Reactive cysteine residues in the oxidative dimerization and Cu2+ induced aggregation of human γD-crystallin: Implications for age-related cataract

Cysteine (Cys) residues are major causes of crystallin disulfide formation and aggregation in aging and cataractous human lenses. We recently found that disulfide linkages are highly and partly conserved in β- and γ-crystallins, respectively, in human age-related nuclear cataract and glutathione depleted LEGSKO mouse lenses, and could be mimicked by in vitro oxidation. Here we determined which Cys residues are involved in disulfide-mediated crosslinking of recombinant human γD-crystallin (hγD). In vitro diamide oxidation revealed dimer formation by SDS-PAGE and LC-MS analysis with Cys 111-111 and C111-C19 as intermolecular disulfides and Cys 111-109 as intramolecular sites. Mutation of Cys111 to alanine completely abolished dimerization. Addition of αB-crystallin was unable to protect Cys 111 from dimerization. However, Cu²⁺-induced hγD-crystallin aggregation was suppressed up to 50% and 80% by mutants C109A and C111A, respectively, as well as by total glutathionylation. In contrast to our recently published results using ICAT-labeling method, manual mining of the same database confirmed the specific involvement of Cys111 in disulfides with no free Cys111 detectable in γD-crystallin from old and cataractous human lenses. Surface accessibility studies show that Cys111 in hγD is the most exposed Cys residue (29%), explaining thereby its high propensity toward oxidation and polymerization in the aging lens.     

Injury-Induced Enzymatic Methylation of Aging Collagen in the Extracellular Matrix of Blood Vessels

As a result of blood vessel injury, protein D-aspartyl/L-isoaspartyl carboxyl methyltransferase (PIMT), a normally intracellular enzyme, becomes trapped within the meshwork of the vascular extracellular matrix where it can methylate substrate proteins. In this investigation we examined the distribution of such altered aspartyl-containing substrate proteins in the vascular wall. Nearly 90% of all the altered aspartyl residues were inaccessible to intracellular PIMT. Proteins of the extracellular matrix were found to be the major repository of altered aspartyl-containing polypeptides in the blood vessel wall, accounting for 70% of the total amount. Proteolytic cleavage of extracellular matrix proteins with cyanogen bromide (CNBr) revealed that collagens account for most of the altered aspartyl-containing proteins of the ECM. As a consequence of blood vessel injury, both type I and type III collagen along with other proteins were found to become methylated by injury-released PIMT. It is estimated that 1 cm of vein contains on the order of 5×10¹⁴ altered aspartyl residues involving between 1% and 5% of the total extracellular protein.     

Distribution of parvalbumin isotypes in adult snook and their potential applications as species-specific biomarkers

The highly stable Ca²⁺ binding protein, parvalbumin, is prevalent in fish white muscle tissue. The properties of this protein make it a promising antigen for use as a specific biomarker for fish identification. Parvalbumin was purified from white muscle of an adult common snook Centropomus undecimalis using ammonium sulfate precipitation, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and anion-exchange HPLC. Parvalbumins were characterized by the presence of an 11-kDa band following gradient-SDS gel electrophoresis and by their immunoreactivity against mouse anti-parvalbumin antibodies. Anion-exchange chromatography of the parvalbumin fraction separated from the SEC column yielded nine fractions. Subsequent analysis of these fractions by isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis led to a total of seven parvalbumin isotypes, which may lend themselves as biomarkers in fish identification. The presence of these seven parvalbumin isotypes was confirmed independently by reversed-phase HPLC. A dilution endpoint immunoassay was developed for C. undecimalis parvalbumin using a monoclonal antibody directed against its highly conserved calcium binding site. The utility of parvalbumin isotype distribution and specific monoclonal antibodies against fish parvalbumin in species identification is discussed.     

The double staining of plant peroxidase and other proteins in the same polyacrylamide gel

We present a simple and rapid technique for the double staining of plant peroxidase and other proteins in the same polyacrylamide gel using the principle of iodide oxidation followed by Coomassie Blue counterstain. The colored bands of peroxidase isozymes and proteins are easily distinguishable. An additional benefit of the method is the use of the low cost chemicals, as well as it eliminates the need for a potentially hazardous reagents frequently used in the detection of peroxidase isozymes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The effect of light and 2,4-D on anthocyanin production in Oxalis reclinata callus

In vitro cultures of O. reclinata accumulate red anthocyanin pigments. Two callus lines were established from O. reclinata, one red and the other non-pigmented. The red callus accumulated cyanidin-3-glucoside as a major pigment. Light irradiation induced anthocyanin synthesis in white callus, resulting in a heterogenous red callus line being formed. The incubation of red and white callus cultures in the dark or at low-light resulted in the repression of red pigment accumulation. The application of 2,4-D (1.0 mg l^-1) inhibited pigment production in the white callus and decreased anthocyanin accumulation in the red callus. The polypeptide composition of the red and white callus lines from O. reclinata were compared using two-dimensional electrophoresis. The red callus had a larger subset of neutral and acidic polypeptides.     

Capillary electrophoresis for pharmacokinetic studies

Different analytical techniques involving capillary electrophoresis for the determination of drugs and metabolites in biological fluids are described. Pharmacokinetic studies carried out using capillary electrophoresis are presented, as well as the in vitro metabolism investigations. The advantages and the limitations of capillary electrophoresis for pharmacokinetic studies are discussed.     

HDC细胞与MESPU-13细胞形成嵌合鼠能力的比较研究

ES细胞嵌合能力的强弱是人们利用ES细胞获得转基因小鼠时十分关心的问题。本文通过囊胚显微注射法将15个左右ES细胞注入C57 BL/6 J品系小鼠3.5天囊胚的囊胚腔中观察嵌合鼠毛色嵌合情况,统计嵌合鼠的出生率;以及用葡萄糖磷酸异构酶(GPI)电泳法检测ES细胞在嵌含鼠体内各种组织和器官的嵌合情况,对于HPRT缺陷(HDC)细胞和MES-PU-13细胞的嵌合能力我们作了较详细的研究,结果表明MESPU-13细胞嵌合能力较强,而HDC细胞嵌合能力较弱,并讨论分析了这种结果的原因。     

Electric field induced desorption of bacteria from a conditioning film covered substratum.

Desorption of three oral bacterial strains from a salivary conditioning film on an indium tin oxide electrode during application of a positive (bacterial adhesion to the anode) or a negative electric current was studied in a parallel plate flow chamber. Bacterial adhesion was from a flowing suspension of high ionic strength, after which the bacterial suspension was replaced by a low ionic strength solution without bacteria and currents ranging from -800 to +800 microA were applied. Streptococcus oralis J22 desorbed during application of a positive and negative electric current with a desorption probability that increased with increasing electric current. Two actinomyces strains, however, could not be stimulated to desorb by the electric currents applied. The desorption forces acting on adhering bacteria are electroosmotic in origin and working parallel to the electrode surface in case of a positive current, whereas they are electrophoretic and electrostatic in origin and working perpendicular to the surface in case of a negative current. By comparison of the effect of positive and negative electric currents, it can be concluded that parallel forces are more effective in stimulating bacterial desorption than perpendicular forces. The results of this study point to a new pathway of cleaning industrial and biomedical surfaces without the use of detergents or biocides.