Evaluation of an improved technique for lumen path definition and lumen segmentation of atherosclerotic vessels in CT angiography.

Science.gov (United States)

van Velsen, Evert F S; Niessen, Wiro J; de Weert, Thomas T; de Monyé, Cécile; van der Lugt, Aad; Meijering, Erik; Stokking, Rik

2007-07-01

Vessel image analysis is crucial when considering therapeutical options for (cardio-) vascular diseases. Our method, VAMPIRE (Vascular Analysis using Multiscale Paths Inferred from Ridges and Edges), involves two parts: a user defines a start- and endpoint upon which a lumen path is automatically defined, and which is used for initialization; the automatic segmentation of the vessel lumen on computed tomographic angiography (CTA) images. Both parts are based on the detection of vessel-like structures by analyzing intensity, edge, and ridge information. A multi-observer evaluation study was performed to compare VAMPIRE with a conventional method on the CTA data of 15 patients with carotid artery stenosis. In addition to the start- and endpoint, the two radiologists required on average 2.5 (SD: 1.9) additional points to define a lumen path when using the conventional method, and 0.1 (SD: 0.3) when using VAMPIRE. The segmentation results were quantitatively evaluated using Similarity Indices, which were slightly lower between VAMPIRE and the two radiologists (respectively 0.90 and 0.88) compared with the Similarity Index between the radiologists (0.92). The evaluation shows that the improved definition of a lumen path requires minimal user interaction, and that using this path as initialization leads to good automatic lumen segmentation results.

Evaluation of an improved technique for lumen path definition and lumen segmentation of atherosclerotic vessels in CT angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velsen, Evert F.S. van; Niessen, Wiro J.; Meijering, Erik; Stokking, Rik; Weert, Thomas T. de; Monye, Cecile de; Lugt, Aad van der

2007-01-01

Vessel image analysis is crucial when considering therapeutical options for (cardio-) vascular diseases. Our method, VAMPIRE (Vascular Analysis using Multiscale Paths Inferred from Ridges and Edges), involves two parts: a user defines a start- and endpoint upon which a lumen path is automatically defined, and which is used for initialization; the automatic segmentation of the vessel lumen on computed tomographic angiography (CTA) images. Both parts are based on the detection of vessel-like structures by analyzing intensity, edge, and ridge information. A multi-observer evaluation study was performed to compare VAMPIRE with a conventional method on the CTA data of 15 patients with carotid artery stenosis. In addition to the start- and endpoint, the two radiologists required on average 2.5 (SD: 1.9) additional points to define a lumen path when using the conventional method, and 0.1 (SD: 0.3) when using VAMPIRE. The segmentation results were quantitatively evaluated using Similarity Indices, which were slightly lower between VAMPIRE and the two radiologists (respectively 0.90 and 0.88) compared with the Similarity Index between the radiologists (0.92). The evaluation shows that the improved definition of a lumen path requires minimal user interaction, and that using this path as initialization leads to good automatic lumen segmentation results. (orig.)

Regulation of Exocytotic Fusion Pores by SNARE Protein Transmembrane Domains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenyong Wu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Calcium-triggered exocytotic release of neurotransmitters and hormones from neurons and neuroendocrine cells underlies neuronal communication, motor activity and endocrine functions. The core of the neuronal exocytotic machinery is composed of soluble N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs. Formation of complexes between vesicle-attached v- and plasma-membrane anchored t-SNAREs in a highly regulated fashion brings the membranes into close apposition. Small, soluble proteins called Complexins (Cpx and calcium-sensing Synaptotagmins cooperate to block fusion at low resting calcium concentrations, but trigger release upon calcium increase. A growing body of evidence suggests that the transmembrane domains (TMDs of SNARE proteins play important roles in regulating the processes of fusion and release, but the mechanisms involved are only starting to be uncovered. Here we review recent evidence that SNARE TMDs exert influence by regulating the dynamics of the fusion pore, the initial aqueous connection between the vesicular lumen and the extracellular space. Even after the fusion pore is established, hormone release by neuroendocrine cells is tightly controlled, and the same may be true of neurotransmitter release by neurons. The dynamics of the fusion pore can regulate the kinetics of cargo release and the net amount released, and can determine the mode of vesicle recycling. Manipulations of SNARE TMDs were found to affect fusion pore properties profoundly, both during exocytosis and in biochemical reconstitutions. To explain these effects, TMD flexibility, and interactions among TMDs or between TMDs and lipids have been invoked. Exocytosis has provided the best setting in which to unravel the underlying mechanisms, being unique among membrane fusion reactions in that single fusion pores can be probed using high-resolution methods. An important role will likely be played by methods that can probe single fusion pores

Public relations ve firmě LUMEN INTERNATIONAL a.s.

OpenAIRE

DICHTLOVÁ, Hana

2012-01-01

Goal of the thesis was to assess current significance and usage of public relations in LUMEN INTERNATIONAL a.s. company and to create plan of another development. The author analysed development and current situation of public relations in LUMEN holding. There are a few suggestions in this thesis how to improve public relations in whole LUMEN holding.

Yeast Interacting Proteins Database: YJR091C, YKL002W [Yeast Interacting Proteins Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available g of integral membrane proteins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly sy... integral membrane proteins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthe

Microbes vs. chemistry in the origin of the anaerobic gut lumen.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Elliot S; Bittinger, Kyle; Esipova, Tatiana V; Hou, Likai; Chau, Lillian; Jiang, Jack; Mesaros, Clementina; Lund, Peder J; Liang, Xue; FitzGerald, Garret A; Goulian, Mark; Lee, Daeyeon; Garcia, Benjamin A; Blair, Ian A; Vinogradov, Sergei A; Wu, Gary D

2018-04-17

The succession from aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria to obligate anaerobes in the infant gut along with the differences between the compositions of the mucosally adherent vs. luminal microbiota suggests that the gut microbes consume oxygen, which diffuses into the lumen from the intestinal tissue, maintaining the lumen in a deeply anaerobic state. Remarkably, measurements of luminal oxygen levels show nearly identical pO 2 (partial pressure of oxygen) profiles in conventional and germ-free mice, pointing to the existence of oxygen consumption mechanisms other than microbial respiration. In vitro experiments confirmed that the luminal contents of germ-free mice are able to chemically consume oxygen (e.g., via lipid oxidation reactions), although at rates significantly lower than those observed in the case of conventionally housed mice. For conventional mice, we also show that the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiota adherent to the gut mucosa and in the lumen throughout the length of the gut correlates with oxygen levels. At the same time, an increase in the biomass of the gut microbiota provides an explanation for the reduction of luminal oxygen in the distal vs. proximal gut. These results demonstrate how oxygen from the mammalian host is used by the gut microbiota, while both the microbes and the oxidative chemical reactions regulate luminal oxygen levels, shaping the composition of the microbial community throughout different regions of the gut.

Yeast Interacting Proteins Database: YKL002W, YFL034C-B [Yeast Interacting Proteins Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available integral membrane proteins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthes...ntegral membrane proteins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthesi

Spectral Imaging for Intracranial Stents and Stent Lumen.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Chi-Lun; Tseng, Ying-Chi; Chen, David Yen-Ting; Chen, Chi-Jen; Hsu, Hui-Ling

2016-01-01

Application of computed tomography for monitoring intracranial stents is limited because of stent-related artifacts. Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of gemstone spectral imaging on the intracranial stent and stent lumen. In vitro, we scanned Enterprise stent phantom and a stent-cheese complex using the gemstone spectral imaging protocol. Follow-up gemstone spectral images of 15 consecutive patients with placement of Enterprise from January 2013 to September 2014 were also retrospectively reviewed. We used 70-keV, 140-keV, iodine (water), iodine (calcium), and iodine (hydroxyapatite) images to evaluate their effect on the intracranial stent and stent lumen. Two regions of interest were individually placed in stent lumen and adjacent brain tissue. Contrast-to-noise ratio was measured to determine image quality. The maximal diameter of stent markers was also measured to evaluate stent-related artifact. Two radiologists independently graded the visibility of the lumen at the maker location by using a 4-point scale. The mean of grading score, contrast/noise ratio and maximal diameter of stent markers were compared among all modes. All results were analyzed by SPSS version 20. In vitro, iodine (water) images decreased metallic artifact of stent makers to the greatest degree. The most areas of cheese were observed on iodine (water) images. In vivo, iodine (water) images had the smallest average diameter of stent markers (0.33 ± 0.17mm; P stent lumen (160.03 ±37.79; P stent-related artifacts of Enterprise and enhance contrast of in-stent lumen. Spectral imaging may be considered a noninvasive modality for following-up patients with in-stent stenosis.

Vascular lumen formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lammert, Eckhard; Axnick, Jennifer

2012-04-01

The vascular system developed early in evolution. It is required in large multicellular organisms for the transport of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products to and from tissues. The vascular system is composed of hollow tubes, which have a high level of complexity in vertebrates. Vasculogenesis describes the de novo formation of blood vessels, e.g., aorta formation in vertebrate embryogenesis. In contrast, angiogenesis is the formation of blood vessels from preexisting ones, e.g., sprouting of intersomitic blood vessels from the aorta. Importantly, the lumen of all blood vessels in vertebrates is lined and formed by endothelial cells. In both vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, lumen formation takes place in a cord of endothelial cells. It involves a complex molecular mechanism composed of endothelial cell repulsion at the cell-cell contacts within the endothelial cell cords, junctional rearrangement, and endothelial cell shape change. As the vascular system also participates in the course of many diseases, such as cancer, stroke, and myocardial infarction, it is important to understand and make use of the molecular mechanisms of blood vessel formation to better understand and manipulate the pathomechanisms involved.

SAS-6 assembly templated by the lumen of cartwheel-less centrioles precedes centriole duplication.

Science.gov (United States)

Fong, Chii Shyang; Kim, Minhee; Yang, T Tony; Liao, Jung-Chi; Tsou, Meng-Fu Bryan

2014-07-28

Centrioles are 9-fold symmetric structures duplicating once per cell cycle. Duplication involves self-oligomerization of the centriolar protein SAS-6, but how the 9-fold symmetry is invariantly established remains unclear. Here, we found that SAS-6 assembly can be shaped by preexisting (or mother) centrioles. During S phase, SAS-6 molecules are first recruited to the proximal lumen of the mother centriole, adopting a cartwheel-like organization through interactions with the luminal wall, rather than via their self-oligomerization activity. The removal or release of luminal SAS-6 requires Plk4 and the cartwheel protein STIL. Abolishing either the recruitment or the removal of luminal SAS-6 hinders SAS-6 (or centriole) assembly at the outside wall of mother centrioles. After duplication, the lumen of engaged mother centrioles becomes inaccessible to SAS-6, correlating with a block for reduplication. These results lead to a proposed model that centrioles may duplicate via a template-based process to preserve their geometry and copy number. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selective fabrication of iron oxide particles in halloysite lumen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Pengwu; Du, Yuanyuan; Ma, Xiaofei

2015-01-01

As the adsorbents or the supports of photocatalysts, halloysite nanotubes (HNT) were expected to have intact external surface for adsorption or catalyst immobilization, when Fe 3 O 4 particles was introduced to prepare magnetic HNTs for easy separation. The negatively charged urease was loaded inside positively charged HNT lumen, and urease catalyzed the hydrolysis of urea and resulted in the alkaline environment in HNT lumen. When Fe 3+ and Fe 2+ diffused in, Fe 3 O 4 particles were selectively synthesized in the lumen of HNT. The obtained Fe 3 O 4 @HNT is characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and hysteresis loops. The obtained magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @HNT can be magnetically collected with intact external surface, which can support photocatalysts or remove the pollutants. - Highlights: • Fe 3 O 4 @HNT was prepared. • Fe 3 O 4 @HNT was characterized. • Fe 3 O 4 particles were selectively synthesized in the lumen of HNT

Chapter 16 Lumen Modification

Science.gov (United States)

Rebecca E. Ibach; Roger M. Rowell

2012-01-01

When wood is vacuum impregnated with liquid vinyl monomers that do not swell wood, and then in situ polymerized either by chemical catalyst-heat, or gamma radiation, the polymer is located almost solely in the lumens of the wood. Figure 16.1 is a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph of unmodified wood showing open cells that are...

Selective fabrication of iron oxide particles in halloysite lumen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Pengwu; Du, Yuanyuan [School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013 (China); Ma, Xiaofei, E-mail: maxiaofei@tju.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2015-02-01

As the adsorbents or the supports of photocatalysts, halloysite nanotubes (HNT) were expected to have intact external surface for adsorption or catalyst immobilization, when Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles was introduced to prepare magnetic HNTs for easy separation. The negatively charged urease was loaded inside positively charged HNT lumen, and urease catalyzed the hydrolysis of urea and resulted in the alkaline environment in HNT lumen. When Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 2+} diffused in, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles were selectively synthesized in the lumen of HNT. The obtained Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@HNT is characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and hysteresis loops. The obtained magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@HNT can be magnetically collected with intact external surface, which can support photocatalysts or remove the pollutants. - Highlights: • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@HNT was prepared. • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@HNT was characterized. • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} particles were selectively synthesized in the lumen of HNT.

Inhibitory activity of diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) by the flavonoid, taxifolin, in HepG2 cells: potential role in the regulation of apolipoprotein B secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Casaschi, Adele; Rubio, Brent K; Maiyoh, Geoffrey K; Theriault, Andre G

2004-10-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of taxifolin, a plant flavonoid, on several aspects involving apolipoprotein B (apoB) secretion and triglyceride (TG) availability in HepG2 cells. Taxifolin was shown by ELISA to markedly reduce apoB secretion under basal and lipid-rich conditions up to 63% at 200 micromol/L. As to the mechanism underlying this effect, we examined whether taxifolin exerted its effect by limiting TG availability in the microsomal lumen essential for lipoprotein assembly. Taxifolin was shown to inhibit microsomal TG synthesis by 37% and its subsequent transfer into the lumen (-26%). The reduction in synthesis was due to a decrease in diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) activity (-35%). The effect on DGAT activity was found to be non-competitive and non-transcriptional in nature. Both DGAT-1 and DGAT-2 mRNA expression remained essentially unchanged suggesting the point of regulation may be at the post-transcriptional level. Evidence is accumulating that microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) is also involved in determining the amount of lumenal TG available for lipoprotein assembly and secretion. Taxifolin was shown to inhibit this enzyme by 41%. Whether the reduction in TG accumulation in the microsomal lumen is predominantly due to DGAT and/or MTP activity remains to be addressed. In summary, taxifolin reduced apoB secretion by limiting TG availability via DGAT and MTP activity.

Rationale and design of the East-West late lumen loss study: Comparison of late lumen loss between Eastern and Western drug-eluting stent study cohorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Robert W; Radhakrishnan, Vaishnavi; Lam, Peter S; Allocco, Dominic J; Brar, Sandeep; Fahy, Martin; Fisher, Rebecca; Ikeno, Fumiaki; Généreux, Philippe; Kimura, Takeshi; Liu, Minglei; Lye, Weng Kit; Mintz, Gary S; Nagai, Hirofumi; Suzuki, Yuka; White, Roseann; Allen, John C; Krucoff, Mitchell W

2016-12-01

The contemporary evaluation of novel drug-eluting stents (DES) includes mechanistic observations that characterize postdeployment stent behavior. Quantification of late lumen loss due to neointimal hyperplasia 8-13 months after stent implantation, via quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), constitutes such an observation and is required by most regulatory authorities. Late lumen loss, as determined by QCA, has been validated as a surrogate for clinical endpoints such as target vessel revascularization. The mechanistic response to DES has not been directly compared across predominantly Asian or Western populations, whereas understanding their comparability across geographic populations could enhance global DES evaluation. The East-West late lumen loss study is designed to demonstrate whether the residual differences in late lumen loss, as assessed by QCA, is different between Eastern and Western DES recipients from studies with protocol angiography at 8-13 months of follow-up. Data from independent core laboratories that have characterized angiographic late lumen loss in DES clinical trials with protocol follow-up angiography will be compiled and dichotomized into Eastern and Western populations. A prospectively developed propensity score model incorporating clinical and anatomic variables affecting late lumen loss will be used to adjust comparisons of QCA measurements. Documentation of whether there are clinically meaningful differences in mechanistic response to DES implantation across genetically unique geographies could facilitate both the quality and efficiency of global device evaluation requiring invasive follow-up for novel stent designs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regulation of the endoplasmic reticulum calcium storage during the unfolded protein response--significance in tissue ischemia?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Treiman, Marek

2002-01-01

for the protein folding pathway require Ca(2+) binding for their activity. A number of factors, including Ca(2+) depletion, may interfere with the folding pathway within the ER, with a potential for cell injury through an accumulation of malfolded protein aggregates. The Unfolded Protein Response involves...... a transcriptional upregulation of a number of the ER-resident folding helper proteins and becomes triggered when the folding pathway is blocked. To be effective, these upregulated proteins require a sufficient supply of Ca(2+) cofactor within the ER lumen. In tissue ischemia, where the availablity of this cofactor...

Yeast Interacting Proteins Database: YKL002W, YLR423C [Yeast Interacting Proteins Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available integral membrane proteins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthes... into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthesized vacuolar enzymes to t

Yeast Interacting Proteins Database: YKL002W, YDL165W [Yeast Interacting Proteins Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available integral membrane proteins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthes...ins into lumenal vesicles of multivesicular bodies, and for delivery of newly synthesized vacuolar enzymes t

Synergy of cell-cell repulsion and vacuolation in a computational model of lumen formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Boas, Sonja E M; Merks, Roeland M H

2014-03-06

A key step in blood vessel development (angiogenesis) is lumen formation: the hollowing of vessels for blood perfusion. Two alternative lumen formation mechanisms are suggested to function in different types of blood vessels. The vacuolation mechanism is suggested for lumen formation in small vessels by coalescence of intracellular vacuoles, a view that was extended to extracellular lumen formation by exocytosis of vacuoles. The cell-cell repulsion mechanism is suggested to initiate extracellular lumen formation in large vessels by active repulsion of adjacent cells, and active cell shape changes extend the lumen. We used an agent-based computer model, based on the cellular Potts model, to compare and study both mechanisms separately and combined. An extensive sensitivity analysis shows that each of the mechanisms on its own can produce lumens in a narrow region of parameter space. However, combining both mechanisms makes lumen formation much more robust to the values of the parameters, suggesting that the mechanisms may work synergistically and operate in parallel, rather than in different vessel types.

Synergy of cell–cell repulsion and vacuolation in a computational model of lumen formation

Science.gov (United States)

Boas, Sonja E. M.; Merks, Roeland M. H.

2014-01-01

A key step in blood vessel development (angiogenesis) is lumen formation: the hollowing of vessels for blood perfusion. Two alternative lumen formation mechanisms are suggested to function in different types of blood vessels. The vacuolation mechanism is suggested for lumen formation in small vessels by coalescence of intracellular vacuoles, a view that was extended to extracellular lumen formation by exocytosis of vacuoles. The cell–cell repulsion mechanism is suggested to initiate extracellular lumen formation in large vessels by active repulsion of adjacent cells, and active cell shape changes extend the lumen. We used an agent-based computer model, based on the cellular Potts model, to compare and study both mechanisms separately and combined. An extensive sensitivity analysis shows that each of the mechanisms on its own can produce lumens in a narrow region of parameter space. However, combining both mechanisms makes lumen formation much more robust to the values of the parameters, suggesting that the mechanisms may work synergistically and operate in parallel, rather than in different vessel types. PMID:24430123

Mechanisms of lumen formation during sprouting angiogenesis in vivo

OpenAIRE

Gebala, V. M.

2016-01-01

During development, vascular networks expand following a process known as sprouting angiogenesis. New vascular branches arise from pre-existing vessels through the coordinated migration and proliferation of endothelial cells, and eventually connect to form new vascular loops. The functionality of these new vessel segments is dependent on the opening of a central lumen to allow perfusion. While mechanisms of lumen formation during the establishment of the primary vasculature by vasculogenesis ...

Preparation of lumen-loaded kenaf pulp with magnetite (Fe3O4)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaria, S.; Ong, B.H.; Ahmad, S.H.; Abdullah, M.; Yamauchi, T.

2005-01-01

Magnetic pulps were prepared from unbleached kenaf (hibiscus cannabinus L.) kraft pulps. Fe 3 O 4 or magnetite powder was used to load into the pulp's lumen and pit. Aluminum sulphate [Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 ] (alum) and polyethylenimine (PEI), both mainly function as retention aid were used throughout the experiment and found to be beneficial in the preparation of this magnetic pulps. The ash content method was used to determine the amount of magnetite retained in the lumen and pit. The utilization of PEI up to 2% per pulp fibres was found to be the best result on lumen loading. The deposition of magnetite powder in lumen and pit is found decrease as the addition of PEI used is more than 2% per pulp fibres. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) clearly shows the distribution of magnetite deposited in the lumen. Tensile index and folding endurance of the loaded fibre decreased slightly as the percentage of loading pigment increased

Hollow fiber membrane lumen modified by polyzwitterionic grafting

KAUST Repository

Le, Ngoc Lieu

2016-08-24

In this study, we demonstrate an effective way to modify the lumen of polyetherimide hollow fibers by grafting zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine) to increase the membrane resistance to fouling. Surface-selective grafting of the protective hydrogel layers has been achieved in a facile two-step process. The first step is the adsorption of a macromolecular redox co-initiator on the lumen-side surface of the membrane, which in the second step, after flushing the lumen of the membrane with a solution comprising monomers and a complementary redox initiator, triggers the in situ cross-linking copolymerization at room temperature. The success of grafting reaction has been verified by the surface elemental analyses using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the surface charge evaluation using zeta potential measurements. The hydrophilicity of the grafted porous substrate is improved as indicated by the change of contact angle value from 44° to 30°, due to the hydration layer on the surface produced by the zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine). Compared to the pristine polyetherimide (PEI) substrate, the poly(sulfobetaine) grafted substrates exhibit high fouling resistance against bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption, E. coli attachment and cell growth on the surface. Fouling minimization in the lumen is important for the use of hollow fibers in different processes. For instance, it is needed to preserve power density of pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO). In high-pressure PRO tests, a control membrane based on PEI with an external polyamide selective layer was seriously fouled by BSA, leading to a high water flux drop of 37%. In comparison, the analogous membrane, whose lumen was modified with poly(sulfobetaine), not only had a less water flux decline but also had better flux recovery, up to 87% after cleaning and hydraulic pressure impulsion. Clearly, grafting PRO hollow fiber membranes with zwitterionic polymeric hydrogels as a protective layer potentially sustains PRO

BAR domain proteins regulate Rho GTPase signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Aspenström, Pontus

2014-01-01

BAR proteins comprise a heterogeneous group of multi-domain proteins with diverse biological functions. The common denominator is the Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) domain that not only confers targeting to lipid bilayers, but also provides scaffolding to mold lipid membranes into concave or convex surfaces. This function of BAR proteins is an important determinant in the dynamic reconstruction of membrane vesicles, as well as of the plasma membrane. Several BAR proteins function as linkers between cytoskeletal regulation and membrane dynamics. These links are provided by direct interactions between BAR proteins and actin-nucleation-promoting factors of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein family and the Diaphanous-related formins. The Rho GTPases are key factors for orchestration of this intricate interplay. This review describes how BAR proteins regulate the activity of Rho GTPases, as well as how Rho GTPases regulate the function of BAR proteins. This mutual collaboration is a central factor in the regulation of vital cellular processes, such as cell migration, cytokinesis, intracellular transport, endocytosis, and exocytosis.

Automated quantification of bronchiectasis, airway wall thickening and lumen tapering in chest CT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perez-Rovira, Adria; Kuo, Wieying; Petersen, Jens

thickness and accompanying artery radius), and inter-branch Lumen-Ratio (LR, ratio between a branch's lumen and its parent branch lumen radius, a tapering measurement) were computed. Because CF-related structural abnormalities only affect a portion of branches, the 75th percentile was used as summarising......Purpose: To automatically quantify airway structural properties visualised on CT in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and controls, including: bronchiectasis, airway wall thickening, and lumen tapering. Methods and materials: The 3D surface of the airway lumen, outer wall, and bronchial arteries...... were obtained using a fully automatic, in-house developed, segmentation method. Subsequently, for each detected airway branch, the Airway-Artery Ratio (AAR, ratio between airway outer wall and accompanying artery radius, a bronchiectasis measurement), Wall-Artery Ratio (WAR, ratio between airway wall...

Protein kinase C and extracellular signal-regulated kinase regulate movement, attachment, pairing and egg release in Schistosoma mansoni.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margarida Ressurreição

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Protein kinases C (PKCs and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs are evolutionary conserved cell signalling enzymes that coordinate cell function. Here we have employed biochemical approaches using 'smart' antibodies and functional screening to unravel the importance of these enzymes to Schistosoma mansoni physiology. Various PKC and ERK isotypes were detected, and were differentially phosphorylated (activated throughout the various S. mansoni life stages, suggesting isotype-specific roles and differences in signalling complexity during parasite development. Functional kinase mapping in adult worms revealed that activated PKC and ERK were particularly associated with the adult male tegument, musculature and oesophagus and occasionally with the oesophageal gland; other structures possessing detectable activated PKC and/or ERK included the Mehlis' gland, ootype, lumen of the vitellaria, seminal receptacle and excretory ducts. Pharmacological modulation of PKC and ERK activity in adult worms using GF109203X, U0126, or PMA, resulted in significant physiological disturbance commensurate with these proteins occupying a central position in signalling pathways associated with schistosome muscular activity, neuromuscular coordination, reproductive function, attachment and pairing. Increased activation of ERK and PKC was also detected in worms following praziquantel treatment, with increased signalling associated with the tegument and excretory system and activated ERK localizing to previously unseen structures, including the cephalic ganglia. These findings support roles for PKC and ERK in S. mansoni homeostasis, and identify these kinase groups as potential targets for chemotherapeutic treatments against human schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of enormous public health significance.

Molecular cloning and expression of cDNA encoding a lumenal calcium binding glycoprotein from sarcoplasmic reticulum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leberer, E.; Charuk, J.H.M.; MacLennan, D.H.; Green, N.M.

1989-01-01

Antibody screening was used to isolate a cDNA encoding the 160-kDa glycoprotein of rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. The cDNA is identical to that encoding the 53-kDa glycoprotein except that it contains an in-frame insertion of 1,308 nucleotides near its 5' end, apparently resulting from alternative splicing. The protein encoded by the cDNA would contain a 19-residue NH 2 -terminal signal sequence and a 453-residue COOH-terminal sequence identical to the 53-kDa glycoprotein. It would also contain a 436-amino acid insert between these sequences. This insert would be highly acidic, suggesting that it might bind Ca 2+ . The purified 160-kDa glycoprotein and the glycoprotein expressed in COS-1 cells transfected with cDNA encoding the 160-kDa glycoprotein were shown to bind 45 C 2+ in a gel overlay assay. The protein was shown to be located in the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and to be associated through Ca 2+ with the membrane. The authors propose that this lumenal Ca 2+ binding glycoprotein of the sarcoplasmic reticulum be designated sarcalumenin

Regulation of cardiac C-protein phosphorylation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Titus, F.L.

1985-01-01

Molecular mechanisms of cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic responses were addressed by studying subcellular changes in protein phosphorylation, cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity and protein phosphatase activity in frog hearts. B-adrenergic agonists increased and muscarinic cholinergic agonists decreased [ 32 P]phosphate incorporation into C-protein, a thick filament component. Regulation of protein phosphatase activity by Iso and methacholine (MCh) was assayed using extracts of drug treated frog hearts and [ 32 P]phospho-C-protein as substrate. Total phosphatase activity decreased 21% in extracts from hearts perfused with 0.1 μM Iso and 17% in hearts exposed to Iso plus 1 μM methacholine. This decrease reflected decreased phosphatase-2A activity. No changes in total phosphatase activity were measurable in broken cells treated with Iso or MCh. The results suggest adrenergic stimulation changes contractile activity in frog hearts by activating cAMP-dependent protein kinase associated with particulate cellular elements and inactivating soluble protein phosphatase-2A. This is the first demonstration of coordinated regulation of these enzymes by B-adrenergic agonists favoring phosphorylation of effector proteins. Coordinated regulation by methacholine in the presence of Iso was not observed

ETS transcription factor ELF5 induces lumen formation in a 3D model of mammary morphogenesis and its expression is inhibited by Jak2 inhibitor TG101348.

Science.gov (United States)

Chean, Jennifer; Chen, Charng-Jui; Shively, John E

2017-10-01

The loss of expression of a single gene can revert normal tissue to a malignant phenotype. For example, while normal breast has high lumenal expression of CEACAM1, the majority of breast cancers exhibit the early loss of this gene with the concurrent loss of their lumenal phenotype. MCF7 cells that lack CEACAM1 expression and fail to form lumena in 3D culture, regain the normal phenotype when transfected with CEACAM1. In order to probe the mechanism of this gain of function, we treated these cells with the clinically relevant Jak2 inhibitor TG101348 (TG), expecting that disruption of the prolactin receptor signaling pathway would interfere with the positive effects of transfection of MCF7 cells with CEACAM1. Indeed, lumen formation was inhibited, resulting in the down regulation of a set of genes, likely involved in the complex process of lumen formation. As expected, inhibition of the expression of many of these genes also inhibited lumen formation, confirming their involvement in a single pathway. Among the genes identified by the inhibition assay, ETS transcription factor ELF5 stood out, since it has been identified as a master regulator of mammary morphogenesis, and is associated with prolactin receptor signaling. When ELF5 was transfected into the parental MCF7 cells that lack CEACAM1, lumen formation was restored, indicating that ELF5 can replace CEACAM1 in this model system of lumenogenesis. We conclude that the event(s) that led to the loss of expression of CEACAM1 is epistatic in that multiple genes associated with a critical pathway were affected, but that restoration of the normal phenotype can be achieved with reactivation of certain genes at various nodal points in tissue morphogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Profiling of Human Molecular Pathways Affected by Retrotransposons at the Level of Regulation by Transcription Factor Proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Nikitin, Daniil; Penzar, Dmitry; Garazha, Andrew; Sorokin, Maxim; Tkachev, Victor; Borisov, Nicolas; Poltorak, Alexander; Prassolov, Vladimir; Buzdin, Anton A.

2018-01-01

Endogenous retroviruses and retrotransposons also termed retroelements (REs) are mobile genetic elements that were active until recently in human genome evolution. REs regulate gene expression by actively reshaping chromatin structure or by directly providing transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs). We aimed to identify molecular processes most deeply impacted by the REs in human cells at the level of TFBS regulation. By using ENCODE data, we identified ~2 million TFBS overlapping with putatively regulation-competent human REs located in 5-kb gene promoter neighborhood (~17% of all TFBS in promoter neighborhoods; ~9% of all RE-linked TFBS). Most of REs hosting TFBS were highly diverged repeats, and for the evolutionary young (0–8% diverged) elements we identified only ~7% of all RE-linked TFBS. The gene-specific distributions of RE-linked TFBS generally correlated with the distributions for all TFBS. However, several groups of molecular processes were highly enriched in the RE-linked TFBS regulation. They were strongly connected with the immunity and response to pathogens, with the negative regulation of gene transcription, ubiquitination, and protein degradation, extracellular matrix organization, regulation of STAT signaling, fatty acids metabolism, regulation of GTPase activity, protein targeting to Golgi, regulation of cell division and differentiation, development and functioning of perception organs and reproductive system. By contrast, the processes most weakly affected by the REs were linked with the conservative aspects of embryo development. We also identified differences in the regulation features by the younger and older fractions of the REs. The regulation by the older fraction of the REs was linked mainly with the immunity, cell adhesion, cAMP, IGF1R, Notch, Wnt, and integrin signaling, neuronal development, chondroitin sulfate and heparin metabolism, and endocytosis. The younger REs regulate other aspects of immunity, cell cycle progression and

Profiling of Human Molecular Pathways Affected by Retrotransposons at the Level of Regulation by Transcription Factor Proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniil Nikitin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Endogenous retroviruses and retrotransposons also termed retroelements (REs are mobile genetic elements that were active until recently in human genome evolution. REs regulate gene expression by actively reshaping chromatin structure or by directly providing transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs. We aimed to identify molecular processes most deeply impacted by the REs in human cells at the level of TFBS regulation. By using ENCODE data, we identified ~2 million TFBS overlapping with putatively regulation-competent human REs located in 5-kb gene promoter neighborhood (~17% of all TFBS in promoter neighborhoods; ~9% of all RE-linked TFBS. Most of REs hosting TFBS were highly diverged repeats, and for the evolutionary young (0–8% diverged elements we identified only ~7% of all RE-linked TFBS. The gene-specific distributions of RE-linked TFBS generally correlated with the distributions for all TFBS. However, several groups of molecular processes were highly enriched in the RE-linked TFBS regulation. They were strongly connected with the immunity and response to pathogens, with the negative regulation of gene transcription, ubiquitination, and protein degradation, extracellular matrix organization, regulation of STAT signaling, fatty acids metabolism, regulation of GTPase activity, protein targeting to Golgi, regulation of cell division and differentiation, development and functioning of perception organs and reproductive system. By contrast, the processes most weakly affected by the REs were linked with the conservative aspects of embryo development. We also identified differences in the regulation features by the younger and older fractions of the REs. The regulation by the older fraction of the REs was linked mainly with the immunity, cell adhesion, cAMP, IGF1R, Notch, Wnt, and integrin signaling, neuronal development, chondroitin sulfate and heparin metabolism, and endocytosis. The younger REs regulate other aspects of immunity, cell cycle

Fate of the dissecting lumen by CT study following surgical repair

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakajima, Nobuyuki; Ando, Taizo; Kawazoe, Kohei; Tomino, Tetsuo; Fujita, Takeshi; Naito, Hiroaki; Yamaguchi, Toshio

1983-03-01

A postoperative follow-up study on the fate of dissecting lumen by means of computer tomography has been evaluated. The materials were 21 patients who underwent surgery for dissection of the aorta, including 8 patients in type 1 of DeBakey classification, 3 in type 11, 8 in type 111 and 2 patients of localized dissection in descending and abdominal aorta. The susceptibility for thrombus formation in dissecting lumen appeared to be related to the background etiology of dissection where poor tendency for thrombus formation was observed in a group of patients with Marfan syndrome and its' incomplete form. On the other hand in the group of patients who had a history of hypertension and atherosclerosis probable, a strong tendency of thrombus formation and eventual occlusion of lumen was obtained. On the basis of above findings, it will be said that the surgical intervention for type 1 of DeBakey classification in Marfan patient is merely creating type 111 dissection, closed observation in the future change of dissecting lumen is of utmost importance especially in those groups of patients.

Fate of the dissecting lumen by CT study following surgical repair

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Nobuyuki; Ando, Taizo; Kawazoe, Kohei; Tomino, Tetsuo; Fujita, Takeshi; Naito, Hiroaki; Yamaguchi, Toshio.

1983-01-01

A postoperative follow-up study on the fate of dissecting lumen by mean of computer tomography has been evaluated. The materials were 21 patients who underwent surgery for dissection of the aorta, including 8 patients in type 1 of DeBakey classification, 3 in type 11, 8 in type 111 and 2 patients of localized dissection in descending and abdominal aorta. The susceptibility for thrombus formation in dissecting lumen appeared to be relating to the background etiology of dissection where poor tendency for thrombus formation was observed in group of patients with Marfan syndrome and its' incomplete form. On the other hand in those group of patients who had a history of hypertension and atherosclerosis probable, a strong tendency of thrombus formation and eventual occlusion of lumen was obtained. On the basis of above findings, it will be said that the surgical intervention for type 1 of DeBakey classification in Marfan patient is merely creating type 111 dissection, closed observation in the future change of dissecting lumen is utmost important especially in those group of patients. (author)

Age-Related Changes in Pharyngeal Lumen Size: A Retrospective MRI Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Molfenter, Sonja M; Amin, M R; Branski, R C; Brumm, J D; Hagiwara, M; Roof, S A; Lazarus, C L

2015-06-01

Age-related loss of muscle bulk and strength (sarcopenia) is often cited as a potential mechanism underlying age-related changes in swallowing. Our goal was to explore this phenomenon in the pharynx, specifically, by measuring pharyngeal wall thickness and pharyngeal lumen area in a sample of young versus older women. MRI scans of the neck were retrospectively reviewed from 60 women equally stratified into three age groups (20s, 60s, 70+). Four de-identified slices were extracted per scan for randomized, blinded analysis: one mid-sagittal and three axial slices were selected at the anterior inferior border of C2 and C3, and at the pit of the vallecula. Pixel-based measures of pharyngeal wall thickness and pharyngeal lumen area were completed using ImageJ and then converted to metric units. Measures of pharyngeal wall thickness and pharyngeal lumen area were compared between age groups with one-way ANOVAs using Sidak adjustments for post-hoc pairwise comparisons. A significant main effect for age was observed across all variables whereby pharyngeal wall thickness decreased and pharyngeal lumen area increased with advancing age. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences between 20s versus 70+ for all variables and 20s versus 60s for all variables except those measured at C2. Effect sizes ranged from 0.54 to 1.34. Consistent with existing sacropenia literature, the pharyngeal muscles appear to atrophy with age and consequently, the size of the pharyngeal lumen increases.

Role of ions in the regulation of light-harvesting

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Radek Kana

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Regulation of photosynthetic light harvesting in the thylakoids is one of the major key factors affecting the efficiency of photosynthesis. Thylakoid membrane is negatively charged and influences both the structure and the function of the primarily photosynthetic reactions through its electrical double layer. Further, there is a heterogeneous organization of soluble ions (K+, Mg2+, Cl- attached to the thylakoid membrane that, together with fixed charges (negatively charged amino acids, lipids, provides an electrical field. The electrical double layer is affected by the valence of the ions and interferes with the regulation of state transitions, protein interactions, and excitation energy spillover from Photosystem II to Photosystem I. These effects are reflected in changes in the intensity of chlorophyll a fluorescence, which is also a measure of photoprotective non-photochemical quenching of the excited state of chlorophyll a. A triggering of non-photochemical quenching proceeds via lumen acidification and is coupled to the export of positive counter-ions (Mg2+, K+ to the stroma or/and negative ions (e.g., Cl- into the lumen. The effect of protons and anions in the lumen and of the cations (Mg2+, K+ in the stroma are, thus, functionally tightly interconnected. In this review, we discuss the consequences of the model of electrical double layer, proposed by James Barber (J. Barber (1980 Biochim Biophys Acta 594:253-308 in light of light-harvesting regulation. Further, we explain differences between electrostatic screening and neutralization, and we emphasize the opposite effect of monovalent (K+ and divalent (Mg2+ ions on light-harvesting and on screening of the negative charges on the thylakoid membrane; this effect needs to be incorporated in all future models of photosynthetic regulation by ion channels and transporters.

Low Iodine in the Follicular Lumen Caused by Cytoplasm Mis-localization of Sodium Iodide Symporter may Induce Nodular Goiter.

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Huang, Huibin; Shi, Yaxiong; Liang, Bo; Cai, Huiyao; Cai, Qingyan

2017-10-01

Iodine is a key ingredient in the synthesis of thyroid hormones and also a major factor in the regulation of thyroid function. A local reduction of iodine content in follicular lumen leads to overexpression of local thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHr), which in turn excessively stimulates the regional thyroid tissue, and result in the formation of nodular goiter. In this study, we investigated the relationship between iodine content and sodium iodide symporter (NIS) expression by using the clinical specimens from patients with nodular goiter and explored the pathogenesis triggered by iodine deficiency in nodular goiter. In total, 28 patients were clinically histopathologically confirmed to have nodular goiter and the corresponding adjacent normal thyroid specimens were harvested simultaneously. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were performed to assay NIS expression and localization in thyrocytes of both nodular goiter and adjacent normal thyroid tissues. NIS expression mediated by iodine in follicular lumen was confirmed by follicular model in vitro. Meanwhile, radioscan with iodine-131were conducted on both nodular goiter and adjacent normal thyroid. Our data showed that NIS expression in nodular goiter was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tissues, which was associated with low iodine in the follicular lumen. Abnormal localization of NIS and lower amount of radioactive iodine-131 were also found in nodular goiter. Our data implied that low iodine in the follicular lumen caused by cytoplasm mis-localization of NIS may induce nodular goiter.

Claudin5a is required for proper inflation of Kupffer's vesicle lumen and organ laterality.

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Jeong-Gyun Kim

Full Text Available Left-right asymmetric organ development is critical to establish a proper body plan of vertebrates. In zebrafish, the Kupffer's vesicle (KV is a fluid-filled sac which controls asymmetric organ development, and a properly inflated KV lumen by means of fluid influx is a prerequisite for the asymmetric signal transmission. However, little is known about the components that support the paracellular tightness between the KV luminal epithelial cells to sustain hydrostatic pressure during KV lumen expansion. Here, we identified that the claudin5a (cldn5a is highly expressed at the apical surface of KV epithelial cells and tightly seals the KV lumen. Downregulation of cldn5a in zebrafish showed a failure in organ laterality that resulted from malformed KV. In addition, accelerated fluid influx into KV by combined treatment of forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine failed to expand the partially-formed KV lumen in cldn5a morphants. However, malformed KV lumen and defective heart laterality in cldn5a morphants were significantly rescued by exogenous cldn5a mRNA, suggesting that the tightness between the luminal epithelial cells is important for KV lumen formation. Taken together, these findings suggest that cldn5a is required for KV lumen inflation and left-right asymmetric organ development.

Claudin5a is required for proper inflation of Kupffer's vesicle lumen and organ laterality.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jeong-Gyun; Bae, Sung-Jin; Lee, Hye Shin; Park, Ji-Hyeon; Kim, Kyu-Won

2017-01-01

Left-right asymmetric organ development is critical to establish a proper body plan of vertebrates. In zebrafish, the Kupffer's vesicle (KV) is a fluid-filled sac which controls asymmetric organ development, and a properly inflated KV lumen by means of fluid influx is a prerequisite for the asymmetric signal transmission. However, little is known about the components that support the paracellular tightness between the KV luminal epithelial cells to sustain hydrostatic pressure during KV lumen expansion. Here, we identified that the claudin5a (cldn5a) is highly expressed at the apical surface of KV epithelial cells and tightly seals the KV lumen. Downregulation of cldn5a in zebrafish showed a failure in organ laterality that resulted from malformed KV. In addition, accelerated fluid influx into KV by combined treatment of forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine failed to expand the partially-formed KV lumen in cldn5a morphants. However, malformed KV lumen and defective heart laterality in cldn5a morphants were significantly rescued by exogenous cldn5a mRNA, suggesting that the tightness between the luminal epithelial cells is important for KV lumen formation. Taken together, these findings suggest that cldn5a is required for KV lumen inflation and left-right asymmetric organ development.

Preparation of lumen-loaded kenaf pulp with magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4})

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakaria, S.; Ong, B.H.; Ahmad, S.H.; Abdullah, M.; Yamauchi, T

2005-02-15

Magnetic pulps were prepared from unbleached kenaf (hibiscus cannabinus L.) kraft pulps. Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} or magnetite powder was used to load into the pulp's lumen and pit. Aluminum sulphate [Al{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3}] (alum) and polyethylenimine (PEI), both mainly function as retention aid were used throughout the experiment and found to be beneficial in the preparation of this magnetic pulps. The ash content method was used to determine the amount of magnetite retained in the lumen and pit. The utilization of PEI up to 2% per pulp fibres was found to be the best result on lumen loading. The deposition of magnetite powder in lumen and pit is found decrease as the addition of PEI used is more than 2% per pulp fibres. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) clearly shows the distribution of magnetite deposited in the lumen. Tensile index and folding endurance of the loaded fibre decreased slightly as the percentage of loading pigment increased.

Wrecked regulation of intrinsically disordered proteins in diseases: Pathogenicity of deregulated regulators

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Vladimir N. Uversky

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Biologically active proteins without stable tertiary structure are common in all known proteomes. Functions of these intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs are typically related to regulation, signaling and control. Cellular levels of these important regulators are tightly regulated by a variety mechanisms ranging from firmly controlled expression to precisely targeted degradation. Functions of IDPs are controlled by binding to specific partners, alternative splicing, and posttranslational modifications among other means. In the norm, right amounts of precisely activated IDPs have to be present in right time at right places. Wrecked regulation brings havoc to the ordered world of disordered proteins, leading to protein misfolding, misidentification, and missignaling that give rise to numerous human diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. Among factors inducing pathogenic transformations of IDPs are various cellular mechanisms, such as chromosomal translocations, damaged splicing, altered expression, frustrated posttranslational modifications, aberrant proteolytic degradation, and defective trafficking. This review presents some of the aspects of deregulated regulation of IDPs leading to human diseases.

Long-term lumen depreciation behavior and failure modes of multi-die array LEDs

Science.gov (United States)

Jayawardena, Asiri; Marcus, Daniel; Prugue, Ximena; Narendran, Nadarajah

2013-09-01

One of the main advantages of multi-die array light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is their high flux density. However, a challenge for using such a product in lighting fixture applications is the heat density and the need for thermal management to keep the junction temperatures of all the dies low for long-term reliable performance. Ten multi-die LED array samples for each product from four different manufacturers were subjected to lumen maintenance testing (as described in IES-LM-80-08), and their resulting lumen depreciation and failure modes were studied. The products were tested at the maximum case (or pin) temperature reported by the respective manufacturer by appropriately powering the LEDs. In addition, three samples for each product from two different manufacturers were subjected to rapid thermal cycling, and the resulting lumen depreciation and failure modes were studied. The results showed that the exponential lumen decay model using long-term lumen maintenance data as recommended in IES TM-21 does not fit for all package types. The failure of a string of dies and single die failure in a string were observed in some of the packages.

Improved automated lumen contour detection by novel multifrequency processing algorithm with current intravascular ultrasound system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kume, Teruyoshi; Kim, Byeong-Keuk; Waseda, Katsuhisa; Sathyanarayana, Shashidhar; Li, Wenguang; Teo, Tat-Jin; Yock, Paul G; Fitzgerald, Peter J; Honda, Yasuhiro

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new fully automated lumen border tracing system based on a novel multifrequency processing algorithm. We developed the multifrequency processing method to enhance arterial lumen detection by exploiting the differential scattering characteristics of blood and arterial tissue. The implementation of the method can be integrated into current intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) hardware. This study was performed in vivo with conventional 40-MHz IVUS catheters (Atlantis SR Pro™, Boston Scientific Corp, Natick, MA) in 43 clinical patients with coronary artery disease. A total of 522 frames were randomly selected, and lumen areas were measured after automatically tracing lumen borders with the new tracing system and a commercially available tracing system (TraceAssist™) referred to as the "conventional tracing system." The data assessed by the two automated systems were compared with the results of manual tracings by experienced IVUS analysts. New automated lumen measurements showed better agreement with manual lumen area tracings compared with those of the conventional tracing system (correlation coefficient: 0.819 vs. 0.509). When compared against manual tracings, the new algorithm also demonstrated improved systematic error (mean difference: 0.13 vs. -1.02 mm(2) ) and random variability (standard deviation of difference: 2.21 vs. 4.02 mm(2) ) compared with the conventional tracing system. This preliminary study showed that the novel fully automated tracing system based on the multifrequency processing algorithm can provide more accurate lumen border detection than current automated tracing systems and thus, offer a more reliable quantitative evaluation of lumen geometry. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Regulation of protease-activated receptor 1 signaling by the adaptor protein complex 2 and R4 subfamily of regulator of G protein signaling proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Buxin; Siderovski, David P; Neubig, Richard R; Lawson, Mark A; Trejo, Joann

2014-01-17

The G protein-coupled protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is irreversibly proteolytically activated by thrombin. Hence, the precise regulation of PAR1 signaling is important for proper cellular responses. In addition to desensitization, internalization and lysosomal sorting of activated PAR1 are critical for the termination of signaling. Unlike most G protein-coupled receptors, PAR1 internalization is mediated by the clathrin adaptor protein complex 2 (AP-2) and epsin-1, rather than β-arrestins. However, the function of AP-2 and epsin-1 in the regulation of PAR1 signaling is not known. Here, we report that AP-2, and not epsin-1, regulates activated PAR1-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis via two different mechanisms that involve, in part, a subset of R4 subfamily of "regulator of G protein signaling" (RGS) proteins. A significantly greater increase in activated PAR1 signaling was observed in cells depleted of AP-2 using siRNA or in cells expressing a PAR1 (420)AKKAA(424) mutant with defective AP-2 binding. This effect was attributed to AP-2 modulation of PAR1 surface expression and efficiency of G protein coupling. We further found that ectopic expression of R4 subfamily members RGS2, RGS3, RGS4, and RGS5 reduced activated PAR1 wild-type signaling, whereas signaling by the PAR1 AKKAA mutant was minimally affected. Intriguingly, siRNA-mediated depletion analysis revealed a function for RGS5 in the regulation of signaling by the PAR1 wild type but not the AKKAA mutant. Moreover, activation of the PAR1 wild type, and not the AKKAA mutant, induced Gαq association with RGS3 via an AP-2-dependent mechanism. Thus, AP-2 regulates activated PAR1 signaling by altering receptor surface expression and through recruitment of RGS proteins.

Regulation of human protein S gene (PROS1) transcription

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, Cornelia de

2006-01-01

This thesis describes the investigation of the transcriptional regulation of the gene for anticoagulant plasma Protein S, PROS1. Protein S is a cofactor for Protein C in the Protein C anticoagulant pathway. The coagulation cascade is negatively regulated by this pathway through inactivation of

Technical Note: Measurement of common carotid artery lumen dynamics using black-blood MR cine imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Erpeng; Dong, Li; Zhang, Zhe; Li, Lyu; Zhang, Hui; Zhao, Xihai; Wang, Jinnan; Yuan, Chun; Guo, Hua

2017-03-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of measuring the common carotid artery (CCA) lumen dynamics using a black-blood cine (BB-cine) imaging method. Motion-sensitized driven-equilibrium (MSDE) prepared spoiled gradient sequence was used for the BB-cine imaging. CCAs of eleven healthy volunteers were studied using this method. Lumen dynamics, including lumen area evolution waveforms and distension values, were measured and evaluated by comparing this method with bright-blood cine (BrB-cine) imaging. Compared with the BrB-cine images, flow artifacts were effectively suppressed in the BB-cine images. BrB-cine images generally show larger lumen areas than BB-cine images. The lumen area waveforms and distension measurements from BB-cine imaging showed smaller variances among different subjects than BrB-cine imaging. The proposed BB-cine imaging technique can suppress the flow artifacts effectively and reduce the partial volume effects from the vessel wall. This might allow more accurate lumen dynamics measurements than traditional BrB-cine imaging, which may further be valuable for investigating biomechanical and functional properties of the cardiovascular system. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Phosphorylation-dependent regulation of plant chromatin and chromatin-associated proteins

KAUST Repository

Bigeard, Jean; Rayapuram, Naganand; Pflieger, Delphine; Hirt, Heribert

2014-01-01

In eukaryotes, most of the DNA is located in the nucleus where it is organized with histone proteins in a higher order structure as chromatin. Chromatin and chromatin-associated proteins contribute to DNA-related processes such as replication and transcription as well as epigenetic regulation. Protein functions are often regulated by PTMs among which phosphorylation is one of the most abundant PTM. Phosphorylation of proteins affects important properties, such as enzyme activity, protein stability, or subcellular localization. We here describe the main specificities of protein phosphorylation in plants and review the current knowledge on phosphorylation-dependent regulation of plant chromatin and chromatin-associated proteins. We also outline some future challenges to further elucidate protein phosphorylation and chromatin regulation.

Phosphorylation-dependent regulation of plant chromatin and chromatin-associated proteins

KAUST Repository

Bigeard, Jean

2014-07-10

In eukaryotes, most of the DNA is located in the nucleus where it is organized with histone proteins in a higher order structure as chromatin. Chromatin and chromatin-associated proteins contribute to DNA-related processes such as replication and transcription as well as epigenetic regulation. Protein functions are often regulated by PTMs among which phosphorylation is one of the most abundant PTM. Phosphorylation of proteins affects important properties, such as enzyme activity, protein stability, or subcellular localization. We here describe the main specificities of protein phosphorylation in plants and review the current knowledge on phosphorylation-dependent regulation of plant chromatin and chromatin-associated proteins. We also outline some future challenges to further elucidate protein phosphorylation and chromatin regulation.

Enlargement of halloysite clay nanotube lumen by selective etching of aluminum oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullayev, Elshad; Joshi, Anupam; Wei, Wenbo; Zhao, Yafei; Lvov, Yuri

2012-08-28

Halloysite clay tubes have 50 nm diameter and chemically different inner and outer walls (inner surface of aluminum oxide and outer surface of silica). Due to this different chemistry, the selective etching of alumina from inside the tube was realized, while preserving their external diameter (lumen diameter changed from 15 to 25 nm). This increases 2-3 times the tube lumen capacity for loading and further sustained release of active chemical agents such as metals, corrosion inhibitors, and drugs. In particular, halloysite loading efficiency for the benzotriazole increased 4 times by selective etching of 60% alumina within the tubes' lumens. Specific surface area of the tubes increased over 6 times, from 40 to 250 m(2)/g, upon acid treatment.

Evolution of regular geometrical shapes in fiber lumens

KAUST Repository

Le, Ngoc Lieu; Kim, Dooli; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2017-01-01

of the internal channels or lumens of polymeric hollow fibers, leading to polygonal geometries with increasing number of sides. The elasticity of the incipient channel skin and instabilities during fiber formation are affected by the internal coagulant fluid

Regulation of intestinal protein metabolism by amino acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertrand, Julien; Goichon, Alexis; Déchelotte, Pierre; Coëffier, Moïse

2013-09-01

Gut homeostasis plays a major role in health and may be regulated by quantitative and qualitative food intake. In the intestinal mucosa, an intense renewal of proteins occurs, at approximately 50% per day in humans. In some pathophysiological conditions, protein turnover is altered and may contribute to intestinal or systemic diseases. Amino acids are key effectors of gut protein turnover, both as constituents of proteins and as regulatory molecules limiting intestinal injury and maintaining intestinal functions. Many studies have focused on two amino acids: glutamine, known as the preferential substrate of rapidly dividing cells, and arginine, another conditionally essential amino acid. The effects of glutamine and arginine on protein synthesis appear to be model and condition dependent, as are the involved signaling pathways. The regulation of gut protein degradation by amino acids has been minimally documented until now. This review will examine recent data, helping to better understand how amino acids regulate intestinal protein metabolism, and will explore perspectives for future studies.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Using a Dual-Lumen Endogastroscope for Patients with Billroth II Gastrectomy

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Wei Yao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a dual-lumen forward-viewing endoscope for ERCP in patients with prior Billroth II gastrectomy. Methods. The records of 46 patients treated with ERCP by a dual-lumen forward-viewing endoscope after Billroth II gastrectomy from 2007 to 2012 were reviewed. Results. The success rate of selective cannulation was 82.6% (38/46. Of the 38 cases with successful selective cannulation, endoscopic sphincterotomy was achieved in 23 cases by placing the needle knife through the 2nd lumen, while endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation was conducted in the other 15 cases. Of the 8 failed cases of selective cannulation, 6 had failed afferent loop intubation, and 3 of these 6 patients had Braun’s anastomosis. The safety and efficacy of catheter-assisted endoscopic sphincterotomy were increased by placing the needle knife through the 2nd lumen without altering the conventional endoscopic sphincterotomy procedure. Conclusions. A dual-lumen forward-viewing endoscope can be safely and effectively used to perform ERCP in patients with a Billroth II gastrectomy, except for patients with additional Braun’s anastomosis.

