Roles of the intramolecular regions of FE65 in its trans-accumulation and in p53 stabilization in the nuclear matrix of osmotically stressed cells

The neural adaptor protein FE65 interacts with the amyloid β-protein precursor (APP). In osmotically stressed cells, the membrane APP-tethered FE65 is released into the cytoplasm and translocates to the nuclear matrix, where it stabilizes p53 via a non-canonical pathway. In this study, we found that the second phosphotyrosine interaction domain (PI2) of FE65 mediated its trans-accumulation in the nuclear matrix of osmotically stressed cells. The carboxyl-terminal half of FE65, which contains the PI2 domain, failed to stabilize p53, suggesting that the amino-terminal half of the protein plays an important role in the stabilization of p53 in osmotically stressed cells.     

In Vitro Dynamic Visualization Analysis of Fluorescently Labeled Minor Capsid Protein IX and Core Protein V by Simultaneous Detection

Oncolytic adenoviruses represent a promising therapeutic medicine for human cancer therapy, but successful translation into human clinical trials requires careful evaluation of their viral characteristics. While the function of adenovirus proteins has been analyzed in detail, the dynamics of adenovirus infection remain largely unknown due to technological constraints that prevent adequate tracking of adenovirus particles after infection. Fluorescence labeling of adenoviral particles is one new strategy designed to directly analyze the dynamic processes of viral infection in virus-host cell interactions. We hypothesized that the double labeling of an adenovirus with fluorescent proteins would allow us to properly analyze intracellular viruses and the fate of viral proteins in a live analysis of an adenovirus as compared to single labeling. Thus, we generated a fluorescently labeled adenovirus with both a red fluorescent minor capsid protein IX (pIX) [pIX monomeric red fluorescent protein 1 (mRFP1)] and a green fluorescent minor core protein V (pV) [pV enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)], resulting in Ad5-IX-mRFP1-E3-V-EGFP. The fluorescent signals for pIX-mRFP1 and pV-EGFP were detected within 10 min in living cells. However, a growth curve analysis of Ad5-IX-mRFP1-E3-V-EGFP showed an approximately 150-fold reduced production of the viral progeny at 48 h postinfection as compared to adenovirus type 5. Interestingly, pIX-mRFP1 and pV-EGFP were initially localized in the cytoplasm and nucleolus, respectively, at 18 h postinfection. These proteins were observed in the nucleus during the late stage of infection, and relocalization of the proteins was observed in an adenoviral-replication-dependent manner. These results indicate that simultaneous detection of adenoviruses using dual-fluorescent proteins is suitable for real-time analysis, including identification of infected cells and monitoring of viral spread, which will be required for a complete evaluation of oncolytic adenoviruses.     

Overexpression of AtHMA4 enhances root-to-shoot translocation of zinc and cadmium and plant metal tolerance

AtHMA4 is an Arabidopsis thaliana P1B-ATPase which transports Zn and Cd. Here, we demonstrate that AtHMA4 is localized at the plasma membrane and expressed in tissues surrounding the root vascular vessels. The ectopic overexpression of AtHMA4 improved the root growth in the presence of toxic concentrations of Zn, Cd and Co. A null mutant exhibited a lower translocation of Zn and Cd from the roots to shoot. In contrast, the AtHMA4 overexpressing lines displayed an increase in the zinc and cadmium shoot content. Altogether, these results strongly indicate that AtHMA4 plays a role in metal loading in the xylem.     

Development of a cell-based assay for monitoring specific hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease activity in mammalian cells

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) contains a positive-sense RNA genome that encodes a unique polyprotein precursor, which must be processed by proteases to enable viral maturation. Virally encoded NS3/4A protease has thus become an attractive target for the development of antiviral drugs. To establish an assay system for monitoring NS3/4A protease activity in mammalian cells, this study describes a substrate vector, pEG(Delta4AB)SEAP, in which enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was fused to secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) through the NS3/4A protease decapeptide recognition sequence, Delta4AB, which spans the NS4A and NS4B junction region. Secretion of SEAP into the culture medium was demonstrated to depend on the cleavage of Delta4AB by HCV NS3/4A protease. We demonstrated that the accumulation of SEAP activity in the culture medium depends on time up to 60h with the coexpression of active NS3/4A protease. The amount of SEAP in the culture medium was around 10 times greater than that of cells with coexpression of inactive NS3/4A mutant protease. This strategy has made it possible to monitor NS3/4A activity inside mammalian cells. Moreover, by using cells containing the HCV subgenomic replicon, the EG(Delta4AB)SEAP reporter can be used to detect the anti-HCV activity of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). Consequently, this EG(Delta4AB)SEAP reporter can be used to screen for NS3/4A protease inhibitors in the cellular environment and for anti-HCV drugs in replicon cells.     

