HM-1 toxin produced by Hansenula mrakii kills sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that the budding cells and the cells that responded to mating factor were sensitive to HM-1 toxin. These findings indicate that the target sites of HM-1 toxin are developing buds and conjugating tubes. The in vitro activity of beta-1,3-glucan synthase solubilized and partially purified from S. cerevisiae membranes was inhibited by HM-1 toxin at a concentration (around 50 nM, 0.5 micrograms/ml) that coincided well with its minimum inhibitory concentration for the growth of yeast cells. These data indicate that the HM-1 toxin perturbs the synthesis of yeast cell walls by inhibiting the glucan synthesis occurring at a budding site or a conjugating tube, which results in cell lysis.
Our objective was to test the hypothesis that, via transgenesis, one can modify the contractile protein complement of the mouse heart. Using a promoter derived from the mouse myosin heavy chain gene (alpha-MyHC), we attempted to remodel the mouse myocardium by ectopically expressing a ventricular form of the myosin light chain 2 (MLC2v) in the atrium. The ability of the heart to maintain contractile isoform stoichiometry was tested by overexpressing the cDNA in both the atria and ventricle. The promoter drove high levels of transgene expression in both cardiac compartments and was controlled in an appropriate manner during development. The data show that ectopic overexpression of a contractile protein isoform can lead to compartment specific replacement. However, if the transgene encodes the isoform that is normally present (e.g., MLC2v expressed in the ventricle), the protein levels remain unaffected, although the transgenic transcript accumulates to very high levels. The basic function and the physiologic or pathophysiologic significance of differential MLC2 isoform content was examined. Using the whole working heart preparation, we show that an MLC2a --> MLC2v shift in the atrium severely affects contractile function and performance.
We cloned and sequenced cDNAs encoding two lysosomal membrane glycoproteins, lgp-A and lgp-B, from Chinese hamster ovary cells. The deduced amino acid sequences of these proteins are similar to those of the other known members of this conserved family (also known as "LAMP" proteins). We used the cDNAs to generate stable lines of hamster lgp-expressing mouse NIH-3T3 cells, rat NRK cells, and monkey CV-1 cells. We also generated hybridomas that secrete antibodies specific for hamster lgp-A and lgp-B, enabling us to distinguish foreign from endogenous lgps in a wider variety of transfected cell lines. One line of mouse NIH-3T3 cells that expresses hamster lgp-B was studied in detail. Whereas most of the hamster lgp-B appeared to be transported to lysosomes in these cells, butyrate-induced overexpression resulted in the accumulation of a significant proportion of the total on the plasma membrane. In addition, overexpression of this foreign lgp-B also resulted in the appearance of the endogenous mouse lgp-A and lgp-B on the plasma membrane. Characterization of this accumulation suggested that it resulted from competition for one or more limited components in the transport pathway(s) to lysosomes. Endocytosis from the plasma membrane appeared to be one step that was saturable.
A rapid and simple spin column assay has been used to study interactions of BiP with substance P (SP) and ATP. At 4 degrees C, the binding of SP to BiP requires ATP and a stable SP-BiP.ATP complex is formed. Nonhydrolyzable ATP analogues or ADP cannot replace ATP. Although ATP converts BiP dimers to monomers, the requirement for ATP for SP binding is not solely due to BiP dissociation, because purified BiP monomers also require ATP for peptide binding. At 37 degrees C, there is rapid binding of SP to BiP even in the absence of ATP and, in fact, ATP at concentrations above 5 microM causes release of SP from BiP. At this higher temperature, there is also rapid hydrolysis of ATP bound to BiP. These results extend our previous results (Brot et al., 1994) that indicated the formation, at low ATP concentrations, of a labile SP.BiP.ATP complex that, after ATP hydrolysis, resulted in a stable SP.BiP.ADP complex.
