How myosin VI coordinates its heads during processive movement

A processive molecular motor must coordinate the enzymatic state of its two catalytic domains in order to prevent premature detachment from its track. For myosin V, internal strain produced when both heads of are attached to an actin track prevents completion of the lever arm swing of the lead head and blocks ADP release. However, this mechanism cannot work for myosin VI, since its lever arm positions are reversed. Here, we demonstrate that myosin VI gating is achieved instead by blocking ATP binding to the lead head once it has released its ADP. The structural basis for this unique gating mechanism involves an insert near the nucleotide binding pocket that is found only in class VI myosin. Reverse strain greatly favors binding of ADP to the lead head, which makes it possible for myosin VI to function as a processive transporter as well as an actin-based anchor. While this mechanism is unlike that of any other myosin superfamily member, it bears remarkable similarities to that of another processive motor from a different superfamily--kinesin I.     

How does cholecystokinin stimulate exocrine pancreatic secretion? From birds, rodents, to humans

The field of cholecystokinin (CCK) stimulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion has experienced major changes in the recent past. This review attempts to summarize the present status of the field. CCK production in the intestinal I cells, the molecular forms of CCK produced and subsequently circulated in the blood, the presence or absence of CCK receptors on the isolated pancreatic acinar cells and the associated signaling for acinar cell secretion, and the actual circuits and sites of action for CCK regulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion in vivo are reviewed in different animal species with an emphasis on birds, rodents, and humans. Clear differences in the relative importance of neural and direct modes of CCK action on pancreatic acinar cells were identified. Rodents seem to be endowed with both modes of action, whereas in humans the neural mode may predominate. In birds, such as duck, the direct mode needs further assistance from pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide/VIP receptors. However, much further work needs to be directed to the neural mode to map out all sites of CCK action and details of the full circuits, and we foresee a major revival for this field of research in the near future.     

Layer-by-layer hydroxymethyl ferrocene modified sensor for one-step flow/stop-flow injection amperometric immunoassay of alpha-fetoprotein

A rapid one-step flow/stop-flow injection amperometric immunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) using a novel home-produced electrochemical sensor was proposed. The sensor was prepared using layer-by-layer adsorption of positively charged poly(allylamine) (PAA) and negatively charged hydroxymethyl ferrocene on a screen-printed electrode (SPE). The electrochemistry of the immobilized ferrocene moieties showed a surface-controlled electrode process. Based on an electrochemical enzyme-linked immunoassay with the immobilized ferrocene moieties as an electron transfer mediator between the electrode and the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled anti-AFP antibody, a calibration curve with two linear ranges from 5 to 20 and 20 to 150 ng ml-1 and a detection limit of 2 ng ml-1 for AFP determination was obtained under the optimized conditions of 0.891 ml min-1 flow rate, 20 microl injection volume and +25 mV applied potential. The sensor showed good repeatability and reproducibility and retained more than 95% of its original signal after 15 days of storage. The proposed method eliminated the need for washing and addition of any substrate or mediator. The complete assay could be handled in less than 25 min with a one-step injection of a 40 microl sample solution. The proposed method would be valuable for the diagnosis and monitoring of carcinoma and its metastasis.     

Ectopic expression of RNF168 and 53BP1 increases mutagenic but not physiological non-homologous end joining

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) formed during S phase are preferentially repaired by homologous recombination (HR), whereas G₁ DSBs, such as those occurring during immunoglobulin class switch recombination (CSR), are repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The DNA damage response proteins 53BP1 and BRCA1 regulate the balance between NHEJ and HR. 53BP1 promotes CSR in part by mediating synapsis of distal DNA ends, and in addition, inhibits 5’ end resection. BRCA1 antagonizes 53BP1 dependent DNA end-blocking activity during S phase, which would otherwise promote mutagenic NHEJ and genome instability. Recently, it was shown that supra-physiological levels of the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF168 results in the hyper-accumulation of 53BP1/BRCA1 which accelerates DSB repair. Here, we ask whether increased expression of RNF168 or 53BP1 impacts physiological versus mutagenic NHEJ. We find that the anti-resection activities of 53BP1 are rate-limiting for mutagenic NHEJ but not for physiological CSR. As heterogeneity in the expression of RNF168 and 53BP1 is found in human tumors, our results suggest that deregulation of the RNF168/53BP1 pathway could alter the chemosensitivity of BRCA1 deficient tumors.     

