The six small subunits (IV-VII, VIIa, VIII) of yeast cytochrome c oxidase are encoded by nuclear genes and imported into the mitochondria. We have isolated the gene for subunit IV from a yeast genomic clone bank and determined its complete nucleotide sequence. We have also isolated subunit IV from purified yeast cytochrome c oxidase and determined most of its amino acid sequence which confirms the positioning of approximately 90% of the amino acid residues. The sequence comparison shows that the coding sequence of the gene lacks introns and that subunit IV is made as a precursor with an amino-terminal extension of 25 residues, five of which are basic and none of them acidic. Precursor processing involves cleavage of a Leu-Gln bond.

The crystal structure of a 1:1 complex between the German cockroach allergen Bla g 2 and the Fab' fragment of a monoclonal antibody 7C11 was solved at 2.8-angstroms resolution. Bla g 2 binds to the antibody through four loops that include residues 60-70, 83-86, 98-100, and 129-132. Cation-pi interactions exist between Lys-65, Arg-83, and Lys-132 in Bla g 2 and several tyrosines in 7C11. In the complex with Fab', Bla g 2 forms a dimer, which is stabilized by a quasi-four-helix bundle comprised of an alpha-helix and a helical turn from each allergen monomer, exhibiting a novel dimerization mode for an aspartic protease. A disulfide bridge between C51a and C113, unique to the aspartic protease family, connects the two helical elements within each Bla g 2 monomer, thus facilitating formation of the bundle. Mutation of these cysteines, as well as the residues Asn-52, Gln-110, and Ile-114, involved in hydrophobic interactions within the bundle, resulted in a protein that did not dimerize. The mutant proteins induced less beta-hexosaminidase release from mast cells than the wild-type Bla g 2, suggesting a functional role of dimerization in allergenicity. Because 7C11 shares a binding epitope with IgE, the information gained by analysis of the crystal structure of its complex provided guidance for site-directed mutagenesis of the allergen epitope. We have now identified key residues involved in IgE antibody binding; this information will be useful for the design of vaccines for immunotherapy.

Recently, we reported that among Singapore Chinese, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking were independent risk factors for colorectal cancer. Both tobacco smoking and alcohol use are plausible colorectal cancer risk factors, partly due to their ability to induce mutations in the colorectal lumen. In the present study, we investigated the role in colorectal cancer of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in five DNA repair genes: XRCC1 (Arg(194)Trp and Arg(399)Gln), PARP (Val(762)Ala, Lys(940)Arg), XPD (Asp(312)Asn, Lys(751)Gln), OGG1 (Ser(326)Cys), and MGMT (Leu(84)Phe). We conducted this study within the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort of 63,257 middle-aged and older Singapore Chinese men and women enrolled between 1993 and 1998. Our study included 1,176 controls and 310 cases (180 colon and 130 rectum cancer). We observed a positive association between the PARP codon 940 Lys/Arg and Arg/Arg genotypes and colorectal cancer risk [odds ratio (OR), 1.8; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.1-3.1], and an inverse association between the MGMT codon 84 Leu/Phe or Phe/Phe genotypes and colon cancer risk (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9), but not rectal cancer (test of heterogeneity by tumor site, P=0.027). We observed evidence that XRCC1 may modify the effects of smoking (interaction P=0.012). The effect of smoking among carriers of the Arg(194)-Gln(399) haplotype was OR=0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.1), whereas, among carriers of the Trp(194)-Arg(399) haplotype, it was OR=1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.5). We also observed a nonstatistically significant modification of XRCC1 on the effects of alcohol (P=0.245). Whereas alcohol had no effect among carriers of the codon 194 Arg/Arg (OR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.6-1.7) or Arg/Trp genotypes (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-1.9), there was a positive association among carriers of the Trp/Trp genotype (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-8.1). Our results support a role for reactive oxygen species as relevant genotoxins that may account for the effects of both smoking and alcohol on colorectal cancer risk.

