The precursor of interleukin-1 alpha is phosphorylated at residue serine 90

Mononuclear phagocytes release interleukin-1 (IL-1), a 17-kDa polypeptide with diverse biological activities. IL-1 is synthesized as a precursor (31 kDa) which lacks a signal sequence or hydrophobic domains that could facilitate transmembrane translocation. Possible postsynthetic modifications of IL-1 that might account for its cellular transport were examined. We found that lipopolysaccharide stimulated, but not unstimulated, murine macrophages incorporated 32PO4 into the IL-1 alpha precursor (31 kDa) predominantly at residue serine 90. Released IL-1 alpha (17 kDa) is not phosphorylated in agreement with peptide sequence data that the site of 32P incorporation is in the amino-terminal one-third of the precursor. Approximately 10% of the phosphorylated IL-1 alpha precursor is membrane bound and associated with a fraction enriched in lysosomal vesicles. Together these data suggest mechanisms by which the postsynthetic proteolysis of the IL-1 alpha precursor may be modified and cellular transport of IL-1 alpha is accomplished.     

Reconstitution of RecBC DNase activity from purified Escherichia coli RecB and RecC proteins

The Escherichia coli RecB protein, normally synthesized in low amounts, has been amplified by linkage of the recB gene to the phage lambda leftward promoter in an expression plasmid. From strains harboring this plasmid, RecB protein has been purified to homogeneity by a simple procedure which includes affinity chromatography on a column of RecC protein bound to agarose. The purified RecB protein has DNA-dependent ATPase activity but no exonuclease activity. RecC protein alone has neither ATPase nor exonuclease activity. However, when combined together, the RecB and RecC proteins show the ATP-dependent double-stranded exonuclease properties characteristic of the RecBC DNase.     

Separation of Legionella pneumophila proteases and purification of a protease which produces lesions like those of Legionnaires' disease in guinea pig lung

Six discrete protease activities were recovered from the supernatant broth of Legionella pneumophila cultures by ion-exchange chromatography. One of these demonstrated in vitro activity against collagen, casein and gelatin. When administered into the lungs of guinea-pigs this protease elicited lesions which were pathologically similar to those seen in clinical and experimentally induced Legionnaires' disease.     

Cytoskeletal control of calcium absorption across the rat small intestine

1. The effect of colchicine, cytochalasin-B and procaine on calcium transport across the rat small intestine was investigated. The results obtained show the following: 2. Colchicine and cytochalasin-B at different concentrations inhibited significantly (P less than 0.001) calcium accumulation in rat intestinal cells, whereas procaine at different concentrations increased significantly (P less than 0.001) calcium accumulation in the rat small intestine. 3. Unidirectional influx of calcium across the rat small intestine was significantly inhibited (P less than 0.01) in the presence of colchicine and cytochalasin-B in the preincubation medium. Procaine, on the other hand, caused a significant increase (P less than 0.01) in the unidirectional influx of calcium across the rat intestinal cells. 4. The cell water content was not altered in the presence of the different drugs indicating that the changes in calcium transport across the rat intestinal cells are not due to alterations in the structure of the cell membrane.     

Deuterium isotope effects in norcamphor metabolism by cytochrome P-450cam: kinetic evidence for the two-electron reduction of a high-valent iron-oxo intermediate

The kinetics of NADH consumption, oxygen uptake, and hydrogen peroxide production have been studied for norcamphor metabolism by cytochrome P-450cam. The kinetic deuterium isotope effects on these processes, with specifically deuteriated norcamphor, are 0.77, 1.22, and 1.16, respectively. Steady-state UV-visible spectroscopy indicates that transfer of the second electron to the dioxy ferrous P-450 is the rate-limiting step, as it is when camphor is the substrate. The inverse deuterium isotope effect for NADH consumption is consistent with an isotope-dependent branching between monooxygenase and oxidase activity, where these reactivities differ in their NADH:oxygen stoichiometries. However, no isotope-dependent redistribution of steady-state intermediates was detected by isotopic difference UV-visible spectroscopy in the presence of norcamphor. The kinetic isotope effects and steady-state spectral results suggest that the high-valent iron-oxo hydroxylating intermediate [FeO]3+ is reduced by NADH and the physiological electron-transfer proteins to afford water.     

Development of Four Populations of Meloidogyne hapla on Two Cultivars,of Cucumber at Different Temperatures

The infectivity and development of four populations of Meloidogyne hapla were compared, at three temperatures, on tomato and two varieties of cucumber. A population from Canada produced few root-galls on cucumber and, except at 24 C, no larvae developed into adult females and produced egg masses. In contrast, a population with 45 chromosomes from America produced many galls on cucumber and small proportions of larvae became females and produced egg masses at 20 and 24 C. At 18 C this population produced no egg masses on cucumber, but a population from Britain and one from America with 17 chromosomes produced more egg masses at this temperature than at 20 or 24 C. Dissection of the galls showed that on cucumber many larvae died or their growth and development was slowed.     

Protein folding pathways of adenylate kinase from E. coli: hydrostatic pressure and stopped-flow studies.

Adenylate kinase (AKe) from E. coli is a small, single-chain, monomeric enzyme with no tryptophan and a single cysteine residue. We have constructed six single-Trp mutants of AKe to facilitate optical studies of these proteins and to specifically examine the interrelationship between their structure, function, dynamics, and folding reactions. In this study, the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the folding reactions of AKe were studied. The native structure of AKe was transformed to a non-native, yet pressure stable, conformation by hydrostatic pressure of about 300 MPa. This pressure lability of AKe is rather low for a monomeric protein and presumably may be attributed to substantial conformational flexibility and a correspondingly large volume change. The refolding of AKe after pressure-induced denaturation was reversible under ambient conditions. At low temperature (near 0 degrees C), the refolding process of pressure-exposed AKe mutants displayed a significant hysteresis. The observation of a slow refolding rate in the 193 region and a faster folding rate around the active site (86, 41, 73 regions) leads us to suggest that in the folding process, priority is afforded to functional regions. The slow structural return of the 193 region apparently does not hinder the more rapid return of enzymatic activity of AKe. Circular dichroism studies on the pressure-denatured Y193W mutant show that the secondary structure (calculated from far-UV spectra) returned at a rapid rate, but the tertiary structure alignment (calculated from near-UV spectra) around the 193 region occurred more slowly at rates comparable to those detected by fluorescence intensity. Denaturation of AKe mutants by guanidine hydrochloride and subsequent refolding experiments were also consistent with a much slower refolding process around the 193 region than near the active site. Fast refolding kinetic traces were observed in F86W, S41W, and A73W mutants using a fluorescence detection stopped-flow rapid mixing device, while only a slow kinetic trace was observed for Y193W. The results suggest that the differences in regional folding rates of AKe are not derived from the specific denaturation methods, but rather are inherent in the structural organization of the protein.