| 51. |
- Faijes, M., et al.
(author)
-
In vitro synthesis of a crystalline (1 -> 3,1 -> 4)-beta-D-glucan by a mutated (1 -> 3,1 -> 4)-beta-D-glucanase from Bacillus
- 2004
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 380, s. 635-641
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Oligo- and poly-saccharides have a large number of important biological functions, and they occur in natural composite materials, such as plant cell walls, where they self-assemble during biosynthesis in a poorly understood manner. They can also be used for the formation of artificial composite materials with industrial applications. Fundamental and applied research in biology and nanobiotechnology would benefit from the possibility of synthesizing tailor-made oligo-/poly-saccharides. In the present paper, we demonstrate that such syntheses are possible using genetically modified glycoside hydrolases, i.e. glycosynthases. The ability of the endoglycosynthase derived from Bacillus ( 1 --> 3,1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucanase to catalyse self-condensation of sugar donors was exploited for the in vitro synthesis of a regular polysaccharicle. The specificity of the enzyme allowed the polymerization of alpha-laminaribiosyl fluoride via the formation of (1 --> 4)-beta-linkages to yield a new linear crystalline (1 --> 3,1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucan with a repeating 4betaG3betaG unit. MS and methylation analyses indicated that the in vitro product consisted of a mixture of oligosaccharides, the one having a degree of polymerization of 12 being the most abundant. Morphological characterization revealed that the (1 --> 3,1 --> 4)-beta-D-glucan forms spherulites which are composed of platelet crystals. X-ray and electron diffraction analyses allowed the proposition of a putative crystallographic structure which corresponds to a monoclinic unit cell with a = 0.834 nm, b = 0.825 nm, c = 2.04 nm and gamma = 90.5degrees. The dimensions of the ab plane are similar to those of cellulose I-beta, but the length of the c-axis is nearly twice that of cellulose I. It is proposed that four glucose residues are present in an extended conformation along the c-axis of the unit cell. The data presented show that glycosynthases represent promising enzymic systems for the synthesis of novel polysaccharides with specific and controlled structures, and for the analysis in vitro of the mechanisms of polymerization and crystallization of potysaccharides.
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| 52. |
- Falkenberg, C, et al.
(author)
-
Isolation and characterization of fibronectin-alpha 1-microglobulin complex in rat plasma
- 1994
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In: The Biochemical journal. - : Portland Press Ltd.. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 301:3, s. 51-745
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecules containing the 28 kDa immunoregulatory protein alpha 1-microglobulin (alpha 1-m), also known as protein HC, were isolated from rat plasma or serum by immunoaffinity chromatography. Three molecular species were distinguished on the basis of nondenaturing PAGE. Two of these have been described previously: uncomplexed alpha 1-m, and the complex of alpha 1-m with alpha 1-inhibitor-3. The third species was analysed by denaturing PAGE, immunoblotting, proteinase digestion and N-terminal-sequence analyses, and shown to consist of a complex between alpha 1-m and fibronectin. This complex, with a mass of about 560 kDa, was resistant to dissociation in the presence of denaturants, but not in the presence of reducing agents in combination with denaturants, and we conclude that the two components are linked by disulphide bonds. About 60% of the total detectable plasma alpha 1-m exists as high-molecular-mass complexes distributed approximately evenly between fibronectin and alpha 1-inhibitor-3. Immunochemical analyses were used to determine the proportion of the total plasma pools of fibronectin and alpha 1-inhibitor-3 that circulate in complex with alpha 1-m. About 3-7% of the total plasma fibronectin from three different rat strains contained alpha 1-m, whereas 0.3-0.8% of the total plasma alpha 1-inhibitor-3 contained alpha 1-m. Complexes were found at similar levels in plasma and serum, indicating that coagulation is not responsible for complex formation. Moreover, immunochemical analyses of human plasma revealed small amounts of alpha 1-m in complex with fibronectin and alpha 2-macroglobulin (an alpha 1-inhibitor-3 homologue). The existence of a complex between alpha 1-m and fibronectin in rats and humans suggests a mechanism for the incorporation of the immunoregulatory molecule alpha 1-m into the extracellular matrix.
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| 53. |
- Favre, Cécile J., et al.
(author)
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Organization of Ca2+ stores in myeloid cells: association of SERCA2b and the type-1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor
- 1996
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 316:1, s. 137-142
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, we have analysed the relationship between Ca2+ pumps and Ins(1,4,5)P3-sensitive Ca2+ channels in myeloid cells. To study whether sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA)-type Ca2+-ATPases are responsible for Ca2+ uptake into Ins(1,4,5)P3-sensitive Ca2+ stores, we used the three structurally unrelated inhibitors thapsigargin, 2,5-di-t-butylhydroquinone and cyclopiazonic acid. In HL-60 cells, all three compounds precluded formation of the phosphorylated intermediate of SERCA-type Ca2+-ATPases. They also decreased, in parallel, ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation and the amount of Ins(1,4,5)P3-releasable Ca2+. Immunoblotting with subtype-directed antibodies demonstrated that HL-60 cells contain the Ca2+ pump SERCA2 (subtype b), and the Ca2+-release-channel type-1 Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor. In subcellular fractionation studies, SERCA2 and type-1 Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor co-purified. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated that both type-1 Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor and SERCA2 were evenly distributed throughout the cell in moving neutrophils. During phagocytosis both proteins translocated to the periphagosomal space. Taken together, our results suggest that in myeloid cells (i) SERCA-type Ca2+-ATPases function as Ca2+ pumps of Ins(1,4,5)P3-sensitive Ca2+ stores, and (ii) SERCA2 and type-1 Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor reside either in the same or two tightly associated subcellular compartments.
