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Sample records for vasp evh2 domain

  1. Zyxin und Fyb/SLAP : Charakterisierung bekannter und neuer Bindungspartner der EVH1-Domäne der Ena/VASP Proteinfamilie

    OpenAIRE

    Krause, Matthias

    1999-01-01

    Die Ena/VASP Proteinfamilie (VASP, Mena und Evl) ist an der Regulation der aktinvermittelten Bewegung tierischer Zellen beteiligt. Deren N-terminale Ena/VASP Homologie Domäne 1 (EVH1-Domäne) bindet an ein spezifisches prolinreiches Motiv in den Zytoskelettproteinen Zyxin, Vinculin und dem Listerienprotein ActA. In der vorgelegten Dissertation wurden bekannte und neue Bindungspartner der EVH1-Domäne der Ena/VASP Familie charakterisiert. Gegen das humane Zyxin, wurden monoklonale Antikörper her...

  2. EVH black hole solutions with higher derivative corrections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yavartanoo, Hossein

    2012-01-01

    We analyze the effect of higher derivative corrections to the near horizon geometry of the extremal vanishing horizon (EVH) black hole solutions in four dimensions. We restrict ourselves to a Gauss-Bonnet correction with a dilation dependent coupling in an Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory. This action may represent the effective action as it arises in tree level heterotic string theory compactified to four dimensions or the K3 compactification of type II string theory. We show that EVH black holes, in this theory, develop an AdS 3 throat in their near horizon geometry. (orig.)

  3. Alterations in vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation: associations with asthmatic phenotype, airway inflammation and β2-agonist use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastie, Annette T; Wu, Min; Foster, Gayle C; Hawkins, Gregory A; Batra, Vikas; Rybinski, Katherine A; Cirelli, Rosemary; Zangrilli, James G; Peters, Stephen P

    2006-01-01

    Background Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) mediates focal adhesion, actin filament binding and polymerization in a variety of cells, thereby inhibiting cell movement. Phosphorylation of VASP via cAMP and cGMP dependent protein kinases releases this "brake" on cell motility. Thus, phosphorylation of VASP may be necessary for epithelial cell repair of damage from allergen-induced inflammation. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) injury from segmental allergen challenge increases VASP phosphorylation in airway epithelium in asthmatic but not nonasthmatic normal subjects, (2) regular in vivo β2-agonist use increases VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic epithelium, altering cell adhesion. Methods Bronchial epithelium was obtained from asthmatic and non-asthmatic normal subjects before and after segmental allergen challenge, and after regularly inhaled albuterol, in three separate protocols. VASP phosphorylation was examined in Western blots of epithelial samples. DNA was obtained for β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype determination. Results Although VASP phosphorylation increased, it was not significantly greater after allergen challenge in asthmatics or normals. However, VASP phosphorylation in epithelium of nonasthmatic normal subjects was double that observed in asthmatic subjects, both at baseline and after challenge. Regularly inhaled albuterol significantly increased VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic subjects in both unchallenged and antigen challenged lung segment epithelium. There was also a significant increase in epithelial cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage of the unchallenged lung segment after regular inhalation of albuterol but not of placebo. The haplotypes of the β2-adrenergic receptor did not appear to associate with increased or decreased phosphorylation of VASP. Conclusion Decreased VASP phosphorylation was observed in epithelial cells of asthmatics compared to nonasthmatic normals, despite response to β-agonist. The decreased

  4. Alterations in vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP phosphorylation: associations with asthmatic phenotype, airway inflammation and β2-agonist use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cirelli Rosemary