Two Chimeric Regulators of G-protein Signaling (RGS) Proteins Differentially Modulate Soybean Heterotrimeric G-protein Cycle*

Science.gov (United States)

Roy Choudhury, Swarup; Westfall, Corey S.; Laborde, John P.; Bisht, Naveen C.; Jez, Joseph M.; Pandey, Sona

2012-01-01

Heterotrimeric G-proteins and the regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins, which accelerate the inherent GTPase activity of Gα proteins, are common in animals and encoded by large gene families; however, in plants G-protein signaling is thought to be more limited in scope. For example, Arabidopsis thaliana contains one Gα, one Gβ, three Gγ, and one RGS protein. Recent examination of the Glycine max (soybean) genome reveals a larger set of G-protein-related genes and raises the possibility of more intricate G-protein networks than previously observed in plants. Stopped-flow analysis of GTP-binding and GDP/GTP exchange for the four soybean Gα proteins (GmGα1–4) reveals differences in their kinetic properties. The soybean genome encodes two chimeric RGS proteins with an N-terminal seven transmembrane domain and a C-terminal RGS box. Both GmRGS interact with each of the four GmGα and regulate their GTPase activity. The GTPase-accelerating activities of GmRGS1 and -2 differ for each GmGα, suggesting more than one possible rate of the G-protein cycle initiated by each of the Gα proteins. The differential effects of GmRGS1 and GmRGS2 on GmGα1–4 result from a single valine versus alanine difference. The emerging picture suggests complex regulation of the G-protein cycle in soybean and in other plants with expanded G-protein networks. PMID:22474294

Lumen and calcium characteristics within calcified coronary lesions. Comparison of computed tomography coronary angiography versus intravascular ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Noll, Dariusz; Kruk, Mariusz; Pręgowski, Jerzy; Kaczmarska, Edyta; Kryczka, Karolina; Pracoń, Radosław; Skwarek, Mirosław; Dzielińska, Zofia; Petryka, Joanna; Spiewak, Mateusz; Lubiszewska, Barbara; Norwa-Otto, Bożena; Opolski, Maksymilian; Witkowski, Adam; Demkow, Marcin; Rużyłło, Witold; Kępka, Cezary

2013-01-01

Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) is a diagnostic method used for exclusion of coronary artery disease. However, lower accuracy of CTCA in assessment of calcified lesions is a significant factor impeding applicability of CTCA for assessment of coronary atherosclerosis. To provide insight into lumen and calcium characteristics assessed with CTCA, we compared these parameters to the reference of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Two hundred and fifty-two calcified lesions within 97 arteries of 60 patients (19 women, age 63 ±10 years) underwent assessment with both 2 × 64 slice CT (Somatom Definition, Siemens) and IVUS (s5, Volcano Corp.). Coronary lumen and calcium dimensions within calcified lesions were assessed with CTCA and compared to the reference measurements made with IVUS. On average CTCA underestimated mean lumen diameter (2.8 ±0.7 mm vs. 2.9 ±0.8 mm for IVUS), lumen area (6.4 ±3.4 mm(2) vs. 7.0 ±3.7 mm(2) for IVUS, p < 0.001) and total calcium arc (52 ±35° vs. 83 ±54°). However, analysis of tertiles of the examined parameters revealed that the mean lumen diameter, lumen area and calcium arc did not significantly differ between CTCA and IVUS within the smallest lumens (1(st) tertile of mean lumen diameter at 2.1 mm, and 1(st) tertile of lumen area at 3.7 mm(2)) and lowest calcium arc (mean of 40°). Although, on average, CTCA underestimates lumen diameter and area as well as calcium arc within calcified lesions, the differences are not significant within the smallest vessels and calcium arcs. The low diagnostic accuracy of CTCA within calcified lesions may be attributed to high variance and not to systematic error of measurements.

Regulation of Cellular and Molecular Functions by Protein ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... a high-energy linkage. The free energy of hydrolysis 1 of protein bound tyrosine phosphate ... protein kinases, cdc2 kinase (which regulates cell division cycle) and related cdc ... residues in response to extracellular signals such as hormones or growth factors. ... involved in regulating glycogen metabolism. The activity of.

PDZ Protein Regulation of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Trafficking and Signaling Pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Henry A; Ferguson, Stephen S G

2015-10-01

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) contribute to the regulation of every aspect of human physiology and are therapeutic targets for the treatment of numerous diseases. As a consequence, understanding the myriad of mechanisms controlling GPCR signaling and trafficking is essential for the development of new pharmacological strategies for the treatment of human pathologies. Of the many GPCR-interacting proteins, postsynaptic density protein of 95 kilodaltons, disc large, zona occludens-1 (PDZ) domain-containing proteins appear most abundant and have similarly been implicated in disease mechanisms. PDZ proteins play an important role in regulating receptor and channel protein localization within synapses and tight junctions and function to scaffold intracellular signaling protein complexes. In the current study, we review the known functional interactions between PDZ domain-containing proteins and GPCRs and provide insight into the potential mechanisms of action. These PDZ domain-containing proteins include the membrane-associated guanylate-like kinases [postsynaptic density protein of 95 kilodaltons; synapse-associated protein of 97 kilodaltons; postsynaptic density protein of 93 kilodaltons; synapse-associated protein of 102 kilodaltons; discs, large homolog 5; caspase activation and recruitment domain and membrane-associated guanylate-like kinase domain-containing protein 3; membrane protein, palmitoylated 3; calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase; membrane-associated guanylate kinase protein (MAGI)-1, MAGI-2, and MAGI-3], Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor proteins (NHERFs) (NHERF1, NHERF2, PDZ domain-containing kidney protein 1, and PDZ domain-containing kidney protein 2), Golgi-associated PDZ proteins (Gα-binding protein interacting protein, C-terminus and CFTR-associated ligand), PDZ domain-containing guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) 1 and 2, regulator of G protein signaling (RGS)-homology-RhoGEFs (PDZ domain-containing RhoGEF and

Regulation of Neuronal Protein Trafficking and Translocation by SUMOylation

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Jeremy M. Henley

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Post-translational modifications of proteins are essential for cell function. Covalent modification by SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier plays a role in multiple cell processes, including transcriptional regulation, DNA damage repair, protein localization and trafficking. Factors affecting protein localization and trafficking are particularly crucial in neurons because of their polarization, morphological complexity and functional specialization. SUMOylation has emerged as a major mediator of intranuclear and nucleo-cytoplasmic translocations of proteins involved in critical pathways such as circadian rhythm, apoptosis and protein degradation. In addition, SUMO-regulated re-localization of extranuclear proteins is required to sustain neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission. Thus, SUMOylation is a key arbiter of neuronal viability and function. Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of regulation of neuronal protein localization and translocation by SUMO and highlight exciting areas of ongoing research.

A conserved NAD+ binding pocket that regulates protein-protein interactions during aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jun; Bonkowski, Michael S; Moniot, Sébastien; Zhang, Dapeng; Hubbard, Basil P; Ling, Alvin J Y; Rajman, Luis A; Qin, Bo; Lou, Zhenkun; Gorbunova, Vera; Aravind, L; Steegborn, Clemens; Sinclair, David A

2017-03-24

DNA repair is essential for life, yet its efficiency declines with age for reasons that are unclear. Numerous proteins possess Nudix homology domains (NHDs) that have no known function. We show that NHDs are NAD + (oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) binding domains that regulate protein-protein interactions. The binding of NAD + to the NHD domain of DBC1 (deleted in breast cancer 1) prevents it from inhibiting PARP1 [poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase], a critical DNA repair protein. As mice age and NAD + concentrations decline, DBC1 is increasingly bound to PARP1, causing DNA damage to accumulate, a process rapidly reversed by restoring the abundance of NAD + Thus, NAD + directly regulates protein-protein interactions, the modulation of which may protect against cancer, radiation, and aging. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Allosteric Regulation of Proteins

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... Lecture Workshops · Refresher Courses · Symposia · Live Streaming. Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 22; Issue 1. Allosteric Regulation of Proteins: A Historical Perspective on the Development of Concepts and Techniques. General Article Volume 22 Issue 1 January 2017 pp 37-50 ...

Nonvisualization of the gallbladder lumen on sonogram: a sign of acute viral hepatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Jae Hoon; Ko, Young Tae

1986-01-01

Six cases of nonvisulization of the gallbladder lumen in patients with acute viral hepatitis are presented. Follow-up ultrasonographic examinations done during the convalescent period in 2 patients showed normal gallbladders and this was correlated with improvement in enzyme levels. It is suggested that acute viral hepatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nonvisualization of the gallbladder lumen on sonogram.

Nonvisualization of the gallbladder lumen on sonogram: a sign of acute viral hepatitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Jae Hoon; Ko, Young Tae [Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1986-04-15

Six cases of nonvisulization of the gallbladder lumen in patients with acute viral hepatitis are presented. Follow-up ultrasonographic examinations done during the convalescent period in 2 patients showed normal gallbladders and this was correlated with improvement in enzyme levels. It is suggested that acute viral hepatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nonvisualization of the gallbladder lumen on sonogram.

JNK Signaling: Regulation and Functions Based on Complex Protein-Protein Partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Zeke, András; Misheva, Mariya

2016-01-01

SUMMARY The c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), as members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, mediate eukaryotic cell responses to a wide range of abiotic and biotic stress insults. JNKs also regulate important physiological processes, including neuronal functions, immunological actions, and embryonic development, via their impact on gene expression, cytoskeletal protein dynamics, and cell death/survival pathways. Although the JNK pathway has been under study for >20 years, its complexity is still perplexing, with multiple protein partners of JNKs underlying the diversity of actions. Here we review the current knowledge of JNK structure and isoforms as well as the partnerships of JNKs with a range of intracellular proteins. Many of these proteins are direct substrates of the JNKs. We analyzed almost 100 of these target proteins in detail within a framework of their classification based on their regulation by JNKs. Examples of these JNK substrates include a diverse assortment of nuclear transcription factors (Jun, ATF2, Myc, Elk1), cytoplasmic proteins involved in cytoskeleton regulation (DCX, Tau, WDR62) or vesicular transport (JIP1, JIP3), cell membrane receptors (BMPR2), and mitochondrial proteins (Mcl1, Bim). In addition, because upstream signaling components impact JNK activity, we critically assessed the involvement of signaling scaffolds and the roles of feedback mechanisms in the JNK pathway. Despite a clarification of many regulatory events in JNK-dependent signaling during the past decade, many other structural and mechanistic insights are just beginning to be revealed. These advances open new opportunities to understand the role of JNK signaling in diverse physiological and pathophysiological states. PMID:27466283

Claudins, dietary milk proteins, and intestinal barrier regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotler, Belinda M; Kerstetter, Jane E; Insogna, Karl L

2013-01-01

The family of claudin proteins plays an important role in regulating the intestinal barrier by modulating the permeability of tight junctions. The impact of dietary protein on claudin biology has not been studied extensively. Whey proteins have been reported to improve intestinal barrier function, but their mechanism of action is not clear. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated increased intestinal claudin expression in response to milk protein components. Reviewed here are new findings suggesting that whey-protein-derived transforming growth factor β transcriptionally upregulates claudin-4 expression via a Smad-4-dependent pathway. These and other data, including limited clinical studies, are summarized below and, in the aggregate, suggest a therapeutic role for whey protein in diseases of intestinal barrier dysfunction, perhaps, in part, by regulating claudin expression. © 2013 International Life Sciences Institute.

Selective modification of halloysite lumen with octadecylphosphonic acid: new inorganic tubular micelle.

Science.gov (United States)

Yah, Weng On; Takahara, Atsushi; Lvov, Yuri M

2012-01-25

Selective fatty acid hydrophobization of the inner surface of tubule halloysite clay is demonstrated. Aqueous phosphonic acid was found to bind to alumina sites at the tube lumen and did not bind the tube's outer siloxane surface. The bonding was characterized with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance ((29)Si, (13)C, (31)P NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. NMR and FTIR spectroscopy of selectively modified tubes proved binding of octadecylphosphonic acid within the halloysite lumen through bidentate and tridentate P-O-Al linkage. Selective modification of the halloysite clay lumen creates an inorganic micelle-like architecture with a hydrophobic aliphatic chain core and a hydrophilic silicate shell. An enhanced capacity for adsorption of the modified halloysite toward hydrophobic derivatives of ferrocene was shown. This demonstrates that the different inner and outer surface chemistry of clay nanotubes can be used for selective modification, enabling different applications from water purification to drug immobilization and controlled release. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Rab proteins: The key regulators of intracellular vesicle transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhuin, Tanmay; Roy, Jagat Kumar

2014-01-01

Vesicular/membrane trafficking essentially regulates the compartmentalization and abundance of proteins within the cells and contributes in many signalling pathways. This membrane transport in eukaryotic cells is a complex process regulated by a large and diverse array of proteins. A large group of monomeric small GTPases; the Rabs are essential components of this membrane trafficking route. Most of the Rabs are ubiquitously expressed proteins and have been implicated in vesicle formation, vesicle motility/delivery along cytoskeleton elements and docking/fusion at target membranes through the recruitment of effectors. Functional impairments of Rabs affecting transport pathways manifest different diseases. Rab functions are accompanied by cyclical activation and inactivation of GTP-bound and GDP-bound forms between the cytosol and membranes which is regulated by upstream regulators. Rab proteins are characterized by their distinct sub-cellular localization and regulate a wide variety of endocytic, transcytic and exocytic transport pathways. Mutations of Rabs affect cell growth, motility and other biological processes. - Highlights: • Rab proteins regulate different signalling pathways. • Deregulation of Rabs is the fundamental causes of a variety of human diseases. • This paper gives potential directions in developing therapeutic targets. • This paper also gives ample directions for modulating pathways central to normal physiology. • These are the huge challenges for drug discovery and delivery in near future

Rab proteins: The key regulators of intracellular vesicle transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhuin, Tanmay [Cell and Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Zoology, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag 713104 (India); Roy, Jagat Kumar, E-mail: jkroy@bhu.ac.in [Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005 (India)

2014-10-15

Vesicular/membrane trafficking essentially regulates the compartmentalization and abundance of proteins within the cells and contributes in many signalling pathways. This membrane transport in eukaryotic cells is a complex process regulated by a large and diverse array of proteins. A large group of monomeric small GTPases; the Rabs are essential components of this membrane trafficking route. Most of the Rabs are ubiquitously expressed proteins and have been implicated in vesicle formation, vesicle motility/delivery along cytoskeleton elements and docking/fusion at target membranes through the recruitment of effectors. Functional impairments of Rabs affecting transport pathways manifest different diseases. Rab functions are accompanied by cyclical activation and inactivation of GTP-bound and GDP-bound forms between the cytosol and membranes which is regulated by upstream regulators. Rab proteins are characterized by their distinct sub-cellular localization and regulate a wide variety of endocytic, transcytic and exocytic transport pathways. Mutations of Rabs affect cell growth, motility and other biological processes. - Highlights: • Rab proteins regulate different signalling pathways. • Deregulation of Rabs is the fundamental causes of a variety of human diseases. • This paper gives potential directions in developing therapeutic targets. • This paper also gives ample directions for modulating pathways central to normal physiology. • These are the huge challenges for drug discovery and delivery in near future.

S100 Proteins As an Important Regulator of Macrophage Inflammation

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Chang Xia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The S100 proteins, a family of calcium-binding cytosolic proteins, have a broad range of intracellular and extracellular functions through regulating calcium balance, cell apoptosis, migration, proliferation, differentiation, energy metabolism, and inflammation. The intracellular functions of S100 proteins involve interaction with intracellular receptors, membrane protein recruitment/transportation, transcriptional regulation and integrating with enzymes or nucleic acids, and DNA repair. The S100 proteins could also be released from the cytoplasm, induced by tissue/cell damage and cellular stress. The extracellular S100 proteins, serving as a danger signal, are crucial in regulating immune homeostasis, post-traumatic injury, and inflammation. Extracellular S100 proteins are also considered biomarkers for some specific diseases. In this review, we will discuss the multi-functional roles of S100 proteins, especially their potential roles associated with cell migration, differentiation, tissue repair, and inflammation.

Regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signalling: focus on the cardiovascular system and regulator of G protein signalling proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriks-Balk, Mariëlle C.; Peters, Stephan L. M.; Michel, Martin C.; Alewijnse, Astrid E.

2008-01-01

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in many biological processes. Therefore, GPCR function is tightly controlled both at receptor level and at the level of signalling components. Well-known mechanisms by which GPCR function can be regulated comprise desensitization/resensitization

Sphingomyelin synthases regulate protein trafficking and secretion.

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Marimuthu Subathra

Full Text Available Sphingomyelin synthases (SMS1 and 2 represent a class of enzymes that transfer a phosphocholine moiety from phosphatidylcholine onto ceramide thus producing sphingomyelin and diacylglycerol (DAG. SMS1 localizes at the Golgi while SMS2 localizes both at the Golgi and the plasma membrane. Previous studies from our laboratory showed that modulation of SMS1 and, to a lesser extent, of SMS2 affected the formation of DAG at the Golgi apparatus. As a consequence, down-regulation of SMS1 and SMS2 reduced the localization of the DAG-binding protein, protein kinase D (PKD, to the Golgi. Since PKD recruitment to the Golgi has been implicated in cellular secretion through the trans golgi network (TGN, the effect of down-regulation of SMSs on TGN-to-plasma membrane trafficking was studied. Down regulation of either SMS1 or SMS2 significantly retarded trafficking of the reporter protein vesicular stomatitis virus G protein tagged with GFP (VSVG-GFP from the TGN to the cell surface. Inhibition of SMSs also induced tubular protrusions from the trans Golgi network reminiscent of inhibited TGN membrane fission. Since a recent study demonstrated the requirement of PKD activity for insulin secretion in beta cells, we tested the function of SMS in this model. Inhibition of SMS significantly reduced insulin secretion in rat INS-1 cells. Taken together these results provide the first direct evidence that both enzymes (SMS1 and 2 are capable of regulating TGN-mediated protein trafficking and secretion, functions that are compatible with PKD being a down-stream target for SMSs in the Golgi.

The adaptor SASH1 acts through NOTCH1 and its inhibitor DLK1 in a 3D model of lumenogenesis involving CEACAM1.

Science.gov (United States)

Stubblefield, Kandis; Chean, Jennifer; Nguyen, Tung; Chen, Charng-Jui; Shively, John E

2017-10-15

CEACAM1 transfection into breast cancer cells restores lumen formation in a 3D culture model. Among the top up-regulated genes that were associated with restoration of lumen formation, the adaptor protein SASH1 was identified. Furthermore, SASH1 was shown to be critical for lumen formation by RNAi inhibition. Upon analyzing the gene array from CEACAM1/MCF7 cells treated with SASH1 RNAi, DLK1, an inhibitor of NOTCH1 signaling, was found to be down-regulated to the same extent as SASH1. Subsequent treatment of CEACAM1/MCF7 cells with RNAi to DLK1 also inhibited lumen formation, supporting its association with SASH1. In agreement with the role of DLK1 as a NOTCH1 inhibitor, NOTCH1, as well as its regulated genes HES1 and HEY1, were down-regulated in CEACAM1/MCF7 cells by the action of DLK1 RNAi, and up-regulated by SASH1 RNAi. When CEACAM1/MCF7 cells were treated with a γ-secretase inhibitor known to inhibit NOTCH signaling, lumen formation was inhibited. We conclude that restoration of lumen formation by CEACAM1 regulates the NOTCH1 signaling pathway via the adaptor protein SASH1 and the NOTCH1 inhibitor DLK1. These data suggest that the putative involvement of NOTCH1 as a tumor-promoting gene in breast cancer may depend on its lack of regulation in cancer, whereas its involvement in normal lumen formation requires activation of its expression, and subsequently, inhibition of its signaling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DMPD: Post-transcriptional regulation of proinflammatory proteins. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 15075353 Post-transcriptional regulation of proinflammatory proteins. Anderson P, P...l) (.csml) Show Post-transcriptional regulation of proinflammatory proteins. PubmedID 15075353 Title Post-tr...anscriptional regulation of proinflammatory proteins. Authors Anderson P, Phillip

Volumetric analysis demonstrates that true and false lumen remodeling persists for 12 months after thoracic endovascular aortic repair

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Ga-Young Suh, PhD

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A 62-year-old man underwent an elephant trunk procedure followed by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR. Computed tomography angiography-based models were built to quantify volume of the whole aorta and true and false lumens preoperatively, before TEVAR, after TEVAR, and at follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months. With TEVAR, descending aortic true lumen volume increased by 54%, then increased additionally by 60% during 12 months. The descending aortic false lumen volume regressed continuously for 12 months following TEVAR, with the most rapid rate from 6 to 12 months at 16 cm3/month. TEVAR immediately increased true lumen volume and continued to remodel the true and false lumens throughout the following 12 months.

NM23 proteins: innocent bystanders or local energy boosters for CFTR?

Science.gov (United States)

Muimo, Richmond; Alothaid, Hani Mm; Mehta, Anil

2018-03-01

NM23 proteins NDPK-A and -B bind to the cystic fibrosis (CF) protein CFTR in different ways from kinases such as PKA, CK2 and AMPK or linkers to cell calcium such as calmodulin and annexins. NDPK-A (not -B) interacts with CFTR through reciprocal AMPK binding/control, whereas NDPK-B (not -A) binds directly to CFTR. NDPK-B can activate G proteins without ligand-receptor coupling, so perhaps NDPK-B's binding influences energy supply local to a nucleotide-binding site (NBD1) needed for CFTR to function. Curiously, CFTR (ABC-C7) is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein family that does not obey 'clan rules'; CFTR channels anions and is not a pump, regulates disparate processes, is itself regulated by multiple means and is so pleiotropic that it acts as a hub that orchestrates calcium signaling through its consorts such as calmodulin/annexins. Furthermore, its multiple partners make CFTR dance to different tunes in different cellular and subcellular locations as it recycles from the plasma membrane to endosomes. CFTR function in airway apical membranes is inhibited by smoking which has been dubbed 'acquired CF'. CFTR alone among family members possesses a trap for other proteins that it unfurls as a 'fish-net' and which bears consensus phosphorylation sites for many protein kinases, with PKA being the most canonical. Recently, the site of CFTR's commonest mutation has been proposed as a knock-in mutant that alters allosteric control of kinase CK2 by log orders of activity towards calmodulin and other substrates after CFTR fragmentation. This link from CK2 to calmodulin that binds the R region invokes molecular paths that control lumen formation, which is incomplete in the tracheas of some CF-affected babies. Thus, we are poised to understand the many roles of NDPK-A and -B in CFTR function and, especially lumen formation, which is defective in the gut and lungs of many CF babies.

Transcriptional regulation by Polycomb group proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Croce, Luciano; Helin, Kristian

2013-01-01

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are epigenetic regulators of transcription that have key roles in stem-cell identity, differentiation and disease. Mechanistically, they function within multiprotein complexes, called Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs), which modify histones (and other proteins......) and silence target genes. The dynamics of PRC1 and PRC2 components has been the focus of recent research. Here we discuss our current knowledge of the PRC complexes, how they are targeted to chromatin and how the high diversity of the PcG proteins allows these complexes to influence cell identity....

3D time-lapse analysis of Rab11/FIP5 complex: spatiotemporal dynamics during apical lumen formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mangan, Anthony; Prekeris, Rytis

2015-01-01

Fluorescent imaging of fixed cells grown in two-dimensional (2D) cultures is one of the most widely used techniques for observing protein localization and distribution within cells. Although this technique can also be applied to polarized epithelial cells that form three-dimensional (3D) cysts when grown in a Matrigel matrix suspension, there are still significant limitations in imaging cells fixed at a particular point in time. Here, we describe the use of 3D time-lapse imaging of live cells to observe the dynamics of apical membrane initiation site (AMIS) formation and lumen expansion in polarized epithelial cells.

DUB3 Deubiquitylating Enzymes Regulate Hippo Pathway Activity by Regulating the Stability of ITCH, LATS and AMOT Proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Thanh Hung; Kugler, Jan-Michael; Cohen, Stephen Michael

2017-01-01

/TAZ, is regulated by ubiquitin mediated protein turnover and several ubiquitin ligase complexes have been implicated in human cancer. However, little is known about the deubiquitylating enzymes that counteract these ubiquitin ligases in regulation of the Hippo pathway. Here we identify the DUB3 family...... deubiquitylating enzymes as regulators of Hippo pathway activity. We provide evidence that DUB3 proteins regulate YAP/TAZ activity by controlling the stability of the E3 ligase ITCH, the LATS kinases and the AMOT family proteins. As a novel Hippo pathway regulator, DUB3 has the potential to act a tumor suppressor...

RNA-binding proteins involved in post-transcriptional regulation in bacteria

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Elke eVan Assche

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Post-transcriptional regulation is a very important mechanism to control gene expression in changing environments. In the past decade, a lot of interest has been directed towards the role of small RNAs in bacterial post-transcriptional regulation. However, small RNAs are not the only molecules controlling gene expression at this level, RNA-binding proteins play an important role as well. CsrA and Hfq are the two best studied bacterial proteins of this type, but recently, additional proteins involved in post-transcriptional control have been identified. This review focuses on the general working mechanisms of post-transcriptionally active RNA-binding proteins, which include (i adaptation of the susceptibility of mRNAs and sRNAs to RNases, (ii modulating the accessibility of the ribosome binding site of mRNAs, (iii recruiting and assisting in the interaction of mRNAs with other molecules and (iv regulating transcription terminator / antiterminator formation, and gives an overview of both the well-studied and the newly identified proteins that are involved in post-transcriptional regulatory processes. Additionally, the post-transcriptional mechanisms by which the expression or the activity of these proteins is regulated, are described. For many of the newly identified proteins, however, mechanistic questions remain. Most likely, more post-transcriptionally active proteins will be identified in the future.

SOCS proteins in regulation of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazi, Julhash U.; Kabir, Nuzhat N.; Flores Morales, Amilcar

2014-01-01

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a family of cell surface receptors that play critical roles in signal transduction from extracellular stimuli. Many in this family of kinases are overexpressed or mutated in human malignancies and thus became an attractive drug target for cancer treatment....... The signaling mediated by RTKs must be tightly regulated by interacting proteins including protein-tyrosine phosphatases and ubiquitin ligases. The suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family proteins are well-known negative regulators of cytokine receptors signaling consisting of eight structurally similar...

Elephant trunk in a small-calibre true lumen for chronic aortic dissection: cause of haemolytic anaemia?

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, Haruna; Kitamura, Tadashi; Horai, Tetsuya; Shibata, Ko; Miyaji, Kagami

2014-12-01

The elephant trunk technique for aortic dissection is useful for reducing false lumen pressure; however, a folded vascular prosthesis inside the aorta can cause haemolysis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an elephant trunk in a small-calibre lumen can cause haemolysis. Inpatient and outpatient records were retrospectively reviewed. Two cases of haemolytic anaemia after aortic surgery using the elephant trunk technique were identified from 2011 to 2013. A 64-year-old man, who underwent graft replacement of the ascending aorta for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection, presented with enlargement of the chronic dissection of the descending aorta and moderate aortic regurgitation. A two-stage surgery was scheduled. Total arch replacement with an elephant trunk in the true lumen and concomitant aortic valve replacement were performed. Postoperatively, he developed severe haemolytic anaemia because of the folded elephant trunk. The anaemia improved after the second surgery, including graft replacement of the descending aorta. Similarly, a 61-year-old man, who underwent total arch replacement for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection, presented with enlargement of the chronic dissection of the descending aorta. Graft replacement of the descending aorta with an elephant trunk inserted into the true lumen was performed. The patient postoperatively developed haemolytic anaemia because of the folded elephant trunk, which improved after additional stent grafting into the elephant trunk. A folded elephant trunk in a small-calibre lumen can cause haemolysis. Therefore, inserting an elephant trunk in a small-calibre true lumen during surgery for chronic aortic dissection should be avoided. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Regulation of protein translation initiation in response to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivigno, Donatella; Bornes, Laura; Huber, Stephan M; Rudner, Justine

2013-01-01

Proliferating tumor cells require continuous protein synthesis. De novo synthesis of most proteins is regulated through cap-dependent translation. Cellular stress such as ionizing radiation (IR) blocks cap-dependent translation resulting in shut-down of global protein translation which saves resources and energy needed for the stress response. At the same time, levels of proteins required for stress response are maintained or even increased. The study aimed to analyze the regulation of signaling pathways controlling protein translation in response to IR and the impact on Mcl-1, an anti-apoptotic and radioprotective protein, which levels rapidly decline upon IR. Protein levels and processing were analyzed by Western blot. The assembly of the translational pre-initiation complex was examined by Immunoprecipitation and pull-down experiments with 7-methyl GTP agarose. To analyze IR-induced cell death, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation were determined by flow cytometry. Protein levels of the different initiation factors were down-regulated using RNA interference approach. IR induced caspase-dependent cleavage of the translational initiation factors eIF4G1, eIF3A, and eIF4B resulting in disassembly of the cap-dependent initiation complex. In addition, DAP5-dependent initiation complex that regulates IRES-dependent translation was disassembled in response to IR. Moreover, IR resulted in dephosphorylation of 4EBP1, an inhibitor of cap-dependent translation upstream of caspase activation. However, knock-down of eIF4G1, eIF4B, DAP5, or 4EBP1 did not affect IR-induced decline of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1. Our data shows that cap-dependent translation is regulated at several levels in response to IR. However, the experiments indicate that IR-induced Mcl-1 decline is not a consequence of translational inhibition in Jurkat cells

Regulation of protein translation initiation in response to ionizing radiation

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Trivigno Donatella

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Proliferating tumor cells require continuous protein synthesis. De novo synthesis of most proteins is regulated through cap-dependent translation. Cellular stress such as ionizing radiation (IR blocks cap-dependent translation resulting in shut-down of global protein translation which saves resources and energy needed for the stress response. At the same time, levels of proteins required for stress response are maintained or even increased. The study aimed to analyze the regulation of signaling pathways controlling protein translation in response to IR and the impact on Mcl-1, an anti-apoptotic and radioprotective protein, which levels rapidly decline upon IR. Methods Protein levels and processing were analyzed by Western blot. The assembly of the translational pre-initiation complex was examined by Immunoprecipitation and pull-down experiments with 7-methyl GTP agarose. To analyze IR-induced cell death, dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation were determined by flow cytometry. Protein levels of the different initiation factors were down-regulated using RNA interference approach. Results IR induced caspase-dependent cleavage of the translational initiation factors eIF4G1, eIF3A, and eIF4B resulting in disassembly of the cap-dependent initiation complex. In addition, DAP5-dependent initiation complex that regulates IRES-dependent translation was disassembled in response to IR. Moreover, IR resulted in dephosphorylation of 4EBP1, an inhibitor of cap-dependent translation upstream of caspase activation. However, knock-down of eIF4G1, eIF4B, DAP5, or 4EBP1 did not affect IR-induced decline of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1. Conclusion Our data shows that cap-dependent translation is regulated at several levels in response to IR. However, the experiments indicate that IR-induced Mcl-1 decline is not a consequence of translational inhibition in Jurkat cells.

Protein Kinase C-{delta} mediates down-regulation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K protein: involvement in apoptosis induction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Feng-Hou [NO.3 People' s Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 201900 (China); The Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025 (China); Wu, Ying-Li [The Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025 (China); Zhao, Meng [Institute of Health Science, SJTU-SM/Shanghai Institutes for Biological Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China); Liu, Chuan-Xu; Wang, Li-Shun [The Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025 (China); Chen, Guo-Qiang, E-mail: chengq@shsmu.edu.cn [The Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai 200025 (China); Institute of Health Science, SJTU-SM/Shanghai Institutes for Biological Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China)

2009-11-15

We reported previously that NSC606985, a camptothecin analogue, induces apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells through proteolytic activation of protein kinase C delta ({Delta}PKC-{delta}). By subcellular proteome analysis, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) was identified as being significantly down-regulated in NSC606985-treated leukemic NB4 cells. HnRNP K, a docking protein for DNA, RNA, and transcriptional or translational molecules, is implicated in a host of processes involving the regulation of gene expression. However, the molecular mechanisms of hnRNP K reduction and its roles during apoptosis are still not understood. In the present study, we found that, following the appearance of the {Delta}PKC-{delta}, hnRNP K protein was significantly down-regulated in NSC606985, doxorubicin, arsenic trioxide and ultraviolet-induced apoptosis. We further provided evidence that {Delta}PKC-{delta} mediated the down-regulation of hnRNP K protein during apoptosis: PKC-{delta} inhibitor could rescue the reduction of hnRNP K; hnRNP K failed to be decreased in PKC-{delta}-deficient apoptotic KG1a cells; conditional induction of {Delta}PKC-{delta} in U937T cells directly down-regulated hnRNP K protein. Moreover, the proteasome inhibitor also inhibited the down-regulation of hnRNP K protein by apoptosis inducer and the conditional expression of {Delta}PKC-{delta}. More intriguingly, the suppression of hnRNP K with siRNA transfection significantly induced apoptosis. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that proteolytically activated PKC-{delta} down-regulates hnRNP K protein in a proteasome-dependent manner, which plays an important role in apoptosis induction.

Ezetimibe Promotes Brush Border Membrane-to-Lumen Cholesterol Efflux in the Small Intestine.

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Takanari Nakano

Full Text Available Ezetimibe inhibits Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1, an apical membrane cholesterol transporter of enterocytes, thereby reduces intestinal cholesterol absorption. This treatment also increases extrahepatic reverse cholesterol transport via an undefined mechanism. To explore this, we employed a trans-intestinal cholesterol efflux (TICE assay, which directly detects circulation-to-intestinal lumen 3H-cholesterol transit in a cannulated jejunal segment, and found an increase of TICE by 45%. To examine whether such increase in efflux occurs at the intestinal brush border membrane(BBM-level, we performed luminal perfusion assays, similar to TICE but the jejunal wall was labelled with orally-given 3H-cholesterol, and determined elevated BBM-to-lumen cholesterol efflux by 3.5-fold with ezetimibe. Such increased efflux probably promotes circulation-to-lumen cholesterol transit eventually; thus increases TICE. Next, we wondered how inhibition of NPC1L1, an influx transporter, resulted in increased efflux. When we traced orally-given 3H-cholesterol in mice, we found that lumen-to-BBM 3H-cholesterol transit was rapid and less sensitive to ezetimibe treatment. Comparison of the efflux and fractional cholesterol absorption revealed an inverse correlation, indicating the efflux as an opposite-regulatory factor for cholesterol absorption efficiency and counteracting to the naturally-occurring rapid cholesterol influx to the BBM. These suggest that the ezetimibe-stimulated increased efflux is crucial in reducing cholesterol absorption. Ezetimibe-induced increase in cholesterol efflux was approximately 2.5-fold greater in mice having endogenous ATP-binding cassette G5/G8 heterodimer, the major sterol efflux transporter of enterocytes, than the knockout counterparts, suggesting that the heterodimer confers additional rapid BBM-to-lumen cholesterol efflux in response to NPC1L1 inhibition. The observed framework for intestinal cholesterol fluxes may provide ways to

Anchoring Proteins as Regulators of Signaling Pathways

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Perino, Alessia; Ghigo, Alessandra; Scott, John D.; Hirsch, Emilio

2012-01-01

Spatial and temporal organization of signal transduction is coordinated through the segregation of signaling enzymes in selected cellular compartments. This highly evolved regulatory mechanism ensures the activation of selected enzymes only in the vicinity of their target proteins. In this context, cAMP-responsive triggering of protein kinase A is modulated by a family of scaffold proteins referred to as A-kinase anchoring proteins. A-kinase anchoring proteins form the core of multiprotein complexes and enable simultaneous but segregated cAMP signaling events to occur in defined cellular compartments. In this review we will focus on the description of A-kinase anchoring protein function in the regulation of cardiac physiopathology. PMID:22859670

Comparative proteomic analyses reveal that the regulators of G-protein signaling proteins regulate amino acid metabolism of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.

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Zhang, Haifeng; Ma, Hongyu; Xie, Xin; Ji, Jun; Dong, Yanhan; Du, Yan; Tang, Wei; Zheng, Xiaobo; Wang, Ping; Zhang, Zhengguang

2014-11-01

The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae encodes eight regulators of G-protein (GTP-binding protein) signaling (RGS) proteins MoRgs1-MoRgs8 that orchestrate the growth, asexual/sexual production, appressorium differentiation, and pathogenicity. To address the mechanisms by which MoRgs proteins function, we conducted a 2DE proteome study and identified 82 differentially expressed proteins by comparing five ∆Morgs mutants with wild-type Guy11 strain. We found that the abundances of eight amino acid (AA) biosynthesis or degradation associated proteins were markedly altered in five ∆Morgs mutants, indicating one of the main collective roles for the MoRgs proteins is to influence AA metabolism. We showed that MoRgs proteins have distinct roles in AA metabolism and nutrient responses from growth assays. In addition, we characterized MoLys20 (Lys is lysine), a homocitrate synthase, whose abundance was significantly decreased in the ∆Morgs mutants. The ∆Molys20 mutant is auxotrophic for lys and exogenous lys could partially rescue its auxotrophic defects. Deletion of MoLYS20 resulted in defects in conidiation and infection, as well as pathogenicity on rice. Overall, our results indicate that one of the critical roles for MoRgs proteins is to regulate AA metabolism, and that MoLys20 may be directly or indirectly regulated by MoRgs and participated in lys biosynthesis, thereby affecting fungal development and pathogenicity. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fluoroscopic guidance for placing a double lumen endotracheal tube in adults.

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Calenda, Emile; Baste, Jean Marc; Hajjej, Ridha; Rezig, Najiba; Moriceau, Jerome; Diallo, Yaya; Sghaeir, Slim; Danielou, Eric; Peillon, Christophe

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess the right placement of the double lumen endotracheal tube with fluoroscopic guidance, which is used in first intention prior to the fiberscope in our institution. This was a prospective observational study. The study was conducted in vascular and thoracic operating rooms. We enrolled 205 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery, with ASA physical statuses of I (n = 37), II (n = 84), III (n = 80), and IV (n = 4). Thoracic procedures were biopsy (n = 20), wedge (n = 34), culminectomy (n = 6), lobectomy (n = 82), pneumonectomy (n = 4), sympathectomy (n = 9), symphysis (n = 47), and thymectomy (n = 3). The intubation with a double lumen tube was performed with the help of a laryngoscope. Tracheal and bronchial balloons were inflated and auscultation was performed after right and left exclusions. One shot was performed to locate the position of the bronchial tube and the hook. Fluoroscopic guidance was used to relocate the tube in case of a wrong position. When the fluoroscopic guidance failed to position the tube, a fiberscope was used. Perioperative collapse of the lung was assessed by the surgeon during the surgery. Correct fluoroscopic image was obtained after the first attempt in 58.5% of patients therefore a misplaced position was encountered in 41.5%. The fluoroscopic guidance allowed an exact repositioning in 99.5% of cases, and the mean duration of the procedure was 8 minutes. A fiberscope was required to move the hook for one patient. We did not notice a moving of the double lumen endotracheal tube during the surgery. The surgeon satisfaction was 100%. The fluoroscopy evidenced the right position of the double lumen tube and allowed a right repositioning in 99.5% of patients with a very simple implementation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Protein phosphorylation in bcterial signaling and regulation

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Mijakovic, Ivan

2016-01-26

In 2003, it was demonstrated for the first time that bacteria possess protein-tyrosine kinases (BY-kinases), capable of phosphorylating other cellular proteins and regulating their activity. It soon became apparent that these kinases phosphorylate a number of protein substrates, involved in different cellular processes. More recently, we found out that BY-kinases can be activated by several distinct protein interactants, and are capable of engaging in cross-phosphorylation with other kinases. Evolutionary studies based on genome comparison indicate that BY-kinases exist only in bacteria. They are non-essential (present in about 40% bacterial genomes), and their knockouts lead to pleiotropic phenotypes, since they phosphorylate many substrates. Surprisingly, BY-kinase genes accumulate mutations at an increased rate (non-synonymous substitution rate significantly higher than other bacterial genes). One direct consequence of this phenomenon is no detectable co-evolution between kinases and their substrates. Their promiscuity towards substrates thus seems to be “hard-wired”, but why would bacteria maintain such promiscuous regulatory devices? One explanation is the maintenance of BY-kinases as rapidly evolving regulators, which can readily adopt new substrates when environmental changes impose selective pressure for quick evolution of new regulatory modules. Their role is clearly not to act as master regulators, dedicated to triggering a single response, but they might rather be employed to contribute to fine-tuning and improving robustness of various cellular responses. This unique feature makes BY-kinases a potentially useful tool in synthetic biology. While other bacterial kinases are very specific and their signaling pathways insulated, BY-kinase can relatively easily be engineered to adopt new substrates and control new biosynthetic processes. Since they are absent in humans, and regulate some key functions in pathogenic bacteria, they are also very promising

Piezo Proteins: Regulators of Mechanosensation and Other Cellular Processes*

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Bagriantsev, Sviatoslav N.; Gracheva, Elena O.; Gallagher, Patrick G.

2014-01-01

Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Other roles for Piezo proteins have emerged, some unexpected, including participation in cellular development, volume regulation, cellular migration, proliferation, and elongation. Mutations in human Piezo proteins have been associated with a variety of disorders including hereditary xerocytosis and several syndromes with muscular contracture as a prominent feature. PMID:25305018

Transport, metabolism, and endosomal trafficking-dependent regulation of intestinal fructose absorption

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Patel, Chirag; Douard, Veronique; Yu, Shiyan; Gao, Nan; Ferraris, Ronaldo P.

2015-01-01

Dietary fructose that is linked to metabolic abnormalities can up-regulate its own absorption, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms are not known. We hypothesized that glucose transporter (GLUT) protein, member 5 (GLUT5) is the primary fructose transporter and that fructose absorption via GLUT5, metabolism via ketohexokinase (KHK), as well as GLUT5 trafficking to the apical membrane via the Ras-related protein-in-brain 11 (Rab11)a-dependent endosomes are each required for regulation. Introducing fructose but not lysine and glucose solutions into the lumen increased by 2- to 10-fold the heterogeneous nuclear RNA, mRNA, protein, and activity levels of GLUT5 in adult wild-type mice consuming chow. Levels of GLUT5 were >100-fold that of candidate apical fructose transporters GLUTs 7, 8, and 12 whose expression, and that of GLUT 2 and the sodium-dependent glucose transporter protein 1 (SGLT1), was not regulated by luminal fructose. GLUT5-knockout (KO) mice exhibited no facilitative fructose transport and no compensatory increases in activity and expression of SGLT1 and other GLUTs. Fructose could not up-regulate GLUT5 in GLUT5-KO, KHK-KO, and intestinal epithelial cell-specific Rab11a-KO mice. The fructose-specific metabolite glyceraldehyde did not increase GLUT5 expression. GLUT5 is the primary transporter responsible for facilitative absorption of fructose, and its regulation specifically requires fructose uptake and metabolism and normal GLUT5 trafficking to the apical membrane.—Patel, C., Douard, V., Yu, S., Gao, N., Ferraris, R. P. Transport, metabolism, and endosomal trafficking-dependent regulation of intestinal fructose absorption. PMID:26071406

Regulation of bone morphogenetic proteins in early embryonic development

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Yamamoto, Yukiyo; Oelgeschläger, Michael

2004-11-01

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), a large subgroup of the TGF-β family of secreted growth factors, control fundamental events in early embryonic development, organogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis. The plethora of dose-dependent cellular processes regulated by BMP signalling demand a tight regulation of BMP activity. Over the last decade, a number of proteins have been identified that bind BMPs in the extracellular space and regulate the interaction of BMPs with their cognate receptors, including the secreted BMP antagonist Chordin. In the early vertebrate embryo, the localized secretion of BMP antagonists from the dorsal blastopore lip establishes a functional BMP signalling gradient that is required for the determination of the dorsoventral or back to belly body axis. In particular, inhibition of BMP activity is essential for the formation of neural tissue in the development of vertebrate and invertebrate embryos. Here we review recent studies that have provided new insight into the regulation of BMP signalling in the extracellular space. In particular, we discuss the recently identified Twisted gastrulation protein that modulates, in concert with metalloproteinases of the Tolloid family, the interaction of Chordin with BMP and a family of proteins that share structural similarities with Chordin in the respective BMP binding domains. In addition, genetic and functional studies in zebrafish and frog provide compelling evidence that the secreted protein Sizzled functionally interacts with the Chd BMP pathway, despite being expressed ventrally in the early gastrula-stage embryo. These intriguing discoveries may have important implications, not only for our current concept of early embryonic patterning, but also for the regulation of BMP activity at later developmental stages and tissue homeostasis in the adult.

Regulation of AMPA Receptor Trafficking by Protein Ubiquitination

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Jocelyn Widagdo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The molecular mechanisms underlying plastic changes in the strength and connectivity of excitatory synapses have been studied extensively for the past few decades and remain the most attractive cellular models of learning and memory. One of the major mechanisms that regulate synaptic plasticity is the dynamic adjustment of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA-type glutamate receptor content on the neuronal plasma membrane. The expression of surface AMPA receptors (AMPARs is controlled by the delicate balance between the biosynthesis, dendritic transport, exocytosis, endocytosis, recycling and degradation of the receptors. These processes are dynamically regulated by AMPAR interacting proteins as well as by various post-translational modifications that occur on their cytoplasmic domains. In the last few years, protein ubiquitination has emerged as a major regulator of AMPAR intracellular trafficking. Dysregulation of AMPAR ubiquitination has also been implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease. Here we review recent advances in the field and provide insights into the role of protein ubiquitination in regulating AMPAR membrane trafficking and function. We also discuss how aberrant ubiquitination of AMPARs contributes to the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, chronic stress and epilepsy.

Spectromicroscopy of self-assembled protein clusters

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Schonschek, O.; Hormes, J.; Herzog, V. [Univ. of Bonn (Germany)

1997-04-01

The aim of this project is to use synchrotron radiation as a tool to study biomedical questions concerned with the thyroid glands. The biological background is outlined in a recent paper. In short, Thyroglobulin (TG), the precursor protein of the hormone thyroxine, forms large (20 - 500 microns in diameter) clusters in the extracellular lumen of thyrocytes. The process of the cluster formation is still not well understood but is thought to be a main storage mechanism of TG and therefore thyroxine inside the thyroid glands. For human thyroids, the interconnections of the proteins inside the clusters are mainly disulfide bondings. Normally, sulfur bridges are catalyzed by an enzyme called Protein Disulfide Bridge Isomerase (PDI). While this enzyme is supposed to be not present in any extracellular space, the cluster formation of TG takes place in the lumen between the thyrocytes. A possible explanation is the autocatalysis of TG.

Surface dynamics in allosteric regulation of protein-protein interactions: modulation of calmodulin functions by Ca2+.

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Yosef Y Kuttner

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of the structural basis of protein-protein interactions (PPI is of fundamental importance for understanding the organization and functioning of biological networks and advancing the design of therapeutics which target PPI. Allosteric modulators play an important role in regulating such interactions by binding at site(s orthogonal to the complex interface and altering the protein's propensity for complex formation. In this work, we apply an approach recently developed by us for analyzing protein surfaces based on steered molecular dynamics simulation (SMD to the study of the dynamic properties of functionally distinct conformations of a model protein, calmodulin (CaM, whose ability to interact with target proteins is regulated by the presence of the allosteric modulator Ca(2+. Calmodulin is a regulatory protein that acts as an intracellular Ca(2+ sensor to control a wide variety of cellular processes. We demonstrate that SMD analysis is capable of pinpointing CaM surfaces implicated in the recognition of both the allosteric modulator Ca(2+ and target proteins. Our analysis of changes in the dynamic properties of the CaM backbone elicited by Ca(2+ binding yielded new insights into the molecular mechanism of allosteric regulation of CaM-target interactions.

Regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling by NDPK/NME proteins and caveolins: an update.

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Abu-Taha, Issam H; Heijman, Jordi; Feng, Yuxi; Vettel, Christiane; Dobrev, Dobromir; Wieland, Thomas

2018-02-01

Heterotrimeric G proteins are pivotal mediators of cellular signal transduction in eukaryotic cells and abnormal G-protein signaling plays an important role in numerous diseases. During the last two decades it has become evident that the activation status of heterotrimeric G proteins is both highly localized and strongly regulated by a number of factors, including a receptor-independent activation pathway of heterotrimeric G proteins that does not involve the classical GDP/GTP exchange and relies on nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs). NDPKs are NTP/NDP transphosphorylases encoded by the nme/nm23 genes that are involved in a variety of cellular events such as proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. They therefore contribute, for example, to tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, retinopathy, and heart failure. Interestingly, NDPKs are translocated and/or upregulated in human heart failure. Here we describe recent advances in the current understanding of NDPK functions and how they have an impact on local regulation of G-protein signaling.

Identification of New Epididymal Luminal Fluid Proteins Involved in Sperm Maturation in Infertile Rats Treated by Dutasteride Using iTRAQ

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Shu-Wu Xie

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Spermatozoa become mature and acquire fertilizing capacity during their passage through the epididymal lumen. In this study, we identified new epididymal luminal fluid proteins involved in sperm maturation in infertile rats by dutasteride, a dual 5α-reductase inhibitor, in order to provide potential epididymal targets for new contraceptives and infertility treatment. Methods: Male rats were treated with dutasteride for 28 consecutive days. We observed the protein expression profiles in the epididymal luminal fluids in infertile and normal rats using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ technique. The confidence of proteome data was validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: 1045 proteins were tested, and 23 of them presented different expression profiling in the infertile and normal rats. The seven proteins were down-regulated, and 16 proteins were up-regulated. Among the seven proteins which were significantly down-regulated by dutasteride in the epididymal luminal fluids, there were three β-defensins (Defb2, Defb18 and Defb39, which maybe the key proteins involved in epididymal sperm maturation and male fertility. Conclusions: We report for the first time that dutasteride influences the protein expression profiling in the epididymal luminal fluids of rats, and this result provides some new epididymal targets for male contraception and infertility therapy.

Expression and Location of Glucose-regulated Protein 78 in Testis and Epididymis

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W Wang

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To know the role of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78/BiP/HSPA5 in spermatogenesis and its expression and location in the testis and epididymis. Methods: Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect GRP78 location and expression in the testis and epididymis. Results: Glucose-regulated protein 78 was observed in spermatocytes, round spermatids and interstitial cells of the testis and in principal cells of the epididymis. Glucose-regulated protein 78 was first detected in the rat testis at postnatal day 14. Thereafter, the protein level increased gradually with age and was maintained at a high and stable state after postnatal day 28. In the rat, GRP78 was expressed in the principal cells but not in clear cells of the epididymis. Conclusion: Glucose-regulated protein 78 participates in the process of spermatogenesis.

Protein-protein interactions in the regulation of WRKY transcription factors.

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Chi, Yingjun; Yang, Yan; Zhou, Yuan; Zhou, Jie; Fan, Baofang; Yu, Jing-Quan; Chen, Zhixiang

2013-03-01

It has been almost 20 years since the first report of a WRKY transcription factor, SPF1, from sweet potato. Great progress has been made since then in establishing the diverse biological roles of WRKY transcription factors in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stress. Despite the functional diversity, almost all analyzed WRKY proteins recognize the TTGACC/T W-box sequences and, therefore, mechanisms other than mere recognition of the core W-box promoter elements are necessary to achieve the regulatory specificity of WRKY transcription factors. Research over the past several years has revealed that WRKY transcription factors physically interact with a wide range of proteins with roles in signaling, transcription, and chromatin remodeling. Studies of WRKY-interacting proteins have provided important insights into the regulation and mode of action of members of the important family of transcription factors. It has also emerged that the slightly varied WRKY domains and other protein motifs conserved within each of the seven WRKY subfamilies participate in protein-protein interactions and mediate complex functional interactions between WRKY proteins and between WRKY and other regulatory proteins in the modulation of important biological processes. In this review, we summarize studies of protein-protein interactions for WRKY transcription factors and discuss how the interacting partners contribute, at different levels, to the establishment of the complex regulatory and functional network of WRKY transcription factors.

LDL receptor-related protein 1 regulates the abundance of diverse cell-signaling proteins in the plasma membrane proteome.

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Gaultier, Alban; Simon, Gabriel; Niessen, Sherry; Dix, Melissa; Takimoto, Shinako; Cravatt, Benjamin F; Gonias, Steven L

2010-12-03

LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is an endocytic receptor, reported to regulate the abundance of other receptors in the plasma membrane, including uPAR and tissue factor. The goal of this study was to identify novel plasma membrane proteins, involved in cell-signaling, that are regulated by LRP1. Membrane protein ectodomains were prepared from RAW 264.7 cells in which LRP1 was silenced and control cells using protease K. Peptides were identified by LC-MS/MS. By analysis of spectral counts, 31 transmembrane and secreted proteins were regulated in abundance at least 2-fold when LRP1 was silenced. Validation studies confirmed that semaphorin4D (Sema4D), plexin domain-containing protein-1 (Plxdc1), and neuropilin-1 were more abundant in the membranes of LRP1 gene-silenced cells. Regulation of Plxdc1 by LRP1 was confirmed in CHO cells, as a second model system. Plxdc1 coimmunoprecipitated with LRP1 from extracts of RAW 264.7 cells and mouse liver. Although Sema4D did not coimmunoprecipitate with LRP1, the cell-surface level of Sema4D was increased by RAP, which binds to LRP1 and inhibits binding of other ligands. These studies identify Plxdc1, Sema4D, and neuropilin-1 as novel LRP1-regulated cell-signaling proteins. Overall, LRP1 emerges as a generalized regulator of the plasma membrane proteome.

Comparison between MDCT and Grayscale IVUS in a Quantitative Analysis of Coronary Lumen in Segments with or without Atherosclerotic Plaques

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Falcão, João L. A. A.; Falcão, Breno A. A. [Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School (USP), São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Gurudevan, Swaminatha V. [Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA (United States); Campos, Carlos M.; Silva, Expedito R.; Kalil-Filho, Roberto; Rochitte, Carlos E.; Shiozaki, Afonso A.; Coelho-Filho, Otavio R.; Lemos, Pedro A. [Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School (USP), São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2015-04-15

The diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice MDCT in comparison with IVUS has been poorly described and is mainly restricted to reports analyzing segments with documented atherosclerotic plaques. We compared 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with gray scale intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for the evaluation of coronary lumen dimensions in the context of a comprehensive analysis, including segments with absent or mild disease. The 64-slice MDCT was performed within 72 h before the IVUS imaging, which was obtained for at least one coronary, regardless of the presence of luminal stenosis at angiography. A total of 21 patients were included, with 70 imaged vessels (total length 114.6 ± 38.3 mm per patient). A coronary plaque was diagnosed in segments with plaque burden > 40%. At patient, vessel, and segment levels, average lumen area, minimal lumen area, and minimal lumen diameter were highly correlated between IVUS and 64-slice MDCT (p < 0.01). However, 64-slice MDCT tended to underestimate the lumen size with a relatively wide dispersion of the differences. The comparison between 64-slice MDCT and IVUS lumen measurements was not substantially affected by the presence or absence of an underlying plaque. In addition, 64-slice MDCT showed good global accuracy for the detection of IVUS parameters associated with flow-limiting lesions. In a comprehensive, multi-territory, and whole-artery analysis, the assessment of coronary lumen by 64-slice MDCT compared with coronary IVUS showed a good overall diagnostic ability, regardless of the presence or absence of underlying atherosclerotic plaques.

Bluetongue virus non-structural protein 1 is a positive regulator of viral protein synthesis

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Boyce Mark

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bluetongue virus (BTV is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA virus of the Reoviridae family, which encodes its genes in ten linear dsRNA segments. BTV mRNAs are synthesised by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp as exact plus sense copies of the genome segments. Infection of mammalian cells with BTV rapidly replaces cellular protein synthesis with viral protein synthesis, but the regulation of viral gene expression in the Orbivirus genus has not been investigated. Results Using an mRNA reporter system based on genome segment 10 of BTV fused with GFP we identify the protein characteristic of this genus, non-structural protein 1 (NS1 as sufficient to upregulate translation. The wider applicability of this phenomenon among the viral genes is demonstrated using the untranslated regions (UTRs of BTV genome segments flanking the quantifiable Renilla luciferase ORF in chimeric mRNAs. The UTRs of viral mRNAs are shown to be determinants of the amount of protein synthesised, with the pre-expression of NS1 increasing the quantity in each case. The increased expression induced by pre-expression of NS1 is confirmed in virus infected cells by generating a replicating virus which expresses the reporter fused with genome segment 10, using reverse genetics. Moreover, NS1-mediated upregulation of expression is restricted to mRNAs which lack the cellular 3′ poly(A sequence identifying the 3′ end as a necessary determinant in specifically increasing the translation of viral mRNA in the presence of cellular mRNA. Conclusions NS1 is identified as a positive regulator of viral protein synthesis. We propose a model of translational regulation where NS1 upregulates the synthesis of viral proteins, including itself, and creates a positive feedback loop of NS1 expression, which rapidly increases the expression of all the viral proteins. The efficient translation of viral reporter mRNAs among cellular mRNAs can account for the observed

Bluetongue virus non-structural protein 1 is a positive regulator of viral protein synthesis.

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Boyce, Mark; Celma, Cristina C P; Roy, Polly

2012-08-29

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus of the Reoviridae family, which encodes its genes in ten linear dsRNA segments. BTV mRNAs are synthesised by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) as exact plus sense copies of the genome segments. Infection of mammalian cells with BTV rapidly replaces cellular protein synthesis with viral protein synthesis, but the regulation of viral gene expression in the Orbivirus genus has not been investigated. Using an mRNA reporter system based on genome segment 10 of BTV fused with GFP we identify the protein characteristic of this genus, non-structural protein 1 (NS1) as sufficient to upregulate translation. The wider applicability of this phenomenon among the viral genes is demonstrated using the untranslated regions (UTRs) of BTV genome segments flanking the quantifiable Renilla luciferase ORF in chimeric mRNAs. The UTRs of viral mRNAs are shown to be determinants of the amount of protein synthesised, with the pre-expression of NS1 increasing the quantity in each case. The increased expression induced by pre-expression of NS1 is confirmed in virus infected cells by generating a replicating virus which expresses the reporter fused with genome segment 10, using reverse genetics. Moreover, NS1-mediated upregulation of expression is restricted to mRNAs which lack the cellular 3' poly(A) sequence identifying the 3' end as a necessary determinant in specifically increasing the translation of viral mRNA in the presence of cellular mRNA. NS1 is identified as a positive regulator of viral protein synthesis. We propose a model of translational regulation where NS1 upregulates the synthesis of viral proteins, including itself, and creates a positive feedback loop of NS1 expression, which rapidly increases the expression of all the viral proteins. The efficient translation of viral reporter mRNAs among cellular mRNAs can account for the observed replacement of cellular protein synthesis with viral protein

Piezo proteins: regulators of mechanosensation and other cellular processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagriantsev, Sviatoslav N; Gracheva, Elena O; Gallagher, Patrick G

2014-11-14

Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Other roles for Piezo proteins have emerged, some unexpected, including participation in cellular development, volume regulation, cellular migration, proliferation, and elongation. Mutations in human Piezo proteins have been associated with a variety of disorders including hereditary xerocytosis and several syndromes with muscular contracture as a prominent feature. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

ARCOCT: Automatic detection of lumen border in intravascular OCT images.

