Phosphorylation of adult type Sept5 (CDCrel-1) by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 inhibits interaction with syntaxin-1

Increasing evidence implicates cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in neuronal synaptic function. We searched for Cdk5 substrates in synaptosomal fractions prepared from mouse brains. Mass spectrometric analysis after two-dimensional SDS-PAGE identified several synaptic proteins phosphorylated by Cdk5-p35; one protein identified was Sept5 (CDCrel-1). Although septins were isolated originally as cell division-related proteins in yeast, Sept5 is expressed predominantly in neurons and is implicated in exocytosis. We confirmed that Sept5 is phosphorylated by Cdk5-p35 in vitro and identified Ser17 of adult type Sept5 (Sept5_v1) as a major phosphorylation site. We found that Ser17 of Sept5_v1 is phosphorylated in mouse brains. Coimmunoprecipitation from synaptosomal fractions and glutathione S-transferase-syntaxin-1A pulldown assays of Sept5_v1 expressed in COS-7 cells showed that phosphorylation of Sept5_v1 by Cdk5-p35 decreases the binding to syntaxin-1. These results indicate that the interaction of Sept5 with syntaxin-1 is regulated by the phosphorylation of Sept5_v1 at Ser17 by Cdk5-p35.     

Thrombomodulin is a clock-controlled gene in vascular endothelial cells

Cardiovascular diseases are closely related to circadian rhythm, which is under the control of an internal biological clock mechanism. Although a biological clock exists not only in the hypothalamus but also in each peripheral tissue, the biological relevance of the peripheral clock remains to be elucidated. In this study we searched for clock-controlled genes in vascular endothelial cells using microarray technology. The expression of a total of 229 genes was up-regulated by CLOCK/BMAL2. Among the genes that we identified, we examined the thrombomodulin (TM) gene further, because TM is an integral membrane glycoprotein that is expressed primarily in vascular endothelial cells and plays a major role in the regulation of intravascular coagulation. TM mRNA and protein expression showed a clear circadian oscillation in the mouse lung and heart. Reporter analyses, gel shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses using the TM promoter revealed that a heterodimer of CLOCK and BMAL2 binds directly to the E-box of the TM promoter, resulting in TM promoter transactivation. Indeed, the oscillation of TM gene expression was abolished in clock mutant mice, suggesting that TM expression is regulated by the clock gene in vivo. Finally, the phase of circadian oscillation of TM mRNA expression was altered by temporal feeding restriction, suggesting TM gene expression is regulated by the peripheral clock system. In conclusion, these data suggest that the peripheral clock in vascular endothelial cells regulates TM gene expression and that the oscillation of TM expression may contribute to the circadian variation of cardiovascular events.     

Ultrastructural Investigation of Tension Wood Fibre in Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. var. japonica Maxim.

The ultrastructure of the fibre wall in Fraxinus mandshuricaRupr. var. japonica Maxim. was investigated by electron microscopy.The trees had been inclined artificially at an angle of 30°to the vertical at the beginning of the initiation of cambialgrowth in early spring. The secondary walls of tension woodfibres were of the outer (S₁) layer and gelatinous (G) layertype. The microfibrils in the gelatinous (G) layer were orientedas a steep Z-helix relative to the fibre axis with a deviationthat ranged from 0° to 25° but was mainly between 5°and 10°. The cross-sectional surface of tension wood fibresrevealed the relatively strong attachment of the G-layer tothe S₁ layer. The G-layer stained weakly with potassium permanganate.The S₁ layer of tension wood fibres stained less strongly thanthat of the normal and opposite wood fibres. These results indicatethat the tension wood in F. mandshurica var. japonica is nottypical and is somewhat anomalous. The secondary walls of normaland opposite wood fibres were composed of two layers, S₁ andS₂, and lacked an S₃ layer. Microfibrils in the S₃ layer ofjuvenile stems were extremely variable in orientation and weresparsely distributed without forming a layer. By contrast, avery thin S₃ layer was present in the wood fibres of maturestems. The variations in the formation of the S₃ layer in thefibre walls were probably due to the differences in the cambialage of the stems of F. mandshurica Rupr. var. japonica.Copyright1995, 1999 Academic Press Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr. var. japonica Maxim., Japanese ash, tension wood, fibre wall, G-layer, microfibrillar orientation, normal and opposite wood, juvenile stem, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, low accelerating voltage     

Allosteric effects of four stereoisomers of a fused indole ring system with 3H-N-methylscopolamine and acetylcholine at M1-M4 muscarinic receptors

