Analysis of rat serum apolipoproteins by isoelectric focusing. I. Studies on the middle molecular weight subunits.

Analytical isoelectric focusing (IEF) has been applied to the study of the apolipoprotein components of rat serum high density and very low density lipoproteins. The apolipoproteins were separated on 7.5% polyacrylamide gels containing 6.8% urea, with a pH gradient of 4-6. The middle molecular weight range apolipoproteins were identified on IEF gels by the use of apolipoproteins purified by electrophoresis on gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The A-1 protein focused as 4 to 5 bands from pH 5.46 to 5.82; the A-IV protein and the arginine-rich protein each focused as 4 to 6 bands from pH 5.31 to 5.46. The low molecular weight proteins focused from pH. 4.43 to 4.83 and are the subject of a separate communication. Comparisons of the IEF method with SDS gel electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in urea, and Sephadex chromatography are also reported. Additional studies were also carried out that tend to rule out carbamylation or incomplete unfolding of the proteins in the presence of urea as the causes of the observed heterogeneity.     

Properties of lipid-apolipoprotein association products. Complexes of human apo AI and binary phospholipid mixtures

The products resulting from the association of human apo A-I with binary phospholipid mixtures of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and either dipalmitoyl (DPPC) or distearoyl (DSPC) phosphatidylcholine have been isolated and characterized. Effective lipid . protein complex formation was found to occur at the onset temperature for melting of the gel state, and equal incorporation of both lipid components of the binary mixture was observed. Two sizes of products were obtained, one containing 2 A-I molecules per complex and the other containing 3; the proportions of these two products depended upon the initial phospholipid/protein ratio employed. these two product species were found to be resolvable by density gradient centrifugation as well as gel filtration, reflecting substantial differences in composition as well as size. The ratio of DMPC to DPPC or DSPC was the same in the isolated complexes as in the initial mixture, suggesting that th protein does not associate preferentially with the fluid phase lipid, but with lipid domains in which the components are randomly distributed. Electron microscopy of recombinant particles containing a 2:1 ratio (w/w) of DSPC to DMPC revealed stacks of discs whose thickness was proportionately greater than for discs containing DMPC alone. Also of significance was the finding that recombinant discs containing 3 A-I molecules possessed a diameter approximately 1.5 times larger than recombinant discs containing 2 A-I molecules. These data are consistent with the model for the recombinant particles described by Tall et al. (Tall, A.R., Small, D.M., Deckelbau, R.J., and Shipley, G.G. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252; 4701-4711), in which the phospholipid is found as a circular bilayer, the thickness of which is dependent upon the length of the acyl chain, and around which the protein is distributed as an annulus.     

Intrinsic Protein Fluorescence Interferes with Detection of Tear Glycoproteins in SDS-Polyacrylamide Gels Using Extrinsic Fluorescent Dyes

Intrinsic protein fluorescence may interfere with the visualization of proteins after SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. In an attempt to analyze tear glycoproteins in gels, we ran tear samples and stained the proteins with a glycoprotein-specific fluorescent dye. The fluorescence detected was not limited to glycoproteins. There was strong intrinsic fluorescence of proteins normally found in tears after soaking the gels in 40% methanol plus 1-10% acetic acid and, to a lesser extent, in methanol or acetic acid alone. Nanograms of proteins gave visible native fluorescence and interfere with extrinsic fluorescent dye detection. Poly-L-lysine, which does not contain intrinsically fluorescent amino acids, did not fluoresce.     

Characterization of a high-throughput screening assay for inhibitors of elongation factor p and ribosomal peptidyl transferase activity

Elongation Factor P (EF-P) is an essential component of bacterial protein synthesis, enhancing the rate of translation by facilitating the addition of amino acids to the growing peptide chain. Using purified Staphylococcus aureus EF-P and a reconstituted Escherichia coli ribosomal system, an assay monitoring the addition of radiolabeled N-formyl methionine to biotinylated puromycin was developed. Reaction products were captured with streptavidin-coated scintillation proximity assay (SPA) beads and quantified by scintillation counting. Data from the assay were used to create a kinetic model of the reaction scheme. In this model, EF-P binding to the ribosome essentially doubled the rate of the ribosomal peptidyl transferase reaction. As described here, EF-P bound to the ribosomes with an apparent K(a) of 0.75 microM, and the substrates N-fMet-tRNA and biotinylated puromycin had apparent K(m)s of 19 microM and 0.5 microM, respectively. The assay was shown to be sensitive to a number of antibiotics known to target ribosomal peptide bond synthesis, such as chloramphenicol and puromycin, but not inhibitors that target other stages of protein synthesis, such as fusidic acid or thiostrepton.     

