Functions and mechanisms of plant histone deacetylases

Lysine acetylation, one of the major types of post-translational modifications, plays critical roles in regulating gene expression and protein function. Histone deacetylases(HDACs) are responsible for removing acetyl groups from lysines of both histone and non-histone proteins. While tremendous progress has been made in understanding the function and mechanism of HDACs in animals in the past two decades, nearly half of the HDAC studies in plants were reported within the past five years. In this review,we summarize the major findings on plant HDACs, with a focus on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and highlight the components, regulatory mechanisms, and biological functions of HDAC complexes.     

Characterization of the neutral aminopeptidase activity associated to the mouse thymocyte-activating molecule

We previously characterized a dimeric, Mr = 115,000, developmentally regulated mouse T cell-activating molecule (THAM). We show in this report that the THAM-specific mAb H194-112 exhibits strong reactivity with several nonlymphoid tissues including polarized enterocytes from small intestine, kidney cortical tubuli, and liver bile ductuli, as well as kidney glomeruli and lung alveoloar pneumocytes. Both the tissue distribution and the structural features of THAM made it likely that this molecule belongs to the ectoenzyme family. This was confirmed by the following experimental evidence: 1) the H194-112+ molecules from enterocyte brush borders (BB) or M14.T thymoma cells were recognized by several antisera specific for intestinal aminopeptidase N (AP-N); 2) mAb H194-112 was found to immunodeplete the AP-N activity from both thymic or enterocyte BB detergent extracts; 3) the hydrophilic, Mr = 115,000 form obtained by papain treatment of thymoma or enterocyte BB could be immunopurified on H194-112 column and exhibited, after hypotonic elution, strong enzymatic activity on the AP-N substrates (i.e., leucyl or alanyl beta-derivatives); 4) mAb H194-112 was found to inhibit the AP-N activity when assayed on alanyl but not leucyl beta-naphthylamide substrate; and 5) preincubation of AP-N with mAb H194-112 prevented the inhibiting effects of bestatin and D,L-methionyl hydroxamate on AP-N activity. These data add a new member to the list of functional ectoenzymatic markers of lymphoid cells (i.e., CD10, CD13, CD26, CD55, and CD73). In view of the known immunomodulating properties of bestatin, one may speculate that the T cell-activating effects of mAb H194-112 is related to an impairment of a surface enzymatic function regulating lymphoid cell activation.     

Further characterization of an early expressed glycoprotein of the rabbit small intestinal brush border. Its interaction with some hydrolases

Mouse 23 B 921 monoclonal antibody recognized a rabbit brush-border antigen with an apparent molecular mass 140 kDa (140-kDa Ag) which, unlike most hydrolases, is expressed in the poorly differentiated crypt cells of the small intestine. Immunoelectron microscopy of brush-border vesicles showed that the 23 B 921 bound to an epitope localized on the outside of the membrane. As is the case with hydrolases the external domain of the 140-kDa Ag constitutes the main part of the molecule, which can be released by papain treatment of brush-border vesicles. The presence of a small hydrophobic domain, anchoring the molecule into the membrane and responsible for its amphipatic character, was shown by its affinity for Triton-X114 micelles. The topological organization in the membrane of 140-kDa Ag seemed to be identical to that of hydrolases. Unlike hydrolases, however, the native structure of the antigen was found from its sensitivity to proteolysis to be very dependent on its integration into the lipid bilayer. Nevertheless, detergent-extracted 140-kDa Ag can be purified by immunoaffinity chromatography although it cannot be stocked for more than 48 h even in the presence of protease inhibitors. The carbohydrate moiety of 140-kDa Ag, bearing the human blood group A determinant, amounts to 20% of the total molecular mass. The existence of some privileged relationship was established between 140-kDa Ag and hydrolases: in the membrane, hydrolases protect the 140-kDa Ag from papain action; after detergent extraction, 140-kDa Ag is strongly associated with several hydrolases particularly disaccharidases.     

Analysis of two chloride requirements for sodium-dependent amino acid and glucose transport by intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles of fish

Intestinal brush border vesicles of a Mediterranean sea fish (Dicentrarchus labrax) were prepared using the Ca²⁺-sedimentation method. The transport of glucose, glycine and 2-aminoisobutyric acid is energized by an Na⁺ gradient ($\text{out > in}$). In addition, amino acid uptake requires Cl^? in the extravesicular medium (2-aminoisobutyric acid more than glycine). This Na⁺- and Cl^?-dependent uptake is electrogenic, since it can be stimulated by negative charges inside the vesicles. The specific Cl^? requirement of glycine and 2-aminoisobutyric acid transport is markedly influenced by pH, a change from 6.5 to 8.4 reducing the role played by Cl^?. In the presence of Cl^?, the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ of 2-aminoisobutyric acid uptake is reduced and its $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}$ is enhanced. Cl^? affects also a non-saturable Na⁺-dependent component of this amino acid uptake. Amino acid transport is also increased by intravesicular Cl^? (2-aminoisobutyric acid less than glycine). This effect is more concerned with glucose uptake, which can be then multiplied by 2.3. A concentration gradient ($\text{in > out}$) as well as the presence of Na⁺ in the incubation medium seems to enter into this requirement. This intravesicular Cl^? effect is not influenced by pH between 6.5 and 8.4.     