Expression of functional multidrug-resistance protein 1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: effects of N- and C-terminal affinity tags

Studies of the multidrug-resistance protein 1 (MRP1) have been hampered by the lack of a simple expression system allowing for rapid generation of mutants and yielding milligram amounts of protein. Here, we describe a Saccharomyces cerevisiae expression system that meets those conditions. MRP1 was expressed under the control of the constitutive PMA1 (yeast proton pump) promoter. The best conditions for expression were determined, including the use of the chemical chaperone glycerol, which increased MRP1 expression. N-terminal poly-histidine or FLAG affinity tags reduce MRP1 expression, whereas the same tags fused to the C-terminus had no effect. All the fusion proteins were functional. We conclude that because of its low cost and simplicity, the S. cerevisiae-based MRP1-expression system will be useful for studies where a large number of mutants or milligram amounts of purified MRP1 are needed.     

Green fluorescent protein-labeled mapping of neural stem cells migrating towards damaged areas in the adult central nervous system

Neural stem cells, which are clonogenic cells with multilineage differentiation properties from regions of the fetal brain, cortex and hippocampus, are currently considered as powerful candidates for cell replacement therapy in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. A key issue is whether stem cells can survive, migrate and differentiate following transplantation into the adult CNS. Here, enhanced green fluorescent protein plasmid electroporation-transfected neural stem cells from the fetal cortex were grafted into the striatum of a rat model of Parkinson's disease. We found most of the grafted cells could survive in the adult parkinsonian rat brain and migrated towards damaged areas, while they moved randomly in the normal brain. Several grafted cells differentiated into neurons.     

Dominant-negative connexin43-EGFP inhibits calcium-transient synchronization of primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Recent studies using mice with genetically engineered gap junction protein connexin (Cx) genes have provided evidence that reduced gap-junctional coupling in ventricular cardiomyocytes predisposes to ventricular arrhythmia. However, the pathological processes of arrhythmogenesis due to abnormalities in gap junctions are poorly understood. We have postulated a hypothesis that dysfunction of gap junctions at the single-cell level may affect synchronization of calcium transients among cardiomyocytes. To examine this hypothesis, we developed a novel system in which gap-junctional intercellular communication in primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes was inhibited by a mutated (Delta130-137) Cx43 fused with enhanced green fluorescent protein (Cx43-EGFP), and calcium transients were imaged in real time while the mutated Cx43-EGFP-expressing cardiomyocytes were identified. The mutated Cx43-EGFP inhibited dye coupling not only in the liver epithelial cell line IAR 20 but also in primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in a dominant-negative manner, whereas wild-type Cx43-EGFP made functional gap junctions in otherwise communication-deficient HeLa cells. The mutated Cx43-EGFP induced desynchronization of calcium transients among cardiomyocytes with significantly higher frequency than wild-type Cx43-EGFP. These results suggest that dysfunction of gap-junctional intercellular communication at the single-cell level could hamper synchronous beating among cardiomyocytes as a result of desynchronization of calcium transients.     

Effect of nitrogen management and soil moisture conservation practices on rainfed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Summary Studies revealed that the application of fertilizer nitrogen brought a significant increase in grain and straw yield of wheat. The significant effect was also noticed on such yield contributing characters like number of effective tillers per metre row length, spike length, and number of grains per spike. The increase of nitrogen level from 40 kg/ha to 80 kg/ha also brought a significant increase in yield and yield contributing characters. The application of entire dose of nitrogen at the time of sowing was as good as its split application. The application of nitrogen also influenced the nitrogen concentration of grains whereas, the other treatments did not influence the nitrogen concentration in grains or straw. The nitrogen treatments did not influence the moisture content of soil. The application of mulch or mulch+Kaolin resulted in significantly higher content of soil moisture in 0–15 cm soil depth as compared to control or Kaolin spray alone which was simultaneously reflected in yield and yield contributing characters.     

Efficient selection of transgenic mouse embryos using EGFP as a marker gene

We have established a reliable method that uses the EGFP (Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein) gene as a marker for selecting transgenic embryos from preimplantation embryos. Embryos that were subjected to the pronuclear microinjection of the CMV/β‐actin/EGFP fusion gene were cultured in vitro until they developed into the morulae‐ or blastocyst‐stage. The expression of EGFP was easily observed by a fluorescent microscopy. There appeared to be no damage to the in vivo developmental ability of the embryos in response to the EGFP excitation light, which utilized an IB filter for a period of 30 min. Modified PCR analysis using Dpn I and Bal 31 digestion of the embryonic DNA showed that all of the embryos expressing EGFP in all their cells were transgenic, while more than half with mosaic expression of EGFP were not transgenic. Approximately 77% of pups born from the embryos that uniformly expressed the EGFP gene were transgenic, while 21.4% of pups from the embryos with mosaic expression were transgenics. The results showed that the use of EGFP as a marker is very useful and reliable for selecting transgenic embryos, and that it is important to transfer the embryos expressing EGFP in all their cells to obtain truly transgenic animals. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 54:43–48, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Purification and on-column refolding of EGFP overexpressed as inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli with expanded bed anion exchange chromatography

The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was over-expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies to increase its quantity and to facilitate its purification. Insoluble EGFP has been purified on Q Hyper Z matrix by expanded bed adsorption after solubilization in 8 M urea. The adsorption was made in expanded bed mode to avoid centrifugation. EBA-column refolding was done by elimination of urea and elution with NaCl. The EGFP was obtained as a highly purified soluble form with similar behavior in fluorescence and electrophoresis as native EGFP.