Action of trypsin on glycinin. Mixed-type proteolysis and its kinetics; molecular mass of glycinin-T

The formation of a relatively stable high-molecular-mass product on trypsin hydrolysis of glycinin (glycinin-T) is interpreted to be a result of 'zipper' proteolysis. Evidence of parallel one-by-one degradation of glycinin occurring after the formation of glycinin-T is presented. At a relatively low concentration of the substrate, the one-by-one proteolysis proceeds as a first-order reaction. A method of determination of the changes in the molecular mass of a protein during the mixed-type proteolysis and some other parameters of this process is developed on the basis of the analysis of the proteolysis kinetics. The value of the molecular mass of glycinin-T calculated by means of this method makes up 70% of the initial molecular mass and coincides with the result of direct determination by gradient gel electrophoresis.     

Thermodynamic,kinetic, and structural basis for recognition and repair of 8-oxoguanine in DNA by Fpg protein from Escherichia coli

X-ray analysis does not provide quantitative estimates of the relative importance of the molecular contacts it reveals or of the relative contributions of specific and nonspecific interactions to the total affinity of specific DNA to enzymes. Stepwise increase of DNA ligand complexity has been used to estimate the relative contributions of virtually every nucleotide unit of 8-oxoguanine-containing DNA to its total affinity for Escherichia coli 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (Fpg protein). Fpg protein can interact with up to 13 nucleotide units or base pairs of single- and double-stranded ribo- and deoxyribo-oligonucleotides of different lengths and sequences through weak additive contacts with their internucleotide phosphate groups. Bindings of both single-stranded and double-stranded oligonucleotides follow similar algorithms, with additive contributions to the free energy of binding of the structural components (phosphate, sugar, and base). Thermodynamic models are provided for both specific and nonspecific DNA sequences with Fpg protein. Fpg protein interacts nonspecifically with virtually all of the base-pair units within its DNA-binding cleft: this provides approximately 7 orders of magnitude of affinity (Delta G degrees approximately equal to -9.8 kcal/mol) for DNA. In contrast, the relative contribution of the 8-oxoguanine unit of the substrate (Delta G degrees approximately equal to -0.90 kcal/mol) together with other specific interactions is <2 orders of magnitude (Delta G degrees approximately equal to -2.8 kcal/mol). Michaelis complex formation of Fpg protein with DNA containing 8-oxoguanine cannot of itself provide the major part of the enzyme specificity, which lies in the k(cat) term; the rate is increased by 6-8 orders of magnitude on going from nonspecific to specific oligodeoxynucleotides.     

Protein kinase Cepsilon (PKCepsilon) and Src control PKCdelta activation loop phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes

Protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta) is unusual among AGC kinases in that it does not require activation loop (Thr(505)) phosphorylation for catalytic competence. Nevertheless, Thr(505) phosphorylation has been implicated as a mechanism that influences PKCdelta activity. This study examines the controls of PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes. We implicate phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 and PKCdelta autophosphorylation in the "priming" maturational PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation that accompanies de novo enzyme synthesis. In contrast, we show that PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation dynamically increases in cardiomyocytes treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or the alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor agonist norepinephrine via a mechanism that requires novel PKC isoform activity and not phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1. We used a PKCepsilon overexpression strategy as an initial approach to discriminate two possible novel PKC mechanisms, namely PKCdelta-Thr(505) autophosphorylation and PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation in trans by PKCepsilon. Our studies show that adenovirus-mediated PKCepsilon overexpression leads to an increase in PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation. However, this cannot be attributed to an effect of PKCepsilon to function as a direct PKCdelta-Thr(505) kinase, since the PKCepsilon-dependent increase in PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation is accompanied by (and dependent upon) increased PKCdelta phosphorylation at Tyr(311) and Tyr(332). Further studies implicate Src in this mechanism, showing that 1) PKCepsilon overexpression increases PKCdelta-Thr(505) phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes and Src(+) cells but not in SYF cells (that lack Src, Yes, and Fyn and exhibit a defect in PKCdelta-Tyr(311)/Tyr(332) phosphorylation), and 2) in vitro PKCdelta-Thr(505) autophosphorylation is augmented in assays performed with Src (which promotes PKCdelta-Tyr(311)/Tyr(332) phosphorylation). Collectively, these results identify a novel PKCdelta-Thr(505) autophosphorylation mechanism that is triggered by PKCepsilon overexpression and involves Src-dependent PKCdelta-Tyr(311)/Tyr(332) phosphorylation.     

Proteinase A-like enzyme from germinated kidney bean seeds. Its action on phaseolin and vicilin

A cysteine proteinase that possibly participates in the degradation of phaseolin, the main storage protein of kidney bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Moldavian) was isolated from germinating kidney bean seeds and partially characterized. According to its properties it may be classified as a member of a group of homologous cysteine proteinases A, also present in germinating seeds of a number of other plants. The proteinase of this group hydrolyze storage proteins to short peptides. Similarly, the kidney bean proteinase hydrolyzes vicilin, the reserve protein of vetch ( Vicia sativa ). However, its action on phaseolin is limited to the cleavage of subunits into two approximately equal parts and to the splitting off a small number of short peptides. An explanation of phaseolin resistance to the action of this proteinase is proposed on the basis of the differences of its structure from that of other homologous 7S proteins.     