A method is described for isolation, from chicken pancreas, of an avian pancreatic polypeptide which may be a new hormone. This method involves acid-alcohol extraction, gel filtration, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and droplet countercurrent distribution. The peptide contains 36 amino acids, has a molecular weight of 4240 and the isoelectric point if pH 6 to 7. The average amount of avian pancreatic polypeptide extractable from chicken pancreas was 4 mg/100 g of pancreas. The amino acid sequence of the peptide is Gly-Pro-Ser-Gln-Pro-Thr-Tyr-Pro-Gly-Asp-Asp-Ala-Pro-Val-Glu-Asp-Leu-Ile-Arg-Phe-Tyr-Asp-Asn-Leu-Gln-Gln-Tyr-Leu-Asn-Val-Val-Thr-Arg-His-Arg-Tyr-NH2.

We report missense mutations associated with haplotype 1 and haplotype 4 alleles of the human phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. Individual exon-containing regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction from genomic DNA of a PKU patient who was a haplotype 1/4 compound heterozygote. The amplified DNA fragments were subcloned into M13 for sequence analysis. Missense mutations were observed in exons 5 and 7, resulting in the substitution of Arg by <em>Gln</em> at residues 158 and 261 of the enzyme, respectively. Expression analysis in heterozygous mammalian cells after site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that the Arg158-to-<em>Gln</em>158 mutation is a PKU mutation, whereas the Arg261-to-<em>Gln</em>261 mutation is apparently silent in the assay system. Hybridization analysis using allele-specific oligonucleotide probes demonstrated that the Arg158-to-<em>Gln</em>158 mutation is present in two of six mutant haplotype 4 alleles among the Swiss and constitutes about 40% of all mutant haplotype 4 alleles in the European population. The mutation is not present in normal alleles or in any mutant alleles of other haplotypes. The results provide conclusive evidence that there is linkage disequilibrium between mutation and haplotype in the PAH gene and that multiple mutations have occurred in the PAH gene of a prevalent haplotype among Caucasians.

OBJECTIVE

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) is protective against cellular and tissue injury. Increased serum HSP-70 levels are associated with decreased mortality in trauma patients. Glutamine (Gln) administration increases serum and tissue HSP-70 expression in experimental models of sepsis. Gln has been safely administered to critically ill patients and can improve clinical outcomes, but the effect of Gln administration on HSP-70 expression in humans is unknown. We examined whether Gln-supplemented parenteral nutrition (PN) increases serum HSP-70 levels in critically ill patients.

METHODS

Randomized, controlled, double-blind study in surgical intensive care units (SICU) in a university hospital.

METHODS

29 patients admitted to the SICU and requiring PN for more than 7 days.

METHODS

Patients received either Gln-PN (containing alanyl-glutamine dipeptide; 0.5 g/kg per day; n=15) or standard Gln-free PN (control-PN) that was iso-nitrogenous to Gln-PN (n=14). Serum HSP-70 concentrations were measured at enrollment and at 7 days. Clinical outcome measures were also determined.

RESULTS

HSP-70 concentrations were unchanged in control-PN subjects from baseline to day 7. In marked contrast, Gln-PN subjects demonstrated significantly higher (3.7-fold) serum HSP-70 concentrations than control subjects. In Gln-PN patients there was a significant correlation between increases in HSP-70 levels over baseline and decrease in ICU length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Gln-PN significantly increases serum HSP-70 in critically ill patients. The magnitude of HSP-70 enhancement in Gln-treated patients was correlated with improved clinical outcomes. These data indicate the need for larger, randomized trials of the Gln effect on serum and tissue HSP-70 expression in critical illness and relationship to clinical outcomes.

