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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Rna Target Specificity Of The Embryonic Cell Fate Determinant Pos-1, Brian Farley, John Pagano, Sean Ryder May 2015

Rna Target Specificity Of The Embryonic Cell Fate Determinant Pos-1, Brian Farley, John Pagano, Sean Ryder

Sean P. Ryder

Specification of Caenorhabditis elegans body axes and cell fates occurs prior to the activation of zygotic transcription. Several CCCH-type tandem zinc finger (TZF) proteins coordinate local activation of quiescent maternal mRNAs after fertilization, leading to asymmetric expression of factors required for patterning. The primary determinant of posterior fate is the TZF protein POS-1. Mutants of pos-1 are maternal effect lethal with a terminal phenotype that includes excess pharyngeal tissue and no endoderm or germline. Here, we delineate the consensus POS-1 recognition element (PRE) required for specific recognition of its target mRNAs. The PRE is necessary but not sufficient to pattern …


Hnrnp A1 And Secondary Structure Coordinate Alternative Splicing Of Mag, Nancy Zearfoss, Emily Johnson, Sean Ryder May 2015

Hnrnp A1 And Secondary Structure Coordinate Alternative Splicing Of Mag, Nancy Zearfoss, Emily Johnson, Sean Ryder

Sean P. Ryder

Myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) is a major component of myelin in the vertebrate central nervous system. MAG is present in the periaxonal region of the myelin structure, where it interacts with neuronal proteins to inhibit axon outgrowth and protect neurons from degeneration. Two alternatively spliced isoforms of Mag mRNA have been identified. The mRNA encoding the shorter isoform, known as S-MAG, contains a termination codon in exon 12, while the mRNA encoding the longer isoform, known as L-MAG, skips exon 12 and produces a protein with a longer C-terminal region. L-MAG is required in the central nervous system. How inclusion of …


Dolichol-Linked Oligosaccharide Selection By The Oligosaccharyltransferase In Protist And Fungal Organisms, Daniel Kelleher, Sulagna Banerjee, Anthony Cura, John Samuelson, Reid Gilmore Mar 2014

Dolichol-Linked Oligosaccharide Selection By The Oligosaccharyltransferase In Protist And Fungal Organisms, Daniel Kelleher, Sulagna Banerjee, Anthony Cura, John Samuelson, Reid Gilmore

Anthony J. Cura

The dolichol-linked oligosaccharide Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-Dol is the in vivo donor substrate synthesized by most eukaryotes for asparagine-linked glycosylation. However, many protist organisms assemble dolichol-linked oligosaccharides that lack glucose residues. We have compared donor substrate utilization by the oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) from Trypanosoma cruzi, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichomonas vaginalis, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae using structurally homogeneous dolichol-linked oligosaccharides as well as a heterogeneous dolichol-linked oligosaccharide library. Our results demonstrate that the OST from diverse organisms utilizes the in vivo oligo saccharide donor in preference to certain larger and/or smaller oligosaccharide donors. Steady-state enzyme kinetic experiments reveal that the binding affinity of the tripeptide …


Decreased Metallation And Activity In Subsets Of Mutant Superoxide Dismutases Associated With Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Lawrence Hayward, Jorge Rodriguez, Ji Kim, Ashutosh Tiwari, Joy Goto, Diane Cabelli, Joan Valentine, Robert Brown Dec 2012

Decreased Metallation And Activity In Subsets Of Mutant Superoxide Dismutases Associated With Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Lawrence Hayward, Jorge Rodriguez, Ji Kim, Ashutosh Tiwari, Joy Goto, Diane Cabelli, Joan Valentine, Robert Brown

Dr Robert Brown

Over 90 different mutations in the gene encoding copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause approximately 2% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases by an unknown mechanism. We engineered 14 different human ALS-related SOD1 mutants and obtained high yields of biologically metallated proteins from an Sf21 insect cell expression system. Both the wild type and mutant "as isolated" SOD1 variants were deficient in copper and were heterogeneous by native gel electrophoresis. By contrast, although three mutant SOD1s with substitutions near the metal binding sites (H46R, G85R, and D124V) were severely deficient in both copper and zinc ions, zinc deficiency was not a …


Nitric Oxide-Mediated Inhibition Of Hdm2-P53 Binding, Christopher Schonhoff, Marie-Claire Daou, Stephen Jones, Celia Schiffer, Alonzo Ross Nov 2011

Nitric Oxide-Mediated Inhibition Of Hdm2-P53 Binding, Christopher Schonhoff, Marie-Claire Daou, Stephen Jones, Celia Schiffer, Alonzo Ross