We previously demonstrated that brucine and some analogues allosterically enhance the affinity of ACh at muscarinic receptor subtypes M1, M3 or M4. Here we describe allosteric effects at human M1-M4 receptors of four stereoisomers of a pentacyclic structure containing features of the ring structure of brucine. All compounds inhibited 3H-NMS dissociation almost completely at all subtypes with slopes of 1, with similar affinity values at the 3H-NMS-occupied receptor to those estimated from equilibrium assays, consistent with the ternary complex allosteric model. Compound 1a showed positive cooperativity with H-NMS and small negative or neutral cooperativity with ACh at all subtypes. Its stereoisomer, 1b, showed strong negative cooperativity with both 3H-NMS and ACh across the subtypes. Compound 2a was positive with 3H-NMS at M2 and M4 receptors, neutral at M3 and negative at M1 receptors; it was negatively cooperative with ACh at all subtypes. Its stereoisomer, 2b, was neutral with 3H-NMS at M1 receptors and positive at the other subtypes; 2b was negatively cooperative with ACh at M1, M3 and M4 receptors but showed 3-fold positive cooperativity with ACh at M2 receptors. This latter result was confirmed with further 3H-NMS and 3H-ACh radioligand binding assays and with functional assays of ACh-stimulated 35S-GTPgammaS binding. These results provide the first well characterised instance of a positive enhancer of ACh at M2 receptors, and illustrate the difficulty of predicting such an effect.     

Novel quinazoline-quinoline alkaloids with cytotoxic and DNA topoisomerase II inhibitory activities

Two new synthetic analogues of luotonins A and F, 7-acetylaminoluotonin A (6) and 3-[3H(quinazolino-4-one)]quinoline (7) were synthesized. The new analogues, along with four natural quinazoline-quinoline alkaloids, luotonins A (1), B (2), E (3), F (4) and a synthetic deoxoluotonin F (5), showed cytotoxic activity (IC(50) 1.8-40.0 microg/mL) and DNA topoisomerase II inhibition at a concentration of 25 microM.     

GroEL mediates protein folding with a two successive timer mechanism

GroEL encapsulates nonnative substrate proteins in a central cavity capped by GroES, providing a safe folding cage. Conventional models assume that a single timer lasting approximately 8 s governs the ATP hydrolysis-driven GroEL chaperonin cycle. We examine single molecule imaging of GFP folding within the cavity, binding release dynamics of GroEL-GroES, ensemble measurements of GroEL/substrate FRET, and the initial kinetics of GroEL ATPase activity. We conclude that the cycle consists of two successive timers of approximately 3 s and approximately 5 s duration. During the first timer, GroEL is bound to ATP, substrate protein, and GroES. When the first timer ends, the substrate protein is released into the central cavity and folding begins. ATP hydrolysis and phosphate release immediately follow this transition. ADP, GroES, and substrate depart GroEL after the second timer is complete. This mechanism explains how GroES binding to a GroEL-substrate complex encapsulates the substrate rather than allowing it to escape into solution.     

Expression patterns of dachshund during head development of Gryllus bimaculatus (cricket)

We report that Gryllus bimaculatus dachshund (Gbdac), a cricket homologue of Drosophila dachshund (Dmdac), is expressed in the developing eye and brain. During brain development, Gbdac was first expressed in the medial head region, corresponding to a part of developing protocephalic region, and expressed in the primordial and adult Kenyon cells. During eye development, Gbdac was first expressed in the lateral head region, becoming to the eye primordium and a part of the deutocerebrum. Then, Gbdac was expressed in the posterior region of the eye primordium, prior to the formation of compound eyes. The expression domain shifted to the anterior domain concomitantly with the movement of morphogenetic furrows. Gbdac was also expressed in the developing optic lobes during differentiation of the retina. These expression patterns were compared with those of Dmdac. We found that although developmental processes of the Gryllus eye and brain differ from those of the Drosophila ones, the expression patterns of Gbdac are essentially similar to those of the Dmdac.     

Expression of Fibroblast growth factor 19 (Fgf19) during chicken embryogenesis and eye development, compared with Fgf15 expression in the mouse

The normal development of eyes relies on proper signaling through Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors, but the source and identity of cognate ligands have remained largely unknown. We have found that Fgf19 is expressed in the developing chicken retina. In situ hybridization discloses dynamic expression patterns for Fgf19 in the optic vesicle, lens primordia and retinal horizontal cells. Overall expression pattern of Fgf19 during chicken embryogenesis was also examined: Fgf19 is expressed in the regions associated with cranial placodes induction, boundary regions of rhombomeres, somites, specific groups of neural cells in midbrain, hindbrain, and those derived from epibranchial placodes, and the apical ectodermal ridge of limb buds. Expression pattern of the Fgf19-orthologous gene Fgf15 was further examined in the mouse developing eye. Fgf15 is expressed in the optic vesicle, a subset of progenitor cells of neural retina, and emerging ganglion and amacrine cells during retinogenesis.