Abnormal intracellular sorting of O-linked carbohydrate-deficient interleukin-2 receptors.

The synthesis and intracellular sorting of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor were studied with a line of mutant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with a reversible defect in protein O glycosylation. Under normal culture conditions the mutant ldlD cannot add N-acetylgalactosamine (Ga1NAc) to proteins. Ga1NAc is the first sugar of mucin-type O-linked oligosaccharides attached to protein. This O-glycosylation defect is rapidly corrected when Ga1NAc is added to the culture mediu. An expression vector for the p55 human IL-2 receptor was transfected into wild-type CHO and ldlD cells and the structure, stability, and cell surface expression of the receptor were examined by immunoprecipitation and antibody-binding assays. Essentially all of the mature form of the normally glycosylated IL-2 receptor in both wild-type CHO cells and ldlD cells incubated with Ga1NAc was expressed on the cell surface. The stability of O-linked carbohydrate-deficient (Od) IL-2 receptors (in ldlD cells without Ga1NAc) was normal; however, missorting of the Od receptors resulted in very little cell surface expression. The sialidase sensitivity and endoglycosidase H resistance of mature Od IL-2 receptors suggest that Od receptor missorting occurred in or beyond the trans Golgi apparatus. The abnormal sorting of the Od IL-2 receptor is compared with the O-glycosylation dependence of the surface expression and stability of the low-density lipoprotein receptor, decay-accelerating factor, and the major antigen envelope protein of Epstein-Barr virus.     

Binding, internalization, and intracellular localization of interleukin-1 beta in human diploid fibroblasts

This study demonstrates internalization of interleukin-1 (IL-1) via its cell surface receptor on human diploid fibroblasts and shows intracellular localization of IL-1 beta. Binding experiments at 8 degrees C using confluent fibroblast monolayers revealed 5,000-15,000 IL-1 receptors/cell that bound both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. Incubation of monolayers with 125I-IL-1 beta (10(-9) M) at 8 degrees C and then at 37 degrees C for various times up to 8 h revealed a t1/2 for internalization of receptor-bound IL-1 beta of about 1.5 h. In addition, it was shown that IL-1 beta internalized via receptors was undegraded and retained binding activity. Electron microscopic autoradiography of monolayers incubated with 125I-IL-1 beta, as above, showed a progressive increase in the ratio of cytoplasmic to cell surface-associated grains. Grains at the cell surface were primarily localized at cell processes or attachment sites, frequently close to intra- and extracellular filamentous material. During incubation at 37 degrees C, most grains were free in the cytoplasm, with few present in lysosomes or vesicles. After 1 h, approximately 15% of the grains were over nuclei. Control cultures incubated at 37 degrees C with 125I-IL-1 beta and 100-fold excess unlabeled IL-1 beta showed increased uptake of label into lysosomes and little into nuclei. This study shows that IL-1 receptors are primarily located at fibroblast processes and that receptor-mediated internalization of the ligand is slow. Nuclear localization apparently requires IL-1 receptor-specific internalization of IL-1 beta, suggesting a possible role for this process in eliciting the IL-1 signal.     

The characterization of a mutant affecting DNA metabolism in the development of D. melanogaster

Using a "single-fly" nucleic acid hybridization method, we have surveyed a collection of D. melanogaster strains in search of variants which affect DNA complementary to the polypyrimidine sequence corresponding to one strand of the 1.705 satellite. Hybridization of labelled polypyrimidine probe to polypurine sequence in nucleic acid extracts of single flies, followed by thermal chromatography over hydroxyapatite led to the identification of one variant. The strain Cy/M(2)S2(10) produced excess hybrid, much of which had low thermal stability. A developmental analysis of the low-melt hybrid phenotype showed that certain tissues, in particular the ovaries, were affected. In addition to the biochemical phenotype, the break down of nurse cell nuclei in Cy/M(2)S2(10) ovaries during oocyte maturation was abnormal. A genetic analysis demonstrated that both the biochemical and cytological phenotypes were the consequences of a single recessive mutation in the DNase-1 gene on chromosome III. Studies with purified DNA demonstrated that the low-melt hybrid phenotype resulted from the accumulation of low molecular weight DNA complementary to the polypyrimidine probe.     

Enhancement of habitat heterogeneity and species richness on rocky shores inundated by sand

Summary Many rocky shores are subject to periodic inundation by sand, which is often thought to reduce species richness by eliminating organisms intolerant of sand scour or sand smothering. However, regular disturbance (e.g. inundation) should promote richness by preventing the development of low diversity climax communities. A study of faunal richness on 10 regularly inundated shores showed that inundation does promote richness, but by increasing habitat heterogeneity. Some species are excluded from parts of the shore by sand, but because of the patchiness of sand deposits they are rarely excluded from the entire shore. Other species are found only on rocks associated with sand, while typically sandy shore animals occur in the sand deposits themselves. Total richness (281 species) was greater than for local noninundated shores and sandy beaches combined.     