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Cheimariotis, Grigorios-Aris; Chatzizisis, Yiannis S; Koutkias, Vassilis G; Toutouzas, Konstantinos; Giannopoulos, Andreas; Riga, Maria; Chouvarda, Ioanna; Antoniadis, Antonios P; Doulaverakis, Charalambos; Tsamboulatidis, Ioannis; Kompatsiaris, Ioannis; Giannoglou, George D; Maglaveras, Nicos

2017-11-01

Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an invaluable tool for the detection of pathological features on the arterial wall and the investigation of post-stenting complications. Computational lumen border detection in OCT images is highly advantageous, since it may support rapid morphometric analysis. However, automatic detection is very challenging, since OCT images typically include various artifacts that impact image clarity, including features such as side branches and intraluminal blood presence. This paper presents ARCOCT, a segmentation method for fully-automatic detection of lumen border in OCT images. ARCOCT relies on multiple, consecutive processing steps, accounting for image preparation, contour extraction and refinement. In particular, for contour extraction ARCOCT employs the transformation of OCT images based on physical characteristics such as reflectivity and absorption of the tissue and, for contour refinement, local regression using weighted linear least squares and a 2nd degree polynomial model is employed to achieve artifact and small-branch correction as well as smoothness of the artery mesh. Our major focus was to achieve accurate contour delineation in the various types of OCT images, i.e., even in challenging cases with branches and artifacts. ARCOCT has been assessed in a dataset of 1812 images (308 from stented and 1504 from native segments) obtained from 20 patients. ARCOCT was compared against ground-truth manual segmentation performed by experts on the basis of various geometric features (e.g. area, perimeter, radius, diameter, centroid, etc.) and closed contour matching indicators (the Dice index, the Hausdorff distance and the undirected average distance), using standard statistical analysis methods. The proposed method was proven very efficient and close to the ground-truth, exhibiting non statistically-significant differences for most of the examined metrics. ARCOCT allows accurate and fully-automated lumen border

Regulation of neurite morphogenesis by interaction between R7 regulator of G protein signaling complexes and G protein subunit Gα13.

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Scherer, Stephanie L; Cain, Matthew D; Kanai, Stanley M; Kaltenbronn, Kevin M; Blumer, Kendall J

2017-06-16

The R7 regulator of G protein signaling family (R7-RGS) critically regulates nervous system development and function. Mice lacking all R7-RGS subtypes exhibit diverse neurological phenotypes, and humans bearing mutations in the retinal R7-RGS isoform RGS9-1 have vision deficits. Although each R7-RGS subtype forms heterotrimeric complexes with Gβ 5 and R7-RGS-binding protein (R7BP) that regulate G protein-coupled receptor signaling by accelerating deactivation of G i/o α-subunits, several neurological phenotypes of R7-RGS knock-out mice are not readily explained by dysregulated G i/o signaling. Accordingly, we used tandem affinity purification and LC-MS/MS to search for novel proteins that interact with R7-RGS heterotrimers in the mouse brain. Among several proteins detected, we focused on Gα 13 because it had not been linked to R7-RGS complexes before. Split-luciferase complementation assays indicated that Gα 13 in its active or inactive state interacts with R7-RGS heterotrimers containing any R7-RGS isoform. LARG (leukemia-associated Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF)), PDZ-RhoGEF, and p115RhoGEF augmented interaction between activated Gα 13 and R7-RGS heterotrimers, indicating that these effector RhoGEFs can engage Gα 13 ·R7-RGS complexes. Because Gα 13 /R7-RGS interaction required R7BP, we analyzed phenotypes of neuronal cell lines expressing RGS7 and Gβ 5 with or without R7BP. We found that neurite retraction evoked by Gα 12/13 -dependent lysophosphatidic acid receptors was augmented in R7BP-expressing cells. R7BP expression blunted neurite formation evoked by serum starvation by signaling mechanisms involving Gα 12/13 but not Gα i/o These findings provide the first evidence that R7-RGS heterotrimers interact with Gα 13 to augment signaling pathways that regulate neurite morphogenesis. This mechanism expands the diversity of functions whereby R7-RGS complexes regulate critical aspects of nervous system development and function. © 2017 by

An artificial neural network method for lumen and media-adventitia border detection in IVUS.

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Su, Shengran; Hu, Zhenghui; Lin, Qiang; Hau, William Kongto; Gao, Zhifan; Zhang, Heye

2017-04-01

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been well recognized as one powerful imaging technique to evaluate the stenosis inside the coronary arteries. The detection of lumen border and media-adventitia (MA) border in IVUS images is the key procedure to determine the plaque burden inside the coronary arteries, but this detection could be burdensome to the doctor because of large volume of the IVUS images. In this paper, we use the artificial neural network (ANN) method as the feature learning algorithm for the detection of the lumen and MA borders in IVUS images. Two types of imaging information including spatial, neighboring features were used as the input data to the ANN method, and then the different vascular layers were distinguished accordingly through two sparse auto-encoders and one softmax classifier. Another ANN was used to optimize the result of the first network. In the end, the active contour model was applied to smooth the lumen and MA borders detected by the ANN method. The performance of our approach was compared with the manual drawing method performed by two IVUS experts on 461 IVUS images from four subjects. Results showed that our approach had a high correlation and good agreement with the manual drawing results. The detection error of the ANN method close to the error between two groups of manual drawing result. All these results indicated that our proposed approach could efficiently and accurately handle the detection of lumen and MA borders in the IVUS images. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bicarbonate-regulated adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a sensor that regulates pH-dependent V-ATPase recycling.

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Pastor-Soler, Nuria; Beaulieu, Valerie; Litvin, Tatiana N; Da Silva, Nicolas; Chen, Yanqiu; Brown, Dennis; Buck, Jochen; Levin, Lonny R; Breton, Sylvie

2003-12-05

Modulation of environmental pH is critical for the function of many biological systems. However, the molecular identity of the pH sensor and its interaction with downstream effector proteins remain poorly understood. Using the male reproductive tract as a model system in which luminal acidification is critical for sperm maturation and storage, we now report a novel pathway for pH regulation linking the bicarbonate activated soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) to the vacuolar H+ATPase (V-ATPase). Clear cells of the epididymis and vas deferens contain abundant V-ATPase in their apical pole and are responsible for acidifying the lumen. Proton secretion is regulated via active recycling of V-ATPase. Here we demonstrate that this recycling is regulated by luminal pH and bicarbonate. sAC is highly expressed in clear cells, and apical membrane accumulation of V-ATPase is triggered by a sAC-dependent rise in cAMP in response to alkaline luminal pH. As sAC is expressed in other acid/base transporting epithelia, including kidney and choroid plexus, this cAMP-dependent signal transduction pathway may be a widespread mechanism that allows cells to sense and modulate extracellular pH.

N-MYC down-regulated-like proteins regulate meristem initiation by modulating auxin transport and MAX2 expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudgil, Yashwanti; Ghawana, Sanjay; Jones, Alan M

2013-01-01

N-MYC down-regulated-like (NDL) proteins interact with the Gβ subunit (AGB1) of the heterotrimeric G protein complex and play an important role in AGB1-dependent regulation of lateral root formation by affecting root auxin transport, auxin gradients and the steady-state levels of mRNA encoding the PIN-FORMED 2 and AUXIN 1 auxin transport facilitators. Auxin transport in aerial tissue follows different paths and utilizes different transporters than in roots; therefore, in the present study, we analyzed whether NDL proteins play an important role in AGB1-dependent, auxin-mediated meristem development. Expression levels of NDL gene family members need to be tightly regulated, and altered expression (both over-expression and down-regulation) confers ectopic growth. Over-expression of NDL1 disrupts vegetative and reproductive organ development. Reduced expression of the NDL gene family members results in asymmetric leaf emergence, twinning of rosette leaves, defects in leaf formation, and abnormal silique distribution. Reduced expression of the NDL genes in the agb1-2 (null allele) mutant rescues some of the abnormal phenotypes, such as silique morphology, silique distribution, and peduncle angle, suggesting that proper levels of NDL proteins are maintained by AGB1. We found that all of these abnormal aerial phenotypes due to altered NDL expression were associated with increases in basipetal auxin transport, altered auxin maxima and altered MAX2 expression within the inflorescence stem. NDL proteins, together with AGB1, act as positive regulators of meristem initiation and branching. AGB1 and NDL1 positively regulate basipetal inflorescence auxin transport and modulate MAX2 expression in shoots, which in turn regulates organ and lateral meristem formation by the establishment and maintenance of auxin gradients.

N-MYC down-regulated-like proteins regulate meristem initiation by modulating auxin transport and MAX2 expression.

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Yashwanti Mudgil

Full Text Available N-MYC down-regulated-like (NDL proteins interact with the Gβ subunit (AGB1 of the heterotrimeric G protein complex and play an important role in AGB1-dependent regulation of lateral root formation by affecting root auxin transport, auxin gradients and the steady-state levels of mRNA encoding the PIN-FORMED 2 and AUXIN 1 auxin transport facilitators. Auxin transport in aerial tissue follows different paths and utilizes different transporters than in roots; therefore, in the present study, we analyzed whether NDL proteins play an important role in AGB1-dependent, auxin-mediated meristem development.Expression levels of NDL gene family members need to be tightly regulated, and altered expression (both over-expression and down-regulation confers ectopic growth. Over-expression of NDL1 disrupts vegetative and reproductive organ development. Reduced expression of the NDL gene family members results in asymmetric leaf emergence, twinning of rosette leaves, defects in leaf formation, and abnormal silique distribution. Reduced expression of the NDL genes in the agb1-2 (null allele mutant rescues some of the abnormal phenotypes, such as silique morphology, silique distribution, and peduncle angle, suggesting that proper levels of NDL proteins are maintained by AGB1. We found that all of these abnormal aerial phenotypes due to altered NDL expression were associated with increases in basipetal auxin transport, altered auxin maxima and altered MAX2 expression within the inflorescence stem.NDL proteins, together with AGB1, act as positive regulators of meristem initiation and branching. AGB1 and NDL1 positively regulate basipetal inflorescence auxin transport and modulate MAX2 expression in shoots, which in turn regulates organ and lateral meristem formation by the establishment and maintenance of auxin gradients.

In vitro stent lumen visualisation of various common and newly developed femoral artery stents using MR angiography at 1.5 and 3 tesla.

Science.gov (United States)

Syha, R; Ketelsen, D; Kaempf, M; Mangold, S; Sixt, S; Zeller, T; Springer, F; Schick, F; Claussen, C D; Brechtel, K

2013-02-01

To evaluate stent lumen assessment of various commonly used and newly developed stents for the superficial femoral artery (SFA) using MR angiography (MRA) at 1.5 and 3 T. Eleven nitinol stents and one cobalt-chromium stent were compared regarding stent lumen visualisation using a common three-dimensional MRA sequence. Maximum visible stent lumen width and contrast ratio were analysed in three representative slices for each stent type. A scoring system for lumen visualisation was applied. Nitinol stents showed significantly better performance than the cobalt chromium stent (P stent lumen ranged between 43.4 and 95.5 %, contrast ratio between 7.2 and 110.6 %. Regarding both field strengths, seven of the nitinol stents were classified as "suitable". Three nitinol stents were "limited", and one nitinol stent and the cobalt chromium stent were "not suitable". Intraluminal loss of signal and artefacts of most of the SFA stents do not markedly limit assessment of stent lumen by MRA at 1.5 and 3 T. MRA can thus be considered a valid technique for detection of relevant in-stent restenosis. Applied field strength does not strongly influence stent lumen assessment in general, but proper choice of field strength might be helpful.

Analysis of the chloroplast protein kinase Stt7 during state transitions.

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Sylvain Lemeille

2009-03-01

Full Text Available State transitions allow for the balancing of the light excitation energy between photosystem I and photosystem II and for optimal photosynthetic activity when photosynthetic organisms are subjected to changing light conditions. This process is regulated by the redox state of the plastoquinone pool through the Stt7/STN7 protein kinase required for phosphorylation of the light-harvesting complex LHCII and for the reversible displacement of the mobile LHCII between the photosystems. We show that Stt7 is associated with photosynthetic complexes including LHCII, photosystem I, and the cytochrome b6f complex. Our data reveal that Stt7 acts in catalytic amounts. We also provide evidence that Stt7 contains a transmembrane region that separates its catalytic kinase domain on the stromal side from its N-terminal end in the thylakoid lumen with two conserved Cys that are critical for its activity and state transitions. On the basis of these data, we propose that the activity of Stt7 is regulated through its transmembrane domain and that a disulfide bond between the two lumen Cys is essential for its activity. The high-light-induced reduction of this bond may occur through a transthylakoid thiol-reducing pathway driven by the ferredoxin-thioredoxin system which is also required for cytochrome b6f assembly and heme biogenesis.

A novel lumen-apposing metal stent for endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections

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Walter, Daisy; Will, Uwe; Sanchez-Yague, Andres

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: A novel large-diameter, lumen-apposing, self-expanding metal stent with bilateral flanges was recently developed for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transmural drainage of symptomatic pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effi......BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: A novel large-diameter, lumen-apposing, self-expanding metal stent with bilateral flanges was recently developed for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transmural drainage of symptomatic pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate...

Regulation of dopamine transporter function by protein-protein interactions: new discoveries and methodological challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, Jacob; Jørgensen, Trine Nygaard; Gether, Ulrik

2010-01-01

-synaptic neurons. This has led to the identification of a plethora of different kinases, receptors and scaffolding proteins that interact with DAT and hereby either modulate the catalytic activity of the transporter or regulate its trafficking and degradation. Several new tools for studying DAT regulation in live...

Acute myotube protein synthesis regulation by IL-6-related cytokines.

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Gao, Song; Durstine, J Larry; Koh, Ho-Jin; Carver, Wayne E; Frizzell, Norma; Carson, James A

2017-11-01

IL-6 and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), members of the IL-6 family of cytokines, play recognized paradoxical roles in skeletal muscle mass regulation, being associated with both growth and atrophy. Overload or muscle contractions can induce a transient increase in muscle IL-6 and LIF expression, which has a regulatory role in muscle hypertrophy. However, the cellular mechanisms involved in this regulation have not been completely identified. The induction of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)-dependent myofiber protein synthesis is an established regulator of muscle hypertrophy, but the involvement of the IL-6 family of cytokines in this process is poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the acute effects of IL-6 and LIF administration on mTORC1 signaling and protein synthesis in C2C12 myotubes. The role of glycoprotein 130 (gp130) receptor and downstream signaling pathways, including phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mTORC1 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)-suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), was investigated by administration of specific siRNA or pharmaceutical inhibitors. Acute administration of IL-6 and LIF induced protein synthesis, which was accompanied by STAT3 activation, Akt-mTORC1 activation, and increased SOCS3 expression. This induction of protein synthesis was blocked by both gp130 siRNA knockdown and Akt inhibition. Interestingly, STAT3 inhibition or Akt downstream mTORC1 signaling inhibition did not fully block the IL-6 or LIF induction of protein synthesis. SOCS3 siRNA knockdown increased basal protein synthesis and extended the duration of the protein synthesis induction by IL-6 and LIF. These results demonstrate that either IL-6 or LIF can activate gp130-Akt signaling axis, which induces protein synthesis via mTORC1-independent mechanisms in cultured myotubes. However, IL-6- or LIF-induced SOCS3 negatively regulates the activation of myotube protein synthesis. Copyright © 2017 the

Regulation and Selectivity of Exchange Factors for G-proteins of the Ras-family

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Popovic, M.

2013-01-01

Small G-proteins are important regulators of the cellular signaling pathways. Among them, members of the Ras family of small G-proteins regulate processes such as cell differentiation, growth, migration, transport and adhesion, and their deregulation may lead to various diseases. Small G-proteins

Regulation of protein phosphorylation in oat mitochondria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pike, C.; Kopeck, K.; Sceppa, E.

1989-01-01

We sought to identify phosphorylated proteins in isolated oat mitocchondria and to characterize the enzymatic and regulatory properties of the protein kinase(s). Mitochondria from oats (Avena sativa L. cv. Garry) were purified on Percoll gradients. Mitochondria were incubated with 32 P-γ-ATP; proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE. A small number of bands was detected on autoradiograms, most prominently at 70 kD and 42 kD; the latter band has been tentatively identified as a subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, a well-known phosphoprotein. The protein kinase(s) could also phosphorylate casein, but not histone. Spermine enhanced the phosphorylation of casein and inhibited the phosphorylation of the 42 kD band. These studies were carried out on both intact and burst mitochondria. Control by calcium and other ions was investigated. The question of the action of regulators on protein kinase or protein phosphatase was studied by the use of 35 S-adenosine thiotriphosphate

Heat Shock Proteins in Tendinopathy: Novel Molecular Regulators

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Neal L. Millar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Tendon disorders—tendinopathies—are the primary reason for musculoskeletal consultation in primary care and account for up to 30% of rheumatological consultations. Whilst the molecular pathophysiology of tendinopathy remains difficult to interpret the disease process involving repetitive stress, and cellular load provides important mechanistic insight into the area of heat shock proteins which spans many disease processes in the autoimmune community. Heat shock proteins, also called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs, are rapidly released following nonprogrammed cell death, are key effectors of the innate immune system, and critically restore homeostasis by promoting the reconstruction of the effected tissue. Our investigations have highlighted a key role for HSPs in tendion disease which may ultimately affect tissue rescue mechanisms in tendon pathology. This paper aims to provide an overview of the biology of heat shock proteins in soft tissue and how these mediators may be important regulators of inflammatory mediators and matrix regulation in tendinopathy.

Influence of a Double-Lumen Extension Tube on Drug Delivery: Examples of Isosorbide Dinitrate and Diazepam.

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Aurélie Maiguy-Foinard

Full Text Available Plastic materials such as polyurethane (PUR, polyethylene (PE, polypropylene (PP and polyvinyl chloride (PVC are widely used in double-lumen extension tubing. The purposes of our study were to 1 compare in vitro drug delivery through the double extension tubes available on the market 2 assess the plastic properties of PUR in infusion devices and their impact on drug delivery.The study compared eight double-lumen extension tubes in PUR, co-extruded (PE/PVC plastic and plasticised PVC from different manufacturers. Isosorbide dinitrate and diazepam were used as model compounds to evaluate their sorption on the internal surface of the infusion device. Control experiments were performed using norepinephrine known not to absorb to plastics. Drug concentrations delivered at the egress of extension tubes were determined over time by an analytical spectrophotometric UV-Vis method. The main characteristics of plastics were also determined.Significant differences in the sorption phenomenon were observed among the eight double-lumen extension tubes and between pairs of extension tubes. Mean concentrations of isosorbide dinitrate delivered at the egress of double-lumen extension tubes after a 150-minute infusion (mean values ± standard deviation in percentage of the initial concentrations in the prepared syringes ranged between 80.53 ± 1.66 (one of the PUR tubes and 92.84 ± 2.73 (PE/PVC tube. The same parameters measured during diazepam infusion ranged between 48.58 ± 2.88 (one of the PUR tubes and 85.06 ± 3.94 (PE/PVC tube. The double-lumen extension tubes in PUR were either thermosetting (resin or thermoplastic according to reference.Clinicians must be aware of potential drug interactions with extension tube materials and so must consider their nature as well as the sterilisation method used before selecting an infusion device.

Diffusion MRI for rectal cancer staging: ADC measurements before and after ultrasonographic gel lumen distension

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Palmucci, S., E-mail: spalmucci@sirm.org; Piccoli, M.; Piana, S.; Foti, P.V.; Siverino, R.O.A.; Mauro, L.A.; Milone, P.; Ettorre, G.C.

2017-01-15

Objectives: To compare Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) measurements in rectal neoplastic lesions before and after lumen distension obtained with sonography transmission gel. Methods: From January 2014 to July 2016, 25 patients (average age 63.7, range 41–85, 18 males) were studied for pre-treatment rectal cancer staging using a 1.5 T MRI. Diffusion MRI was obtained using echo-planar imaging with b = 800 value; all patients were studied acquiring diffusion sequences with and without rectal lumen distension obtained using sonography transmission gel. In both diffusion sequences, two blinded readers calculated border ADC values and small ADC values, drawing regions of interest respectively along tumour borders and far from tumour borders. Mean ADC values among readers − for each type of ADC measurement − were compared using Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test. Correlation was assessed using Pearson analysis. Results: Border ADC mean value for diffusion MR sequences without endorectal contrast was 1.122 mm{sup 2}/sec, with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.02–1.22; using gel lumen distension, higher border ADC mean value of 1.269 mm{sup 2}/s (95% CI = 1.16–1.38) was obtained. Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test revealed statistical difference (p < 0.01); a strong Pearson correlation was reported, with r value of 0.69. Small-ADC mean value was 1.038 mm{sup 2}/s (95% CI = 0.91–1.16) for diffusion sequences acquired without endorectal distension and 1.127 mm{sup 2}/s (95% CI = 0.98–1.27) for diffusion sequences obtained after endorectal gel lumen distension. Wilcoxon analysis did not show statistical difference (p = 0.13). A very strong positive correlation was observed, with r value of 0.81. Conclusions: ADC measurements are slightly higher using endorectal sonographic transmission gel; ROI should be traced far from tumour borders, to minimize gel filled-pixel along the interface between lumen and lesion. Further studies are needed to

Diffusion MRI for rectal cancer staging: ADC measurements before and after ultrasonographic gel lumen distension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmucci, S.; Piccoli, M.; Piana, S.; Foti, P.V.; Siverino, R.O.A.; Mauro, L.A.; Milone, P.; Ettorre, G.C.

2017-01-01

Objectives: To compare Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) measurements in rectal neoplastic lesions before and after lumen distension obtained with sonography transmission gel. Methods: From January 2014 to July 2016, 25 patients (average age 63.7, range 41–85, 18 males) were studied for pre-treatment rectal cancer staging using a 1.5 T MRI. Diffusion MRI was obtained using echo-planar imaging with b = 800 value; all patients were studied acquiring diffusion sequences with and without rectal lumen distension obtained using sonography transmission gel. In both diffusion sequences, two blinded readers calculated border ADC values and small ADC values, drawing regions of interest respectively along tumour borders and far from tumour borders. Mean ADC values among readers − for each type of ADC measurement − were compared using Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test. Correlation was assessed using Pearson analysis. Results: Border ADC mean value for diffusion MR sequences without endorectal contrast was 1.122 mm 2 /sec, with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.02–1.22; using gel lumen distension, higher border ADC mean value of 1.269 mm 2 /s (95% CI = 1.16–1.38) was obtained. Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test revealed statistical difference (p < 0.01); a strong Pearson correlation was reported, with r value of 0.69. Small-ADC mean value was 1.038 mm 2 /s (95% CI = 0.91–1.16) for diffusion sequences acquired without endorectal distension and 1.127 mm 2 /s (95% CI = 0.98–1.27) for diffusion sequences obtained after endorectal gel lumen distension. Wilcoxon analysis did not show statistical difference (p = 0.13). A very strong positive correlation was observed, with r value of 0.81. Conclusions: ADC measurements are slightly higher using endorectal sonographic transmission gel; ROI should be traced far from tumour borders, to minimize gel filled-pixel along the interface between lumen and lesion. Further studies are needed to investigate better

[Successful double-lumen endotracheal tube exchange with a soft-tipped extra firm exchange catheter in a patient with severe subcutaneous emphysema].

Science.gov (United States)

Okamoto, Kaori; Komasawa, Nobuyasu; Ishio, Junichi; Nakano, Shoko; Tatsumi, Shinichi; Minami, Toshiaki

2014-07-01

We report a case of successful double-lumen endotracheal tube exchange with a soft-tipped extra firm exchange catheter in a patient with severe subcutaneous emphysema. A 70-year-old man underwent right lower lobectomy for primary lung cancer under general anesthesia. He developed pneumothorax on postoperative day (POD) 14, which led to subcutaneous emphysema. An emergent operation was performed on POD20 to close the pulmonary fistula under general anesthesia with a single-lumen endotracheal tube and bronchial blocker. Subcutaneous emphysema became worse and pharyngeal emphysema was also suspected; re-operation to close the pulmonary or bronchial fistula was planned. We decided to place a double-lumen tube to precisely detect the fistula. Under the guide of a Pentax-AWS Airwayscope, the single-lumen endotracheal tube was exchanged uneventfully to a 35 Fr double-lumen endotracheal tube with a 110 cm soft-tipped extra firm exchange catheter. The fistula was detected by a leak test and the operation was performed uneventfully, leading to improvement of subcutaneous emphysema.

Thioredoxin 1 regulation of protein S-desulfhydration

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Youngjun Ju

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The importance of H2S in biology and medicine has been widely recognized in recent years, and protein S-sulfhydration is proposed to mediate the direct actions of H2S bioactivity in the body. Thioredoxin 1 (Trx1 is an important reducing enzyme that cleaves disulfides in proteins and acts as an S-denitrosylase. The regulation of Trx1 on protein S-sulfhydration is unclear. Here we showed that Trx1 facilitates protein S-desulfhydration. Overexpression of Trx1 attenuated the basal level and H2S-induced protein S-sulfhydration by direct interaction with S-sulfhydrated proteins, i.e., glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate carboxylase. In contrast, knockdown of Trx1 mRNA expression by short interfering RNA or blockage of Trx1 redox activity with PX12 or 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene enhanced protein S-sulfhydration. Mutation of cysteine-32 but not cysteine-35 in the Trp–Cys32–Gly–Pro–Cys35 motif eliminated the binding of Trx1 with S-sulfhydrated proteins and abolished the S-desulfhydrating effect of Trx1. All these data suggest that Trx1 acts as an S-desulfhydrase.

CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins regulate expression of the human steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Christenson, L K; Johnson, P F; McAllister, J M; Strauss, J F

1999-09-10

Two putative CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) response elements were identified in the proximal promoter of the human steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene, which encodes a key protein-regulating steroid hormone synthesis. Expression of C/EBPalpha and -beta increased StAR promoter activity in COS-1 and HepG2 cells. Cotransfection of C/EBPalpha or -beta and steroidogenic factor 1, a transcription factor required for cAMP regulation of StAR expression, into COS-1 augmented 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP)-stimulated promoter activity. When the putative C/EBP response elements were mutated, individually or together, a pronounced decline in basal StAR promoter activity in human granulosa-lutein cells resulted, but the fold stimulation of promoter activity by 8-Br-cAMP was unaffected. Recombinant C/EBPalpha and -beta bound to the two identified sequences but not the mutated elements. Human granulosa-lutein cell nuclear extracts also bound these elements but not the mutated sequences. An antibody to C/EBPbeta, but not C/EBPalpha, supershifted the nuclear protein complex associated with the more distal element. The complex formed by nuclear extracts with the proximal element was not supershifted by either antibody. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta in human granulosa-lutein cell nuclear extracts. C/EBPbeta levels were up-regulated 3-fold by 8-Br-cAMP treatment. Our studies demonstrate a role for C/EBPbeta as well as yet to be identified proteins, which can bind to C/EBP response elements, in the regulation of StAR gene expression and suggest a mechanism by which C/EBPbeta participates in the cAMP regulation of StAR gene transcription.

Mcl-1 Ubiquitination: Unique Regulation of an Essential Survival Protein

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Barbara Mojsa

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Mcl-1 is an anti-apoptotic protein of the Bcl-2 family that is essential for the survival of multiple cell lineages and that is highly amplified in human cancer. Under physiological conditions, Mcl-1 expression is tightly regulated at multiple levels, involving transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational processes. Ubiquitination of Mcl-1, that targets it for proteasomal degradation, allows for rapid elimination of the protein and triggering of cell death, in response to various cellular events. In the last decade, a number of studies have elucidated different pathways controlling Mcl-1 ubiquitination and degradation. Four different E3 ubiquitin-ligases (e.g., Mule, SCFβ-TrCP, SCFFbw7 and Trim17 and one deubiquitinase (e.g., USP9X, that respectively mediate and oppose Mcl-1 ubiquitination, have been formerly identified. The interaction between Mule and Mcl-1 can be modulated by other Bcl-2 family proteins, while recognition of Mcl-1 by the other E3 ubiquitin-ligases and deubiquitinase is influenced by phosphorylation of specific residues in Mcl-1. The protein kinases and E3 ubiquitin-ligases that are involved in the regulation of Mcl-1 stability vary depending on the cellular context, highlighting the complexity and pivotal role of Mcl-1 regulation. In this review, we attempt to recapitulate progress in understanding Mcl-1 regulation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system.

True-lumen and false-lumen diameter changes in the downstream aorta after frozen elephant trunk implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Tim; Kreibich, Maximilian; Morlock, Julia; Kondov, Stoyan; Scheumann, Johannes; Kari, Fabian A; Rylski, Bartosz; Siepe, Matthias; Beyersdorf, Friedhelm; Czerny, Martin

2018-02-19

To evaluate early and mid-term clinical outcomes and to assess the potential of the frozen elephant trunk technique to induce remodelling of downstream aortic segments in acute and chronic thoracic aortic dissections. Over a 4-year period, 65 patients (48 men, aged 61 ± 12 years) underwent total aortic arch replacement using the frozen elephant trunk technique for acute (n = 31) and chronic (n = 34) thoracic aortic dissections at our institution. We assessed diameter changes at 3 levels: the L1 segment at the stent graft level; the L2 segment at the thoraco-abdominal transition level and the L3 segment at the coeliac trunk level. True-lumen (TL) and false-lumen (FL) diameter changes were assessed at each level. Fifty-six percent of patients had already undergone previous aortic or cardiac surgery. In-hospital mortality was 6%. Symptomatic spinal cord injury was not observed in this series. During a mean follow-up of 12 ± 12 months, late death was observed in 6% of patients. Aortic reinterventions in downstream aortic segments were performed in 28% at a mean of 394 ± 385 days. TL expansion and FL shrinkage were measured in all segments and were observed at each level. This effect was the most pronounced at the level of the stent graft in patients with chronic aortic dissection, TL diameter increased from 15 ± 17 mm before surgery to 28 ± 2 mm (P = 0.001) after 2 years, and the FL diameter decreased from 40 ± 11 mm before surgery to 32 ± 17 mm (P = 0.026). The frozen elephant trunk technique is associated with an excellent clinical outcome in a complex cohort of patients, and also effectively induces remodelling in downstream aortic segments in acute and chronic thoracic aortic dissections. The need for secondary interventions in downstream segments, which mainly depends on the extent of the underlying disease process, remains substantial. Further studies are required to assess the long-term outcome of

Regulation of homologous recombination repair protein Rad51 by Ku70

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Liqing; Liu Qiang; Wang Yan; Xu Chang; Cao Jia; Fu Yue; Chen Fenghua; Fan Feiyue

2013-01-01

Objective: To explore the regulative effect of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)protein Ku70 on homologous recombination repair protein Rad51, and to investigate the synergistic mechanism of homologous recombination repair in combination with NHEJ. Methods: Observed Rad51 protein expression after transfect Ku70 small interfering RNA or Ku70 plasmid DNA into tumor cells using Western blot. Results: Expression of Rad51 was obviously reduced after pretreated with Ku70 small interfering RNA. And with the increasing expression of Ku70 protein after transfection of Ku70 plasmid DNA PGCsi3.0-hKu70 into tumor cell lines, the Rad51 protein expression was increased. Conclusion: Ku70 protein has regulating effect on gene expression of Rad51, and it might participate in the collaboration between homologous recombination repair and NHEJ. (authors)

Regulation of neuronal communication by G protein-coupled receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yunhong; Thathiah, Amantha

2015-06-22

Neuronal communication plays an essential role in the propagation of information in the brain and requires a precisely orchestrated connectivity between neurons. Synaptic transmission is the mechanism through which neurons communicate with each other. It is a strictly regulated process which involves membrane depolarization, the cellular exocytosis machinery, neurotransmitter release from synaptic vesicles into the synaptic cleft, and the interaction between ion channels, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and downstream effector molecules. The focus of this review is to explore the role of GPCRs and G protein-signaling in neurotransmission, to highlight the function of GPCRs, which are localized in both presynaptic and postsynaptic membrane terminals, in regulation of intrasynaptic and intersynaptic communication, and to discuss the involvement of astrocytic GPCRs in the regulation of neuronal communication. Copyright © 2015 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The β-Arrestins: Multifunctional Regulators of G Protein-coupled Receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jeffrey S; Rajagopal, Sudarshan

2016-04-22

The β-arrestins (βarrs) are versatile, multifunctional adapter proteins that are best known for their ability to desensitize G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), but also regulate a diverse array of cellular functions. To signal in such a complex fashion, βarrs adopt multiple conformations and are regulated at multiple levels to differentially activate downstream pathways. Recent structural studies have demonstrated that βarrs have a conserved structure and activation mechanism, with plasticity of their structural fold, allowing them to adopt a wide array of conformations. Novel roles for βarrs continue to be identified, demonstrating the importance of these dynamic regulators of cellular signaling. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Functional Characterization of the Canine Heme-Regulated eIF2α Kinase: Regulation of Protein Synthesis

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Kimon C. Kanelakis

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI negatively regulates protein synthesis by phosphorylating eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2α thereby inhibiting protein translation. The importance of HRI in regulating hemoglobin synthesis in erythroid cells makes it an attractive molecular target in need of further characterization. In this work, we have cloned and expressed the canine form of the HRI kinase. The canine nucleotide sequence has 86%, 82%, and 81% identity to the human, mouse, and rat HRI, respectively. It was noted that an isoleucine residue in the ATP binding site of human, rat, and mouse HRI is replaced by a valine in the canine kinase. The expression of canine HRI protein by in vitro translation using wheat germ lysate or in Sf9 cells using a baculovirus expression system was increased by the addition of hemin. Following purification, the canine protein was found to be 72 kD and showed kinase activity determined by its ability to phosphorylate a synthetic peptide substrate. Quercetin, a kinase inhibitor known to inhibit mouse and human HRI, inhibits canine HRI in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, quercetin is able to increase de novo protein synthesis in canine reticulocytes. We conclude that the canine is a suitable model species for studying the role of HRI in erythropoiesis.

Hepatitis C virus core protein regulates p300/CBP co-activation function. Possible role in the regulation of NF-AT1 transcriptional activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Gonzalo, Marta; Benedicto, Ignacio; Carretero, Marta; Lara-Pezzi, Enrique; Maldonado-Rodriguez, Alejandra; Moreno-Otero, Ricardo; Lai, Michael M.C.; Lopez-Cabrera, Manuel

2004-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core is a viral structural protein; it also participates in some cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation. However, the mechanisms of core-mediated transcriptional regulation remain poorly understood. Oncogenic virus proteins often target p300/CBP, a known co-activator of a wide variety of transcription factors, to regulate the expression of cellular and viral genes. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that HCV core protein interacts with p300/CBP and enhances both its acetyl-transferase and transcriptional activities. In addition, we demonstrate that nuclear core protein activates the NH 2 -terminal transcription activation domain (TAD) of NF-AT1 in a p300/CBP-dependent manner. We propose a model in which core protein regulates the co-activation function of p300/CBP and activates NF-AT1, and probably other p300/CBP-regulated transcription factors, by a novel mechanism involving the regulation of the acetylation state of histones and/or components of the transcriptional machinery

Physiological Importance and Mechanisms of Protein Hydrolysate Absorption

Science.gov (United States)

Zhanghi, Brian M.; Matthews, James C.

Understanding opportunities to maximize the efficient digestion and assimilation by production animals of plant- and animal-derived protein products is critical for farmers, nutritionists, and feed manufacturers to sustain and expand the affordable production of high quality animal products for human consumption. The challenge to nutritionists is to match gastrointestinal tract load to existing or ­inducible digestive and absorptive capacities. The challenge to feed manufacturers is to develop products that are efficient substrates for digestion, absorption, and/or both events. Ultimately, the efficient absorption of digesta proteins depends on the mediated passage (transport) of protein hydrosylate products as dipeptides and unbound amino acids across the lumen- and blood-facing membranes of intestinal absorptive cells. Data testing the relative efficiency of supplying protein as hydrolysates or specific dipeptides versus as free amino acids, and the response of animals in several physiological states to feeding of protein hydrolysates, are presented and reviewed in this chapter. Next, data describing the transport mechanisms responsible for absorbing protein hydrolysate digestion products, and the known and putative regulation of these mechanisms by their substrates (small peptides) and hormones are presented and reviewed. Several conclusions are drawn regarding the efficient use of protein hydrolysate-based diets for particular physiological states, the economically-practical application of which likely will depend on technological advances in the manufacture of protein hydrolysate products.

Zinc finger proteins and other transcription regulators as response proteins in benzo[a]pyrene exposed cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhihua; Jin Jinghua; Yang Jun; Yu Yingnian

2004-01-01

Proteomic analysis, which combines two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS), is an important approach to screen proteins responsive to specific stimuli. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a prototype of polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs), is a potent procarcinogen generated from the combustion of fossil fuel and cigarette smoke. To further probe the molecular mechanism of mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, and to find potential molecular markers involved in cellular responses to B[a]P exposure, we performed proteomic analysis of whole cellular proteins in human amnion epithelial cells after B[a]P-treatment. Image visualization and statistical analysis indicated that more than 40 proteins showed significant changes following B[a]P-treatment (P<0.05). Among them, 20 proteins existed only in the control groups, while six were only present in B[a]P-treated cells. In addition, the expression of 10 proteins increased whereas 11 decreased after B[a]P-treatment. These proteins were subjected to in-gel tryptic digestion followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis. Using peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) to search the nrNCBI database, we identified 22 proteins. Most of these proteins have unknown functions and have not been previously connected to a response to B[a]P exposure. To further annotate the characteristics of these proteins, GOblet analysis was carried out and results indicated that they were involved in multiple biological processes including regulation of transcription, cell proliferation, cell aging and other processes. However, expression changes were noted in a number of transcription regulators, including eight zinc finger proteins as well as SNF2L1 (SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 1), which is closely linked to the chromatin remodeling process. These data may provide new clues to further understand the implication of

Estradiol and progesterone regulate the expression of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 in the hypothalamus of adult female rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardona-Gómez, G P; Chowen, J A; Garcia-Segura, L M

2000-06-05

Gonadal hormones interact with insulin-like growthfactor-I (IGF-I) to regulate synaptic plasticity during the estrous cycle in the rat mediobasal hypothalamus. It has been proposed that tanycytes, specialized glial cells lining the ventral region of the third ventricle, may regulate the availability of IGF-I to hypothalamic neurons. IGF-I levels in tanycytes fluctuate during the estrous cycle. Furthermore, estrogen administration to ovariectomized rats increases IGF-I levels in tanycytes, while progesterone, injected simultaneously with estrogen, blocks the estrogen-induced increase of IGF-I levels in tanycytes. To test whether hormonal regulation of IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) and IGF binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) may be involved in the accumulation of IGF-I in tanycytes, we assessed the effect of ovarian hormones on the levels of these molecules in the mediobasal hypothalamus of adult female rats. Ovariectomized animals were treated with either oil, estrogen, progesterone, or estrogen and progesterone simultaneously and then killed 6 or 24 h later. Some neurons, some astrocytes, and many tanycytes in the mediobasal hypothalamus were found by confocal microscopy to be immunoreactive for IGF-IR. IGFBP-2 immunoreactivity was restricted almost exclusively to tanycytes and ependymal cells and was colocalized with IGF-IR immunoreactivity in tanycytes. By electron microscope immunocytochemistry using colloidal gold labeling, IGF-IR and IGFBP-2 immunoreactivities were observed in the microvilli of tanycytes in the lumen of the third ventricle. IGF-IR and IGFBP-2 immunoreactive levels on the apical surface of tanycytes were significantly decreased by the administration of progesterone, either alone or in the presence of estradiol. IGF-IR levels in the mediobasal hypothalamus, measured by Western blotting, were not significantly affected by the separate administration of estradiol or progesterone to ovariectomized rats. However, the simultaneous administration of both hormones

Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins regulate angiotensin-converting enzyme expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dhamrait, Sukhbir S.; Maubaret, Cecilia; Pedersen-bjergaard, Ulrik

2016-01-01

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulate mitochondrial function, and thus cellular metabolism. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is the central component of endocrine and local tissue renin–angiotensin systems (RAS), which also regulate diverse aspects of whole-body metabolism and mitochondrial...... amongst UCP3-55C (rather than T) and UCP2 I (rather than D) allele carriers. RNA interference against UCP2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells reduced UCP2 mRNA sixfold (P 

Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins regulate angiotensin-converting enzyme expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dhamrait, Sukhbir S.; Maubaret, Cecilia; Pedersen-Bjergaard, Ulrik

2016-01-01

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulate mitochondrial function, and thus cellular metabolism. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is the central component of endocrine and local tissue renin-angiotensin systems (RAS), which also regulate diverse aspects of whole-body metabolism and mitochondrial...... amongst UCP3-55C (rather than T) and UCP2 I (rather than D) allele carriers. RNA interference against UCP2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells reduced UCP2 mRNA sixfold (P 

A Novel Device for True Lumen Re-Entry After Subintimal Recanalization of Superficial Femoral Arteries: First-in-Man Experience and Technical Description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Airoldi, Flavio; Faglia, Ezio; Losa, Sergio; Tavano, Davide; Latib, Azeem; Mantero, Manuela; Lanza, Gaetano; Clerici, Giacomo

2011-01-01

Subintimal angioplasty (SAP) is frequently performed for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI) and has been recognized as an effective technique for these patients. Nevertheless, this approach is limited by the lack of controlled re-entry into the true lumen of the target vessel. We describe a novel device for true lumen re-entry after subintimal recanalization of superficial femoral arteries (SFA). We report our experience with six patients treated between April 2009 and January 2010 with a novel system designed to facilitate true lumen re-entry. The device was advanced by ipsilateral antegrade approach through a 6-French sheath. Successful reaccess into the true lumen was obtained in five of six patients without complications. The patient in whom the reaccess to the true lumen was not possible underwent successful bypass surgery. At 30 days follow-up, the SFA was patent in all patients according to echo-Doppler examination. Our preliminary experience indicates that this novel re-entry device increases the success rate of percutaneous revascularization of chronically occluded SFA.

Iron-regulated proteins (IRPS of leptospira biflexa serovar Patoc strain Patoc I

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Sritharan M

2004-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency has been shown to induce the expression of siderophores and their receptors, the iron-regulated membrane proteins in a number of bacterial systems. In this study, the response of Leptospira biflexa serovar Patoc strain Patoc I to conditions of iron deprivation was assessed and the expression of siderophores and iron-regulated proteins is reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two methods were used for establishing conditions of iron deprivation. One method consisted of addition of the iron chelators ethylenediamine-N, N′-diacetic acid (EDDA and ethylenediamine di-o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (EDDHPA and the second method involved the addition of iron at 0.02 µg Fe/mL. Alternatively, iron sufficient conditions were achieved by omitting the chelators in the former method and adding 4 µg Fe/mL of the medium in the latter protocol. Triton X-114 extraction of the cells was done to isolate the proteins in the outer membrane (detergent phase, periplasmic space (aqueous phase and the protoplasmic cylinder (cell pellet. The proteins were subjected to SDS-PAGE for analysis. RESULTS: In the presence of the iron-chelators, four iron-regulated proteins (IRPs of apparent molecular masses of 82, 64, 60 and 33 kDa were expressed. The 82-kDa protein was seen only in the aqueous phase, while the other three proteins were seen in both the aqueous and detergent fractions. These proteins were not identified in organisms grown in the absence of the iron chelators. The 64, 60 and the 33 kDa proteins were also demonstrated in organisms grown in media with 0.02 µg Fe/mL. In addition, a 24 kDa protein was found to be down-regulated at this concentration of iron as compared to the high level of expression in organisms grown with 4 µg Fe/mL. The blue CAS agar plates with top agar containing 0.02µg Fe/mL showed a colour change to orange-red. CONCLUSION: The expression of siderophores and iron-regulated proteins under conditions of iron deprivation

Time-dependent, glucose-regulated Arabidopsis Regulator of G-protein Signaling 1 network

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Dinesh Kumar Jaiswal

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Plants lack 7-transmembrane, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs because the G alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein complex is “self-activating”—meaning that it spontaneously exchanges bound GDP for GTP without the need of a GPCR. In lieu of GPCRs, most plants have a seven transmembrane receptor-like regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS protein, a component of the complex that keeps G-protein signaling in its non-activated state. The addition of glucose physically uncouples AtRGS1 from the complex through specific endocytosis leaving the activated G protein at the plasma membrane. The complement of proteins in the AtRGS1/G-protein complex over time from glucose-induced endocytosis was profiled by immunoprecipitation coupled to mass spectrometry (IP-MS. A total of 119 proteins in the AtRGS1 complex were identified. Several known interactors of the complex were identified, thus validating the approach, but the vast majority (93/119 were not known previously. AtRGS1 protein interactions were dynamically modulated by d-glucose. At low glucose levels, the AtRGS1 complex is comprised of proteins involved in transport, stress and metabolism. After glucose application, the AtRGS1 complex rapidly sheds many of these proteins and recruits other proteins involved in vesicular trafficking and signal transduction. The profile of the AtRGS1 components answers several questions about the type of coat protein and vesicular trafficking GTPases used in AtRGS1 endocytosis and the function of endocytic AtRGS1.

Evaluation of an improved technique for automated center lumen line definition in cardiovascular image data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gratama van Andel, Hugo A.F.; Meijering, Erik; Vrooman, Henri A.; Stokking, Rik; Lugt, Aad van der; Monye, Cecile de

2006-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate a new method for automated definition of a center lumen line in vessels in cardiovascular image data. This method, called VAMPIRE, is based on improved detection of vessel-like structures. A multiobserver evaluation study was conducted involving 40 tracings in clinical CTA data of carotid arteries to compare VAMPIRE with an established technique. This comparison showed that VAMPIRE yields considerably more successful tracings and improved handling of stenosis, calcifications, multiple vessels, and nearby bone structures. We conclude that VAMPIRE is highly suitable for automated definition of center lumen lines in vessels in cardiovascular image data. (orig.)

N-MYC DOWN-REGULATED-LIKE Proteins Regulate Meristem Initiation by Modulating Auxin Transport and MAX2 Expression

OpenAIRE

Mudgil, Yashwanti; Ghawana, Sanjay; Jones, Alan M.

2013-01-01

Background N-MYC DOWN-REGULATED-LIKE (NDL) proteins interact with the G? subunit (AGB1) of the heterotrimeric G protein complex and play an important role in AGB1-dependent regulation of lateral root formation by affecting root auxin transport, auxin gradients and the steady-state levels of mRNA encoding the PIN-FORMED 2 and AUXIN 1 auxin transport facilitators. Auxin transport in aerial tissue follows different paths and utilizes different transporters than in roots; therefore, in the presen...

Regulator of G-Protein Signaling 7 Regulates Reward Behavior by Controlling Opioid Signaling in the Striatum.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, Laurie P; Ostrovskaya, Olga; Dao, Maria; Xie, Keqiang; Orlandi, Cesare; Smith, Roy; Wee, Sunmee; Martemyanov, Kirill A

2016-08-01

Morphine mediates its euphoric and analgesic effects by acting on the μ-opioid receptor (MOR). MOR belongs to the family of G-protein coupled receptors whose signaling efficiency is controlled by the regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins. Our understanding of the molecular diversity of RGS proteins that control MOR signaling, their circuit specific actions, and underlying cellular mechanisms is very limited. We used genetic approaches to ablate regulator of G-protein signaling 7 (RGS7) both globally and in specific neuronal populations. We used conditioned place preference and self-administration paradigms to examine reward-related behavior and a battery of tests to assess analgesia, tolerance, and physical dependence to morphine. Electrophysiology approaches were applied to investigate the impact of RGS7 on morphine-induced alterations in neuronal excitability and plasticity of glutamatergic synapses. At least three animals were used for each assessment. Elimination of RGS7 enhanced reward, increased analgesia, delayed tolerance, and heightened withdrawal in response to morphine administration. RGS7 in striatal neurons was selectively responsible for determining the sensitivity of rewarding and reinforcing behaviors to morphine without affecting analgesia, tolerance, and withdrawal. In contrast, deletion of RGS7 in dopaminergic neurons did not influence morphine reward. RGS7 exerted its effects by controlling morphine-induced changes in excitability of medium spiny neurons in nucleus accumbens and gating the compositional plasticity of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. This study identifies RGS7 as a novel regulator of MOR signaling by dissecting its circuit specific actions and pinpointing its role in regulating morphine reward by controlling the activity of nucleus accumbens neurons. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chromatin-regulating proteins as targets for cancer therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oike, Takahiro; Ogiwara, Hideaki; Kohno, Takashi; Amornwichet, Napapat; Nakano, Takashi

2014-01-01

Chromatin-regulating proteins represent a large class of novel targets for cancer therapy. In the context of radiotherapy, acetylation and deacetylation of histones by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) play important roles in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks generated by ionizing irradiation, and are therefore attractive targets for radiosensitization. Small-molecule inhibitors of HATs (garcinol, anacardic acid and curcumin) and HDACs (vorinostat, sodium butyrate and valproic acid) have been shown to sensitize cancer cells to ionizing irradiation in preclinical models, and some of these molecules are being tested in clinical trials, either alone or in combination with radiotherapy. Meanwhile, recent large-scale genome analyses have identified frequent mutations in genes encoding chromatin-regulating proteins, especially in those encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, in various human cancers. These observations have driven researchers toward development of targeted therapies against cancers carrying these mutations. DOT1L inhibition in MLL-rearranged leukemia, EZH2 inhibition in EZH2-mutant or MLL-rearranged hematologic malignancies and SNF5-deficient tumors, BRD4 inhibition in various hematologic malignancies, and BRM inhibition in BRG1-deficient tumors have demonstrated promising anti-tumor effects in preclinical models, and these strategies are currently awaiting clinical application. Overall, the data collected so far suggest that targeting chromatin-regulating proteins is a promising strategy for tomorrow's cancer therapy, including radiotherapy and molecularly targeted chemotherapy. (author)

Overview of OVATE FAMILY PROTEINS, a novel class of plant-specific growth regulators

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Shucai eWang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available OVATE FAMILY PROTEINS (OFPs are a class of proteins with a conserved OVATE domain. OVATE protein was first identified in tomato as a key regulator of fruit shape. OFPs are plant-specific proteins that are widely distributed in the plant kingdom including mosses and lycophytes. Transcriptional activity analysis of Arabidopsis OFPs (AtOFPs in protoplasts suggests that they act as transcription repressors. Functional characterization of OFPs from different plant species including Arabidopsis, rice, tomato, pepper and banana suggests that OFPs regulate multiple aspects of plant growth and development, which is likely achieved by interacting with different types of transcription factors including the KNOX and BELL classes, and/or directly regulating the expression of target genes such as Gibberellin 20 oxidase (GA20ox. Here, we examine how OVATE was originally identified, summarize recent progress in elucidation of the roles of OFPs in regulating plant growth and development, and describe possible mechanisms underpinning this regulation. Finally, we review potential new research directions that could shed additional light on the functional biology of OFPs in plants.

Evaluation of flow volume and flow patterns in the patent false lumen of chronic aortic dissections using velocity-encoded cine magnetic resonance imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, Toshihisa; Watanabe, Shigeru; Sakurada, Hideki; Ono, Katsuhiro; Urano, Miharu; Hijikata, Yasuyoshi; Saito, Isao; Masuda, Yoshiaki [Chiba Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

2000-10-01

In 21 patients with chronic aortic dissections and proven patent false lumens, the flow volume and flow patterns in the patent false lumens was evaluated using velocity-encoded cine magnetic resonance imaging (VENC-MRI) and the relationship between the flow characteristics and aortic enlargement was retrospectively examined. Flow patterns in the false lumen were divided into 3 groups: pattern A with primarily antegrade flow (n=6), pattern R with primarily retrograde flow (n=3), and pattern B with bidirectional flow (n=12). In group A, the rate of flow volume in the false lumen compared to the total flow volume in true and false lumens (%TFV) and the average rate of enlargement of the maximum diameter of the dissected aorta per year ({delta}D) were significantly greater than in groups R and B (%TFV: 74.1{+-}0.07 vs 15.2{+-}0.03 vs 11.8{+-}0.04, p<0.01; {delta}D: 3.62{+-}0.82 vs 0 vs 0.58{+-}0.15 mm/year, p<0.05, respectively). There was a significant correlation between %TFV and {delta}D (r=0.79, p<0.0001). Evaluation of flow volume and flow patterns in the patent false lumen using VENC-MRI may be useful for predicting enlargement of the dissected aorta. (author)

The nuclear import of ribosomal proteins is regulated by mTOR

Science.gov (United States)

Kazyken, Dubek; Kaz, Yelimbek; Kiyan, Vladimir; Zhylkibayev, Assylbek A.; Chen, Chien-Hung; Agarwal, Nitin K.; Sarbassov, Dos D.

2014-01-01

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central component of the essential signaling pathway that regulates cell growth and proliferation by controlling anabolic processes in cells. mTOR exists in two distinct mTOR complexes known as mTORC1 and mTORC2 that reside mostly in cytoplasm. In our study, the biochemical characterization of mTOR led to discovery of its novel localization on nuclear envelope where it associates with a critical regulator of nuclear import Ran Binding Protein 2 (RanBP2). We show that association of mTOR with RanBP2 is dependent on the mTOR kinase activity that regulates the nuclear import of ribosomal proteins. The mTOR kinase inhibitors within thirty minutes caused a substantial decrease of ribosomal proteins in the nuclear but not cytoplasmic fraction. Detection of a nuclear accumulation of the GFP-tagged ribosomal protein rpL7a also indicated its dependence on the mTOR kinase activity. The nuclear abundance of ribosomal proteins was not affected by inhibition of mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1) by rapamycin or deficiency of mTORC2, suggesting a distinctive role of the nuclear envelope mTOR complex in the nuclear import. Thus, we identified that mTOR in association with RanBP2 mediates the active nuclear import of ribosomal proteins. PMID:25294810

Regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity-a single molecule technology to measure the bilayer properties experienced by an embedded protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundbaek, Jens August

2006-01-01

Membrane protein function is generally regulated by the molecular composition of the host lipid bilayer. The underlying mechanisms have long remained enigmatic. Some cases involve specific molecular interactions, but very often lipids and other amphiphiles, which are adsorbed to lipid bilayers, regulate a number of structurally unrelated proteins in an apparently non-specific manner. It is well known that changes in the physical properties of a lipid bilayer (e.g., thickness or monolayer spontaneous curvature) can affect the function of an embedded protein. However, the role of such changes, in the general regulation of membrane protein function, is unclear. This is to a large extent due to lack of a generally accepted framework in which to understand the many observations. The present review summarizes studies which have demonstrated that the hydrophobic interactions between a membrane protein and the host lipid bilayer provide an energetic coupling, whereby protein function can be regulated by the bilayer elasticity. The feasibility of this 'hydrophobic coupling mechanism' has been demonstrated using the gramicidin channel, a model membrane protein, in planar lipid bilayers. Using voltage-dependent sodium channels, N-type calcium channels and GABA A receptors, it has been shown that membrane protein function in living cells can be regulated by amphiphile induced changes in bilayer elasticity. Using the gramicidin channel as a molecular force transducer, a nanotechnology to measure the elastic properties experienced by an embedded protein has been developed. A theoretical and technological framework, to study the regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity, has been established

The role of polypyrimidine tract-binding proteins and other hnRNP proteins in plant splicing regulation

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Andreas eWachter

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Alternative precursor mRNA splicing is a widespread phenomenon in multicellular eukaryotes and represents a major means for functional expansion of the transcriptome. While several recent studies have revealed an important link between splicing regulation and fundamental biological processes in plants, many important aspects, such as the underlying splicing regulatory mechanisms, are so far not well understood. Splicing decisions are in general based on a splicing code that is determined by the dynamic interplay of splicing-controlling factors and cis-regulatory elements. Several members of the group of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP proteins are well-known regulators of splicing in animals and the comparatively few reports on some of their plant homologues revealed similar functions. This also applies to polypyrimidine tract-binding proteins (PTBs, a thoroughly investigated class of hnRNP proteins with splicing regulatory functions in both animals and plants. Further examples from plants are auto- and cross-regulatory splicing circuits of glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs and splicing enhancement by oligouridylatebinding proteins. Besides their role in defining splice site choice, hnRNP proteins are also involved in multiple other steps of nucleic acid metabolism, highlighting the functional versatility of this group of proteins in higher eukaryotes.

Regulated eukaryotic DNA replication origin firing with purified proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeeles, Joseph T P; Deegan, Tom D; Janska, Agnieszka; Early, Anne; Diffley, John F X

2015-03-26

Eukaryotic cells initiate DNA replication from multiple origins, which must be tightly regulated to promote precise genome duplication in every cell cycle. To accomplish this, initiation is partitioned into two temporally discrete steps: a double hexameric minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex is first loaded at replication origins during G1 phase, and then converted to the active CMG (Cdc45-MCM-GINS) helicase during S phase. Here we describe the reconstitution of budding yeast DNA replication initiation with 16 purified replication factors, made from 42 polypeptides. Origin-dependent initiation recapitulates regulation seen in vivo. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibits MCM loading by phosphorylating the origin recognition complex (ORC) and promotes CMG formation by phosphorylating Sld2 and Sld3. Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK) promotes replication by phosphorylating MCM, and can act either before or after CDK. These experiments define the minimum complement of proteins, protein kinase substrates and co-factors required for regulated eukaryotic DNA replication.

