Delineation of ligand binding and receptor signaling activities of purified P2Y receptors reconstituted with heterotrimeric G proteins

P2Y receptors are G protein coupled receptors that respond to extracellular nucleotides to promote a multitude of signaling events. Our laboratory has purified several P2Y receptors with the goal of providing molecular insight into their: (1) ligand binding properties, (2) G protein signaling selectivities, and (3) regulation by RGS proteins and other signaling cohorts. The human P2Y₁ receptor and the human P2Y₁₂ receptor, both of which are intimately involved in ADP-mediated platelet aggregation, were purified to near homogeneity and studied in detail. After high-level expression from recombinant baculovirus infection of Sf9 insect cells, approximately 50% of the receptors were successfully extracted with digitonin. Purification of nearly homogeneous epitope-tagged P2Y receptor was achieved using metal-affinity chromatography followed by other traditional chromatographic steps. Yields of purified P2Y receptors range from 10 to 100 g/l of infected cells. Once purified, the receptors were reconstituted in model lipid vesicles along with their cognate G proteins to assess receptor function. Agonist-promoted increases in steady-state GTPase assays demonstrated the functional activity of the reconstituted purified receptor. We have utilized this reconstitution system to assess the action of various nucleotide agonists and antagonists, the relative G protein selectivity, and the influence of other proteins, such as phospholipase C, on P2Y receptor-promoted signaling. Furthermore, we have identified the RGS expression profile of platelets and have begun to assess the action of these RGS proteins in a reconstituted P2Y receptor/G protein platelet model.     

RGS6, RGS7, RGS9, and RGS11 stimulate GTPase activity of Gi family G-proteins with differential selectivity and maximal activity

Regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) of heterotrimeric G-proteins that alter the amplitude and kinetics of receptor-promoted signaling. In this study we defined the G-protein alpha-subunit selectivity of purified Sf9 cell-derived R7 proteins, a subfamily of RGS proteins (RGS6, -7, -9, and -11) containing a Ggamma-like (GGL) domain that mediates dimeric interaction with Gbeta(5). Gbeta(5)/R7 dimers stimulated steady state GTPase activity of Galpha-subunits of the G(i) family, but not of Galpha(q) or Galpha(11), when added to proteoliposomes containing M2 or M1 muscarinic receptor-coupled G-protein heterotrimers. Concentration effect curves of the Gbeta(5)/R7 proteins revealed differences in potencies and efficacies toward Galpha-subunits of the G(i) family. Although all four Gbeta(5)/R7 proteins exhibited similar potencies toward Galpha(o), Gbeta(5)/RGS9 and Gbeta(5)/RGS11 were more potent GAPs of Galpha(i1), Galpha(i2), and Galpha(i3) than were Gbeta(5)/RGS6 and Gbeta(5)/RGS7. The maximal GAP activity exhibited by Gbeta(5)/RGS11 was 2- to 4-fold higher than that of Gbeta(5)/RGS7 and Gbeta(5)/RGS9, with Gbeta(5)/RGS6 exhibiting an intermediate maximal GAP activity. Moreover, the less efficacious Gbeta(5)/RGS7 and Gbeta(5)/RGS9 inhibited Gbeta(5)/RGS11-stimulated GTPase activity of Galpha(o). Therefore, R7 family RGS proteins are G(i) family-selective GAPs with potentially important differences in activities.     

Engineering soluble proteins for structural genomics

Structural genomics has the ambitious goal of delivering three-dimensional structural information on a genome-wide scale. Yet only a small fraction of natural proteins are suitable for structure determination because of bottlenecks such as poor expression, aggregation, and misfolding of proteins, and difficulties in solubilization and crystallization. We propose to overcome these bottlenecks by producing soluble, highly expressed proteins that are derived from and closely related to their natural homologs. Here we demonstrate the utility of this approach by using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) folding reporter assay to evolve an enzymatically active, soluble variant of a hyperthermophilic protein that is normally insoluble when expressed in Escherichia coli, and determining its structure by X-ray crystallography. Analysis of the structure provides insight into the substrate specificity of the enzyme and the improved solubility of the variant.     

Identification and characteristics of a novel Burkholderia strain with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity

A Burkholderia strain isolated from soil is capable of inhibiting the growth of bacteria, plant-pathogenic fungi, pathogenic yeasts, and protozoa. Inhibition does not involve cell contact or the presence of living cells, suggesting that at least a substantial portion of the antimicrobial activity is due to the excretion of extracellular compounds.     

Effects of sterile pericarditis on connexins 40 and 43 in the atria: correlation with abnormal conduction and atrial arrhythmias

