Immunolocalization of β-1-4-galactan and its relationship with lignin distribution in developing compression wood of Cryptomeria japonica

Compression wood (CW) contains higher quantities of β-1-4-galactan than does normal wood (NW). However, the physiological roles and ultrastructural distribution of β-1-4-galactan during CW formation are still not well understood. The present work investigated deposition of β-1-4-galactan in differentiating tracheids of Cryptomeria japonica during CW formation using an immunological probe (LM5) combined with immunomicroscopy. Our immunolabeling studies clearly showed that differences in the distribution of β-1-4-galactan between NW (and opposite wood, OW) and CW are initiated during the formation of the S₁ layer. At this stage, CW was strongly labeled in the S₁ layer, whereas no label was observed in the S₁ layer of NW and OW. Immunogold labeling showed that β-1-4-galactan in the S₁ layer of CW tracheids significantly decreased during the formation of the S₂ layer. Most β-1-4-galactan labeling was present in the outer S₂ region in mature CW tracheids, and was absent in the inner S₂ layer that contained helical cavities in the cell wall. In addition, delignified CW tracheids showed significantly more labeling of β-1-4-galactan in the secondary cell wall, suggesting that lignin is likely to mask β-1-4-galactan epitopes. The study clearly showed that β-1-4-galactan in CW was mainly deposited in the outer portion of the secondary cell wall, indicating that its distribution may be spatially consistent with lignin distribution in CW tracheids of Cryptomeria japonica.     

Calcium influx in a single rat basophilic leukemia cell as revealed with a digital imaging fluorescence microscope

Using a digital imaging fluorescence microscope, we have detected a rapid transient increase in the free cytosolic calcium concentration in a single rat basophilic leukemia cell (RBL-2H3) after antigen stimulation. Calcium ions were transported very rapidly (within 1 s) after a lag time (about 10 s at 37 degrees C) from the external environment into the cytoplasm. On the basis of the present experimental results we conclude that the gradual changes in the overall fluorescence intensity observed for a cell suspension are due to the distribution of different lag times shown by different cells as to the calcium influx through membrane calcium channels.     

Phorbol myristate acetate inhibits increases in membrane fluidity induced by anti-IgM in B cells

Anti-IgM or anti-IgD stimulates B cells to induce increases in inositol phospholipid metabolism and intracellular free calcium concentration [( Ca2+]i). Anti-IgM also causes increases in membrane fluidity that occur more promptly than those in [Ca2+]i in resting B cells as well as BAL17 B lymphoma cells. However, other B cell activators such as LPS or PMA did not induce the membrane fluidity changes. Furthermore, sodium fluoride, which is considered to be an activator of the guanine nucleotide-binding protein, caused increases in membrane fluidity as well as increased [Ca2+]i or inositol phospholipid metabolism. Anti-IgM- or sodium fluoride-induced increases in membrane fluidity were inhibited by 20-min pretreatment of cells with PMA, but not by 24-h pretreatment. These results indicate that membrane fluidity changes are closely associated with increased [Ca2+]i after cross-linkage of membrane Ig and are regulated by protein kinase C in B cells.     

Carbohydrate structures of acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica and distribution of oligosaccharides among the subunits

The structure of carbohydrates in acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo californica is reported. Oligosaccharides released quantitatively from the whole molecule by N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase digestion were fractionated by thin-layer chromatography and further purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. We show that more than 70% of the total oligosaccharide chains in Torpedo AChR are of the high-mannose type with the structures (Man)8(GlcNAc)2 and (Man)9(GlcNAc)2. The structure of these oligosaccharides were determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These two types of oligosaccharides were shown to be distributed different proportions in all subunits of Torpedo AChR. We also show that several kinds of complex-type oligosaccharides comprising the rest of the carbohydrate in the protein exist mainly in the gamma and delta subunits. The structure of the carbohydrate moiety that is distributed on the four subunits of AChR was also examined by susceptibility to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and sialidase and by binding affinity to lectins, e.g. concanavalin A, leucoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin, and wheat germ agglutinin.     

Location in Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors of Sites for [3H]Propylbenzilcholine Mustard Binding and for Phosphorylation with Protein Kinase C

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors purified from porcine cerebra or atria were covalently labeled with [3H]propylbenzilylcholine mustard ([3H]PrBCM), and then the labeled receptors were subjected to limited hydrolysis with trypsin, V8 protease, and lysyl endopeptidase, followed by analysis involving sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, fluorography, autoradiography, or immunostaining. The labeled peptides were located on the basis of their reactivity with antibodies raised against three synthetic peptides with partial sequences of the m1 or m2 receptor, and of their sensitivity to endoglycosidase F, which was taken as evidence that they contain glycosylation sites near the N terminus. The [3H]PrBCM-binding site in both cerebral and atrial receptors was found to be located between the N terminus and the second intracellular loop, because the size of the smallest deglycosylated peptide that contained both the [3H]PrBCM-binding and glycosylation sites was approximately 16 kDa. Cerebral receptors were 32P-phosphorylated with protein kinase C, and the major phosphorylation sites in cerebral muscarinic receptors were found to be located in a C-terminal segment including a part of the third intracellular loop, because a 32P-labeled peptide of 12-14 kDa reacted with anti-(m1 C-terminal peptide) antiserum. The presence of an intramolecular disulfide bond, probably between Cys 98 and Cys 178 in the first and second extracellular loops, respectively, was suggested by the finding that a peptide of approximately 17 kDa containing the [3H]PrBCM-binding site, but not the glycosylation sites, was partly converted to a peptide of approximately 12 kDa on treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol.     