Evolution of regular geometrical shapes in fiber lumens

KAUST Repository

Le, Ngoc Lieu

2017-08-17

The geometry of polymeric hollow fibers for hemodialysis or desalination is a key factor determining their performance. Deformations are frequently observed, but they are rather random. Here we were able to exactly control the shape evolution of the internal channels or lumens of polymeric hollow fibers, leading to polygonal geometries with increasing number of sides. The elasticity of the incipient channel skin and instabilities during fiber formation are affected by the internal coagulant fluid composition and flow rate; and highly influence the polygonal shape. We propose a holistic explanation by analyzing the thermodynamic, kinetic and rheological aspects involved in the skin formation and their synergy.

Mechanism of lumen gain with a novel rotational aspiration atherectomy system for peripheral arterial disease: examination by intravascular ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Ali H M; Ako, Junya; Waseda, Katsuhisa; Honda, Yasuhiro; Zeller, Thomas; Leon, Martin B; Fitzgerald, Peter J

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanism of luminal gain with a novel atheroablation system (Pathway PV) for the treatment of peripheral artery disease using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). The atherectomy system is a rotational atherectomy device, which employs expandable rotating blades with ports that allow flushing and aspiration of the plaque material or thrombus. In this first-in-man clinical study, IVUS analysis was available in 6 patients with lower limb ischemia treated with this device. The treatment results were assessed using IVUS at pre and post atherectomy. Lumen beyond burr size (LBB) was defined as lumen gain divided by the estimated burr area determined by the burr-size. IVUS analysis was available in six patients (superficial femoral artery n=3, popliteal artery n=2, posterior tibial artery n=1). Atheroablation achieved a significant increase in lumen area (LA) (preintervention 3.9+/-0.4, postatheroablation 8.0+/-1.7 mm(2), Patherectomy device achieved significant luminal gain by debulking in the absence of vessel stretching. The LA was greater than burr-sized lumen expectancy at cross-sections along the treated segments, suggesting a complimentary role of aspiration in luminal gain in atherosclerotic peripheral artery lesions.

PdNP Decoration of Halloysite Lumen via Selective Grafting of Ionic Liquid onto the Aluminol Surfaces and Catalytic Application.

Science.gov (United States)

Dedzo, Gustave K; Ngnie, Gaëlle; Detellier, Christian

2016-02-01

The synthesis of selectively deposited palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) inside tubular halloysite lumens is reported. This specific localization was directed by the selective modification of the aluminol surfaces of the clay mineral through stable Al-O-C bonds. An ionic liquid (1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium) was grafted onto halloysite following the guest displacement method (generally used for kaolinite) using halloysite-DMSO preintercalate. The characterization of this clay nanohybrid material (XRD, NMR, TGA) showed characteristics reminiscent of similar materials synthesized from kaolinite. The grafting on halloysite lumens was also effective without using the DMSO preintercalate. The presence of these new functionalities in halloysite directs the synthesis of uniform PdNPs with size ranging between 3 and 6 nm located exclusively in the lumens. This results from the selective adsorption of PdNPs precursors in functionalized lumens through an anion exchange mechanism followed by in situ reduction. In contrast, the unmodified clay mineral displayed nanoparticles both inside and outside the tubes. These catalysts showed significant catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The most efficient catalysts were recycled up to three times without reducing significantly the catalytic activities.

Functional analysis of the human cytomegalovirus immune evasion protein, pUS322kDa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Yiqiang; Biegalke, Bonita J.

2003-01-01

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an important opportunistic pathogen that infrequently causes disease in individuals with mature immune systems. The HCMV US3 gene encodes a 22-kDa protein that interferes with immune recognition of virally infected cells. The 22-kDa US3 protein binds to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I complexes, retaining them in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thereby decreasing the presentation of viral antigen to cytotoxic T cells. Our studies demonstrate that correct folding of the ER lumenal domain of the US3 protein is essential, but insufficient for interactions with MHC class I complexes. We demonstrate a requirement for the transmembrane domain of the 22-kDa US3 protein, confirming the results of others, and also show that the cytosolic carboxyl-terminal tail influences the function of the protein. Anchoring of the ER-lumenal immunoglobulin-like fold of the US3 protein to the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum is critical for the binding and retention of MHC class I complexes

The microbiota mediates pathogen clearance from the gut lumen after non-typhoidal Salmonella diarrhea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathrin Endt

Full Text Available Many enteropathogenic bacteria target the mammalian gut. The mechanisms protecting the host from infection are poorly understood. We have studied the protective functions of secretory antibodies (sIgA and the microbiota, using a mouse model for S. typhimurium diarrhea. This pathogen is a common cause of diarrhea in humans world-wide. S. typhimurium (S. tm(att, sseD causes a self-limiting gut infection in streptomycin-treated mice. After 40 days, all animals had overcome the disease, developed a sIgA response, and most had cleared the pathogen from the gut lumen. sIgA limited pathogen access to the mucosal surface and protected from gut inflammation in challenge infections. This protection was O-antigen specific, as demonstrated with pathogens lacking the S. typhimurium O-antigen (wbaP, S. enteritidis and sIgA-deficient mice (TCRβ(-/-δ(-/-, J(H (-/-, IgA(-/-, pIgR(-/-. Surprisingly, sIgA-deficiency did not affect the kinetics of pathogen clearance from the gut lumen. Instead, this was mediated by the microbiota. This was confirmed using 'L-mice' which harbor a low complexity gut flora, lack colonization resistance and develop a normal sIgA response, but fail to clear S. tm(att from the gut lumen. In these mice, pathogen clearance was achieved by transferring a normal complex microbiota. Thus, besides colonization resistance ( = pathogen blockage by an intact microbiota, the microbiota mediates a second, novel protective function, i.e. pathogen clearance. Here, the normal microbiota re-grows from a state of depletion and disturbed composition and gradually clears even very high pathogen loads from the gut lumen, a site inaccessible to most "classical" immune effector mechanisms. In conclusion, sIgA and microbiota serve complementary protective functions. The microbiota confers colonization resistance and mediates pathogen clearance in primary infections, while sIgA protects from disease if the host re-encounters the same pathogen. This has

Piezo Proteins: Regulators of Mechanosensation and Other Cellular Processes*

OpenAIRE

Bagriantsev, Sviatoslav N.; Gracheva, Elena O.; Gallagher, Patrick G.

2014-01-01

Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Other roles for Piezo proteins have emerged, some unexpected, including participation in cellular deve...

Small G proteins Rac1 and Ras regulate serine/threonine protein phosphatase 5 (PP5)·extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) complexes involved in the feedback regulation of Raf1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazalouskas, Matthew D; Godoy-Ruiz, Raquel; Weber, David J; Zimmer, Danna B; Honkanen, Richard E; Wadzinski, Brian E

2014-02-14

Serine/threonine protein phosphatase 5 (PP5, PPP5C) is known to interact with the chaperonin heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and is involved in the regulation of multiple cellular signaling cascades that control diverse cellular processes, such as cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, motility, and apoptosis. Here, we identify PP5 in stable complexes with extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). Studies using mutant proteins reveal that the formation of PP5·ERK1 and PP5·ERK2 complexes partially depends on HSP90 binding to PP5 but does not require PP5 or ERK1/2 activity. However, PP5 and ERK activity regulates the phosphorylation state of Raf1 kinase, an upstream activator of ERK signaling. Whereas expression of constitutively active Rac1 promotes the assembly of PP5·ERK1/2 complexes, acute activation of ERK1/2 fails to influence the phosphatase-kinase interaction. Introduction of oncogenic HRas (HRas(V12)) has no effect on PP5-ERK1 binding but selectively decreases the interaction of PP5 with ERK2, in a manner that is independent of PP5 and MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) activity, yet paradoxically requires ERK2 activity. Additional studies conducted with oncogenic variants of KRas4B reveal that KRas(L61), but not KRas(V12), also decreases the PP5-ERK2 interaction. The expression of wild type HRas or KRas proteins fails to reduce PP5-ERK2 binding, indicating that the effect is specific to HRas(V12) and KRas(L61) gain-of-function mutations. These findings reveal a novel, differential responsiveness of PP5-ERK1 and PP5-ERK2 interactions to select oncogenic Ras variants and also support a role for PP5·ERK complexes in regulating the feedback phosphorylation of PP5-associated Raf1.

Acid-regulated proteins induced by Streptococcus mutans and other oral bacteria during acid shock.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, I R; Svensäter, G

1998-10-01

Our previous research has demonstrated that with the more aciduric oral bacteria, an acid shock to sub-lethal pH values results in the induction of an acid tolerance response that protects the cells at extremely low pH (pH 3.0-4.0) that kills unadapted control cells maintained at pH 7.5 (Oral Microbiol Immunol 1997: 12: 266-273). In this study, we were interested in comparing the protein profiles of acid-shocked and control cells of nine organisms from three acid-ogenic genera that could be categorized as strong, weak and non-acid responders in an attempt to identify proteins that could be classified as acid-regulated proteins and which may be important in the process of survival at very low pH. For this, log-phase cultures were rapidly acidified from pH 7.5 to 5.5 in the presence of [14C]-amino acids for varying periods up to 2 h, the period previously shown to be required for maximum induction of the acid response. The cells were extracted for total protein and subjected to one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide chromatography with comparable control and acid-shocked protein profiles compared by scanning and computer analysis. Of particular interest were the proteins in the acid-shocked cells that showed enhanced labeling (i.e., synthesis) over the control cells, since these were considered acid-regulated proteins of importance in pH homeostasis. Streptococcus mutans LT11 generated the most rapid and complex pattern: a total of 36 acid-regulated proteins showing enhanced synthesis, with 25 appearing within the first 30 min of acid shock. The enhanced synthesis was transient with all proteins, with the exception of two with molecular weights of 50/49 and 33/32 kDa. Within the acid-regulated proteins were proteins having molecular weights comparable to the heat shock proteins and the various subunits of the membrane H+/ATPase. By comparison, the strong responder, Lactobacillus casei 151, showed the enhanced formation of only nine proteins within the

Evaluation of flow volume and flow patterns in the patent false lumen of chronic aortic dissections using velocity-encoded cine magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Toshihisa; Watanabe, Shigeru; Sakurada, Hideki; Ono, Katsuhiro; Urano, Miharu; Hijikata, Yasuyoshi; Saito, Isao; Masuda, Yoshiaki

2000-01-01

In 21 patients with chronic aortic dissections and proven patent false lumens, the flow volume and flow patterns in the patent false lumens was evaluated using velocity-encoded cine magnetic resonance imaging (VENC-MRI) and the relationship between the flow characteristics and aortic enlargement was retrospectively examined. Flow patterns in the false lumen were divided into 3 groups: pattern A with primarily antegrade flow (n=6), pattern R with primarily retrograde flow (n=3), and pattern B with bidirectional flow (n=12). In group A, the rate of flow volume in the false lumen compared to the total flow volume in true and false lumens (%TFV) and the average rate of enlargement of the maximum diameter of the dissected aorta per year (ΔD) were significantly greater than in groups R and B (%TFV: 74.1±0.07 vs 15.2±0.03 vs 11.8±0.04, p<0.01; ΔD: 3.62±0.82 vs 0 vs 0.58±0.15 mm/year, p<0.05, respectively). There was a significant correlation between %TFV and ΔD (r=0.79, p<0.0001). Evaluation of flow volume and flow patterns in the patent false lumen using VENC-MRI may be useful for predicting enlargement of the dissected aorta. (author)

Deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) protein regulates hepatic gluconeogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nin, Veronica; Chini, Claudia C S; Escande, Carlos; Capellini, Verena; Chini, Eduardo N

2014-02-28

Liver gluconeogenesis is essential to provide energy to glycolytic tissues during fasting periods. However, aberrant up-regulation of this metabolic pathway contributes to the progression of glucose intolerance in individuals with diabetes. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression plays a critical role in the modulation of gluconeogenesis. Several pathways contribute to the regulation of PEPCK, including the nuclear receptor Rev-erbα and the histone deacetylase SIRT1. Deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) is a nuclear protein that binds to and regulates both Rev-erbα and SIRT1 and, therefore, is a candidate to participate in the regulation of PEPCK. In this work, we provide evidence that DBC1 regulates glucose metabolism and the expression of PEPCK. We show that DBC1 levels decrease early in the fasting state. Also, DBC1 KO mice display higher gluconeogenesis in a normal and a high-fat diet. DBC1 absence leads to an increase in PEPCK mRNA and protein expression. Conversely, overexpression of DBC1 results in a decrease in PEPCK mRNA and protein levels. DBC1 regulates the levels of Rev-erbα, and manipulation of Rev-erbα activity or levels prevents the effect of DBC1 on PEPCK. In addition, Rev-erbα levels decrease in the first hours of fasting. Finally, knockdown of the deacetylase SIRT1 eliminates the effect of DBC1 knockdown on Rev-erbα levels and PEPCK expression, suggesting that the mechanism of PEPCK regulation is, at least in part, dependent on the activity of this enzyme. Our results point to DBC1 as a novel regulator of gluconeogenesis.

Maximizing Lumen Gain With Directional Atherectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanley, Gregory A; Winscott, John G

2016-08-01

To describe the use of a low-pressure balloon inflation (LPBI) technique to delineate intraluminal plaque and guide directional atherectomy in order to maximize lumen gain and achieve procedure success. The technique is illustrated in a 77-year-old man with claudication who underwent superficial femoral artery revascularization using a HawkOne directional atherectomy catheter. A standard angioplasty balloon was inflated to 1 to 2 atm during live fluoroscopy to create a 3-dimensional "lumenogram" of the target lesion. Directional atherectomy was performed only where plaque impinged on the balloon at a specific fluoroscopic orientation. The results of the LPBI technique were corroborated with multimodality diagnostic imaging, including digital subtraction angiography, intravascular ultrasound, and intra-arterial pressure measurements. With the LPBI technique, directional atherectomy can routinely achieve <10% residual stenosis, as illustrated in this case, thereby broadly supporting a no-stent approach to lower extremity endovascular revascularization. © The Author(s) 2016.

Regulator of G Protein Signaling 7 (RGS7) Can Exist in a Homo-oligomeric Form That Is Regulated by Gαo and R7-binding Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Tayou, Junior; Wang, Qiang; Jang, Geeng-Fu; Pronin, Alexey N; Orlandi, Cesare; Martemyanov, Kirill A; Crabb, John W; Slepak, Vladlen Z

2016-04-22

RGS (regulator of G protein signaling) proteins of the R7 subfamily (RGS6, -7, -9, and -11) are highly expressed in neurons where they regulate many physiological processes. R7 RGS proteins contain several distinct domains and form obligatory dimers with the atypical Gβ subunit, Gβ5 They also interact with other proteins such as R7-binding protein, R9-anchoring protein, and the orphan receptors GPR158 and GPR179. These interactions facilitate plasma membrane targeting and stability of R7 proteins and modulate their activity. Here, we investigated RGS7 complexes using in situ chemical cross-linking. We found that in mouse brain and transfected cells cross-linking causes formation of distinct RGS7 complexes. One of the products had the apparent molecular mass of ∼150 kDa on SDS-PAGE and did not contain Gβ5 Mass spectrometry analysis showed no other proteins to be present within the 150-kDa complex in the amount close to stoichiometric with RGS7. This finding suggested that RGS7 could form a homo-oligomer. Indeed, co-immunoprecipitation of differentially tagged RGS7 constructs, with or without chemical cross-linking, demonstrated RGS7 self-association. RGS7-RGS7 interaction required the DEP domain but not the RGS and DHEX domains or the Gβ5 subunit. Using transfected cells and knock-out mice, we demonstrated that R7-binding protein had a strong inhibitory effect on homo-oligomerization of RGS7. In contrast, our data indicated that GPR158 could bind to the RGS7 homo-oligomer without causing its dissociation. Co-expression of constitutively active Gαo prevented the RGS7-RGS7 interaction. These results reveal the existence of RGS protein homo-oligomers and show regulation of their assembly by R7 RGS-binding partners. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Myostatin inhibits eEF2K-eEF2 by regulating AMPK to suppress protein synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zhao; Luo, Pei; Lai, Wen; Song, Tongxing; Peng, Jian; Wei, Hong-Kui

2017-12-09

Growth of skeletal muscle is dependent on the protein synthesis, and the rate of protein synthesis is mainly regulated in the stage of translation initiation and elongation. Myostatin, a member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily, is a negative regulator of protein synthesis. C2C12 myotubes was incubated with 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 2, 3 μg/mL myostatin recombinant protein, and then we detected the rates of protein synthesis by the method of SUnSET. We found that high concentrations of myostatin (2 and 3 μg/mL) inhibited protein synthesis by blocking mTOR and eEF2K-eEF2 pathway, while low concentration of myostatin (0.01, 0.1 and 1 μg/mL) regulated eEF2K-eEF2 pathway activity to block protein synthesis without affected mTOR pathway, and myostatin inhibited eEF2K-eEF2 pathway through regulating AMPK pathway to suppress protein synthesis. It provided a new mechanism for myostatin regulating protein synthesis and treating muscle atrophy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Conserved salt-bridge competition triggered by phosphorylation regulates the protein interactome

KAUST Repository

Skinner, John J.

2017-12-05

Phosphorylation is a major regulator of protein interactions; however, the mechanisms by which regulation occurs are not well understood. Here we identify a salt-bridge competition or “theft” mechanism that enables a phospho-triggered swap of protein partners by Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP). RKIP transitions from inhibiting Raf-1 to inhibiting G-protein–coupled receptor kinase 2 upon phosphorylation, thereby bridging MAP kinase and G-Protein–Coupled Receptor signaling. NMR and crystallography indicate that a phosphoserine, but not a phosphomimetic, competes for a lysine from a preexisting salt bridge, initiating a partial unfolding event and promoting new protein interactions. Structural elements underlying the theft occurred early in evolution and are found in 10% of homo-oligomers and 30% of hetero-oligomers including Bax, Troponin C, and Early Endosome Antigen 1. In contrast to a direct recognition of phosphorylated residues by binding partners, the salt-bridge theft mechanism represents a facile strategy for promoting or disrupting protein interactions using solvent-accessible residues, and it can provide additional specificity at protein interfaces through local unfolding or conformational change.

Conserved salt-bridge competition triggered by phosphorylation regulates the protein interactome

KAUST Repository

Skinner, John J.; Wang, Sheng; Lee, Jiyoung; Ong, Colin; Sommese, Ruth; Sivaramakrishnan, Sivaraj; Koelmel, Wolfgang; Hirschbeck, Maria; Schindelin, Hermann; Kisker, Caroline; Lorenz, Kristina; Sosnick, Tobin R.; Rosner, Marsha Rich

2017-01-01

Phosphorylation is a major regulator of protein interactions; however, the mechanisms by which regulation occurs are not well understood. Here we identify a salt-bridge competition or “theft” mechanism that enables a phospho-triggered swap of protein partners by Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP). RKIP transitions from inhibiting Raf-1 to inhibiting G-protein–coupled receptor kinase 2 upon phosphorylation, thereby bridging MAP kinase and G-Protein–Coupled Receptor signaling. NMR and crystallography indicate that a phosphoserine, but not a phosphomimetic, competes for a lysine from a preexisting salt bridge, initiating a partial unfolding event and promoting new protein interactions. Structural elements underlying the theft occurred early in evolution and are found in 10% of homo-oligomers and 30% of hetero-oligomers including Bax, Troponin C, and Early Endosome Antigen 1. In contrast to a direct recognition of phosphorylated residues by binding partners, the salt-bridge theft mechanism represents a facile strategy for promoting or disrupting protein interactions using solvent-accessible residues, and it can provide additional specificity at protein interfaces through local unfolding or conformational change.

Site-Specific Phosphorylation of PSD-95 PDZ Domains Reveals Fine-Tuned Regulation of Protein-Protein Interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Søren W; Albertsen, Louise; Moran, Griffin E

2017-01-01

The postsynaptic density protein of 95 kDa (PSD-95) is a key scaffolding protein that controls signaling at synapses in the brain through interactions of its PDZ domains with the C-termini of receptors, ion channels, and enzymes. PSD-95 is highly regulated by phosphorylation. To explore the effec...

Regulation of CD93 cell surface expression by protein kinase C isoenzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikewaki, Nobunao; Kulski, Jerzy K; Inoko, Hidetoshi

2006-01-01

Human CD93, also known as complement protein 1, q subcomponent, receptor (C1qRp), is selectively expressed by cells with a myeloid lineage, endothelial cells, platelets, and microglia and was originally reported to be involved in the complement protein 1, q subcomponent (C1q)-mediated enhancement of phagocytosis. The intracellular molecular events responsible for the regulation of its expression on the cell surface, however, have not been determined. In this study, the effect of protein kinases in the regulation of CD93 expression on the cell surface of a human monocyte-like cell line (U937), a human NK-like cell line (KHYG-1), and a human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (HUV-EC-C) was investigated using four types of protein kinase inhibitors, the classical protein kinase C (cPKC) inhibitor Go6976, the novel PKC (nPKC) inhibitor Rottlerin, the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H-89 and the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor herbimycin A at their optimum concentrations for 24 hr. CD93 expression was analyzed using flow cytometry and glutaraldehyde-fixed cellular enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) techniques utilizing a CD93 monoclonal antibody (mAb), mNI-11, that was originally established in our laboratory as a CD93 detection probe. The nPKC inhibitor Rottlerin strongly down-regulated CD93 expression on the U937 cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the other inhibitors had little or no effect. CD93 expression was down-regulated by Go6976, but not by Rottlerin, in the KHYG-1 cells and by both Rottlerin and Go6976 in the HUV-EC-C cells. The PKC stimulator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), strongly up-regulated CD93 expression on the cell surface of all three cell-lines and induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) production by the U937 cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by the KHYG-1 cells. In addition, both Go6976 and Rottlerin inhibited the up-regulation of CD93 expression induced by PMA and IL-8 or IFN-gamma production in the respective cell

Complex regulation of CREB-binding protein by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2

KAUST Repository

Ková cs, Krisztiá n A.; Steinmann, Myriam; Halfon, Olivier; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Cardinaux, Jean René

2015-01-01

CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300 are transcriptional coactivators involved in numerous biological processes that affect cell growth, transformation, differentiation, and development. In this study, we provide evidence of the involvement of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in the regulation of CBP activity. We show that HIPK2 interacts with and phosphorylates several regions of CBP. We demonstrate that serines 2361, 2363, 2371, 2376, and 2381 are responsible for the HIPK2-induced mobility shift of CBP C-terminal activation domain. Moreover, we show that HIPK2 strongly potentiates the transcriptional activity of CBP. However, our data suggest that HIPK2 activates CBP mainly by counteracting the repressive action of cell cycle regulatory domain 1 (CRD1), located between amino acids 977 and 1076, independently of CBP phosphorylation. Our findings thus highlight a complex regulation of CBP activity by HIPK2, which might be relevant for the control of specific sets of target genes involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. © 2015 Elsevier Inc.

Complex regulation of CREB-binding protein by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2

KAUST Repository

Kovács, Krisztián A.

2015-11-01

CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300 are transcriptional coactivators involved in numerous biological processes that affect cell growth, transformation, differentiation, and development. In this study, we provide evidence of the involvement of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in the regulation of CBP activity. We show that HIPK2 interacts with and phosphorylates several regions of CBP. We demonstrate that serines 2361, 2363, 2371, 2376, and 2381 are responsible for the HIPK2-induced mobility shift of CBP C-terminal activation domain. Moreover, we show that HIPK2 strongly potentiates the transcriptional activity of CBP. However, our data suggest that HIPK2 activates CBP mainly by counteracting the repressive action of cell cycle regulatory domain 1 (CRD1), located between amino acids 977 and 1076, independently of CBP phosphorylation. Our findings thus highlight a complex regulation of CBP activity by HIPK2, which might be relevant for the control of specific sets of target genes involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. © 2015 Elsevier Inc.

Two Automated Techniques for Carotid Lumen Diameter Measurement: Regional versus Boundary Approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, Tadashi; Kumar, P Krishna; Suri, Harman S; Ikeda, Nobutaka; Gupta, Ajay; Saba, Luca; Rajan, Jeny; Lavra, Francesco; Sharma, Aditya M; Shafique, Shoaib; Nicolaides, Andrew; Laird, John R; Suri, Jasjit S

2016-07-01

The degree of stenosis in the carotid artery can be predicted using automated carotid lumen diameter (LD) measured from B-mode ultrasound images. Systolic velocity-based methods for measurement of LD are subjective. With the advancement of high resolution imaging, image-based methods have started to emerge. However, they require robust image analysis for accurate LD measurement. This paper presents two different algorithms for automated segmentation of the lumen borders in carotid ultrasound images. Both algorithms are modeled as a two stage process. Stage one consists of a global-based model using scale-space framework for the extraction of the region of interest. This stage is common to both algorithms. Stage two is modeled using a local-based strategy that extracts the lumen interfaces. At this stage, the algorithm-1 is modeled as a region-based strategy using a classification framework, whereas the algorithm-2 is modeled as a boundary-based approach that uses the level set framework. Two sets of databases (DB), Japan DB (JDB) (202 patients, 404 images) and Hong Kong DB (HKDB) (50 patients, 300 images) were used in this study. Two trained neuroradiologists performed manual LD tracings. The mean automated LD measured was 6.35 ± 0.95 mm for JDB and 6.20 ± 1.35 mm for HKDB. The precision-of-merit was: 97.4 % and 98.0 % w.r.t to two manual tracings for JDB and 99.7 % and 97.9 % w.r.t to two manual tracings for HKDB. Statistical tests such as ANOVA, Chi-Squared, T-test, and Mann-Whitney test were conducted to show the stability and reliability of the automated techniques.

Interaction of a plant pseudo-response regulator with a calmodulin-like protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perochon, Alexandre; Dieterle, Stefan; Pouzet, Cecile; Aldon, Didier; Galaud, Jean-Philippe; Ranty, Benoit

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → The pseudo-response regulator PRR2 specifically binds CML9, a calmodulin-like protein → The interaction is confirmed in plant cell nuclei → The interaction requires an intact PRR2 protein. -- Abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes by modulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Plants possess an extended CaM family including numerous CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which appear to be unique to plants. We previously demonstrated a role for CML9 in abiotic stress tolerance and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. We report here the isolation of PRR2, a pseudo-response regulator as a CML9 interacting protein by screening an expression library prepared from Arabidopsis seedlings with CML9 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system. PRR2 is similar to the response regulators of the two-component system, but lacks the invariant residue required for phosphorylation by which response regulators switch their output response, suggesting the existence of alternative regulatory mechanisms. PRR2 was found to bind CML9 and closely related CMLs but not a canonical CaM. Mapping analyses indicate that an almost complete form of PRR2 is required for interaction with CML9, suggesting a recognition mode different from the classical CaM-target peptide complex. PRR2 contains several features that are typical of transcription factors, including a GARP DNA recognition domain, a Pro-rich region and a Golden C-terminal box. PRR2 and CML9 as fusion proteins with fluorescent tags co-localized in the nucleus of plant cells, and their interaction in the nuclear compartment was validated in planta by using a fluorophore-tagged protein interaction assay. These findings suggest that binding of PRR2 to CML9 may be an important mechanism to modulate the physiological role of this transcription factor in plants.

Interaction of a plant pseudo-response regulator with a calmodulin-like protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perochon, Alexandre; Dieterle, Stefan; Pouzet, Cecile; Aldon, Didier; Galaud, Jean-Philippe [UMR 5546 CNRS/Universite Toulouse 3, Pole de Biotechnologie vegetale, BP 42617 Auzeville, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan cedex (France); Ranty, Benoit, E-mail: ranty@scsv.ups-tlse.fr [UMR 5546 CNRS/Universite Toulouse 3, Pole de Biotechnologie vegetale, BP 42617 Auzeville, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan cedex (France)

2010-08-06

Research highlights: {yields} The pseudo-response regulator PRR2 specifically binds CML9, a calmodulin-like protein {yields} The interaction is confirmed in plant cell nuclei {yields} The interaction requires an intact PRR2 protein. -- Abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes by modulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Plants possess an extended CaM family including numerous CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which appear to be unique to plants. We previously demonstrated a role for CML9 in abiotic stress tolerance and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. We report here the isolation of PRR2, a pseudo-response regulator as a CML9 interacting protein by screening an expression library prepared from Arabidopsis seedlings with CML9 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system. PRR2 is similar to the response regulators of the two-component system, but lacks the invariant residue required for phosphorylation by which response regulators switch their output response, suggesting the existence of alternative regulatory mechanisms. PRR2 was found to bind CML9 and closely related CMLs but not a canonical CaM. Mapping analyses indicate that an almost complete form of PRR2 is required for interaction with CML9, suggesting a recognition mode different from the classical CaM-target peptide complex. PRR2 contains several features that are typical of transcription factors, including a GARP DNA recognition domain, a Pro-rich region and a Golden C-terminal box. PRR2 and CML9 as fusion proteins with fluorescent tags co-localized in the nucleus of plant cells, and their interaction in the nuclear compartment was validated in planta by using a fluorophore-tagged protein interaction assay. These findings suggest that binding of PRR2 to CML9 may be an important mechanism to modulate the physiological role of this transcription factor in plants.

CT arterial portography and CT arteriography with a triple-lumen balloon catheter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, T.; Oi, H.; Hori, M.; Kim, T.; Takahashi, S.; Matsushita, M.; Narumi, Y.; Nakamura, H.

1997-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the triple-lumen balloon catheter in the serial performance of CT arterial portography (CT-AP) and CT arteriography (CT-A). Material and Methods: A combined CT-AP and CT-A examination of 58 patients was carried out in which a cobra-type triple-lumen balloon catheter was used. CT-AP was performed by injecting contrast medium either into the splenic artery through a side-hole in the catheter proximal to the balloon inflated in the common hepatic artery, or into the superior mesentric artery through an end-hole in the catheter. Then CT-A was serially performed by delivering contrast medium either to the common hepatic artery or the proper hepatic artery from the end-hole, or to the accessory right hepatic artery through a side-hole proximal to the inflated balloon. Results: Sufficient CT-APs were obtained in 53 of the 58 patients (91%), CT-A in 42 (72%), and both in 42 (72%). Incomplete CT-AP was due to technical failure or anatomical anomaly, as was incomplete CT-A. No complications were seen. (orig.)

EML proteins in microtubule regulation and human disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fry, Andrew M; O'Regan, Laura; Montgomery, Jessica; Adib, Rozita; Bayliss, Richard

2016-10-15

The EMLs are a conserved family of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The founding member was discovered in sea urchins as a 77-kDa polypeptide that co-purified with microtubules. This protein, termed EMAP for echinoderm MAP, was the major non-tubulin component present in purified microtubule preparations made from unfertilized sea urchin eggs [J. Cell Sci. (1993) 104: , 445-450; J. Cell Sci. (1987) 87: (Pt 1), 71-84]. Orthologues of EMAP were subsequently identified in other echinoderms, such as starfish and sand dollar, and then in more distant eukaryotes, including flies, worms and vertebrates, where the name of ELP or EML (both for EMAP-like protein) has been adopted [BMC Dev. Biol. (2008) 8: , 110; Dev. Genes Evol. (2000) 210: , 2-10]. The common property of these proteins is their ability to decorate microtubules. However, whether they are associated with particular microtubule populations or exercise specific functions in different microtubule-dependent processes remains unknown. Furthermore, although there is limited evidence that they regulate microtubule dynamics, the biochemical mechanisms of their molecular activity have yet to be explored. Nevertheless, interest in these proteins has grown substantially because of the identification of EML mutations in neuronal disorders and oncogenic fusions in human cancers. Here, we summarize our current knowledge of the expression, localization and structure of what is proving to be an interesting and important class of MAPs. We also speculate about their function in microtubule regulation and highlight how the studies of EMLs in human diseases may open up novel avenues for patient therapy. © 2016 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Proteomic and functional analyses reveal MAPK1 regulates milk protein synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Li-Min; Li, Qing-Zhang; Huang, Jian-Guo; Gao, Xue-Jun

2012-12-27

L-Lysine (L-Lys) is an essential amino acid that plays fundamental roles in protein synthesis. Many nuclear phosphorylated proteins such as Stat5 and mTOR regulate milk protein synthesis. However, the details of milk protein synthesis control at the transcript and translational levels are not well known. In this current study, a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE)/MS-based proteomic technology was used to identify phosphoproteins responsible for milk protein synthesis in dairy cow mammary epithelial cells (DCMECs). The effect of L-Lys on DCMECs was analyzed by CASY technology and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The results showed that cell proliferation ability and β-casein expression were enhanced in DCMECs treated with L-Lys. By phosphoproteomics analysis, six proteins, including MAPK1, were identified up-expressed in DCMECs treated with 1.2 mM L-Lys for 24 h, and were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot. Overexpression and siRNA inhibition of MAPK1 experiments showed that MAPK1 upregulated milk protein synthesis through Stat5 and mTOR pathway. These findings that MAPK1 involves in regulation of milk synthesis shed new insights for understanding the mechanisms of milk protein synthesis.

Homeodomain-Interacting Protein Kinase (HPK-1) regulates stress responses and ageing in C. elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Berber, Slavica; Wood, Mallory; Llamosas, Estelle; Thaivalappil, Priya; Lee, Karen; Liao, Bing Mana; Chew, Yee Lian; Rhodes, Aaron; Yucel, Duygu; Crossley, Merlin; Nicholas, Hannah R

2016-01-21

Proteins of the Homeodomain-Interacting Protein Kinase (HIPK) family regulate an array of processes in mammalian systems, such as the DNA damage response, cellular proliferation and apoptosis. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has a single HIPK homologue called HPK-1. Previous studies have implicated HPK-1 in longevity control and suggested that this protein may be regulated in a stress-dependent manner. Here we set out to expand these observations by investigating the role of HPK-1 in longevity and in the response to heat and oxidative stress. We find that levels of HPK-1 are regulated by heat stress, and that HPK-1 contributes to survival following heat or oxidative stress. Additionally, we show that HPK-1 is required for normal longevity, with loss of HPK-1 function leading to a faster decline of physiological processes that reflect premature ageing. Through microarray analysis, we have found that HPK-1-regulated genes include those encoding proteins that serve important functions in stress responses such as Phase I and Phase II detoxification enzymes. Consistent with a role in longevity assurance, HPK-1 also regulates the expression of age-regulated genes. Lastly, we show that HPK-1 functions in the same pathway as DAF-16 to regulate longevity and reveal a new role for HPK-1 in development.

Thrombosis caused by polyurethane double-lumen subclavian superior vena cava catheter and hemodialysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wanscher, Maria Rørbæk; Frifelt, J J; Smith-Sivertsen, C

1988-01-01

During an 18-month period, 82 consecutive patients (37 women and 45 men), with a mean age of 50 yr (range 15 to 74), underwent hemodialysis with 91 polyurethane double-lumen subclavian superior vena cava catheters inserted via the right subclavian vein. Upon catheter removal, venograms were...

Evaluation of the conformity of assistential practice in the maintenance of the temporary double-lumen dialysis catheter.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosetti, Késia Alves Gomes; Tronchin, Daisy Maria Rizatto

2014-01-01

to evaluate the conformity of the assistential practice in the maintenance of the temporary double-lumen catheter for hemodialysis, by means of the use of the process indicator, in the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo. a quantitative, exploratory-descriptive and observational study. The sample was made up of 155 observations of persons with temporary double-lumen catheters, in the period March-November 2011, using the Indicator of the Maintenance of the Temporary Double Lumen Catheter for Hemodialysis. the rate of general conformity of the assistential practice corresponded to 65.8%. Of the practice's 13 components, 9 (69.2%) attained 100% conformity. The hygienization of hands by the professionals and the use of a mask by the patients during the disconnection from the hemodialysis had the worst rates (83.9%). although the actions evaluated are implemented in the unit, it is necessary to propose and apply educational strategies with the health team, as well as to institute periodical assessments, so as to raise the conformity rates, ensuring the quality of the hemodialysis services.

DMPD: Regulation of innate immunity by suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)proteins. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 18406369 Regulation of innate immunity by suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)proteins...svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Regulation of innate immunity by suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)proteins. ...PubmedID 18406369 Title Regulation of innate immunity by suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)proteins

Gender-Dimorphic Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Proteins in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minji Choi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite the fact that sexual differences increase diabetic risk and contribute to the need for gender-specific care, there remain contradictory results as to whether or not sexual dimorphism increases susceptibility to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods: To examine gender-dimorphic regulation of skeletal muscle proteins between healthy control and STZ-induced diabetic rats of both genders, we performed differential proteome analysis using two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry. Results: Animal experiments revealed that STZ treatment rendered female rats more susceptible to induction of diabetes than their male littermates with significantly lower plasma insulin levels due to hormonal regulation. Proteomic analysis of skeletal muscle identified a total of 21 proteins showing gender-dimorphic differential expression patterns between healthy controls and diabetic rats. Most interestingly, gender-specific proteome comparison showed that male and female rats displayed differential regulation of proteins involved in muscle contraction, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism, as well as oxidative phosphorylation and cellular stress. Conclusion: The current proteomic study revealed that impaired protein regulation was more prominent in the muscle tissue of female diabetic rats, which were more susceptible to STZ-induced diabetes. We expect that the present proteomic data can provide valuable information for evidence-based gender-specific treatment of diabetes.

Activity of LUMEN (1996-97) Understanding of PbWO4 Scintillator Characteristics and their Optimisation

CERN Document Server

Baccaro, Stefania; Borgia, Bruno; Cecilia, Angelica; Croci, S; Dafinei, Ioan; Diemoz, Marcella; Fabeni, P; Festinesi, Armando; Jarolímek, O; Longo, Egidio; Martini, M; Mihoková, E; Montecchi, Marco; Nikl, M; Nitsch, K; Organtini, Giovanni; Pazzi, G P; Spinolo, G; Vedda, A

1998-01-01

The aim of the LUMEN co-operation, supported by INFN, is to obtain ful experimental characterisation and deep expertise of heavy scintillator for high energy physics. The advantage of this collaboration was mainly in the complementary character of the experimental techniques available in the partner laboratories and in the availability of highly experienced scientists indifferent fields. Furthermore close feedback to technological laboratories preparing on request PWO samples appeared extremely helpful. The present paper reports on the most important results obtained during the LUMEN activity in 1996-97. The aim of the report is to provide also enough useful information for the PWO application and novel ideas to stimulate further interest for new detectors as well as application in different fields.

Regulation of activity of the yeast TATA-binding protein through intra ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

Abbreviations used: BMH, Bismaleimidohexane; TBP, TATA-binding protein; yTBP, yeast TBP. J. Biosci. | Vol. ... Therefore for full-length TBP, intra-molecular interactions can regulate its activity via a similar ..... simulations (Miaskeiwicz and Ornstein 1996). .... box binding protein (TBP): A molecular dynamics computa-.

Roles of Transcriptional and Translational Control Mechanisms in Regulation of Ribosomal Protein Synthesis in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgos, Hector L; O'Connor, Kevin; Sanchez-Vazquez, Patricia; Gourse, Richard L

2017-11-01

Bacterial ribosome biogenesis is tightly regulated to match nutritional conditions and to prevent formation of defective ribosomal particles. In Escherichia coli , most ribosomal protein (r-protein) synthesis is coordinated with rRNA synthesis by a translational feedback mechanism: when r-proteins exceed rRNAs, specific r-proteins bind to their own mRNAs and inhibit expression of the operon. It was recently discovered that the second messenger nucleotide guanosine tetra and pentaphosphate (ppGpp), which directly regulates rRNA promoters, is also capable of regulating many r-protein promoters. To examine the relative contributions of the translational and transcriptional control mechanisms to the regulation of r-protein synthesis, we devised a reporter system that enabled us to genetically separate the cis -acting sequences responsible for the two mechanisms and to quantify their relative contributions to regulation under the same conditions. We show that the synthesis of r-proteins from the S20 and S10 operons is regulated by ppGpp following shifts in nutritional conditions, but most of the effect of ppGpp required the 5' region of the r-protein mRNA containing the target site for translational feedback regulation and not the promoter. These results suggest that most regulation of the S20 and S10 operons by ppGpp following nutritional shifts is indirect and occurs in response to changes in rRNA synthesis. In contrast, we found that the promoters for the S20 operon were regulated during outgrowth, likely in response to increasing nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) levels. Thus, r-protein synthesis is dynamic, with different mechanisms acting at different times. IMPORTANCE Bacterial cells have evolved complex and seemingly redundant strategies to regulate many high-energy-consuming processes. In E. coli , synthesis of ribosomal components is tightly regulated with respect to nutritional conditions by mechanisms that act at both the transcription and translation steps. In

Multiple versus single lumen umbilical venous catheters for newborn infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabra, N S; Kumar, M; Shah, S S

2005-07-20

Multiple lumen umbilical venous catheters (ML-UVCs) instead of single lumen UVCs (SL-UVCs) may decrease the need for additional venous lines. Although it seems self-evident that ML-UVCs would reduce the need of additional venous lines, the rates of associated complications might be different. To compare the effectiveness and the safety of ML-UVCs versus SL-UVCs in terms of need of additional vascular access, rates of complications, morbidity and mortality in newborn infants. Randomized and quasi-randomized trials were identified by searching the MEDLINE (1966 - February 2005), EMBASE (1980- February 2005), CINAHL (1982 - February 2005), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2004) and Science Direct (subject area: medicine, journal and abstract database; 1967 to February 2005). Literature search also included a manual search of the abstracts of scientific meetings published in Pediatric Research (1990-2004). Additional citations were sought using references in articles retrieved from searches. Subject experts were contacted to identify the unpublished and ongoing studies. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled clinical trials comparing safety and efficacy of multiple versus single lumen umbilical venous catheter in neonates (both term and preterm) who were in need of umbilical venous catheter insertion for vascular access in first four weeks of life. Each review author performed data extraction independently and differences were resolved by discussion. The following outcomes were determined: total number of additional peripheral intravenous lines per baby in first week and first four weeks of life, total number of additional percutaneously and surgically placed central venous lines per baby in first four weeks of life, and other safety and efficacy measures. The treatment effect estimators used were RR, RD, and WMD when appropriate along with their 95% CI. If RD was statistically significant, then number

Identification of Hypoxia-Regulated Proteins Using MALDI-Mass Spectrometry Imaging Combined with Quantitative Proteomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Djidja, Marie-Claude; Chang, Joan; Hadjiprocopis, Andreas

2014-01-01

Hypoxia is present in most solid tumors and is clinically correlated with increased metastasis and poor patient survival. While studies have demonstrated the role of hypoxia and hypoxia-regulated proteins in cancer progression, no attempts have been made to identify hypoxia-regulated proteins using...

A secreted Salmonella protein induces a proinflammatory response in epithelial cells, which promotes neutrophil migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, C A; Silva, M; Siber, A M; Kelly, A J; Galyov, E; McCormick, B A

2000-10-24

In response to Salmonella typhimurium, the intestinal epithelium generates an intense inflammatory response consisting largely of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils, PMN) migrating toward and ultimately across the epithelial monolayer into the intestinal lumen. It has been shown that bacterial-epithelial cell interactions elicit the production of inflammatory regulators that promote transepithelial PMN migration. Although S. typhimurium can enter intestinal epithelial cells, bacterial internalization is not required for the signaling mechanisms that induce PMN movement. Here, we sought to determine which S. typhimurium factors and intestinal epithelial signaling pathways elicit the production of PMN chemoattractants by enterocytes. Our results suggest that S. typhimurium activates a protein kinase C-dependent signal transduction pathway that orchestrates transepithelial PMN movement. We show that the type III effector protein, SipA, is not only necessary but is sufficient to induce this proinflammatory response in epithelial cells. Our results force us to reconsider the long-held view that Salmonella effector proteins must be directly delivered into host cells from bacterial cells.

Central regulation of metabolism by protein tyrosine phosphatases

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Ryan eTsou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs are important regulators of intracellular signaling pathways via the dephosphorylation of phosphotyrosyl residues on various receptor and non-receptor substrates. The phosphorylation state of central nervous system (CNS signaling components underlies the molecular mechanisms of a variety of physiological functions including the control of energy balance and glucose homeostasis. In this review, we summarize the current evidence implicating PTPs as central regulators of metabolism, specifically highlighting their interactions with the neuronal leptin and insulin signaling pathways. We discuss the role of a number of PTPs (PTP1B, SHP2, TCPTP, RPTPe, and PTEN, reviewing the findings from genetic mouse models and in vitro studies which highlight these phosphatases as key central regulators of energy homeostasis.

G Protein-coupled Receptors and Resistance to Inhibitors of Cholinesterase-8A (Ric-8A) Both Regulate the Regulator of G Protein Signaling 14 (RGS14)·Gαi1 Complex in Live Cells*

OpenAIRE

Vellano, Christopher P.; Maher, Ellen M.; Hepler, John R.; Blumer, Joe B.

2011-01-01

Background: Regulator of G protein signaling 14 (RGS14) is a G protein regulatory (GPR) protein that participates in unconventional G protein signaling independent of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).

USP21 regulates Hippo pathway activity by mediating MARK protein turnover

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Thanh Hung; Kugler, Jan-Michael; Loya, Anand Chainsukh

2017-01-01

observed in cancer and often correlates with worse survival. The activity and stability of Hippo pathway components, including YAP/TAZ, AMOT and LATS1/2, are regulated by ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. Aberrant expression of ubiquitin ligase complexes that regulate the turnover of Hippo components...

Cysteine regulation of protein function--as exemplified by NMDA-receptor modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipton, Stuart A; Choi, Yun-Beom; Takahashi, Hiroto; Zhang, Dongxian; Li, Weizhong; Godzik, Adam; Bankston, Laurie A

2002-09-01

Until recently cysteine residues, especially those located extracellularly, were thought to be important for metal coordination, catalysis and protein structure by forming disulfide bonds - but they were not thought to regulate protein function. However, this is not the case. Crucial cysteine residues can be involved in modulation of protein activity and signaling events via other reactions of their thiol (sulfhydryl; -SH) groups. These reactions can take several forms, such as redox events (chemical reduction or oxidation), chelation of transition metals (chiefly Zn(2+), Mn(2+) and Cu(2+)) or S-nitrosylation [the catalyzed transfer of a nitric oxide (NO) group to a thiol group]. In several cases, these disparate reactions can compete with one another for the same thiol group on a single cysteine residue, forming a molecular switch composed of a latticework of possible redox, NO or Zn(2+) modifications to control protein function. Thiol-mediated regulation of protein function can also involve reactions of cysteine residues that affect ligand binding allosterically. This article reviews the basis for these molecular cysteine switches, drawing on the NMDA receptor as an exemplary protein, and proposes a molecular model for the action of S-nitrosylation based on recently derived crystal structures.

Nuclear localization signal regulates porcine circovirus type 2 capsid protein nuclear export through phosphorylation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Qiang; Hou, Shaohua; Chen, Qing; Jia, Hong; Xin, Ting; Jiang, Yitong; Guo, Xiaoyu; Zhu, Hongfei

2018-02-15

The open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) encodes the major Capsid (Cap) protein, which self-assembles into virus-like particle (VLP) of similar morphology to the PCV2 virion and accumulates in the nucleus through the N-terminal arginine-rich nuclear localization signal (NLS). In this study, PCV2 Cap protein and its derivates were expressed via the baculovirus expression system, and the cellular localization of the recombinant proteins were investigated using anti-Cap mAb by imaging flow cytometry. Analysis of subcellular localization of Cap protein and its variants demonstrated that NLS mediated Cap protein nuclear export as well as nuclear import, and a phosphorylation site (S17) was identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in the NLS domain to regulate Cap protein nuclear export. Phosphorylation of NLS regulating the PCV2 Cap protein nuclear export was also demonstrated in PK15 cells by fluorescence microscopy. Moreover, the influence of Rep and Rep' protein on Cap protein subcellular localization was investigated in PK15 cells. Phosphorylation of NLS regulating Cap protein nuclear export provides more detailed knowledge of the PCV2 viral life cycle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of pH-sensing Sites in the Light Harvesting Complex Stress-related 3 Protein Essential for Triggering Non-photochemical Quenching in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballottari, Matteo; Truong, Thuy B; De Re, Eleonora; Erickson, Erika; Stella, Giulio R; Fleming, Graham R; Bassi, Roberto; Niyogi, Krishna K

2016-04-01

Light harvesting complex stress-related 3 (LHCSR3) is the protein essential for photoprotective excess energy dissipation (non-photochemical quenching, NPQ) in the model green algaChlamydomonas reinhardtii Activation of NPQ requires low pH in the thylakoid lumen, which is induced in excess light conditions and sensed by lumen-exposed acidic residues. In this work we have used site-specific mutagenesisin vivoandin vitrofor identification of the residues in LHCSR3 that are responsible for sensing lumen pH. Lumen-exposed protonatable residues, aspartate and glutamate, were mutated to asparagine and glutamine, respectively. By expression in a mutant lacking all LHCSR isoforms, residues Asp(117), Glu(221), and Glu(224)were shown to be essential for LHCSR3-dependent NPQ induction inC. reinhardtii Analysis of recombinant proteins carrying the same mutations refoldedin vitrowith pigments showed that the capacity of responding to low pH by decreasing the fluorescence lifetime, present in the wild-type protein, was lost. Consistent with a role in pH sensing, the mutations led to a substantial reduction in binding the NPQ inhibitor dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity—a single molecule technology to measure the bilayer properties experienced by an embedded protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundbæk, Jens August

2008-01-01

, regulate a number of structurally unrelated proteins in an apparently non-specific manner. It is well known that changes in the physical properties of a lipid bilayer (e.g., thickness or monolayer spontaneous curvature) can affect the function of an embedded protein. However, the role of such changes......-dependent sodium channels, N-type calcium channels and GABAA receptors, it has been shown that membrane protein function in living cells can be regulated by amphiphile induced changes in bilayer elasticity. Using the gramicidin channel as a molecular force transducer, a nanotechnology to measure the elastic...... properties experienced by an embedded protein has been developed. A theoretical and technological framework, to study the regulation of membrane protein function by lipid bilayer elasticity, has been established....

Regulation of the activity of the dual-function DnaA protein in Caulobacter crescentus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Fernandez-Fernandez

Full Text Available DnaA is a conserved essential bacterial protein that acts as the initiator of chromosomal replication as well as a master transcriptional regulator in Caulobacter crescentus. Thus, the intracellular levels of active DnaA need to be tightly regulated during the cell cycle. Our previous work suggested that DnaA may be regulated at the level of its activity by the replisome-associated protein HdaA. Here, we describe the construction of a mutant DnaA protein [DnaA(R357A]. The R357 residue in the AAA+ domain of the C. crescentus DnaA protein is equivalent to the R334 residue of the E. coli DnaA protein, which is required for the Regulatory Inactivation of DnaA (RIDA. We found that the expression of the DnaA(R357A mutant protein in C. crescentus, but not the expression of the wild-type DnaA protein at similar levels, causes a severe phenotype of over-initiation of chromosomal replication and that it blocks cell division. Thus, the mutant DnaA(R357A protein is hyper-active to promote the initiation of DNA replication, compared to the wild-type DnaA protein. DnaA(R357A could not replace DnaA in vivo, indicating that the switch in DnaA activity once chromosomal replication has started may be an essential process in C. crescentus. We propose that the inactivation of DnaA is the main mechanism ensuring that chromosomal replication starts only once per cell cycle. We further observed that the R357A substitution in DnaA does not promote the activity of DnaA as a direct transcriptional activator of four important genes, encoding HdaA, the GcrA master cell cycle regulator, the FtsZ cell division protein and the MipZ spatial regulator of cell division. Thus, the AAA+ domain of DnaA may play a role in temporally regulating the bifunctionality of DnaA by reallocating DnaA molecules from initiating DNA replication to transcribing genes within the unique DnaA regulon of C. crescentus.

A Dictyostelium chalone uses G proteins to regulate proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakthavatsalam, Deenadayalan; Choe, Jonathan M; Hanson, Nana E; Gomer, Richard H

2009-07-27

Several studies have shown that organ size, and the proliferation of tumor metastases, may be regulated by negative feedback loops in which autocrine secreted factors called chalones inhibit proliferation. However, very little is known about chalones, and how cells sense them. We previously identified two secreted proteins, AprA and CfaD, which act as chalones in Dictyostelium. Cells lacking AprA or CfaD proliferate faster than wild-type cells, and adding recombinant AprA or CfaD to cells slows their proliferation. We show here that cells lacking the G protein components Galpha8, Galpha9, and Gbeta proliferate faster than wild-type cells despite secreting normal or high levels of AprA and CfaD. Compared with wild-type cells, the proliferation of galpha8-, galpha9- and gbeta- cells are only weakly inhibited by recombinant AprA (rAprA). Like AprA and CfaD, Galpha8 and Gbeta inhibit cell proliferation but not cell growth (the rate of increase in mass and protein per nucleus), whereas Galpha9 inhibits both proliferation and growth. galpha8- cells show normal cell-surface binding of rAprA, whereas galpha9- and gbeta- cells have fewer cell-surface rAprA binding sites, suggesting that Galpha9 and Gbeta regulate the synthesis or processing of the AprA receptor. Like other ligands that activate G proteins, rAprA induces the binding of [3H]GTP to membranes, and GTPgammaS inhibits the binding of rAprA to membranes. Both AprA-induced [3H]GTP binding and the GTPgammaS inhibition of rAprA binding require Galpha8 and Gbeta but not Galpha9. Like aprA- cells, galpha8- cells have reduced spore viability. This study shows that Galpha8 and Gbeta are part of the signal transduction pathway used by AprA to inhibit proliferation but not growth in Dictyostelium, whereas Galpha9 is part of a differealnt pathway that regulates both proliferation and growth, and that a chalone signal transduction pathway uses G proteins.

MRT of carotid stents: influence of stent properties and sequence parameters on visualization of the carotid artery lumen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Straube, T.; Wolf, S.; Alfke, K.; Jansen, O.; Flesser, A.; Deli, M.; Nabavi, A.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate MR artifacts of carotid artery stents and to optimize stent properties and sequence parameters. Material and Methods: Four carotid artery stents - Wallstent (mediloy), Precise (nitinol), ACCULINK (nitinol) and a stent prototype (nitinol) - were investigated in a flow model of the cervical vessels. The model was made of silicon tubing and a flow pump that produces realistic flow curves of the carotid artery. To investigate the effects of magnetic susceptibility and radiofrequency induced shielding artifacts, turbo spin echo and gradient echo sequences as well as CE-MRAs were measured. To improve the visualization of the stent lumen in a CE-MRA, flip angle as well as geometry and covering of the stent prototype were altered. Results: Susceptibility artifacts in stents of the carotid artery only influence the lumen visualization at the proximal and distal end of the braided mediloy stent. A change of stent coverings has no significant influence on radiofrequency artifacts, whereas a reduction in linking elements between stent segments and a change in diameter of stent struts improves visualization of the stent lumen. By increasing the flip angle in a CE-MRA, visualization of the stent lumen is possible in both mediloy and nitinol stents. Conclusion: The choice of stent material and changes in stent geometry as well as the optimization of the flip angle of the CE-MRA may reduce susceptibility and radiofrequency artifacts, rendering feasible the CE-MRA of a stented carotid artery. (orig.)

Engineered elastomeric proteins with dual elasticity can be controlled by a molecular regulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yi; Li, Hongbin

2008-08-01

Elastomeric proteins are molecular springs that confer excellent mechanical properties to many biological tissues and biomaterials. Depending on the role performed by the tissue or biomaterial, elastomeric proteins can behave as molecular springs or shock absorbers. Here we combine single-molecule atomic force microscopy and protein engineering techniques to create elastomeric proteins that can switch between two distinct types of mechanical behaviour in response to the binding of a molecular regulator. The proteins are mechanically labile by design and behave as entropic springs with an elasticity that is governed by their configurational entropy. However, when a molecular regulator binds to the protein, it switches into a mechanically stable state and can act as a shock absorber. These engineered proteins effectively mimic and combine the two extreme forms of elastic behaviour found in natural elastomeric proteins, and thus represent a new type of smart nanomaterial that will find potential applications in nanomechanics and material sciences.

Transcriptional regulation of the Borrelia burgdorferi antigenically variable VlsE surface protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Bykowski, Tomasz; Babb, Kelly; von Lackum, Kate; Riley, Sean P; Norris, Steven J; Stevenson, Brian

2006-07-01

The Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi can persistently infect humans and other animals despite host active immune responses. This is facilitated, in part, by the vls locus, a complex system consisting of the vlsE expression site and an adjacent set of 11 to 15 silent vls cassettes. Segments of nonexpressed cassettes recombine with the vlsE region during infection of mammalian hosts, resulting in combinatorial antigenic variation of the VlsE outer surface protein. We now demonstrate that synthesis of VlsE is regulated during the natural mammal-tick infectious cycle, being activated in mammals but repressed during tick colonization. Examination of cultured B. burgdorferi cells indicated that the spirochete controls vlsE transcription levels in response to environmental cues. Analysis of PvlsE::gfp fusions in B. burgdorferi indicated that VlsE production is controlled at the level of transcriptional initiation, and regions of 5' DNA involved in the regulation were identified. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays detected qualitative and quantitative changes in patterns of protein-DNA complexes formed between the vlsE promoter and cytoplasmic proteins, suggesting the involvement of DNA-binding proteins in the regulation of vlsE, with at least one protein acting as a transcriptional activator.

