Restriction endonuclease analysis of the lactose plasmid in Streptococcus lactis ML3 and two recombinant lactose plasmids.

We investigated the molecular relationship between the 60-megadalton (Mdal) recombinant lactose plasmids in ML 3 x LM2301 lactose-positive (Lac+) transconjugants and the genetic material of Streptococcus lactis ML3. Lactose metabolism is linked to the 33-Mdal plasmid pSK08 in ML3, and the recipient LM2301 is cured of plasmid DNA. The plasmids were analyzed with a series of restriction enzymes. We found that the 60-Mdal plasmids of Lac+ transconjugants contained pSK08 DNA, but were not simply dimers of pSK08. The 60-Mdal plasmids contained a segment of DNA not apparent in pSK08. The restriction patterns of the 60-Mdal plasmid in a Lac+ nonclumping transconjugant and that in a Lac+ clumping transconjugant were different. This suggested that there was a molecular differences between these two recombinant plasmids. We conclude that the segment of DNA in the 60-Mdal plasmids that was not present in pSK08 was the proposed transfer factor responsible for cell aggregation and high-frequency conjugation.     

Cell growth patterns in immobilization matrices

Within an immobilized cell matrix, mass transfer limitations on substrate delivery or product removal can often lead to a wide range of local chemical environments. As immobilized living cell populations actively grow and adapt to their surroundings, these mass transfer effects often lead to strong, time-dependent spatial variations in substrate concentration and biomass densities and growth rates. This review focuses on the methods that have been devised, both experimentally and theoretically, to study the non-uniform growth patterns that arise in the mass transfer limited environment of an immobilization matrix, with particular attention being paid to cell growth in polysaccharide gels.     

The industrial production of enzymes

The production of enzymes is a pursuit central to the modern biotechnology industry. Markets for traditional industrial enzymes continue to grow while the continued emphasis on biotechnological endeavours has generated demand for an ever increasing number of additional biocatalysts. The advent of genetic engineering has now facilitated the large-scale production of enzymes and other proteins which are produced naturally only in minute quantities. This development is particularly significant with regard to the production of enzymes and other proteins of therapeutic significance, which are now available in clinically useful quantities.

The level of downstream processing to which any enzyme is subjected is dependent upon its intended application. Industrial enzymes produced in bulk generally require little downstream processing, and hence are relatively crude preparations. Enzymes destined for therapeutic applications are subject to a far higher degree of downstream processing, often incorporating 3–4 chromatographic steps.

While enzymology is one of the longest established branches of the biochemical sciences, it continues to be an area of ongoing, active research. The continual discovery of new enzymes and a greater understanding of previously discovered enzymes and their functional significance suggests many novel applications for these catalytic activities. The intestinal production and utilization of enzymes will continue to be of central importance in the biotechnology industry.     

Comparison of the D-glutamate-adding enzymes from selected gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

The biochemical properties of the D-glutamate-adding enzymes (MurD) from Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated to detect any differences in the activity of this enzyme between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The genes (murD) that encode these enzymes were cloned into pMAL-c2 fusion vector and overexpressed as maltose-binding protein-MurD fusion proteins. Each fusion protein was purified to homogeneity by affinity to amylose resin. Proteolytic treatments of the fusion proteins with factor Xa regenerated the individual MurD proteins. It was found that these fusion proteins retain D-glutamate-adding activity and have Km and Vmax values similar to those of the regenerated MurDs, except for the H. influenzae enzyme. Substrate inhibition by UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine, the acceptor substrate, was observed at concentrations greater than 15 and 30 microM for E. coli and H. influenzae MurD, respectively. Such substrate inhibition was not observed with the E. faecalis and S. aureus enzymes, up to a substrate concentration of 1 to 2 mM. In addition, the two MurDs of gram-negative origin were shown to require monocations such as NH4+ and/or K+, but not Na+, for optimal activity, while anions such as Cl- and SO4(2-) had no effect on the enzyme activities. The activities of the two MurDs of gram-positive origin, on the other hand, were not affected by any of the ions tested. All four enzymes required Mg2+ for the ligase activity and exhibited optimal activities around pH 8. These differences observed between the gram-positive and gram-negative MurDs indicated that the two gram-negative bacteria may apply a more stringent regulation of cell wall biosynthesis at the early stage of peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway than do the two gram-positive bacteria. Therefore, the MurD-catalyzed reaction may constitute a fine-tuning step necessary for the gram-negative bacteria to optimally maintain its relatively thin yet essential cell wall structure during all stages of growth.     