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP mediates focal adhesion, actin filament binding and polymerization in a variety of cells, thereby inhibiting cell movement. Phosphorylation of VASP via cAMP and cGMP dependent protein kinases releases this "brake" on cell motility. Thus, phosphorylation of VASP may be necessary for epithelial cell repair of damage from allergen-induced inflammation. Two hypotheses were examined: (1 injury from segmental allergen challenge increases VASP phosphorylation in airway epithelium in asthmatic but not nonasthmatic normal subjects, (2 regular in vivo β2-agonist use increases VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic epithelium, altering cell adhesion. Methods Bronchial epithelium was obtained from asthmatic and non-asthmatic normal subjects before and after segmental allergen challenge, and after regularly inhaled albuterol, in three separate protocols. VASP phosphorylation was examined in Western blots of epithelial samples. DNA was obtained for β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype determination. Results Although VASP phosphorylation increased, it was not significantly greater after allergen challenge in asthmatics or normals. However, VASP phosphorylation in epithelium of nonasthmatic normal subjects was double that observed in asthmatic subjects, both at baseline and after challenge. Regularly inhaled albuterol significantly increased VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic subjects in both unchallenged and antigen challenged lung segment epithelium. There was also a significant increase in epithelial cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage of the unchallenged lung segment after regular inhalation of albuterol but not of placebo. The haplotypes of the β2-adrenergic receptor did not appear to associate with increased or decreased phosphorylation of VASP. Conclusion Decreased VASP phosphorylation was observed in epithelial cells of asthmatics compared to nonasthmatic normals, despite response to

  5. Vimentin expression influences flow dependent VASP phosphorylation and regulates cell migration and proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lund, Natalie; Henrion, Daniel; Tiede, Petra; Ziche, Marina; Schunkert, Heribert; Ito, Wulf D.

    2010-01-01

    The cytoskeleton plays a central role for the integration of biochemical and biomechanical signals across the cell required for complex cellular functions. Recent studies indicate that the intermediate filament vimentin is necessary for endothelial cell morphogenesis e.g. in the context of leukocyte transmigration. Here, we present evidence, that the scaffold provided by vimentin is essential for VASP localization and PKG mediated VASP phosphorylation and thus controls endothelial cell migration and proliferation. Vimentin suppression using siRNA technique significantly decreased migration velocity by 50% (videomicroscopy), diminished transmigration activity by 42.5% (Boyden chamber) and reduced proliferation by 43% (BrdU-incorporation). In confocal microscopy Vimentin colocalized with VASP and PKG in endothelial cells. Vimentin suppression was accompanied with a translocation of VASP from focal contacts to the perinuclear region. VASP/Vimentin and PKG/Vimentin colocalization appeared to be essential for proper PKG mediated VASP phosphorylation because we detected a diminished expression of PKG and p Ser239 -VASP in vimentin-suppressed cells, Furthermore, the induction of VASP phosphorylation in perfused arteries was markedly decreased in vimentin knockout mice compared to wildtypes. A link is proposed between vimentin, VASP phosphorylation and actin dynamics that delivers an explanation for the important role of vimentin in controlling endothelial cell morphogenesis.

  6. Tributyltin induces disruption of microfilament in HL7702 cells via MAPK-mediated hyperphosphorylation of VASP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Wei-Wei; Ji, Lin-Dan; Qian, Hai-Xia; Zhou, Mi; Zhao, Jin-Shun; Xu, Jin

    2016-11-01

    Tributyltin (TBT) has been widely used for various industrial purposes, and it has toxic effects on multiple organs and tissues. Previous studies have found that TBT could induce cytoskeletal disruption, especially of the actin filaments. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine whether TBT could induce microfilament disruption using HL7702 cells and then to assess for the total levels of various microfilament-associated proteins; finally, the involvement of the MAPK pathway was investigated. The results showed that after TBT treatment, F-actin began to depolymerize and lost its characteristic filamentous structure. The protein levels of Ezrin and Cofilin remained unchanged, the actin-related protein (ARP) 2/3 levels decreased slightly, and the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) decreased dramatically. However, the phosphorylation levels of VASP increased 2.5-fold, and the ratio of phosphorylated-VASP/unphosphorylated-VASP increased 31-fold. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) ERK and JNK were discovered to be activated. Inhibition of ERK and JNK not only largely diminished the TBT-induced hyperphosphorylation of VASP but also recovered the cellular morphology and rescued the cells from death. In summary, this study demonstrates that TBT-induced disruption of actin filaments is caused by the hyperphosphorylation of VASP through MAPK pathways. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1530-1538, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Assessment of a flow cytometry technique for studying signaling pathways in platelets: Monitoring of VASP phosphorylation in clinical samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Mallouk