FBXO44-Mediated Degradation of RGS2 Protein Uniquely Depends on a Cullin 4B/DDB1 Complex

The ubiquitin-proteasome system for protein degradation plays a major role in regulating cell function and many signaling proteins are tightly controlled by this mechanism. Among these, Regulator of G Protein Signaling 2 (RGS2) is a target for rapid proteasomal degradation, however, the specific enzymes involved are not known. Using a genomic siRNA screening approach, we identified a novel E3 ligase complex containing cullin 4B (CUL4B), DNA damage binding protein 1 (DDB1) and F-box protein 44 (FBXO44) that mediates RGS2 protein degradation. While the more typical F-box partners CUL1 and Skp1 can bind FBXO44, that E3 ligase complex does not bind RGS2 and is not involved in RGS2 degradation. These observations define an unexpected DDB1/CUL4B-containing FBXO44 E3 ligase complex. Pharmacological targeting of this mechanism provides a novel therapeutic approach to hypertension, anxiety, and other diseases associated with RGS2 dysregulation.     

An essential saccharide binding domain for the mAb 2C7 established for Neisseria gonorrhoeae LOS by ES-MS and MSn

A study of bacterial surface oligosaccharides were investigated among different strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to correlate structural features essential for binding to the MAb 2C7. This epitope is widely expressed and conserved in gonococcal isolates, characteristics essential to an effective candidate vaccine antigen. Sample lipooligosaccharides (LOS), was prepared by a modification of the hot phenol-water method from which de-O-acetylated LOS and oligosaccharide (OS) components were analyzed by ES-MS-CID-MS and ES-MSnin a triple quadrupole and an ion trap mass spectrometer, respectively. Previously documented natural heterogeneity was apparent from both LOS and OS preparations which was admixed with fragments induced by hydrazine and mild acid treatment. Natural heterogeneity was limited to phosphorylation and antenni extensions to the alpha-chain. Mild acid hydrolysis to release OS also hydrolyzed the beta(1-->6) glycosidic linkage of lipid A. OS structures were determined by collisional and resonance excitation combined with MS and multistep MSn which provided sequence information from both neutral loss, and nonreducing terminal fragments. A comparison of OS structures, with earlier knowledge of MAb binding, enzyme treatment, and partial acid hydrolysis indicates a generic overlapping domain for 2C7 binding. Reoccurring structural features include a Hepalpha(1-->3)Hepbeta(1-->5)KDO trisaccharide core branched on the nonreducing terminus (Hep-2) with an alpha(1-->2) linked GlcNAc (gamma-chain), and an alpha-linked lactose (beta-chain) residue. From the central heptose (Hep-1), a beta(1-->4) linked lactose (alpha-chain), moiety is required although extensions to this residue appear unnecessary.      

Decision tree-driven tandem mass spectrometry for shotgun proteomics

Mass spectrometry has become a key technology for modern large-scale protein sequencing. Tandem mass spectrometry, the process of peptide ion dissociation followed by mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) analysis, is the critical component for peptide identification. Recent advances in mass spectrometry now permit two discrete, and complementary, types of peptide ion fragmentation: collision-activated dissociation (CAD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) on a single instrument. To exploit this complementarity and increase sequencing success rates, we designed and embedded a data-dependent decision tree algorithm (DT) to make unsupervised, real-time decisions of which fragmentation method to use based on precursor charge and m/z. Applying the DT to large-scale proteome analyses of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human embryonic stem cells, we identified 53,055 peptides in total, which was greater than by using CAD (38,293) or ETD (39,507) alone. In addition, the DT method also identified 7,422 phosphopeptides, compared to either 2,801 (CAD) or 5,874 (ETD) phosphopeptides.