Discovery of β-1,4-d-Mannosyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine Phosphorylase Involved in the Metabolism of N-Glycans

A gene cluster involved in N-glycan metabolism was identified in the genome of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron VPI-5482. This gene cluster encodes a major facilitator superfamily transporter, a starch utilization system-like transporter consisting of a TonB-dependent oligosaccharide transporter and an outer membrane lipoprotein, four glycoside hydrolases (α-mannosidase, β-N-acetylhexosaminidase, exo-α-sialidase, and endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase), and a phosphorylase (BT1033) with unknown function. It was demonstrated that BT1033 catalyzed the reversible phosphorolysis of β-1,4-d-mannosyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine in a typical sequential Bi Bi mechanism. These results indicate that BT1033 plays a crucial role as a key enzyme in the N-glycan catabolism where β-1,4-d-mannosyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine is liberated from N-glycans by sequential glycoside hydrolase-catalyzed reactions, transported into the cell, and intracellularly converted into α-d-mannose 1-phosphate and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine. In addition, intestinal anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides helcogenes, Bacteroides salanitronis, Bacteroides vulgatus, Prevotella denticola, Prevotella dentalis, Prevotella melaninogenica, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Alistipes finegoldii were also suggested to possess the similar metabolic pathway for N-glycans. A notable feature of the new metabolic pathway for N-glycans is the more efficient use of ATP-stored energy, in comparison with the conventional pathway where β-mannosidase and ATP-dependent hexokinase participate, because it is possible to directly phosphorylate the d-mannose residue of β-1,4-d-mannosyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine to enter glycolysis. This is the first report of a metabolic pathway for N-glycans that includes a phosphorylase. We propose 4-O-β-d-mannopyranosyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine:phosphate α-d-mannosyltransferase as the systematic name and β-1,4-d-mannosyl-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine phosphorylase as the short name for BT1033.     

Crystallization and Properties of N-Benzoylglycine Amidohydrolase from Pseudomonas putida

N-Benzoylgiycine amidohydrolase (hippurate hydrolase EC 3.5.1.32), which catalyzes the hydrolysis of hippuric acid to benzoic acid and glycine, was found in a cell-free extract of Pseudomonas putida C692-3 grown on a medium containing hippuric acid. The enzyme was purified from the extract by ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sephadex A-50, hydroxyapatite, and Sepharose CL-6B. The enzyme was finally crystallized. The crystalline enzyme was almost homogeneous on electrophoresis. The enzyme had a molecular weight of about 170,000 and consisted of four subunits identical in molecular weight (approximately 42,000). The enzyme hydrolyzed N-benzoylglycine most rapidly, and N-benzoyl-l-alanine and N-benzoyl-l-aminobutyric acid. The Km value for these substrates were 0.72 mm, 0.87 mm, and 0.87mm, respectively. The optimum pH of the enzyme reaction was 7.0 to 8.0 and the enzyme was stable from pH 6.0 to 8.0.     

Cryopreservation of mouse embryoid bodies

Cryopreservation of embryonic stem (ES) cells is essential to establish them as a resource for regenerative therapy. We evaluated survival adhesion rate, cell structure, gene expression, and multipotency of frozen and thawed embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from mouse ES cells. EBs were cryopreserved using the BICELL and the Program Freezer. After one week the EBs were thawed and cultured. EBs prepared in the Program Freezer had the highest survival adhesion (Program Freezer; 55-69%, BICELL; 30-38%). Though many cells in the thawed EBs were damaged, some were not, especially those prepared in the Program Freezer. RT-PCR analysis showed that genes characteristic of the three embryonic germ layers were expressed in thawed EBs cultured for one week. EBs transplanted into mice formed teratomas consisting of cells derived from the three germ layers. In conclusion, EBs frozen in the Program Freezer had higher survival adhesion rates compared to the BICELL and formed differentiated cells characteristic of the three embryonic germ layers.     