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| 54. |
- Fedulova, Natalia, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Porcine glutathione transferase Alpha 2-2 is a human GST A3-3 analogue that catalyses steroid double-bond isomerization
- 2010
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 431:1, s. 159-167
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A primary role of GSTs (glutathione transferases) is detoxication of electrophilic compounds. In addition to this protective function, hGST (human GST) A3-3, a member of the Alpha class of soluble GSTs, has prominent steroid double-bond isomerase activity. The isomerase reaction is an obligatory step in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, indicating a special role of hGST A3-3 in steroidogenic tissues. An analogous GST with high steroid isomerase activity has so far not been found in any other biological species. In the present study, we characterized a Sus scrofa (pig) enzyme, pGST A2-2, displaying high steroid isomerase activity. High levels of pGST A2-2 expression were found in ovary, testis and liver. In its functional properties, other than steroid isomerization, pGST A2-2 was most similar to hGST A3-3. The properties of the novel porcine enzyme lend support to the notion that particular GSTs play an important role in steroidogenesis.
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| 55. |
- Frick, Anna, 1982, et al.
(author)
-
Mercury increases water permeability of a plant aquaporin through a non-cysteine-related mechanism
- 2013
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - : Portland Press Ltd.. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 454:pt 3, s. 491-499
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Water transport across cellular membranes is mediated by a family of membrane proteins known as AQPs (aquaporins). AQPs were first discovered on the basis of their ability to be inhibited by mercurial compounds, an experiment which has followed the AQP field ever since. Although mercury inhibition is most common, many AQPs are mercury insensitive. In plants, regulation of AQPs is important in order to cope with environmental changes. Plant plasma membrane AQPs are known to be gated by phosphorylation, pH and Ca2+. We have previously solved the structure of the spinach AQP SoPIP2;1 (Spinacia oleracea plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2; 1) in closed and open conformations and proposed a mechanism for how this gating can be achieved. To study the effect of mercury on SoPIP2; 1 we solved the structure of the SoPIP2;1-mercury complex and characterized the water transport ability using proteoliposomes. The structure revealed mercury binding to three out of four cysteine residues. In contrast to what is normally seen for AQPs, mercury increased the water transport rate of SoPIP2; 1, an effect which could not be attributed to any of the cysteine residues. This indicates that other factors might influence the effect of mercury on SoPIP2; 1, one of which could be the properties of the lipid bilayer.
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| 56. |
- Friedman, Ran
(author)
-
Aggregation of amyloids in a cellular context : modelling and experiment
- 2011
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 438, s. 415-426
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Amyloid-related diseases are a group of illnesses in which an abnormal accumulation of proteins into fibrillar structures is evident. Results from a wide range of studies, ranging from identification of amyloid-β dimers in the brain to biophysical characterization of the interactions between amyloidogenic peptides and lipid membranes during fibril growth shed light on the initial events which take place during amyloid aggregation. Accounts of fibril disaggregation and formation of globular aggregates due to interactions with lipids or fatty acids further demonstrate the complexity of the aggregation process and the difficulty to treat amyloid-related diseases. There is an inherent difficulty in generalizing from studies of aggregation in vitro, but the involvement of too many cellular components limits the ability to follow amyloid aggregation in a cellular (or extracellular) context. Fortunately, the development of experimental methods to generate stable globular aggregates suggests new means of studying the molecular events associated with amyloid aggregation. Furthermore, simulation studies enable deeper understanding of the experimental results and provide useful predictions that can be tested in the laboratory. Computer simulations can nowadays provide molecular or even atomistic details that are experimentally not available or very difficult to obtain. In the present review, recent developments on modelling and experiments of amyloid aggregation are reviewed, and an integrative account on how isolated interactions (as observed in vitro and in silico) combine during the course of amyloid-related diseases is presented. Finally, it is argued that an integrative approach is necessary to get a better understanding of the protein aggregation process.
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| 57. |
- Fälker, Knut, 1971-, et al.