Homomeric 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3A receptors (5-HT3ARs) have a single channel conductance (gamma) below the resolution of single channel recording (966 +/- 75 fS, estimated by variance analysis). By contrast, heteromeric 5-HT3A/B and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have picosiemen range gamma values. In this study, single channel recordings revealed that replacement of cytoplasmic membrane-associated (MA) helix arginine 432 (-4'), 436 (0'), and 440 (4') residues by 5-HT3B (-4'Gln, 0'Asp, and 4'Ala) residues increases gamma to 36.5 +/- 1.0 pS. The 0' residue makes the most substantial contribution to gamma of the 5-HT3AR. Replacement of 0'Arg by aspartate, glutamate (alpha7 nAChR subunit MA 0'), or glutamine (beta2 subunit MA 0') increases gamma to the resolvable range (>6 pS). By contrast, replacement of 0'Arg by phenylalanine (alpha4 subunit MA 0') reduced gamma to 416 +/- 107 fS. In reciprocal experiments with alpha4beta2 nAChRs (gamma = 31.3 +/- 0.8 pS), replacement of MA 0' residues by arginine in alpha4beta2(Q443R) and alpha4(F588R)beta2 reduced gamma slightly. By contrast, the gamma of double mutant alpha4(F588R)beta2(Q443R) was halved. The MA -4' and 4' residues also influenced gamma of 5-HT3ARs. Replacement of nAChR alpha4 or beta2 MA 4' residues by arginine made current density negligible. By contrast, replacement of both -4' residues by arginine produced functional nAChRs with substantially reduced gamma (11.4 +/- 0.5 pS). Homology models of the 5-HT3A and alpha4beta2 nAChRs against Torpedo nAChR revealed MA -4', 0', and 4' residues within five intracellular portals. This locus may be a common determinant of ion conduction throughout the Cys loop receptor family.

Annexin A1 (ANXA1), a mediator of the anti-inflammatory action of glucocorticoids, is important in cancer development and progression, whereas NF-kappaB regulates multiple cellular phenomena, some of them associated with inflammation and cancer. We showed that glucocorticoids and chemopreventive modified nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as nitric oxide-donating aspirin (NO-ASA) and phospho-aspirin, induced ANXA1 in cultured human colon and pancreatic cancer cells. ANXA1 associated with NF-kappaB and suppressed its transcriptional activity by preventing NF-kappaB binding to DNA. The induction of ANXA1 by glucocorticoids was proportional to their anti-inflammatory potency, as was the suppression of NF-kappaB activity, which was accompanied by enhanced apoptosis and inhibition of cell growth mediated by changes in NF-kappaB-dependent cell signaling. The proposed novel mechanism was operational in the intestinal mucosa of mice treated with dexamethasone or NO-ASA. ANXA1-based oligopeptides displayed the same effects as ANXA1 on NF-kappaB. One such tripeptide (Gln-Ala-Trp) administered to nude mice inhibited the growth of SW480 human colon cancer xenografts by 58% compared with control (P < 0.01). Our findings reveal that ANXA1 is an inducible endogenous inhibitor of NF-kappaB in human cancer cells and mice, provide a novel molecular mechanism for the action of anti-inflammatory agents, and suggest the possibility of mechanism-driven drug development.

Hemophilia A is an X-linked disease of coagulation caused by deficiency of factor VIII. Using cloned cDNA and synthetic oligonucleotide probes, we have now screened 240 patients and found CG-to-TG transitions in an exon in nine. We have previously reported four of these patients; and here we report the remaining five, all of whom were severely affected. In one patient a TaqI site was lost in exon 23, and in the other four it was lost in exon 24. The novel exon 23 mutation is a CG-to-TG substitution at the codon for amino acid residue 2166, producing a nonsense codon in place of the normal codon for arginine. Similarly, the exon 24 mutations are also generated by CG-to-TG transitions, either on the sense strand producing nonsense mutations or on the antisense strand producing missense mutations (Arg to Gln) at position 2228. The novel missense mutations are the first such mutations observed in association with severe hemophilia A. These results provide further evidence that recurrent mutations are not uncommon in hemophilia A, and they also allow us to estimate that the extent of hypermutability of CG dinucleotides is 10-20 times greater than the average mutation rate for hemophilia A.

