In vivo and in vitro characterization of Ser477X mutations in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase 1 from Pseudomonas sp. 61-3: effects of beneficial mutations on enzymatic activity, substrate specificity, and molecular weight of PHA

Evolutionary engineered polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases from Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 enhance PHA accumulation and enable the monomer composition of PHAs to be regulated. We characterized a newly screened Ser477Arg (S477R) mutant of PHA synthase by in vivo analyses of P(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] homopolymer and P(3HB-co-3-hydroxyalkanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HA)] copolymer productions in the recombinants of Escherichia coli. The results indicated that the S477R mutation contributed to a shift in substrate specificity to smaller monomers containing a 3HB unit rather than to an enhancement in catalytic activity. Multiple mutations of S477R with other beneficial mutations, for example, Ser325Cys, exhibited synergistic effects on both an increase in PHA production (from 9 wt % to 21 wt %) and an alteration of substrate specificity. Furthermore, the effects of complete amino acid substitutions at position 477 were characterized in terms of in vivo PHA production and in vitro enzymatic activity. The five mutations, S477Ala(A)/Phe(F)/His(H)/Arg(R)/Tyr(Y), resulted in a shift in substrate specificity to smaller monomer units. The S477Gly(G) mutant greatly enhanced activity toward all different sizes of substrates with carbon numbers ranging from 4 to 12. These results indicated that the residue 477 contributes to both the catalytic activity and substrate specificity of PHA synthase. In recombinant E. coli, the S477A/F/G/H/R/Y mutations consistently led to increases (up to 6 times that of wild-type enzyme) in weight average molecular weights of P(3HB) homopolymers. On the basis of our studies, we created a structural feasibility accounting for the mutational effects on enzymatic activity and substrate specificity of PHA synthase.     

Fatty liver induced by free radicals and lipid peroxidation

An excessive accumulation of fat in the liver leads to chronic liver injury such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is an important medical problem affecting many populations worldwide. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, but the exact nature of active species and the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. It was previously found that the administration of free radical-generating azo compound to mice induced accumulation of fat droplet in the liver. The present study was performed aiming at elucidating the changes of lipid classes and fatty acid composition and also measuring the levels of lipid peroxidation products in the liver induced by azo compound administration to mouse. The effects of azo compound on the liver were compared with those induced by high fat diet, a well-established cause of NAFLD. Azo compounds given to mice either by intraperitoneal administration or by dissolving to drinking water induced triacylglycerol (TG) increase and concomitant phospholipid decrease in the liver, whose pattern was quite similar to that induced by high fat diet. Lipid peroxidation products such as hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid were increased in the liver in association with the increase in TG. These results show that free radicals as well as high fat diet induce fatty liver by similar mechanisms, in which lipid peroxidation may be involved.     

Complete genomic sequence of nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genome of a symbiotic bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 was determined. The genome of B. japonicum was a single circular chromosome 9,105,828 bp in length with an average GC content of 64.1%. No plasmid was detected. The chromosome comprises 8317 potential protein-coding genes, one set of rRNA genes and 50 tRNA genes. Fifty-two percent of the potential protein genes showed sequence similarity to genes of known function and 30% to hypothetical genes. The remaining 18% had no apparent similarity to reported genes. Thirty-four percent of the B. japonicum genes showed significant sequence similarity to those of both Mesorhizobium loti and Sinorhizobium meliloti, while 23% were unique to this species. A presumptive symbiosis island 681 kb in length, which includes a 410-kb symbiotic region previously reported by G?ttfert et al., was identified. Six hundred fifty-five putative protein-coding genes were assigned in this region, and the functions of 301 genes, including those related to symbiotic nitrogen fixation and DNA transmission, were deduced. A total of 167 genes for transposases/104 copies of insertion sequences were identified in the genome. It was remarkable that 100 out of 167 transposase genes are located in the presumptive symbiotic island. DNA segments of 4 to 97 kb inserted into tRNA genes were found at 14 locations in the genome, which generates partial duplication of the target tRNA genes. These observations suggest plasticity of the B. japonicum genome, which is probably due to complex genome rearrangements such as horizontal transfer and insertion of various DNA elements, and to homologous recombination.     

