Development of a selective pseudosubstrate-based peptide inhibitor of pp60c-src protein tyrosine kinase

Summary Using a combinatorial peptide library method, we identified YIYGSFK as an efficient and specific peptide substrate for pp60^c-src protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) [Lam et al., Int. J. Pept. Protein Res., 45 (1995) 587]. Employing YIYGSFK as a template, we synthesized and evaluated a series of pseudosubstrate-based inhibitors for pp60^c-src. We found that the efficiency of a given inhibitor was highly dependent on the specific tyrosine analog used at the phosphorylation site of the substrate. One of these pseudosubstrate inhibitors, YI(2-Nal)GSFK, selectively inhibited the kinase activity of pp60^c-src, with a K_i of 24 M. This peptide inhibitor exhibited selectivity for pp60^c-src as compared to other PTKs tested, such as c-Abl and Bcr-Abl. Our results suggest that selective inhibitors for a specific PTK can be developed when the structure of a specific and efficient small peptide substrate for this PTK can be used as a template for structure modification.Abbreviations 1-Nal l-1-naphthylalanine - 2-Nal l-2-naphthylalanine - BOP benzotriazolyl-N-oxy-tris(dimethylamino)-phosphonium hexafluorophosphate - BSA bovine serum albumin - cAPK cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase - DIEA diisopropylethylamine - EGFR epidermal growth factor receptor - Fmoc fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl - HOBt 1-hydroxybenzotriazole - MES 2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid - PBS phosphate-buffered salts - pCl l-p-chlorophenylalanine - pF l-p-fluorophenylalanine - PTK protein tyrosine kinase - TLC thin-layer chromatography     

Effects of nitrogen source and NaCl stress on oil production in Vischeria sp. WL1 (Eustigmatophyceae) isolated from dryland biological soil crusts in China

Journal of Applied Phycology - A new strain of Eustigmatophyceae, Vischeria sp. WL1, which accumulates oil droplets in the cells, was isolated from a large biological soil crust in the arid steppes...     

Contribution of the 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor in the anti-metastatic PSP94-derived peptide PCK3145 cell surface binding

PURPOSE: PCK3145 is an anti-metastatic synthetic peptide with promising therapeutic efficacy against hormone-refractory prostate cancer. The characterization of the PCK3145 peptide cell surface binding/internalization mechanisms and of the receptors involved remained to be explored. RESULTS: [(14)C]PCK3145 cell surface binding assays showed rapid and transient kinetic profile, that was inhibited by RGD peptides, laminin, hyaluronan, and type-I collagen. RGD peptides were however unable to inhibit PCK3145 intracellular uptake. Far-Western ligand binding studies enabled the identification of the 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor (37LRP) as a potential ligand for PCK3145. Overexpression of the recombinant 37LRP indeed led to an increase in PCK3145 binding but unexpectedly not to its uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the implication of laminin receptors in cell surface binding and in transducing PCK3145 anti-metastatic effects, and provide a rational for targeting cancers that express high levels of such laminin receptors.     

Pancreatic mitochondrial complex I exhibits aberrant hyperactivity in diabetes

It is well established that NADH/NAD⁺ redox balance is heavily perturbed in diabetes, and the NADH/NAD⁺ redox imbalance is a major source of oxidative stress in diabetic tissues. In mitochondria, complex I is the only site for NADH oxidation and NAD⁺ regeneration and is also a major site for production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Yet how complex I responds to the NADH/NAD⁺ redox imbalance and any potential consequences of such response in diabetic pancreas have not been investigated. We report here that pancreatic mitochondrial complex I showed aberrant hyperactivity in either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Further studies focusing on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes indicate that complex I hyperactivity could be attenuated by metformin. Moreover, complex I hyperactivity was accompanied by increased activities of complexes II to IV, but not complex V, suggesting that overflow of NADH via complex I in diabetes could be diverted to ROS production. Indeed in diabetic pancreas, ROS production and oxidative stress increased and mitochondrial ATP production decreased, which can be attributed to impaired pancreatic mitochondrial membrane potential that is responsible for increased cell death. Additionally, cellular defense systems such as glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, sirtuin 3, and NQO1 were found to be compromised in diabetic pancreas. Our findings point to the direction that complex I aberrant hyperactivity in pancreas could be a major source of oxidative stress and β cell failure in diabetes. Therefore, inhibiting pancreatic complex I hyperactivity and attenuating its ROS production by various means in diabetes might serve as a promising approach for anti-diabetic therapies.     