The 2.5 A crystal structure of Escherichia coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase in a quaternary complex with tRNA(Gln), an ATP analog and glutamate reveals that the non-cognate amino acid adopts a distinct binding mode within the active site cleft. In contrast to the binding of cognate glutamine, one oxygen of the charged glutamate carboxylate group makes a direct ion-pair interaction with the strictly conserved Arg30 residue located in the first half of the dinucleotide fold domain. The nucleophilic alpha-carboxylate moiety of glutamate is mispositioned with respect to both the ATP alpha-phosphate and terminal tRNA ribose groups, suggesting that a component of amino acid discrimination resides at the catalytic step of the reaction. Further, the other side-chain carboxylate oxygen of glutamate is found in a position identical to that previously proposed to be occupied by the NH(2) group of the cognate glutamine substrate. At this position, the glutamate oxygen accepts hydrogen bonds from the hydroxyl moiety of Tyr211 and a water molecule. These findings demonstrate that amino acid specificity by GlnRS cannot arise from hydrogen bonds donated by the cognate glutamine amide to these same moieties, as previously suggested. Instead, Arg30 functions as a negative determinant to drive binding of non-cognate glutamate into a non-productive orientation. The poorly differentiated cognate amino acid-binding site in GlnRS may be a consequence of the late emergence of this enzyme from the eukaryotic lineage of glutamyl-tRNA synthetases.

It is shown that the amino acid sequence and the DNA gene sequence of the 25 amino-terminal residues of the lac repressor protein of Escherichia coli are homologous with the sequences of five DNA-binding proteins: the cro repressor proteins from phage lambda and phage 434, the cI and cII proteins from phage lambda, and the repressor protein from Salmonella phage P22. The region of homology between lac repressor and the other proteins coincides with the principal DNA-binding region of cro repressor. In particular, residues Tyr-17 through Gln-26 of lac repressor correspond to the alpha-helix Gln-27 through Ala-36 of cro repressor, which we have postulated to bind within the major groove of the DNA and to be primarily responsible for the recognition of the DNA operator region by the protein [Anderson, W. F., Ohlendorf, D. H., Takeda, Y. & Matthews, B. W. (1981) Nature (London) 290, 754--758]. By analogy with cro repressor, we propose that residues 17--26 of lac repressor are alpha-helical and that this helix and a twofold-related alpha-helix in an adjacent subunit bind within successive major grooves of the lac operator, which is in a right-handed Watson--Crick B-DNA conformation. Also, by analogy with cro repressor, we suggest that residues Thr-5 through Ala-13 of lac repressor form a second alpha-helix and contribute, in part, to DNA binding. The proposed structure for the DNA-binding region of lac repressor is consistent with chemical protection data and with genetic experiments identifying the probable locations of a number of the residues of the repressor protein that either do or do not participate in DNA binding.

In plants, cysteine protease inhibitors are involved in the regulation of protein turnover and play an important role in resistance against insects and pathogens. AtCYS1 from Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a protein of 102 amino acids that contains the conserved motif of cysteine protease inhibitors belonging to the cystatin superfamily (Gln-Val-Val-Ala-Gly). Recombinant A. thaliana cystatin-1 (AtCYS1) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. AtCYS1 inhibits the catalytic activity of papain (Kd = 4.0 x 10-2 micro m, at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C), generally taken as a molecular model of cysteine proteases. The molecular bases for papain inhibition by AtCYS1 have been analysed taking into account the three-dimensional structure of the papain-stefin B complex. AtCYS1 is constitutively expressed in roots and in developing siliques of A. thaliana. In leaves, AtCYS1 is strongly induced by wounding, by challenge with avirulent pathogens and by nitric oxide (NO). The overexpression of AtCYS1 blocks cell death activated by either avirulent pathogens or by oxidative and nitrosative stress in both A. thaliana suspension cultured cells and in transgenic tobacco plants. The suppression of the NO-mediated cell death in plants overexpressing AtCYS1 provides the evidence that NO is not cytotoxic for the plant, indicating that NO functions as cell death trigger through the stimulation of an active process, in which cysteine proteases and theirs proteinaceous inhibitors appear to play a crucial role.