    2018-07-01

    Full Text Available A recently released kit (PerFix EXPOSE was reported to improve the measurement of the degree of phosphorylation of proteins in leukocytes by flow cytometry. We tested its adaptation for platelets to monitor vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP phosphorylation, which is the basis of a currently used test for the assessment of the pharmacological response to P2Y12 antagonists (PLT VASP/P2Y12. The PerFix EXPOSE kit was compared to the PLT VASP/P2Y12 kit by using blood samples drawn at 24 h post clopidogrel dose from 19 patients hospitalized for a non-cardio-embolic ischemic stroke and treated with clopidogrel monotherapy for at least five days in an observational study. The platelet PerFix method was based on adaptation of the volume of the sample, the centrifugation speed and the incubation temperature. Poor agreement between prevention by adenosine diphosphate (ADP of PGE1-induced cAMP-mediated VASP phosphorylation and ADP induced aggregation assessed by Light Transmittance Aggregometry was found. We found a significant correlation between the PLT VASP/P2Y12 kit and the PerFix EXPOSE kit. The PerFix EXPOSE kit may also be helpful to monitor adverse effects of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors on platelets. Keywords: Platelet signaling, VASP, Flow cytometry, Clopidogrel

  8. Accelerating VASP electronic structure calculations using graphic processing units

    KAUST Repository

    Hacene, Mohamed

    2012-08-20

    We present a way to improve the performance of the electronic structure Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) program. We show that high-performance computers equipped with graphics processing units (GPUs) as accelerators may reduce drastically the computation time when offloading these sections to the graphic chips. The procedure consists of (i) profiling the performance of the code to isolate the time-consuming parts, (ii) rewriting these so that the algorithms become better-suited for the chosen graphic accelerator, and (iii) optimizing memory traffic between the host computer and the GPU accelerator. We chose to accelerate VASP with NVIDIA GPU using CUDA. We compare the GPU and original versions of VASP by evaluating the Davidson and RMM-DIIS algorithms on chemical systems of up to 1100 atoms. In these tests, the total time is reduced by a factor between 3 and 8 when running on n (CPU core + GPU) compared to n CPU cores only, without any accuracy loss. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Accelerating VASP electronic structure calculations using graphic processing units

    KAUST Repository

    Hacene, Mohamed; Anciaux-Sedrakian, Ani; Rozanska, Xavier; Klahr, Diego; Guignon, Thomas; Fleurat-Lessard, Paul

    2012-01-01

    We present a way to improve the performance of the electronic structure Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP) program. We show that high-performance computers equipped with graphics processing units (GPUs) as accelerators may reduce drastically the computation time when offloading these sections to the graphic chips. The procedure consists of (i) profiling the performance of the code to isolate the time-consuming parts, (ii) rewriting these so that the algorithms become better-suited for the chosen graphic accelerator, and (iii) optimizing memory traffic between the host computer and the GPU accelerator. We chose to accelerate VASP with NVIDIA GPU using CUDA. We compare the GPU and original versions of VASP by evaluating the Davidson and RMM-DIIS algorithms on chemical systems of up to 1100 atoms. In these tests, the total time is reduced by a factor between 3 and 8 when running on n (CPU core + GPU) compared to n CPU cores only, without any accuracy loss. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Deficiency of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP increases blood-brain-barrier damage and edema formation after ischemic stroke in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Kraft

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Stroke-induced brain edema formation is a frequent cause of secondary infarct growth and deterioration of neurological function. The molecular mechanisms underlying edema formation after stroke are largely unknown. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP is an important regulator of actin dynamics and stabilizes endothelial barriers through interaction with cell-cell contacts and focal adhesion sites. Hypoxia has been shown to foster vascular leakage by downregulation of VASP in vitro but the significance of VASP for regulating vascular permeability in the hypoxic brain in vivo awaits clarification.Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in Vasp(-/- mice and wild-type (WT littermates by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO. Evan's Blue tracer was applied to visualize the extent of blood-brain-barrier (BBB damage. Brain edema formation and infarct volumes were calculated from 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC-stained brain slices. Both mouse groups were carefully controlled for anatomical and physiological parameters relevant for edema formation and stroke outcome. BBB damage (p0.05 towards worse neurological outcomes.Our study identifies VASP as critical regulator of BBB maintenance during acute ischemic stroke. Therapeutic modulation of VASP or VASP-dependent signalling pathways could become a novel strategy to combat excessive edema formation in ischemic brain damage.