A Role for Perforin in Downregulating T-Cell Responses during Chronic Viral Infection

Cytotoxic T cells secrete perforin to kill virus-infected cells. In this study we show that perforin also plays a role in immune regulation. Perforin-deficient (perf −/−) mice chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) contained greater numbers of antiviral T cells compared to persistently infected +/+ mice. The enhanced expansion was seen in both CD4 and CD8 T cells, but the most striking difference was in the numbers of LCMV-specific CD8 T cells present in infected perf −/− mice. Persistent LCMV infection of +/+ mice results in both deletion and anergy of antigen-specific CD8 T cells, and our results show that this peripheral “exhaustion” of activated CD8 T cells occurred less efficiently in perf −/− mice. This excessive accumulation of activated CD8 T cells resulted in immune-mediated damage in persistently infected perf −/− mice; ~50% of these mice died within 2 to 4 weeks, and mortality was fully reversed by in vivo depletion of CD8 T cells. This finding highlights an interesting dichotomy between the role of perforin in viral clearance and immunopathology; perforin-deficient CD8 T cells were unable to clear the LCMV infection but were capable of causing immune-mediated damage. Finally, this study shows that perforin also plays a role in regulating T-cell-mediated autoimmunity. Mice that were deficient in both perforin and Fas exhibited a striking acceleration of the spontaneous lymphoproliferative disease seen in Fas-deficient (lpr) mice. Taken together, these results show that the perforin-mediated pathway is involved in downregulating T-cell responses during chronic viral infection and autoimmunity and that perforin and Fas act independently as negative regulators of activated T cells.     

Determinants for differential effects on D-Ala-D-lactate vs D-Ala-D-Ala formation by the VanA ligase from vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Bacteria with either intrinsic or inducible resistance to vancomycin make peptidoglycan (PG) precursors of lowered affinity for the antibiotic by switching the PG-D-Ala-D-Ala termini that are the antibiotic-binding target to either PG-D-Ala-D-lactate or PG-D-Ala-D-Ser as a consequence of altered specificity of the D-Ala-D-X ligases in the cell wall biosynthetic pathway. The VanA ligase of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, a D-Ala-D-lactate depsipeptide ligase, has the ability to recognize and activate the weak nucleophile D-lactate selectively over D-Ala(2) to capture the D-Ala(1)-OPO(3)(2)(-) intermediate in the ligase active site. To ensure this selectivity in catalysis, VanA largely rejects the protonated (NH(3)(+)) form of D-Ala at subsite 2 (K(M2) of 210 mM at pH 7.5) but not at subsite 1. In contrast, the deprotonated (NH(2)) form of D-Ala (K(M2) of 0.66 mM, k(cat) of 550 min(-)(1)) is a 17-fold better substrate compared to D-lactate (K(M) of 0.69 mM, k(cat) of 32 min(-)(1)). The low concentration of the free amine form of D-Ala at physiological conditions (i.e., 0.1% at pH 7.0) explains the inefficiency of VanA in dipeptide synthesis. Mutational analysis revealed a residue in the putative omega-loop region, Arg242, which is partially responsible for electrostatically repelling the protonated form of D-Ala(2). The VanA enzyme represents a subfamily of D-Ala-D-X ligases in which two key active-site residues (Lys215 and Tyr216) in the active-site omega-loop of the Escherichia coli D-Ala-D-Ala ligase are absent. To look for functional complements in VanA, we have mutated 20 residues and evaluated effects on catalytic efficiency for both D-Ala-D-Ala dipeptide and D-Ala-D-lactate depsipeptide ligation. Mutation of Asp232 caused substantial defects in both dipeptide and depsipeptide ligase activity, suggesting a role in maintaining the loop position. In contrast, the H244A mutation caused an increase in K(M2) for D-lactate but not D-Ala, indicating a differential role for His244 in the recognition of the weaker nucleophile D-lactate. Replacement of the VanA omega-loop by that of VanC2, a D-Ala-D-Ser ligase, eliminated D-Ala-D-lactate activity while improving by 3-fold the catalytic efficacy of D-Ala-D-Ala and D-Ala-D-Ser activity.     

Tandem heterocyclization activity of the multidomain 230 kDa HMWP2 subunit of Yersinia pestis yersiniabactin synthetase: interaction of the 1-1382 and 1383-2035 fragments.