Regulation of myocardial contractility and cell size by distinct PI3K-PTEN signaling pathways

The PTEN/PI3K signaling pathway regulates a vast array of fundamental cellular responses. We show that cardiomyocyte-specific inactivation of tumor suppressor PTEN results in hypertrophy, and unexpectedly, a dramatic decrease in cardiac contractility. Analysis of double-mutant mice revealed that the cardiac hypertrophy and the contractility defects could be genetically uncoupled. PI3Kalpha mediates the alteration in cell size while PI3Kgamma acts as a negative regulator of cardiac contractility. Mechanistically, PI3Kgamma inhibits cAMP production and hypercontractility can be reverted by blocking cAMP function. These data show that PTEN has an important in vivo role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and GPCR signaling and identify a function for the PTEN-PI3Kgamma pathway in the modulation of heart muscle contractility.     

The families of papain- and legumain-like cysteine proteinases from embryonic axes and cotyledons of Vicia seeds: developmental patterns,intracellular localization and functions in globulin proteolysis

Families of papain- and legumain-like cysteine proteinases (CPR) were found in Vicia seeds. cDNAs and antibodies were used to follow organ specificity and the developmental course of CPR-specific mRNAs and polypeptides. Four papain-like cysteine proteinases (CPR1, CPR2, proteinase A and CPR4) from vetch seeds (Vicia sativa L.) were analysed. CPR2 and its mRNA were already found in dry embryonic axes. CPR1 was only detected there during early germination. Both CPR1 and CPR2 strongly increased later during germination. In cotyledons, both CPR1 and CPR2 were only observed one to two days later than in the axis. Proteinase A was not found in axes. In cotyledons it could only be detected several days after seeds had germinated. CPR4 mRNA and polypeptide were already present in embryonic axes and cotyledons during seed maturation and decreased in both organs during germination. Purified CPR1, CPR2 and proteinase A exhibited partially different patterns of globulin degradation products in vitro. Although the cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence of the precursor of proteinase A has an N-terminal signal peptide, the enzyme was not found in vacuoles whereas the other papain-like CPRs showed vacuolar localization. Four different legumain-like cysteine proteinases (VsPB2, proteinase B, VnPB1 and VnPB2) of Vicia species were analysed. Proteinase B and VnPB1 mRNAs were detected in cotyledons and seedling organs after seeds had germinated. Proteinase B degraded globulins isolated from mature vetch seeds in vitro. VsPB2 and proteinase B are localized to protein bodies of maturing seeds and seedlings, respectively, of V. sativa. Like VsPB2 from V. sativa, also VnPB2 of V. narbonensis corresponds to vacuolar processing enzymes (VPE). Based on these results different functions in molecular maturation and mobilization of storage proteins could be attributed to the various members of the CPR families.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation modifies protein kinase C delta-dependent phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I

Our study identifies tyrosine phosphorylation as a novel protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta) activation mechanism that modifies PKCdelta-dependent phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a myofilament regulatory protein. PKCdelta phosphorylates cTnI at Ser23/Ser24 when activated by lipid cofactors; Src phosphorylates PKCdelta at Tyr311 and Tyr332 leading to enhanced PKCdelta autophosphorylation at Thr505 (its activation loop) and PKCdelta-dependent cTnI phosphorylation at both Ser23/Ser24 and Thr144. The Src-dependent acquisition of cTnI-Thr144 kinase activity is abrogated by Y311F or T505A substitutions. Treatment of detergent-extracted single cardiomyocytes with lipid-activated PKCdelta induces depressed tension at submaximum but not maximum [Ca2+] as expected for cTnI-Ser23/Ser24 phosphorylation. Treatment of myocytes with Src-activated PKCdelta leads to depressed maximum tension and cross-bridge kinetics, attributable to a dominant effect of cTnI-Thr144 phosphorylation. Our data implicate PKCdelta-Tyr311/Thr505 phosphorylation as dynamically regulated modifications that alter PKCdelta enzymology and allow for stimulus-specific control of cardiac mechanics during growth factor stimulation and oxidative stress.     

Caveolae-associated proteins in cardiomyocytes: caveolin-2 expression and interactions with caveolin-3

Caveolin-3 the muscle-specific caveolin isoform, acts like the more ubiquitously expressed caveolin-1 to sculpt caveolae, specialized membrane microdomains that serve as platforms to organize signal transduction pathways. Caveolin-2 is a structurally related isoform that alone does not drive caveolae biogenesis; rather, caveolin-2 cooperates with caveolin-1 to form caveolae in nonmuscle cells. Although caveolin-2 might be expected to interact in an fashion analogous to that of caveolin-3, it generally has not been detected in cardiomyocytes. This study shows that caveolin-2 and caveolin-3 are detected at low levels in ventricular myocardium and increase dramatically with age or when neonatal cardiomyocytes are placed in culture. In contrast, flotillins (caveolin functional homologs) are expressed at relatively constant levels in these preparations. In neonatal cardiac cultures, caveolin-2 and -3 expression is not influenced by thyroid hormone (a postnatal regulator of other cardiac gene products). The further evidence that caveolin-2 coimmunoprecipitates with caveolin-3 and floats with caveolin-3 by isopycnic centrifugation in cardiomyocyte cultures suggests that caveolin-2 may play a role in caveolae biogenesis and influence cardiac muscle physiology.