Changes in fiber composition of soleus muscle during rat hindlimb suspension

Chronic reduction of gravitational load in the rear limbs of rats to simulate the influence of near-zero gravity in skeletal muscles has been shown previously to elicit atrophy in the soleus muscle. Use of this model by the present investigation indicates that soleus atrophy was characterized by a decline in the number of fibers in groups that contained the slow isoenzyme of myosin and which were classified as type I from intensity of staining to myofibrillar actomyosin adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) and to NADH tetrazolium reductase. Furthermore total fiber number was not changed, whereas fibers containing the intermediate isoenzyme and those classified as type IIa increased. There results could be explained by either a change in the composition within existing fibers or a simultaneous loss of slow fibers and de novo synthesis of intermediate and fast fibers. Evidence for transformation included an absence of embryonic or neonatal myosin in muscles from suspended rats and the constant fiber number that was unchanged by 4 wk of suspension. Furthermore although fiber areas of both groups of type I and IIa fibers declined during suspension, variability of the fiber areas within each group did not increase.     

Comparison of dynamics of wildtype and V94M human UDP-galactose 4-epimerase—A computational perspective on severe epimerase-deficiency galactosemia

UDP-galactose 4′-epimerase (GALE) catalyzes the interconversion of UDP-galactose and UDP-glucose, an important step in galactose catabolism. Type III galactosemia, an inherited metabolic disease, is associated with mutations in human GALE. The V94M mutation has been associated with a very severe form of type III galactosemia. While a variety of structural and biochemical studies have been reported that elucidate differences between the wildtype and this mutant form of human GALE, little is known about the dynamics of the protein and how mutations influence structure and function. We performed molecular dynamics simulations on the wildtype and V94M enzyme in different states of substrate and cofactor binding. In the mutant, the average distance between the substrate and both a key catalytic residue (Tyr157) and the enzyme-bound NAD⁺ cofactor and the active site dynamics are altered making substrate binding slightly less stable. However, overall stability or dynamics of the protein is not altered. This is consistent with experimental findings that the impact is largely on the turnover number (k_cat), with less substantial effects on K_m. Active site fluctuations were found to be correlated in enzyme with substrate bound to just one of the subunits in the homodimer suggesting inter-subunit communication. Greater active site loop mobility in human GALE compared to the equivalent loop in Escherichia coli GALE explains why the former can catalyze the interconversion of UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine while the bacterial enzyme cannot. This work illuminates molecular mechanisms of disease and may inform the design of small molecule therapies for type III galactosemia.     

IQ-motif peptides as novel anti-microbial agents

The IQ-motif is an amphipathic, often positively charged, α-helical, calmodulin binding sequence found in a number of eukaryote signalling, transport and cytoskeletal proteins. They share common biophysical characteristics with established, cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides, such as the human cathelicidin LL-37. Therefore, we tested eight peptides encoding the sequences of IQ-motifs derived from the human cytoskeletal scaffolding proteins IQGAP2 and IQGAP3. Some of these peptides were able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) comparable to LL-37. In addition some IQ-motifs had activity against the fungus Candida albicans. This antimicrobial activity is combined with low haemolytic activity (comparable to, or lower than, that of LL-37). Those IQ-motifs with anti-microbial activity tended to be able to bind to lipopolysaccharide. Some of these were also able to permeabilise the cell membranes of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. These results demonstrate that IQ-motifs are viable lead sequences for the identification and optimisation of novel anti-microbial peptides. Thus, further investigation of the anti-microbial properties of this diverse group of sequences is merited.     

FhCaBP3: A Fasciola hepatica calcium binding protein with EF-hand and dynein light chain domains

A DNA sequence encoding a protein with predicted EF-hand and dynein light chain binding domains was identified in a Fasciola hepatica EST library. Sequence analysis of the encoded protein revealed that the most similar known protein was the Fasciola gigantica protein FgCaBP3 and so this newly identified protein was named FhCaBP3. Molecular modelling of FhCaBP3 predicted a highly flexible N-terminal region, followed by a domain containing two EF-hand motifs the second of which is likely to be a functioning divalent ion binding site. The C-terminal domain of the protein contains a dynein light chain like region. Interestingly, molecular modelling predicts that calcium ion binding to the N-terminal domain destabilises the β-sheet structure of the C-terminal domain. FhCaBP3 can be expressed in, and purified from, Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein dimerises and the absence of calcium ions appeared to promote dimerisation. Native gel shift assays demonstrated that the protein bound to calcium and manganese ions, but not to magnesium, barium, zinc, strontium, nickel, copper or cadmium ions. FhCaBP3 interacted with the calmodulin antagonists trifluoperazine, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide and chlorpromazine as well as the myosin regulatory light chain-binding drug praziquantel. Despite sequence and structural similarities to other members of the same protein family from F. hepatica, FhCaBP3 has different biochemical properties to the other well characterised family members, FH22 and FhCaBP4. This suggests that each member of this trematode calcium-binding family has discrete functional roles within the organism.     

Characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae galactose mutarotase/UDP-galactose 4-epimerase protein, Gal10p

Saccharomyces cerevisiae and some related yeasts are unusual in that two of the enzyme activities (galactose mutarotase and UDP-galactose 4-epimerase) required for the Leloir pathway of d-galactose catabolism are contained within a single protein-Gal10p. The recently solved structure of the protein shows that the two domains are separate and have similar folds to the separate enzymes from other species. The biochemical properties of Gal10p have been investigated using recombinant protein expressed in, and purified from, Escherichia coli. Protein-protein crosslinking confirmed that Gal10p is a dimer in solution and this state is unaffected by the presence of substrates. The steady-state kinetic parameters of the epimerase reaction are similar to those of the human enzyme, and are not affected by simultaneous activity at the mutarotase active site. The mutarotase active site has a strong preference for galactose over glucose, and is not affected by simultaneous epimerase activity. This absence of reciprocal kinetic effects between the active sites suggests that they act independently and do not influence or regulate each other.     

