The effect of [Mg2+] on the Ca2+ dependence of ATPase and tension development of fast skeletal muscle. The role of the Ca2+-specific sites of troponin C

Conflicting reports have appeared concerning the effect of [Mg2+] on muscle activity. Several groups have found that increasing [Mg2+] produces a right-ward shift of the pCa-tension curve, while others have found no effect of [Mg2+] on myofibrillar ATPase activity. The present study is a careful evaluation of the effect of [Mg2+] on myofibrillar ATPase, skinned fiber tension development, TnCDANZ (troponin C (TnC)-labeled with 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl aziridine) fluorescence, and simultaneous TnCDANZ fluorescence and tension development in the same fiber. A small effect of [Mg2+] on both ATPase and tension development was found with an apparent association constant of about 2 X 10(2) M-1. The Ca2+ dependence of TnCDANZ fluorescence was similarly effected by [Mg2+], either alone or when incorporated into TnC-depleted skinned fibers (K'Mg approximately equal to 2-3 X 10(2) M-1), suggesting that the effect of [Mg2+] on activity is due to an effect of [Mg2+] on Ca2+ binding to the Ca2+-specific sites of TnC. It is not yet clear whether this effect of [Mg2+] is through direct competition at the binding sites or through indirect effects. In either case, the calculated effect of physiological [Mg2+] is so small that the regulatory sites of TnC can still be considered "Ca2+-specific." In addition, a slightly greater effect of [Mg2+] on tension development (K'Mg = 4.62 X 10(2) M-1) was observed only for very low levels of [Mg2+], which might suggest an additional effect of Mg2+ on tension development which is saturated by millimolar Mg2+.     

Purification and characterization of an (Na++K+)-ATPase proteolipid labeled with a photoaffinity derivative of ouabain

Highly purified lamb kidney (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase was photoaffinity labeled with the tritiated 2-nitro-5-azidobenzoyl derivative of ouabain (NAB-ouabain). The labeled (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase was mixed with unlabeled carrier enzyme. Two proteolipid (γ1 and γ2) fractions were then isolated by chromatography on columns of Sepharose CL-6B and Sephadex LH-60. The two fractions were interchangeable when rechromatographed on the LH-60 column, suggesting that γ1 is an aggregated form of γ2. The total yield was 0.8–1.5 mol of γ component per mol of catalytic subunit recovered. This indicates that the γ component is present in stoichiometric amounts in the (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase. The proteolipids that were labeled with NAB-ouabain copurified with the unlabeled proteolipids.     

Fluorescent adducts of wheat calmodulin implicate the amino-terminal region in the activation of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase

Considerable attention is being directed toward defining a binding site in the central region of calmodulin that forms a high affinity interaction with certain enzymes and amphiphilic peptides. However, other regions of calmodulin are also known to be involved in the activation of enzymes such as myosin light chain kinase, regions which may not be directly involved in the binding of small peptides, e.g. mastoparan X. We investigated the properties of wheat calmodulin fluorescent derivatives, which were modified chemically in the first calcium binding site at Cys-27, in the activation of rabbit fast skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase. Unmodified wheat calmodulin stimulated myosin light chain kinase to a greater maximal velocity than wheat calmodulin that was modified at Cys-27 by any of four fluorescent compounds, IAANS (2-[4'-iodoacetamidoanilino]naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid), 5-[2'-[[iodoacetyl]amino]ethyl]aminonaphthalene]-1-sulfonic acid, 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein, and 7-diethylamino-3-[4'-maleimidylphenyl]-4-methylcoumarin; the midpoints for activation of myosin light chain kinase were not significantly different for unmodified wheat calmodulin and three of the four wheat calmodulin derivatives. Myosin light chain kinase, but not mastoparan X, enhanced the fluorescence emission intensity of wheat calmodulin-IAANS. Mastoparan X reversed, in a dose-dependent manner, the changes in fluorescence intensity of a preformed complex of myosin light chain kinase and wheat calmodulin-IANNS. Thus, we propose that the region vicinal to Cys-27 participates in the activation but not the high affinity association of myosin light chain kinase. Lastly, a comparison of mammalian and plant calmodulin showed that the Vmax for the stimulation of myosin light chain kinase was 1.6-fold greater for bovine than wheat calmodulin. The difference between the two calmodulins was more pronounced at lower Ca2+ because less Ca2+ was needed to saturate the kinase rate when stimulated by bovine calmodulin.     

Neuroprotection against CCl4 induced brain damage with crocin in Wistar rats

Owing to its lipophilic property, carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) is rapidly absorbed by both the liver and brain. We investigated the protective effects of crocin against brain damage caused by CCl₄. Fifty rats were divided into five groups of ten: control, corn oil, crocin, CCl₄ and CCl₄ + crocin. CCl₄ administration decreased glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels, and catalase (CAT) activity, while significant increases were observed in malondialdehyde (MDA) and total oxidant status (TOS) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The cerebral cortex nuclear lamina developed a spongy appearance, neuronal degeneration was observed in the hippocampus, and heterochromatic and pyknotic neurons with increased cytoplasmic eosinophilia were observed in the hippocampus after CCl₄ treatment. Because crocin exhibits strong antioxidant properties, crocin treatment increased GSH and TAS levels and CAT activities, and decreased MDA and TOS levels and SOD activity; significant improvements also were observed in histologic architecture. We found that crocin administration nearly eliminated CCl₄ induced brain damage by preventing oxidative stress.     