Activities of five antidepressants in a behavioral pain test in rats

Various clinical and experimental reports indicate that antidepressant drugs can have analgesic properties. The authors tested successively the anti-nociceptive activity of desipramine, clomipramine, maprotiline, viloxazine and nomifensine on the acute experimental pain model designed by Charpentier. At 25 mg/kg, desipramine showed a marked antalgic action. Clomipramine and maprotiline had a similar though much weaker action. On the other hand, nomifensine and viloxazine did not reduce pain perception; their effects on the parameters studied were variable. The usefulness of the test itself is discussed and suggestions are made regarding the relations between the analgesic potency of the drugs and the main neurotransmitter system they are assumed to act on.     

Identification of a unicellular,non-pigmented alga that mediates growth inhibition in anuran tadpoles: a new species of the genus Prototheca (Chlorophyceae: Chlorococcales)

A non-pigmented, unicellular alga isolated from the faeces of British anuran tadpoles and which is associated with growth inhibition in these tadpoles, was described and identified using cytological, ultrastructural, nutrient assimilation and immunological studies. The alga possessed all the distinctive morphological features of the genus Prototheca, it grew weakly on Prototheca Isolation Medium (PIM), it required thiamine for continued growth and replication, and it could assimilate the five major substrates used to speciate the protothecans. All of these characteristics, together with previous nucleic acid hybridisation studies, indicated that the microorganism belonged to the genus Prototheca. There are currently five species recognised as valid (Pore, 1985 & 1986): Prototheca zopfii Kruger, 1884, P. wickerhamii Tubaki & Soneda, 1959, P. moriformis Kruger, 1884, P. stagnora Cooke, 1968 and P. ulmea Pore, 1986.The immunology showed that the new species was related to two of the protothecans, but overall it showed that the alga was antigenically distinct from the other protothecans tested in the immunoassay. This, together with its inability to grow strongly on PIM, its ability to assimilate a wide rage of carbon substrates and its ability to mediate growth inhibition in anuran tadpoles, indicated a new species of Prototheca. We therefore propose the name Prototheca richardsi sp. n.     

Use of synthetic lethal mutants to clone and characterize a novel CTP synthetase gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway, CTP synthetase catalyses the conversion of uridine 5-triphosphate (UTP) to cytidine 5-triphosphate (CTP). In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the URA7 gene encoding this enzyme was previously shown to be nonessential for cell viability. The present paper describes the selection of synthetic lethal mutants in the CTP biosynthetic pathway that led us to clone a second gene, named URA8, which also encodes a CTP synthetase. Comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences of the products of URA7 and URA8 shows 78% identity. Deletion of the URA8 gene is viable in a haploid strain but simultaneous presence of null alleles both URA7 and URA8 is lethal. Based on the codon bias values for the two genes and the intracellular concentrations of CTP in strains deleted for one of the two genes, relative to the wild-type level, URA7 appears to be the major gene for CTP biosynthesis. Nevertheless, URA8 alone also allows yeast growth, at least under standard laboratory conditions.     

Monitoring of early events of experimental woodchuck hepatitis infection: Studies of peripheral blood mononuclear cells by cytofluorometry and PCR

Abstract The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of woodchucks experimentally infected by woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) were examined simultaneously for the presence of membrane associated WHV antigens by cytofluorometry, and for WHV DNA and RNA sequences by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Four woodchucks were inoculated: two with a well-defined infectious inoculum and two with an inoculum obtained from an animal at the late incubation phase, which was positive for WHV DNA by PCR but still devoid of WHV markers. Infection was demonstrated in all four inoculated woodchucks by the appearance at different times of WHV DNA and WHV antigens in both leucocytes and serum. WHV DNA was first detected by PCR either in the serum (two cases) or in leucocytes (two cases). The mean percentage of cells positive for membrane associated WHsAg or WHcAg detected by cytofluorometry were 37%±25 and 17%±15 respectively. After 8 weeks, all inoculated animals were WHsAg positive in serum. These data suggest that PBMC are involved in the early events of hepadnavirus infection. They also show that sera which are positive by PCR for WHV DNA may transmit viral infection even while still seronegative for WHV markers and for WHV DNA by dot blot.