Mammalian staufen is a double-stranded-RNA- and tubulin-binding protein which localizes to the rough endoplasmic reticulum. (1/1530)

Staufen (Stau) is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding protein involved in mRNA transport and localization in Drosophila. To understand the molecular mechanisms of mRNA transport in mammals, we cloned human (hStau) and mouse (mStau) staufen cDNAs. In humans, four transcripts arise by differential splicing of the Stau gene and code for two proteins with different N-terminal extremities. In vitro, hStau and mStau bind dsRNA via each of two full-length dsRNA-binding domains and tubulin via a region similar to the microtubule-binding domain of MAP-1B, suggesting that Stau cross-links cytoskeletal and RNA components. Immunofluorescent double labeling of transfected mammalian cells revealed that Stau is localized to the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), implicating this RNA-binding protein in mRNA targeting to the RER, perhaps via a multistep process involving microtubules. These results are the first demonstration of the association of an RNA-binding protein in addition to ribosomal proteins, with the RER, implicating this class of proteins in the transport of RNA to its site of translation.  (+info)

The Npc1 mutation causes an altered expression of caveolin-1, annexin II and protein kinases and phosphorylation of caveolin-1 and annexin II in murine livers. (2/1530)

We have previously demonstrated (1) an increased expression of caveolin-1 in murine heterozygous and homozygous Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) livers, and (2) an increased concentration of unesterified cholesterol in a detergent insoluble caveolae-enriched fraction from homozygous livers. To define further the relationship between caveolin-1 function and the cholesterol trafficking defect in NPC, we examined the expression and distribution of additional caveolar and signal transduction proteins. The expression of annexin II was significantly increased in homozygous liver homogenates and the Triton X-100 insoluble floating fraction (TIFF). Phosphoamino acid analysis of caveolin-1 and annexin II from the homozygous TIFF demonstrated an increase in serine and tyrosine phosphorylation, respectively. To determine the basis for increased phosphorylation of these proteins, the expression and distribution of several protein kinases was examined. The expression of PKCalpha, PKCzeta and pp60-src (protein kinases) were significantly increased in both heterozygous and homozygous liver homogenates, while PKCdelta was increased only in homozygous livers. Of the protein kinases analyzed, only CK IIalpha was significantly enriched in the heterozygous TIFF. Finally, the concentration of diacylglycerol in the homozygous TIFF was significantly increased and this elevation may modulate PKC distribution and function. These results provide additional evidence for involvement of a caveolin-1 containing cellular fraction in the pathophysiology of NPC and also suggest that the Npc1 gene product may directly or indirectly, regulate the expression and distribution of signaling molecules.  (+info)

Tagging the human immunodeficiency virus gag protein with green fluorescent protein. Minimal evidence for colocalisation with actin. (3/1530)

The assembly and budding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, encoded solely in the Gag protein precursor Pr55Gag, occur at the plasma membrane of infected cells. However, little is known about the routing of the Gag molecule from its site of synthesis in the cytoplasm to the site of budding, with past studies suggesting that the cytoskeleton, particularly actin, may be involved in the translocation. We have constructed a T7 promoter-driven gag gene fusion with green fluorescent protein (GFP) that expresses Gag-GFP in both cells and supernatant. The distribution of Gag-GFP was the same as Gag only, suggesting that cellular routing was not affected by fusion to GFP, and using colabelling techniques, Gag-GFP was shown to have no particular colocalisation with actin. After detergent extraction of expressing cells, Gag and Gag-GFP remained cell associated, whereas GFP only was wholly released. These data suggest that Gag may associate with other cytoskeletal components or, perhaps more likely, that a partial assembly to a large-molecular-weight intermediate occurs before localisation at the plasma membrane.  (+info)

Contrasting effects of a nonionic surfactant on the biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to cis-dihydrodiols by soil bacteria. (4/1530)

The biotransformation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene and phenanthrene was investigated by using two dioxygenase-expressing bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. strain 9816/11 and Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B8/36, under conditions which facilitate mass-transfer limited substrate oxidation. Both of these strains are mutants that accumulate cis-dihydrodiol metabolites under the reaction conditions used. The effects of the nonpolar solvent 2,2,4, 4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HMN) and the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 on the rate of accumulation of these metabolites were determined. HMN increased the rate of accumulation of metabolites for both microorganisms, with both substrates. The enhancement effect was most noticeable with phenanthrene, which has a lower aqueous solubility than naphthalene. Triton X-100 increased the rate of oxidation of the PAHs with strain 9816/11 with the effect being most noticeable when phenanthrene was used as a substrate. However, the surfactant inhibited the biotransformation of both naphthalene and phenanthrene with strain B8/36 under the same conditions. The observation that a nonionic surfactant could have such contrasting effects on PAH oxidation by different bacteria, which are known to be important for the degradation of these compounds in the environment, may explain why previous research on the application of the surfactants to PAH bioremediation has yielded inconclusive results. The surfactant inhibited growth of the wild-type strain S. yanoikuyae B1 on aromatic compounds but did not inhibit B8/36 dioxygenase enzyme activity in vitro.  (+info)

Lipid exchange between mixed micelles of phospholipid and triton X-100. (5/1530)