  11. Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP) depletion from breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells inhibits tumor spheroid invasion through downregulation of Migfilin, β-catenin and urokinase-plasminogen activator (uPA)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gkretsi, Vasiliki; Stylianou, Andreas; Stylianopoulos, Triantafyllos, E-mail: tstylian@ucy.ac.cy

    2017-03-15

    A hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to invade surrounding tissues and form metastases. Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM)-adhesion proteins are crucial in metastasis, connecting tumor ECM with actin cytoskeleton thus enabling cells to respond to mechanical cues. Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is an actin-polymerization regulator which interacts with cell-ECM adhesion protein Migfilin, and regulates cell migration. We compared VASP expression in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer (BC) cells and found that more invasive MDA-MB-231 cells overexpress VASP. We then utilized a 3-dimensional (3D) approach to study metastasis in MDA-MB-231 cells using a system that considers mechanical forces exerted by the ECM. We prepared 3D collagen I gels of increasing concentration, imaged them by atomic force microscopy, and used them to either embed cells or tumor spheroids, in the presence or absence of VASP. We show, for the first time, that VASP silencing downregulated Migfilin, β-catenin and urokinase plasminogen activator both in 2D and 3D, suggesting a matrix-independent mechanism. Tumor spheroids lacking VASP demonstrated impaired invasion, indicating VASP’s involvement in metastasis, which was corroborated by Kaplan-Meier plotter showing high VASP expression to be associated with poor remission-free survival in lymph node-positive BC patients. Hence, VASP may be a novel BC metastasis biomarker. - Highlights: • More invasive MDA-MB-231 overexpress VASP compared to MCF-7 breast cancer cells. • We prepared 3D collagen I gels of increasing concentration and characterized them. • VASP silencing downregulated Migfilin, β-catenin and uPA both in 2D and 3D culture. • Tumor spheroids lacking VASP demonstrated impaired invasion. • Kaplan-Meier plotter shows association of high VASP expression with poor survival.

  12. Mena/VASP and αII-Spectrin complexes regulate cytoplasmic actin networks in cardiomyocytes and protect from conduction abnormalities and dilated cardiomyopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benz, Peter M; Merkel, Carla J; Offner, Kristin; Abeßer, Marco; Ullrich, Melanie; Fischer, Tobias; Bayer, Barbara; Wagner, Helga; Gambaryan, Stepan; Ursitti, Jeanine A; Adham, Ibrahim M; Linke, Wolfgang A; Feller, Stephan M; Fleming, Ingrid; Renné, Thomas; Frantz, Stefan; Unger, Andreas; Schuh, Kai

    2013-08-12

    In the heart, cytoplasmic actin networks are thought to have important roles in mechanical support, myofibrillogenesis, and ion channel function. However, subcellular localization of cytoplasmic actin isoforms and proteins involved in the modulation of the cytoplasmic actin networks are elusive. Mena and VASP are important regulators of actin dynamics. Due to the lethal phenotype of mice with combined deficiency in Mena and VASP, however, distinct cardiac roles of the proteins remain speculative. In the present study, we analyzed the physiological functions of Mena and VASP in the heart and also investigated the role of the proteins in the organization of cytoplasmic actin networks. We generated a mouse model, which simultaneously lacks Mena and VASP in the heart. Mena/VASP double-deficiency induced dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction abnormalities. In wild-type mice, Mena and VASP specifically interacted with a distinct αII-Spectrin splice variant (SH3i), which is in cardiomyocytes exclusively localized at Z- and intercalated discs. At Z- and intercalated discs, Mena and β-actin localized to the edges of the sarcomeres, where the thin filaments are anchored. In Mena/VASP double-deficient mice, β-actin networks were disrupted and the integrity of Z- and intercalated discs was markedly impaired. Together, our data suggest that Mena, VASP, and αII-Spectrin assemble cardiac multi-protein complexes, which regulate cytoplasmic actin networks. Conversely, Mena/VASP deficiency results in disrupted β-actin assembly, Z- and intercalated disc malformation, and induces dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction abnormalities.

