Purification and Characterization of S-adenosylmethionine Synthetase from Wheat Embryos: Subunit Structure and Molecular Properties

S-adenosylmethionine synthetase from wheat embryos was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The mol wt of the enzyme was 174,000 as determined by molecular sieve chromatography on Sephacryl S-200. A single subunit of purified AdoMet synthetase was observed on SOS-PAGE with a mol wt of 84,000 suggesting that the enzyme is a homodimer. The apparent Km of purified enzyme with ATP and methionine is 80 μM and 100 μM, respectively. The pH optimum of the enzyme is 7.75. The enzyme requires MgCb, KCI and reduced glutathione for optimum activity. The ³H-labelled putative S-adenosylmethionine reaction product was converted into ³H-labelled 5′-methyl-thioadenosine by heat treatment (100°C, 10 min, pH 7.0). This proved the authenticity of the reaction product of the AdoMet synthetase in wheat embryos.     

Phytohormonal regulation of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase by gibberellic acid in wheat aleurones.

Gibberellic acid (GA3) brought about a 3-fold stimulation of AdoMet synthetase activity in wheat aleurones. At the qualitative level, three isozymes of AdoMet synthetase were observed by DE-52 chromatography in GA3-treated wheat aleurones. In contrast, the control wheat aleurones showed a single isozyme. Thus the phytohormone (GA3, 1 microM) induced two additional isozymes of AdoMet synthetase in wheat aleurones. The activity of all the three isozymes in GA3-treated aleurones was considerably decreased by the simultaneous presence of abscisic acid (ABA, 10 microM). Cycloheximide (20 micrograms/ml) also significantly lowered the levels of the three isozymes of AdoMet synthetase in Ga3-treated aleurones, thereby suggesting the requirement of de-novo protein synthesis for the complete induction of isozymes. However, wheat aleurones excised from embryonated wheat seeds, did not require the application of GA3 for the induction of two additional isozymes of AdoMet synthetase. Apparently, the transport of GA3 from the embryo to aleurones induced two new isozymes of AdoMet synthetase. Three isozymes of AdoMet synthetase were also observed in wheat embryos excised from germinated wheat grains, without exogenous application of GA3. The molecular weight of all the three isozymes of AdoMet synthetase in wheat system is 181,000. The molecular weight of the subunit of the enzyme is 84,000. The dimeric nature of AdoMet synthetase was established by SDS-PAGE analysis of the purified enzyme. In-vitro hybridization of two flanking isozymic peaks I and III by NaCl-freeze-thaw method resulted in the appearance of an additional middle activity peak (isozyme II). However, no additional isozymic peaks were generated when isozymic peaks I and III were individually given a freeze-thaw treatment. Thus the flanking isozymic peaks I and III represent homodimers that differed in their net charge. In contrast, the middle isozymic activity peak II, when subjected to NaCl-freeze-thaw treatments yielded two additional isozymic peaks, I and III, thereby suggesting its heterodimeric nature. We envisage that the three isozymes in GA3-treated wheat aleurone layers are formed by the random dimerization of two classes of enzyme subunits. The two enzyme subunits which differ in their net charge could be the product of two genes of AdoMet synthetase (SAM1 and SAM2). Based on this assumption, we propose that a single isozyme I in water imbibed control wheat aleurones is the product of SAM1 gene of AdoMet synthetase. The occurrence of three isozymes in GA3-treated aleurones could be ascribed to the expression of an alternate gene of AdoMet synthetase (SAM2 gene).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Opioid Peptides: An Overview of Functional Significance

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Bioactive peptides have been reported to exhibit opioid-like activity and are termed as opioid peptides. Either these are produced...     

Mixed company: a framework for understanding the composition and organization of mixed‐species animal groups

