Optimized BlaM-transposon shuttle mutagenesis of Helicobacter pylori allows the identification of novel genetic loci involved in bacterial virulence

Helicobacter pylori is an important etiologic agent of gastroduodenal disease in humans. In this report, we describe a general genetic approach for the identification of genes encoding exported proteins in H. pylori. The novel TnMax9 mini-blaM transposon was used for insertion mutagenesis of a H. pylori gene library established in Escherichia coli. A total of 192 E. coli clones expressing active β-lactamase fusion proteins (BlaM⁺) were obtained, indicating that the corresponding target plasmids carry H. pylori genes encoding putative extracytoplasmic proteins. Natural transformation of H. pylori P1 or P12 using the 192 mutant plasmids resulted in 135 distinct H. pylori mutant strains (70%). Screening of the H. pylori collection of mutant strains allowed the identification of mutant strains impaired in motility, in natural transformation competence and in adherence to gastric epithelial cell lines. Motility mutants could be grouped into distinct classes: (i) mutant strains lacking the major flagellin subunit FlaA and intact flagella (class I); (ii) mutant strains with apparently normal flagella, but reduced motility (class II), and (iii) mutant strains with obviously normal flagella, but completely abolished motility (class III). Two independent mutations that exhibited defects in natural competence for genetic transformation mapped to different genetic loci. In addition, two independent mutant strains were isolated by their failure to bind to the human gastric carcinoma cell line Katoill. Both mutant strains carried a transposon in the same gene, 0.8 kb apart, and showed decreased autoagglutination when compared to the wild-type strain.     

Monoclonal antibodies Ki-S3 and Ki-S5 yield new data on the 'Ki-67'proteins

Abstract. The monoclonal antibody (mab) Ki-67 has been used for about 10 years, mainly in tissue sections, to monitor proliferating cells, but so far only very little is known about the proteins it recognizes. The new mabs Ki-S3 and Ki-S5 detect proliferating cells in frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues. They recognize proteins with the same molecular mass as Ki-67 in Western blot and for the first time also in immunoprecipitation experiments. With these mabs we were able to enrich and purify the Ki-67 proteins. Protein sequencing of four peptides of the digested proteins corresponded to the cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence already published for the Ki-67 proteins.
Since we were able to immunoprecipitate the Ki-67 proteins, we performed various immunoprecipitation experiments to obtain more information about the nature of these proteins. After radiolabelling L428 cells with [³⁵S]-methionine we were able to immunoprecipitate the Ki-67 proteins after only 5 min of labelling time. In turnover experiments the Ki-67 proteins could not be detected 3 h after the end of labelling. These data indicate a halt-life of the Ki-67 proteins of about 90 min.
Labelling experiments with [³²P]-orthophosphate revealed that the Ki-67 proteins are phosphorylated. After dephosphorylation was blocked with okadaic acid or cell growth was arrested by means of Colcemid, the phosphorylation of the Ki-67 proteins was greatly increased, indicating that the Ki-67 proteins are phosphorylated via serine and threonine, and that the phosphorylation of the Ki-67 proteins increases in cycling cells. Labelling experiments with [³H]-mannose and [³H]-glucose revealed that the protein is weakly N -glycosylated.     

A ubiquitin mutant with specific defects in DNA repair and multiubiquitination.

The degradation of many proteins involves the sequential ligation of ubiquitin molecules to the substrate to form a multiubiquitin chain linked through Lys-48 of ubiquitin. To test for the existence of alternate forms of multiubiquitin chains, we examined the effects of individually substituting each of six other Lys residues in ubiquitin with Arg. Substitution of Lys-63 resulted in the disappearance of a family of abundant multiubiquitin-protein conjugates. The UbK63R mutants were not generally impaired in ubiquitination, because they grew at a wild-type rate, were fully proficient in the turnover of a variety of short-lived proteins, and exhibited normal levels of many ubiquitin-protein conjugates. The UbK63R mutation also conferred sensitivity to the DNA-damaging agents methyl methanesulfonate and UV as well as a deficiency in DNA damage-induced mutagenesis. Induced mutagenesis is mediated by a repair pathway that requires Rad6 (Ubc2), a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. Thus, the UbK63R mutant appears to be deficient in the Rad6 pathway of DNA repair. However, the UbK63R mutation behaves as a partial suppressor of a rad6 deletion mutation, indicating that an effect of UbK63R on repair can be manifest in the absence of the Rad6 gene product. The UbK63R mutation may therefore define a new role of ubiquitin in DNA repair. The results of this study suggest that Lys-63 is used as a linkage site in the formation of novel multiubiquitin chain structures that play an important role in DNA repair.     