Celia A. Schiffer

It has become increasingly evident that nitric oxide exerts its effects, in part, by S-nitrosylation of cysteine residues. We tested in vitro whether nitric oxide may indirectly control p53 by S-nitrosylation and inactivation of the p53 negative regulator, Hdm2. Treatment of Hdm2 with a nitric oxide donor inhibits Hdm2-p53 binding, a critical step in Hdm2 regulation of p53. The presence of excess amounts of cysteine or dithiothreitol blocks this inhibition of binding. Moreover, nitric oxide inhibition of Hdm2-p53 binding was found to be reversible. Sulfhydryl sensitivity and reversibility are consistent with nitrosylation. Finally, we have identified a critical cysteine residue …


Crystal Structure Of Lysine Sulfonamide Inhibitor Reveals The Displacement Of The Conserved Flap Water Molecule In Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease, Madhavi Nalam, Anik Peeters, Tim Jonckers, Inge Dierynck, Celia Schiffer Nov 2011

Crystal Structure Of Lysine Sulfonamide Inhibitor Reveals The Displacement Of The Conserved Flap Water Molecule In Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease, Madhavi Nalam, Anik Peeters, Tim Jonckers, Inge Dierynck, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease has been continuously evolving and developing resistance to all of the protease inhibitors. This requires the development of new inhibitors that bind to the protease in a novel fashion. Most of the inhibitors that are on the market are peptidomimetics, where a conserved water molecule mediates hydrogen bonding interactions between the inhibitors and the flaps of the protease. Recently a new class of inhibitors, lysine sulfonamides, was developed to combat the resistant variants of HIV protease. Here we report the crystal structure of a lysine sulfonamide. This inhibitor binds to the active site …


Structural And Thermodynamic Basis For The Binding Of Tmc114, A Next-Generation Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Inhibitor, Nancy King, Moses Prabu-Jeyabalan, Ellen Nalivaika, Piet Wigerinck, Marie-Pierre De Bethune, Celia Schiffer Nov 2011

Structural And Thermodynamic Basis For The Binding Of Tmc114, A Next-Generation Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Inhibitor, Nancy King, Moses Prabu-Jeyabalan, Ellen Nalivaika, Piet Wigerinck, Marie-Pierre De Bethune, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

TMC114, a newly designed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitor, is extremely potent against both wild-type (wt) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) viruses in vitro as well as in vivo. Although chemically similar to amprenavir (APV), the potency of TMC114 is substantially greater. To examine the basis for this potency, we solved crystal structures of TMC114 complexed with wt HIV-1 protease and TMC114 and APV complexed with an MDR (L63P, V82T, and I84V) protease variant. In addition, we determined the corresponding binding thermodynamics by isothermal titration calorimetry. TMC114 binds approximately 2 orders of magnitude more tightly to the wt enzyme …


Lack Of Synergy For Inhibitors Targeting A Multi-Drug-Resistant Hiv-1 Protease, Nancy King, Laurence Melnick, Moses Prabu-Jeyabalan, Ellen Nalivaika, Shiow-Shong Yang, Yun Gao, Xiaoyi Nie, Charles Zepp, Donald Heefner, Celia Schiffer Nov 2011

Lack Of Synergy For Inhibitors Targeting A Multi-Drug-Resistant Hiv-1 Protease, Nancy King, Laurence Melnick, Moses Prabu-Jeyabalan, Ellen Nalivaika, Shiow-Shong Yang, Yun Gao, Xiaoyi Nie, Charles Zepp, Donald Heefner, Celia Schiffer

Celia A. Schiffer

The three-dimensional structures of indinavir and three newly synthesized indinavir analogs in complex with a multi-drug-resistant variant (L63P, V82T, I84V) of HIV-1 protease were determined to approximately 2.2 A resolution. Two of the three analogs have only a single modification of indinavir, and their binding affinities to the variant HIV-1 protease are enhanced over that of indinavir. However, when both modifications were combined into a single compound, the binding affinity to the protease variant was reduced. On close examination, the structural rearrangements in the protease that occur in the tightest binding inhibitor complex are mutually exclusive with the structural rearrangements …


Evidence That Distinct States Of The Integrin Alpha6beta1 Interact With Laminin And An Adam, M. S. Chen, E. A. Almeida, A. P. Huovila, Y. Takahashi, Leslie M. Shaw, Arthur M. Mercurio, J. M. White Nov 2010

Evidence That Distinct States Of The Integrin Alpha6beta1 Interact With Laminin And An Adam, M. S. Chen, E. A. Almeida, A. P. Huovila, Y. Takahashi, Leslie M. Shaw, Arthur M. Mercurio, J. M. White

Arthur M. Mercurio

Integrins can exist in different functional states with low or high binding capacity for particular ligands. We previously provided evidence that the integrin alpha6beta1, on mouse eggs and on alpha6-transfected cells, interacted with the disintegrin domain of the sperm surface protein ADAM 2 (fertilin beta). In the present study we tested the hypothesis that different states of alpha6beta1 interact with fertilin and laminin, an extracellular matrix ligand for alpha6beta1. Using alpha6-transfected cells we found that treatments (e.g., with phorbol myristate acetate or MnCl2) that increased adhesion to laminin inhibited sperm binding. Conversely, treatments that inhibited laminin adhesion increased sperm binding. …


