Cloning and Expression of a 5-Hydroxytryptamine7 Receptor Positively Coupled to Adenylyl Cyclase

Abstract: In a number of different cell types, phosphorylation of a 63-kDa protein has been shown to increase rapidly in response to stimuli that lead to an increase in intracellular calcium. Here, a stimulus-sensitive protein at this molecular weight is identified in PC12 cells and rat cortical synaptosomes as phosphoglucomutase. In addition, the added phosphate is shown to be in an oligosaccharide terminating in phosphodiester-linked glucose. In synaptosomes, incorporated radioactivity, following incubation with [¹⁴C]glucose or the [β-³⁵S]phosphorothioate analogue of UDP-glucose, was found to increase within 5 s of stimulation and return to baseline within 25 s. Despite the many pathways utilizing glucose, this was the only detectable protein glycosylation observed in synaptosomes. These results indicate that cytoplasmic glycosylation is reversible and rapidly regulated, and suggest that phosphoglucomutase undergoes an alteration in function and/or topography in response to increases in intracellular calcium.     

Molecular and chromosomal evolution in anoas (Bovidae: Bubalus spec.)

As a contribution to their taxonomy, population genetic data on zoo-living anoas are reported, and a review of the history of the captive stock is provided. Four different chromosome numbers of 44, 45, 47 and 48 chromosomes have been found, respectively, when karyotyping captive anoas descending from three breeding lines. The number of chromosome arms is 60 throughout, indicating that Robertsonian rearrangements are responsible for this cytogenetic variation. An electrophoretic comparison of isozymes and blood proteins representing 21 genetic loci revealed polymorphism in seven loci: haemoglobin, glyoxalase, superoxide dismutase, phosphoglucomutase, carbonic anhydrase, glucose phosphate isomerase, and an unidentified acid serum protein. Considering the small number of founder specimens and subsequent inbreeding, allozyme variability appears fairly high in anoas. Genetic distances between zoo populations amount to 0.0505 or less. Southern blot hybridizations of restricted DNA from anoas and African buffaloes with a probe from the DRB-like region of the chimpanzee's MHC class II genes also indicate a low degree of genetic differentiation between mountain and lowland anoas. The relevance of these genetic data for the taxonomic classification of mountain and lowland anoas, and for the conservation of anoas by captive breeding is discussed.     

Properties and intracellular distribution of two phosphoglucomutases from spinach leaves

Two isoenzymes of phosphoglucomutase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves can be separated by ammonium-sulfate gradient solubilization or DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography. They were designated as phosphoglucomutase 1 and 2, according to decreasing electrophoretic mobility towards the anode at pH 8.9. Phosphoglucomutase 1 is localized in the stroma of the chloroplasts, phosphoglucomutase 2 is a cytosolic enzyme as judged from aqueous cell fractionation studies. Both isoenzymes have very similar properties such as dependence on MgCl₂, pH activity profile, and K_m for glucose-1-phosphate and glucose-1,6-bisphosphate. From sedimentation-velocity analysis a molecular weight of 60,000 was estimated for either isoenzyme.     

Ethanol formation and enzyme activities around glucose-6-phosphate in Kluyveromyces marxianus CBS 6556 exposed to glucose or lactose excess

The aim of this work was to investigate the physiology of Kluyveromyces marxianus CBS 6556 in terms of its low tendency to form ethanol under exposure to sugar excess, and the split of carbon flux which takes place at the level of glucose-6-phosphate. Measurements were performed in batch cultivations, and after a glucose or a lactose pulse applied to chemostat-grown respiring cells (with a dilution rate of 0.1 h(-1)). No ethanol formation was observed in batch cultivations or during pulse experiments, unless the oxygen supply was shut down, indicating that this organism is more strictly Crabtree-negative than its close relative K. lactis and other known Crabtree-negative yeasts. During the pulse experiments, activities of phosphoglucoisomerase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphoglucomutase in cell-free extracts remained rather constant, at higher levels than those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown at similar conditions. When cells were exposed to glucose concentrations as high as 26 gl(-1), the activity of phosphoglucomutase was higher than that in cells exposed to 14 gl(-1) glucose, whereas the activities of phosphoglucoisomerase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase did not change. Our results suggest that the low tendency for ethanol formation in K. marxianus might be a consequence of this yeast's capacity of keeping the glycolytic flux constant, due at least in part to the diversion of carbon flux towards the biosynthesis of carbohydrates and towards the pentose phosphate pathway.     

Expression of an <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> phosphoglucomutase in potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis> L.) results in minor changes in tuber metabolism and a considerable delay in tuber sprouting

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of elevating the cytosolic activity of phosphoglucomutase (PGM; EC 5.4.2.2) on photosynthesis, growth and heterotrophic metabolism. Here we describe the generation of novel transgenic plants expressing an Escherichia coli phosphoglucomutase (EcPGM) under the control of the 35S promoter. These lines were characterised by an accumulation of leaf sucrose, despite displaying no alterations in photosynthetic carbon partitioning, and a reduced tuber starch content. Determinations of the levels of a wide range of other metabolites revealed dramatic reductions in maltose and other sugars in leaves of the transformants, as well as a modification of the pattern of organic and amino acid content in tubers of these lines. Intriguingly, the transgenics also displayed a dramatically delayed rate of sprouting and significantly enhanced rate of respiration, however, it is important to note that the severity of these traits did not always correlate with the level of transgene expression. These results are discussed in the context of current understanding of the control of respiration and the breaking of tuber dormancy.     

Cellular signaling mediated by calphoglin-induced activation of IPP and PGM

Universal protein networks conserved from bacteria to animals dictate the core functions of cells. Inorganic pyrophosphatase (IPP) is an essential enzyme that plays a pivotal role in a broad spectrum of cellular biosynthetic reactions such as amino acid, nucleotide, polysaccharide, and fatty acid biosynthesis. However, the in vivo cellular regulation mechanisms of IPP and another key metabolic enzyme, phosphoglucomutase (PGM), remain unknown. This study aimed to examine the universal protein regulatory network by utilizing genome sequences, yeast proteomic data, and phosphoryl-transfer experiments. Here we report a novel human protein, henceforth referred to as calphoglin, which interacts with IPP and activates it. Calphoglin enhances PGM activity through the activated IPP and more directly on its own. Protein structure and assembly, catalytic function, and ubiquitous cellular localization of the calphoglin (-IPP-PGM) complex were conserved among Escherichia coli, yeast, and mammals. In the rat brain, calphoglin mRNA was enriched in the hippocampus and the cerebellum. Further, the linkage of the calphoglin complex to calcium signaling was demonstrated by its interactive co-localization within the calmodulin/calcineurin signaling complex, by Ca(2+)-binding and Ca(2+)-controlled activity of calphoglin-IPP, and by calphoglin-induced enhancement of microsomal Ca(2+) uptake. Collectively, these results suggest that the calphoglin complex is a common mechanism utilized in mediating bacterial cell metabolism and Ca(2+)/calmodulin/calcineurin-dependent mammalian cell activation. This is the first report of an activator of IPP and PGM, a function novel to proteins.     

Chromosomal location of structural genes controlling isozymes in Hordeum chilense

Summary Polyacrylamide and starch gel electrophoresis of esterase (EST), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and phosphoglucomutase (PGM) isozymes in Hordeum chilense, Triticum turgidum conv. durum, the amphiploid H. chilense X T. turgidum (Tritordeum), and the durum wheat/H. chilense monosomic addition lines revealed the chromosomal location of one EST locus, two GOT loci and one PGM locus. Loci Est-H ^ch1 and Got-H ^ch2 were found on chromosome 6H^ch,Got-H ^ch3 on chromosome 3H^ch, and Pgm-H ^ch1 on chromosome 4H^ch. These results lend evidence for the assumed homoeology relationships between chromosomes of Triticeae species.     

Parafusin and calcium-induced signal transduction in exocytosis

Summary The phosphoglycoprotein parafusin is a member of the phosphoglucomutase superfamily and has been shown, both via biochemical and localization studies, to be associated with the Ca²⁺-dependent regulated exocytosis process inParamecium tetraurelia. Stimulation of exocytosis in this cell leads to a Ca²⁺-dependent glucosylation of parafusin accompanied by its dissociation from the secretory vesicles and from cell membrane docking sites. These events are blocked in the presence of extracellular Mg²⁺ in wild-type cells and in either Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ in a temperature-sensitive mutant, nd9, stimulated at the nonpermissive temperature. Furthermore, laser scanning confocal localization studies with antibodies to parafusin whole protein versus antibody made to a specific peptide (insertion 2) show different localization patterns. While insertion-2 antibodies only label the organelles previously shown to have parafusin associated with them, i.e., cell membrane fusion (docking) sites and secretory vesicles, antibodies to whole protein outline in addition the alveolar sacs (subsurface cisterns) which are Ca²⁺ storage compartments in this cell. This may indicate tht other members of the phosphoglucomutase superfamily which interact specifically with this compartment are present inP. tetraurelia.