The Orphan Nuclear Receptor NR4A1 Protects Pancreatic β-Cells from Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress-mediated Apoptosis

The role of NR4A1 in apoptosis is controversial. Pancreatic β-cells often face endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress under adverse conditions such as high free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations and sustained hyperglycemia. Severe ER stress results in β-cell apoptosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of NR4A1 in ER stress-mediated β-cell apoptosis and to characterize the related mechanisms. We confirmed that upon treatment with the ER stress inducers thapsigargin (TG) or palmitic acid (PA), the mRNA and protein levels of NR4A1 rapidly increased in both MIN6 cells and mouse islets. NR4A1 overexpression in MIN6 cells conferred resistance to cell loss induced by TG or PA, as assessed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, and TUNEL assays indicated that NR4A1 overexpression also protected against ER stress-induced apoptosis. This conclusion was further confirmed by experiments exploiting siRNA to knockdown NR4A1 expression in MIN6 cells or exploiting NR4A1 knock-out mice. NR4A1 overexpression in MIN6 cells reduced C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression and Caspase3 activation induced by TG or PA. NR4A1 overexpression in MIN6 cells or mouse islets resulted in Survivin up-regulation. A critical regulatory element was identified in Survivin promoter (−1872 bp to −1866 bp) with a putative NR4A1 binding site; ChIP assays demonstrated that NR4A1 physically associates with the Survivin promoter. In conclusion, NR4A1 protects pancreatic β-cells against ER stress-mediated apoptosis by up-regulating Survivin expression and down-regulating CHOP expression, which we termed as “positive and negative regulation.”     

Altering the Divalent Metal Ion Preference of RNase E

RNase E is a major intracellular endoribonuclease in many bacteria and participates in most aspects of RNA processing and degradation. RNase E requires a divalent metal ion for its activity. We show that only Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ will support significant rates of activity in vitro against natural RNAs, with Mn²⁺ being preferred. Both Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ also support cleavage of an oligonucleotide substrate with similar kinetic parameters for both ions. Salts of Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ permitted low levels of activity, while Ca²⁺, Co³⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺ did not. A mutation to one of the residues known to chelate Mg²⁺, D346C, led to almost complete loss of activity dependent on Mg²⁺; however, the activity of the mutant enzyme was fully restored by the presence of Mn²⁺ with kinetic parameters fully equivalent to those of wild-type enzyme. A similar mutation to the other chelating residue, D303C, resulted in nearly full loss of activity regardless of metal ion. The properties of RNase E D346C enabled a test of the ionic requirements of RNase E in vivo. Plasmid shuffling experiments showed that both rneD303C (i.e., the rne gene encoding a D-to-C change at position 303) and rneD346C were inviable whether or not the selection medium was supplied with MnSO₄, implying that RNase E relies on Mg²⁺ exclusively in vivo.     

Investigation of dual-layer membrane cloaking method by surface plasmon resonance for direct chronoamperometric immunoassay of serum sample

A "dual-layer membrane cloaking" (DLMC) method was developed to construct disposable electrochemical immunosensor for direct determination of serum sample. Mouse IgG (MIgG) molecules were firstly immobilized on a substrate. After the formation of a didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) membrane on the MIgG modified substrate, an additional bovine serum albumin (BSA) thin layer was formed to build a BSA/DDAB dual-layer membrane (DLM). When alkaline phosphatase conjugated anti-mouse IgG antibodies (anti-MIgG-ALP) in human serum were incubated on the substrate, anti-MIgG-ALP was recognized specifically by the immobilized MIgG while all nonspecifically adsorbed proteins were selectively removed together with BSA/DDAB DLM by 5% Triton X-100 (v/v) before final measurements. The BSA/DDAB DLM was characterized and optimized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique, and further employed in a disposable immunoassay based on an ITO chip. Under optimal conditions, MIgG in human serum was directly detected in the range of 2.0-18.0 ng mL(-1) without dilution or separation. A limit of detection as low as 0.922 ng mL(-1) (6.15 pM) was obtained. The proposed DLMC method can efficiently prevent the penetration of matrix proteins through single cloaking membrane and completely eliminate nonspecific adsorption. It has great potential in providing a versatile way for direct determination of serum sample with ultra-sensitivity.     

Impacts of changes in climate variability on regional vegetation in China: NDVI-based analysis from 1982 to 2000

Three methods were used to distinguish the characteristics of changes in climate variability and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) during the period from 1982 to 2000 in China. Great changes in climate variability and an increased trend in NDVI were observed. The changes in precipitation variability were greater than the changes in temperature variability in each month, which is attributed to changes in the monsoon system in East Asia. The abrupt changes in climate and NDVI were more significant in 1983 than in the other years due to the impacts of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Using these results, the influences of changes in climate variability on vegetation were studied in the whole nation, and eight regions were defined according to the vegetation division map of China. The results show that abrupt climate changes at a small scale cannot cause abrupt NDVI changes directly. At a nationwide level, over a longer time scale the persistence of above/below average temperature determines the changes in NDVI; at a shorter time scale, changes in the magnitude of precipitation influence NDVI significantly. Such regional climate variability affects vegetation in different ways owing to the diversity of vegetation types, climatic conditions and topography of the land.