Rhodospirillum rubrum is a spiral anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium that can exist under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The organism thrives in the presence of light or complete darkness and represents one of the oldest species of living organisms, possibly 2-3.5 billion years old. The success of this prokaryotic species may be attributed to the evolution of certain indole compounds that offer protection against life-threatening oxygen radicals produced by an evolutionary harsh environment. Melatonin, N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is an indolic highly conserved molecule that exists in protists, plants, and animals. This study was undertaken to determine the presence of an immunoreactive melatonin in the kingdom Monera and particularly in the photosynthetic bacterium, R. rubrum, under conditions of prolonged darkness or prolonged light. Immunoreactive melatonin was measured during both the extended day and extended night. Significantly more melatonin was observed during the scotophase than the photophase. This study marks the first demonstration of melatonin in a bacterium. The high level of melatonin observed in bacteria may provide on-site protection of bacterial DNA against free radical attack.
The ovine beta-lactoglobulin gene is expressed abundantly in the mammary gland. This study determines whether the ovine beta-lactoglobulin promoter is sufficient for targeting tissue-specific expression in transgenic mice. To address this, the expression profile of an ovine beta-lactoglobulin promoter driven bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter construct was analysed, Comparison of the expression frequency of this hybrid transgene to that of a genomic beta-lactoglobulin transgene indicates that additional sequences, downstream of the promoter, are required for position-independent expression in transgenic mice. Nevertheless, the hybrid transgene was expressed specifically in the mammary gland, Furthermore, the hybrid transgene was expressed in the appropriate temporal pattern during pregnancy and lactation. Thus, the proximal promoter of the ovine beta-lactoglobulin gene contains sufficient sequence information to target expression to the mammary. This construct constitutes the basis for a compact mammary expression vector.
The presence of progenitor or stem cells in the adult liver and their potential roles in oncogenesis are unresolved issues. The study of hepatocyte progenitor cells has been limited by a lack of convenient in vivo systems allowing unequivocal cell localization and demonstration of differentiation into hepatocytes. To develop an in vivo progenitor bioassay, early (E14) fetal Fischer 344 rat hepatoblasts were transplanted into the spleen of syngeneic, weaning rats deficient in dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) activity. The donor status of transplanted hepatoblasts was demonstrated by DPPIV expression. Localization of hepatoblasts was facilitated by the use of an ectopic site, as well as weanling recipients, which readily allowed identification of very small numbers of transplanted cells. Fetal rat hepatoblasts were demonstrated to undergo cellular differentiation along the hepatocyte lineage by acquiring glucose-6-phosphatase activity within 5 d of transplantation. A critical review of previous transplantation studies of hepatocyte progenitor cells and the role of the local microenvironment at inducing differentiation indicates that this novel bioassay should facilitate analysis of progenitor cells.
Activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B), two transcription factors that respond to a wide range of signals, have been shown to be activated by H2O2 in several cell lines. Since H2O2 and related oxidants are implicated in reperfusion injury to the heart, we wished to know if NF-kappa B is present in the myocardium and if cardiac AP-1 and NF-kappa B also respond to oxidants. Rat neonatal cardiac myocytes were exposed to H2O2, and changes in c-fos and c-jun mRNAs, immunoreactive c-Fos and c-Jun proteins (components of AP-1), and immunoreactive p50 subunit of NF-kappa B were determined. Changes in nuclear activities of AP-1 and NF-kappa B were also measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, When myocytes were exposed to nonlethal concentrations of H2O2, c-fos and c-jun mRNAs were rapidly induced, reaching peak values at 30-60 min. The levels of c-Fos and c-Jun proteins increased in nuclei as revealed by immunostaining, and DNA binding activity of nuclear AP-1 increased. The presence of p50 subunit of NF-kappa B and its H2O2-induced shift from cytoplasm to nucleus were shown by immunostaining. H2O2-induced myocyte nuclear proteins capable of binding to a DNA probe containing the NF-kappa B element were also demonstrated. The findings suggest that altered expressions of cardiac genes regulated by AP-1 and NF-kappa B may be components of oxidant-induced injury to the heart or a part of the heart's adaptive response to oxidative stress.