Distinct roles of TIR and non-TIR regions in the subcellular localization and signaling properties of MyD88

MyD88 is a cytoplasmic adaptor protein that is critical for Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling. The subcellular localization of MyD88 is characterized as large condensed forms in the cytoplasm. The mechanism and significance of this localization with respect to the signaling function, however, are currently unknown. Here, we demonstrate that MyD88 localization depends on the entire non-TIR region and that the correct cellular targeting of MyD88 is indispensable for its signaling function. The Toll-interleukin I receptor-resistance (TIR) domain does not determine the subcellular localization, but it mediates interaction with specific TLRs. These findings reveal distinct roles for the TIR and non-TIR regions in the subcellular localization and signaling properties of MyD88.     

Familial Hyperaldosteronism Type 3 with a Rapidly Growing Adrenal Tumor: An In Situ Aldosterone Imaging Study

Primary aldosteronism is most often caused by aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and bi-lateral adrenal hyperplasia. Most APAs are caused by somatic mutations of various ion channels and pumps, the most common being the inward-rectifying potassium channel KCNJ5. Germ line mutations of KCNJ5 cause familial hyperaldosteronism type 3 (FH3), which is associated with severe hyperaldosteronism and hypertension. We present an unusual case of FH3 in a young woman, first diagnosed with primary aldosteronism at the age of 6 years, with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy (left adrenal) to alleviate hyperaldosteronism. However, her hyperaldosteronism persisted. At the age of 26 years, tomography of the remaining adrenal revealed two different adrenal tumors, one of which grew substantially in 4 months; therefore, the adrenal gland was removed. A comprehensive histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular evaluation of various sections of the adrenal gland and in situ visualization of aldosterone, using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry, was performed. Aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) immunoreactivity was observed in the tumors and adrenal gland. The larger tumor also harbored a somatic β-catenin activating mutation. Aldosterone visualized in situ was only found in the subcapsular regions of the adrenal and not in the tumors. Collectively, this case of FH3 presented unusual tumor development and histological/molecular findings.     

Interleukin-2 binds to ganglioside GD(1b)

We have developed a solid matrix immunoassay to determine the binding of interleukin-2 (IL-2) to specific gangliosides. The assay establishes that recombinant human IL-2 binds to ganglioside GD(1b) but not to any other gangliosides (GM(1), GM(2), GM(3), GD(1a), GD(2), GD(3), and GT(1b)). The binding varies with the ratio of GD1b and IL-2. This assay enables distinguishing the nature of the sugar moiety of the ganglioside recognized by IL-2 and establishes the dosimetry of the ganglioside-IL-2 interaction. Since rIL-2 is administered systematically into stage IV melanoma patients, we have examined 45 tumor biopsies for GD(1b) content. The incidence of GD(1b) in tumor biopsies is 51%. We postulate that GD(1b) associated on the tumor or in the circulation of cancer patients may bind to rIL-2 and prevent the availability of rIL-2 to augment antitumor-immune response.     

Analysis of the fatty acid components in a perchloric acid-soluble protein

We had previously found that a perchloric acid-soluble protein (PSP1) occurs in rat liver, and that this novel protein inhibits protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system (T. Oka, H. Tsuji, C. Noda, K. Sakai, Y.-H. Hong, I. Suzuki, S. Mu?oz, Y. Natori, J. Biol. Chem. 270 (1995) 30060-30067). In the present study, we analyzed lipid components bound to PSP1. Native PSP1 was purified from rat liver using Sephadex G-75, DE-52 cellulose and IgGPSP-affinity chromatography, and the lipid components were extracted. The components obtained from the purified PSP1 were shown to be free fatty acids by thin-layer chromatography. By GC-MS, six major fatty acids were identified as 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2 and 20:4. 1 mol of PSP1 contained 1.26 mol of total fatty acid components. The fatty acid-binding assay of PSP1 showed that the Bmax was 1.25 mol fatty acid/mol PSP1 and the Kd value for palmitic acid was 6.03 microM. The concentration of PSP1 mRNA in rat liver increased 2.3-fold by the administration of peroxisome proliferator, bezafibrate. These findings show that PSP1 is a fatty acid-binding protein-like protein, which is involved in the intracellular metabolism of fatty acid and is quite different from the known fatty acid-binding proteins.     