The postnatal central nervous system (CNS) contains many scattered cells that express fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 transcripts (Fgfr3). They first appear in the ventricular zone (VZ) of the embryonic spinal cord in mid-gestation and then distribute into both grey and white matter - suggesting that they are glial cells, not neurones. The Fgfr3(+) cells are interspersed with but distinct from platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (Pdgfra)-positive oligodendrocyte progenitors. This fits with the observation that Fgfr3 expression is preferentially excluded from the pMN domain of the ventral VZ where Pdgfra(+) oligodendrocyte progenitors--and motoneurones--originate. Many glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap)- positive astrocytes co-express Fgfr3 in vitro and in vivo. Fgfr3(+) cells within and outside the VZ also express the astroglial marker glutamine synthetase (Glns). We conclude that (1) Fgfr3 marks astrocytes and their neuroepithelial precursors in the developing CNS and (2) astrocytes and oligodendrocytes originate in complementary domains of the VZ. Production of astrocytes from cultured neuroepithelial cells is hedgehog independent, whereas oligodendrocyte development requires hedgehog signalling, adding further support to the idea that astrocytes and oligodendrocytes can develop independently. In addition, we found that mice with a targeted deletion in the Fgfr3 locus strongly upregulate Gfap in grey matter (protoplasmic) astrocytes, implying that signalling through Fgfr3 normally represses Gfap expression in vivo.

The cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) is central to second messenger regulated transcription. To elucidate the structural mechanisms of DNA binding and selective dimerization of CREB, we determined to 3.0 A resolution, the structure of the CREB bZIP (residues 283-341) bound to a 21-base pair deoxynucleotide that encompasses the canonical 8-base pair somatostatin cAMP response element (SSCRE). The CREB dimer is stabilized in part by ionic interactions from Arg(314) to Glu(319') and Glu(328) to Lys(333') as well as a hydrogen bond network that links the carboxamide side chains of Gln(322')-Asn(321)-Asn(321')-Gln(322). Critical to family selective dimerization are intersubunit hydrogen bonds between basic region residue Tyr(307) and leucine zipper residue Glu(312), which are conserved in all CREB/CREM/ATF-1 family members. Strikingly, the structure reveals a hexahydrated Mg(2+) ion bound in the cavity between the basic region and SSCRE that makes a water-mediated DNA contact. DNA binding studies demonstrate that Mg(2+) ions enhance CREB bZIP:SSCRE binding by more than 25-fold and suggest a possible physiological role for this ion in somatostatin cAMP response element and potentially other CRE-mediated gene expression.

This study correlated the extent of induced in vitro chromosomal damage, assessed by the mutagen sensitivity assay, with genotypes of the X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1) gene, which encodes for a base excision repair protein. There are two common polymorphisms that cause amino acid substitutions in XRCC1, one at codon 194 in exon 6 and another at codon 399 in exon 10. We genotyped these two polymorphisms in 524 healthy subjects and performed mutagen sensitivity assays using both bleomycin and benzo[a]pyrene-diol-epoxide (BPDE) as challenge mutagens. Our results showed that individuals with the wildtype exon 6 Arg/Arg exhibited significantly higher values of chromosomal breaks per cell (b/c) than those with one or two variant Trp alleles (P=0.005 for bleomycin and P=0.05 for BPDE). For the exon 10 polymorphism, subjects who were Gln/Gln homozygotes had higher b/c than did those with other genotypes, with evidence of a gene dosage effect. When we combined the two polymorphic sites and used the exon 6 Arg/Trp and Trp/Trp and exon 10 Arg/Arg genotypes as the reference category, these differences were enhanced for bleomycin sensitivity (P for trend = 0.032), but not for BPDE sensitivity (P for trend = 0.821). These data are biologically plausible since codon 399 is located within the BRCA1 C-terminus functional domain and codon 194 is in the linker region of the XRCC1 N-terminal functional domain. To our knowledge, this is the largest study conducted evaluating the functional relevance of these polymorphisms.