Serine acetyltransferase, a key enzyme in the L-cysteine biosynthetic pathway of sulfate assimilating organisms, catalyzes the formation of O-acetylserine, the immediate precursor of L-cysteine. In higher plants, it is thought that sulfur assimilation occurs primarily in leaf chloroplasts; however, serine acetyltransferase is not localized exclusively in this tissue and organelle. At least three genes for serine acetyltransferase have been identified in the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Reported here is a cDNA corresponding to one of these genes, SAT1, a 1,079 bp clone with an open reading frame predicted to encode a 34-kDa protein that is able to functionally complement a serine acetyltransferase mutant strain of Escherichia coli. The predicted amino acid sequence of SAT1 shows significant homology with bacterial serine acetyltransferases. SAT1, expressed as a recombinant protein, shows serine acetyltransferase enzyme activity and cross-reacts with an antibody against the homologous E. coli enzyme. The first 40 amino acids of the SAT1 polypeptide resembles a plastid transit peptide, but the polypeptide is probably not plastid localized. Genomic DNA blot analysis of A. thaliana showed that SAT1 is a single copy gene and RNA blot analysis revealed that SAT1 is expressed in both leaves and roots.
ES/130 is a novel 130-kDa protein that has been linked previously to the transformation of endocardial endothelium into cushion mesenchyme. In the present study we report the localization of protein and mRNA for ES/130 in stages 7-plus through 20 chick embryos and present functional data related to a potential mechanism for ES/130. The temporal and spatial regulation of ES/130 expression suggests that this epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation is a result of homogenetic induction. Functional studies indicate that myocardially derived ES/130 elicits expression of this protein by target AV endothelial cells, which is linked to a signal transduction cascade. The localization of ES/130 to other sites of inductive interactions (e.g., limb bud ectoderm, gut, and notochord) implies that this protein may have a more widespread importance to embryogenesis beyond its involvement in cardiac cushion tissue formation.
The cardiac mutant axolotl is an interesting model for studying heart development. The mutant gene results in a failure of heart cells to form organized myofibrils and as a consequence the heart fails to beat. Experiments have shown that mutant hearts can be "rescued" (i.e., turned into normally contracting organs) by the addition of RNA purified from conditioned media produced by normal embryonic anterior endoderm-mesoderm cultures. These corrected hearts form myofibrils of normal morphology. New advances in recombinant DNA technology applied to this system should provide significant insights into the regulatory mechanisms of myofibrillogenesis as well as the inductive processes related to the control of gene expression during embryonic heart development. In a broader biological sense, the use of gene c in axolotls is potentially capable of helping to solve major unanswered questions in modern biology related to the genetic regulation of differentiation in vertebrates.
Identification of the genetic basis for congenital heart defects has been a topic of inquiry for pediatric cardiologists for many years, Any genetic model proposed must account for three often puzzling features of congenital heart diseases, namely the high population incidence, the less than Mendelian recurrence risk, and low concordance rates of heart lesions within individual families, A multifactorial or polygenic inheritance model has been used to explain these observations, Although this model has been serviceable, it does not adequately explain the phenotypic variability within families. Further, the emphasis on teratogenic influences has not led to the elucidation of pathogenetic mechanisms, The multifactorial model should be modified to include the role of chance as originally proposed by Kurnit. Once the role of chance is acknowledged, the phenotypic variability of congenital heart diseases becomes less problematic, and the multifactorial model gives way to a model in which single genes are capable of producing congenital heart disease, Through recent work in animal models and humans, it is now clear that single congenital heart disease genes can be identified that produce phenotypic variability in families that is similar to that seen in the population as a whole. Examples demonstrating recent progress in the search for major congenital heart disease genes are discussed.