A receptor-binding peptide from human interleukin-6: isolation and a proton nuclear magnetic resonance study.

In order to locate the receptor-binding region of human interleukin-6 (IL-6), twelve peptide fragments were prepared by digestion of IL-6 with lysylendopeptidase. A significant activity of the receptor-binding was observed only for a peptide Ile88-Lys121, although the activity was estimated at 10(4)-fold less than that of intact IL-6. Solution structure of the peptide Ile88-Lys121 was analyzed by using two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results indicate the presence of alpha-helices in the regions Leu93-Phe106 and Glu110-Ser119. On the basis of the NMR data, we also prepared two peptides. Four-fold less binding activity than that of the peptide Ile88-Lys121 was observed for the peptide Ile88-Arg105, but no activity for the peptide Glu110-Lys121. These results suggest that the helical peptide Ile88-Arg105 composes a part of the receptor-binding region.     

Three-dimensional solution structure of the B domain of staphylococcal protein A: comparisons of the solution and crystal structures.

The three-dimensional solution structure of the recombinant B domain (FB) of staphylococcal protein A, which specifically binds to the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G, was determined by NMR spectroscopy and hybrid distance geometry-dynamical simulated annealing calculations. On the basis of 692 experimental constraints including 587 distance constraints obtained from the nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE), 57 torsion angle (phi, chi 1) constraints, and 48 constraints associated with 24 hydrogen bonds, a total of 10 converged structures of FB were obtained. The atomic root mean square difference among the 10 converged structures is 0.52 +/- 0.10 A for the backbone atoms and 0.98 +/- 0.08 A for all heavy atoms (excluding the N-terminal segment from Thr1 to Glu9 and the C-terminal segment from Gln56 to Ala60, which are partially disordered). FB is composed of a bundle of three alpha-helices, i.e., helix I (Gln10-His19), helix II (Glu25-Asp37), and helix III (Ser42-Ala55). Helix II and helix III are antiparallel to each other, whereas the long axis of helix I is tilted at an angle of about 30 degrees with respect to those of helix II and helix III. Most of the hydrophobic residues of FB are buried in the interior of the bundle of the three helices. It is suggested that the buried hydrophobic residues form a hydrophobic core, contributing to the stability of FB.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Some properties and occurrence of cytochrome c-552 in the aerobic photosynthetic bacterium Roseobacter denitrificans

Characteristics and occurrence of cytochrome c-552 from an aerobic photosynthetic bacterium, Roseobacter denitrificans, were described.Relative molecular mass of the cytrochrome was 13.5 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and 15,000 by gel filtration. This cytochrome was a acidic protein having a pI of 5.6 and E_m was +215 mV at pH 7.0. Absorption peaks were at 278, 408 and 524 nm in the oxidized form and 416, 523 and 552 nm in the reduced form.Amino acid composition and N-terminal amino acid sequence of cytochrome c-552 determined for 24 residues had low similarities to those of cytochrome c-551 of this bacterium, which is homologous to cytochrome c ₂, although the physico-chemical properties of these two cytochromes were similar to each other.Cytochrome c-552 was maximally synthesized in the light under aerobic conditions but not in the dark. The synthesis also occurred in the presence of alternative acceptors such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and nitrate under anaerobic conditions. Our results suggest that cytochrome c-552 is involved in TMAO respiration and denitrification in R. denitrificans, although the effect of light remains to be solved.Abbreviations E_m Midpoint redox potential - PAGE Polyacrylamide ge electrophoresis - SDS-PAGE Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - TMAO Trimethylamine N-oxide     

Structural analyses of a channel-forming fragment of colicin E1 incorporated into lipid vesicles. Fourier-transform infrared and tryptophan fluorescence studies.

Structural changes upon binding to the membrane of a COOH-terminal channel-forming thermolytic fragment of colicin E1 have been studied by means of a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Circular dichroism measurements show that the thermolytic fragment predominantly takes a helical structure in aqueous and detergent solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic measurements indicate that the content of the beta-structure is significantly increased when the thermolytic fragment is bound to vesicles. On the basis of the result of tryptophan fluorescence measurements, we have concluded that each of the three tryptophan residues of the thermolytic fragment exists in different environments, i.e. one is buried in the lipid bilayer, one exists on the cis side of the vesicles, and one exists near the surface of the lipid bilayer. The Fourier transform infrared and fluorescence data have been used along with the crystal structure of colicin A, which is highly homologous to colicin E1 in structure and function, to propose a model of the thermolytic fragment bound to the lipid vesicles.