The calcium-binding protein ALG-2 regulates protein secretion and trafficking via interactions with MISSL and MAP1B proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahara, Terunao; Inoue, Kuniko; Arai, Yumika; Kuwata, Keiko; Shibata, Hideki; Maki, Masatoshi

2017-10-13

Mobilization of intracellular calcium is essential for a wide range of cellular processes, including signal transduction, apoptosis, and vesicular trafficking. Several lines of evidence have suggested that apoptosis-linked gene 2 (ALG-2, also known as PDCD6 ), a calcium-binding protein, acts as a calcium sensor linking calcium levels with efficient vesicular trafficking, especially at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi transport step. However, how ALG-2 regulates these processes remains largely unclear. Here, we report that M APK1- i nteracting and s pindle- s tabilizing (MISS)- l ike (MISSL), a previously uncharacterized protein, interacts with ALG-2 in a calcium-dependent manner. Live-cell imaging revealed that upon a rise in intracellular calcium levels, GFP-tagged MISSL (GFP-MISSL) dynamically relocalizes in a punctate pattern and colocalizes with ALG-2. MISSL knockdown caused disorganization of the components of the ER exit site, the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, and Golgi. Importantly, knockdown of either MISSL or ALG-2 attenuated the secretion of se creted a lkaline p hosphatase (SEAP), a model secreted cargo protein, with similar reductions in secretion by single- and double-protein knockdowns, suggesting that MISSL and ALG-2 act in the same pathway to regulate the secretion process. Furthermore, ALG-2 or MISSL knockdown delayed ER-to-Golgi transport of procollagen type I. We also found that ALG-2 and MISSL interact with microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B) and that MAP1B knockdown reverts the reduced secretion of SEAP caused by MISSL or ALG-2 depletion. These results suggest that a change in the intracellular calcium level plays a role in regulation of the secretory pathway via interaction of ALG-2 with MISSL and MAP1B. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

CALiPER Retail Lamps Study 3.2: Lumen and Chromaticity Maintenance of LED A Lamps Operated in Steady-State Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2014-12-31

This CALiPER report examines lumen depreciation and color shift of 17 different A lamps in steady-state conditions (15 LED, 1 CFL, 1 halogen). The goal of this investigation was to examine the long-term performance of complete LED lamps relative to benchmark halogen and CFL lamps—in this case, A lamps emitting approximately 800 lumens operated continuously at a relatively high ambient temperature of 45°C.

Analysis of the Yeast Kinome Reveals a Network of Regulated Protein Localization during Filamentous Growth

OpenAIRE

Bharucha, Nikë; Ma, Jun; Dobry, Craig J.; Lawson, Sarah K.; Yang, Zhifen; Kumar, Anuj

2008-01-01

The subcellular distribution of kinases and other signaling proteins is regulated in response to cellular cues; however, the extent of this regulation has not been investigated for any gene set in any organism. Here, we present a systematic analysis of protein kinases in the budding yeast, screening for differential localization during filamentous growth. Filamentous growth is an important stress response involving mitogen-activated protein kinase and cAMP-dependent protein kinase signaling m...

Hormone response element binding proteins: novel regulators of vitamin D and estrogen signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisse, Thomas S; Hewison, Martin; Adams, John S

2011-03-01

Insights from vitamin D-resistant New World primates and their human homologues as models of natural and pathological insensitivity to sterol/steroid action have uncovered a family of novel intracellular vitamin D and estrogen regulatory proteins involved in hormone action. The proteins, known as "vitamin D or estrogen response element-binding proteins", behave as potent cis-acting, transdominant regulators to inhibit steroid receptor binding to DNA response elements and is responsible for vitamin D and estrogen resistances. This set of interactors belongs to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) family of previously known pre-mRNA-interacting proteins. This review provides new insights into the mechanism by which these novel regulators of signaling and metabolism can act to regulate responses to vitamin D and estrogen. In addition the review also describes other molecules that are known to influence nuclear receptor signaling through interaction with hormone response elements. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The dual-gate lumen model of renal monoamine transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marty Hinz

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Marty Hinz1, Alvin Stein2, Thomas Uncini31Clinical Research, NeuroResearch Clinics, Inc. Cape Coral, Florida, USA; 2Stein Orthopedic Associates, Plantation, Florida, USA; 3DBS Labs, Duluth, Minnesota, USAAbstract: The three-phase response of urinary serotonin and dopamine in subjects ­simultaneously taking amino acid precursors of serotonin and dopamine has been defined.1,2 No model exists regarding the renal etiology of the three-phase response. This writing outlines a model explaining the origin of the three-phase response of urinary serotonin and dopamine. A “dual-gate lumen transporter model” for the basolateral monoamine transporters of the kidneys is proposed as being the etiology of the three-phase urinary serotonin and dopamine responses.Purpose: The purpose of this writing is to document the internal renal function model that has evolved in research during large-scale assay with phase interpretation of urinary serotonin and dopamine.Patients and methods: In excess of 75,000 urinary monoamine assays from more than 7,500 patients were analyzed. The serotonin and the dopamine phase were determined for specimens submitted in the competitive inhibition state. The phase determination findings were then correlated with peer-reviewed literature.Results: The correlation between the three-phase response of urinary serotonin and dopamine with internal renal processes of the bilateral monoamine transporter and the apical monoamine transporter of the proximal convoluted renal tubule cells is defined.Conclusion: The phase of urinary serotonin and dopamine is dependent on the status of the serotonin gate, dopamine gate, and lumen of the basolateral monoamine transporter while in the competitive inhibition state.Keywords: serotonin, dopamine, basolateral, apical, kidney, proximal

Pancreatic Necrosectomy Through a Novel Double-flange Lumen-apposing Covered Metal Stent (Video

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Andres Sanchez-Yague

2014-12-01

A double flange lumen apposing FC-SEMS used as a port for necrosectomy significantly improves management of walled-off pancreatic necrosis. Placement of this stents should be considered when multiple necrosectomy sessions are anticipated. Procedure time can be significantly decreased using a catheter that combines a cautery tip and stent delivery system.

Engineering a pH-Regulated Switch in the Major Light-Harvesting Complex of Plants (LHCII): Proof of Principle.

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Liguori, Nicoletta; Natali, Alberto; Croce, Roberta

2016-12-15

Under excess light, photosynthetic organisms employ feedback mechanisms to avoid photodamage. Photoprotection is triggered by acidification of the lumen of the photosynthetic membrane following saturation of the metabolic activity. A low pH triggers thermal dissipation of excess absorbed energy by the light-harvesting complexes (LHCs). LHCs are not able to sense pH variations, and their switch to a dissipative mode depends on stress-related proteins and allosteric cofactors. In green algae the trigger is the pigment-protein complex LHCSR3. Its C-terminus is responsible for a pH-driven conformational change from a light-harvesting to a quenched state. Here, we show that by replacing the C-terminus of the main LHC of plants with that of LHCSR3, it is possible to regulate its excited-state lifetime solely via protonation, demonstrating that the protein template of LHCs can be modified to activate reversible quenching mechanisms independent of external cofactors and triggers.

Regulating the ethylene response of a plant by modulation of F-box proteins

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Guo, Hongwei [Beijing, CN; Ecker, Joseph R [Carlsbad, CA

2014-01-07

The relationship between F-box proteins and proteins invovled in the ethylene response in plants is described. In particular, F-box proteins may bind to proteins involved in the ethylene response and target them for degradation by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. The transcription factor EIN3 is a key transcription factor mediating ethylne-regulated gene expression and morphological responses. EIN3 is degraded through a ubiquitin/proteasome pathway mediated by F-box proteins EBF1 and EBF2. The link between F-box proteins and the ethylene response is a key step in modulating or regulating the response of a plant to ethylene. Described herein are transgenic plants having an altered sensitivity to ethylene, and methods for making transgenic plant haing an althered sensitivity to ethylene by modulating the level of activity of F-box proteins. Methods of altering the ethylene response in a plant by modulating the activity or expression of an F-box protein are described. Also described are methods of identifying compounds that modulate the ethylene response in plants by modulating the level of F-box protein expression or activity.

Thioredoxin h regulates calcium dependent protein kinases in plasma membranes.

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Ueoka-Nakanishi, Hanayo; Sazuka, Takashi; Nakanishi, Yoichi; Maeshima, Masayoshi; Mori, Hitoshi; Hisabori, Toru

2013-07-01

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a key player in redox homeostasis in various cells, modulating the functions of target proteins by catalyzing a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction. Target proteins of cytosolic Trx-h of higher plants were studied, particularly in the plasma membrane, because plant plasma membranes include various functionally important protein molecules such as transporters and signal receptors. Plasma membrane proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures were screened using a resin Trx-h1 mutant-immobilized, and a total of 48 candidate proteins obtained. These included two calcium-sensing proteins: a phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase 2 (AtPLC2) and a calcium-dependent protein kinase 21 (AtCPK21). A redox-dependent change in AtCPK21 kinase activity was demonstrated in vitro. Oxidation of AtCPK21 resulted in a decrease in kinase activity to 19% of that of untreated AtCPK21, but Trx-h1 effectively restored the activity to 90%. An intramolecular disulfide bond (Cys97-Cys108) that is responsible for this redox modulation was then identified. In addition, endogenous AtCPK21 was shown to be oxidized in vivo when the culture cells were treated with H2 O2 . These results suggest that redox regulation of AtCPK21 by Trx-h in response to external stimuli is important for appropriate cellular responses. The relationship between the redox regulation system and Ca(2+) signaling pathways is discussed. © 2013 The Authors. FEBS Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of FEBS.

Translational regulation of ribosomal protein S15 drives characteristic patterns of protein-mRNA epistasis.

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Mallik, Saurav; Basu, Sudipto; Hait, Suman; Kundu, Sudip

2018-04-21

Do coding and regulatory segments of a gene co-evolve with each-other? Seeking answers to this question, here we analyze the case of Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S15, that represses its own translation by specifically binding its messenger RNA (rpsO mRNA) and stabilizing a pseudoknot structure at the upstream untranslated region, thus trapping the ribosome into an incomplete translation initiation complex. In the absence of S15, ribosomal protein S1 recognizes rpsO and promotes translation by melting this very pseudoknot. We employ a robust statistical method to detect signatures of positive epistasis between residue site pairs and find that biophysical constraints of translational regulation (S15-rpsO and S1-rpsO recognition, S15-mediated rpsO structural rearrangement, and S1-mediated melting) are strong predictors of positive epistasis. Transforming the epistatic pairs into a network, we find that signatures of two different, but interconnected regulatory cascades are imprinted in the sequence-space and can be captured in terms of two dense network modules that are sparsely connected to each other. This network topology further reflects a general principle of how functionally coupled components of biological networks are interconnected. These results depict a model case, where translational regulation drives characteristic residue-level epistasis-not only between a protein and its own mRNA but also between a protein and the mRNA of an entirely different protein. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Planar cell polarity proteins differentially regulate extracellular matrix organization and assembly during zebrafish gastrulation.

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Dohn, Michael R; Mundell, Nathan A; Sawyer, Leah M; Dunlap, Julie A; Jessen, Jason R

2013-11-01

Zebrafish gastrulation cell movements occur in the context of dynamic changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and require the concerted action of planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins that regulate cell elongation and mediolateral alignment. Data obtained using Xenopus laevis gastrulae have shown that integrin-fibronectin interactions underlie the formation of polarized cell protrusions necessary for PCP and have implicated PCP proteins themselves as regulators of ECM. By contrast, the relationship between establishment of PCP and ECM assembly/remodeling during zebrafish gastrulation is unclear. We previously showed that zebrafish embryos carrying a null mutation in the four-pass transmembrane PCP protein vang-like 2 (vangl2) exhibit increased matrix metalloproteinase activity and decreased immunolabeling of fibronectin. These data implicated for the first time a core PCP protein in the regulation of pericellular proteolysis of ECM substrates and raised the question of whether other zebrafish PCP proteins also impact ECM organization. In Drosophila melanogaster, the cytoplasmic PCP protein Prickle binds Van Gogh and regulates its function. Here we report that similar to vangl2, loss of zebrafish prickle1a decreases fibronectin protein levels in gastrula embryos. We further show that Prickle1a physically binds Vangl2 and regulates both the subcellular distribution and total protein level of Vangl2. These data suggest that the ability of Prickle1a to impact fibronectin organization is at least partly due to effects on Vangl2. In contrast to loss of either Vangl2 or Prickle1a function, we find that glypican4 (a Wnt co-receptor) and frizzled7 mutant gastrula embryos with disrupted non-canonical Wnt signaling exhibit the opposite phenotype, namely increased fibronectin assembly. Our data show that glypican4 mutants do not have decreased proteolysis of ECM substrates, but instead have increased cell surface cadherin protein expression and increased intercellular

Characterization of the heterotrimeric G-protein family and its transmembrane regulator from capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.).

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Romero-Castillo, Rafael A; Roy Choudhury, Swarup; León-Félix, Josefina; Pandey, Sona

2015-05-01

Throughout evolution, organisms have created numerous mechanisms to sense and respond to their environment. One such highly conserved mechanism involves regulation by heterotrimeric G-protein complex comprised of alpha (Gα), beta (Gβ) and gamma (Gγ) subunits. In plants, these proteins play important roles in signal transduction pathways related to growth and development including response to biotic and abiotic stresses and consequently affect yield. In this work, we have identified and characterized the complete heterotrimeric G-protein repertoire in the Capsicum annuum (Capsicum) genome which consists of one Gα, one Gβ and three Gγ genes. We have also identified one RGS gene in the Capsicum genome that acts as a regulator of the G-protein signaling. Biochemical activities of the proteins were confirmed by assessing the GTP-binding and GTPase activity of the recombinant Gα protein and its regulation by the GTPase acceleration activity of the RGS protein. Interaction between different subunits was established using yeast- and plant-based analyses. Gene and protein expression profiles of specific G-protein components revealed interesting spatial and temporal regulation patterns, especially during root development and during fruit development and maturation. This research thus details the characterization of the first heterotrimeric G-protein family from a domesticated, commercially important vegetable crop. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An SMC-like protein binds and regulates Caenorhabditis elegans condensins.

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Lucy Fang-I Chao

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC family proteins participate in multisubunit complexes that govern chromosome structure and dynamics. SMC-containing condensin complexes create chromosome topologies essential for mitosis/meiosis, gene expression, recombination, and repair. Many eukaryotes have two condensin complexes (I and II; C. elegans has three (I, II, and the X-chromosome specialized condensin IDC and their regulation is poorly understood. Here we identify a novel SMC-like protein, SMCL-1, that binds to C. elegans condensin SMC subunits, and modulates condensin functions. Consistent with a possible role as a negative regulator, loss of SMCL-1 partially rescued the lethal and sterile phenotypes of a hypomorphic condensin mutant, while over-expression of SMCL-1 caused lethality, chromosome mis-segregation, and disruption of condensin IDC localization on X chromosomes. Unlike canonical SMC proteins, SMCL-1 lacks hinge and coil domains, and its ATPase domain lacks conserved amino acids required for ATP hydrolysis, leading to the speculation that it may inhibit condensin ATPase activity. SMCL-1 homologs are apparent only in the subset of Caenorhabditis species in which the condensin I and II subunit SMC-4 duplicated to create the condensin IDC- specific subunit DPY-27, suggesting that SMCL-1 helps this lineage cope with the regulatory challenges imposed by evolution of a third condensin complex. Our findings uncover a new regulator of condensins and highlight how the duplication and divergence of SMC complex components in various lineages has created new proteins with diverse functions in chromosome dynamics.

Control of striatal signaling by G protein regulators

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Keqiang eXie

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Signaling via heterotrimeric G proteins plays a crucial role in modulating the responses of striatal neurons that ultimately shape core behaviors mediated by the basal ganglia circuitry, such as reward valuation, habit formation and movement coordination. Activation of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs by extracellular signals activates heterotrimeric G proteins by promoting the binding of GTP to their α subunits. G proteins exert their effects by influencing the activity of key effector proteins in this region, including ion channels, second messenger enzymes and protein kinases. Striatal neurons express a staggering number of GPCRs whose activation results in the engagement of downstream signaling pathways and cellular responses with unique profiles but common molecular mechanisms. Studies over the last decade have revealed that the extent and duration of GPCR signaling are controlled by a conserved protein family named Regulator of G protein Signaling (RGS. RGS proteins accelerate GTP hydrolysis by the α subunits of G proteins, thus promoting deactivation of GPCR signaling. In this review, we discuss the progress made in understanding the roles of RGS proteins in controlling striatal G protein signaling and providing integration and selectivity of signal transmission. We review evidence on the formation of a macromolecular complex between RGS proteins and other components of striatal signaling pathways, their molecular regulatory mechanisms and impacts on GPCR signaling in the striatum obtained from biochemical studies and experiments involving genetic mouse models. Special emphasis is placed on RGS9-2, a member of the RGS family that is highly enriched in the striatum and plays critical roles in drug addiction and motor control.

Monitoring of transcriptional regulation in Pichia pastoris under protein production conditions

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Bhattacharyya Anamitra

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It has become evident that host cells react to recombinant protein production with a variety of metabolic and intrinsic stresses such as the unfolded protein response (UPR pathway. Additionally, environmental conditions such as growth temperature may have a strong impact on cell physiology and specific productivity. However, there is little information about the molecular reactions of the host cells on a genomic level, especially in context to recombinant protein secretion. For the first time, we monitored transcriptional regulation of a subset of marker genes in the common production host Pichia pastoris to gain insights into the general physiological status of the cells under protein production conditions, with the main focus on secretion stress related genes. Results Overexpression of the UPR activating transcription factor Hac1p was employed to identify UPR target genes in P. pastoris and the responses were compared to those known for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Most of the folding/secretion related genes showed similar regulation patterns in both yeasts, whereas genes associated with the general stress response were differentially regulated. Secretion of an antibody Fab fragment led to induction of UPR target genes in P. pastoris, however not to the same magnitude as Hac1p overproduction. Overexpression of S. cerevisiae protein disulfide isomerase (PDI1 enhances Fab secretion rates 1.9 fold, but did not relief UPR stress. Reduction of cultivation temperature from 25°C to 20°C led to a 1.4-fold increase of specific product secretion rate in chemostat cultivations, although the transcriptional levels of the product genes (Fab light and heavy chain were significantly reduced at the lower temperature. A subset of folding related genes appeared to be down-regulated at the reduced temperature, whereas transcription of components of the ER associated degradation and the secretory transport was enhanced. Conclusion Monitoring of

Dual-Lumen Chest Port Infection Rates in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

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Bos, Aaron, E-mail: abos1210@gmail.com; Ahmed, Osman [University of Chicago Medical Center (United States); Jilani, Danial [Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine (United States); Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian S.; Zangan, Steven M. [University of Chicago Medical Center (United States)

2015-06-15

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate dual-lumen chest port infection rates in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to those with other malignancies (non-HNC).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective study was performed on 1,094 consecutive chest ports placed over a 2-year period. Patients with poor follow-up (n = 53), no oncologic history (n = 13), or single-lumen ports (n = 183) were excluded yielding a study population of 845 patients. The electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, data regarding ports and infections, and imaging review.ResultsHNC patients experienced more infections (42 vs. 30), an increased infection rate per 1,000 catheter days (0.68 vs. 0.21), and more early infections within 30 days compared to non-HNC patients (10 vs. 6) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02, respectively). An existing tracheostomy at the time of port placement was associated with infection in the HNC group (p = 0.02) but was not an independent risk factor for infection in the study population overall (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in age, male gender, and right-sided ports between the HNC and non-HNC groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01), although these were not found to be independent risk factors for infection (p = 0.32, p = 0.76, p = 0.16).ConclusionHNC patients are at increased risk for infection of dual-lumen chest ports placed via a jugular approach compared to patients with other malignancies. Tracheostomy is associated with infection in HNC patients but is not an independent risk factor for infection in the oncologic population as a whole.

Dual-Lumen Chest Port Infection Rates in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bos, Aaron; Ahmed, Osman; Jilani, Danial; Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian S.; Zangan, Steven M.

2015-01-01

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate dual-lumen chest port infection rates in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) compared to those with other malignancies (non-HNC).Materials and MethodsAn IRB-approved retrospective study was performed on 1,094 consecutive chest ports placed over a 2-year period. Patients with poor follow-up (n = 53), no oncologic history (n = 13), or single-lumen ports (n = 183) were excluded yielding a study population of 845 patients. The electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, data regarding ports and infections, and imaging review.ResultsHNC patients experienced more infections (42 vs. 30), an increased infection rate per 1,000 catheter days (0.68 vs. 0.21), and more early infections within 30 days compared to non-HNC patients (10 vs. 6) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.02, respectively). An existing tracheostomy at the time of port placement was associated with infection in the HNC group (p = 0.02) but was not an independent risk factor for infection in the study population overall (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in age, male gender, and right-sided ports between the HNC and non-HNC groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, and p = 0.01), although these were not found to be independent risk factors for infection (p = 0.32, p = 0.76, p = 0.16).ConclusionHNC patients are at increased risk for infection of dual-lumen chest ports placed via a jugular approach compared to patients with other malignancies. Tracheostomy is associated with infection in HNC patients but is not an independent risk factor for infection in the oncologic population as a whole

Proteolytic degradation of regulator of G protein signaling 2 facilitates temporal regulation of Gq/11 signaling and vascular contraction.

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Kanai, Stanley M; Edwards, Alethia J; Rurik, Joel G; Osei-Owusu, Patrick; Blumer, Kendall J

2017-11-24

Regulator of G protein signaling 2 (RGS2) controls signaling by receptors coupled to the G q/11 class heterotrimeric G proteins. RGS2 deficiency causes several phenotypes in mice and occurs in several diseases, including hypertension in which a proteolytically unstable RGS2 mutant has been reported. However, the mechanisms and functions of RGS2 proteolysis remain poorly understood. Here we addressed these questions by identifying degradation signals in RGS2, and studying dynamic regulation of G q/11 -evoked Ca 2+ signaling and vascular contraction. We identified a novel bipartite degradation signal in the N-terminal domain of RGS2. Mutations disrupting this signal blunted proteolytic degradation downstream of E3 ubiquitin ligase binding to RGS2. Analysis of RGS2 mutants proteolyzed at various rates and the effects of proteasome inhibition indicated that proteolytic degradation controls agonist efficacy by setting RGS2 protein expression levels, and affecting the rate at which cells regain agonist responsiveness as synthesis of RGS2 stops. Analyzing contraction of mesenteric resistance arteries supported the biological relevance of this mechanism. Because RGS2 mRNA expression often is strikingly and transiently up-regulated and then down-regulated upon cell stimulation, our findings indicate that proteolytic degradation tightly couples RGS2 transcription, protein levels, and function. Together these mechanisms provide tight temporal control of G q/11 -coupled receptor signaling in the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

HCV core protein-induced down-regulation of microRNA-152 promoted aberrant proliferation by regulating Wnt1 in HepG2 cells.

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Shifeng Huang

Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV has been reported to regulate cellular microRNAs (miRNAs. The HCV core protein is considered to be a potential oncoprotein in HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCV-HCC, but HCV core-regulated miRNAs are largely unknown. Our preliminary experiments revealed significant down-regulation of microRNA-152 (miR-152 by HCV core protein in HepG2 cells. Through target gene prediction softwares, Wnt1 was predicted to be a potential target of miR-152. The present study was initiated to investigate whether miR-152 is aberrantly regulated by the HCV core protein, and involved in the regulation of the aberrant proliferation of HCV-HCC cells.MiR-152 levels were examined by stem-loop real-time RT-PCR (SLqRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was analyzed by MTT and colony formation assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Luciferase reporter assay was conducted to confirm miRNA-target association. Wnt1 expression was determined by real-time qPCR and Western blotting.HCV core protein significantly suppressed miR-152 expression, and led to significant Wnt1 up-regulation with a concomitant aberrantly promoted proliferation. Moreover, we validated that miR-152 inhibition promoted, while miR-152 mimics inhibited cell proliferation. Using, qRT-PCR and western blot, Wnt1 was demonstrated to be regulated by miR-152. Luciferase activity assay showed that while miR-152 mimics significantly reduced the luciferase activity by 83.76% (P<0.0001, miR-152 inhibitor showed no effect on luciferase reporter. Most notably, salvage expression of miR-152 after Ad-HCV core infection for 24 h almost totally reversed the proliferation-promoting effect of the HCV core protein, and meanwhile, reduced the expression of both Wnt1 mRNA and protein to basal levels.These findings provide important evidence that the reduced miR-152 expression by HCV core protein can indirectly lose an inhibitory effect on Wnt1, which might, at least partially lead to cell

Identification of proteins regulated by curcumin in cerebral ischemia.

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Shah, Fawad-Ali; Gim, Sang-Ah; Sung, Jin-Hee; Jeon, Seong-Jun; Kim, Myeong-Ok; Koh, Phil-Ok

2016-03-01

Curcumin is known to have a neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia. The objective of this study was to identify various proteins that are differentially expressed by curcumin treatment in focal cerebral ischemia using a proteomic approach. Adult male rats were treated with vehicle or curcumin 1 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Brain tissues were collected 24 h after the onset of middle cerebral artery occlusion, and cerebral cortices proteins were identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. We detected several proteins with altered expression levels between vehicle- and curcumin-treated animals. Among these proteins, ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1, isocitrate dehydrogenase, adenosylhomocysteinase, and eukaryotic initiation factor 4A were decreased in the vehicle-treated animal, and curcumin treatment attenuated the injury-induced decreases of these proteins. Conversely, pyridoxal phosphate phosphatase was increased in the vehicle-treated animal, and curcumin treatment prevented decreases in this protein. The identified altered proteins are associated with cellular metabolism and differentiation. The results of this study suggest that curcumin exerts a neuroprotective effect by regulating the expression of various proteins in focal cerebral ischemia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Specific interaction between hnRNP H and HPV16 L1 proteins: Implications for late gene auto-regulation enabling rapid viral capsid protein production

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Zheng, Zi-Zheng; Sun, Yuan-Yuan; Zhao, Min; Huang, Hui [National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); Zhang, Jun; Xia, Ning-Shao [National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); Miao, Ji, E-mail: jmiao@xmu.edu.cn [National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); Zhao, Qinjian, E-mail: qinjian_zhao@xmu.edu.cn [National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China)

2013-01-18

Highlights: ► The RNA-binding hnRNP H regulates late viral gene expression. ► hnRNP H activity was inhibited by a late viral protein. ► Specific interaction between HPV L1 and hnRNP H was demonstrated. ► Co-localization of HPV L1 and hnRNP H inside cells was observed. ► Viral capsid protein production, enabling rapid capsid assembly, was implicated. -- Abstract: Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs), including hnRNP H, are RNA-binding proteins that function as splicing factors and are involved in downstream gene regulation. hnRNP H, which binds to G triplet regions in RNA, has been shown to play an important role in regulating the staged expression of late proteins in viral systems. Here, we report that the specific association between hnRNP H and a late viral capsid protein, human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 protein, leads to the suppressed function of hnRNP H in the presence of the L1 protein. The direct interaction between the L1 protein and hnRNP H was demonstrated by complex formation in solution and intracellularly using a variety of biochemical and immunochemical methods, including peptide mapping, specific co-immunoprecipitation and confocal fluorescence microscopy. These results support a working hypothesis that a late viral protein HPV16 L1, which is down regulated by hnRNP H early in the viral life cycle may provide an auto-regulatory positive feedback loop that allows the rapid production of HPV capsid proteins through suppression of the function of hnRNP H at the late stage of the viral life cycle. In this positive feedback loop, the late viral gene products that were down regulated earlier themselves disable their suppressors, and this feedback mechanism could facilitate the rapid production of capsid proteins, allowing staged and efficient viral capsid assembly.

VCP and ATL1 regulate endoplasmic reticulum and protein synthesis for dendritic spine formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Yu-Tzu; Hsueh, Yi-Ping

2016-03-17

Imbalanced protein homeostasis, such as excessive protein synthesis and protein aggregation, is a pathogenic hallmark of a range of neurological disorders. Here, using expression of mutant proteins, a knockdown approach and disease mutation knockin mice, we show that VCP (valosin-containing protein), together with its cofactor P47 and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) morphology regulator ATL1 (Atlastin-1), regulates tubular ER formation and influences the efficiency of protein synthesis to control dendritic spine formation in neurons. Strengthening the significance of protein synthesis in dendritic spinogenesis, the translation blocker cyclohexamide and the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin reduce dendritic spine density, while a leucine supplement that increases protein synthesis ameliorates the dendritic spine defects caused by Vcp and Atl1 deficiencies. Because VCP and ATL1 are the causative genes of several neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, we suggest that impaired ER formation and inefficient protein synthesis are significant in the pathogenesis of multiple neurological disorders.

PSB27: A thylakoid protein enabling Arabidopsis to adapt to changing light intensity

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Hou, Xin [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept of Plant and Microbial Biology; Garcia, Veder J. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept of Plant and Microbial Biology; Buchanan, Bob B. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept of Plant and Microbial Biology; Luan, Sheng [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept of Plant and Microbial Biology

2016-08-22

Project Title: Immunophilins in the assembly and maintenance of photosynthetic electron transport chain in Arabidopsis Applicant: The Regents of the University of California PI: Sheng Luan, University of California at Berkeley Photosynthetic light energy conversion entails coordinated function of complex molecular machines that capture and convert light energy into chemical forms through photosynthetic electron transport chain. Each molecular machine, such as photosystem II (PSII), may consist of dozens of protein subunits and small molecule cofactors. Despite advanced understanding of the structure and function of these complexes, little is known about “How individual proteins and cofactors assemble into a functional machine and how do these molecular machines maintain their structure and function under a highly hazardous lumenal environment.” Our studies on immunophilins have unexpectedly contributed to the understanding of this question. Originally defined as cellular receptors for immunosuppressants, immunophilins have been discovered in a wide range of organisms from bacteria, fungi, plants, to animals. Immunophilins function in protein folding processes as chaperones and foldases. Arabidopsis genome encodes ca. 50 immunophilins. The most striking finding is that 16 immunophilin members are targeted to chloroplast thylakoid lumen, by far the largest group in the lumenal proteome. What is the function of immunophilins in the thylakoid lumen? Our studies have demonstrated critical roles for several immunophilins in the biogenesis and maintenance of photosynthetic complexes such as PSII. These studies have made a critical link between immunophilins and the assembly of photosynthetic machines and thus opened up a new area of research in photosynthesis. Our goal is to dissect the roles of immunophilins and their partners in the assembly and maintenance of the photosynthetic electron transport chain. The specific objectives for this funding period will be: 1. To

G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 negatively regulates chemokine signaling at a level downstream from G protein subunits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jimenez-Sainz, MC; Murga, C; Kavelaars, A; Jurado-Pueyo, M; Krakstad, BF; Heijnen, CJ; Mayor, F; Aragay, AM

The G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) phosphorylates and desensitizes ligand-activated G protein-coupled-receptors. Here, evidence is shown for a novel role of GRK2 in regulating chemokine-mediated signals. The presence of increased levels of GRK2 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells

Protein targeting to glycogen is a master regulator of glycogen synthesis in astrocytes

OpenAIRE

E. Ruchti; P.J. Roach; A.A. DePaoli-Roach; P.J. Magistretti; I. Allaman

2016-01-01

The storage and use of glycogen, the main energy reserve in the brain, is a metabolic feature of astrocytes. Glycogen synthesis is regulated by Protein Targeting to Glycogen (PTG), a member of specific glycogen-binding subunits of protein phosphatase-1 (PPP1). It positively regulates glycogen synthesis through de-phosphorylation of both glycogen synthase (activation) and glycogen phosphorylase (inactivation). In cultured astrocytes, PTG mRNA levels were previously shown to be enhanced by the ...

FACTORS AND COMPLICATIONS AFFECTING CATHETER AND TECHNIQUE SURVIVAL WITH PERMANENT SINGLE-LUMEN DIALYSIS CATHETERS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DEMEESTER, J; VANHOLDER, R; DEROOSE, J; RINGOIR, S

1994-01-01

This long-term study on the outcome of permanent silicone single-lumen dialysis catheters consisted of 43 surgically inserted catheters in 33 patients. All catheters were attached to a pressure-pressure single-cannula dialysis system. Technique and catheter survival were 80 and 59% at 1 year, and 63

The cardiac copper chaperone proteins Sco1 and CCS are up-regulated, but Cox 1 and Cox4 are down-regulated, by copper deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Getz, Jean; Lin, Dingbo; Medeiros, Denis M

2011-10-01

Copper is ferried in a cell complexed to chaperone proteins, and in the heart much copper is required for cytochrome c oxidase (Cox). It is not completely understood how copper status affects the levels of these proteins. Here we determined if dietary copper deficiency could up- or down-regulate select copper chaperone proteins and Cox subunits 1 and 4 in cardiac tissue of rats. Sixteen weanling male Long-Evans rats were randomized into treatment groups, one group receiving a copper-deficient diet (CCS, Sco1, Ctr1, Cox17, Cox1, and Cox4 by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. No changes were observed in the concentrations of CTR1 and Cox17 between copper-adequate and copper-deficient rats. CCS and Sco1 were up-regulated and Cox1 and Cox4 were both down-regulated as a result of copper deficiency. These data suggest that select chaperone proteins and may be up-regulated, and Cox1 and 4 down-regulated, by a dietary copper deficiency, whereas others appear not to be affected by copper status.

A Dictyostelium chalone uses G proteins to regulate proliferation

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Hanson Nana E

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several studies have shown that organ size, and the proliferation of tumor metastases, may be regulated by negative feedback loops in which autocrine secreted factors called chalones inhibit proliferation. However, very little is known about chalones, and how cells sense them. We previously identified two secreted proteins, AprA and CfaD, which act as chalones in Dictyostelium. Cells lacking AprA or CfaD proliferate faster than wild-type cells, and adding recombinant AprA or CfaD to cells slows their proliferation. Results We show here that cells lacking the G protein components Galpha8, Galpha9, and Gbeta proliferate faster than wild-type cells despite secreting normal or high levels of AprA and CfaD. Compared with wild-type cells, the proliferation of galpha8-, galpha9- and gbeta- cells are only weakly inhibited by recombinant AprA (rAprA. Like AprA and CfaD, Galpha8 and Gbeta inhibit cell proliferation but not cell growth (the rate of increase in mass and protein per nucleus, whereas Galpha9 inhibits both proliferation and growth. galpha8- cells show normal cell-surface binding of rAprA, whereas galpha9- and gbeta- cells have fewer cell-surface rAprA binding sites, suggesting that Galpha9 and Gbeta regulate the synthesis or processing of the AprA receptor. Like other ligands that activate G proteins, rAprA induces the binding of [3H]GTP to membranes, and GTPgammaS inhibits the binding of rAprA to membranes. Both AprA-induced [3H]GTP binding and the GTPgammaS inhibition of rAprA binding require Galpha8 and Gbeta but not Galpha9. Like aprA- cells, galpha8- cells have reduced spore viability. Conclusion This study shows that Galpha8 and Gbeta are part of the signal transduction pathway used by AprA to inhibit proliferation but not growth in Dictyostelium, whereas Galpha9 is part of a differealnt pathway that regulates both proliferation and growth, and that a chalone signal transduction pathway uses G proteins.

pH controlled gating of toxic protein pores by dendrimers

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Mandal, Taraknath; Kanchi, Subbarao; Ayappa, K. G.; Maiti, Prabal K.

2016-06-01

Designing effective nanoscale blockers for membrane inserted pores formed by pore forming toxins, which are expressed by several virulent bacterial strains, on a target cell membrane is a challenging and active area of research. Here we demonstrate that PAMAM dendrimers can act as effective pH controlled gating devices once the pore has been formed. We have used fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to characterize the cytolysin A (ClyA) protein pores modified with fifth generation (G5) PAMAM dendrimers. Our results show that the PAMAM dendrimer, in either its protonated (P) or non-protonated (NP) states can spontaneously enter the protein lumen. Protonated dendrimers interact strongly with the negatively charged protein pore lumen. As a consequence, P dendrimers assume a more expanded configuration efficiently blocking the pore when compared with the more compact configuration adopted by the neutral NP dendrimers creating a greater void space for the passage of water and ions. To quantify the effective blockage of the protein pore, we have calculated the pore conductance as well as the residence times by applying a weak force on the ions/water. Ionic currents are reduced by 91% for the P dendrimers and 31% for the NP dendrimers. The preferential binding of Cl- counter ions to the P dendrimer creates a zone of high Cl- concentration in the vicinity of the internalized dendrimer and a high concentration of K+ ions in the transmembrane region of the pore lumen. In addition to steric effects, this induced charge segregation for the P dendrimer effectively blocks ionic transport through the pore. Our investigation shows that the bio-compatible PAMAM dendrimers can potentially be used to develop therapeutic protocols based on the pH sensitive gating of pores formed by pore forming toxins to mitigate bacterial infections.Designing effective nanoscale blockers for membrane inserted pores formed by pore forming toxins, which are expressed by several virulent

Comparative 2D-DIGE proteomic analysis of bovine mammary epithelial cells during lactation reveals protein signatures for lactation persistency and milk yield.

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Jagadeesh Janjanam

Full Text Available Mammary gland is made up of a branching network of ducts that end with alveoli which surrounds the lumen. These alveolar mammary epithelial cells (MEC reflect the milk producing ability of farm animals. In this study, we have used 2D-DIGE and mass spectrometry to identify the protein changes in MEC during immediate early, peak and late stages of lactation and also compared differentially expressed proteins in MEC isolated from milk of high and low milk producing cows. We have identified 41 differentially expressed proteins during lactation stages and 22 proteins in high and low milk yielding cows. Bioinformatics analysis showed that a majority of the differentially expressed proteins are associated in metabolic process, catalytic and binding activity. The differentially expressed proteins were mapped to the available biological pathways and networks involved in lactation. The proteins up-regulated during late stage of lactation are associated with NF-κB stress induced signaling pathways and whereas Akt, PI3K and p38/MAPK signaling pathways are associated with high milk production mediated through insulin hormone signaling.

Regulation of Cellular Redox Signaling by Matricellular Proteins in Vascular Biology, Immunology, and Cancer.

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Roberts, David D; Kaur, Sukhbir; Isenberg, Jeffrey S

2017-10-20

In contrast to structural elements of the extracellular matrix, matricellular proteins appear transiently during development and injury responses, but their sustained expression can contribute to chronic disease. Through interactions with other matrix components and specific cell surface receptors, matricellular proteins regulate multiple signaling pathways, including those mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and H 2 S. Dysregulation of matricellular proteins contributes to the pathogenesis of vascular diseases and cancer. Defining the molecular mechanisms and receptors involved is revealing new therapeutic opportunities. Recent Advances: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) regulates NO, H 2 S, and superoxide production and signaling in several cell types. The TSP1 receptor CD47 plays a central role in inhibition of NO signaling, but other TSP1 receptors also modulate redox signaling. The matricellular protein CCN1 engages some of the same receptors to regulate redox signaling, and ADAMTS1 regulates NO signaling in Marfan syndrome. In addition to mediating matricellular protein signaling, redox signaling is emerging as an important pathway that controls the expression of several matricellular proteins. Redox signaling remains unexplored for many matricellular proteins. Their interactions with multiple cellular receptors remains an obstacle to defining signaling mechanisms, but improved transgenic models could overcome this barrier. Therapeutics targeting the TSP1 receptor CD47 may have beneficial effects for treating cardiovascular disease and cancer and have recently entered clinical trials. Biomarkers are needed to assess their effects on redox signaling in patients and to evaluate how these contribute to their therapeutic efficacy and potential side effects. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 874-911.

Investigation of Pokemon-regulated proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma using mass spectrometry-based multiplex quantitative proteomics.

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Bi, Xin; Jin, Yibao; Gao, Xiang; Liu, Feng; Gao, Dan; Jiang, Yuyang; Liu, Hongxia

2013-01-01

Pokemon is a transcription regulator involved in embryonic development, cellular differentiation and oncogenesis. It is aberrantly overexpressed in multiple human cancers including Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is considered as a promising biomarker for HCC. In this work, the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomics strategy was used to investigate the proteomic profile associated with Pokemon in human HCC cell line QGY7703 and human hepatocyte line HL7702. Samples were labeled with four-plex iTRAQ reagents followed by two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis. A total of 24 differentially expressed proteins were selected as significant. Nine proteins were potentially up-regulated by Pokemon while 15 proteins were potentially down-regulated and many proteins were previously identified as potential biomarkers for HCC. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment revealed that the listed proteins were mainly involved in DNA metabolism and biosynthesis process. The changes of glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase (G6PD, up-regulated) and ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase large sub-unit (RIM1, down-regulated) were validated by Western blotting analysis and denoted as Pokemon's function of oncogenesis. We also found that Pokemon potentially repressed the expression of highly clustered proteins (MCM3, MCM5, MCM6, MCM7) which played key roles in promoting DNA replication. Altogether, our results may help better understand the role of Pokemon in HCC and promote the clinical applications.

Rap1 integrates tissue polarity, lumen formation, and tumorigenicpotential in human breast epithelial cells

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Itoh, Masahiko; Nelson, Celeste M.; Myers, Connie A.; Bissell,Mina J.

2006-09-29

Maintenance of apico-basal polarity in normal breast epithelial acini requires a balance between cell proliferation, cell death, and proper cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix signaling. Aberrations in any of these processes can disrupt tissue architecture and initiate tumor formation. Here we show that the small GTPase Rap1 is a crucial element in organizing acinar structure and inducing lumen formation. Rap1 activity in malignant HMT-3522 T4-2 cells is appreciably higher than in S1 cells, their non-malignant counterparts. Expression of dominant-negative Rap1 resulted in phenotypic reversion of T4-2 cells, led to formation of acinar structures with correct apico-basal polarity, and dramatically reduced tumor incidence despite the persistence of genomic abnormalities. The resulting acini contained prominent central lumina not observed when other reverting agents were used. Conversely, expression of dominant-active Rap1 in T4-2 cells inhibited phenotypic reversion and led to increased invasiveness and tumorigenicity. Thus, Rap1 acts as a central regulator of breast architecture, with normal levels of activation instructing apical polarity during acinar morphogenesis, and increased activation inducing tumor formation and progression to malignancy.

Arabidopsis protein phosphatase DBP1 nucleates a protein network with a role in regulating plant defense.

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José Luis Carrasco

Full Text Available Arabidopsis thaliana DBP1 belongs to the plant-specific family of DNA-binding protein phosphatases. Although recently identified as a novel host factor mediating susceptibility to potyvirus, little is known about DBP1 targets and partners and the molecular mechanisms underlying its function. Analyzing changes in the phosphoproteome of a loss-of-function dbp1 mutant enabled the identification of 14-3-3λ isoform (GRF6, a previously reported DBP1 interactor, and MAP kinase (MAPK MPK11 as components of a small protein network nucleated by DBP1, in which GRF6 stability is modulated by MPK11 through phosphorylation, while DBP1 in turn negatively regulates MPK11 activity. Interestingly, grf6 and mpk11 loss-of-function mutants showed altered response to infection by the potyvirus Plum pox virus (PPV, and the described molecular mechanism controlling GRF6 stability was recapitulated upon PPV infection. These results not only contribute to a better knowledge of the biology of DBP factors, but also of MAPK signalling in plants, with the identification of GRF6 as a likely MPK11 substrate and of DBP1 as a protein phosphatase regulating MPK11 activity, and unveils the implication of this protein module in the response to PPV infection in Arabidopsis.

Comparative vesicle proteomics reveals selective regulation of protein expression in chestnut blight fungus by a hypovirus.

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Wang, Jinzi; Wang, Fangzhen; Feng, Youjun; Mi, Ke; Chen, Qi; Shang, Jinjie; Chen, Baoshan

2013-01-14

The chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) and hypovirus constitute a model system to study fungal pathogenesis and mycovirus-host interaction. Knowledge in this field has been gained largely from investigations at gene transcription level so far. Here we report a systematic analysis of the vesicle proteins of the host fungus with/without hypovirus infection. Thirty-three differentially expressed protein spots were identified in the purified vesicle protein samples by two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Down-regulated proteins were mostly cargo proteins involved in primary metabolism and energy generation and up-regulated proteins were mostly vesicle associated proteins and ABC transporter. A virus-encoded protein p48 was found to have four forms with different molecular mass in vesicles from the virus-infected strain. While a few of the randomly selected differentially expressed proteins were in accordance with their transcription profiles, majority were not in agreement with their mRNA accumulation patterns, suggesting that an extensive post-transcriptional regulation may have occurred in the host fungus upon a hypovirus infection. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beyond the Dopamine Receptor: Regulation and Roles of Serine/Threonine Protein Phosphatases

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Sven I Walaas

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Dopamine plays an important modulatory role in the central nervous system, helping to control critical aspects of motor function and reward learning. Alteration in normal dopaminergic neurotransmission underlies multiple neurological diseases including schizophrenia, Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. Modulation of dopamine-regulated signaling pathways is also important in the addictive actions of most drugs of abuse. Our studies over the last 30 years have focused on the molecular actions of dopamine acting on medium spiny neurons, the predominant neurons of the neostriatum. Striatum-enriched phosphoproteins, particularly DARPP-32, RCS (Regulator of Calmodulin Signaling and ARPP-16, mediate pleiotropic actions of dopamine. Notably, each of these proteins, either directly or indirectly, regulates the activity of one of the three major subclasses of serine/threonine protein phosphatases, PP1, PP2B and PP2A, respectively. For example, phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr34 by protein kinase A results in potent inhibition of PP1, leading to potentiation of dopaminergic signaling at multiple steps from the dopamine receptor to the nucleus. The discovery of DARPP-32 and its emergence as a critical molecular integrator of striatal signaling will be discussed, as will more recent studies that highlight novel roles for RCS and ARPP-16 in dopamine-regulated striatal signaling pathways.

Protein kinase C signaling and cell cycle regulation

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Adrian R Black

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A link between T cell proliferation and the protein kinase C (PKC family of serine/threonine kinases has been recognized for about thirty years. However, despite the wealth of information on PKC-mediated control of T cell activation, understanding of the effects of PKCs on the cell cycle machinery in this cell type remains limited. Studies in other systems have revealed important cell cycle-specific effects of PKC signaling that can either positively or negatively impact proliferation. The outcome of PKC activation is highly context-dependent, with the precise cell cycle target(s and overall effects determined by the specific isozyme involved, the timing of PKC activation, the cell type, and the signaling environment. Although PKCs can regulate all stages of the cell cycle, they appear to predominantly affect G0/G1 and G2. PKCs can modulate multiple cell cycle regulatory molecules, including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks, cdk inhibitors and cdc25 phosphatases; however, evidence points to Cip/Kip cdk inhibitors and D-type cyclins as key mediators of PKC-regulated cell cycle-specific effects. Several PKC isozymes can target Cip/Kip proteins to control G0/G1→S and/or G2→M transit, while effects on D-type cyclins regulate entry into and progression through G1. Analysis of PKC signaling in T cells has largely focused on its roles in T cell activation; thus, observed cell cycle effects are mainly positive. A prominent role is emerging for PKCθ, with non-redundant functions of other isozymes also described. Additional evidence points to PKCδ as a negative regulator of the cell cycle in these cells. As in other cell types, context-dependent effects of individual isozymes have been noted in T cells, and Cip/Kip cdk inhibitors and D-type cyclins appear to be major PKC targets. Future studies are anticipated to take advantage of the similarities between these various systems to enhance understanding of PKC-mediated cell cycle regulation in

R7-binding protein targets the G protein β5/R7-regulator of G protein signaling complex to lipid rafts in neuronal cells and brain

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Zhang Jian-Hua

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins, composed of Gα, Gβ, and Gγ subunits, are positioned at the inner face of the plasma membrane and relay signals from activated G protein-coupled cell surface receptors to various signaling pathways. Gβ5 is the most structurally divergent Gβ isoform and forms tight heterodimers with regulator of G protein signalling (RGS proteins of the R7 subfamily (R7-RGS. The subcellular localization of Gβ 5/R7-RGS protein complexes is regulated by the palmitoylation status of the associated R7-binding protein (R7BP, a recently discovered SNARE-like protein. We investigate here whether R7BP controls the targeting of Gβ5/R7-RGS complexes to lipid rafts, cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains where conventional heterotrimeric G proteins and some effector proteins are concentrated in neurons and brain. Results We show that endogenous Gβ5/R7-RGS/R7BP protein complexes are present in native neuron-like PC12 cells and that a fraction is targeted to low-density, detergent-resistant membrane lipid rafts. The buoyant density of endogenous raft-associated Gβ5/R7-RGS protein complexes in PC12 cells was similar to that of lipid rafts containing the palmitoylated marker proteins PSD-95 and LAT, but distinct from that of the membrane microdomain where flotillin was localized. Overexpression of wild-type R7BP, but not its palmitoylation-deficient mutant, greatly enriched the fraction of endogenous Gβ5/R7-RGS protein complexes in the lipid rafts. In HEK-293 cells the palmitoylation status of R7BP also regulated the lipid raft targeting of co-expressed Gβ5/R7-RGS/R7BP proteins. A fraction of endogenous Gβ5/R7-RGS/R7BP complexes was also present in lipid rafts in mouse brain. Conclusion A fraction of Gβ5/R7-RGS/R7BP protein complexes is targeted to low-density, detergent-resistant membrane lipid rafts in PC12 cells and brain. In cultured cells, the palmitoylation status of

Regulation of multispanning membrane protein topology via post-translational annealing.

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Van Lehn, Reid C; Zhang, Bin; Miller, Thomas F

2015-09-26

The canonical mechanism for multispanning membrane protein topogenesis suggests that protein topology is established during cotranslational membrane integration. However, this mechanism is inconsistent with the behavior of EmrE, a dual-topology protein for which the mutation of positively charged loop residues, even close to the C-terminus, leads to dramatic shifts in its topology. We use coarse-grained simulations to investigate the Sec-facilitated membrane integration of EmrE and its mutants on realistic biological timescales. This work reveals a mechanism for regulating membrane-protein topogenesis, in which initially misintegrated configurations of the proteins undergo post-translational annealing to reach fully integrated multispanning topologies. The energetic barriers associated with this post-translational annealing process enforce kinetic pathways that dictate the topology of the fully integrated proteins. The proposed mechanism agrees well with the experimentally observed features of EmrE topogenesis and provides a range of experimentally testable predictions regarding the effect of translocon mutations on membrane protein topogenesis.

Ligand-regulated peptides: a general approach for modulating protein-peptide interactions with small molecules.

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Binkowski, Brock F; Miller, Russell A; Belshaw, Peter J

2005-07-01

We engineered a novel ligand-regulated peptide (LiRP) system where the binding activity of intracellular peptides is controlled by a cell-permeable small molecule. In the absence of ligand, peptides expressed as fusions in an FKBP-peptide-FRB-GST LiRP scaffold protein are free to interact with target proteins. In the presence of the ligand rapamycin, or the nonimmunosuppressive rapamycin derivative AP23102, the scaffold protein undergoes a conformational change that prevents the interaction of the peptide with the target protein. The modular design of the scaffold enables the creation of LiRPs through rational design or selection from combinatorial peptide libraries. Using these methods, we identified LiRPs that interact with three independent targets: retinoblastoma protein, c-Src, and the AMP-activated protein kinase. The LiRP system should provide a general method to temporally and spatially regulate protein function in cells and organisms.

Unfolded protein response and activated degradative pathways regulation in GNE myopathy.

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Honghao Li

Full Text Available Although intracellular beta amyloid (Aβ accumulation is known as an early upstream event in the degenerative course of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase (GNE myopathy, the process by which Aβdeposits initiate various degradative pathways, and their relationship have not been fully clarified. We studied the possible secondary responses after amyloid beta precursor protein (AβPP deposition including unfolded protein response (UPR, ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS activation and its correlation with autophagy system. Eight GNE myopathy patients and five individuals with normal muscle morphology were included in this study. We performed immunofluorescence and immunoblotting to investigate the expression of AβPP, phosphorylated tau (p-tau and endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperones. Proteasome activities were measured by cleavage of fluorogenic substrates. The expression of proteasome subunits and linkers between proteasomal and autophagy systems were also evaluated by immunoblotting and relative quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Four molecular chaperones, glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78, calreticulin and calnexin and valosin containing protein (VCP were highly expressed in GNE myopathy. 20S proteasome subunits, three main proteasome proteolytic activities, and the factors linking UPS and autophagy system were also increased. Our study suggests that AβPP deposition results in endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS and highly expressed VCP deliver unfolded proteins from endoplasmic reticulum to proteosomal system which is activated in endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation (ERAD in GNE myopathy. Excessive ubiquitinated unfolded proteins are exported by proteins that connect UPS and autophagy to autophagy system, which is activated as an alternative pathway for degradation.

Prediction of L70 lumen maintenance and chromaticity for LEDs using extended Kalman filter models

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Lall, Pradeep; Wei, Junchao; Davis, Lynn

2013-09-30

Solid-state lighting (SSL) luminaires containing light emitting diodes (LEDs) have the potential of seeing excessive temperatures when being transported across country or being stored in non-climate controlled warehouses. They are also being used in outdoor applications in desert environments that see little or no humidity but will experience extremely high temperatures during the day. This makes it important to increase our understanding of what effects high temperature exposure for a prolonged period of time will have on the usability and survivability of these devices. Traditional light sources “burn out” at end-of-life. For an incandescent bulb, the lamp life is defined by B50 life. However, the LEDs have no filament to “burn”. The LEDs continually degrade and the light output decreases eventually below useful levels causing failure. Presently, the TM-21 test standard is used to predict the L70 life of LEDs from LM-80 test data. Several failure mechanisms may be active in a LED at a single time causing lumen depreciation. The underlying TM-21 Model may not capture the failure physics in presence of multiple failure mechanisms. Correlation of lumen maintenance with underlying physics of degradation at system-level is needed. In this paper, Kalman Filter (KF) and Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) have been used to develop a 70-percent Lumen Maintenance Life Prediction Model for LEDs used in SSL luminaires. Ten-thousand hour LM-80 test data for various LEDs have been used for model development. System state at each future time has been computed based on the state space at preceding time step, system dynamics matrix, control vector, control matrix, measurement matrix, measured vector, process noise and measurement noise. The future state of the lumen depreciation has been estimated based on a second order Kalman Filter model and a Bayesian Framework. The measured state variable has been related to the underlying damage using physics-based models. Life

Percutaneous Selective Embolectomy using a Fogarty Thru-Lumen Catheter for Pancreas Graft Thrombosis: A Case Report

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Izaki, Kenta; Yamaguchi, Masato; Matsumoto, Ippei; Shinzeki, Makoto; Ku, Yonson; Sugimura, Kazuro; Sugimoto, Koji

2011-01-01

A 57-year-old woman with a history of diabetes mellitus underwent simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation. The pancreaticoduodenal graft was implanted in the right iliac fossa. The donor’s portal vein was anastomosed to the recipient’s inferior vena cava (IVC). Seven days after the surgery, a thrombus was detected in the graft veins. Percutaneous thrombolysis was immediately performed; however, venous congestion was still present. We therefore attempted selective embolectomy using a Fogarty Thru-Lumen Catheter. Thrombi were directed from the graft veins toward the IVC and captured in the IVC filter with complete elimination of the thrombus without any major complications. We present our technique for the successful treatment of pancreas graft thrombosis within a short time period by percutaneous selective embolectomy using a Fogarty Thru-Lumen Catheter.

Novel function of the retinoblastoma protein in fat: regulation of white versus brown adipocyte differentiation

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Hansen, Jacob B; te Riele, Hein; Kristiansen, Karsten

2004-01-01

the major energy store and brown adipocytes being potent energy-dissipaters through thermogenesis. Yet, little is known about factors differentially regulating the formation of white and brown fat cells. Members of the retinoblastoma protein family (pRB, p107, p130) have been implicated in the regulation...... of adipocyte differentiation, and expression and phosphorylation of the three retinoblastoma family proteins oscillate in a characteristic manner during differentiation of the white preadipocyte cell line 3T3-L1. We have recently demonstrated a surprising function of the retinoblastoma protein...... in the regulation of white versus brown adipocyte differentiation in vitro and possibly in vivo. Here we summarize the current knowledge on the retinoblastoma protein in fat cells, with particular emphasis on its potential role in adipocyte lineage commitment and differentiation....

Agitation down-regulates immunoglobulin binding protein EibG expression in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC.