This feature article provides a compilation of tools available for preparing well-defined peptide/protein-polymer conjugates, which are defined as hybrid constructs combining (i) a defined number of peptide/protein segments with uniform chain lengths and defined monomer sequences (primary structure) with (ii) a defined number of synthetic polymer chains. The first section describes methods for post-translational, or direct, introduction of chemoselective handles onto natural or synthetic peptides/proteins. Addressed topics include the residue- and/or site-specific modification of peptides/proteins at Arg, Asp, Cys, Gln, Glu, Gly, His, Lys, Met, Phe, Ser, Thr, Trp, Tyr and Val residues and methods for producing peptides/proteins containing non-canonical amino acids by peptide synthesis and protein engineering. In the second section, methods for introducing chemoselective groups onto the side-chain or chain-end of synthetic polymers produced by radical, anionic, cationic, metathesis and ring-opening polymerization are described. The final section discusses convergent and divergent strategies for covalently assembling polymers and peptides/proteins. An overview of the use of chemoselective reactions such as Heck, Sonogashira and Suzuki coupling, Diels-Alder cycloaddition, Click chemistry, Staudinger ligation, Michael's addition, reductive alkylation and oxime/hydrazone chemistry for the convergent synthesis of peptide/protein-polymer conjugates is given. Divergent approaches for preparing peptide/protein-polymer conjugates which are discussed include peptide synthesis from synthetic polymer supports, polymerization from peptide/protein macroinitiators or chain transfer agents and the polymerization of peptide side-chain monomers.

Site-directed mutagenesis of a recombinant Fc hinge fragment has recently been used to localize the site of the murine IgG1 molecule that is involved in the control of catabolism (the "catabolic site"). In the current study, the effects of these CH2 and CH3 domain mutations (Ile 253 to Ala 253, His 310 to Ala 310, Gln 311 to Asn 311, His 433 to Ala 433 and Asn 434 to Gln 434) on intestinal transfer of Fc hinge fragments in neonatal mice have been analyzed. Studies using direct transfer and competition assays demonstrate that the mutations affect the transmission from intestinal lumen into serum in a way that correlates closely with the effects of the mutations on pharmacokinetics. Binding studies of several of the Fc hinge fragments to isolated neonatal brush borders have been used to confirm the in vivo transmission data. These analyses have resulted in the localization of the binding site for the intestinal transfer receptor, FcRn, to specific residues of the murine Fc hinge fragment. These residues are located at the CH2-CH3 domain interface and overlap with both the catabolic site and staphylococcal protein A (SpA) binding site. The pH dependence of IgG1 or Fc fragment binding to FcRn is consistent with the localization of the FcRn interaction site to a region of the Fc that encompasses two histidine residues (His 310 and His 433). To assess whether one or two FcRn binding sites per Fc hinge are required for intestinal transfer, a hybrid Fc hinge fragment comprising a heterodimer of one Fc hinge with the wild-type IgG1 sequence and a mutant Fc hinge with a defective catabolic site (mutated at His 310, Gln 311, His 433 and Asn 434) has been analyzed in direct and competition transmission assays. The studies demonstrate that the Fc hybrid is transferred with significantly reduced efficiency compared to the wild type Fc hinge homodimer and indicate that the binding to FcRn, and possibly subsequent transfer, is enhanced by the presence of two FcRn binding sites per Fc hinge fragment.

The metalloprotease ADAMTS13 efficiently cleaves only the Tyr(1605)-Met(1606) bond in the central A2 domain of multimeric von Willebrand factor (VWF), even though VWF constitutes only 0.02% of plasma proteins. This remarkable specificity depends in part on binding of the noncatalytic ADAMTS13 spacer domain to the C-terminal alpha-helix of VWF domain A2. By kinetic analysis of recombinant ADAMTS13 constructs, we show that the first thrombospondin-1, Cys-rich, and spacer domains of ADAMTS13 interact with segments of VWF domain A2 between Gln(1624) and Arg(1668), and together these exosite interactions increase the rate of substrate cleavage by at least approximately 300-fold. Internal deletion of Gln(1624)-Arg(1641) minimally affected the rate of cleavage, indicating that ADAMTS13 does not require a specific distance between the scissile bond and auxiliary substrate binding sites. Smaller deletions of the P2-P9 or the P4'-P18' residues on either side of the Tyr(1605)-Met(1606) bond abolished cleavage, indicating that the metalloprotease domain interacts with additional residues flanking the cleavage site. Thus, specific recognition of VWF depends on cooperative, modular contacts between several ADAMTS13 domains and discrete segments of VWF domain A2.