Efflux of sphingomyelin, cholesterol, and phosphatidylcholine by ABCG1

Cholesterol and phospholipids are essential to the body, but an excess of cholesterol or lipids is toxic and a risk factor for arteriosclerosis. ABCG1, one of the half-type ABC proteins, is thought to be involved in cholesterol homeostasis. To explore the role of ABCG1 in cholesterol homeostasis, we examined its subcellular localization and function. ABCG1 and ABCG1-K120M, a WalkerA lysine mutant, were localized to the plasma membrane in HEK293 cells stably expressing ABCG1 and formed a homodimer. A stable transformant expressing ABCG1 exhibited efflux of cholesterol and choline phospholipids in the presence of BSA, and the cholesterol efflux was enhanced by the presence of HDL, whereas cells expressing ABCG1-K120M did not, suggesting that ATP binding and/or hydrolysis is required for the efflux. Mass and TLC analyses revealed that ABCG1 and ABCA1 secrete several species of sphingomyelin (SM) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), and SMs were preferentially secreted by ABCG1, whereas PCs were preferentially secreted by ABCA1. These results suggest that ABCA1 and ABCG1 mediate the lipid efflux in different mechanisms, in which different species of phospholipids are secreted, and function coordinately in the removal of cholesterol and phospholipids from peripheral cells.     

Detection of antibody to M protein of measles virus in patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: a comparative study on immunoprecipitation

Consistent results have not been obtained yet on the presence of antibody to the M protein of measles virus in the sera of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). We performed a comparative study on various immunoprecipitation systems which appeared in the literature and found that the difference in the composition of the solubilizing buffer produced a large variety of results on the immunoprecipitation. [35S]Methionine-labeled Vero cells infected with the Edmonston strain of measles virus were solubilized by 10 different buffers and reacted with hyperimmune rabbit serum to whole virus, monospecific antisera to H, NP, and M proteins of the virus, normal adults' sera, and the sera from 16 SSPE patients. The immune complex was absorbed by protein A and both solubilization and precipitation rates were compared with each viral protein. Although viral proteins were solubilized by all buffers, the solubilization rate varied considerably. M protein was solubilized and was not coprecipitated nonspecifically with any of the other viral proteins. Purified protein A conjugated to Sepharose was preferable to Staphylococcus aureus for absorption of the immune complex since the latter absorbed both viral and host proteins nonspecifically. The precipitation rates of the viral proteins also varied according to the buffers. Better solubilization of the viral proteins seemed to reduce their rate of precipitation for which the presence of SDS may be responsible, and the presence of the protease inhibitors may also affect the results of immunoprecipitation. Detection of M protein in the immunoprecipitates was largely influenced by the kind of buffer used: some buffers could detect it clearly, but others could not defect it at all. Among the solubilizing buffers tested, Saleh's buffer (Virology 93: 369-376 (1979)),, which contains 0.5% DOC and 0.5% Triton X-100, was most reliable for detection of the anti-M antibody in the rabbit serum, because it showed a high solubilization and high precipitation rates of viral proteins without nonspecific absorption by protein A or coprecipitation of M proteins with any of the other proteins. Using this buffer, we could definitely detect M proteins in the immunoprecipitates from the sera of all six healthy adults and 15 out of 16 patients with SSPE. It was found, however, that the amount of M proteins in SSPE patients was lower than that in healthy adults and varied considerably.     

Seroepidemiological Survey of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus in Wild House Mice in China with Particular Reference to Their Subspecies

Serum samples from 337 wild house mice (Mus musculus) from 35 sites in China, collected in 1992 and 1993, were examined for antibodies against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Ten samples from eight sites were found to contain such antibodies. Six of the eight positive sites were located in the territory of M. m. gansuensis. One of the other two sites was located in the territory of M. m. castaneus in southern China and the other site was in a habitat of M. m. castaneus which had invaded into the western end of the territory of M. m. homourus. It seems likely that LCMV is distributed in the territories of M. m. gansuensis and M. m. castaneus in China. This is the first report of detection of these antibodies in wild house mice in China and specifically in the territories of M. m. gansuensis and M. m. castaneus.     

Seasonal Variations in the Presence of Antibodies against Coxiella burnetii in Dairy Cattle in Hokkaido,Japan

The prevalence and seasonal variations of infection by Coxiella burnetii in cattle were investigated seroepidemiologically on a farm in Hokkaido, Japan, by an immunofluorescent antibody test. A total of 364 serum samples from 28 cows were collected from August 1993 to October 1995 in two barns on the farm. It was found that the number of antibody-positive cows and their antibody titers were significantly elevated in winter and decreased in summer. In addition, antibodies were detectable in seroconverted cows for about five months.