The canine sterile pericarditis model is characterized by impaired conduction and atrial arrhythmia vulnerability. Electrical and structural remodeling processes caused by the inflammatory response likely promote these abnormalities. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that altered distribution of atrial connexins is associated with markedly abnormal atrial conduction, thereby contributing to vulnerability to atrial flutter (AFL) and atrial fibrillation (AF) induction and maintenance. During rapid pacing and induced, sustained AFL or AF in five sterile pericarditis (SP) and five normal (NL) dogs, epicardial atrial electrograms were recorded simultaneously from both atria (380 electrodes) or from the right atrium (RA) and Bachmann's bundle (212 electrodes). Tissues from RA sites were subjected to immunostaining and immunoblotting to assess connexin (Cx) 40 and Cx43 distribution and expression. Transmural myocyte (alpha-actinin) and fibroblast (vimentin) volume were also assessed by immunostaining. RA pacing maps showed markedly abnormal conduction in SP, with uniform conduction in NL. Total RA activation time was significantly prolonged in SP vs. NL at 300-ms and 200-ms pacing-cycle lengths. Sustained arrhythmias were only inducible in SP [total: 4/5 (AFL: 3/5; AF: 1/5)]. In NL, Cx40, Cx43, alpha-actinin, and vimentin were homogeneously distributed transmurally. In SP, Cx40, Cx43, and alpha-actinin were absent epicardially, decreased midmyocardially, and normal endocardially. SP increased epicardial vimentin expression, suggesting fibroblast proliferation. Immunoblot analysis confirmed reduced expression of Cx40 and Cx43 in SP. The transmural gradient in the volume fraction of Cx40 and Cx43 in SP is associated with markedly abnormal atrial conduction and is likely an important factor in the vulnerability to induction and maintenance of AFL/AF in SP.     

EvoS: A Prescription for What Ails Pre-Medical Education?

Pre-medical students are certainly a widely varied group, with different motivations and experiences, different skills sets and interests. However, they often tend to approach their undergraduate education as a necessary evil that they must endure in order to achieve their ultimate goals. This article summarizes recent literature addressing some of the questions that have been raised regarding pre-medical education programs. Are students prepared for the intellectual, emotional, and even physical challenges of medical training? What deficiencies are commonly seen in entering medical students? What are students’ perceptions of how well their pre-medical studies helped them? Many of these studies have resulted in a call for more science training, while some have advocated for less, but with an enhanced focus on humanistic studies. We supply a brief outline of our Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) program and reflect upon how participation in this program can enhance pre-medical students’ education. Importantly, we argue that EvoS can expand students’ depth of understanding of science, as well as nurture their ability to think about the needs of their patients and the context of their medical practice.     

Interactions among oscillatory pathways in NF-kappa B signaling

Background  

Sustained stimulation with tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) induces substantial oscillations—observed at both the single cell and population levels—in the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) system. Although the mechanism has not yet been elucidated fully, a core system has been identified consisting of a negative feedback loop involving NF-kappa B (RelA:p50 hetero-dimer) and its inhibitor I-kappa B-alpha. Many authors have suggested that this core oscillator should couple to other oscillatory pathways.     

Possible role of catalase in post-dormancy bud break in grapevines

Changes in the activity of catalase (Cat) and in the levels of H2O2 were followed throughout dormancy in buds of grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.). In grapevines grown in the Elqui valley in Chile, a region with warm-winters, the activity of Cat increased during the recess period of buds, reaching a maximum and thereafter decreased to less than one third of its maximal activity. Three isoforms of Cat were detected in extracts of buds by native PAGE analysis, and the extracted activity was inhibited competitively by hydrogen cyanamide (HC), a potent bud-break agent. Furthermore, HC applications to field-grown grapevines in addition to the expected effect on advancing bud break, reduced the Cat activity during bud dormancy. Similar reductions were observed during dormancy in buds of grapevines grown in the Central valley in Chile, a region with temperate winters, suggesting that HC and winter chilling inhibits the activity of the main H2O2 degrading enzyme in grape buds. A transient rise in H2O2 levels preceded the release of buds from endodormancy, moreover, the peak of H2O2 and the onset of bud break occurred earlier in HC treated than in control grapevines, suggesting the participation of H2O2 as a signal molecule in the release of endodormancy in grape buds. The relationship between Cat inhibition, rise in H2O2 levels and initiation of bud break are discussed.     

Protein tagging and detection with engineered self-assembling fragments of green fluorescent protein

Existing protein tagging and detection methods are powerful but have drawbacks. Split protein tags can perturb protein solubility or may not work in living cells. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions can misfold or exhibit altered processing. Fluorogenic biarsenical FLaSH or ReASH substrates overcome many of these limitations but require a polycysteine tag motif, a reducing environment and cell transfection or permeabilization. An ideal protein tag would be genetically encoded, would work both in vivo and in vitro, would provide a sensitive analytical signal and would not require external chemical reagents or substrates. One way to accomplish this might be with a split GFP, but the GFP fragments reported thus far are large and fold poorly, require chemical ligation or fused interacting partners to force their association, or require coexpression or co-refolding to produce detectable folded and fluorescent GFP. We have engineered soluble, self-associating fragments of GFP that can be used to tag and detect either soluble or insoluble proteins in living cells or cell lysates. The split GFP system is simple and does not change fusion protein solubility.     

Recent Advances in GFP Folding Reporter and Split-GFP Solubility Reporter Technologies. Application to Improving the Folding and Solubility of Recalcitrant Proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

We have improved our green fluorescent protein (GFP) folding reporter technology [Waldo et al., (1999) Nat. Biotechnol. 17, 691–695] to evolve recalcitrant proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The target protein is inserted into the scaffolding of the GFP, eliminating false-positive artifacts caused by expression of truncated protein variants from internal cryptic ribosome binding sites in the target RNA. In parallel, we have developed a new quantitative fluorescent protein tagging and detection system based on micro-domains of GFP. This split-GFP system, which works both in vivo and in vitro, is amenable to high-throughput assays of protein expression and solubility [Cabantous et al., (2005) Nat. Biotechnol. 23, 102–107]. Together, the GFP folding reporter and split-GFP technologies offer a comprehensive system for manipulating and improving protein folding and solubility.