Theste13+ gene encoding a putative RNA helicase is essential for nitrogen starvation-induced G1 arrest and initiation of sexual development in the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe

When the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe is starved for nitrogen, the cells are arrested in the G1 phase, enter the G0 phase and initiate sexual development. Theste13 mutant, however, fails to undergo a G1 arrest when starved for nitrogen and since this mutant phenotype is not suppressed by a mutation in adenylyl cyclase (cyr1), it would appear thatste13 ⁺ either acts independently of the decrease in the cellular cAMP level induced by starvation for nitrogen, or functions downstream of this controlling event. We have used functional complementation to clone theste13 ⁺ gene from anS. pombe genomic library and show that its disruption is not lethal, indicating that, while the gene is required for sexual development, it is not essential for cell growth. Nucleotide sequencing predicts thatste13 ⁺ should encode a protein of 485 amino acids in which the consensus motifs of ATP-dependent RNA helicases of the DEAD box family are completely conserved. Point mutations introduced into these consensus motifs abolished theste13 ⁺ functions. The predicted Ste13 protein is 72% identical to theDrosophila melanogaster Me31B protein over a stretch of 391 amino acids. ME31B is a developmentally regulated gene that is expressed preferentially in the female germline and may be required for oogenesis. Expression of ME31B cDNA inS. pombe suppresses theste13 mutation. These two evolutionarily conserved genes encoding putative RNA helicases may play a pivotal role in sexual development.     

Effect of catalase-specific inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole on yeast peroxisomal catalase in vivo

3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole (3-AT) is known as an inhibitor of catalase to whose active center it specifically and covalently binds. Subcellular fractionation and immunoelectronmicroscopic observation of the yeast Candida tropicalis revealed that, in 3-AT-treated cells in which the 3-AT was added to the n-alkane medium from the beginning of cultivation, catalase transported into peroxisomes was inactivated and was present as insoluble aggregated forms in the organelle. The aggregation of catalase in peroxisomes occurred only in these 3-AT-treated cells and not in cells in which 3-AT was added at the late exponential growth phase. Furthermore, 3-AT did not affect the transportation of catalase into peroxisomes. The appearance of aggregation only in cells to which 3-AT was added from the beginning of cultivation suggests that, in the process of catalase transportation into yeast peroxisomes, some conformational change may take place and that correct folding may be inhibited by the binding of 3-AT to the active center of catalase. Accordingly, 3-AT will be an interesting compound for investigation of the transport machinery of the peroxisomal tetrameric catalase.     

Self-Nonself Recognition Activity Extracted from Self-Sterile Eggs of the Ascidian, Ciona intestinalis

Eggs of the hermaphrodite, self-sterile ascidian, Ciona intestinalis , were washed with acid seawater (pH 3.2), and the washing solution was then adjusted to pH 8.2. This solution was found to inhibit only the binding of non-autologous sperm to the vitelline coat (VC) of eggs, indicating that it contained self-nonself recognition activity. This activity was heat-stable and insensitive to trypsin, but was destroyed by V-8 protease and α-glucosidase. Both the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components of a lyophilized powder of the extract showed allo-recognizing activity. On TLC, the hydrophobic components gave a major spot of glucose (Glc) and a peptide spot(s) containing mainly glutamic acid and/or glutamine (Glx). The glucosyl conjugate was purified by HPLC and shown to block sperm-egg binding to various extents. Individual peptide subfractions had no inhibitory activity, but in combination they showed inhibitory activity. These findings suggest that the acid extract of Ciona eggs contains a Glc-enriched nonspecific inhibitor of sperm-egg binding, which could be the primary effector of self-incompatibility, and Glx-enriched modulators, which serve as acceptors of allo-sperm. The cooperative interactions of these components may be responsible for the diversity of allo-recognition in Ciona gametes.     

Pentamerization of single-domain antibodies from phage libraries: a novel strategy for the rapid generation of high-avidity antibody reagents

We describe a novel type of molecule in which single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) isolated from a nai;ve llama single domain antibody library are linked to an oligomerization domain to generate high-avidity, antigen-binding reagents. An sdAb is fused to the B-subunit of Escherichia coli verotoxin, or shiga-like toxin, which self-assembles to form a homopentamer and results in simultaneous sdAb pentamerization and introduction of avidity. Molecular modeling indicated that this fusion protein (PDB: 1OJF), termed pentabody, has structural flexibility for binding to surface-presented antigen. In the instance of an sdAb specific for a peptide antigen, pentamerization resulted in a dramatic increase in functional affinity for immobilized antigen. The pentabody was expressed in high yield in E.coli in a non-aggregated state, and exhibited excellent thermostability and protease resistance. This technology provides a relatively rapid means of generating novel antigen-binding molecules that bind strongly to immobilized antigen. It is expected that pentavalent sdAbs will have general applicability in proteomics, immunochemical staining, cancer diagnosis and other applications in which antigens are presented multivalently.     

Laminin-based cell adhesion anchors microtubule plus ends to the epithelial cell basal cortex through LL5α/β

LL5β has been identified as a microtubule-anchoring factor that attaches EB1/CLIP-associating protein (CLASP)–bound microtubule plus ends to the cell cortex. In this study, we show that LL5β and its homologue LL5α (LL5s) colocalize with autocrine laminin-5 and its receptors, integrins α3β1 and α6β4, at the basal side of fully polarized epithelial sheets. Depletion of both laminin receptor integrins abolishes the cortical localization of LL5s, whereas LL5 depletion reduces the amount of integrin α3 at the basal cell cortex. Activation of integrin α3 is sufficient to initiate LL5 accumulation at the cell cortex. LL5s form a complex with the cytoplasmic tails of these integrins, but their interaction might be indirect. Analysis of the three-dimensional distribution of microtubule growth by visualizing EB1-GFP in epithelial sheets in combination with RNA interference reveals that LL5s are required to maintain the density of growing microtubules selectively at the basal cortex. These findings reveal that signaling from laminin–integrin associations attaches microtubule plus ends to the epithelial basal cell cortex.     

GSE Is a Maternal Factor Involved in Active DNA Demethylation in Zygotes

After fertilization, the sperm and oocyte genomes undergo extensive epigenetic reprogramming to form a totipotent zygote. The dynamic epigenetic changes during early embryo development primarily involve DNA methylation and demethylation. We have previously identified Gse (gonad-specific expression gene) to be expressed specifically in germ cells and early embryos. Its encoded protein GSE is predominantly localized in the nuclei of cells from the zygote to blastocyst stages, suggesting possible roles in the epigenetic changes occurring during early embryo development. Here, we report the involvement of GSE in epigenetic reprogramming of the paternal genome during mouse zygote development. Preferential binding of GSE to the paternal chromatin was observed from pronuclear stage 2 (PN2) onward. A knockdown of GSE by antisense RNA in oocytes produced no apparent effect on the first and second cell cycles in preimplantation embryos, but caused a significant reduction in the loss of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and the accumulation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in the paternal pronucleus. Furthermore, DNA methylation levels in CpG sites of LINE1 transposable elements, Lemd1, Nanog and the upstream regulatory region of the Oct4 (also known as Pou5f1) gene were clearly increased in GSE-knockdown zygotes at mid-pronuclear stages (PN3-4), but the imprinted H19-differential methylated region was not affected. Importantly, DNA immunoprecipitation of 5mC and 5hmC also indicates that knockdown of GSE in zygotes resulted in a significant reduction of the conversion of 5mC to 5hmC on LINE1. Therefore, our results suggest an important role of maternal GSE for mediating active DNA demethylation in the zygote.