嗜热链球菌培养条件的研究

将嗜热链球菌（Ｓｔｒｅｐｔｏｃｏｃｃｕｓｔｈｅｒｍｏｐｈｉｌｕｓ）在６种固体培养基及７种液体培养基中的生长情况进行了比较,结果表明,改良ＩＲＩＥ固体培养基上的溶钙圈大,活菌数最多;在７种液体培养基中亦以改良ＩＲＩＥ的ＯＤ值最高,活菌最多,达８×１０^８／ｍｌ以上。以此培养基做生长曲线,该菌的平衡期为１２～１６ｈ。     

一种适用于双向电泳分析的高效真菌线粒体提取及蛋白质制样方法

用液氮冷冻研磨法破碎真菌菌丝细胞,通过差速和蔗糖密度梯度离心分离纯化板栗疫病菌线粒体,所得线粒体产率(质量比)约为1/10~4。电子显微镜观察和蛋白印迹表明,所制备的线粒体完整性好,没有检测到其它细胞成分的污染。使用膜蛋白裂解液溶解线粒体制备蛋白样品,将蛋白样品200μg上样于pH3~10,24cm的非线性胶条进行等电聚焦,电聚焦后再进行第二向SDS-PAGE电泳分离,经银染获得重复性好、背景清晰、分辨率高(680±15个蛋白质点)的凝胶图谱。随机选择10个蛋白质点进行质谱分析,9个获得有效注释,均为线粒体特异性蛋白质,表明所制备的蛋白样品非常适合双向电泳分析及其后续的质谱鉴定。     

野油菜黄单胞菌分泌组双向电泳样品制备方法的建立

野油菜黄单胞菌野油菜致病变种(Xanthomonas campestris pv.campestris,Xcc)是十字花科植物黑腐病的病原细菌。我们建立了Xcc的蛋白质组学研究平台,用于分离、鉴定该菌的致病相关蛋白。为了减少胞外多糖(exopolysaccharide,EPS)对蛋白材料质量的影响,我们构建了EPS缺陷的Xcc8004ΔgumB突变体。本研究以Xcc8004ΔgumB出发菌株,用诱导培养液培养,取细胞上清通过超滤浓缩得到蛋白质粗提物,分别采用丙酮沉淀法、试剂盒纯化法和丙酮沉淀-试剂盒联用法来纯化蛋白质粗提物,通过比较双向电泳的结果优选最佳的样品制备方法。结果证明丙酮沉淀-试剂盒联用法较为理想,所得双向电泳图片清晰,分辨率高。因此,此方法可以用于制备野油菜黄单胞菌分泌组双向电泳样品,并可以满足进一步研究的需要。     

Three enigmatic BioH isoenzymes are programmed in the early stage of mycobacterial biotin synthesis,an attractive anti-TB drug target

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading infectious diseases of global concern, and one quarter of the world’s population are TB carriers. Biotin metabolism appears to be an attractive anti-TB drug target. However, the first-stage of mycobacterial biotin synthesis is fragmentarily understood. Here we report that three evolutionarily-distinct BioH isoenzymes (BioH1 to BioH3) are programmed in biotin synthesis of Mycobacterium smegmatis. Expression of an individual bioH isoform is sufficient to allow the growth of an Escherichia coli ΔbioH mutant on the non-permissive condition lacking biotin. The enzymatic activity in vitro combined with biotin bioassay in vivo reveals that BioH2 and BioH3 are capable of removing methyl moiety from pimeloyl-ACP methyl ester to give pimeloyl-ACP, a cognate precursor for biotin synthesis. In particular, we determine the crystal structure of dimeric BioH3 at 2.27Å, featuring a unique lid domain. Apart from its catalytic triad, we also dissect the substrate recognition of BioH3 by pimeloyl-ACP methyl ester. The removal of triple bioH isoforms (ΔbioH1/2/3) renders M. smegmatis biotin auxotrophic. Along with the newly-identified Tam/BioC, the discovery of three unusual BioH isoforms defines an atypical ‘BioC-BioH(3)’ paradigm for the first-stage of mycobacterial biotin synthesis. This study solves a long-standing puzzle in mycobacterial nutritional immunity, providing an alternative anti-TB drug target.