(author)
-
Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) signalling desensitization is counteracted via PAR4 signalling in human platelets
- 2011
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - : Portland Press -- London. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 436:2, s. 469-480
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PARs (protease-activated receptors) 1 and 4 belong to the family of G-protein-coupled receptors which induce both G(α12/13) and G(αq) signalling. By applying the specific PAR1- and PAR4-activating hexapeptides, SFLLRN and AYPGKF respectively, we found that aggregation of isolated human platelets mediated via PAR1, but not via PAR4, is abolished upon homologous receptor activation in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion. This effect was not due to receptor internalization, but to a decrease in Ca²⁺ mobilization, PKC (protein kinase C) signalling and α-granule secretion, as well as to a complete lack of dense granule secretion. Interestingly, subthreshold PAR4 activation rapidly abrogated PAR1 signalling desensitization by differentially reconstituting these affected signalling events and functional responses, which was sufficient to re-establish aggregation. The lack of ADP release and P2Y₁₂ receptor-induced G(αi) signalling accounted for the loss of the aggregation response, as mimicking G(αi/z) signalling with 2-MeS-ADP (2-methylthioadenosine-5'-O-diphosphate) or epinephrine (adrenaline) could substitute for intermediate PAR4 activation. Finally, we found that the re-sensitization of PAR1 signalling-induced aggregation via PAR4 relied on PKC-mediated release of both ADP from dense granules and fibrinogen from α-granules. The present study elucidates further differences in human platelet PAR signalling regulation and provides evidence for a cross-talk in which PAR4 signalling counteracts mechanisms involved in PAR1 signalling down-regulation.
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| 58. |
- García-Murria, María-Jesús, et al.
(author)
-
Structural and functional consequences of the replacement of proximal residues Cys(172) and Cys(192) in the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
- 2008
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 411:2, s. 241-247
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Proximal Cys(172) and Cys(192) in the large subunit of the photosynthetic enzyme Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase; EC 4.1.1.39) are evolutionarily conserved among cyanobacteria, algae and higher plants. Mutation of Cys(172) has been shown to affect the redox properties of Rubisco in vitro and to delay the degradation of the enzyme in vivo under stress conditions. Here, we report the effect of the replacement of Cys(172) and Cys(192) by serine on the catalytic properties, thermostability and three-dimensional structure of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Rubisco. The most striking effect of the C172S substitution was an 11% increase in the specificity factor when compared with the wild-type enzyme. The specificity factor of C192S Rubisco was not altered. The V(c) (V(max) for carboxylation) was similar to that of wild-type Rubisco in the case of the C172S enzyme, but approx. 30% lower for the C192S Rubisco. In contrast, the K(m) for CO(2) and O(2) was similar for C192S and wild-type enzymes, but distinctly higher (approximately double) for the C172S enzyme. C172S Rubisco showed a critical denaturation temperature approx. 2 degrees C lower than wild-type Rubisco and a distinctly higher denaturation rate at 55 degrees C, whereas C192S Rubisco was only slightly more sensitive to temperature denaturation than the wild-type enzyme. X-ray crystal structures reveal that the C172S mutation causes a shift of the main-chain backbone atoms of beta-strand 1 of the alpha/beta-barrel affecting a number of amino acid side chains. This may cause the exceptional catalytic features of C172S. In contrast, the C192S mutation does not produce similar structural perturbations.
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| 59. |
- Gierow, Peter, et al.
(author)
-
Heterogeneity of smooth endoplasmic reticulum from rat liver studied by two-phase partitioning
- 1989
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 262:1, s. 55-61
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Smooth microsomal membranes, prepared from rat liver by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation, were subfractionated by counter-current distribution in an aqueous two-phase system consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) and Dextran T500. A comparison of the distribution curves of marker enzymes, together with theoretically calculated curves, indicated the presence of at least five membrane subfractions, differing in the ratios of the marker enzymes. Glucose-6-phosphatase and arylesterase distributed in one manner, and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH-ferricyanide reductase in another. Evidence for further heterogeneities in the distribution of marker enzymes in smooth microsomes was obtained by analysing the membrane domain structure using a recently described method [Albertsson (1988) Q. Rev. Biophys. 21, 61-98]. Phenobarbital treatment did not influence the behaviour of the marker enzymes.
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| 60. |
- Gierow, Peter, et al.
(author)
-
Lateral heterogeneity of rat liver plasma membranes analysed by counter-current distribution
- 1988
-
In: Biochemical Journal. - 0264-6021 .- 1470-8728. ; 249, s. 369-375
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The lateral heterogeneity of rat liver plasma membranes was examined by fragmentation and fractionation by counter-current distribution in an aqueous two-phase polymer system. The distribution pattern was analysed by plotting the relative specific activities of marker components against each other. By this analysis asialo-orosomucoid receptors were found in a domain separated from domains containing 5'-nucleotidase and leucine aminopeptidase by another domain devoid of these markers. 5'Nucleotidase and leucine aminopeptidase resided in adjacent but separate domains. The experimental data were compared with corresponding plots of markers in model membranes. The model membranes yielded plots of different shapes depending on marker distribution and fragment size. This method of analysis should be useful for examining the lateral heterogeneity also of other membranes.
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