  13. Matrine inhibits the adhesion and migration of BCG823 gastric cancer cells by affecting the structure and function of the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing-wei; Su, Ke; Shi, Wen-tao; Wang, Ying; Hu, Peng-chao; Wang, Yang; Wei, Lei; Xiang, Jin; Yang, Fang

    2013-08-01

    Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) expression is upregulated in human cancers and correlates with more invasive advanced tumor stages. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms by which matrine, an alkaloid derived from Sophora species plants, acted on the VASP protein in human gastric cancer cells in vitro. VASP was expressed and purified. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study the binding of matrine to VASP. CD spectroscopy was used to examine the changes in the VASP protein secondary structure. Human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC823 was tested. Scratch wound and cell adhesion assays were used to detect the cell migration and adhesion, respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blotting assays were used to measure mRNA and protein expression of VASP. In the fluorescence assay, the dissociation constant for binding of matrine to VASP protein was 0.86 mmol/L, thus the direct binding between the two molecules was weak. However, matrine (50 μg/mL) caused obvious change in the secondary structure of VASP protein shown in CD spectrum. Treatments of BGC823 cells with matrine (50 μg/mL) significantly inhibited the cell migration and adhesion. The alkaloid changed the subcellular distribution of VASP and formation of actin stress fibers in BGC823 cells. The alkaloid caused small but statistically significant decreases in VASP protein expression and phosphorylation, but had no significant effect on VASP mRNA expression. Matrine modulates the structure, subcellular distribution, expression and phosphorylation of VASP in human gastric cancer cells, thus inhibiting the cancer cell adhesion and migration.

  14. Triiodothyronine Potentiates Vasorelaxation via PKG/VASP Signaling in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sherin Samuel

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Vascular relaxation caused by Triiodothyronine (T3 involves direct activation of endothelial cells (EC and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC. Activation of protein kinase G (PKG has risen as a novel contributor to the vasorelaxation mechanism triggered by numerous stimuli. We hypothesize that T3-induced vasorelaxation involves PKG/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP signaling pathway in VSMC. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC and VSMC were treated with T3 for short (2 to 60 minutes and long term (24 hours. Nitric oxide (NO production was measured using DAF-FM. Expression of protein targets was determined using western blot. For functional studies, rat aortas were isolated and treated with T3 for 20 minutes and mounted in a wire myograph. Relaxation was measured by a concentration-dependent response to acetylcholine (ACh and sodium nitroprusside (SNP. Results: Aortas stimulated with T3 exhibited augmented sensitivity to ACh and SNP-induced relaxation, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent responses, respectively. T3 directly increased vasorelaxation, which was abolished in the presence of a PKG inhibitor. T3 markedly induced phosphorylation of Akt, eNOS and consequently increased NO production in EC. Likewise, T3 induced phosphorylation of VASP at serine 239 via the PKG pathway in VSMC. Conclusion: Our findings have uncovered a PKG/VASP signaling pathway in VSMC as a key molecular mechanism underlying T3-induced vascular relaxation.

  15. Triiodothyronine Potentiates Vasorelaxation via PKG/VASP Signaling in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuel, Sherin; Zhang, Kuo; Tang, Yi-Da; Gerdes, A Martin; Carrillo-Sepulveda, Maria Alicia

    2017-01-01

    Vascular relaxation caused by Triiodothyronine (T3) involves direct activation of endothelial cells (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Activation of protein kinase G (PKG) has risen as a novel contributor to the vasorelaxation mechanism triggered by numerous stimuli. We hypothesize that T3-induced vasorelaxation involves PKG/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) signaling pathway in VSMC. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) and VSMC were treated with T3 for short (2 to 60 minutes) and long term (24 hours). Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured using DAF-FM. Expression of protein targets was determined using western blot. For functional studies, rat aortas were isolated and treated with T3 for 20 minutes and mounted in a wire myograph. Relaxation was measured by a concentration-dependent response to acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Aortas stimulated with T3 exhibited augmented sensitivity to ACh and SNP-induced relaxation, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent responses, respectively. T3 directly increased vasorelaxation, which was abolished in the presence of a PKG inhibitor. T3 markedly induced phosphorylation of Akt, eNOS and consequently increased NO production in EC. Likewise, T3 induced phosphorylation of VASP at serine 239 via the PKG pathway in VSMC. Our findings have uncovered a PKG/VASP signaling pathway in VSMC as a key molecular mechanism underlying T3-induced vascular relaxation. © 2017 The Author(s)Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. ENA/VASP downregulation triggers cell death by impairing axonal maintenance in hippocampal neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, D Lorena; Rezával, Carolina; Cáceres, Alfredo; Schinder, Alejandro F; Ceriani, M Fernanda