Mixed‐species animal groups (MSGs) are widely acknowledged to increase predator avoidance and foraging efficiency, among other benefits, and thereby increase participants' fitness. Diversity in MSG composition ranges from two to 70 species of very similar or completely different phenotypes. Yet consistency in organization is also observable in that one or a few species usually have disproportionate importance for MSG formation and/or maintenance. We propose a two‐dimensional framework for understanding this diversity and consistency, concentrating on the types of interactions possible between two individuals, usually of different species. One axis represents the similarity of benefit types traded between the individuals, while the second axis expresses asymmetry in the relative amount of benefits/costs accrued. Considering benefit types, one extreme represents the case of single‐species groups wherein all individuals obtain the same supplementary, group‐size‐related benefits, and the other extreme comprises associations of very different, but complementary species (e.g. one partner creates access to food while the other provides vigilance). The relevance of social information and the matching of activities (e.g. speed of movement) are highest for relationships on the supplementary side of this axis, but so is competition; relationships between species will occur at points along this gradient where the benefits outweigh the costs. Considering benefit amounts given or received, extreme asymmetry occurs when one species is exclusively a benefit provider and the other a benefit user. Within this parameter space, some MSG systems are constrained to one kind of interaction, such as shoals of fish of similar species or leader–follower interactions in fish and other taxa. Other MSGs, such as terrestrial bird flocks, can simultaneously include a variety of supplementary and complementary interactions. We review the benefits that species obtain across the diversity of MSG types, and argue that the degree and nature of asymmetry between benefit providers and users should be measured and not just assumed. We then discuss evolutionary shifts in MSG types, focusing on drivers towards similarity in group composition, and selection on benefit providers to enhance the benefits they can receive from other species. Finally, we conclude by considering how individual and collective behaviour in MSGs may influence both the structure and processes of communities.     

Secreted Proteases Control Autolysin-mediated Biofilm Growth of Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus epidermidis, a commensal of humans, secretes Esp protease to prevent Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and colonization. Blocking S. aureus colonization may reduce the incidence of invasive infectious diseases; however, the mechanism whereby Esp disrupts biofilms is unknown. We show here that Esp cleaves autolysin (Atl)-derived murein hydrolases and prevents staphylococcal release of DNA, which serves as extracellular matrix in biofilms. The three-dimensional structure of Esp was revealed by x-ray crystallography and shown to be highly similar to that of S. aureus V8 (SspA). Both atl and sspA are necessary for biofilm formation, and purified SspA cleaves Atl-derived murein hydrolases. Thus, S. aureus biofilms are formed via the controlled secretion and proteolysis of autolysin, and this developmental program appears to be perturbed by the Esp protease of S. epidermidis.     

Pharmacological properties and predicted binding mode of arylmethylene quinuclidine-like derivatives at the α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)

We have carried out a pharmacological evaluation of arylmethylene quinuclidine derivatives interactions with human α3β4 nAChRs subtype, using cell-based receptor binding, calcium-influx, electrophysiological patch-clamp assays and molecular modeling techniques. We have found that the compounds bind competitively to the α3β4 receptor with micromolar affinities and some of the compounds behave as non-competitive antagonists (compounds 1, 2 and 3), displaying submicromolar IC₅₀ values. These evidences suggest a mixed mode of action for these compounds, having interactions at the orthosteric site and more pronounced interactions at an allosteric site to block agonist effects. One of the compounds, 1-benzyl-3-(diphenylmethylene)-1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane chloride (compound 3), exhibited poorly reversible use-dependent block of α3β4 channels. We also found that removal of a phenyl group from compound 1 confers a partial agonism to the derived analog (compound 6). Introducing a hydrogen-bond acceptor into the 3-benzylidene quinuclidine derivative (compound 7) increases agonism potency at the α3β4 receptor subtype. Docking into the orthosteric binding site of a α3β4 protein structure derived by comparative modeling accurately predicted the experimentally-observed trend in binding affinity. Results supported the notion that binding requires a hydrogen bond formation between the ligand basic nitrogen and the backbone carbonyl oxygen atom of the conserved Trp-149.     

The Actin Filament-Binding Protein Coronin Regulates Motility in Plasmodium Sporozoites

Parasites causing malaria need to migrate in order to penetrate tissue barriers and enter host cells. Here we show that the actin filament-binding protein coronin regulates gliding motility in Plasmodium berghei sporozoites, the highly motile forms of a rodent malaria-causing parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. Parasites lacking coronin show motility defects that impair colonization of the mosquito salivary glands but not migration in the skin, yet result in decreased transmission efficiency. In non-motile sporozoites low calcium concentrations mediate actin-independent coronin localization to the periphery. Engagement of extracellular ligands triggers an intracellular calcium release followed by the actin-dependent relocalization of coronin to the rear and initiation of motility. Mutational analysis and imaging suggest that coronin organizes actin filaments for productive motility. Using coronin-mCherry as a marker for the presence of actin filaments we found that protein kinase A contributes to actin filament disassembly. We finally speculate that calcium and cAMP-mediated signaling regulate a switch from rapid parasite motility to host cell invasion by differentially influencing actin dynamics.