Early events of cardiovascular development have received renewed interest in recent years. The cardiovascular system is the first major organ system to become functional during early embryogenesis. Cells fated to form the cardiovascular system can be identified as early as during stages of gastrulation of avian and mammalian embryos. In the present brief summary, we describe the primitive-streak origin of the avian cardiovascular system and examine the state of commitment of prospective cardiogenic and vasculogenic areas of the primitive streak. In addition, we describe initial experiments aimed at elucidating the primitive-streak origin of the heart in mouse embryos. Finally, we consider the possible roles of Hensen's node and the "cardiac" endoderm in determination of cell fate and patterning of the avian developing heart tube. Although recent studies have shed considerable light on the origin, migration, and determination of the cardiovascular system, much still remains to be learned about mechanisms underlying cardiovascular patterning in the early embryo.
In this review, a rationale is presented for how hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, renal dialysis, and prolonged stress can all lead to atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. The data indicate that Mg deficiency caused either by poor diet and/or errors in Mg metabolism may be a missing link between diverse cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. Data from our laboratories and others indicate that reduction in extracellular and intracellular free Mg ions (Mg2+) can induce an entire array of pathophysiological phenomena known to be important in atherogenesis, that is, vasospasm, increased vascular reactivity, elevation in [Ca2+]i, formation of proinflammatory agents, oxygen radicals, platelet aggegation, reduction in cardiac bioenergetics, cardiac failure, oxidation of lipoproteins, gender-related modulation of endothelial-derived relaxing factor/NO, changes in membrane fatty acid saturation, changes in membrane plasmalogens and N-phospholipids (suggesting changes in intracellular phospholipid signals), and probably transcription factors.
Members of the E2F gene family are transcription factors that have been implicated in the control of genes essential for cell cycle progression. Regulation of E2F function is finely tuned by the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene product and a small family of related "pocket proteins," with the participation of a number of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases. Perturbations of this regulatory network can lead to oncogenic transformation and, in certain systems, to the loss of the ability to maintain terminal differentiation. We describe here the cloning, structural characterization, and tissue expression pattern of a new member of the E2F family, E2F-5. We show that this protein is highly conserved between human and rat but exhibits considerable divergence from E2F-1, E2F-2, or E2F3. Together with the recently reported E2F-4, E2F-5 defines a new branch of the E2F family. The distribution of E2F-5 mRNA among adult rat tissues and the temporal pattern of its expression during the cell cycle of vascular smooth muscle cells are distinctly different from that of E2F-1. The structural divergence between the two branches of the E2F family may thus reflect participation in different regulatory networks.
The mouse Grg gene encodes a 197 amino acid nuclear protein homologous to the amino-terminal domain of the product of the groucho (gro) gene of the Drosophila Enhancer of split complex. Recent work has suggested that the gro protein functions as a transcriptional corepressor during Drosophila development. We therefore examined possible roles of the mouse Grg protein in DNA binding and in vitro transcription. No sequence-specific DNA binding activity was detected by polymerase chain reaction-DNA binding site selection nor was the glutamine-rich Grg protein capable of acting as an activation domain in an in vivo transactivation assay. However, depletion of Grg protein from HeLa nuclear extracts inhibited the in vitro transcription activity of the extracts. We suggest that Grg protein may interact with components of the basal transcription machinery.
We have identified a new member of the helix-loop-helix (H-L-H) and leucine zipper gene families via a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction based strategy. This new gene, CHUK (conserved helix-loop-helix ubiquitous kinase), may represent the founding member of a new class of interacting chimeric proteins. The nucleotide sequence of a near full-length murine CHUK cDNA clone revealed an encoded polypeptide specifying: a carboxyl-terminal H-L-H domain, an amino terminal serine-threonine kinase catalytic domain, and a leucine zipper-like amphipathic alpha-helix juxtaposed in between the H-L-H and kinase domains. CHUK is highly conserved in evolution and ubiquitously expressed in diverse types of established cell lines, whereas it is differentially expressed in normal murine tissues. The structural features of the CHUK polypeptide suggest that its putative kinase activity may be targetted to H-L-H and/or leucine zipper transcription factors. Alternatively, the dual amphipathic a helices may serve to control its intrinsic kinase activity by interactions with other cellular factors. CHUK may provide new insights into the regulated transmission of cytoplasmic signals to specific nuclear factors manifesting rapid alterations in patterns of cellular gene expression.