Organization and ligand binding properties of the tail of Acanthamoeba myosin-IA. Identification of an actin-binding site in the basic (tail homology-1) domain

The Acanthamoeba myosin-IA heavy chain gene encodes a 134-kDa protein with a catalytic domain, three potential light chain binding sites, and a tail with separately folded tail homology (TH) -1, -2, and -3 domains. TH-1 is highly resistant to trypsin digestion despite consisting of 15% lysine and arginine. TH-2/3 is resistant to alpha-chymotrypsin digestion. The peptide link between TH-1 and TH-2/3 is cleaved by trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, and endo-AspN but not V8 protease. The CD spectra of TH-2/3 indicate predominantly random structure, turns, and beta-strands but no alpha-helix. The hydrodynamic properties of TH-2/3 (Stokes' radius of 3.0 nm, sedimentation coefficient of 1.8 S, and molecular mass of 21.6 kDa) indicate that these domains are as long as the whole myosin-I tail in reconstructions of electron micrographs. Furthermore, separately expressed and purified TH-1 binds with high affinity to TH-2/3. Thus we propose that TH-1 and TH-2/3 are arranged side by side in the myosin-IA tail. Separate TH-1, TH-2, and TH-2/3 each binds muscle actin filaments with high affinity. Salt inhibits TH-2/3 binding to muscle actin but not amoeba actin filaments. TH-1 enhances binding of TH-2/3 to muscle actin filaments at physiological salt concentration, indicating that TH-1 and TH-2/3 cooperate in actin binding. An intrinsic fluorescence assay shows that TH-2/3 also binds with high affinity to the protein Acan125 similar to the SH3 domain of myosin-IC. Phylogenetic analysis of SH3 sequences suggests that myosin-I acquired SH3 domain after the divergence of the genes for myosin-I isoforms.     

Histopathological effects of cisplatin,doxorubicin and 5-flurouracil (5-FU) on the liver of male albino rats

Cisplatin, doxorubicin and fluorouracil (5-FU), drugs belonging to different chemical classes, have been extensively used for chemotherapy of various cancers. Despite extensive investigations into their hepatotoxicity, there is very limited information on their effects on the structure and ultra-structure of liver cells in vivo. Here, we demonstrate for the first time, the effects of these three anticancer drugs on rat liver toxicity using both light and electron microscopy. Light microscopic observations revealed that higher doses of cisplatin and doxorubicin caused massive hepatotoxicity compared to 5-FU treatment, including dissolution of hepatic cords, focal inflammation and necrotic tissues. Interestingly, low doses also exhibited abnormal changes, including periportal fibrosis, degeneration of hepatic cords and increased apoptosis. These changes were confirmed at ultrastructural level, including vesiculated rough endoplasmic reticulum and atrophied mitochondria with ill-differentiated cisternae, dense collection of macrophages and lymphocytes as well as fibrocytes with collagenous fibrils manifesting early sign of fibrosis, especially in response to cisplatin and doxorubicin -treatment. Our results provide in vivo evidence, at ultrastructural level, of direct hepatotoxicity caused by cisplatin, doxorubicin and 5-FU at both light and electron microscopi. These results can guide the design of appropriate treatment regimen to reduce the hepatotoxic effects of these anticancer drugs.     

Characterization of PR-10 genes from eight Betula species and detection of Bet v 1 isoforms in birch pollen

Background  

Bet v 1 is an important cause of hay fever in northern Europe. Bet v 1 isoforms from the European white birch (Betula pendula) have been investigated extensively, but the allergenic potency of other birch species is unknown. The presence of Bet v 1 and closely related PR-10 genes in the genome was established by amplification and sequencing of alleles from eight birch species that represent the four subgenera within the genus Betula. Q-TOF LC-MS^E was applied to identify which PR-10/Bet v 1 genes are actually expressed in pollen and to determine the relative abundances of individual isoforms in the pollen proteome.     

Isolation and sequence of a cDNA clone for rabbit fast skeletal muscle troponin C. Homology with calmodulin and parvalbumin

The binding of Ca2+ to troponin C (TnC) regulates skeletal muscle contraction. We have isolated a full-length cDNA clone for fast skeletal muscle TnC from a neonatal rabbit skeletal muscle library and determined its nucleic acid sequence. The amino acid sequence deduced from this clone matches the previously reported amino acid sequence (Collins, J. H., Greaser, M. L., Potter, J. D., and Horn, M. J. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 6356-6362) except at the amino terminus. According to the nucleotide sequence, the first 2 residues of TnC are threonine-aspartic acid, which is the reverse of the order reported previously. The isolation of the adult form of TnC from a neonatal library suggests that there may be no developmental isoforms of fast TnC. The protein coding region of the fast TnC clone has 67% homology with the reported nucleotide sequence for chicken slow TnC (Putkey, J. A., Carroll, S. L., and Means, A. R. (1987) Mol. Cell. Biol. 7, 549-1553). The homologies between the nucleotide sequences of TnC, calmodulin, and parvalbumin provide evidence that all three proteins were derived from a common precursor molecule which had four Ca2+-binding sites.