to viability loss than vector control (VC) counterparts. Correspondingly, SC2A cells imported [14C]7alpha-OOH more rapidly. The clones were equally sensitive to tert-butyl hydroperoxide, suggesting that the 7alpha-OOH effect was SCP-2-specific. Fluorescence intensity of the probes 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein and C11-BODIPY increased more rapidly in SC2A than VC cells after 7alpha-OOH exposure, consistent with more rapid internalization and oxidative turnover in the former. [14C]7alpha-OOH radioactivity accumulated much faster in SC2A mitochondria than in VC, whereas other subcellular fractions showed little rate difference. In keeping with this, 7alpha-OOH-stressed SC2A cells exhibited a faster loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and development of apoptosis. This is the first reported evidence that peroxidative stress damage can be selectively targeted and exacerbated by an intracellular lipid transfer protein.     

Ca2+ binding and charge movements in membranes of platelets and sarcoplasmic reticulum

The properties of the Ca2+-pump system of platelet microsomes isolated without Ca2+-precipitating anions are studied. Passive Ca2+ binding to the microsomes takes place in a noncooperative manner with Kd = 0.7 microM. Half-maximal stimulation of ATP-dependent transport occurs at 0.4 microM Ca2+. The velocity of Ca2+ uptake, Ca2+ capacity and the level of phosphoprotein in platelet microsomes are significantly lower than in cardiac microsomes. Energization of platelet and muscle microsomes and activation of intact platelets result in opposite charge redistribution in hydrophobic regions of the membranes. It is concluded that these charge movements are caused by Ca2+ binding to and dissociation from nonpolar binding sites in the membranes.     

Block principle of organization and polyfunctional nature of regulatory peptides

Study on the primary structure of more than 100 regulatory peptides was carried out with the view of determining their structural similarity. Practically all regulatory peptides appeared to be related to each other. One regulatory peptide can bear similarity to several regulatory peptides (RPs) which is realized by different fragments. The structural similarity of RPs was in some cases unexpected, e. g., somatocrinin-thymosin, secretin-endorphin, etc. Gastro-intestinal peptides were related to most RPs. It seems likely that these peptides are the most ancient ones among RPs.     

Structure of a delivery protein for an AAA+ protease in complex with a peptide degradation tag

Substrate selection by AAA+ ATPases that function to unfold proteins or alter protein conformation is often regulated by delivery or adaptor proteins. SspB is a protein dimer that binds to the ssrA degradation tag and delivers proteins bearing this tag to ClpXP, an AAA+ protease, for degradation. Here, we describe the structure of the peptide binding domain of H. influenzae SspB in complex with an ssrA peptide at 1.6 A resolution. The ssrA peptides are bound in well-defined clefts located at the extreme ends of the SspB homodimer. SspB contacts residues within the N-terminal and central regions of the 11 residue ssrA tag but leaves the C-terminal residues exposed and positioned to dock with ClpX. This structure, taken together with biochemical analysis of SspB, suggests mechanisms by which proteins like SspB escort substrates to AAA+ ATPases and enhance the specificity and affinity of target recognition.     

Gold helps bacteria to oxidize methane

With the use of labeled methane-14C and by chromatographic analysis it was shown that gold-containing protein ("Au-protein"), isolated from goldphilic Micrococcus luteus bacteria, catalyzes the oxidation of methane to methanol in the system also containing NADH, air, K(3)Fe(CN)(6) and Tris-HCl buffer. Presumably Au-protein helps bacteria to survive when usual sources of carbon and energy are scarce.     

Novel enrichment of tumor cell transfectants expressing high levels of type 4 glutathione peroxidase using 7alpha-hydroperoxycholesterol as a selection agent

A novel approach for selecting high expressing cells out of a general population that had been transfected with a construct encoding cytosolic type 4 glutathione peroxidase (GPx4) is reported. The approach is described for GPx4-null COH-BR1 breast tumor cells and is based on use of a highly specific GPx4 substrate, 7alpha-hydroperoxycholesterol (7alpha-OOH), as a selection agent. Cells recovering from a highly toxic dose of liposomal 7alpha-OOH were found to be substantially more resistant to a second 7alpha-OOH challenge than cells recovering from a less toxic dose, but were much less resistant to t-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) or H(2)O(2). Several clones isolated from the general transfectant population exhibited variable, relatively low GPx4 activities. However, clones from the 7alpha-OOH-selected population exhibited uniformly high GPx4 activities (each approximately 3-fold higher than that of the starting transfectant population) and elevated steady-state mRNA levels. t-BuOOH could also be used for selecting high GPx4-expressing cells, but consistent recovery from toxic doses was more difficult than with 7alpha-OOH. Compared with conventional "hit or miss" cloning procedures, the 7alpha-OOH approach we describe affords a uniform population of high GPx4-activity cells in a relatively rapid manner. This approach should prove valuable for investigators interested in the peroxide regulatory properties of GPx4, in the context of both cytoprotection and redox signaling.