Binding And Assembly Of Actin Filaments By Plasma Membranes From Dictyostelium Discoideum, M. A. Schwartz, Elizabeth J. Luna Mar 2008

Binding And Assembly Of Actin Filaments By Plasma Membranes From Dictyostelium Discoideum, M. A. Schwartz, Elizabeth J. Luna

Elizabeth J. Luna

The binding of native, 125I-Bolton-Hunter-labeled actin to purified Dictyostelium discoideum plasma membranes was measured using a sedimentation assay. Binding was saturable only in the presence of the actin capping protein, gelsolin. In the presence of gelsolin, the amount of actin bound at saturation to three different membrane preparations was 80, 120, and 200 micrograms/mg of membrane protein. The respective concentrations of actin at half-saturation were 8, 12, and 18 micrograms/ml. The binding curves were sigmoidal, indicating positive cooperativity at low actin concentrations. This cooperativity appeared to be due to actin-actin associations during polymerization, since phalloidin converted the curve to a …


F-Actin And Myosin Ii Binding Domains In Supervillin, Yu Chen, Norio Takizawa, Jessica Crowley, Sang Oh, Cheryl Gatto, Taketoshi Kambara, Osamu Sato, Xiang-Dong Li, Mitsuo Ikebe, Elizabeth Luna Mar 2008

F-Actin And Myosin Ii Binding Domains In Supervillin, Yu Chen, Norio Takizawa, Jessica Crowley, Sang Oh, Cheryl Gatto, Taketoshi Kambara, Osamu Sato, Xiang-Dong Li, Mitsuo Ikebe, Elizabeth Luna

Elizabeth J. Luna

Detergent-resistant membranes contain signaling and integral membrane proteins that organize cholesterol-rich domains called lipid rafts. A subset of these detergent-resistant membranes (DRM-H) exhibits a higher buoyant density ( approximately 1.16 g/ml) because of association with membrane skeleton proteins, including actin, myosin II, myosin 1G, fodrin, and an actin- and membrane-binding protein called supervillin (Nebl, T., Pestonjamasp, K. N., Leszyk, J. D., Crowley, J. L., Oh, S. W., and Luna, E. J. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 43399-43409). To characterize interactions among DRM-H cytoskeletal proteins, we investigated the binding partners of the novel supervillin N terminus, specifically amino acids 1-830. We …


Domain Analysis Of Supervillin, An F-Actin Bundling Plasma Membrane Protein With Functional Nuclear Localization Signals, J. D. Wulfkuhle, I. E. Donina, N. H. Stark, Robert K. Pope, Kersi N. Pestonjamasp, M. L. Niswonger, Elizabeth J. Luna Mar 2008

Domain Analysis Of Supervillin, An F-Actin Bundling Plasma Membrane Protein With Functional Nuclear Localization Signals, J. D. Wulfkuhle, I. E. Donina, N. H. Stark, Robert K. Pope, Kersi N. Pestonjamasp, M. L. Niswonger, Elizabeth J. Luna

Elizabeth J. Luna

A growing number of actin-associated membrane proteins have been implicated in motile processes, adhesive interactions, and signal transduction to the cell nucleus. We report here that supervillin, an F-actin binding protein originally isolated from bovine neutrophil plasma membranes, contains functional nuclear targeting signals and localizes at or near vinculin-containing focal adhesion plaques in COS7-2 and CV1 cells. Overexpression of full-length supervillin in these cells disrupts the integrity of focal adhesion plaques and results in increased levels of F-actin and vinculin. Localization studies of chimeric proteins containing supervillin sequences fused with the enhanced green fluorescent protein indicate that: (1) the amino …


F-Actin Binds To The Cytoplasmic Surface Of Ponticulin, A 17-Kd Integral Glycoprotein From Dictyostelium Discoideum Plasma Membranes, L. J. Wuestehube, Elizabeth J. Luna Mar 2008

F-Actin Binds To The Cytoplasmic Surface Of Ponticulin, A 17-Kd Integral Glycoprotein From Dictyostelium Discoideum Plasma Membranes, L. J. Wuestehube, Elizabeth J. Luna

Elizabeth J. Luna

F-actin affinity chromatography and immunological techniques are used to identify actin-binding proteins in purified Dictyostelium discoideum plasma membranes. A 17-kD integral glycoprotein (gp17) consistently elutes from F-actin columns as the major actin-binding protein under a variety of experimental conditions. The actin-binding activity of gp17 is identical to that of intact plasma membranes: it resists extraction with 0.1 N NaOH, 1 mM dithiothreitol (DTT); it is sensitive to ionic conditions; it is stable over a wide range of pH; and it is eliminated by proteolysis, denaturation with heat, or treatment with DTT and N-ethylmaleimide. gp17 may be responsible for much of …