A polypeptide was purified from rat hypothalamic extracts on the basis of its high intrinsic activity to release corticotropin (ACTH) from cultured rat anterior pituitary cells and its immunoactivity in a radioimmunoassay directed against the NH2 terminus (residues 4-20) of ovine hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). Based on Edman degradation, peptide mapping, and amino acid analysis, the primary structure of this rat CRF was established to be: H-Ser-Glu-Glu-Pro-Pro-Ile-Ser-Leu-Asp-Leu-Thr-Phe-His-Leu-Leu-Arg-Glu-Val-Leu-Glu-Met-Ala-Arg-Ala-Glu-Gln-Leu-Ala-Gln-Gln-Ala-His-Ser-Asn-Arg-Lys-Leu-Met-Glu-Ile-Ile-NH2. The hypophysiotropic potency of synthetic rat CRF did not deviate significantly from the potencies of the isolated native peptide or of synthetic ovine CRF. The close structural relationship between rat and ovine hypothalamic CRF is indicated by an 83% sequence homology.

Integral membrane proteins remain a challenge to proteomics because they contain domains with physicochemical properties poorly suited to today's bottom-up protocols. These transmembrane regions may potentially contain post-translational modifications of functional significance, and thus development of protocols for improved coverage in these domains is important. One way to achieve this goal is by using top-down mass spectrometry whereby the intact protein is subjected to mass spectrometry and dissociation. Here we describe top-down high resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry with collisionally activated dissociation to study post-translationally modified integral membrane proteins with polyhelix bundle and transmembrane porin motifs and molecular masses up to 35 kDa. On-line LC-MS analysis of the bacteriorhodopsin holoprotein yielded b- and y-ions that covered the full sequence of the protein and cleaved 79 of 247 peptide bonds (32%). The experiment proved that the mature sequence consists of residues 14-261, confirming N-terminal propeptide cleavage and conversion of N-terminal Gln-14 to pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (-17.02 Da) and C-terminal removal of Asp-262. Collisionally activated dissociation fragments localized the N(6)-(retinylidene) modification (266.20 Da) between residues 225-248 at Lys-229, the sole available amine in this stretch. Off-line nanospray of all eight subunits of the cytochrome b(6)f complex from the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7120 defined various post-translational modifications, including covalently attached c-hemes (615.17 Da) on cytochromes f and b. Analysis of murine mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel established the amenability of the transmembrane beta-barrel to top-down MS and localized a modification site of the inhibitor Ro 68-3400 at Cys-232. Where neutral loss of the modification is a factor, only product ions that carry the modification should be used to assign its position. Although bond cleavage in some transmembrane alpha-helical domains was efficient, other regions were refractory such that their primary structure could only be inferred from the coincidence of genomic translation with precursor and product ions that spanned them.

A new imprinted gene has been discovered in mice using the technique of restriction landmark genomic scanning (RLGS) with methylation sensitive enzymes. Eight out of 3,100 strain-specific NotI and BssHII spots were identified as imprinted in reciprocal F1 hybrids. Subsequently, we isolated a genomic clone for one locus on proximal chromosome 11 near the Glns locus, an imprinted region in uniparental disomic mice, and its corresponding cDNA clone. Expression of this transcript from the paternal allele was established using RT-PCR of reciprocal F1-hybrid mice. The amino-acid sequence deduced from the cDNA showed significant homology to the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein auxiliary factor 35 kDa subunit.