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Thorsten Kuczius

Full Text Available Shiga toxin (Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC carrying eibG synthesize Escherichia coli immunoglobulin binding protein (EibG. EibG nonspecifically binds to immunoglobulins and tends to aggregate in multimers but is poorly expressed in wild-type strains. To study synthesis of the proteins and their regulation in the pathogens, we identified natural growth conditions that increased EibG synthesis. EibG proteins as well as corresponding mRNA were highly expressed under static growth conditions while shearing stress created by agitation during growth repressed protein synthesis. Further regulation effects were driven by reduced oxygen tension, and pH up-regulated EibG expression, but to a lesser extent than growth conditions while decreased temperature down-regulated EibG. Bacteria with increased EibG expression during static growth conditions showed a distinct phenotype with chain formation and biofilm generation, which disappeared with motion. High and low EibG expression was reversible indicating a process with up- and down-regulation of the protein expression. Our findings indicate that shear stress represses EibG expression and might reduce bacterial attachments to cells and surfaces.

A peptide export-import control circuit modulating bacterial development regulates protein phosphatases of the phosphorelay.

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Perego, M

1997-08-05

The phosphorelay signal transduction system activates developmental transcription in sporulation of Bacillus subtilis by phosphorylation of aspartyl residues of the Spo0F and Spo0A response regulators. The phosphorylation level of these response regulators is determined by the opposing activities of protein kinases and protein aspartate phosphatases that interpret positive and negative signals for development in a signal integration circuit. The RapA protein aspartate phosphatase of the phosphorelay is regulated by a peptide that directly inhibits its activity. This peptide is proteolytically processed from an inactive pre-inhibitor protein encoded in the phrA gene. The pre-inhibitor is cleaved by the protein export apparatus to a putative pro-inhibitor that is further processed to the active inhibitor peptide and internalized by the oligopeptide permease. This export-import circuit is postulated to be a mechanism for timing phosphatase activity where the processing enzymes regulate the rate of formation of the active inhibitor. The processing events may, in turn, be controlled by a regulatory hierarchy. Chromosome sequencing has revealed several other phosphatase-prepeptide gene pairs in B. subtilis, suggesting that the use of this mechanism may be widespread in signal transduction.

Positive muscle protein net balance and differential regulation of atrogene expression after resistance exercise and milk protein supplementation

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Reitelseder, Søren; Agergaard, Jakob; Doessing, Simon

2014-01-01

Purpose Resistance exercise and amino acid availability are positive regulators of muscle protein net balance (NB). However, anabolic responses to resistance exercise and protein supplementation deserve further elucidation. The purpose was to compare intakes of whey, caseinate (both: 0.30 g/kg lean...... body mass), or a non-caloric control after heavy resistance exercise on protein turnover and mRNA expressions of forkhead homeobox type O (FOXO) isoforms, muscle RING finger 1 (MuRF1), and Atrogin1 in young healthy males. Methods Protein turnover was determined by stable isotope-labeled leucine...

Protein trafficking and maturation regulate intramembrane proteolysis.

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Morohashi, Yuichi; Tomita, Taisuke

2013-12-01

Intramembrane-cleaving proteases (I-CLiPs) are membrane embedded proteolytic enzymes. All substrates identified so far are also membrane proteins, involving a number of critical cellular signaling as well as human diseases. After synthesis and assembly at the endoplasmic reticulum, membrane proteins are exported to the Golgi apparatus and transported to their sites of action. A number of studies have revealed the importance of the intracellular membrane trafficking in i-CLiP-mediated intramembrane proteolysis, not only for limiting the unnecessary encounter between i-CLiPs and their substrate but also for their cleavage site preference. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in our understanding of how each i-CLiP proteolysis is regulated by intracellular vesicle trafficking. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Intramembrane Proteases. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PREFACE: Physics approaches to protein interactions and gene regulation Physics approaches to protein interactions and gene regulation

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Nussinov, Ruth; Panchenko, Anna R.; Przytycka, Teresa

2011-06-01

networks have been identified, including scale free distribution of the vertex degree, network motifs, and modularity, to name a few. These studies of network organization require the network to be as complete as possible, which given the limitations of experimental techniques is not currently the case. Therefore, experimental procedures for detecting biomolecular interactions should be complemented by computational approaches. The paper by Lees et al provides a review of computational methods, integrating multiple independent sources of data to infer physical and functional protein-protein interaction networks. One of the important aspects of protein interactions that should be accounted for in the prediction of protein interaction networks is that many proteins are composed of distinct domains. Protein domains may mediate protein interactions while proteins and their interaction networks may gain complexity through gene duplication and expansion of existing domain architectures via domain rearrangements. The latter mechanisms have been explored in detail in the paper by Cohen-Gihon et al. Protein-protein interactions are not the only component of the cell's interactome. Regulation of cell activity can be achieved at the level of transcription and involve a transcription factor—DNA binding which typically requires recognition of a specific DNA sequence motif. Chip-Chip and the more recent Chip-Seq technologies allow in vivo identification of DNA binding sites and, together with novel in vitro approaches, provide data necessary for deciphering the corresponding binding motifs. Such information, complemented by structures of protein-DNA complexes and knowledge of the differences in binding sites among homologs, opens the door to constructing predictive binding models. The paper by Persikov and Singh provides an example of such a model in the Cys2His2 zinc finger family. Recent studies have indicated that the presence of such binding motifs is, however, neither necessary

Protein Kinase D Enzymes as Regulators of EMT and Cancer Cell Invasion

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Nisha Durand

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The Protein Kinase D (PKD isoforms PKD1, PKD2, and PKD3 are effectors of the novel Protein Kinase Cs (nPKCs and diacylglycerol (DAG. PKDs impact diverse biological processes like protein transport, cell migration, proliferation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT and apoptosis. PKDs however, have distinct effects on these functions. While PKD1 blocks EMT and cell migration, PKD2 and PKD3 tend to drive both processes. Given the importance of EMT and cell migration to the initiation and progression of various malignancies, abnormal expression of PKDs has been reported in multiple types of cancers, including breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer. In this review, we discuss how EMT and cell migration are regulated by PKD isoforms and the significance of this regulation in the context of cancer development.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK mediates nutrient regulation of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP in pancreatic beta-cells.

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Maayan Shaked

Full Text Available Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP regulates critical biological processes including inflammation, stress and apoptosis. TXNIP is upregulated by glucose and is a critical mediator of hyperglycemia-induced beta-cell apoptosis in diabetes. In contrast, the saturated long-chain fatty acid palmitate, although toxic to the beta-cell, inhibits TXNIP expression. The mechanisms involved in the opposing effects of glucose and fatty acids on TXNIP expression are unknown. We found that both palmitate and oleate inhibited TXNIP in a rat beta-cell line and islets. Palmitate inhibition of TXNIP was independent of fatty acid beta-oxidation or esterification. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK has an important role in cellular energy sensing and control of metabolic homeostasis; therefore we investigated its involvement in nutrient regulation of TXNIP. As expected, glucose inhibited whereas palmitate stimulated AMPK. Pharmacologic activators of AMPK mimicked fatty acids by inhibiting TXNIP. AMPK knockdown increased TXNIP expression in presence of high glucose with and without palmitate, indicating that nutrient (glucose and fatty acids effects on TXNIP are mediated in part via modulation of AMPK activity. TXNIP is transcriptionally regulated by carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP. Palmitate inhibited glucose-stimulated ChREBP nuclear entry and recruitment to the Txnip promoter, thereby inhibiting Txnip transcription. We conclude that AMPK is an important regulator of Txnip transcription via modulation of ChREBP activity. The divergent effects of glucose and fatty acids on TXNIP expression result in part from their opposing effects on AMPK activity. In light of the important role of TXNIP in beta-cell apoptosis, its inhibition by fatty acids can be regarded as an adaptive/protective response to glucolipotoxicity. The finding that AMPK mediates nutrient regulation of TXNIP may have important implications for the pathophysiology and treatment

Dicer-like Proteins Regulate the Growth, Conidiation, and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Hevea brasiliensis

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Qiannan Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Hevea brasiliensis is the hemibiotrophic fungi which could cause anthracnose in rubber trees. Dicer like proteins (DCL were the core enzymes for generation of small RNAs. In the present study, the knocking-out mutants of two dicer like proteins encoding genes of C. gloeosporioides were constructed; and functions of two proteins were investigated. The results showed that DCL play important roles in regulating the growth, conidiation and pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides; and there is a functional redundancy between DCL1 and DCL2. Microscopy analysis and DAB staining revealed that loss of penetration ability into the host cells, instead of the decreased growth rate, was the main cause for the impaired pathogenicity of the ΔDcl1ΔDcl2 double mutant. Proteomics analysis suggested that DCL proteins affected the expression of functional proteins to regulating multiple biological processes of C. gloeosporioides. These data lead to a better understanding of the functions of DCL proteins in regulating the development and pathogenesis of C. gloeosporioides.

Motor protein traffic regulation by supply–demand balance of resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciandrini, Luca; Dauloudet, Olivier; Parmeggiani, Andrea; Neri, Izaak; Walter, Jean Charles

2014-01-01

In cells and in in vitro assays the number of motor proteins involved in biological transport processes is far from being unlimited. The cytoskeletal binding sites are in contact with the same finite reservoir of motors (either the cytosol or the flow chamber) and hence compete for recruiting the available motors, potentially depleting the reservoir and affecting cytoskeletal transport. In this work we provide a theoretical framework in which to study, analytically and numerically, how motor density profiles and crowding along cytoskeletal filaments depend on the competition of motors for their binding sites. We propose two models in which finite processive motor proteins actively advance along cytoskeletal filaments and are continuously exchanged with the motor pool. We first look at homogeneous reservoirs and then examine the effects of free motor diffusion in the surrounding medium. We consider as a reference situation recent in vitro experimental setups of kinesin-8 motors binding and moving along microtubule filaments in a flow chamber. We investigate how the crowding of linear motor proteins moving on a filament can be regulated by the balance between supply (concentration of motor proteins in the flow chamber) and demand (total number of polymerized tubulin heterodimers). We present analytical results for the density profiles of bound motors and the reservoir depletion, and propose novel phase diagrams that present the formation of jams of motor proteins on the filament as a function of two tuneable experimental parameters: the motor protein concentration and the concentration of tubulins polymerized into cytoskeletal filaments. Extensive numerical simulations corroborate the analytical results for parameters in the experimental range and also address the effects of diffusion of motor proteins in the reservoir. We then propose experiments for validating our models and discuss how the ‘supply–demand’ effects can regulate motor traffic also in in vivo

Engineering FKBP-Based Destabilizing Domains to Build Sophisticated Protein Regulation Systems.

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Wenlin An

Full Text Available Targeting protein stability with small molecules has emerged as an effective tool to control protein abundance in a fast, scalable and reversible manner. The technique involves tagging a protein of interest (POI with a destabilizing domain (DD specifically controlled by a small molecule. The successful construction of such fusion proteins may, however, be limited by functional interference of the DD epitope with electrostatic interactions required for full biological function of proteins. Another drawback of this approach is the remaining endogenous protein. Here, we combined the Cre-LoxP system with an advanced DD and generated a protein regulation system in which the loss of an endogenous protein, in our case the tumor suppressor PTEN, can be coupled directly with a conditionally fine-tunable DD-PTEN. This new system will consolidate and extend the use of DD-technology to control protein function precisely in living cells and animal models.

Unfolded Protein Response-regulated Drosophila Fic (dFic) Protein Reversibly AMPylates BiP Chaperone during Endoplasmic Reticulum Homeostasis*

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, Hyeilin; Woolery, Andrew R.; Tracy, Charles; Stenesen, Drew; Krämer, Helmut; Orth, Kim

2014-01-01

Drosophila Fic (dFic) mediates AMPylation, a covalent attachment of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) from ATP to hydroxyl side chains of protein substrates. Here, we identified the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone BiP as a substrate for dFic and mapped the modification site to Thr-366 within the ATPase domain. The level of AMPylated BiP in Drosophila S2 cells is high during homeostasis, whereas the level of AMPylated BiP decreases upon the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER. Both dFic and BiP are transcriptionally activated upon ER stress, supporting the role of dFic in the unfolded protein response pathway. The inactive conformation of BiP is the preferred substrate for dFic, thus endorsing a model whereby AMPylation regulates the function of BiP as a chaperone, allowing acute activation of BiP by deAMPylation during an ER stress response. These findings not only present the first substrate of eukaryotic AMPylator but also provide a target for regulating the unfolded protein response, an emerging avenue for cancer therapy. PMID:25395623

Peroxisomal matrix protein import - Suppression of protein import defects in Hansenula polymorpha pex mutants by overproduction of the PTS1 receptor pex5p

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kiel, JAKW; Veenhuis, M

2000-01-01

In the past decade, much progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms that govern sorting of proteins to the peroxisomal lumen. This article summarizes the principal features of how peroxisomal matrix enzymes are thought to reach the peroxisome. In addition, it describes recent data that

Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase-2

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D'Orazi Gabriella

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2 plays an essential role in restraining tumor progression as it may regulate, by itself or within multiprotein complexes, many proteins (mainly transcription factors involved in cell growth and apoptosis. This study takes advantage of the recent finding that HIPK2 may repress the β-catenin transcription activity. Thus, we investigated whether HIPK2 overexpression may down-regulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF levels (a β-catenin target gene and the role of β-catenin in this regulation, in order to consider HIPK2 as a tool for novel anti-tumoral therapeutical approaches. Methods The regulation of VEGF expression by HIPK2 was evaluated by using luciferase assay with VEGF reporter construct, after overexpression of the β-catenin transcription factor. Relative quantification of VEGF and β-catenin mRNAs were assessed by reverse-transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR analyses, following HIPK2 overexpression, while β-catenin protein levels were evaluated by western immunoblotting. Results HIPK2 overexpression in tumor cells downregulated VEGF mRNA levels and VEGF promoter activity. The VEGF downregulation was partly depending on HIPK2-mediated β-catenin regulation. Thus, HIPK2 could induce β-catenin protein degradation that was prevented by cell treatment with proteasome inhibitor MG132. The β-catenin degradation was dependent on HIPK2 catalytic activity and independent of p53 and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β activities. Conclusion These results suggest that VEGF might be a target of HIPK2, at least in part, through regulation of β-catenin activity. These findings support the function of HIPK2 as tumor suppressor and hypothesise a role for HIPK2 as antiangiogenic tool in tumor therapy approaches.

Versatile function of the circadian protein CIPC as a regulator of Erk activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsunaga, Ryota; Nishino, Tasuku; Yokoyama, Atsushi; Nakashima, Akio; Kikkawa, Ushio; Konishi, Hiroaki

2016-01-01

The CLOCK-interacting protein, Circadian (CIPC), has been identified as an additional negative-feedback regulator of the circadian clock. However, recent study on CIPC knockout mice has shown that CIPC is not critically required for basic circadian clock function, suggesting other unknown biological roles for CIPC. In this study, we focused on the cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling function of CIPC and on identifying its binding proteins. Lys186 and 187 were identified as the essential amino acid residues within the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of CIPC. We identified CIPC-binding proteins such as the multifunctional enzyme CAD protein (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase), which is a key enzyme for de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Compared to control cells, HEK293 cells overexpressing wild-type CIPC showed suppressed cell proliferation and retardation of cell cycle. We also found that PMA-induced Erk activation was inhibited with expression of wild-type CIPC. In contrast, the NLS mutant of CIPC, which reduced the ability of CIPC to translocate into the nucleus, did not exhibit these biological effects. Since CAD and Erk have significant roles in cell proliferation and cell cycle, CIPC may work as a cell cycle regulator by interacting with these binding proteins. - Highlights: • CIPC is a cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling protein. • K186 and 187are the essential amino acid residues within the NLS of CIPC. • CAD was identified as a novel CIPC-binding protein. • CIPC might regulate the activity and translocation of CAD in the cells.

Versatile function of the circadian protein CIPC as a regulator of Erk activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsunaga, Ryota; Nishino, Tasuku [Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023 (Japan); Yokoyama, Atsushi [Department of Molecular Endocrinology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Nakashima, Akio; Kikkawa, Ushio [Biosignal Research Center, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Konishi, Hiroaki, E-mail: hkonishi@pu-hiroshima.ac.jp [Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023 (Japan)

2016-01-15

The CLOCK-interacting protein, Circadian (CIPC), has been identified as an additional negative-feedback regulator of the circadian clock. However, recent study on CIPC knockout mice has shown that CIPC is not critically required for basic circadian clock function, suggesting other unknown biological roles for CIPC. In this study, we focused on the cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling function of CIPC and on identifying its binding proteins. Lys186 and 187 were identified as the essential amino acid residues within the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of CIPC. We identified CIPC-binding proteins such as the multifunctional enzyme CAD protein (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase), which is a key enzyme for de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Compared to control cells, HEK293 cells overexpressing wild-type CIPC showed suppressed cell proliferation and retardation of cell cycle. We also found that PMA-induced Erk activation was inhibited with expression of wild-type CIPC. In contrast, the NLS mutant of CIPC, which reduced the ability of CIPC to translocate into the nucleus, did not exhibit these biological effects. Since CAD and Erk have significant roles in cell proliferation and cell cycle, CIPC may work as a cell cycle regulator by interacting with these binding proteins. - Highlights: • CIPC is a cell cycle dependent nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling protein. • K186 and 187are the essential amino acid residues within the NLS of CIPC. • CAD was identified as a novel CIPC-binding protein. • CIPC might regulate the activity and translocation of CAD in the cells.

Utility of dark-lumen MR colonography for the assessment of extra-colonic organs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajaj, Waleed; Goyen, Mathias; Ruehm, Stefan G.; Ladd, Susanne C.; Gerken, Guido

2007-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of dark-lumen MR colonography (MRC) for the assessment of extra-colonic organs. Three hundred seventy-five subjects with suspected colonic disease underwent a complete MRC examination. MRC data were evaluated by two radiologists in a blinded fashion. In addition to the large bowel, the extra-intestinal organs from the lung bases to the pelvis were assessed for the presence of pathologies. All findings were divided into known or unknown findings and therapeutically relevant or irrelevant findings. If deemed necessary, other diagnostic imaging tests to further assess those findings were performed. In total, 510 extra-colonic findings were found in 260 (69%) of the 375 subjects. Known extra-colonic findings were found in 140 subjects (54%) and unknown findings in 120 subjects (46%). Thirty-one (12%) of the 260 subjects had therapeutically relevant findings (45 findings); 229 patients (88%) had irrelevant findings (465 findings). Dark-lumen MRC is a useful tool not only for the assessment of the entire colon, but also for the evaluation of extra-colonic organs. Thus, intra- and extra-colonic pathologies can be diagnosed within the same examination. (orig.)

Regulation of hematopoietic cell function by protein tyrosine kinase-encoding oncogenes, a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Punt, C. J.

1992-01-01

Tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) is an important mechanism in the regulation of various cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and transformation. Accumulating data implicate PTKs as essential intermediates in the transduction of

Lipid-regulated sterol transfer between closely apposed membranes by oxysterol-binding protein homologues.

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Schulz, Timothy A; Choi, Mal-Gi; Raychaudhuri, Sumana; Mears, Jason A; Ghirlando, Rodolfo; Hinshaw, Jenny E; Prinz, William A

2009-12-14

Sterols are transferred between cellular membranes by vesicular and poorly understood nonvesicular pathways. Oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins (ORPs) have been implicated in sterol sensing and nonvesicular transport. In this study, we show that yeast ORPs use a novel mechanism that allows regulated sterol transfer between closely apposed membranes, such as organelle contact sites. We find that the core lipid-binding domain found in all ORPs can simultaneously bind two membranes. Using Osh4p/Kes1p as a representative ORP, we show that ORPs have at least two membrane-binding surfaces; one near the mouth of the sterol-binding pocket and a distal site that can bind a second membrane. The distal site is required for the protein to function in cells and, remarkably, regulates the rate at which Osh4p extracts and delivers sterols in a phosphoinositide-dependent manner. Together, these findings suggest a new model of how ORPs could sense and regulate the lipid composition of adjacent membranes.

Distinct roles for key karyogamy proteins during yeast nuclear fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Melloy, Patricia; Shen, Shu; White, Erin; Rose, Mark D

2009-09-01

During yeast mating, cell fusion is followed by the congression and fusion of the two nuclei. Proteins required for nuclear fusion are found at the surface (Prm3p) and within the lumen (Kar2p, Kar5p, and Kar8p) of the nuclear envelope (NE). Electron tomography (ET) of zygotes revealed that mutations in these proteins block nuclear fusion with different morphologies, suggesting that they act in different steps of fusion. Specifically, prm3 zygotes were blocked before formation of membrane bridges, whereas kar2, kar5, and kar8 zygotes frequently contained them. Membrane bridges were significantly larger and occurred more frequently in kar2 and kar8, than in kar5 mutant zygotes. The kinetics of NE fusion in prm3, kar5, and kar8 mutants, measured by live-cell fluorescence microscopy, were well correlated with the size and frequency of bridges observed by ET. However the kar2 mutant was defective for transfer of NE lumenal GFP, but not diffusion within the lumen, suggesting that transfer was blocked at the NE fusion junction. These observations suggest that Prm3p acts before initiation of outer NE fusion, Kar5p may help dilation of the initial fusion pore, and Kar2p and Kar8p act after outer NE fusion, during inner NE fusion.

Gα and regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) protein pairs maintain functional compatibility and conserved interaction interfaces throughout evolution despite frequent loss of RGS proteins in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hackenberg, Dieter; McKain, Michael R; Lee, Soon Goo; Roy Choudhury, Swarup; McCann, Tyler; Schreier, Spencer; Harkess, Alex; Pires, J Chris; Wong, Gane Ka-Shu; Jez, Joseph M; Kellogg, Elizabeth A; Pandey, Sona

2017-10-01

Signaling pathways regulated by heterotrimeric G-proteins exist in all eukaryotes. The regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are key interactors and critical modulators of the Gα protein of the heterotrimer. However, while G-proteins are widespread in plants, RGS proteins have been reported to be missing from the entire monocot lineage, with two exceptions. A single amino acid substitution-based adaptive coevolution of the Gα:RGS proteins was proposed to enable the loss of RGS in monocots. We used a combination of evolutionary and biochemical analyses and homology modeling of the Gα and RGS proteins to address their expansion and its potential effects on the G-protein cycle in plants. Our results show that RGS proteins are widely distributed in the monocot lineage, despite their frequent loss. There is no support for the adaptive coevolution of the Gα:RGS protein pair based on single amino acid substitutions. RGS proteins interact with, and affect the activity of, Gα proteins from species with or without endogenous RGS. This cross-functional compatibility expands between the metazoan and plant kingdoms, illustrating striking conservation of their interaction interface. We propose that additional proteins or alternative mechanisms may exist which compensate for the loss of RGS in certain plant species. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Regulation of protein synthesis during sea urchin early development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelso, L.C.

1989-01-01

Fertilization of the sea urchin egg results in a 20-40 fold increase in the rate of protein synthesis. The masked message hypothesis proposes that mRNAs are masked or unavailable for translation in the egg. We devised an in vivo assay to test this hypothesis. Our results show that masked mRNAs limit protein synthesis in the unfertilized egg. In addition, we show that protein synthesis is also regulated at the level of translational machinery. Following fertilization is a period of rapid cell divisions. This period, known as the rapid cleavage stage, is characterized by the transient synthesis of a novel set of proteins. The synthesis of these proteins is programmed by maternal mRNAs stored in the unfertilized egg. To study the behavior of these mRNAs, we prepared a cDNA library from polysomal poly (A+) RNA from 2-hour embryos. [ 32 P] labeled probes, prepared from the cDNA library, were used to monitor the levels of individual mRNAs in polysomes at fertilization and during early development

Heat Shock Protein 90 regulates encystation in Entamoeba

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Meetali eSingh

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Enteric protozoan Entamoeba histolytica is a major cause of debilitating diarrheal infection worldwide with high morbidity and mortality. Even though the clinical burden of this parasite is very high, this infection is categorized as a neglected disease. Parasite is transmitted through feco-oral route and exhibit two distinct stages namely – trophozoites and cysts. Mechanism and regulation of encystation is not clearly understood. Previous studies have established the role of Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90 in regulating stage transition in various protozoan parasites like Giardia, Plasmodium, Leishmania and Toxoplasma. Our study for the first time reports that Hsp90 plays a crucial role in life cycle of Entamoeba as well. We identify Hsp90 to be a negative regulator of encystation in Entamoeba. We also show that Hsp90 inhibition interferes with the process of phagocytosis in Entamoeba. Overall, we show that Hsp90 plays an important role in virulence and transmission of Entamoeba.

Regulation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors by Ubiquitination

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Kamila Skieterska

2017-04-01

Full Text Available G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs comprise the largest family of membrane receptors that control many cellular processes and consequently often serve as drug targets. These receptors undergo a strict regulation by mechanisms such as internalization and desensitization, which are strongly influenced by posttranslational modifications. Ubiquitination is a posttranslational modification with a broad range of functions that is currently gaining increased appreciation as a regulator of GPCR activity. The role of ubiquitination in directing GPCRs for lysosomal degradation has already been well-established. Furthermore, this modification can also play a role in targeting membrane and endoplasmic reticulum-associated receptors to the proteasome. Most recently, ubiquitination was also shown to be involved in GPCR signaling. In this review, we present current knowledge on the molecular basis of GPCR regulation by ubiquitination, and highlight the importance of E3 ubiquitin ligases, deubiquitinating enzymes and β-arrestins. Finally, we discuss classical and newly-discovered functions of ubiquitination in controlling GPCR activity.

Protein-Carbohydrate Interaction between Sperm and the Egg-Coating Envelope and Its Regulation by Dicalcin, a Xenopus laevis Zona Pellucida Protein-Associated Protein

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Naofumi Miwa

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Protein-carbohydrate interaction regulates multiple important processes during fertilization, an essential biological event where individual gametes undergo intercellular recognition to fuse and generate a zygote. In the mammalian female reproductive tract, sperm temporarily adhere to the oviductal epithelium via the complementary interaction between carbohydrate-binding proteins on the sperm membrane and carbohydrates on the oviductal cells. After detachment from the oviductal epithelium at the appropriate time point following ovulation, sperm migrate and occasionally bind to the extracellular matrix, called the zona pellucida (ZP, which surrounds the egg, thereafter undergoing the exocytotic acrosomal reaction to penetrate the envelope and to reach the egg plasma membrane. This sperm-ZP interaction also involves the direct interaction between sperm carbohydrate-binding proteins and carbohydrates within the ZP, most of which have been conserved across divergent species from mammals to amphibians and echinoderms. This review focuses on the carbohydrate-mediated interaction of sperm with the female reproductive tract, mainly the interaction between sperm and the ZP, and introduces the fertilization-suppressive action of dicalcin, a Xenopus laevis ZP protein-associated protein. The action of dicalcin correlates significantly with a dicalcin-dependent change in the lectin-staining pattern within the ZP, suggesting a unique role of dicalcin as an inherent protein that is capable of regulating the affinity between the lectin and oligosaccharides attached on its target glycoprotein.

Nutlin-3 down-regulates retinoblastoma protein expression and inhibits muscle cell differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walsh, Erica M. [Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118 (United States); Niu, MengMeng; Bergholz, Johann [Center of Growth, Metabolism and Aging, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610014 China (China); Jim Xiao, Zhi-Xiong, E-mail: jxiao@bu.edu [Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118 (United States); Center of Growth, Metabolism and Aging, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610014 China (China)

2015-05-29

The p53 tumor suppressor gene plays a critical role in regulation of proliferation, cell death and differentiation. The MDM2 oncoprotein is a major negative regulator for p53 by binding to and targeting p53 for proteasome-mediated degradation. The small molecule inhibitor, nutlin-3, disrupts MDM2-p53 interaction resulting in stabilization and activation of p53 protein. We have previously shown that nutlin-3 activates p53, leading to MDM2 accumulation as concomitant of reduced retinoblastoma (Rb) protein stability. It is well known that Rb is important in muscle development and myoblast differentiation and that rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), or cancer of the skeletal muscle, typically harbors MDM2 amplification. In this study, we show that nutlin-3 inhibited myoblast proliferation and effectively prevented myoblast differentiation, as evidenced by lack of expression of muscle differentiation markers including myogenin and myosin heavy chain (MyHC), as well as a failure to form multinucleated myotubes, which were associated with dramatic increases in MDM2 expression and decrease in Rb protein levels. These results indicate that nutlin-3 can effectively inhibit muscle cell differentiation. - Highlights: • Nutlin-3 inhibits myoblast proliferation and prevents differentiation into myotubes. • Nutlin-3 increases MDM2 expression and down-regulates Rb protein levels. • This study has implication in nutlin-3 treatment of rhabdomyosarcomas.

Assessment of lumen degradation and remaining useful life of LEDs using particle filter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lall, Pradeep [Auburn Univ., AL (United States); Zhang, Hao [Auburn Univ., AL (United States); Davis, Lynn [Auburn Univ., AL (United States)

2013-07-16

With the development of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, light emitting diodes system is becoming a popular light source in daily life and industry area. It has shown that Led from same factory and work under same working condition, may have significantly different behavior. Therefore, it is very important to learn the fail mechanisms, especially in the case of safety critical and harsh environment application. This paper focus on a prognostic health management (PHM) method based on the measurement of forward voltage and forward current of bare LED under harsh environment. In this paper, experiment has been done with ten samples. Ten pristine bare LEDs have been tested at 85°C while simultaneously being subjected to 85% humid environment. Pulse width modulation (PWM) control method has been employed to drive the bare LED in order to reduce the heat effect caused by forward current and high frequency (300HZ) data acquisition has been used to measure the peak forward voltage and forward current. Test to failure (lumen drops to 70 percent) data has been measured to study the effects of high temperature and humid environment loadings on the bare LED. Also, solid state cooling method with peltier cooler has been used to control the temperature of LED in the integrating sphere when take the measurement of lumen flux. The shift of forward voltage forward current curve and lumen degradation has been recorded to help build the fail model and predicted the remaining useful life. In this method, particle filter has been employed to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of the bare LED and give us a whole picture how Led system fails. Result shows that predication of remaining useful life of Led, made by the particle filter model works under reasonable limit, and hence this method can be employed to predict the failure of Led caused by thermal and humid stress under harsh environment.

Linear-regression convolutional neural network for fully automated coronary lumen segmentation in intravascular optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, Yan Ling; Tan, Li Kuo; McLaughlin, Robert A.; Chee, Kok Han; Liew, Yih Miin

2017-12-01

Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical imaging modality commonly used in the assessment of coronary artery diseases during percutaneous coronary intervention. Manual segmentation to assess luminal stenosis from OCT pullback scans is challenging and time consuming. We propose a linear-regression convolutional neural network to automatically perform vessel lumen segmentation, parameterized in terms of radial distances from the catheter centroid in polar space. Benchmarked against gold-standard manual segmentation, our proposed algorithm achieves average locational accuracy of the vessel wall of 22 microns, and 0.985 and 0.970 in Dice coefficient and Jaccard similarity index, respectively. The average absolute error of luminal area estimation is 1.38%. The processing rate is 40.6 ms per image, suggesting the potential to be incorporated into a clinical workflow and to provide quantitative assessment of vessel lumen in an intraoperative time frame.

Salinity Regulates Claudin mRNA and Protein Expression in the Teleost Gill

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tipsmark, Christian K; Baltzegar, David A; Ozden, Ozkan

2008-01-01

The teleost gill carries out NaCl uptake in fresh water (FW) and NaCl excretion in seawater (SW). This transformation with salinity requires close regulation of ion transporter capacity and epithelial permeability. This study investigates the regulation of tight junctional claudins during salinity...... was localized deep in the FW gill filament, whereas staining was found apically in SW gill. Claudin 4-like proteins are localized predominantly in the filament outer epithelial layer and staining appears more intense in gill of FW versus SW fish. Additionally, tilapia claudin 28a and 30 genes were characterized......, and mRNA expression was found to increase during FW acclimation. These studies are the first to detect putative claudin proteins in teleosts and show their localization and regulation with salinity in gill epithelium. The data indicate that claudins may be important in permeability changes associated...

Regulation of the autophagy protein LC3 by phosphorylation

Science.gov (United States)

Cherra, Salvatore J.; Kulich, Scott M.; Uechi, Guy; Balasubramani, Manimalha; Mountzouris, John; Day, Billy W.

2010-01-01

Macroautophagy is a major catabolic pathway that impacts cell survival, differentiation, tumorigenesis, and neurodegeneration. Although bulk degradation sustains carbon sources during starvation, autophagy contributes to shrinkage of differentiated neuronal processes. Identification of autophagy-related genes has spurred rapid advances in understanding the recruitment of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) in autophagy induction, although braking mechanisms remain less understood. Using mass spectrometry, we identified a direct protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation site on LC3 that regulates its participation in autophagy. Both metabolic (rapamycin) and pathological (MPP+) inducers of autophagy caused dephosphorylation of endogenous LC3. The pseudophosphorylated LC3 mutant showed reduced recruitment to autophagosomes, whereas the nonphosphorylatable mutant exhibited enhanced puncta formation. Finally, autophagy-dependent neurite shortening induced by expression of a Parkinson disease–associated G2019S mutation in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 was inhibited by dibutyryl–cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cytoplasmic expression of the PKA catalytic subunit, or the LC3 phosphorylation mimic. These data demonstrate a role for phosphorylation in regulating LC3 activity. PMID:20713600

ErpC, a member of the complement regulator-acquiring family of surface proteins from Borrelia burgdorferi, possesses an architecture previously unseen in this protein family

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caesar, Joseph J. E.; Johnson, Steven; Kraiczy, Peter; Lea, Susan M.

2013-01-01

The structure of ErpC, a member of the complement regulator-acquiring surface protein family from B. burgdorferi, has been solved, providing insights into the strategies of complement evasion by this zoonotic bacterium and suggesting a common architecture for other members of this protein family. Borrelia burgdorferi is a spirochete responsible for Lyme disease, the most commonly occurring vector-borne disease in Europe and North America. The bacterium utilizes a set of proteins, termed complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (CRASPs), to aid evasion of the human complement system by recruiting and presenting complement regulator factor H on its surface in a manner that mimics host cells. Presented here is the atomic resolution structure of a member of this protein family, ErpC. The structure provides new insights into the mechanism of recruitment of factor H and other factor H-related proteins by acting as a molecular mimic of host glycosaminoglycans. It also describes the architecture of other CRASP proteins belonging to the OspE/F-related paralogous protein family and suggests that they have evolved to bind specific complement proteins, aiding survival of the bacterium in different hosts

Abiotic stress responses in plants: roles of calmodulin-regulated proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Virdi, Amardeep S.; Singh, Supreet; Singh, Prabhjeet

2015-01-01

Intracellular changes in calcium ions (Ca2+) in response to different biotic and abiotic stimuli are detected by various sensor proteins in the plant cell. Calmodulin (CaM) is one of the most extensively studied Ca2+-sensing proteins and has been shown to be involved in transduction of Ca2+ signals. After interacting with Ca2+, CaM undergoes conformational change and influences the activities of a diverse range of CaM-binding proteins. A number of CaM-binding proteins have also been implicated in stress responses in plants, highlighting the central role played by CaM in adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Stress adaptation in plants is a highly complex and multigenic response. Identification and characterization of CaM-modulated proteins in relation to different abiotic stresses could, therefore, prove to be essential for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Various studies have revealed involvement of CaM in regulation of metal ions uptake, generation of reactive oxygen species and modulation of transcription factors such as CAMTA3, GTL1, and WRKY39. Activities of several kinases and phosphatases have also been shown to be modulated by CaM, thus providing further versatility to stress-associated signal transduction pathways. The results obtained from contemporary studies are consistent with the proposed role of CaM as an integrator of different stress signaling pathways, which allows plants to maintain homeostasis between different cellular processes. In this review, we have attempted to present the current state of understanding of the role of CaM in modulating different stress-regulated proteins and its implications in augmenting abiotic stress tolerance in plants. PMID:26528296

[Regulation on EGFR function via its interacting proteins and its potential application].

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jun-Fang; Chen, Hui-Min; He, Jun-Qi

2013-12-01

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is imptortant for cell activities, oncogenesis and cell migration, and EGFR inhibitor can treat cancer efficiently, but its side effects, for example, in skin, limited its usage. On the other hand, EGFR interacting proteins may also lead to oncogenesis and its interacting protein as drug targets can avoid cutaneous side effect, which implies possibly a better outcome and life quality of cancer patients. For the multiple EGFR interaction proteins, B1R enhances Erk/MAPK signaling, while PTPN12, Kek1, CEACAM1 and NHERF repress Erk/MAPK signaling. CaM may alter charge of EGFR juxamembrane domain and regulate activation of PI3K/Akt and PLC-gamma/PKC. STAT1, STAT5b are widely thought to be activated by EGFR, while there is unexpectedly inhibiting sequence within EGFR to repress the activity of STATs. LRIG1 and ACK1 enhance the internalization and degration of EGFR, while NHERF and HIP1 repress it. In this article, proteins interacting with EGFR, their interacting sites and their regulation on EGFR signal transduction will be reviewed.

Operation of trans-thylakoid thiol-metabolizing pathways in photosynthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed eKaramoko

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Thiol oxidation to disulfides and the reverse reaction, i.e. disulfide reduction to free thiols, are under the control of catalysts in vivo. Enzymatically assisted thiol-disulfide chemistry is required for the biogenesis of all energy-transducing membrane systems. However, until recently, this had only been demonstrated for the bacterial plasma membrane. Long considered to be vacant, the thylakoid lumen has now moved to the forefront of photosynthesis research with the realization that its proteome is far more complicated than initially anticipated. Several lumenal proteins are known to be disulfide bonded in Arabidopsis, highlighting the importance of sulfhydryl oxidation in the thylakoid lumen. While disulfide reduction in the plastid stroma is known to activate several enzymatic activities, it appears that it is the reverse reaction, i.e. thiol oxidation that is required for the activity of several lumen-resident proteins. This paradigm for redox regulation in the thylakoid lumen has opened a new frontier for research in the field of photosynthesis. Of particular significance in this context is the discovery of trans-thylakoid redox pathways controlling disulfide bond formation and reduction, which are required for photosynthesis.

NSA2, a novel nucleolus protein regulates cell proliferation and cell cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Heyu; Ma, Xi; Shi, Taiping; Song, Quansheng; Zhao, Hongshan; Ma, Dalong

2010-01-01

NSA2 (Nop seven-associated 2) was previously identified in a high throughput screen of novel human genes associated with cell proliferation, and the NSA2 protein is evolutionarily conserved across different species. In this study, we revealed that NSA2 is broadly expressed in human tissues and cultured cell lines, and located in the nucleolus of the cell. Both of the putative nuclear localization signals (NLSs) of NSA2, also overlapped with nucleolar localization signals (NoLSs), are capable of directing nucleolar accumulation. Moreover, over-expression of the NSA2 protein promoted cell growth in different cell lines and regulated the G1/S transition in the cell cycle. SiRNA silencing of the NSA2 transcript attenuated the cell growth and dramatically blocked the cell cycle in G1/S transition. Our results demonstrated that NSA2 is a nucleolar protein involved in cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation.

The Role of TSC Proteins in Regulating Cell Adhesion and Motility

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Krymskaya, Vera P

2006-01-01

The goal of this project was to define the molecular signaling mechanisms by which TSCI and TSC2 proteins regulate cell adhesion and motility as it relates to the genetic disorder tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC...

Fat-specific protein 27 regulates storage of triacylglycerol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keller, P.; Petrie, J.T.; Rose, P. De

2008-01-01

FSP27 (fat-specific protein 27) is a member of the cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor-alpha-like effector (CIDE) family. Although Cidea and Cideb were initially characterized as activators of apoptosis, recent studies have demonstrated important metabolic roles for these proteins...... in several cell types without induction of adipocyte genes. Increased triacylglycerol is likely due to decreased beta-oxidation of nonesterified fatty acids. Altered flux of fatty acids into triacylglycerol may be a direct effect of FSP27 function, which is localized to lipid droplets in 293T cells and 3T3-L...... decreases with total fat mass but is not associated with measures of insulin resistance (e.g. homeostasis model assessment). Together, these data indicate that FSP27 binds to lipid droplets and regulates their enlargement Udgivelsesdato: 2008/5/23...

CBL-interacting protein kinase 6 negatively regulates immune response to Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sardar, Atish; Nandi, Ashis Kumar; Chattopadhyay, Debasis

2017-06-15

Cytosolic calcium ion (Ca2+) is an essential mediator of the plant innate immune response. Here, we report that a calcium-regulated protein kinase Calcineurin B-like protein (CBL)-interacting protein kinase 6 (CIPK6) functions as a negative regulator of immunity against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis thaliana. Arabidopsis lines with compromised expression of CIPK6 exhibited enhanced disease resistance to the bacterial pathogen and to P. syringae harboring certain but not all avirulent effectors, while restoration of CIPK6 expression resulted in abolition of resistance. Plants overexpressing CIPK6 were more susceptible to P. syringae. Enhanced resistance in the absence of CIPK6 was accompanied by increased accumulation of salicylic acid and elevated expression of defense marker genes. Salicylic acid accumulation was essential for improved immunity in the absence of CIPK6. CIPK6 negatively regulated the oxidative burst associated with perception of pathogen-associated microbial patterns (PAMPs) and bacterial effectors. Accelerated and enhanced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in response to bacterial and fungal elicitors was observed in the absence of CIPK6. The results of this study suggested that CIPK6 negatively regulates effector-triggered and PAMP-triggered immunity in Arabidopsis. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Strong negative self regulation of Prokaryotic transcription factors increases the intrinsic noise of protein expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenkins Dafyd J

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many prokaryotic transcription factors repress their own transcription. It is often asserted that such regulation enables a cell to homeostatically maintain protein abundance. We explore the role of negative self regulation of transcription in regulating the variability of protein abundance using a variety of stochastic modeling techniques. Results We undertake a novel analysis of a classic model for negative self regulation. We demonstrate that, with standard approximations, protein variance relative to its mean should be independent of repressor strength in a physiological range. Consequently, in that range, the coefficient of variation would increase with repressor strength. However, stochastic computer simulations demonstrate that there is a greater increase in noise associated with strong repressors than predicted by theory. The discrepancies between the mathematical analysis and computer simulations arise because with strong repressors the approximation that leads to Michaelis-Menten-like hyperbolic repression terms ceases to be valid. Because we observe that strong negative feedback increases variability and so is unlikely to be a mechanism for noise control, we suggest instead that negative feedback is evolutionarily favoured because it allows the cell to minimize mRNA usage. To test this, we used in silico evolution to demonstrate that while negative feedback can achieve only a modest improvement in protein noise reduction compared with the unregulated system, it can achieve good improvement in protein response times and very substantial improvement in reducing mRNA levels. Conclusion Strong negative self regulation of transcription may not always be a mechanism for homeostatic control of protein abundance, but instead might be evolutionarily favoured as a mechanism to limit the use of mRNA. The use of hyperbolic terms derived from quasi-steady-state approximation should also be avoided in the analysis of stochastic

New aspects of protein stability and turnover in the regulation of genome integrity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gallina, Irene

of DNA repair is the control of protein abundance, both at a global cellular level, and locally at the site of damage. This is achieved through transcriptional regulation of protein synthesis and through the control of protein stability and turnover. In this study, we investigate the role of Rad56...... sensitivity when mutant. Prior to the work presented here,all these loci have been mapped to a specific gene except RAD56. We map the rad56-1 mutation to the NAT3 gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of the NatB N-terminal acetyltransferase in yeast. Deletion of RAD56 causes sensitivity to X-rays, methyl......-scale studies investigating factors involved in DNA metabolism, but no specific function has been assigned to Cmr1. Taking advantage of a series of high-throughput screens we characterize Cmr1 as a chromatinassociated protein, involved in the regulation of fork progression in the presence of replication stress...

Orthogonal Cas9 proteins for RNA-guided gene regulation and editing

Science.gov (United States)

Church, George M.; Esvelt, Kevin; Mali, Prashant

2017-03-07

Methods of modulating expression of a target nucleic acid in a cell are provided including use of multiple orthogonal Cas9 proteins to simultaneously and independently regulate corresponding genes or simultaneously and independently edit corresponding genes.

The effect of natural whey proteins on mechanisms of blood pressure regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halina Car

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Whey is a rich natural source of peptides and amino acids. It has been reported in numerous studies that biological active peptides isolated from cow’s milk whey may affect blood pressure regulation. Studies on animals and humans have shown that α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin obtained from enzymatically hydrolysed whey inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, while lactorphins lower blood pressure by normalizing endothelial function or by opioid receptors dependent mechanism. Whey proteins or their bioactive fragments decrease total cholesterol, LDL fraction and triglycerides, thus reducing the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this review is to discuss the effects of whey proteins on the mechanisms of blood pressure regulation.

Neuronal process structure and growth proteins are targets of heavy PTM regulation during brain development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edwards, Alistair V G; Schwämmle, Veit; Larsen, Martin Røssel

2014-01-01

UNLABELLED: Brain development is a process requiring precise control of many different cell types. One method to achieve this is through specific and temporally regulated modification of proteins in order to alter structure and function. Post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins is known...... on protein-level events, this study also provides significant insight into detailed roles for individual modified proteins in the developing brain, helping to advance the understanding of the complex protein-driven processes that underlie development. Finally, the use of a novel bioinformatic analytical tool...... provides one of the most comprehensive sets of individual PTM site regulation data for mammalian brain tissue. This will provide a valuable resource for those wishing to perform comparisons or meta-analyses of large scale PTMomic data, as are becoming increasingly common. Furthermore, being focussed...

Lewis lung carcinoma regulation of mechanical stretch-induced protein synthesis in cultured myotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Song; Carson, James A

2016-01-01

Mechanical stretch can activate muscle and myotube protein synthesis through mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. While it has been established that tumor-derived cachectic factors can induce myotube wasting, the effect of this catabolic environment on myotube mechanical signaling has not been determined. We investigated whether media containing cachectic factors derived from Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) can regulate the stretch induction of myotube protein synthesis. C2C12 myotubes preincubated in control or LLC-derived media were chronically stretched. Protein synthesis regulation by anabolic and catabolic signaling was then examined. In the control condition, stretch increased mTORC1 activity and protein synthesis. The LLC treatment decreased basal mTORC1 activity and protein synthesis and attenuated the stretch induction of protein synthesis. LLC media increased STAT3 and AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in myotubes, independent of stretch. Both stretch and LLC independently increased ERK1/2, p38, and NF-κB phosphorylation. In LLC-treated myotubes, the inhibition of ERK1/2 and p38 rescued the stretch induction of protein synthesis. Interestingly, either leukemia inhibitory factor or glycoprotein 130 antibody administration caused further inhibition of mTORC1 signaling and protein synthesis in stretched myotubes. AMP-activated protein kinase inhibition increased basal mTORC1 signaling activity and protein synthesis in LLC-treated myotubes, but did not restore the stretch induction of protein synthesis. These results demonstrate that LLC-derived cachectic factors can dissociate stretch-induced signaling from protein synthesis through ERK1/2 and p38 signaling, and that glycoprotein 130 signaling is associated with the basal stretch response in myotubes. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

The regulation of the chloroplast proton motive force plays a key role for photosynthesis in fluctuating light.

Science.gov (United States)

Armbruster, Ute; Correa Galvis, Viviana; Kunz, Hans-Henning; Strand, Deserah D

2017-06-01

Plants use sunlight as their primary energy source. During photosynthesis, absorbed light energy generates reducing power by driving electron transfer reactions. These are coupled to the transfer of protons into the thylakoid lumen, generating a proton motive force (pmf) required for ATP synthesis. Sudden alterations in light availability have to be met by regulatory mechanisms to avoid the over-accumulation of reactive intermediates and maximize energy efficiency. Here, the acidification of the lumen, as an intermediate product of photosynthesis, plays an important role by regulating photosynthesis in response to excitation energy levels. Recent findings reveal pmf regulation and the modulation of its composition as key determinants for efficient photosynthesis, plant growth, and survival in fluctuating light environments. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Regulation of the interaction between protein kinase C-related protein kinase 2 (PRK2) and its upstream kinase, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dettori, Rosalia; Sonzogni, Silvina; Meyer, Lucas

2009-01-01

of numerous AGC kinases, including the protein kinase C-related protein kinases (PRKs). Here we studied the docking interaction between PDK1 and PRK2 and analyzed the mechanisms that regulate this interaction. In vivo labeling of recombinant PRK2 by (32)P(i) revealed phosphorylation at two sites......, the activation loop and the Z/TM in the C-terminal extension. We provide evidence that phosphorylation of the Z/TM site of PRK2 inhibits its interaction with PDK1. Our studies further provide a mechanistic model to explain different steps in the docking interaction and regulation. Interestingly, we found...... that the mechanism that negatively regulates the docking interaction of PRK2 to the upstream kinase PDK1 is directly linked to the activation mechanism of PRK2 itself. Finally, our results indicate that the mechanisms underlying the regulation of the interaction between PRK2 and PDK1 are specific for PRK2 and do...

Comparison of coronary arterial lumen dimensions on angiography and plaque characteristics on optical coherence tomography images and their changes induced by statin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Nana; Xie, Zulong; Wang, Wei; Dai, Jiannan; Sun, Meng; Pu, Zhongyue; Tian, Jinwei; Yu, Bo

2016-01-01

Coronary angiography (CAG) is widely used to assess lumen dimensions, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used to evaluate the characteristics of atherosclerotic plaque. This study was aimed to compare coronary lumen dimensions using CAG and plaque characteristics using OCT and their changes during statin therapy. We identified 97 lipid-rich plaques from 69 statin-naïve patients, who received statin therapy in the following 12 months. CAG and OCT examinations were conducted at baseline and 12-month follow-up period. Lesion length, as measured by CAG, was closely correlated with lipid length by OCT (baseline: r = 0.754, p < 0.001; follow-up: r = 0.639, p < 0.001). However, no significant correlations were found between the other findings on OCT and data on CAG. With 12-month statin therapy, microstructures of lipid-rich plaques were significantly improved, but CAG-derived lumen dimensions were not improved. Moreover, we found no significant relationship between changes in OCT measurements and changes in CAG data over time. Lipid length on OCT and lesion length on CAG were closely correlated. However, plaque microstructural characteristics on OCT showed no significantly statistically correlations with lumen dimensions on CAG, neither did their evolutionary changes induced by statin over time. Clinical trial registry: ClinicalTrial.gov. Registered number: NCT01023607. Registered 1 December 2009

Lipid droplet meets a mitochondrial protein to regulate adipocyte lipolysis

Science.gov (United States)

In response to adrenergic stimulation, adipocytes undergo protein kinase A (PKA)-stimulated lipolysis. A key PKA target in this context is perilipin 1, a major regulator of lipolysis on lipid droplets (LDs). A study published in this issue of The EMBO Journal (Pidoux et al, 2011) identifies optic at...

Identification and characterization of a gibberellin-regulated protein, which is ASR5, in the basal region of rice leaf sheaths.

Science.gov (United States)

Takasaki, Hironori; Mahmood, Tariq; Matsuoka, Makoto; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Komatsu, Setsuko

2008-04-01

Gibberellins (GAs) regulate growth and development in higher plants. To identify GA-regulated proteins during rice leaf sheath elongation, a proteomic approach was used. Proteins from the basal region of leaf sheath in rice seedling treated with GA(3) were analyzed by fluorescence two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis. The levels of abscisic acid-stress-ripening-inducible 5 protein (ASR5), elongation factor-1 beta, translationally controlled tumor protein, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase and a novel protein increased; whereas the level of RuBisCO subunit binding-protein decreased by GA(3) treatment. ASR5 out of these six proteins was significantly regulated by GA(3) at the protein level but not at the mRNA level in the basal region of leaf sheaths. Since this protein is regulated not only by abscisic acid but also by GA(3), these results indicate that ASR5 might be involved in plant growth in addition to stress in the basal regions of leaf sheaths.

Detecting coordinated regulation of multi-protein complexes using logic analysis of gene expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeates Todd O

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many of the functional units in cells are multi-protein complexes such as RNA polymerase, the ribosome, and the proteasome. For such units to work together, one might expect a high level of regulation to enable co-appearance or repression of sets of complexes at the required time. However, this type of coordinated regulation between whole complexes is difficult to detect by existing methods for analyzing mRNA co-expression. We propose a new methodology that is able to detect such higher order relationships. Results We detect coordinated regulation of multiple protein complexes using logic analysis of gene expression data. Specifically, we identify gene triplets composed of genes whose expression profiles are found to be related by various types of logic functions. In order to focus on complexes, we associate the members of a gene triplet with the distinct protein complexes to which they belong. In this way, we identify complexes related by specific kinds of regulatory relationships. For example, we may find that the transcription of complex C is increased only if the transcription of both complex A AND complex B is repressed. We identify hundreds of examples of coordinated regulation among complexes under various stress conditions. Many of these examples involve the ribosome. Some of our examples have been previously identified in the literature, while others are novel. One notable example is the relationship between the transcription of the ribosome, RNA polymerase and mannosyltransferase II, which is involved in N-linked glycan processing in the Golgi. Conclusions The analysis proposed here focuses on relationships among triplets of genes that are not evident when genes are examined in a pairwise fashion as in typical clustering methods. By grouping gene triplets, we are able to decipher coordinated regulation among sets of three complexes. Moreover, using all triplets that involve coordinated regulation with the ribosome

Regulation of protein homeostasis in neurodegenerative diseases : the role of coding and non-coding genes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alvarenga Fernandes Sin, Olga; Nollen, Ellen A. A.

Protein homeostasis is fundamental for cell function and survival, because proteins are involved in all aspects of cellular function, ranging from cell metabolism and cell division to the cell's response to environmental challenges. Protein homeostasis is tightly regulated by the synthesis, folding,

PRDM14 directly interacts with heat shock proteins HSP90α and glucose-regulated protein 78.

Science.gov (United States)

Moriya, Chiharu; Taniguchi, Hiroaki; Nagatoishi, Satoru; Igarashi, Hisayoshi; Tsumoto, Kouhei; Imai, Kohzoh

2018-02-01

PRDM14 is overexpressed in various cancers and can regulate cancer phenotype under certain conditions. Inhibiting PRDM14 expression in breast and pancreatic cancers has been reported to reduce cancer stem-like phenotypes, which are associated with aggressive tumor properties. Therefore, PRDM14 is considered a promising target for cancer therapy. To develop a pharmaceutical treatment, the mechanism and interacting partners of PRDM14 need to be clarified. Here, we identified the proteins interacting with PRDM14 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, which do not express the three most common types of receptor (estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2). We obtained 13 candidates that were pulled down with PRDM14 in TNBC HCC1937 cells and identified them by mass spectrometry. Two candidates-glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and heat shock protein 90-α (HSP90α)-were confirmed in immunoprecipitation assay in two TNBC cell lines (HCC1937 and MDA-MB231). Surface plasmon resonance analysis using GST-PRDM14 showed that these two proteins directly interacted with PRDM14 and that the interactions required the C-terminal region of PRDM14, which includes zinc finger motifs. We also confirmed the interactions in living cells by NanoLuc luciferase-based bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (NanoBRET) assay. Moreover, HSP90 inhibitors (17DMAG and HSP990) significantly decreased breast cancer stem-like CD24 -  CD44 + and side population (SP) cells in HCC1937 cells, but not in PRDM14 knockdown HCC1937 cells. The combination of the GRP78 inhibitor HA15 and PRDM14 knockdown significantly decreased cell proliferation and SP cell number in HCC1937 cells. These results suggest that HSP90α and GRP78 interact with PRDM14 and participate in cancer regulation. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Mining disease genes using integrated protein-protein interaction and gene-gene co-regulation information.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin; Wang, Limei; Guo, Maozu; Zhang, Ruijie; Dai, Qiguo; Liu, Xiaoyan; Wang, Chunyu; Teng, Zhixia; Xuan, Ping; Zhang, Mingming

2015-01-01

In humans, despite the rapid increase in disease-associated gene discovery, a large proportion of disease-associated genes are still unknown. Many network-based approaches have been used to prioritize disease genes. Many networks, such as the protein-protein interaction (PPI), KEGG, and gene co-expression networks, have been used. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) have been successfully applied for the determination of genes associated with several diseases. In this study, we constructed an eQTL-based gene-gene co-regulation network (GGCRN) and used it to mine for disease genes. We adopted the random walk with restart (RWR) algorithm to mine for genes associated with Alzheimer disease. Compared to the Human Protein Reference Database (HPRD) PPI network alone, the integrated HPRD PPI and GGCRN networks provided faster convergence and revealed new disease-related genes. Therefore, using the RWR algorithm for integrated PPI and GGCRN is an effective method for disease-associated gene mining.

CALiPER Retail Lamps Study RRL3.2 Lumen and Chromaticity Maintenance of LED A lamps Operated in Steady-State Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Royer, Michael P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McCullough, Jeffrey J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Tucker, Joseph C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-12-01

The lumen depreciation and color shift of 17 different A lamps (15 LED, 1 CFL, 1 halogen) was monitored in the automated long-term test apparatus (ALTA) for more than 7,500 hours. Ten samples of each lamp model were tested, with measurements recorded on a weekly basis. The lamps were operated continuously at an ambient temperature of 45°C (-1°C). Importantly, the steady-state test conditions were not optimized for inducing catastrophic failure for any of the lamp technologies—to which thermal cycling is a strong contributor— and are not typical of normal use patterns—which usually include off periods where the lamp cools down. Further, the test conditions differ from those used in standardized long-term test methods (i.e., IES LM-80, IES LM-84), so the results should not be directly compared. On the other hand, the test conditions are similar to those used by ENERGY STAR (when elevated temperature testing is called for). Likewise, the conditions and assumptions used by manufacturers to generated lifetime claims may vary; the CALiPER long-term data is informative, but cannot necessarily be used to discredit manufacturer claims. The test method used for this investigation should be interpreted as one more focused on the long-term effects of elevated temperature operation, at an ambient temperature that is not uncommon in luminaires. On average, the lumen maintenance of the LED lamps monitored in the ALTA was better than benchmark lamps, but there was considerable variation from lamp model to lamp model. While three lamp models had average lumen maintenance above 99% at the end of the study period, two products had average lumen maintenance below 65%, constituting a parametric failure. These two products, along with a third, also exhibited substantial color shift, another form of parametric failure. While none of the LED lamps exhibited catastrophic failure—and all of the benchmarks did—the early degradation of performance is concerning, especially with a

Relationship between bcl-2, bax, beclin-1, and cathepsin-D proteins during postovulatory follicular regression in fish ovary.

