Localization of phosphorylase kinase subunits at the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies

Molecular structures related to phosphorylase kinase have been localized by light and electron microscopy in tissue sections of rabbit skeletal muscle employing polyclonal antibodies directed against the holoenzyme as well as monoclonal antibodies specific for its alpha-, beta- or gamma-subunits. In frozen sections of prefixed muscle fibres both known major regions of glycogen deposition, the intermyofibrillar space and the perinuclear area, are stained predominantly. In sections of unfixed muscle in which cytosolic phosphorylase kinase was removed by extensive washes prior to immunostaining the immunolabel is mainly associated with the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). This membrane location is further confirmed by immunoblot analysis of proteins solubilized from isolated SR with Triton X-114. Employing monoclonal antibodies two membrane proteins are identified as the alpha- and beta-subunits of phosphorylase kinase by Western blots. Immunoprecipitates reveal also the gamma-subunit; the delta-subunit, i.e., calmodulin, is enriched with the solubilized enzyme. It proves that a SR membrane associated form of holophosphorylase kinase exists in muscle. Functionally, this kinase might be involved in phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol present on the SR Ca2+ transport ATPase and thereby might play a role in regulation of Ca2+ transport.     

Start sites for bidirectional in vitro DNA replication inside the replication origin, oriC, of Escherichia coli.

In vitro replication of mini-chromosomes in the absence of DNA ligase activity resulted in replication products with single-strand breaks at specific sites. The occurrence of these nicks was coupled to an active replication process, therefore we expect them to represent start sites for DNA replication. Two positions within oriC for each of the two leading strands of bidirectional replication were found. Within each position are one or two start sites. Counterclockwise synthesis started at positions 194/199 and 265/272, clockwise synthesis at positions 209/219 and 254. The start positions are located close to DnaA protein binding sites. A model for initiation accommodating this observation is discussed.     

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate formation in rabbit skeletal and heart muscle membranes

Incubation of rabbit skeletal muscle microsomes or isolated triads with gamma 32P-ATP/Mg2+ in the absence and in the presence of added phosphatidylinositol resulted in the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate catalyzed by phosphatidylinositol kinase. When phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was added as exogenous substrate, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was also formed demonstrating the presence of a membrane bound phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate kinase. Triads were broken mechanically in a French press and separated on a continuous sucrose gradient. Incubation of these fractions with gamma 32P-ATP/Mg2+ resulted in a rapid labeling of phospholipid in a membrane fraction banding between transverse tubules and the terminal cisternae. Partial triad breakage and triad reformation experiments indicated that this phosphatidylinositol kinase was associated with T-tubules. When exogenous phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was employed as substrate phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidic acid were formed, indicating the presence of all the enzymes of the polyphosphoinositide signaling system in this special membrane fraction. In contrast, heart muscle microsomes or plasma membranes can catalyze this reaction sequence from endogenous formed phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate.