Synthesis and intracellular transport of lectin and storage protein precursors in endosperm from castor bean.
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The biosynthesis of the lectins and the other major storage proteins, the 11S globulins and the 2S albumins, which are found in protein bodies has been studied in developing castor bean endosperm cells. Newly synthesized proteins were radiolabelled by incubating intact endosperm tissue with [35S]methionine. The intracellular distribution of radiolabelled proteins was determined after fractionating endosperm homogenates by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that all the major protein body components are initially segregated in precursor form into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. The lectin precursors appeared as a group of 64 000-68 000-Mr glycosylated polypeptides, the 11S globulins as a group of 46 000-55 000-Mr polypeptides and the 2S albumins as a single 32 500-Mr polypeptide. These precursors were transferred from the endoplasmic reticulum to a population of transporting vesicles. The subsequent disappearance of the precursors from this vesicle fraction was accompanied by the accumulation of mature polypeptides in the protein body matrix (lectins and 2S albumins) or in the insoluble protein body crystalloid complexes (11S globulins). The castor bean proteins studied all exist as heterodimers in the protein bodies. After intracellular transport an endoproteolytic step is required to release each subunit of the heterodimer from the appropriate single polypeptide precursor. (+info)
Precursors of ricin and Ricinus communis agglutinin. Glycosylation and processing during synthesis and intracellular transport.
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During synthesis in vivo the castor bean lectin precursors initially appear in the endoplasmic reticulum as a group of core glycosylated polypeptides of relative molecular mass 64 000-68 000. Pretreatment of intact castor bean endosperm tissue with tunicamycin partially inhibits the cotranslational core glycosylation step and results in the accumulation of a single sized unglycosylated precursor polypeptide of relative molecular mass 59 000. The glycosylated precursors in the endoplasmic reticulum were enzymically converted to the 59 000-Mr form by incubation with endoglucosaminidase H. Intracellular transport of the glycosylated lectin precursors from the endoplasmic reticulum to a denser vesicle fraction was accompanied by modifications to the oligosaccharide moieties which conferred resistance to the action of endoglucosaminidase H. The post-translational addition of fucose to the carbohydrate chain was identified as one of the oligosaccharide modification steps. Fucose addition was catalysed by a glycosyltransferase associated with a smooth-surfaced membrane fraction which was distinct from the endoplasmic reticulum and which was tentatively identified as the Golgi apparatus. Glycosylation was not essential for intracellular transport of the lectin precursors: unglycosylated precursor synthesized in the presence of tunicamycin gave rise to unglycosylated lectin subunits in the protein bodies. (+info)
Changes in the sensitivity of chick fibroblasts to Ricinus lectin (RCA I) toxicity in relation to the stage of embryo development.
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The toxic effect of Ricinus lectin RCA I, as estimated by the inhibition of [3H]leucine incorporation, was investigated on chick-embryo fibroblasts at different stages of development. There appeared to be a differential susceptibility of chick-embryo fibroblasts to lectin RCA I. Fibroblasts from 16-day embryos were the most sensitive to its toxic effect in terms of both concentration and time, and cells from 8-day embryos were the least sensitive. This differential sensitivity to the toxic effect of lectin RCA I was closely related to the binding of the lectin: fibroblasts from 16-day embryos had more binding sites (1.5 x 10(7)/cell) with a high affinity than did 12-day (0.45 x 10(7)/cell) or 8-day embryos (0.2 x 10(7)/cell). Studies on the specificity and the removal of bound lectin RCA I by D-galactose indicated that the lectin binding was necessary but not sufficient in itself to cause the toxic effect and that the lectin needed to enter the cells in order to be toxic. The amount of lectin RCA I needed to induce a 50-60% toxicity enters fibroblasts of 16-day embryos more rapidly than those of 12- and 8-day embryos. (+info)
Glycosylation of exogenous protein by endoplasmic-reticulum membranes from castor-bean (Ricinus communis) endosperm.
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Endoplasmic-reticulum membranes isolated from the endosperm tissue of 3-day-old castor-bean (Ricinus communis) seedlings catalysed the enzymic transfer of the sugar moiety from an oligosaccharide--lipid to a chemically unfolded form of ribonuclease A. (+info)
A rapid and sensitive assay for detection of nanogram quantities of castor-bean (Ricinus communis) lectins.
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Inhibition of lysozyme conjugated with p-aminophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside by galactose-specific lectins from castor beans (Ricinus communis) has been utilized for assaying these lectins in the nanogram range. (+info)
Binding of Ricinus communis agglutinin to the mitochondrial inner membrane as an artifact during preparation.
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Endosperm from Ricinus communis was homogenized in the presence of 3H-labelled Ricinus communis agglutinin, with or without addition of lactose. In preparations without the binding-specific sugar the subfraction containing the mitochondrial inner membrane contained sufficient labelled agglutinin to account for the agglutinin reported to be associated with this membrane. (+info)
Nature of the interaction between Ricinus communis agglutinin and blood cells.
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Binding of Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA 120) to carbohydrate receptors of human lymphocytes and erythrocytes is enthalpically driven. As in the case of simple saccharides, the delta S contribution is always unfavorable to the interaction. This result is different from that observed for other lectins and might indicate that hydrophobic interactions do not play a dominant role in binding of RCA 120 to cell surfaces. (+info)
Binding and cytotoxicity of Ricinus communis lectins to HeLa cells, Sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells and erythrocytes.
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The binding of Ricinus communis lectins to HeLa cells, Sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells and human erythrocytes was studied in detail. Scatchard plots of binding of 125I-lectins to these cells gave biphasic lines except for HeLa cells at 0 degree C. The association constants of lectins for the three cell types at 37 degrees C were lower than those at 0 degree C. The numbers of total binding sites were estimated to be 7 to 16 X 10(7) per HeLa cell, 3 to 4 X 10(7) per Sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cell and 0.4 to 1 X 10(6) per erythrocyte. A fraction, 16 to 27% of the total amount of cell-bound lectin at 37 degrees C, appeared to be bound irreversibly as judged by non-removal on washing with 0.1 M lactose, whereas no lectin was irreversibly bound at 0 degree C. In the case of erythrocytes, no lectin became irreversibly bound even at 37 degrees C. The toxicity of lectins on HeLa cells and Sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells was investigated. The toxicity of ricin D was 50 times for Sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells and 140 times for HeLa cells as much as that for castor bean hemagglutinin. As to the sensitivities of both cell types to these lectins, it became apparent that Sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells were more susceptible than HeLa cells. (+info)