Science.gov (United States)

Morais, Roberto D V S; Thomé, Ralph G; Santos, Hélio B; Bazzoli, Nilo; Rizzo, Elizete

2016-04-01

In fish ovaries, postovulatory follicles (POFs) are key biomarkers of breeding and provide an interesting model for studying the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of autophagic and apoptotic proteins to improve the knowledge on the mechanisms regulating ovarian remodeling after spawning. Females from three neotropical fish species kept in captivity were submitted to hormonal induction. After ova stripping, ovarian sections were sampled daily until 5 days postspawning (dps). Similar events of POF regression were detected by histology, terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL), and electron microscopy in the three species: follicular cells hypertrophy, progressive disintegration of the basement membrane, gradual closing of the follicular lumen, theca thickening, and formation of large autophagic vacuoles preceding apoptosis of the follicular cells. Autophagic and apoptotic proteins were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Morphometric analysis of the immunolabeling revealed a more intense reaction for bcl-2 and beclin-1 (BECN1) in POFs at 0 to 1 dps and for bax at 2 to 3 dps (P family, BECN1, and cathepsin-D can be involved in the regulation of ovarian remodeling in teleost fish. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of quorum-sensing regulated proteins in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa by proteomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arevalo-Ferro, C.; Hentzer, Morten; Reil, G.

2003-01-01

The Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen which is responsible for severe nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients and is the major pathogen in cystic fibrosis. The bacterium utilizes two interrelated quorum-sensing (QS) systems, which rely......-controlled protein spots of the surface fraction, confirming the high specificity of the compound. Importantly, 20 novel QS-regulated proteins were identified, many of which are involved in iron utilization, suggesting a link between quorum sensing and the iron regulatory system. Two of these proteins, PhuR and Has......Ap, are components of the two distinct haem-uptake systems present in P. aeruginosa. In agreement with the finding that both proteins are positively regulated by the QS cascade, we show that the lasI rhlI double mutant grows poorly with haemoglobin as the only iron source when compared with the wild type...

Topology and Oligomerization of Mono- and Oligomeric Proteins Regulate Their Half-Lives in the Cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallik, Saurav; Kundu, Sudip

2018-06-05

To find additional structural constraints (besides disordered segments) that regulate protein half-life in the cell, we herein assess the influence of native topology of monomeric and sequestration of oligomeric proteins into multimeric complexes in yeast, human, and mouse. Native topology acts as a molecular marker of globular protein's mechanical resistance and consequently captures their half-life variations on genome scale. Sequestration into multimeric complexes elongates oligomeric protein half-life in the cell, presumably by burying ubiquitinoylation sites and disordered segments required for proteasomal recognition. The latter effect is stronger for proteins associated with multiple complexes and for those binding early during complex self-assembly, including proteins that oligomerize with large proportions of surface buried. After gene duplication, diversification of topology and sequestration into non-identical sets of complexes alter half-lives of paralogous proteins during the course of evolution. Thus, native topology and sequestration into multimeric complexes reflect designing principles of proteins to regulate their half-lives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motif analysis unveils the possible co-regulation of chloroplast genes and nuclear genes encoding chloroplast proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Ding, Jun; Daniell, Henry; Hu, Haiyan; Li, Xiaoman

2012-09-01

Chloroplasts play critical roles in land plant cells. Despite their importance and the availability of at least 200 sequenced chloroplast genomes, the number of known DNA regulatory sequences in chloroplast genomes are limited. In this paper, we designed computational methods to systematically study putative DNA regulatory sequences in intergenic regions near chloroplast genes in seven plant species and in promoter sequences of nuclear genes in Arabidopsis and rice. We found that -35/-10 elements alone cannot explain the transcriptional regulation of chloroplast genes. We also concluded that there are unlikely motifs shared by intergenic sequences of most of chloroplast genes, indicating that these genes are regulated differently. Finally and surprisingly, we found five conserved motifs, each of which occurs in no more than six chloroplast intergenic sequences, are significantly shared by promoters of nuclear-genes encoding chloroplast proteins. By integrating information from gene function annotation, protein subcellular localization analyses, protein-protein interaction data, and gene expression data, we further showed support of the functionality of these conserved motifs. Our study implies the existence of unknown nuclear-encoded transcription factors that regulate both chloroplast genes and nuclear genes encoding chloroplast protein, which sheds light on the understanding of the transcriptional regulation of chloroplast genes.

A novel steric effect-regulated isothermal exponential amplification technology for the one-step homogeneous sensing of proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wanghua; Pan, Wufan; Yu, Dongdong; Yuan, Zhen; Qin, Yazhou; Lu, Yuxiang; Zhang, Tao; Zhou, Jianguang

2018-02-12

A simple and homogeneous technology, the steric effect-regulated isothermal exponential amplification reaction (SER-EXPAR), was developed to sense proteins. By using a small molecule linked DNA nanostructure, termed enzyme-binding hairpin (EBH), the protein-small molecule binding events could be readily sensed by utilizing the steric effect generated between the protein and enzyme. It set free the enzyme to be active again, thus regulating the amplification rate of EXPAR.

Linear-regression convolutional neural network for fully automated coronary lumen segmentation in intravascular optical coherence tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, Yan Ling; Tan, Li Kuo; McLaughlin, Robert A; Chee, Kok Han; Liew, Yih Miin

2017-12-01

Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical imaging modality commonly used in the assessment of coronary artery diseases during percutaneous coronary intervention. Manual segmentation to assess luminal stenosis from OCT pullback scans is challenging and time consuming. We propose a linear-regression convolutional neural network to automatically perform vessel lumen segmentation, parameterized in terms of radial distances from the catheter centroid in polar space. Benchmarked against gold-standard manual segmentation, our proposed algorithm achieves average locational accuracy of the vessel wall of 22 microns, and 0.985 and 0.970 in Dice coefficient and Jaccard similarity index, respectively. The average absolute error of luminal area estimation is 1.38%. The processing rate is 40.6 ms per image, suggesting the potential to be incorporated into a clinical workflow and to provide quantitative assessment of vessel lumen in an intraoperative time frame. (2017) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

A protein kinase binds the C-terminal domain of the readthrough protein of Turnip yellows virus and regulates virus accumulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez-Medina, Caren; Boissinot, Sylvaine [UMR 1131 SVQV INRA-UDS, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, 68021 Colmar (France); Chapuis, Sophie [Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Laboratoire propre du CNRS conventionné avec l’Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg (France); Gereige, Dalya; Rastegar, Maryam; Erdinger, Monique [UMR 1131 SVQV INRA-UDS, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, 68021 Colmar (France); Revers, Frédéric [INRA, Université de Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, 33882 Villenave d’Ornon (France); Ziegler-Graff, Véronique [Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Laboratoire propre du CNRS conventionné avec l’Université de Strasbourg, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67084 Strasbourg (France); Brault, Véronique, E-mail: veronique.brault@colmar.inra.fr [UMR 1131 SVQV INRA-UDS, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, 68021 Colmar (France)

2015-12-15

Turnip yellows virus (TuYV), a phloem-limited virus, encodes a 74 kDa protein known as the readthrough protein (RT) involved in virus movement. We show here that a TuYV mutant deleted of the C-terminal part of the RT protein (TuYV-∆RT{sub Cter}) was affected in long-distance trafficking in a host-specific manner. By using the C-terminal domain of the RT protein as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen of a phloem cDNA library from Arabidopsis thaliana we identified the calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase-7 (AtCIPK7). Transient expression of a GFP:CIPK7 fusion protein in virus-inoculated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves led to local increase of wild-type TuYV accumulation, but not that of TuYV-∆RT{sub Cter}. Surprisingly, elevated virus titer in inoculated leaves did not result in higher TuYV accumulation in systemic leaves, which indicates that virus long-distance movement was not affected. Since GFP:CIPK7 was localized in or near plasmodesmata, CIPK7 could negatively regulate TuYV export from infected cells. - Highlights: • The C-terminal domain of TuYV-RT is required for long-distance movement. • CIPK7 from Arabidopsis interacts with RT{sub Cter} in yeast and in plants. • CIPK7 overexpression increases virus titer locally but not virus systemic movement. • CIPK7 localizes to plasmodesmata. • CIPK7 could be a defense protein regulating virus export.

Stanford type A aortic dissection with closed false lumen: Analysis of prognostic factors at initial CT or MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuoka, Yohjiro; Sakamoto, Ichiro; Ogawa, Yohji; Sueyoshi, Eijun; Hayashi, Kuniaki; Takagi, Masatake [Nagasaki Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine; Narimatsu, Motoharu

1997-08-01

Nineteen patients with Stanford type A acute aortic dissection with closed false lumen were reviewed. In the follow-up examinations, ulcerlike projection (ULP) in the ascending aorta (AA) or aortic arch (AR) was identified in 8 of 19 patients. In 5 of these 8 patients, acute cardiac tamponade occurred and 3 of them died. In the other 11 patients, there was no mortality, and only one patient underwent elective surgery. The appearance of ULP in the AA/AR is considered an indication for urgent surgery because it is regarded as a precursor of lethal complications such as cardiac tamponade. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of the appearance of ULP in the AA/AR with early imagings (CT or MRI) before the appearance of ULP. The patients were divided into two groups: patients with ULP in the AA/AR (8 patients) and others (11 patients). Initial CT or MRI findings of the thoracic aorta were retrospectively statistically analyzed in each group. Three predictive factors were statistically significant for the appearance of ULP in the AA/AR (diameter of the AA{>=}5 cm, thickness of the false lumen of the AA{>=}1 cm, thickness of the false lumen of the AA{>=} that of the descending aorta). Close attention should be paid, if any of these 3 factors is observed at initial CT or MRI. (author)

Stanford type A aortic dissection with closed false lumen: Analysis of prognostic factors at initial CT or MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuoka, Yohjiro; Sakamoto, Ichiro; Ogawa, Yohji; Sueyoshi, Eijun; Hayashi, Kuniaki; Takagi, Masatake; Narimatsu, Motoharu.

1997-01-01

Nineteen patients with Stanford type A acute aortic dissection with closed false lumen were reviewed. In the follow-up examinations, ulcerlike projection (ULP) in the ascending aorta (AA) or aortic arch (AR) was identified in 8 of 19 patients. In 5 of these 8 patients, acute cardiac tamponade occurred and 3 of them died. In the other 11 patients, there was no mortality, and only one patient underwent elective surgery. The appearance of ULP in the AA/AR is considered an indication for urgent surgery because it is regarded as a precursor of lethal complications such as cardiac tamponade. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of the appearance of ULP in the AA/AR with early imagings (CT or MRI) before the appearance of ULP. The patients were divided into two groups: patients with ULP in the AA/AR (8 patients) and others (11 patients). Initial CT or MRI findings of the thoracic aorta were retrospectively statistically analyzed in each group. Three predictive factors were statistically significant for the appearance of ULP in the AA/AR (diameter of the AA≥5 cm, thickness of the false lumen of the AA≥1 cm, thickness of the false lumen of the AA≥ that of the descending aorta). Close attention should be paid, if any of these 3 factors is observed at initial CT or MRI. (author)

How are proteins reduced in the endoplasmic reticulum?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellgaard, Lars; Sevier, Carolyn S.; Bulleid, Neil J.

2018-01-01

The reversal of thiol oxidation in proteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is crucial for protein folding, degradation, chaperone function, and the ER stress response. Our understanding of this process is generally poor but progress has been made. Enzymes performing the initial reduction...... of client proteins, as well as the ultimate electron donor in the pathway, have been identified. Most recently, a role for the cytosol in ER protein reduction has been revealed. Nevertheless, how reducing equivalents are transferred from the cytosol to the ER lumen remains an open question. We review here...... why proteins are reduced in the ER, discuss recent data on catalysis of steps in the pathway, and consider the implications for redox homeostasis within the early secretory pathway....

Modifications to the translational apparatus which affect the regulation of protein synthesis in sea urchin embryos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scalise, F.W.

1988-01-01

Protein synthesis can be regulated at a number of cellular levels. I have examined how modifications to specific components of the protein synthetic machinery are involved in regulating the efficiency of initiation of translation during early sea urchin embryogenesis. It is demonstrated that Ca 2+ concentrations exceeding 500 uM cause the inhibition of protein synthesis in cell-free translation lysates prepared from sea urchin embryos. Specific changes in the state of phosphorylation of at least 8 proteins occur during this Ca 2+ -mediated repression of translation. Analysis of these proteins has indicated that, unlike mammalian systems, there is no detectable level of Ca 2+ -dependent phosphorylation of the αsubunit eIF-2. Two of the proteins which do become phosphorylated in response to Ca 2+ are calmodulin and an isoelectric form of sea urchin eIF-4D. In addition, 2 proteins which share similarities with kinases involved in the regulation of protein synthesis in mammalian cells, also become phosphorylated. I have investigated the consequences of changes in eIF-4D during sea urchin embryogenesis because it has been proposed that a polyamine-mediated conversion of lysine to hypusine in this factor may enhance translational activity. It is demonstrated that [ 3 H] spermidine-derived radioactivity is incorporated into a number of proteins when sea urchin embryos are labeled in vivo, and that the pattern of individual proteins that become labeled changes over the course of the first 30 hr of development

The nuclear IκB family of proteins controls gene regulation and immune homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

MaruYama, Takashi

2015-10-01

The inhibitory IκB family of proteins is subdivided into two groups based on protein localization in the cytoplasm or in the nucleus. These proteins interact with NF-κB, a major transcription factor regulating the expression of many inflammatory cytokines, by modulating its transcriptional activity. However, nuclear IκB family proteins not only interact with NF-κB to change its transcriptional activity, but they also bind to chromatin and control gene expression. This review provides an overview of nuclear IκB family proteins and their role in immune homeostasis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protein kinase B/Akt1 inhibits autophagy by down-regulating UVRAG expression

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Yang, Wonseok; Ju, Ji-hyun; Lee, Kyung-min; Nam, KeeSoo; Oh, Sunhwa [Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Incheol, E-mail: incheol@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-02-01

Autophagy, or autophagocytosis, is a selective intracellular degradative process involving the cell's own lysosomal apparatus. An essential component in cell development, homeostasis, repair and resistance to stress, autophagy may result in either cell death or survival. The targeted region of the cell is sequestered within a membrane structure, the autophagosome, for regulation of the catabolic process. A key factor in both autophagosome formation and autophagosome maturation is a protein encoded by the ultraviolet irradiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG). Conversely, the serine/threonine-specific protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt), which regulates survival in various cancers, inhibits autophagy through mTOR activation. We found that Akt1 may also directly inhibit autophagy by down-regulating UVRAG both in a 293T transient transfection system and breast cancer cells stably expressing Akt1. The UVRAG with mutations at putative Akt1-phosphorylation sites were still inhibited by Akt1, and dominant-negative Akt1 also inhibited UVRAG expression, suggesting that Akt1 down-regulates UVRAG by a kinase activity-independent mechanism. We showed that Akt1 overexpression in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells down-regulated UVRAG transcription. Cells over-expressing Akt1 were more resistant than control cells to ultraviolet light-induced autophagy and exhibited the associated reduction in cell viability. Levels of the autophagosome indicator protein LC3B-II and mRFP-GFP-LC3 were reduced in cells that over-expressing Akt1. Inhibiting Akt1 by siRNA or reintroducing UVRAG gene rescued the level of LC3B-II in UV-irradiation. Altogether, these data suggest that Akt1 may inhibit autophagy by decreasing UVRAG expression, which also sensitizes cancer cells to UV irradiation.

The AMPA receptor-associated protein Shisa7 regulates hippocampal synaptic function and contextual memory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmitz, Leanne J M; Klaassen, Remco V; Ruiperez-Alonso, Marta; Zamri, Azra Elia; Stroeder, Jasper; Rao-Ruiz, Priyanka; Lodder, Johannes C; van der Loo, Rolinka J; Mansvelder, Huib D; Smit, August B; Spijker, Sabine; Verhage, Matthijs

2017-01-01

Glutamatergic synapses rely on AMPA receptors (AMPARs) for fast synaptic transmission and plasticity. AMPAR auxiliary proteins regulate receptor trafficking, and modulate receptor mobility and its biophysical properties. The AMPAR auxiliary protein Shisa7 (CKAMP59) has been shown to interact with

Fibulin-1C, C1 esterase inhibitor and glucose regulated protein 75 interact with the CREC proteins, calumenin and reticulocalbin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Gry Aune Westergaard; Ludvigsen, Maja; Jacobsen, Christian

2015-01-01

Affinity purification, immunoprecipitation, gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to identify fibulin-1C, C1 esterase inhibitor and glucose regulated protein 75, grp75, as binding partners of the CREC proteins, calumenin and reticulocalbin. Surface plasmon resonance was used to verify...... the interaction of all three proteins with each of the CREC proteins. Fibulin-1C interacts with calumenin and reticulocalbin with an estimated dissociation constant around 50-60 nM. The interaction, at least for reticulocalbin, was not dependent upon the presence of Ca2+. C1 esterase inhibitor interacted...

Brassinosteroids Regulate OFP1, a DLT Interacting Protein, to Modulate Plant Architecture and Grain Morphology in Rice

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Yunhua Xiao

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Brassinosteroids (BRs regulate important agronomic traits in rice, including plant height, leaf angle, and grain size. However, the underlying mechanisms remain not fully understood. We previously showed that GSK2, the central negative regulator of BR signaling, targets DLT, the GRAS family protein, to regulate BR responses. Here, we identified Ovate Family Protein 1 (OFP1 as a DLT interacting protein. OFP1 was ubiquitously expressed and the protein was localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus. Overexpression of OFP1 led to enlarged leaf angles, reduced plant height, and altered grain shape, largely resembled DLT overexpression plants. Genetic analysis showed that the regulation of plant architecture by OFP1 depends on DLT function. In addition, we found OFP1 was greatly induced by BR treatment, and OsBZR1, the critical transcription factor of BR signaling, was physically associated with the OFP1 promoter. Moreover, we showed that gibberellin synthesis was greatly repressed in OFP1 overexpression plants, suggesting OFP1 participates in the inhibition of plant growth by high BR or elevated BR signaling. Furthermore, we revealed that OFP1 directly interacts with GSK2 kinase, and inhibition of the kinase activity significantly promotes OFP1 protein accumulation in plant. Taken together, we identified OFP1 as an additional regulator of BR responses and revealed how BRs promote OFP1 at both transcription and protein levels to modulate plant architecture and grain morphology in rice.

Structural analysis of DNA–protein complexes regulating the restriction–modification system Esp1396I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Richard N. A.; McGeehan, John E.; Ball, Neil J.; Streeter, Simon D.; Thresh, Sarah-Jane; Kneale, G. G.

2013-01-01

Comparison of bound and unbound DNA in protein–DNA co-crystal complexes reveals insights into controller-protein binding and DNA distortion in transcriptional regulation. The controller protein of the type II restriction–modification (RM) system Esp1396I binds to three distinct DNA operator sequences upstream of the methyltransferase and endonuclease genes in order to regulate their expression. Previous biophysical and crystallographic studies have shown molecular details of how the controller protein binds to the operator sites with very different affinities. Here, two protein–DNA co-crystal structures containing portions of unbound DNA from native operator sites are reported. The DNA in both complexes shows significant distortion in the region between the conserved symmetric sequences, similar to that of a DNA duplex when bound by the controller protein (C-protein), indicating that the naked DNA has an intrinsic tendency to bend when not bound to the C-protein. Moreover, the width of the major groove of the DNA adjacent to a bound C-protein dimer is observed to be significantly increased, supporting the idea that this DNA distortion contributes to the substantial cooperativity found when a second C-protein dimer binds to the operator to form the tetrameric repression complex

SNF1-related protein kinases 2 are negatively regulated by a plant-specific calcium sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Bucholc, Maria; Ciesielski, Arkadiusz; Goch, Grażyna; Anielska-Mazur, Anna; Kulik, Anna; Krzywińska, Ewa; Dobrowolska, Grażyna

2011-02-04

SNF1-related protein kinases 2 (SnRK2s) are plant-specific enzymes involved in environmental stress signaling and abscisic acid-regulated plant development. Here, we report that SnRK2s interact with and are regulated by a plant-specific calcium-binding protein. We screened a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Matchmaker cDNA library for proteins interacting with Nicotiana tabacum osmotic stress-activated protein kinase (NtOSAK), a member of the SnRK2 family. A putative EF-hand calcium-binding protein was identified as a molecular partner of NtOSAK. To determine whether the identified protein interacts only with NtOSAK or with other SnRK2s as well, we studied the interaction of an Arabidopsis thaliana orthologue of the calcium-binding protein with selected Arabidopsis SnRK2s using a two-hybrid system. All kinases studied interacted with the protein. The interactions were confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay, indicating that the binding occurs in planta, exclusively in the cytoplasm. Calcium binding properties of the protein were analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy using Tb(3+) as a spectroscopic probe. The calcium binding constant, determined by the protein fluorescence titration, was 2.5 ± 0.9 × 10(5) M(-1). The CD spectrum indicated that the secondary structure of the protein changes significantly in the presence of calcium, suggesting its possible function as a calcium sensor in plant cells. In vitro studies revealed that the activity of SnRK2 kinases analyzed is inhibited in a calcium-dependent manner by the identified calcium sensor, which we named SCS (SnRK2-interacting calcium sensor). Our results suggest that SCS is involved in response to abscisic acid during seed germination most probably by negative regulation of SnRK2s activity.

Prediction of Lumen Output and Chromaticity Shift in LEDs Using Kalman Filter and Extended Kalman Filter Based Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lall, Pradeep; Wei, Junchao; Davis, J Lynn

2014-06-24

Abstract— Solid-state lighting (SSL) luminaires containing light emitting diodes (LEDs) have the potential of seeing excessive temperatures when being transported across country or being stored in non-climate controlled warehouses. They are also being used in outdoor applications in desert environments that see little or no humidity but will experience extremely high temperatures during the day. This makes it important to increase our understanding of what effects high temperature exposure for a prolonged period of time will have on the usability and survivability of these devices. Traditional light sources “burn out” at end-of-life. For an incandescent bulb, the lamp life is defined by B50 life. However, the LEDs have no filament to “burn”. The LEDs continually degrade and the light output decreases eventually below useful levels causing failure. Presently, the TM-21 test standard is used to predict the L70 life of LEDs from LM-80 test data. Several failure mechanisms may be active in a LED at a single time causing lumen depreciation. The underlying TM-21 Model may not capture the failure physics in presence of multiple failure mechanisms. Correlation of lumen maintenance with underlying physics of degradation at system-level is needed. In this paper, Kalman Filter (KF) and Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) have been used to develop a 70-percent Lumen Maintenance Life Prediction Model for LEDs used in SSL luminaires. Ten-thousand hour LM-80 test data for various LEDs have been used for model development. System state at each future time has been computed based on the state space at preceding time step, system dynamics matrix, control vector, control matrix, measurement matrix, measured vector, process noise and measurement noise. The future state of the lumen depreciation has been estimated based on a second order Kalman Filter model and a Bayesian Framework. Life prediction of L70 life for the LEDs used in SSL luminaires from KF and EKF based models have

Fragile x mental retardation protein regulates proliferation and differentiation of adult neural stem/progenitor cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuping Luo

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Fragile X syndrome (FXS, the most common form of inherited mental retardation, is caused by the loss of functional fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP. FMRP is an RNA-binding protein that can regulate the translation of specific mRNAs. Adult neurogenesis, a process considered important for neuroplasticity and memory, is regulated at multiple molecular levels. In this study, we investigated whether Fmrp deficiency affects adult neurogenesis. We show that in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome, adult neurogenesis is indeed altered. The loss of Fmrp increases the proliferation and alters the fate specification of adult neural progenitor/stem cells (aNPCs. We demonstrate that Fmrp regulates the protein expression of several components critical for aNPC function, including CDK4 and GSK3beta. Dysregulation of GSK3beta led to reduced Wnt signaling pathway activity, which altered the expression of neurogenin1 and the fate specification of aNPCs. These data unveil a novel regulatory role for Fmrp and translational regulation in adult neurogenesis.

Multiple structure-intrinsic disorder interactions regulate and coordinate Hox protein function

Science.gov (United States)

Bondos, Sarah

During animal development, Hox transcription factors determine fate of developing tissues to generate diverse organs and appendages. Hox proteins are famous for their bizarre mutant phenotypes, such as replacing antennae with legs. Clearly, the functions of individual Hox proteins must be distinct and reliable in vivo, or the organism risks malformation or death. However, within the Hox protein family, the DNA-binding homeodomains are highly conserved and the amino acids that contact DNA are nearly invariant. These observations raise the question: How do different Hox proteins correctly identify their distinct target genes using a common DNA binding domain? One possible means to modulate DNA binding is through the influence of the non-homeodomain protein regions, which differ significantly among Hox proteins. However genetic approaches never detected intra-protein interactions, and early biochemical attempts were hindered because the special features of ``intrinsically disordered'' sequences were not appreciated. We propose the first-ever structural model of a Hox protein to explain how specific contacts between distant, intrinsically disordered regions of the protein and the homeodomain regulate DNA binding and coordinate this activity with other Hox molecular functions.

Dopamine D2L receptor-interacting proteins regulate dopaminergic signaling

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Norifumi Shioda

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Dopamine receptor family proteins include seven transmembrane and trimeric GTP-binding protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs. Among them, the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R is most extensively studied. All clinically used antipsychotic drugs serve as D2R antagonists in the mesolimbic dopamine system, and their ability to block D2R signaling is positively correlated with antipsychotic efficiency. Human genetic studies also show a significant association of DRD2 polymorphisms with disorders including schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. D2R exists as two alternatively spliced isoforms, the long isoform (D2LR and the short isoform (D2SR, which differ in a 29-amino acid (AA insert in the third cytoplasmic loop. Importantly, previous reports demonstrate functional diversity between the two isoforms in humans. In this review, we focus on binding proteins that specifically interact with the D2LR 29AA insert. We discuss how D2R activities are mediated not only by heterotrimeric G proteins but by D2LR-interacting proteins, which in part regulate diverse D2R activities. Keywords: Dopamine D2L receptor, Antipsychotic drugs, DRD2 polymorphisms, Alternatively spliced isoforms, D2LR-interacting proteins

Uncovering packaging features of co-regulated modules based on human protein interaction and transcriptional regulatory networks

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He Weiming

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Network co-regulated modules are believed to have the functionality of packaging multiple biological entities, and can thus be assumed to coordinate many biological functions in their network neighbouring regions. Results Here, we weighted edges of a human protein interaction network and a transcriptional regulatory network to construct an integrated network, and introduce a probabilistic model and a bipartite graph framework to exploit human co-regulated modules and uncover their specific features in packaging different biological entities (genes, protein complexes or metabolic pathways. Finally, we identified 96 human co-regulated modules based on this method, and evaluate its effectiveness by comparing it with four other methods. Conclusions Dysfunctions in co-regulated interactions often occur in the development of cancer. Therefore, we focussed on an example co-regulated module and found that it could integrate a number of cancer-related genes. This was extended to causal dysfunctions of some complexes maintained by several physically interacting proteins, thus coordinating several metabolic pathways that directly underlie cancer.

Specific DNA-binding proteins and DNA sequences involved in steroid hormone regulation of gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spelsberg, T.; Hora, J.; Horton, M.; Goldberger, A.; Littlefield, B.; Seelke, R.; Toyoda, H.

1987-01-01

Steroid hormones circulate in the blood and are taken by target cells via complexes with intracellular binding proteins termed receptors, that are hormone and tissue specific. Each receptor binds it specific steroid with very high affinity, having an equilibrium dissociation constant (K/sub d/) in the range of 10 -9 to 10 -10 M. Once bound by their specific steroid hormones, the steroid receptors undergo a conformational change which allows them to bind with high affinity to sites on chromatin, termed nuclear acceptor sites. There are estimated 5,000 to 10,000 of these sites expressed with an equal number not expressed (''masked'') in intact chromatin. The result of the binding to nuclear acceptor sites is an alteration of gene transcription or, in some cases, gene expression as measured by the changing levels of specific RNAs and proteins in that target tissue. Each steroid regulates specific effects on the RNA and protein profiles. The chronology of the above mechanism of action after injection of radiolabelled steroid as is follows: Steroid-receptor complex formation (1 minute), nuclear acceptor sites (2 minutes), effects on RNA synthesis (10 to 30 minutes), and finally the changing protein profiles via changes in protein synthesis and protein turnover (1 to 6 hours). Thus steroid receptors represent one of the first identified intracellular gene regulation proteins. The receptor molecules themselves are regulated by the presence or absence of the steroid molecule

Isolation of nuclear proteins from flax (Linum usitatissimum L. seed coats for gene expression regulation studies

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Renouard Sullivan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While seed biology is well characterized and numerous studies have focused on this subject over the past years, the regulation of seed coat development and metabolism is for the most part still non-elucidated. It is well known that the seed coat has an essential role in seed development and its features are associated with important agronomical traits. It also constitutes a rich source of valuable compounds such as pharmaceuticals. Most of the cell genetic material is contained in the nucleus; therefore nuclear proteins constitute a major actor for gene expression regulation. Isolation of nuclear proteins responsible for specific seed coat expression is an important prerequisite for understanding seed coat metabolism and development. The extraction of nuclear proteins may be problematic due to the presence of specific components that can interfere with the extraction process. The seed coat is a rich source of mucilage and phenolics, which are good examples of these hindering compounds. Findings In the present study, we propose an optimized nuclear protein extraction protocol able to provide nuclear proteins from flax seed coat without contaminants and sufficient yield and quality for their use in transcriptional gene expression regulation by gel shift experiments. Conclusions Routinely, around 250 μg of nuclear proteins per gram of fresh weight were extracted from immature flax seed coats. The isolation protocol described hereafter may serve as an effective tool for gene expression regulation and seed coat-focused proteomics studies.

Lipid bilayer regulation of membrane protein function: gramicidin channels as molecular force probes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundbæk, Jens August; Collingwood, S.A.; Ingolfsson, H.I.

2010-01-01

with collective physical properties (e.g. thickness, intrinsic monolayer curvature or elastic moduli). Studies in physico-chemical model systems have demonstrated that changes in bilayer physical properties can regulate membrane protein function by altering the energetic cost of the bilayer deformation associated...... with a protein conformational change. This type of regulation is well characterized, and its mechanistic elucidation is an interdisciplinary field bordering on physics, chemistry and biology. Changes in lipid composition that alter bilayer physical properties (including cholesterol, polyunsaturated fatty acids...... channels as molecular force probes for studying this mechanism, with a unique ability to discriminate between consequences of changes in monolayer curvature and bilayer elastic moduli....

Phytochrome regulates GTP-binding protein activity in the envelope of pea nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, G. B.; Memon, A. R.; Thompson, G. A. Jr; Roux, S. J.

1993-01-01

Three GTP-binding proteins with apparent molecular masses of 27, 28 and 30 kDa have been detected in isolated nuclei of etiolated pea plumules. After LDS-PAGE and transfer to nitrocellulose these proteins bind [32P]GTP in the presence of excess ATP, suggesting that they are monomeric G proteins. When nuclei are disrupted, three proteins co-purify with the nuclear envelope fraction and are highly enriched in this fraction. The level of [32P]GTP-binding for all three protein bands is significantly increased when harvested pea plumules are irradiated by red light, and this effect is reversed by far-red light. The results indicate that GTP-binding activity associated with the nuclear envelope of plant cells is photoreversibly regulated by the pigment phytochrome.

On prilled Nanotubes-in-Microgel Oral Systems for protein delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

de Kruif, Jan Kendall; Ledergerber, Gisela; Garofalo, Carla; Fasler-Kan, Elizaveta; Kuentz, Martin

2016-04-01

Newly discovered active macromolecules are highly promising for therapy, but poor bioavailability hinders their oral use. Microencapsulation approaches, such as protein prilling into microspheres, may enable protection from gastrointestinal (GI) enzymatic degradation. This would increase bioavailability mainly for local delivery to GI lumen or mucosa. This work's purpose was to design a novel architecture, namely a Nanotubes-in-Microgel Oral System, by prilling for protein delivery. Halloysite nanotubes (HNT) were selected as orally acceptable clay particles and their lumen was enlarged by alkaline etching. This chemical modification increased the luminal volume to a mean of 216.3 μL g(-1) (+40.8%). After loading albumin as model drug, the HNT were entrapped in microgels by prilling. The formation of Nanoparticles-in-Microsphere Oral System (NiMOS) yielded entrapment efficiencies up to 63.2%. NiMOS shape was spherical to toroidal, with a diameter smaller than 320 μm. Release profiles depended largely on the employed system and HNT type. Protein stability was determined throughout prilling and after in vitro enzymatic degradation. Prilling did not harm protein structure, and NiMOS demonstrated higher enzymatic protection than pure nanotubes or microgels, since up to 82% of BSA remained unscathed after in vitro digestion. Therefore, prilled NiMOS was shown to be a promising and flexible multi-compartment system for oral (local) macromolecular delivery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Matrix rigidity regulates cancer cell growth by modulating cellular metabolism and protein synthesis.

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Robert W Tilghman

Full Text Available Tumor cells in vivo encounter diverse types of microenvironments both at the site of the primary tumor and at sites of distant metastases. Understanding how the various mechanical properties of these microenvironments affect the biology of tumor cells during disease progression is critical in identifying molecular targets for cancer therapy.This study uses flexible polyacrylamide gels as substrates for cell growth in conjunction with a novel proteomic approach to identify the properties of rigidity-dependent cancer cell lines that contribute to their differential growth on soft and rigid substrates. Compared to cells growing on more rigid/stiff substrates (>10,000 Pa, cells on soft substrates (150-300 Pa exhibited a longer cell cycle, due predominantly to an extension of the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and were metabolically less active, showing decreased levels of intracellular ATP and a marked reduction in protein synthesis. Using stable isotope labeling of amino acids in culture (SILAC and mass spectrometry, we measured the rates of protein synthesis of over 1200 cellular proteins under growth conditions on soft and rigid/stiff substrates. We identified cellular proteins whose syntheses were either preferentially inhibited or preserved on soft matrices. The former category included proteins that regulate cytoskeletal structures (e.g., tubulins and glycolysis (e.g., phosphofructokinase-1, whereas the latter category included proteins that regulate key metabolic pathways required for survival, e.g., nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, a regulator of the NAD salvage pathway.The cellular properties of rigidity-dependent cancer cells growing on soft matrices are reminiscent of the properties of dormant cancer cells, e.g., slow growth rate and reduced metabolism. We suggest that the use of relatively soft gels as cell culture substrates would allow molecular pathways to be studied under conditions that reflect the different mechanical

Myostatin-like proteins regulate synaptic function and neuronal morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Augustin, Hrvoje; McGourty, Kieran; Steinert, Joern R; Cochemé, Helena M; Adcott, Jennifer; Cabecinha, Melissa; Vincent, Alec; Halff, Els F; Kittler, Josef T; Boucrot, Emmanuel; Partridge, Linda

2017-07-01

Growth factors of the TGFβ superfamily play key roles in regulating neuronal and muscle function. Myostatin (or GDF8) and GDF11 are potent negative regulators of skeletal muscle mass. However, expression of myostatin and its cognate receptors in other tissues, including brain and peripheral nerves, suggests a potential wider biological role. Here, we show that Myoglianin (MYO), the Drosophila homolog of myostatin and GDF11, regulates not only body weight and muscle size, but also inhibits neuromuscular synapse strength and composition in a Smad2-dependent manner. Both myostatin and GDF11 affected synapse formation in isolated rat cortical neuron cultures, suggesting an effect on synaptogenesis beyond neuromuscular junctions. We also show that MYO acts in vivo to inhibit synaptic transmission between neurons in the escape response neural circuit of adult flies. Thus, these anti-myogenic proteins act as important inhibitors of synapse function and neuronal growth. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The phosducin-like protein PhLP1 impacts regulation of glycoside hydrolases and light response in Trichoderma reesei

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Tisch Doris

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the biotechnological workhorse Trichoderma reesei (Hypocrea jecorina transcription of cellulase genes as well as efficiency of the secreted cellulase mixture are modulated by light. Components of the heterotrimeric G-protein pathway interact with light-dependent signals, rendering this pathway a key regulator of cellulase gene expression. Results As regulators of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling, class I phosducin-like proteins, are assumed to act as co-chaperones for G-protein beta-gamma folding and exert their function in response to light in higher eukaryotes. Our results revealed light responsive transcription of the T. reesei class I phosducin-like protein gene phlp1 and indicate a light dependent function of PhLP1 also in fungi. We showed the functions of PhLP1, GNB1 and GNG1 in the same pathway, with one major output being the regulation of transcription of glycoside hydrolase genes including cellulase genes in T. reesei. We found no direct correlation between the growth rate and global regulation of glycoside hydrolases, which suggests that regulation of growth does not occur only at the level of substrate degradation efficiency. Additionally, PhLP1, GNB1 and GNG1 are all important for proper regulation of light responsiveness during long term exposure. In their absence, the amount of light regulated genes increased from 2.7% in wild type to 14% in Δphlp1. Besides from the regulation of degradative enzymes, PhLP1 was also found to impact on the transcription of genes involved in sexual development, which was in accordance with decreased efficiency of fruiting body formation in Δphlp1. The lack of GNB1 drastically diminished ascospore discharge in T. reesei. Conclusions The heterotrimeric G-protein pathway is crucial for the interconnection of nutrient signaling and light response of T. reesei, with the class I phosducin-like protein PhLP1, GNB1 and GNG1 acting as important nodes, which influence light

Adaptor protein containing PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper (APPL1) regulates the protein level of EGFR by modulating its trafficking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae-Rin; Hahn, Hwa-Sun; Kim, Young-Hoon; Nguyen, Hong-Hoa; Yang, Jun-Mo; Kang, Jong-Sun; Hahn, Myong-Joon

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► APPL1 regulates the protein level of EGFR in response to EGF stimulation. ► Depletion of APPL1 accelerates the movement of EGF/EGFR from the cell surface to the perinuclear region in response to EGF. ► Knockdown of APPL1 enhances the activity of Rab5. -- Abstract: The EGFR-mediated signaling pathway regulates multiple biological processes such as cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Previously APPL1 (adaptor protein containing PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper 1) has been reported to function as a downstream effector of EGF-initiated signaling. Here we demonstrate that APPL1 regulates EGFR protein levels in response to EGF stimulation. Overexpression of APPL1 enhances EGFR stabilization while APPL1 depletion by siRNA reduces EGFR protein levels. APPL1 depletion accelerates EGFR internalization and movement of EGF/EGFR from cell surface to the perinuclear region in response to EGF treatment. Conversely, overexpression of APPL1 decelerates EGFR internalization and translocation of EGF/EGFR to the perinuclear region. Furthermore, APPL1 depletion enhances the activity of Rab5 which is involved in internalization and trafficking of EGFR and inhibition of Rab5 in APPL1-depleted cells restored EGFR levels. Consistently, APPL1 depletion reduced activation of Akt, the downstream signaling effector of EGFR and this is restored by inhibition of Rab5. These findings suggest that APPL1 is required for EGFR signaling by regulation of EGFR stabilities through inhibition of Rab5.

A cytoplasmic serine protein kinase binds and may regulate the Fanconi anemia protein FANCA.

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Yagasaki, H; Adachi, D; Oda, T; Garcia-Higuera, I; Tetteh, N; D'Andrea, A D; Futaki, M; Asano, S; Yamashita, T

2001-12-15

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disease with congenital anomalies, bone marrow failure, and susceptibility to leukemia. Patient cells show chromosome instability and hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents. At least 8 complementation groups (A-G) have been identified and 6 FA genes (for subtypes A, C, D2, E, F, and G) have been cloned. Increasing evidence indicates that a protein complex assembly of multiple FA proteins, including FANCA and FANCG, plays a crucial role in the FA pathway. Previously, it was reported that FANCA was phosphorylated in lymphoblasts from normal controls, whereas the phosphorylation was defective in those derived from patients with FA of multiple complementation groups. The present study examined phosphorylation of FANCA ectopically expressed in FANCA(-) cells. Several patient-derived mutations abrogated in vivo phosphorylation of FANCA in this system, suggesting that FANCA phosphorylation is associated with its function. In vitro phosphorylation studies indicated that a physiologic protein kinase for FANCA (FANCA-PK) forms a complex with the substrate. Furthermore, at least a part of FANCA-PK as well as phosphorylated FANCA were included in the FANCA/FANCG complex. Thus, FANCA-PK appears to be another component of the FA protein complex and may regulate function of FANCA. FANCA-PK was characterized as a cytoplasmic serine kinase sensitive to wortmannin. Identification of the protein kinase is expected to elucidate regulatory mechanisms that control the FA pathway.

Protein phosphatase PPM1G regulates protein translation and cell growth by dephosphorylating 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1).

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Liu, Jianyu; Stevens, Payton D; Eshleman, Nichole E; Gao, Tianyan

2013-08-09

Protein translation initiation is a tightly controlled process responding to nutrient availability and mitogen stimulation. Serving as one of the most important negative regulators of protein translation, 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) binds to translation initiation factor 4E and inhibits cap-dependent translation in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Although it has been demonstrated previously that the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 is controlled by mammalian target of rapamycin in the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, the mechanism underlying the dephosphorylation of 4E-BP1 remains elusive. Here, we report the identification of PPM1G as the phosphatase of 4E-BP1. A coimmunoprecipitation experiment reveals that PPM1G binds to 4E-BP1 in cells and that purified PPM1G dephosphorylates 4E-BP1 in vitro. Knockdown of PPM1G in 293E and colon cancer HCT116 cells results in an increase in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 at both the Thr-37/46 and Ser-65 sites. Furthermore, the time course of 4E-BP1 dephosphorylation induced by amino acid starvation or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition is slowed down significantly in PPM1G knockdown cells. Functionally, the amount of 4E-BP1 bound to the cap-dependent translation initiation complex is decreased when the expression of PPM1G is depleted. As a result, the rate of cap-dependent translation, cell size, and protein content are increased in PPM1G knockdown cells. Taken together, our study has identified protein phosphatase PPM1G as a novel regulator of cap-dependent protein translation by negatively controlling the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1.

The role of oligomerization and cooperative regulation in protein function: the case of tryptophan synthase.

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M Qaiser Fatmi

Full Text Available The oligomerization/co-localization of protein complexes and their cooperative regulation in protein function is a key feature in many biological systems. The synergistic regulation in different subunits often enhances the functional properties of the multi-enzyme complex. The present study used molecular dynamics and Brownian dynamics simulations to study the effects of allostery, oligomerization and intermediate channeling on enhancing the protein function of tryptophan synthase (TRPS. TRPS uses a set of α/β-dimeric units to catalyze the last two steps of L-tryptophan biosynthesis, and the rate is remarkably slower in the isolated monomers. Our work shows that without their binding partner, the isolated monomers are stable and more rigid. The substrates can form fairly stable interactions with the protein in both forms when the protein reaches the final ligand-bound conformations. Our simulations also revealed that the α/β-dimeric unit stabilizes the substrate-protein conformation in the ligand binding process, which lowers the conformation transition barrier and helps the protein conformations shift from an open/inactive form to a closed/active form. Brownian dynamics simulations with a coarse-grained model illustrate how protein conformations affect substrate channeling. The results highlight the complex roles of protein oligomerization and the fine balance between rigidity and dynamics in protein function.

Negative regulation of RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling by TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Na-Rae; Shin, Han-Bo; Kim, Hye-In; Choi, Myung-Soo; Inn, Kyung-Soo

2013-01-01

Highlights: •TRK-fused gene product (TFG) interacts with TRIM25 upon viral infection. •TFG negatively regulates RIG-I mediated antiviral signaling. •TFG depletion leads to enhanced viral replication. •TFG act downstream of MAVS. -- Abstract: RIG-I (retinoic acid inducible gene I)-mediated antiviral signaling serves as the first line of defense against viral infection. Upon detection of viral RNA, RIG-I undergoes TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production. In this study, we demonstrate that TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein, previously identified as a TRIM25-interacting protein, binds TRIM25 upon virus infection and negatively regulates RIG-I-mediated type-I IFN signaling. RIG-I-mediated IFN production and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathways were upregulated by the suppression of TFG expression. Furthermore, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication was significantly inhibited by small inhibitory hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of TFG, supporting the suppressive role of TFG in RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling. Interestingly, suppression of TFG expression increased not only RIG-I-mediated signaling but also MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein)-induced signaling, suggesting that TFG plays a pivotal role in negative regulation of RNA-sensing, RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family signaling pathways

A protein kinase binds the C-terminal domain of the readthrough protein of Turnip yellows virus and regulates virus accumulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Medina, Caren; Boissinot, Sylvaine; Chapuis, Sophie; Gereige, Dalya; Rastegar, Maryam; Erdinger, Monique; Revers, Frédéric; Ziegler-Graff, Véronique; Brault, Véronique

2015-01-01

Turnip yellows virus (TuYV), a phloem-limited virus, encodes a 74 kDa protein known as the readthrough protein (RT) involved in virus movement. We show here that a TuYV mutant deleted of the C-terminal part of the RT protein (TuYV-∆RT_C_t_e_r) was affected in long-distance trafficking in a host-specific manner. By using the C-terminal domain of the RT protein as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen of a phloem cDNA library from Arabidopsis thaliana we identified the calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase-7 (AtCIPK7). Transient expression of a GFP:CIPK7 fusion protein in virus-inoculated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves led to local increase of wild-type TuYV accumulation, but not that of TuYV-∆RT_C_t_e_r. Surprisingly, elevated virus titer in inoculated leaves did not result in higher TuYV accumulation in systemic leaves, which indicates that virus long-distance movement was not affected. Since GFP:CIPK7 was localized in or near plasmodesmata, CIPK7 could negatively regulate TuYV export from infected cells. - Highlights: • The C-terminal domain of TuYV-RT is required for long-distance movement. • CIPK7 from Arabidopsis interacts with RT_C_t_e_r in yeast and in plants. • CIPK7 overexpression increases virus titer locally but not virus systemic movement. • CIPK7 localizes to plasmodesmata. • CIPK7 could be a defense protein regulating virus export.

Regulation of Sirtuin-Mediated Protein Deacetylation by Cardioprotective Phytochemicals

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Niria Treviño-Saldaña

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Modulation of posttranslational modifications (PTMs, such as protein acetylation, is considered a novel therapeutic strategy to combat the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Protein hyperacetylation is associated with the development of numerous cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure. In addition, decreased expression and activity of the deacetylases Sirt1, Sirt3, and Sirt6 have been linked to the development and progression of cardiac dysfunction. Several phytochemicals exert cardioprotective effects by regulating protein acetylation levels. These effects are mainly exerted via activation of Sirt1 and Sirt3 and inhibition of acetyltransferases. Numerous studies support a cardioprotective role for sirtuin activators (e.g., resveratrol, as well as other emerging modulators of protein acetylation, including curcumin, honokiol, oroxilyn A, quercetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, bakuchiol, tyrosol, and berberine. Studies also point to a cardioprotective role for various nonaromatic molecules, such as docosahexaenoic acid, alpha-lipoic acid, sulforaphane, and caffeic acid ethanolamide. Here, we review the vast evidence from the bench to the clinical setting for the potential cardioprotective roles of various phytochemicals in the modulation of sirtuin-mediated deacetylation.

Regulation of Sirtuin-Mediated Protein Deacetylation by Cardioprotective Phytochemicals

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Modulation of posttranslational modifications (PTMs), such as protein acetylation, is considered a novel therapeutic strategy to combat the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Protein hyperacetylation is associated with the development of numerous cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure. In addition, decreased expression and activity of the deacetylases Sirt1, Sirt3, and Sirt6 have been linked to the development and progression of cardiac dysfunction. Several phytochemicals exert cardioprotective effects by regulating protein acetylation levels. These effects are mainly exerted via activation of Sirt1 and Sirt3 and inhibition of acetyltransferases. Numerous studies support a cardioprotective role for sirtuin activators (e.g., resveratrol), as well as other emerging modulators of protein acetylation, including curcumin, honokiol, oroxilyn A, quercetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, bakuchiol, tyrosol, and berberine. Studies also point to a cardioprotective role for various nonaromatic molecules, such as docosahexaenoic acid, alpha-lipoic acid, sulforaphane, and caffeic acid ethanolamide. Here, we review the vast evidence from the bench to the clinical setting for the potential cardioprotective roles of various phytochemicals in the modulation of sirtuin-mediated deacetylation. PMID:29234485

Genetic regulation ofmethylation and IL1RL1-a protein levels in asthma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, F Nicole; Xu, Chengjian; Melén, Erik; Carsin, Anne-Elie; Kumar, Asish; Nolte, Ilja M; Gruzieva, Olena; Pershagen, Goran; Grotenboer, Neomi S; Savenije, Olga E M; Antó, Josep Maria; Lavi, Iris; Dobaño, Carlota; Bousquet, Jean; van der Vlies, Pieter; van der Valk, Ralf J P; de Jongste, Johan C; Nawijn, Martijn C; Guerra, Stefano; Postma, Dirkje S; Koppelman, Gerard H

2018-01-01

Interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 (IL1RL1) is an important asthma gene. (Epi)genetic regulation ofIL1RL1protein expression has not been established. We assessed the association betweenIL1RL1single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs),IL1RL1methylation and serum IL1RL1-a protein levels, and aimed to identify

One, Two, Three: Polycomb Proteins Hit All Dimensions of Gene Regulation

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Stefania del Prete

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Polycomb group (PcG proteins contribute to the formation and maintenance of a specific repressive chromatin state that prevents the expression of genes in a particular space and time. Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs consist of several PcG proteins with specific regulatory or catalytic properties. PRCs are recruited to thousands of target genes, and various recruitment factors, including DNA-binding proteins and non-coding RNAs, are involved in the targeting. PcG proteins contribute to a multitude of biological processes by altering chromatin features at different scales. PcG proteins mediate both biochemical modifications of histone tails and biophysical modifications (e.g., chromatin fiber compaction and three-dimensional (3D chromatin conformation. Here, we review the role of PcG proteins in nuclear architecture, describing their impact on the structure of the chromatin fiber, on chromatin interactions, and on the spatial organization of the genome in nuclei. Although little is known about the role of plant PcG proteins in nuclear organization, much is known in the animal field, and we highlight similarities and differences in the roles of PcG proteins in 3D gene regulation in plants and animals.

Functions of the CCCH type zinc finger protein OsGZF1 in regulation of the seed storage protein GluB-1 from rice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, Y.; Sun, A.; Wang, M.; Zhu, Z.; Ouwerkerk, P.B.F.

2014-01-01

Glutelins are the most abundant storage proteins in rice grain and can make up to 80 % of total protein content. The promoter region of GluB-1, one of the glutelin genes in rice, has been intensively used as a model to understand regulation of seed-storage protein accumulation. In this study, we

Lysine acetylation targets protein complexes and co-regulates major cellular functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choudhary, Chuna Ram; Kumar, Chanchal; Gnad, Florian

2009-01-01

Lysine acetylation is a reversible posttranslational modification of proteins and plays a key role in regulating gene expression. Technological limitations have so far prevented a global analysis of lysine acetylation's cellular roles. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify 3600......, cell cycle, splicing, nuclear transport, and actin nucleation. Acetylation impaired phosphorylation-dependent interactions of 14-3-3 and regulated the yeast cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28. Our data demonstrate that the regulatory scope of lysine acetylation is broad and comparable with that of other...

Polycomb Group Protein PHF1 Regulates p53-dependent Cell Growth Arrest and Apoptosis*

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yang; Wang, Chenji; Zhang, Pingzhao; Gao, Kun; Wang, Dejie; Yu, Hongxiu; Zhang, Ting; Jiang, Sirui; Hexige, Saiyin; Hong, Zehui; Yasui, Akira; Liu, Jun O.; Huang, Haojie; Yu, Long

2013-01-01

Polycomb group protein PHF1 is well known as a component of a novel EED-EZH2·Polycomb repressive complex 2 complex and plays important roles in H3K27 methylation and Hox gene silencing. PHF1 is also involved in the response to DNA double-strand breaks in human cells, promotes nonhomologous end-joining processes through interaction with Ku70/Ku80. Here, we identified another function of PHF1 as a potential p53 pathway activator in a pathway screen using luminescence reporter assay. Subsequent studies showed PHF1 directly interacts with p53 proteins both in vivo and in vitro and co-localized in nucleus. PHF1 binds to the C-terminal regulatory domain of p53. Overexpression of PHF1 elevated p53 protein level and prolonged its turnover. Knockdown of PHF1 reduced p53 protein level and its target gene expression both in normal state and DNA damage response. Mechanically, PHF1 protects p53 proteins from MDM2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, we showed that PHF1 regulates cell growth arrest and etoposide-induced apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner. Finally, PHF1 expression was significantly down-regulated in human breast cancer samples. Taken together, we establish PHF1 as a novel positive regulator of the p53 pathway. These data shed light on the potential roles of PHF1 in tumorigenesis and/or tumor progression. PMID:23150668

Control of Secreted Protein Gene Expression and the Mammalian Secretome by the Metabolic Regulator PGC-1α.

Science.gov (United States)

Minsky, Neri; Roeder, Robert G

2017-01-06

Secreted proteins serve pivotal roles in the development of multicellular organisms, acting as structural matrix, extracellular enzymes, and signal molecules. However, how the secretome is regulated remains incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate, unexpectedly, that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α), a critical transcriptional co-activator of metabolic gene expression, functions to down-regulate the expression of diverse genes encoding secreted molecules and extracellular matrix components to modulate the secretome. Using cell lines, primary cells, and mice, we show that both endogenous and exogenous PGC-1α down-regulate the expression of numerous genes encoding secreted molecules. Mechanistically, results obtained using mRNA stability measurements as well as intronic RNA expression analysis are consistent with a transcriptional effect of PGC-1α on the expression of genes encoding secreted proteins. Interestingly, PGC-1α requires the central heat shock response regulator heat shock factor protein 1 (HSF1) to affect some of its targets, and both factors co-reside on several target genes encoding secreted molecules in cells. Finally, using a mass spectrometric analysis of secreted proteins, we demonstrate that PGC-1α modulates the secretome of mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Our results define a link between a key pathway controlling metabolic regulation and the regulation of the mammalian secretome. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Mitochondrial fission proteins regulate programmed cell death in yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Fannjiang, Yihru; Cheng, Wen-Chih; Lee, Sarah J; Qi, Bing; Pevsner, Jonathan; McCaffery, J Michael; Hill, R Blake; Basañez, Gorka; Hardwick, J Marie

2004-11-15

The possibility that single-cell organisms undergo programmed cell death has been questioned in part because they lack several key components of the mammalian cell death machinery. However, yeast encode a homolog of human Drp1, a mitochondrial fission protein that was shown previously to promote mammalian cell death and the excessive mitochondrial fragmentation characteristic of apoptotic mammalian cells. In support of a primordial origin of programmed cell death involving mitochondria, we found that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog of human Drp1, Dnm1, promotes mitochondrial fragmentation/degradation and cell death following treatment with several death stimuli. Two Dnm1-interacting factors also regulate yeast cell death. The WD40 repeat protein Mdv1/Net2 promotes cell death, consistent with its role in mitochondrial fission. In contrast to its fission function in healthy cells, Fis1 unexpectedly inhibits Dnm1-mediated mitochondrial fission and cysteine protease-dependent cell death in yeast. Furthermore, the ability of yeast Fis1 to inhibit mitochondrial fission and cell death can be functionally replaced by human Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Together, these findings indicate that yeast and mammalian cells have a conserved programmed death pathway regulated by a common molecular component, Drp1/Dnm1, that is inhibited by a Bcl-2-like function.

A VESICLE TRAFFICKING PROTEIN αSNAP REGULATES PANETH CELL DIFFERENTIATION IN VIVO

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Lechuga, Susana; Naydenov, Nayden G.; Feygin, Alex; Jimenez, Antonio J.; Ivanov, Andrei I.