Artemisinins act through at least two targets in a yeast model

Artemisinin and related compounds are potent and widely used antimalarial drugs but their biochemical mode of action is not clear. There is strong evidence that ATP-dependent calcium transporters are a key target in the malarial parasite. However, work using Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggests that disruption of mitochondrial function is critical in the cell killing activity of these compounds. Here it is shown that, in the absence of reducing agents, artemisinin and artesunate targeted the S. cerevisiae calcium channels Pmr1p and Pmc1p. Both compounds affected the growth of yeast on fermentable and nonfermentable media. This growth inhibition was not seen in a yeast strain in which the genes encoding both calcium channels were deleted. In the presence of reducing agents, which break the endoperoxide bridge in the drugs, growth inhibition was only observed in nonfermentable media. This inhibition could be partially relieved by the addition of a free radical scavenger. These results suggest that the drugs have two biochemical modes of action - one acting by specific binding to calcium channels and one involving free radical production in the mitochondria.     

Molecular structure of human galactose mutarotase

Galactose mutarotase catalyzes the conversion of beta-d-galactose to alpha-d-galactose during normal galactose metabolism. The enzyme has been isolated from bacteria, plants, and animals and is present in the cytoplasm of most cells. Here we report the x-ray crystallographic analysis of human galactose mutarotase both in the apoform and complexed with its substrate, beta-d-galactose. The polypeptide chain folds into an intricate array of 29 beta-strands, 25 classical reverse turns, and 2 small alpha-helices. There are two cis-peptide bonds at Arg-78 and Pro-103. The sugar ligand sits in a shallow cleft and is surrounded by Asn-81, Arg-82, His-107, His-176, Asp-243, Gln-279, and Glu-307. Both the side chains of Glu-307 and His-176 are in the proper location to act as a catalytic base and a catalytic acid, respectively. These residues are absolutely conserved among galactose mutarotases. To date, x-ray models for three mutarotases have now been reported, namely that described here and those from Lactococcus lactis and Caenorhabditis elegans. The molecular architectures of these enzymes differ primarily in the loop regions connecting the first two beta-strands. In the human protein, there are six extra residues in the loop compared with the bacterial protein for an approximate longer length of 9 A. In the C. elegans protein, the first 17 residues are missing, thereby reducing the total number of beta-strands by one.     

Plume characteristics and dynamics of UV and IR laser-desorbed oligonucleotides

Laser desorption of dye-tagged oligonucleotides was studied using laser-induced fluorescence imaging. Desorption with ultra violet (UV) and infra-red (IR) lasers resulted in forward directed plumes of molecules. In the case of UV desorption, the initial shot desorbed approximately seven-fold more material than subsequent shots. In contrast, the initial shot in IR desorption resulted in the ejection of less material compared to subsequent shots and these plumes had a component directed along the path of the laser. Thermal equilibrium of the molecules in the plume was achieved after approximately 25 μs with a spread in molecular temperature which was described by a modified Maxwell-Boltzmann equation.     

Biochemical analysis of the interactions of IQGAP1 C-terminal domain with CDC42

AIM:To understand the interaction of human IQGAP1 and CDC42,especially the effects of phosphorylation and a cancer-associated mutation. METHODS:Recombinant CDC42 and a novel C-termi- nal fragment of IQGAP1 were expressed in,and puri- fied from,Escherichia coli.Site directed mutagenesis was used to create coding sequences for three phos- phomimicking variants(S1441E,S1443D and S1441E/ S1443D)and to recapitulate a cancer-associated mu- tation(M1231I).These variant proteins were also ex- pressed and purified.Protein-protein crosslinking using 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide was used to investigate interactions between the C-terminal fragment and CDC42.These interactions were quanti- fied using surface plasmon resonance measurements.Molecular modelling was employed to make predictions about changes to the structure and flexibility of the protein which occur in the cancer-associated variant. RESULTS:The novel,C-terminal region of human IQGAP1 (residues 877-1558)is soluble following expression and purification.It is also capable of binding to CDC42,as judged by crosslinking experiments.Interaction appears to be strongest in the presence of added GTP.The three phosphomimicking mutants had different affini- ties for CDC42.S1441E had an approximately 200-fold reduction in affinity compared to wild type.This was caused largely by a dramatic reduction in the associa- tion rate constant.In contrast,both S1443D and the double variant S1441E/S1443D had similar affinities to the wild type.The cancer-associated variant,M1231I, also had a similar affinity to wild type.However,in the case of this variant,both the association and dis- sociation rate constants were reduced approximately 10-fold.Molecular modelling of the M1231I variant, based on the published crystal structure of part of the C-terminal region,revealed no gross structural changes compared to wild type(root mean square deviation of 0.564over 5556 equivalent atoms).However,pre- dictions of the flexibility of the polypeptide backbone suggested that some regions of the variant protein had greatly increased rigidity compared to wild type.One such region is a loop linking the proposed CDC42 bind- ing site with the helix containing the altered residue.It is suggested that this increase in rigidity is responsible for the observed changes in association and dissocia- tion rate constants. CONCLUSION:The consequences of introducing nega- tive charge at Ser-1441 or Ser-1443 in IQGAP1 are dif- ferent.The cancer-associated variant M1231I exerts its effects partly by rigidifying the protein.