If phospholipase catalyzed hydrolysis of phospholipid dissolved in a detergent mixed micelle is limited to the phospholipid carried by a single micelle, then hydrolysis ceases upon exhaustion of that pool. However, if the rate of phospholipid exchange between micelles exceeds the catalytic rate then all of the phospholipid is available for hydrolysis. To determine phospholipid availability we studied the exchange of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine between mixed micelles of phospholipid and non-ionic Triton detergents by both stopped-flow fluorescence-recovery and nuclear magnetic resonance-relaxation techniques. Stopped-flow analysis was performed by combining mixed micelles of Triton and phospholipid with mixed micelles that contained the fluorescent phospholipid 1-palmitoyl-2-(12-[{7-nitro-2-1, 3-benzoxadiazo-4-yl}amino]dodecanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (P-2-NBD-PC). The concentration dependence of fluorescence recovery suggested a second-order exchange mechanism that was saturable. The true second-order rate constant depends on the specific mechanism for exchange, which was not determined in this study, but the rate constant will be on the order of 106 to 107 M-1s-1. Incorporation of 1-palmitoyl-2-(16-doxylstearoyl)phosphatidylcholine into micelles increased the rate of proton relaxation and gave a limiting relaxation time of 1.3 ms. The results demonstrate that phospholipid exchange was rapid and that the phospholipid content of a single micelle did not limit the rate of phospholipid hydrolysis by phospholipases.  (+info)

Opposite behavior of two isozymes when refolding in the presence of non-ionic detergents. (6/1530)

GroEL has a greater affinity for the mitochondrial isozyme (mAAT) of aspartate aminotransferase than for its cytosolic counterpart (cAAT) (Mattingly JR Jr, Iriarte A, Martinez-Carrion M, 1995, J Biol Chem 270:1138-1148), two proteins that share a high degree of sequence similarity and an almost identical spatial structure. The effect of detergents on the refolding of these large, dimeric isozymes parallels this difference in behavior. The presence of non-ionic detergents such as Triton X-100 or lubrol at concentrations above their critical micelle concentration (CMC) interferes with reactivation of mAAT unfolded in guanidinium chloride but increases the yield of cAAT refolding at low temperatures. The inhibitory effect of detergents on the reactivation of mAAT decreases progressively as the addition of detergents is delayed after starting the refolding reaction. The rate of disappearance of the species with affinity for binding detergents coincides with the slowest of the two rate-limiting steps detected in the refolding pathway of mAAT. Limited proteolysis studies indicate that the overall structure of the detergent-bound mAAT resembles that of the protein in a complex with GroEL. The mAAT folding intermediates trapped in the presence of detergents can resume reactivation either upon dilution of the detergent below its CMC or by adding beta-cyclodextrin. Thus, isolation of otherwise transient productive folding intermediates for further characterization is possible through the use of detergents.  (+info)

PhoP-PhoQ-regulated loci are required for enhanced bile resistance in Salmonella spp. (7/1530)

As enteric pathogens, Salmonella spp. are resistant to the actions of bile. Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella typhi strains were examined to better define the bile resistance phenotype. The MICs of bile for wild-type S. typhimurium and S. typhi were 18 and 12%, respectively, and pretreatment of log-phase S. typhimurium with 15% bile dramatically increased bile resistance. Mutant strains of S. typhimurium and S. typhi lacking the virulence regulator PhoP-PhoQ were killed at significantly lower bile concentrations than wild-type strains, while strains with constitutively active PhoP were able to survive prolonged incubation with bile at concentrations of >60%. PhoP-PhoQ was shown to mediate resistance specifically to the bile components deoxycholate and conjugated forms of chenodeoxycholate, and the protective effect was not generalized to other membrane-active agents. Growth of both S. typhimurium and S. typhi in bile and in deoxycholate resulted in the induction or repression of a number of proteins, many of which appeared identical to PhoP-PhoQ-activated or -repressed products. The PhoP-PhoQ regulon was not induced by bile, nor did any of the 21 PhoP-activated or -repressed genes tested play a role in bile resistance. However, of the PhoP-activated or -repressed genes tested, two (prgC and prgH) were transcriptionally repressed by bile in the medium independent of PhoP-PhoQ. These data suggest that salmonellae can sense and respond to bile to increase resistance and that this response likely includes proteins that are members of the PhoP regulon. These bile- and PhoP-PhoQ-regulated products may play an important role in the survival of Salmonella spp. in the intestine or gallbladder.  (+info)

Hydrodynamic properties of human erythrocyte band 3 solubilized in reduced Triton X-100. (8/1530)

The oligomeric state and function of band 3, purified by sulfhydryl affinity chromatography in reduced Triton X-100, was investigated. Size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography showed that a homogeneous population of band 3 dimers could be purified from whole erythrocyte membranes. The elution profile of band 3 purified from membranes that had been stripped of its cytoskeleton before solubilization was a broad single peak describing a heterogeneous population of oligomers with a mean Stokes radius of 100 A. Sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation analysis confirmed particle heterogeneity and further showed monomer/dimer/tetramer equilibrium self-association. Whether the conversion of dimer to the form described by a Stokes radius of 100 A was initiated by removal of cytoskeletal components, alkali-induced changes in band 3 conformation, or alkali-induced loss of copurifying ligands remains unclear. After incubation at 20 degrees C for 24 h, both preparations of band 3 converted to a common form characterized by a mean Stokes radius of 114 A. This form of the protein, examined by equilibrium sedimentation ultracentrifugation, is able to self-associate reversibly, and the self-association can be described by a dimer/tetramer/hexamer model, although the presence of higher oligomers cannot be discounted. The ability of the different forms of the protein to bind stilbene disulfonates revealed that the dimer had the highest inhibitor binding affinity, and the form characterized by a mean Stokes radius of 114 A to have the lowest.  (+info)

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