2017-01-01

A soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein alpha (αSNAP) is a multifunctional scaffolding protein that regulates intracellular vesicle trafficking and signaling. In cultured intestinal epithelial cells, αSNAP has been shown to be essential for cell survival, motility, and adhesion; however, its physiologic functions in the intestinal mucosa remain unknown. In the present study, we used a mouse with a spontaneous hydrocephalus with hop gait (hyh) mutation of αSNAP to examine the roles of this trafficking protein in regulating intestinal epithelial homeostasis in vivo. Homozygous hyh mice demonstrated decreased expression of αSNAP protein in the intestinal epithelium, but did not display gross abnormalities of epithelial architecture in the colon and ileum. Such αSNAP depletion attenuated differentiation of small intestinal epithelial enteroids ex vivo. Furthermore, αSNAP-deficient mutant animals displayed reduced formation of lysozyme granules in small intestinal crypts and decreased expression of lysozyme and defensins in the intestinal mucosa, which is indicative of defects in Paneth cell differentiation. By contrast, development of Goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells, and assembly of enterocyte apical junctions was not altered in hyh mutant mice. Our data revealed a novel role of αSNAP in the intestinal Paneth cell differentiation in vivo. PMID:28359759

F-BAR family proteins, emerging regulators for cell membrane dynamic changes-from structure to human diseases.

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Liu, Suxuan; Xiong, Xinyu; Zhao, Xianxian; Yang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Hong

2015-05-09

Eukaryotic cell membrane dynamics change in curvature during physiological and pathological processes. In the past ten years, a novel protein family, Fes/CIP4 homology-Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (F-BAR) domain proteins, has been identified to be the most important coordinators in membrane curvature regulation. The F-BAR domain family is a member of the Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain superfamily that is associated with dynamic changes in cell membrane. However, the molecular basis in membrane structure regulation and the biological functions of F-BAR protein are unclear. The pathophysiological role of F-BAR protein is unknown. This review summarizes the current understanding of structure and function in the BAR domain superfamily, classifies F-BAR family proteins into nine subfamilies based on domain structure, and characterizes F-BAR protein structure, domain interaction, and functional relevance. In general, F-BAR protein binds to cell membrane via F-BAR domain association with membrane phospholipids and initiates membrane curvature and scission via Src homology-3 (SH3) domain interaction with its partner proteins. This process causes membrane dynamic changes and leads to seven important cellular biological functions, which include endocytosis, phagocytosis, filopodium, lamellipodium, cytokinesis, adhesion, and podosome formation, via distinct signaling pathways determined by specific domain-binding partners. These cellular functions play important roles in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. We further summarize F-BAR protein expression and mutation changes observed in various diseases and developmental disorders. Considering the structure feature and functional implication of F-BAR proteins, we anticipate that F-BAR proteins modulate physiological and pathophysiological processes via transferring extracellular materials, regulating cell trafficking and mobility, presenting antigens, mediating extracellular matrix degradation, and transmitting

Regulation of tumor cell migration by protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-proline-, glutamate-, serine-, and threonine-rich sequence (PEST)

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yanhua; Lu, Zhimin

2013-01-01

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)–proline-, glutamate-, serine-, and threonine-rich sequence (PEST) is ubiquitously expressed and is a critical regulator of cell adhesion and migration. PTP-PEST activity can be regulated transcriptionally via gene deletion or mutation in several types of human cancers or via post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, oxidation, and caspase-dependent cleavage. PTP-PEST interacts with and dephosphorylates cytoskeletal and focal adhesion-associated proteins. Dephosphorylation of PTP-PEST substrates regulates their enzymatic activities and/or their interaction with other proteins and plays an essential role in the tumor cell migration process. PMID:23237212

A new approach to feed frequency studies and protein intake regulation in juvenile pirarucu.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattos, Bruno O DE; Nascimento, Eduardo C T; Santos, Aline A; Barreto, Kayck A; Sánchez-Vázquez, Francisco J; Fortes-Silva, Rodrigo

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate pirarucu's (Arapaima gigas) ability to trigger a self-feeding system to regulate protein intake between two standard diets that contained 39% and 49% of crude protein. The same system allowed the evaluation of daily feeding and locomotor activity rhythms. Eighteen fish (654.44±26.85g) were distributed into six 250 L tanks (3 fish/tank). Fish had free access to both diets (39% vs. 49% protein) by feeders (2 per tank), adapted to be activated by fish themselves. This system was connected to a computer system. After an adaptation period, fish learned to activate feeders and the mean food intake recorded was 2.14% of their body weight on a daily basis. Fish showed feeding (72.48%) and locomotor (72.49%) activity predominantly during the daytime, and daily variations of choice between diets, but fixed a protein intake feeding target at 44.53%. These results should be considered when discussing feeding behavior, feeding schedules and diet intake regulations.

Differential trypanosome surface coat regulation by a CCCH protein that co-associates with procyclin mRNA cis-elements.

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Pegine Walrad

2009-02-01

Full Text Available The genome of Trypanosoma brucei is unusual in being regulated almost entirely at the post-transcriptional level. In terms of regulation, the best-studied genes are procyclins, which encode a family of major surface GPI-anchored glycoproteins (EP1, EP2, EP3, GPEET that show differential expression in the parasite's tsetse-fly vector. Although procyclin mRNA cis-regulatory sequences have provided the paradigm for post-transcriptional control in kinetoplastid parasites, trans-acting regulators of procyclin mRNAs are unidentified, despite intensive effort over 15 years. Here we identify the developmental regulator, TbZFP3, a CCCH-class predicted RNA binding protein, as an isoform-specific regulator of Procyclin surface coat expression in trypanosomes. We demonstrate (i that endogenous TbZFP3 shows sequence-specific co-precipitation of EP1 and GPEET, but not EP2 and EP3, procyclin mRNA isoforms, (ii that ectopic overexpression of TbZFP3 does not perturb the mRNA abundance of procyclin transcripts, but rather that (iii their protein expression is regulated in an isoform-specific manner, as evidenced by mass spectrometric analysis of the Procyclin expression signature in the transgenic cell lines. The TbZFP3 mRNA-protein complex (TbZFP3mRNP is identified as a trans-regulator of differential surface protein expression in trypanosomes. Moreover, its sequence-specific interactions with procyclin mRNAs are compatible with long-established predictions for Procyclin regulation. Combined with the known association of TbZFP3 with the translational apparatus, this study provides a long-sought missing link between surface protein cis-regulatory signals and the gene expression machinery in trypanosomes.

Phosphorylation Regulates the Bound Structure of an Intrinsically Disordered Protein: The p53-TAZ2 Case.

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Raúl Esteban Ithuralde

Full Text Available Disordered regions and Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs are involved in critical cellular processes and may acquire a stable three-dimensional structure only upon binding to their partners. IDPs may follow a folding-after-binding process, known as induced folding, or a folding-before-binding process, known as conformational selection. The transcription factor p53 is involved in the regulation of cellular events that arise upon stress or DNA damage. The p53 domain structure is composed of an N-terminal transactivation domain (p53TAD, a DNA Binding Domain and a tetramerization domain. The activity of TAD is tightly regulated by interactions with cofactors, inhibitors and phosphorylation. To initiate transcription, p53TAD binds to the TAZ2 domain of CBP, a co-transcription factor, and undergoes a folding and binding process, as revealed by the recent NMR structure of the complex. The activity of p53 is regulated by phosphorylation at multiple sites on the TAD domain and recent studies have shown that modifications at three residues affect the binding towards TAZ2. However, we still do not know how these phosphorylations affect the structure of the bound state and, therefore, how they regulate the p53 function. In this work, we have used computational simulations to understand how phosphorylation affects the structure of the p53TAD:TAZ2 complex and regulates the recognition mechanism. Phosphorylation has been proposed to enhance binding by direct interaction with the folded protein or by changing the unbound conformation of IDPs, for example by pre-folding the protein favoring the recognition mechanism. Here, we show an interesting turn in the p53 case: phosphorylation mainly affects the bound structure of p53TAD, highlighting the complexity of IDP protein-protein interactions. Our results are in agreement with previous experimental studies, allowing a clear picture of how p53 is regulated by phosphorylation and giving new insights into how

Recent evolution of the NF-κB and inflammasome regulating protein POP2 in primates

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Harton Jonathan A

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pyrin-only protein 2 (POP2 is a small human protein comprised solely of a pyrin domain that inhibits NF-κB p65/RelA and blocks the formation of functional IL-1β processing inflammasomes. Pyrin proteins are abundant in mammals and several, like POP2, have been linked to activation or regulation of inflammatory processes. Because POP2 knockout mice would help probe the biological role of inflammatory regulation, we thus considered whether POP2 is common in the mammalian lineage. Results BLAST searches revealed that POP2 is absent from the available genomes of not only mice and rats, but those of other domestic mammals and New World monkeys as well. POP2 is however present in the genome of the primate species most closely related to humans including Pan troglodytes (chimpanzees, Macaca mulatta (rhesus macaques and others. Interestingly, chimpanzee POP2 is identical to human POP2 (huPOP2 at both the DNA and protein level. Macaque POP2 (mqPOP2, although highly conserved is not identical to the human sequence; however, both functions of the human protein are retained. Further, POP2 appears to have arisen in the mammalian genome relatively recently (~25 mya and likely derived from retrogene insertion of NLRP2. Conclusion Our findings support the hypothesis that the NLR loci of mammals, encoding proteins involved in innate and adaptive immunity as well as mammalian development, have been subject to recent and strong selective pressures. Since POP2 is capable of regulating signaling events and processes linked to innate immunity and inflammation, its presence in the genomes of hominids and Old World primates further suggests that additional regulation of these signals is important in these species.

Active zone proteins are transported via distinct mechanisms regulated by Par-1 kinase.

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Kara R Barber

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Disruption of synapses underlies a plethora of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease. Presynaptic specialization called the active zone plays a critical role in the communication with postsynaptic neuron. While the role of many proteins at the active zones in synaptic communication is relatively well studied, very little is known about how these proteins are transported to the synapses. For example, are there distinct mechanisms for the transport of active zone components or are they all transported in the same transport vesicle? Is active zone protein transport regulated? In this report we show that overexpression of Par-1/MARK kinase, a protein whose misregulation has been implicated in Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs and neurodegenerative disorders, lead to a specific block in the transport of an active zone protein component- Bruchpilot at Drosophila neuromuscular junctions. Consistent with a block in axonal transport, we find a decrease in number of active zones and reduced neurotransmission in flies overexpressing Par-1 kinase. Interestingly, we find that Par-1 acts independently of Tau-one of the most well studied substrates of Par-1, revealing a presynaptic function for Par-1 that is independent of Tau. Thus, our study strongly suggests that there are distinct mechanisms that transport components of active zones and that they are tightly regulated.

Wheat CBL-interacting protein kinase 25 negatively regulates salt tolerance in transgenic wheat

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Jin, Xia; Sun, Tao; Wang, Xiatian; Su, Peipei; Ma, Jingfei; He, Guangyuan; Yang, Guangxiao

2016-01-01

CBL-interacting protein kinases are involved in plant responses to abiotic stresses, including salt stress. However, the negative regulating mechanism of this gene family in response to salinity is less reported. In this study, we evaluated the role of TaCIPK25 in regulating salt response in wheat. Under conditions of high salinity, TaCIPK25 expression was markedly down-regulated in roots. Overexpression of TaCIPK25 resulted in hypersensitivity to Na+ and superfluous accumulation of Na+ in tr...

Proteomics Reveals Global Regulation of Protein SUMOylation by ATM and ATR Kinases during Replication Stress

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Stephanie Munk

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The mechanisms that protect eukaryotic DNA during the cumbersome task of replication depend on the precise coordination of several post-translational modification (PTM-based signaling networks. Phosphorylation is a well-known regulator of the replication stress response, and recently an essential role for SUMOs (small ubiquitin-like modifiers has also been established. Here, we investigate the global interplay between phosphorylation and SUMOylation in response to replication stress. Using SUMO and phosphoproteomic technologies, we identify thousands of regulated modification sites. We find co-regulation of central DNA damage and replication stress responders, of which the ATR-activating factor TOPBP1 is the most highly regulated. Using pharmacological inhibition of the DNA damage response kinases ATR and ATM, we find that these factors regulate global protein SUMOylation in the protein networks that protect DNA upon replication stress and fork breakage, pointing to integration between phosphorylation and SUMOylation in the cellular systems that protect DNA integrity.

Standardized evaluation framework for evaluating coronary artery stenosis detection, stenosis quantification and lumen segmentation algorithms in computed tomography angiography.

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Kirişli, H A; Schaap, M; Metz, C T; Dharampal, A S; Meijboom, W B; Papadopoulou, S L; Dedic, A; Nieman, K; de Graaf, M A; Meijs, M F L; Cramer, M J; Broersen, A; Cetin, S; Eslami, A; Flórez-Valencia, L; Lor, K L; Matuszewski, B; Melki, I; Mohr, B; Oksüz, I; Shahzad, R; Wang, C; Kitslaar, P H; Unal, G; Katouzian, A; Örkisz, M; Chen, C M; Precioso, F; Najman, L; Masood, S; Ünay, D; van Vliet, L; Moreno, R; Goldenberg, R; Vuçini, E; Krestin, G P; Niessen, W J; van Walsum, T

2013-12-01

Though conventional coronary angiography (CCA) has been the standard of reference for diagnosing coronary artery disease in the past decades, computed tomography angiography (CTA) has rapidly emerged, and is nowadays widely used in clinical practice. Here, we introduce a standardized evaluation framework to reliably evaluate and compare the performance of the algorithms devised to detect and quantify the coronary artery stenoses, and to segment the coronary artery lumen in CTA data. The objective of this evaluation framework is to demonstrate the feasibility of dedicated algorithms to: (1) (semi-)automatically detect and quantify stenosis on CTA, in comparison with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and CTA consensus reading, and (2) (semi-)automatically segment the coronary lumen on CTA, in comparison with expert's manual annotation. A database consisting of 48 multicenter multivendor cardiac CTA datasets with corresponding reference standards are described and made available. The algorithms from 11 research groups were quantitatively evaluated and compared. The results show that (1) some of the current stenosis detection/quantification algorithms may be used for triage or as a second-reader in clinical practice, and that (2) automatic lumen segmentation is possible with a precision similar to that obtained by experts. The framework is open for new submissions through the website, at http://coronary.bigr.nl/stenoses/. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Arabidopsis TOR Kinase Specifically Regulates the Expression of Nuclear Genes Coding for Plastidic Ribosomal Proteins and the Phosphorylation of the Cytosolic Ribosomal Protein S6.

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Dobrenel, Thomas; Mancera-Martínez, Eder; Forzani, Céline; Azzopardi, Marianne; Davanture, Marlène; Moreau, Manon; Schepetilnikov, Mikhail; Chicher, Johana; Langella, Olivier; Zivy, Michel; Robaglia, Christophe; Ryabova, Lyubov A; Hanson, Johannes; Meyer, Christian

2016-01-01

Protein translation is an energy consuming process that has to be fine-tuned at both the cell and organism levels to match the availability of resources. The target of rapamycin kinase (TOR) is a key regulator of a large range of biological processes in response to environmental cues. In this study, we have investigated the effects of TOR inactivation on the expression and regulation of Arabidopsis ribosomal proteins at different levels of analysis, namely from transcriptomic to phosphoproteomic. TOR inactivation resulted in a coordinated down-regulation of the transcription and translation of nuclear-encoded mRNAs coding for plastidic ribosomal proteins, which could explain the chlorotic phenotype of the TOR silenced plants. We have identified in the 5' untranslated regions (UTRs) of this set of genes a conserved sequence related to the 5' terminal oligopyrimidine motif, which is known to confer translational regulation by the TOR kinase in other eukaryotes. Furthermore, the phosphoproteomic analysis of the ribosomal fraction following TOR inactivation revealed a lower phosphorylation of the conserved Ser240 residue in the C-terminal region of the 40S ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6). These results were confirmed by Western blot analysis using an antibody that specifically recognizes phosphorylated Ser240 in RPS6. Finally, this antibody was used to follow TOR activity in plants. Our results thus uncover a multi-level regulation of plant ribosomal genes and proteins by the TOR kinase.

Rho proteins − the key regulators of cytoskeleton in the progression of mitosis and cytokinesis

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Anna Klimaszewska

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The Rho proteins are members of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases. They are thought to be crucial regulators of multiple signal transduction pathways that influence a wide range of cellular functions, including migration, membrane trafficking, adhesion, polarity and cell shape changes. Thanks to their ability to control the assembly and organization of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, Rho GTPases are known to regulate mitosis and cytokinesis progression. These proteins are required for formation and rigidity of the cortex during mitotic cell rounding, mitotic spindle formation and attachment of the spindle microtubules to the kinetochore. In addition, during cytokinesis, they are involved in promoting division plane determination, contractile ring and cleavage furrow formation and abscission. They are also known as regulators of cell cycle progression at the G1/S and G2/M transition. Thus, the signal transduction pathways in which Rho proteins participate, appear to connect dynamics of actin and microtubule cytoskeletons to cell cycle progression. We review the current state of knowledge concerning the molecular mechanisms by which Rho GTPase signaling regulates remodeling of actin and microtubule cytoskeletons in order to control cell division progression.

Lumen and Chromaticity Maintenance of LED PAR38 Lamps Operated in Steady-State Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Royer, Michael P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2014-12-01

The lumen depreciation and color shift of 38 different lamps (32 LED, 2 CFL, 1 ceramic metal halide [CMH], 3 halogen) were monitored in a specially developed automated long-term test apparatus (ALTA2) for nearly 14,000 hours. Five samples of each lamp model were tested, with measurements recorded on a weekly basis. The lamps were operated continuously at a target ambient temperature between 44°C and 45°C.

Single- and double- lumen silicone breast implant integrity: prospective evaluation of MR and US criteria.

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Berg, W A; Caskey, C I; Hamper, U M; Kuhlman, J E; Anderson, N D; Chang, B W; Sheth, S; Zerhouni, E A

1995-10-01

To evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) and ultrasound (US) criteria for breast implant integrity. One hundred twenty-two single-lumen silicone breast implants and 22 bilumen implants were evaluated with surface coil MR imaging and US and surgically removed. MR criteria for implant failure were a collapsed implant shell ("linguine sign"), foci of silicone outside the shell ("noose sign"), and extracapsular gel, US criteria were collapsed shell, low-level echoes within the gel, and "snowstorm" echoes of extracapsular silicone. Among single-lumen implants, MR imaging depicted 39 of 40 ruptures, 14 of 28 with minimal leakage; 49 of 54 intact implants were correctly interpreted. US depicted 26 of 40 ruptured implants, four of 28 with minimal leakage, and 30 of 54 intact implants. Among bilumen implants, MR imaging depicted four of five implants with rupture of both lumina and nine of 10 as intact; US depicted one rupture and helped identify two of 10 as intact. Mammography accurately depicted the status of 29 of 30 bilumen implants with MR imaging correlation. MR imaging depicts implant integrity more accurately than US; neither method reliably depicts minimal leakage with shell collapse. Mammography is useful in screening bilumen implant integrity.

Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) and signal transduction: regulation in cancer.

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Michie, Alison M; McCaig, Alison M; Nakagawa, Rinako; Vukovic, Milica

2010-01-01

Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) is a pro-apoptotic serine/threonine protein kinase that is dysregulated in a wide variety of cancers. The mechanism by which this occurs has largely been attributed to promoter hypermethylation, which results in gene silencing. However, recent studies indicate that DAPK expression can be detected in some cancers, but its function is still repressed, suggesting that DAPK activity can be subverted at a post-translational level in cancer cells. This review will focus on recent data describing potential mechanisms that may alter the expression, regulation or function of DAPK.

Lhc proteins and the regulation of photosynthetic light harvesting function by xanthophylls.

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Bassi, R; Caffarri, S

2000-01-01

Photoprotection of the chloroplast is an important component of abiotic stress resistance in plants. Carotenoids have a central role in photoprotection. We review here the recent evidence, derived mainly from in vitro reconstitution of recombinant Lhc proteins with different carotenoids and from carotenoid biosynthesis mutants, for the existence of different mechanisms of photoprotection and regulation based on xanthophyll binding to Lhc proteins into multiple sites and the exchange of chromophores between different Lhc proteins during exposure of plants to high light stress and the operation of the xanthophyll cycle. The use of recombinant Lhc proteins has revealed up to four binding sites in members of Lhc families with distinct selectivity for xanthophyll species which are here hypothesised to have different functions. Site L1 is selective for lutein and is here proposed to be essential for catalysing the protection from singlet oxygen by quenching chlorophyll triplets. Site L2 and N1 are here proposed to act as allosteric sites involved in the regulation of chlorophyll singlet excited states by exchanging ligand during the operation of the xanthophyll cycle. Site V1 of the major antenna complex LHC II is here hypothesised to be a deposit for readily available substrate for violaxanthin de-epoxidase rather than a light harvesting pigment. Moreover, xanthophylls bound to Lhc proteins can be released into the lipid bilayer where they contribute to the scavenging of reactive oxygen species produced in excess light.

Distinct patterns of inflammation in the airway lumen and bronchial mucosa of children with cystic fibrosis.

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Regamey, Nicolas; Tsartsali, Lemonia; Hilliard, Tom N; Fuchs, Oliver; Tan, Hui-Leng; Zhu, Jie; Qiu, Yu-Sheng; Alton, Eric W F W; Jeffery, Peter K; Bush, Andrew; Davies, Jane C

2012-02-01

Studies in cystic fibrosis (CF) generally focus on inflammation present in the airway lumen. Little is known about inflammation occurring in the airway wall, the site ultimately destroyed in end-stage disease. To test the hypothesis that inflammatory patterns in the lumen do not reflect those in the airway wall of children with CF. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and endobronchial biopsies were obtained from 46 children with CF and 16 disease-free controls. BAL cell differential was assessed using May-Gruenwald-stained cytospins. Area profile counts of bronchial tissue immunopositive inflammatory cells were determined. BAL fluid from children with CF had a predominance of neutrophils compared with controls (median 810×10(3)/ml vs 1×10(3)/ml, p<0.0001). In contrast, subepithelial bronchial tissue from children with CF was characterised by a predominance of lymphocytes (median 961 vs 717 cells/mm(2), p=0.014), of which 82% were (CD3) T lymphocytes. In chest exacerbations, BAL fluid from children with CF had more inflammatory cells of all types compared with those with stable disease whereas, in biopsies, only the numbers of lymphocytes and macrophages, but not of neutrophils, were higher. A positive culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was associated with higher numbers of T lymphocytes in subepithelial bronchial tissue (median 1174 vs 714 cells/mm(2), p=0.029), but no changes were seen in BAL fluid. Cell counts in BAL fluid and biopsies were positively correlated with age but were unrelated to each other. The inflammatory response in the CF airway is compartmentalised. In contrast to the neutrophil-dominated inflammation present in the airway lumen, the bronchial mucosa is characterised by the recruitment and accumulation of lymphocytes.

WRKY proteins: signaling and regulation of expression during abiotic stress responses.

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Banerjee, Aditya; Roychoudhury, Aryadeep

2015-01-01

WRKY proteins are emerging players in plant signaling and have been thoroughly reported to play important roles in plants under biotic stress like pathogen attack. However, recent advances in this field do reveal the enormous significance of these proteins in eliciting responses induced by abiotic stresses. WRKY proteins act as major transcription factors, either as positive or negative regulators. Specific WRKY factors which help in the expression of a cluster of stress-responsive genes are being targeted and genetically modified to induce improved abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The knowledge regarding the signaling cascade leading to the activation of the WRKY proteins, their interaction with other proteins of the signaling pathway, and the downstream genes activated by them are altogether vital for justified targeting of the WRKY genes. WRKY proteins have also been considered to generate tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses with possible roles in mediating a cross talk between abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this review, we have reckoned the diverse signaling pattern and biological functions of WRKY proteins throughout the plant kingdom along with the growing prospects in this field of research.

Diverse Regulation of Temperature Sensation by Trimeric G-Protein Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.

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Tomoyo Ujisawa

Full Text Available Temperature sensation by the nervous system is essential for life and proliferation of animals. The molecular-physiological mechanisms underlying temperature signaling have not been fully elucidated. We show here that diverse regulatory machinery underlies temperature sensation through trimeric G-protein signaling in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular-genetic studies demonstrated that cold tolerance is regulated by additive functions of three Gα proteins in a temperature-sensing neuron, ASJ, which is also known to be a light-sensing neuron. Optical recording of calcium concentration in ASJ upon temperature-changes demonstrated that three Gα proteins act in different aspects of temperature signaling. Calcium concentration changes in ASJ upon temperature change were unexpectedly decreased in a mutant defective in phosphodiesterase, which is well known as a negative regulator of calcium increase. Together, these data demonstrate commonalities and differences in the molecular components concerned with light and temperature signaling in a single sensory neuron.

Diverse Regulation of Temperature Sensation by Trimeric G-Protein Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans

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Ujisawa, Tomoyo; Ohta, Akane; Uda-Yagi, Misato

2016-01-01

Temperature sensation by the nervous system is essential for life and proliferation of animals. The molecular-physiological mechanisms underlying temperature signaling have not been fully elucidated. We show here that diverse regulatory machinery underlies temperature sensation through trimeric G-protein signaling in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Molecular-genetic studies demonstrated that cold tolerance is regulated by additive functions of three Gα proteins in a temperature-sensing neuron, ASJ, which is also known to be a light-sensing neuron. Optical recording of calcium concentration in ASJ upon temperature-changes demonstrated that three Gα proteins act in different aspects of temperature signaling. Calcium concentration changes in ASJ upon temperature change were unexpectedly decreased in a mutant defective in phosphodiesterase, which is well known as a negative regulator of calcium increase. Together, these data demonstrate commonalities and differences in the molecular components concerned with light and temperature signaling in a single sensory neuron. PMID:27788246

Different regulation of P-glycoprotein function between Caco-2 and Caki-1 cells by ezrin, radixin and moesin proteins.

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Yano, Kentaro; Otsuka, Kyoma; Kato, Yuko; Kawabata, Hideaki; Ohmori, Shinya; Arakawa, Hiroshi; Ogihara, Takuo

2016-03-01

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediates efflux of many xenobiotics, including therapeutic drugs, from normal and tumour tissues, and its functional localization on the plasma membrane of cells is regulated by scaffold proteins, such as ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM proteins). We previously reported that radixin is involved in post-translational regulation of P-gp in hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and mouse small intestine, but not in mouse kidney. Here, we investigated whether the role of ERM proteins in regulation of P-gp transport activity in cancers is the same as that in the corresponding normal tissues, using human colon adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells and renal carcinoma (Caki-1) cells. In Caco-2 cells, radixin silencing alone reduced the P-gp-mediated intracellular accumulation of rhodamine123 (Rho123), while the mRNA level of P-gp was unchanged. Thus, it appears that only radixin among the ERMs regulates P-gp activity in Caco-2 cells. On the other hand, none of the ERM proteins influenced P-gp activity in Caki-1 cells. The regulation of P-gp by ERM proteins is different between Caco-2 and Caki-1 cells. Moreover, these regulatory properties are the same as those of the corresponding normal tissues, and suggest that tissue-specific differences in the regulation of P-gp by ERM proteins are retained in cancerous tissues. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

Hypolipidemic effect of dietary pea proteins: Impact on genes regulating hepatic lipid metabolism.

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Rigamonti, Elena; Parolini, Cinzia; Marchesi, Marta; Diani, Erika; Brambilla, Stefano; Sirtori, Cesare R; Chiesa, Giulia

2010-05-01

Controversial data on the lipid-lowering effect of dietary pea proteins have been provided and the mechanisms behind this effect are not completely understood. The aim of the study was to evaluate a possible hypolipidemic activity of a pea protein isolate and to determine whether pea proteins could affect the hepatic lipid metabolism through regulation of genes involved in cholesterol and fatty acid homeostasis. Rats were fed Nath's hypercholesterolemic diets for 28 days, the protein sources being casein or a pea protein isolate from Pisum sativum. After 14 and 28 days of dietary treatment, rats fed pea proteins had markedly lower plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels than rats fed casein (pPea protein-fed rats displayed higher hepatic mRNA levels of LDL receptor versus those fed casein (ppea protein-fed rats than in rats fed casein (ppea proteins in rats. Moreover, pea proteins appear to affect cellular lipid homeostasis by upregulating genes involved in hepatic cholesterol uptake and by downregulating fatty acid synthesis genes.

Oxysterol-Binding Protein-Related Protein 1L Regulates Cholesterol Egress from the Endo-Lysosomal System

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Kexin Zhao

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Lipoprotein cholesterol is delivered to the limiting membrane of late endosomes/lysosomes (LELs by Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1. However, the mechanism of cholesterol transport from LELs to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER is poorly characterized. We report that oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 1L (ORP1L is necessary for this stage of cholesterol export. CRISPR-mediated knockout of ORP1L in HeLa and HEK293 cells reduced esterification of cholesterol to the level in NPC1 knockout cells, and it increased the expression of sterol-regulated genes and de novo cholesterol synthesis, indicative of a block in cholesterol transport to the ER. In the absence of this transport pathway, cholesterol-enriched LELs accumulated in the Golgi/perinuclear region. Cholesterol delivery to the ER required the sterol-, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate-, and vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein (VAP-binding activities of ORP1L, as well as NPC1 expression. These results suggest that ORP1L-dependent membrane contacts between LELs and the ER coordinate cholesterol transfer with the retrograde movement of endo-lysosomal vesicles.

Nephrin regulates lamellipodia formation by assembling a protein complex that includes Ship2, filamin and lamellipodin.

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Madhusudan Venkatareddy

Full Text Available Actin dynamics has emerged at the forefront of podocyte biology. Slit diaphragm junctional adhesion protein Nephrin is necessary for development of the podocyte morphology and transduces phosphorylation-dependent signals that regulate cytoskeletal dynamics. The present study extends our understanding of Nephrin function by showing in cultured podocytes that Nephrin activation induced actin dynamics is necessary for lamellipodia formation. Upon activation Nephrin recruits and regulates a protein complex that includes Ship2 (SH2 domain containing 5' inositol phosphatase, Filamin and Lamellipodin, proteins important in regulation of actin and focal adhesion dynamics, as well as lamellipodia formation. Using the previously described CD16-Nephrin clustering system, Nephrin ligation or activation resulted in phosphorylation of the actin crosslinking protein Filamin in a p21 activated kinase dependent manner. Nephrin activation in cell culture results in formation of lamellipodia, a process that requires specialized actin dynamics at the leading edge of the cell along with focal adhesion turnover. In the CD16-Nephrin clustering model, Nephrin ligation resulted in abnormal morphology of actin tails in human podocytes when Ship2, Filamin or Lamellipodin were individually knocked down. We also observed decreased lamellipodia formation and cell migration in these knock down cells. These data provide evidence that Nephrin not only initiates actin polymerization but also assembles a protein complex that is necessary to regulate the architecture of the generated actin filament network and focal adhesion dynamics.

A new fluorescence-based method identifies protein phosphatases regulating lipid droplet metabolism.

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Bruno L Bozaquel-Morais

Full Text Available In virtually every cell, neutral lipids are stored in cytoplasmic structures called lipid droplets (LDs and also referred to as lipid bodies or lipid particles. We developed a rapid high-throughput assay based on the recovery of quenched BODIPY-fluorescence that allows to quantify lipid droplets. The method was validated by monitoring lipid droplet turnover during growth of a yeast culture and by screening a group of strains deleted in genes known to be involved in lipid metabolism. In both tests, the fluorimetric assay showed high sensitivity and good agreement with previously reported data using microscopy. We used this method for high-throughput identification of protein phosphatases involved in lipid droplet metabolism. From 65 yeast knockout strains encoding protein phosphatases and its regulatory subunits, 13 strains revealed to have abnormal levels of lipid droplets, 10 of them having high lipid droplet content. Strains deleted for type I protein phosphatases and related regulators (ppz2, gac1, bni4, type 2A phosphatase and its related regulator (pph21 and sap185, type 2C protein phosphatases (ptc1, ptc4, ptc7 and dual phosphatases (pps1, msg5 were catalogued as high-lipid droplet content strains. Only reg1, a targeting subunit of the type 1 phosphatase Glc7p, and members of the nutrient-sensitive TOR pathway (sit4 and the regulatory subunit sap190 were catalogued as low-lipid droplet content strains, which were studied further. We show that Snf1, the homologue of the mammalian AMP-activated kinase, is constitutively phosphorylated (hyperactive in sit4 and sap190 strains leading to a reduction of acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity. In conclusion, our fast and highly sensitive method permitted us to catalogue protein phosphatases involved in the regulation of LD metabolism and present evidence indicating that the TOR pathway and the SNF1/AMPK pathway are connected through the Sit4p-Sap190p pair in the control of lipid droplet biogenesis.

Reticulophagy and Ribophagy: Regulated Degradation of Protein Production Factories

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Eduardo Cebollero

2012-01-01

Full Text Available During autophagy, cytosol, protein aggregates, and organelles are sequestered into double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes and delivered to the lysosome/vacuole for breakdown and recycling of their basic components. In all eukaryotes this pathway is important for adaptation to stress conditions such as nutrient deprivation, as well as to regulate intracellular homeostasis by adjusting organelle number and clearing damaged structures. For a long time, starvation-induced autophagy has been viewed as a nonselective transport pathway; however, recent studies have revealed that autophagy is able to selectively engulf specific structures, ranging from proteins to entire organelles. In this paper, we discuss recent findings on the mechanisms and physiological implications of two selective types of autophagy: ribophagy, the specific degradation of ribosomes, and reticulophagy, the selective elimination of portions of the ER.

Structural Insight into the 14-3-3 Protein-dependent Inhibition of Protein Kinase ASK1 (Apoptosis Signal-regulating kinase 1)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Petrvalská, Olivia; Košek, Dalibor; Kukačka, Zdeněk; Tošner, Z.; Man, Petr; Večeř, J.; Herman, P.; Obšilová, Veronika; Obšil, Tomáš

2016-01-01

Roč. 291, č. 39 (2016), s. 20753-20765 ISSN 0021-9258 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-10061S Institutional support: RVO:67985823 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : 14-3-3 protein * apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) * fluorescence * nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) * protein cross-linking * small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 4.125, year: 2016

Controlling parasympathetic regulation of heart rate: a gatekeeperrole for RGS proteins in the sinoatrial node

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Alexandra eMighiu

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Neurotransmitters released from sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve terminals in the SAN exert their effects via G-protein-coupled receptors. Integration of these different G-protein signals within pacemaker cells of the sinoatrial node (SAN is critical for proper regulation of heart rate and function. For example, excessive parasympathetic signaling can be associated with sinus node dysfunction and supraventricular arrhythmias. Our previous work has shown that one member of the regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS protein family, RGS4, is highly and selectively expressed in pacemaker cells of the SAN. Consistent with its role as an inhibitor of parasympathetic signaling, RGS4-knockout mice have reduced basal heart rates and enhanced negative chronotropic responses to parasympathetic agonists. Moreover, RGS4 appears to be an important part of SA nodal myocyte signaling pathways that mediate G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium channel (GIRK channel activation/deactivation and desensitization. Since RGS4 acts immediately downstream of M2 muscarinic receptors, it is tempting to speculate that RGS4 functions as a master regulator of parasympathetic signaling upstream of GIRKs, HCNs and L-type Ca2+ channels in the SAN. Thus, loss of RGS4 function may lead to increased susceptibility to conditions associated with increased parasympathetic signaling, including bradyarrhythmia, sinus node dysfunction, and atrial fibrillation.

Amyloid Precursor Protein Translation Is Regulated by a 3'UTR Guanine Quadruplex.

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Ezekiel Crenshaw

Full Text Available A central event in Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ peptides generated by the proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP. APP overexpression leads to increased Aβ generation and Alzheimer's disease in humans and altered neuronal migration and increased long term depression in mice. Conversely, reduction of APP expression results in decreased Aβ levels in mice as well as impaired learning and memory and decreased numbers of dendritic spines. Together these findings indicate that therapeutic interventions that aim to restore APP and Aβ levels must do so within an ideal range. To better understand the effects of modulating APP levels, we explored the mechanisms regulating APP expression focusing on post-transcriptional regulation. Such regulation can be mediated by RNA regulatory elements such as guanine quadruplexes (G-quadruplexes, non-canonical structured RNA motifs that affect RNA stability and translation. Via a bioinformatics approach, we identified a candidate G-quadruplex within the APP mRNA in its 3'UTR (untranslated region at residues 3008-3027 (NM_201414.2. This sequence exhibited characteristics of a parallel G-quadruplex structure as revealed by circular dichroism spectrophotometry. Further, as with other G-quadruplexes, the formation of this structure was dependent on the presence of potassium ions. This G-quadruplex has no apparent role in regulating transcription or mRNA stability as wild type and mutant constructs exhibited equivalent mRNA levels as determined by real time PCR. Instead, we demonstrate that this G-quadruplex negatively regulates APP protein expression using dual luciferase reporter and Western blot analysis. Taken together, our studies reveal post-transcriptional regulation by a 3'UTR G-quadruplex as a novel mechanism regulating APP expression.

The regulation of protein synthesis and translation factors by CD3 and CD28 in human primary T lymphocytes

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Proud Christopher G

2002-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Activation of human resting T lymphocytes results in an immediate increase in protein synthesis. The increase in protein synthesis after 16–24 h has been linked to the increased protein levels of translation initiation factors. However, the regulation of protein synthesis during the early onset of T cell activation has not been studied in great detail. We studied the regulation of protein synthesis after 1 h of activation using αCD3 antibody to stimulate the T cell receptor and αCD28 antibody to provide the co-stimulus. Results Activation of the T cells with both antibodies led to a sustained increase in the rate of protein synthesis. The activities and/or phosphorylation states of several translation factors were studied during the first hour of stimulation with αCD3 and αCD28 to explore the mechanism underlying the activation of protein synthesis. The initial increase in protein synthesis was accompanied by activation of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF 2B, and of p70 S6 kinase and by dephosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor (eEF 2. Similar signal transduction pathways, as assessed using signal transduction inhibitors, are involved in the regulation of protein synthesis, eIF2B activity and p70 S6 kinase activity. A new finding was that the p38 MAPK α/β pathway was involved in the regulation of overall protein synthesis in primary T cells. Unexpectedly, no changes were detected in the phosphorylation state of the cap-binding protein eIF4E and the eIF4E-binding protein 4E-BP1, or the formation of the cap-binding complex eIF4F. Conclusions Both eIF2B and p70 S6 kinase play important roles in the regulation of protein synthesis during the early onset of T cell activation.

Protein Phosphatase 2A in the Regulation of Wnt Signaling, Stem Cells, and Cancer.

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Thompson, Joshua J; Williams, Christopher S

2018-02-26

Protein phosphorylation is a ubiquitous cellular process that allows for the nuanced and reversible regulation of protein activity. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a heterotrimeric serine-threonine phosphatase-composed of a structural, regulatory, and catalytic subunit-that controls a variety of cellular events via protein dephosphorylation. While much is known about PP2A and its basic biochemistry, the diversity of its components-especially the multitude of regulatory subunits-has impeded the determination of PP2A function. As a consequence of this complexity, PP2A has been shown to both positively and negatively regulate signaling networks such as the Wnt pathway. Wnt signaling modulates major developmental processes, and is a dominant mediator of stem cell self-renewal, cell fate, and cancer stem cells. Because PP2A affects Wnt signaling both positively and negatively and at multiple levels, further understanding of this complex dynamic may ultimately provide insight into stem cell biology and how to better treat cancers that result from alterations in Wnt signaling. This review will summarize literature that implicates PP2A as a tumor suppressor, explore PP2A mutations identified in human malignancy, and focus on PP2A in the regulation of Wnt signaling and stem cells so as to better understand how aberrancy in this pathway can contribute to tumorigenesis.

Contura Multi-Lumen Balloon Breast Brachytherapy Catheter: Comparative Dosimetric Findings of a Phase 4 Trial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arthur, Douglas W., E-mail: darthur@mcvh-vcu.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (United States); Vicini, Frank A. [Michigan Healthcare Professionals/21st Century Oncology, Farmington Hills, Michigan (United States); Todor, Dorin A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (United States); Julian, Thomas B. [Allegheny General Hospital, Temple University School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (United States); Cuttino, Laurie W.; Mukhopadhyay, Nitai D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (United States)

2013-06-01

Purpose: Final dosimetric findings of a completed, multi-institutional phase 4 registry trial using the Contura Multi-Lumen Balloon (MLB) breast brachytherapy catheter to deliver accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in patients with early-stage breast cancer are presented. Methods and Materials: Three dosimetric plans with identical target coverage were generated for each patient for comparison: multilumen multidwell (MLMD); central-lumen multidwell (CLMD); and central-lumen single-dwell (CLSD) loading of the Contura catheter. For this study, a successful treatment plan achieved ideal dosimetric goals and included the following: ≥95% of the prescribed dose (PD) covering ≥95% of the target volume (TV); maximum skin dose ≤125% of the PD; maximum rib dose ≤145% of the PD; and V150 ≤50 cc and V200 ≤10 cc. Results: Between January 2008 and February 2011, 23 institutions participated. A total of 318 patients were available for dosimetric review. Using the Contura MLB, all dosimetric criteria were met in 78.93% of cases planned with MLMD versus 55.38% with the CLMD versus 37.66% with the CLSD (P≤.0001). Evaluating all patients with the full range of skin to balloon distance represented, median maximum skin dose was reduced by 12% and median maximum rib dose by 13.9% when using MLMD-based dosimetric plans compared to CLSD. The dosimetric benefit of MLMD was further demonstrated in the subgroup of patients where skin thickness was <5 mm, where MLMD use allowed a 38% reduction in median maximum skin dose over CLSD. For patients with rib distance <5 mm, the median maximum rib dose reduction was 27%. Conclusions: Use of the Contura MLB catheter produced statistically significant improvements in dosimetric capabilities between CLSD and CLMD treatments. This device approach demonstrates the ability not only to overcome the barriers of limited skin thickness and close rib proximity, but to consistently achieve a higher standard of dosimetric planning goals.

Contura Multi-Lumen Balloon breast brachytherapy catheter: comparative dosimetric findings of a phase 4 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Arthur, Douglas W; Vicini, Frank A; Todor, Dorin A; Julian, Thomas B; Cuttino, Laurie W; Mukhopadhyay, Nitai D

2013-06-01

Final dosimetric findings of a completed, multi-institutional phase 4 registry trial using the Contura Multi-Lumen Balloon (MLB) breast brachytherapy catheter to deliver accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in patients with early-stage breast cancer are presented. Three dosimetric plans with identical target coverage were generated for each patient for comparison: multilumen multidwell (MLMD); central-lumen multidwell (CLMD); and central-lumen single-dwell (CLSD) loading of the Contura catheter. For this study, a successful treatment plan achieved ideal dosimetric goals and included the following: ≥ 95% of the prescribed dose (PD) covering ≥ 95% of the target volume (TV); maximum skin dose ≤ 125% of the PD; maximum rib dose ≤ 145% of the PD; and V150 ≤50 cc and V200 ≤ 10 cc. Between January 2008 and February 2011, 23 institutions participated. A total of 318 patients were available for dosimetric review. Using the Contura MLB, all dosimetric criteria were met in 78.93% of cases planned with MLMD versus 55.38% with the CLMD versus 37.66% with the CLSD (P ≤.0001). Evaluating all patients with the full range of skin to balloon distance represented, median maximum skin dose was reduced by 12% and median maximum rib dose by 13.9% when using MLMD-based dosimetric plans compared to CLSD. The dosimetric benefit of MLMD was further demonstrated in the subgroup of patients where skin thickness was <5 mm, where MLMD use allowed a 38% reduction in median maximum skin dose over CLSD. For patients with rib distance <5 mm, the median maximum rib dose reduction was 27%. Use of the Contura MLB catheter produced statistically significant improvements in dosimetric capabilities between CLSD and CLMD treatments. This device approach demonstrates the ability not only to overcome the barriers of limited skin thickness and close rib proximity, but to consistently achieve a higher standard of dosimetric planning goals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Loss of Subcellular Lipid Transport Due to ARV1 Deficiency Disrupts Organelle Homeostasis and Activates the Unfolded Protein Response*

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Shechtman, Caryn F.; Henneberry, Annette L.; Seimon, Tracie A.; Tinkelenberg, Arthur H.; Wilcox, Lisa J.; Lee, Eunjee; Fazlollahi, Mina; Munkacsi, Andrew B.; Bussemaker, Harmen J.; Tabas, Ira; Sturley, Stephen L.

2011-01-01

The ARV1-encoded protein mediates sterol transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane. Yeast ARV1 mutants accumulate multiple lipids in the ER and are sensitive to pharmacological modulators of both sterol and sphingolipid metabolism. Using fluorescent and electron microscopy, we demonstrate sterol accumulation, subcellular membrane expansion, elevated lipid droplet formation, and vacuolar fragmentation in ARV1 mutants. Motif-based regression analysis of ARV1 deletion transcription profiles indicates activation of Hac1p, an integral component of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Accordingly, we show constitutive splicing of HAC1 transcripts, induction of a UPR reporter, and elevated expression of UPR targets in ARV1 mutants. IRE1, encoding the unfolded protein sensor in the ER lumen, exhibits a lethal genetic interaction with ARV1, indicating a viability requirement for the UPR in cells lacking ARV1. Surprisingly, ARV1 mutants expressing a variant of Ire1p defective in sensing unfolded proteins are viable. Moreover, these strains also exhibit constitutive HAC1 splicing that interacts with DTT-mediated perturbation of protein folding. These data suggest that a component of UPR induction in arv1Δ strains is distinct from protein misfolding. Decreased ARV1 expression in murine macrophages also results in UPR induction, particularly up-regulation of activating transcription factor-4, CHOP (C/EBP homologous protein), and apoptosis. Cholesterol loading or inhibition of cholesterol esterification further elevated CHOP expression in ARV1 knockdown cells. Thus, loss or down-regulation of ARV1 disturbs membrane and lipid homeostasis, resulting in a disruption of ER integrity, one consequence of which is induction of the UPR. PMID:21266578

Strigolactone-Regulated Proteins Revealed by iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomics in Arabidopsis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Zhou [ORNL; Czarnecki, Olaf [ORNL; Chourey, Karuna [ORNL; Yang, Jun [ORNL; Tuskan, Gerald A [ORNL; Hurst, Gregory {Greg} B [ORNL; Pan, Chongle [ORNL; Chen, Jay [ORNL

2014-01-01

Strigolactones (SLs) are a new class of plant hormones. In addition to acting as a key inhibitor of shoot branching, SLs stimulate seed germination of root parasitic plants and promote hyphal branching and root colonization of symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. They also regulate many other aspects of plant growth and development. At the transcription level, SL-regulated genes have been reported. However, nothing is known about the proteome regulated by this new class of plant hormones. Here, a quantitative proteomics approach using an isobaric chemical labeling reagent, iTRAQ, to identify the proteome regulated by SLs in Arabidopsis seedlings is presented. It was found SLs regulate the expression of about three dozens of proteins that have not been previously assigned to SL pathways. These findings provide a new tool to investigate the molecular mechanism of action of SLs.

GIT1/βPIX signaling proteins and PAK1 kinase regulate microtubule nucleation.

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Černohorská, Markéta; Sulimenko, Vadym; Hájková, Zuzana; Sulimenko, Tetyana; Sládková, Vladimíra; Vinopal, Stanislav; Dráberová, Eduarda; Dráber, Pavel

2016-06-01

Microtubule nucleation from γ-tubulin complexes, located at the centrosome, is an essential step in the formation of the microtubule cytoskeleton. However, the signaling mechanisms that regulate microtubule nucleation in interphase cells are largely unknown. In this study, we report that γ-tubulin is in complexes containing G protein-coupled receptor kinase-interacting protein 1 (GIT1), p21-activated kinase interacting exchange factor (βPIX), and p21 protein (Cdc42/Rac)-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in various cell lines. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed association of GIT1, βPIX and activated PAK1 with centrosomes. Microtubule regrowth experiments showed that depletion of βPIX stimulated microtubule nucleation, while depletion of GIT1 or PAK1 resulted in decreased nucleation in the interphase cells. These data were confirmed for GIT1 and βPIX by phenotypic rescue experiments, and counting of new microtubules emanating from centrosomes during the microtubule regrowth. The importance of PAK1 for microtubule nucleation was corroborated by the inhibition of its kinase activity with IPA-3 inhibitor. GIT1 with PAK1 thus represent positive regulators, and βPIX is a negative regulator of microtubule nucleation from the interphase centrosomes. The regulatory roles of GIT1, βPIX and PAK1 in microtubule nucleation correlated with recruitment of γ-tubulin to the centrosome. Furthermore, in vitro kinase assays showed that GIT1 and βPIX, but not γ-tubulin, serve as substrates for PAK1. Finally, direct interaction of γ-tubulin with the C-terminal domain of βPIX and the N-terminal domain of GIT1, which targets this protein to the centrosome, was determined by pull-down experiments. We propose that GIT1/βPIX signaling proteins with PAK1 kinase represent a novel regulatory mechanism of microtubule nucleation in interphase cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neuronal RING finger protein 11 (RNF11 regulates canonical NF-κB signaling

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Pranski Elaine L

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The RING domain-containing protein RING finger protein 11 (RNF11 is a member of the A20 ubiquitin-editing protein complex and modulates peripheral NF-κB signaling. RNF11 is robustly expressed in neurons and colocalizes with a population of α-synuclein-positive Lewy bodies and neurites in Parkinson disease patients. The NF-κB pathway has an important role in the vertebrate nervous system, where the absence of NF-κB activity during development can result in learning and memory deficits, whereas chronic NF-κB activation is associated with persistent neuroinflammation. We examined the functional role of RNF11 with respect to canonical NF-κB signaling in neurons to gain understanding of the tight association of inflammatory pathways, including NF-κB, with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Methods and results Luciferase assays were employed to assess NF-κB activity under targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA knockdown of RNF11 in human neuroblastoma cells and murine primary neurons, which suggested that RNF11 acts as a negative regulator of canonical neuronal NF-κB signaling. These results were further supported by analyses of p65 translocation to the nucleus following depletion of RNF11. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments indicated that RNF11 associates with members of the A20 ubiquitin-editing protein complex in neurons. Site-directed mutagenesis of the myristoylation domain, which is necessary for endosomal targeting of RNF11, altered the impact of RNF11 on NF-κB signaling and abrogated RNF11’s association with the A20 ubiquitin-editing protein complex. A partial effect on canonical NF-κB signaling and an association with the A20 ubiquitin-editing protein complex was observed with mutagenesis of the PPxY motif, a proline-rich region involved in Nedd4-like protein interactions. Last, shRNA-mediated reduction of RNF11 in neurons and neuronal cell lines elevated levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and

Identification of nuclear protein targets for six leukemogenic tyrosine kinases governed by post-translational regulation.

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Andrew Pierce

Full Text Available Mutated tyrosine kinases are associated with a number of different haematological malignancies including myeloproliferative disorders, lymphoma and acute myeloid leukaemia. The potential commonalities in the action of six of these leukemogenic proteins on nuclear proteins were investigated using systematic proteomic analysis. The effects on over 3600 nuclear proteins and 1500 phosphopeptide sites were relatively quantified in seven isogenic cell lines. The effects of the kinases were diverse although some commonalities were found. Comparison of the nuclear proteomic data with transcriptome data and cytoplasmic proteomic data indicated that the major changes are due to post-translational mechanisms rather than changes in mRNA or protein distribution. Analysis of the promoter regions of genes whose protein levels changed in response to the kinases showed the most common binding site found was that for NFκB whilst other sites such as those for the glucocorticoid receptor were also found. Glucocorticoid receptor levels and phosphorylation were decreased by all 6 PTKs. Whilst Glucocorticoid receptor action can potentiate NFκB action those proteins where genes have NFκB binding sites were in often regulated post-translationally. However all 6 PTKs showed evidence of NFkB pathway modulation via activation via altered IkB and NFKB levels. Validation of a common change was also undertaken with PMS2, a DNA mismatch repair protein. PMS2 nuclear levels were decreased in response to the expression of all 6 kinases, with no concomitant change in mRNA level or cytosolic protein level. Response to thioguanine, that requires the mismatch repair pathway, was modulated by all 6 oncogenic kinases. In summary common targets for 6 oncogenic PTKs have been found that are regulated by post-translational mechanisms. They represent potential new avenues for therapies but also demonstrate the post-translational regulation is a key target of leukaemogenic kinases.

Protein disulfide isomerase-like protein 1-1 controls endosperm development through regulation of the amount and composition of seed proteins in rice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeon Jeong Kim

Full Text Available Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI is a chaperone protein involved in oxidative protein folding by acting as a catalyst and assisting folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER. A genome database search showed that rice contains 19 PDI-like genes. However, their functions are not clearly identified. This paper shows possible functions of rice PDI-like protein 1-1 (PDIL1-1 during seed development. Seeds of the T-DNA insertion PDIL1-1 mutant, PDIL1-1Δ, identified by genomic DNA PCR and western blot analysis, display a chalky phenotype and a thick aleurone layer. Protein content per seed was significantly lower and free sugar content higher in PDIL1-1Δ mutant seeds than in the wild type. Proteomic analysis of PDIL1-1Δ mutant seeds showed that PDIL1-1 is post-translationally regulated, and its loss causes accumulation of many types of seed proteins including glucose/starch metabolism- and ROS (reactive oxygen species scavenging-related proteins. In addition, PDIL1-1 strongly interacts with the cysteine protease OsCP1. Our data indicate that the opaque phenotype of PDIL1-1Δ mutant seeds results from production of irregular starch granules and protein body through loss of regulatory activity for various proteins involved in the synthesis of seed components.

SpoVT: From Fine-Tuning Regulator in Bacillus subtilis to Essential Sporulation Protein in Bacillus cereus.

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Eijlander, Robyn T; Holsappel, Siger; de Jong, Anne; Ghosh, Abhinaba; Christie, Graham; Kuipers, Oscar P

2016-01-01

Sporulation is a highly sophisticated developmental process adopted by most Bacilli as a survival strategy to withstand extreme conditions that normally do not support microbial growth. A complicated regulatory cascade, divided into various stages and taking place in two different compartments of the cell, involves a number of primary and secondary regulator proteins that drive gene expression directed toward the formation and maturation of an endospore. Such regulator proteins are highly conserved among various spore formers. Despite this conservation, both regulatory and phenotypic differences are observed between different species of spore forming bacteria. In this study, we demonstrate that deletion of the regulatory sporulation protein SpoVT results in a severe sporulation defect in Bacillus cereus , whereas this is not observed in Bacillus subtilis . Although spores are initially formed, the process is stalled at a later stage in development, followed by lysis of the forespore and the mother cell. A transcriptomic investigation of B. cereus Δ spoVT shows upregulation of genes involved in germination, potentially leading to premature lysis of prespores formed. Additionally, extreme variation in the expression of species-specific genes of unknown function was observed. Introduction of the B. subtilis SpoVT protein could partly restore the sporulation defect in the B. cereus spoVT mutant strain. The difference in phenotype is thus more than likely explained by differences in promoter targets rather than differences in mode of action of the conserved SpoVT regulator protein. This study stresses that evolutionary variances in regulon members of sporulation regulators can have profound effects on the spore developmental process and that mere protein homology is not a foolproof predictor of similar phenotypes.

Live-cell topology assessment of URG7, MRP6102 and SP-C using glycosylatable green fluorescent protein in mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hunsang; Lara, Patricia; Ostuni, Angela; Presto, Jenny; Johansson, Janne; Nilsson, IngMarie; Kim, Hyun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) is developed for the use in mammalian cells. • gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. • Differential fluorescence/glycosylation pattern probes membrane protein topology. • Membrane topology of URG7, MRP6 102 , and SP-C was determined by gGFP tagging in vivo. - Abstract: Experimental tools to determine membrane topology of a protein are rather limited in higher eukaryotic organisms. Here, we report the use of glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) as a sensitive and versatile membrane topology reporter in mammalian cells. gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. Thus, positive fluorescence signal assigns location of gGFP to the cytosol whereas no fluorescence signal and a glycosylated status of gGFP map the location of gGFP to the ER lumen. By using mammalian gGFP, the membrane topology of disease-associated membrane proteins, URG7, MRP6 102 , SP-C(Val) and SP-C(Leu) was confirmed. URG7 is partially targeted to the ER, and inserted in C in form. MRP6 102 and SP-C(Leu/Val) are inserted into the membrane in C out form. A minor population of untargeted SP-C is removed by proteasome dependent quality control system

Induction of autophagy by Imatinib sequesters Bcr-Abl in autophagosomes and down-regulates Bcr-Abl protein.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Elzinga, Baukje M

2013-06-01

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a disease of hematopoietic stem cells which harbor the chimeric gene Bcr-Abl. Expression levels of this constitutively active tyrosine kinase are critical for response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment and also disease progression, yet the regulation of protein stability is poorly understood. We have previously demonstrated that imatinib can induce autophagy in Bcr-Abl expressing cells. Autophagy has been associated with the clearance of large macromolecular signaling complexes and abnormal proteins, however, the contribution of autophagy to the turnover of Bcr-Abl protein in imatinib treated cells is unknown. In this study, we show that following imatinib treatment, Bcr-Abl is sequestered into vesicular structures that co-localize with the autophagy marker LC3 or GABARAP. This association is inhibited by siRNA mediated knockdown of autophagy regulators (Beclin 1\\/ATG7). Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy also reduced Bcr-Abl\\/LC3 co-localization in both K562 and CML patient cells. Bcr-Abl protein expression was reduced with imatinib treatment. Inhibition of both autophagy and proteasome activity in imatinib treated cells was required to restore Bcr-Abl protein levels to those of untreated cells. This ability to down-regulate Bcr-Abl protein levels through the induction of autophagy may be an additional and important feature of the activity of imatinib.