Two steps in the transition between the native and acid states of bovine α-lactalbumin detected by circular polarization of luminescence: Evidence for a premolten globule state?

A few studies indirectly support the existence of an intermediate in the transition of Ca(2+)-saturated bovine alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) from the native (N) to the acidic (A) state, known as the molten globule state. However, direct experimental evidence for the appearance of this intermediate has not been obtained. The signal of circular polarization of luminescence (CPL) is sensitive to fine conformational transitions because of its susceptibility to changes in the environmental asymmetry of fluorescent chromophores in their excited electronic states. In the present study, CPL measurements were applied using the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of alpha-LA as well as the fluorescence of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) bound to alpha-LA. CPL of tryptophan and ANS was measured in the pH range of 2.5-6 in order to find direct experimental evidence for the proposed intermediate. CPL (characterized by the emission anisotropy factor, g(em)) depends on the asymmetry of the protein molecular structure in the environment of the tryptophan and the ANS chromophores in the excited electronic state. The pH dependence of both the gab, absorption anisotropy factor determined by CD, and the ANS steady state fluorescence, showed a single transition at pH 3-3.7 as already reported elsewhere. This transition was interpreted as being a result of a change of the alpha-LA tertiary structure, which resulted in a loss of asymmetry of the environment of both the tryptophan residues and the ANS hydrophobic binding sites. The pH dependence of the tryptophan and ANS g(em) showed an additional conformational transition at pH 4-5, which coincided with the pKa of Ca2+ dissociation (pKa 5), as predicted by Permyakov et al. (1981, Biochem Biophys Res Commun 100:191-197). The titration curve showed that there is a pH range between 3.7 and 4.1 in which alpha-LA exists in an intermediate state between the N- and A-state. We suggest that the intermediate is the premolten globule state characterized by a reduced Ca2+ binding to the alpha-LA, native-like tertiary structure, and reduced asymmetric fluctuation of the tertiary structure on the nanosecond time scale. This intermediate resembles the "critical activated state" theoretically deduced by Kuwajima et al. (1989, J Mol Biol 206:547-561). The present study demonstrates the power of CPL measurements for the investigation of folding/unfolding transitions in proteins.     

Microcomputer interface for computer-controlled enzyme kinetic studies with the monolayer technique

Periodic acid oxidation in methanol followed by incubation with 1, 1-dimethylhydrazine results in release of diacylglycerols from 1,2-diacyl-3-glycosyl-sn-glycerols. During hydrazinolysis of oxidized monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, an intermediate hydrazone derivative was observed which was isolated and identified. The diacylglycerols recovered are 1,2-diacyl isomers containing the same fatty acid mixtures as the intact glycolipids. The yields of diacylglycerols released from plant monogalactosyl-, digalactosyl-, and sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerols were in the range of 30-50%. The method may be used for analysis of molecular species and for preparative purposes.     

Apolipoprotein A-IGiessen (Pro143----Arg). A mutant that is defective in activating lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase

Apolipoprotein A-IGiessen is a variant form of apo A-I that is displaced from the corresponding normal A-I isoforms on isoelectric focusing gels by a single charge unit towards the cathode [Utermann et al. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 501-507]. Three subjects heterozygous for the variant were detected in one family. The percentage of the total A-I in plasma represented by the A-IGiessen in these subjects ranged over 25-30%. The variant and normal major A-I isoforms from the proband (Y.J.) were purified by preparative isoelectric focusing and cleaved with CNBr. Analytical focusing of CNBr fragments demonstrated a charge difference between CB3Giessen and normal CB3. Sequence analysis of CB3Giessen revealed that a proline existing in normal A-I was replaced by an arginine in the variant A-I at residue 143. The ability of the mutant A-I to activate purified lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase was determined in vitro. The cofactor activity of [Arg143]apolipoprotein A-I was about 60-70% of that demonstrated by control A-I. Residue 143 is in a putative beta-turn between two of the repeating amphiphilic helices in apolipoprotein A-I and may be a critical determinant of the protein's structure and function.     

Refined mapping of the gene for glutathione reductase on human chromosome 8

Summary Activity of the enzyme glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) in erythrocytes and fibroblasts of a patient with karyotype 46, XY, del(8) (pterp212:) was found to be in the normal range. With results from other laboratories, this allowed a more precise mapping of the gene for this enzyme in the region 8p2100–8p212.