The small antimicrobial peptide nisin, produced by Lactococcus lactis, contains the uncommon amino acid residues dehydroalanine and dehydrobutyrine and five thio ether bridges. Since these structures are posttranslationally formed from Ser, Thr, and Cys residues, it is feasible to study their role in nisin function and biosynthesis by protein engineering. Here we report the development of an expression system for mutated nisin Z (nisZ) genes, using nisin A producing L. lactis as a host. Replacement by site-directed mutagenesis of the Ser-5 codon in nisZ by a Thr codon, led to a mutant with a dehydrobutyrine instead of a dehydroalanine residue at position 5, as shown by NMR. Its antimicrobial activity was 2-10-fold lower relative to wild-type nisin Z, depending on the indicator strain used. In another mutagenesis study a double mutation was introduced in the nisZ gene by replacing the codons for Met-17 and Gly-18 by codons for Gln and Thr, respectively, as in the third lanthionine ring of the related antimicrobial peptide subtilin from Bacillus subtilis. This resulted in the simultaneous production of two mutant species, one containing a Thr residue and the other containing a dehydrobutyrine residue at position 18, both having different bacteriocidal properties.

The chemokine receptor CXCR2 is the closest homologue to Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus-G protein-coupled receptor (KSHV-GPCR), which is known to be constitutively activated and able to cause oncogenic transformation. Among G protein-coupled receptors, a DRY sequence in the second intracellular loop is highly conserved. However, the KSHV-GPCR shows a VRY sequence instead. In this study, we exchanged Asp138 of the DRY sequence in the CXCR2 with a Val (D138V), the corresponding amino acid in KSHV-GPCR, or with a Gln (D138Q), and investigated the functional consequences of these mutations. In focus formation and soft agar growth assays in NIH 3T3 cells, the D138V mutant exhibited transforming potential similar to the KSHV-GPCR. Surprisingly, the CXCR2 wild type itself showed transforming activity, although not as potently, due to continuous autocrine stimulation, whereas the D138Q mutant formed no foci. In agreement with these results were high levels of inositol phosphate accumulation in the D138V mutant and the KSHV-GPCR, indicating constitutive activity. These data emphasize the importance of the DRY sequence for G protein-coupled signaling of the CXCR2. Either constitutive activation or persistent autocrine stimulation of the CXCR2 causes transformation similar to KSHV-GPCR-transfected cells, probably activating the same signal transduction cascade that can abrogate normal growth control mechanisms.

Recent studies suggest that the second extracellular loop (o2 loop) of bovine rhodopsin and other class I G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) targeted by biogenic amine ligands folds deeply into the transmembrane receptor core where the binding of cis-retinal and biogenic amine ligands is known to occur. In the past, the potential role of the o2 loop in agonist-dependent activation of biogenic amine GPCRs has not been studied systematically. To address this issue, we used the M(3) muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3R), a prototypic class I GPCR, as a model system. Specifically, we subjected the o2 loop of the M3R to random mutagenesis and subsequently applied a novel yeast genetic screen to identity single amino acid substitutions that interfered with M3R function. This screen led to the recovery of about 20 mutant M3Rs containing single amino acid changes in the o2 loop that were inactive in yeast. In contrast, application of the same strategy to the extracellular N-terminal domain of the M3R did not yield any single point mutations that disrupted M3R function. Pharmacological characterization of many of the recovered mutant M3Rs in mammalian cells, complemented by site-directed mutagenesis studies, indicated that the presence of several o2 loop residues is important for efficient agonist-induced M3R activation. Besides the highly conserved Cys(220) residue, Gln(207), Gly(211), Arg(213), Gly(218), Ile(222), Phe(224), Leu(225), and Pro(228) were found to be of particular functional importance. In general, mutational modification of these residues had little effect on agonist binding affinities. Our findings are therefore consistent with a model in which multiple o2 loop residues are involved in stabilizing the active state of the M3R. Given the high degree of structural homology found among all biogenic amine GPCRs, our findings should be of considerable general relevance.