The six-domain, 2035-amino acid subunit high-molecular weight protein 2 (HMWP2) activates salicylate and two cysteines and loads them covalently on its three carrier protein domains during assembly of the iron-chelating virulence factor, yersiniabactin of the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis. The 1-1382 fragment of HMWP2 (ArCP-Cy1-A), overproduced in Escherichia coli, contains the first three domains: the aryl carrier protein (ArCP) domain, the cysteine specific adenylation domain (A), and the first condensation/cyclization domain (Cy1). The ArCP can be posttranslationally phosphopantetheinylated on Ser52 and then loaded with a salicyl group on the phosphopantetheine (Ppant) thiol by action of the YbtE, a salicyl-AMP ligase. The HMWP2 1-1382 fragment can activate L-cysteine as Cys-AMP. The HMWP2 1383-2035 fragment contains the remaining three domains: two peptidyl carrier proteins (PCP1 and PCP2) separated by a second condensation/cyclization domain (Cy2). Phosphopantetheinylation of the HMWP2 1383-2035 fragment at Ser1439 (PCP1) and Ser1977 (PCP2) facilitates cysteinylation of both thiols by HMWP2 1-1382. When the holo 1-1382 and bis-holo 1383-2035 protein fragments are mixed with ATP, salicylate, and cysteine, four products are slowly released [salicylcysteine (Sal-Cys), (hydroxyphenylthiazolinyl)cysteine (HPT-Cys), HPT-Cys-Cys, and the bisheterocyclic HPTT-Cys], reflecting thiolytic rerouting by cysteine in solution of elongating acyl-S-enzyme intermediates tethered at ArCP, PCP1, and PCP2 carrier protein domains, respectively. Conducting the in trans reconstitution with the S1439A mutant of HMWP2 1383-2035 releases only Sal-Cys, while the S1977A mutant leads to HPT-Cys formation but not HPT-Cys-Cys or HPTT-Cys. These results suggest localization of particular acyl-S-enzyme intermediates to each of the three carrier protein regions and also establish the sequential action of Cy1 and Cy2, with the latter producing the tandem 4,2-bisheterocyclic hydroxyphenylthiazolinylthiazolinyl (HPTT) moiety characteristic of this class of siderophores.     

Doublecortin is a microtubule-associated protein and is expressed widely by migrating neurons.

Doublecortin (DCX) is required for normal migration of neurons into the cerebral cortex, since mutations in the human gene cause a disruption of cortical neuronal migration. To date, little is known about the distribution of DCX protein or its function. Here, we demonstrate that DCX is expressed in migrating neurons throughout the central and peripheral nervous system during embryonic and postnatal development. DCX protein localization overlaps with microtubules in cultured primary cortical neurons, and this overlapping expression is disrupted by microtubule depolymerization. DCX coassembles with brain microtubules, and recombinant DCX stimulates the polymerization of purified tubulin. Finally, overexpression of DCX in heterologous cells leads to a dramatic microtubule phenotype that is resistant to depolymerization. Therefore, DCX likely directs neuronal migration by regulating the organization and stability of microtubules.     

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored recognition molecules that function in axonal fasciculation, growth and guidance in the nervous system.

A large number of glycoproteins in the central nervous system are attached to the cell membrane via covalent linkage to glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI). Many of them, including the drosophila fasciclin 1 as well as the mammalian glycoproteins Thy-1, TAG1, N-CAM and F11,F3, contactin are members of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily. These and other GPI-linked molecules have been implicated in key developmental events including selective axonal fasciculation and highly specific growth to and innervation of target tissues. In model systems fasciclin 1, TAG1 and N-CAM have been shown to be capable of mediating cell-cell adhesion via a homophilic binding mechanism confirming their operational classification as cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). However, of these molecules, only N-CAM has been shown to mediate a complex response (neurite outgrowth) via a homophilic binding mechanism. Whether the other molecules in this family mediate biological responses by binding to themselves and/or other molecules remains to be determined. Studies on N-CAM provide an ideal model system for understanding the function of GPI anchors since alternative splicing of the NCAM gene generates both lipid-linked and transmembrane N-CAM isoforms. Recent studies have shown that neurons can recognise and respond (by increased neurite outgrowth) to both lipid-linked and transmembrane N-CAM isoforms expressed on the surface of non-neuronal cells following transfection with appropriate cDNAs. The major determinant of neuronal responsiveness was the level of N-CAM expression rather than the isoform type. Neurite outgrowth in response to transfected N-CAM is mediated by transmembrane N-CAM isoforms expressed by neurons and this involves the activation of classical second messenger pathways in the neurons. One possibility is that GPI anchors are utilised when a cell has simply to provide recognition or positional information to a second cell whereas transmembrane molecules might be required for cells that actively respond to such information. The hypothesis is compatible with all the known information on N-CAM expression and function and may be extended to other adhesive events.