Isolation and characterization of plasma membrane-associated cortical granules from sea urchin eggs

Cortical granules, which are specialized secretory organelles found in ova of many organisms, have been isolated from the eggs of the sea urchins Arbacia punctulata and Strongylocentrtus pupuratus by a simple, rapid procedure. Electron micropscope examination of cortical granules prepared by this procedure reveals that they are tightly attached to large segments of the plasma membrane and its associated vitelline layer. Further evidence that he cortical granules were associated with these cell surface layers was obtained by (125)I-labeling techniques. The cortical granule preparations were found to be rich in proteoesterase, which was purified 32-fold over that detected in a crude homogenate. Similarly, the specific radioactivity of a (125)I-labeled, surface glycoprotein was increased 40-fold. These facts, coupled with electron microscope observations, indicate the isolation procedure yields a preparation in which both the cortical granules and the plasma membrane-vitelline layer are purified to the same extent. Gel electrophoresis of the membrane-associated cortical granule preparation reveals the presence of at least eight polypeptides. The major polypeptide, which is a glycotprotein of apparent mol wt of 100,000, contains most of the radioactivity introduced by (125)I-labeling of the intact eggs. Lysis of the cortical granules is observed under hypotonic conditions, or under isotonic conditions if Ca(2+) ion is present. When lysis is under isotonic conditions is induced by addition of Ca(2+) ion, the electron-dense contents of the granules remain insoluble. In contrast, hypotonic lysis results in release of the contents of the granule in a soluble form. However, in both cases the (125)I-labeled glycoprotein remains insoluble, presumably because it is a component of either the plasma membrane or the vitelline layer. All these findings indicate that, using this purified preparation, it should be possible to carry out in vitro studies to better define some of the initial, surface-related events observed in vivo upon fertilization.     

The combining site of the dinitrophenyl-binding immunoglobulin A myeloma protein MOPC 315

Magnetic-resonance techniques are used to refine the model of the combining site of the Fv fragment of the dinitrophenyl-binding mouse myeloma protein MOPC 315 constructed by Padlan, Davies, Pecht, Givol & Wright (1976) (Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 41, in the press). Light-absorption studies indicate a dinitrophenyl–tryptophan interaction in the Fv fragment of the type occurring in free solution. The Dnp-aspartate–tryptophan complex is therefore used as a starting point for the n.m.r. (nuclear-magnetic-resonance) analysis of the dinitrophenyl–Fv fragment interaction. Ring-current calculations are used to determine the geometry of the complex. The specificity of complex-formation between dinitrophenyl and tryptophan is confirmed by the lack of ring-current shifts of the dinitrophenyl resonances when tryptophan is replaced by any other aromatic amino acid. Proton n.m.r. difference spectra (at 270MHz), resulting from the addition of a variety of haptens to the Fv fragment, show that the combining site is highly aromatic in nature. Calculations on the basis of ring-current shifts define the geometry of the combining site, which involves a dinitrophenyl ring in van der Waals contact with four aromatic amino acid residues on the protein. The observation of a nuclear Overhauser effect on the H₍₃₎ resonance of the dinitrophenyl ring provides additional constraints on the relative geometry of the H₍₃₎ proton and an aromatic amino acid residue on the Fv fragment. The specificity of the Fv fragment for dinitrophenyl ligands arises from a stacking interaction of the dinitrophenyl ring with tryptophan-93_L, in an `aromatic box' of essentially tryptophan-93_L, phenylalanine-34_H and tyrosine-34_L; asparagine-36_L and tyrosine-34_L also contribute by forming hydrogen bonds with the nitro groups on the dinitrophenyl ring. The n.m.r. results also confirm that the antibody–hapten reaction may be visualized as a single encounter step. An Appendix shows the method of calculation of ring currents for the four aromatic amino acids and their use in calculating structures.     

Aggregation-dependent turnover of flagellar adhesion molecules in chlamydomonas gametes

Previous studies on flagellar adhesion in chlamydomonas (Snell, W. and S. Roseman. 1979. J. Biol. Chem. 254:10820-10829.) have shown that as gametes adhere to flagella isolated from gametes of the opposite mating type, the adhsiveness of the added flagella but not of the gametes is lost. The studies reported here show that the addition of protein synthesis inhibitors (cycloheximide [CH] or anisomycin) to the medium of such cell- flagella mixtures causes the cells to lose their adhesiveness. This loss, however, occurs only after the cells have interacted with 4-8 flagella/cell and does not occur if the cells are kept in CH (7 h) without aggregating. The availability of an impotent (imp) mating type plus (MT(+)) mutant (provided by U.W. Goodenough), which adheres but is unable to undergo the fusion that normally follows adhesion, made it possible to determine whether a similar loss of adhesiveness occurs in mixtures of matting type minus (mt(-)) and imp mt(+) gametes. In the absence of inhibitor, mt(-) and imp mt(+) gametes adhered to each other (without fusing) for several hours; however, in the presence of CH or anisomycin, the gametes began to de-adhere 35 min after mixing, and, by 90 min, 100 percent of the cells were single again. This effect was reversible, and the rapid turnover of cells were single again. This effect was reversible, and the rapid turnover of molecules involved in adhesion occurred only during adhesion inasmuch as gametes pretreated for 4 h with CH were able to aggregate in CH for the same length of time as nonpretreated cells aggregated in CH. By the addition of CH at various times after the mt(-) and imp mt(+) gametes were mixed, measurements were made of the “pool size” of the molecules involved in adhesion. The pool reached a minimum after 25 min of aggregation, rapidly increased for the next 25 min, and then leveled off at the premixing level. These results suggest that flagellar adhesion in chlamydomonas causes modification of surface molecules (receptors, ligands), which brings about their inactivation and stimulates their replacement.