Schizosaccharomyces pombe RanGAP homolog, SpRna1, is required for centromeric silencing and chromosome segregation

We isolated 11 independent temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of Schizosaccharomyces pombe RanGAP, SpRna1 that have several amino acid changes in the conserved domains of RanGAP. Resulting Sprna1ts showed a strong defect in mitotic chromosome segregation, but did not in nucleocytoplasmic transport and microtubule formation. In addition to Sprna1+ and Spksp1+, the clr4+ (histone H3-K9 methyltransferase), the S. pombe gene, SPAC25A8.01c, designated snf2SR+ (a member of the chromatin remodeling factors, Snf2 family with DNA-dependent ATPase activity), but not the spi1+ (S. pombe Ran homolog), rescued a lethality of Sprna1ts. Both Clr4 and Snf2 were reported to be involved in heterochromatin formation essential for building the centromeres. Consistently, Sprna1ts was defective in gene-silencing at the centromeres. But a silencing at the telomere, another heterochromatic region, was normal in all of Sprna1ts strains, indicating SpRna1 in general did not function for a heterochromatin formation. snf2SR+ rescued a centromeric silencing defect and Deltaclr4+ was synthetic lethal with Sprna1ts. Taken together, SpRna1 was suggested to function for constructing the centromeres, by cooperating with Clr4 and Snf2SR. Loss of SpRna1 activity, therefore, caused chromosome missegregation.     

Involvement of c-Jun N-terminal kinase in amyloid precursor protein-mediated neuronal cell death

Amyloid precursor protein (APP), the precursor of Abeta, has been shown to function as a cell surface receptor that mediates neuronal cell death by anti-APP antibody. The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) can mediate various neurotoxic signals, including Abeta neurotoxicity. However, the relationship of APP-mediated neurotoxicity to JNK is not clear, partly because APP cytotoxicity is Abeta independent. Here we examined whether JNK is involved in APP-mediated neuronal cell death and found that: (i) neuronal cell death by antibody-bound APP was inhibited by dominant-negative JNK, JIP-1b and SP600125, the specific inhibitor of JNK, but not by SB203580 or PD98059; (ii) constitutively active (ca) JNK caused neuronal cell death and (iii) the pharmacological profile of caJNK-mediated cell death closely coincided with that of APP-mediated cell death. Pertussis toxin (PTX) suppressed APP-mediated cell death but not caJNK-induced cell death, which was suppressed by Humanin, a newly identified neuroprotective factor which inhibits APP-mediated cytotoxicity. In the presence of PTX, the PTX-resistant mutant of Galphao, but not that of Galphai, recovered the cytotoxic action of APP. These findings demonstrate that JNK is involved in APP-mediated neuronal cell death as a downstream signal transducer of Go.     

Preferential paternal origin of microdeletions caused by prezygotic chromosome or chromatid rearrangements in Sotos syndrome

Sotos syndrome (SoS) is characterized by pre- and postnatal overgrowth with advanced bone age; a dysmorphic face with macrocephaly and pointed chin; large hands and feet; mental retardation; and possible susceptibility to tumors. It has been shown that the major cause of SoS is haploinsufficiency of the NSD1 gene at 5q35, because the majority of patients had either a common microdeletion including NSD1 or a truncated type of point mutation in NSD1. In the present study, we traced the parental origin of the microdeletions in 26 patients with SoS by the use of 16 microsatellite markers at or flanking the commonly deleted region. Deletions in 18 of the 20 informative cases occurred in the paternally derived chromosome 5, whereas those in the maternally derived chromosome were found in only two cases. Haplotyping analysis of the marker loci revealed that the paternal deletion in five of seven informative cases and the maternal deletion in one case arose through an intrachromosomal rearrangement, and two other cases of the paternal deletion involved an interchromosomal event, suggesting that the common microdeletion observed in SoS did not occur through a uniform mechanism but preferentially arose prezygotically.