    2010-06-01

    Neurodegenerative diseases encompass a broad variety of motor and cognitive disorders that are accompanied by death of specific neuronal populations or brain regions. Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these complex disorders remain largely unknown. In a previous work we searched for novel Drosophila genes relevant for neurodegeneration and singled out enabled (ena), which encodes a protein involved in cytoskeleton remodeling. To extend our understanding on the mechanisms of ENA-triggered degeneration we now investigated the effect of silencing ena ortholog genes in mouse hippocampal neurons. We found that ENA/VASP downregulation led to neurite retraction and concomitant neuronal cell death through an apoptotic pathway. Remarkably, this retraction initially affected the axonal structure, showing no effect on dendrites. Reduction in ENA/VASP levels blocked the neuritogenic effect of a specific RhoA kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, thus suggesting that these proteins could participate in the Rho-signaling pathway. Altogether these observations demonstrate that ENA/VASP proteins are implicated in the establishment and maintenance of the axonal structure and that a change on their expression levels triggers neuronal degeneration. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Intelligent supervision control for the VASPS separator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Melo, A.V.; Mendes, J.R.P. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)], E-mail: jricardo@dep.fem.unicamp.br; Serapiao, A.B.S [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP (Brazil)

    2007-10-15

    The Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System, VASPS, has been applied to low-pressure subsea wells with high gas production potential. In this system, the separation is carried out on the sea bed, thus allowing the monophase transmission through different pipelines. In the present work, an analysis has been established between two conceptually distinct models for the control system, which is under development and uses the Fuzzy Control technique for the Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) speed selection. The contrast is held on the objective of each controller, placing the operational performance against the stability of the control signal, which leads to the exploration of many specific aspects of the system, its behavior and requirements. (author)

  18. An ecological vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP) for decentralized wastewater treatment: system development, treatment performance, and mathematical modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Jiajia; Dong, Wenyi; Sun, Feiyun; Li, Pu; Zhao, Ke

    2016-05-01

    An environment-friendly decentralized wastewater treatment process that is comprised of activated sludge process (ASP) and wetland vegetation, named as vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP), was developed for decentralized wastewater treatment. The long-term experimental results evidenced that the vegetation sequencing batch reactor (V-SBR) process had consistently stable higher removal efficiencies of organic substances and nutrients from domestic wastewater compared with traditional sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The vegetation allocated into V-SBR system could not only remove nutrients through its vegetation transpiration ratio but also provide great surface area for microorganism activity enhancement. This high vegetation transpiration ratio enhanced nutrients removal effectiveness from wastewater mainly by flux enhancement, oxygen and substrate transportation acceleration, and vegetation respiration stimulation. A mathematical model based on ASM2d was successfully established by involving the specific function of vegetation to simulate system performance. The simulation results on the influence of operational parameters on V-ASP treatment effectiveness demonstrated that V-SBR had a high resistance to seasonal temperature fluctuations and influent loading shocking.

  19. Assessing the standard Molybdenum projector augmented wave VASP potentials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mattsson, Ann E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Multi-Scale Science

    2014-07-01

    Density Functional Theory (DFT) based Equation of State (EOS) construction is a prominent part of Sandia’s capabilities to support engineering sciences. This capability is based on augmenting experimental data with information gained from computational investigations, especially in those parts of the phase space where experimental data is hard, dangerous, or expensive to obtain. A key part of the success of the Sandia approach is the fundamental science work supporting the computational capability. Not only does this work enhance the capability to perform highly accurate calculations but it also provides crucial insight into the limitations of the computational tools, providing high confidence in the results even where results cannot be, or have not yet been, validated by experimental data. This report concerns the key ingredient of projector augmented-wave (PAW) potentials for use in pseudo-potential computational codes. Using the tools discussed in SAND2012-7389 we assess the standard Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP) PAWs for Molybdenum.

  20. A fuzzy controller for the VASPS (Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System) subsea separation and pumping system; Um controlador fuzzy para o sistema de separacao e bombeamento submarino - VASP (Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teixeira, Alex F.; Mendes, Jose Ricardo P.; Morooka, Celso K. [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Engenharia de Petroleo; Estevam, Valdir [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Guilherme, Ivan R. [UNESP, Rio Claro, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Geociencias e Ciencias Exatas. Dept. de Estatistica, Matematica Aplicada e Computacao; Rigo, Jose Eduardo [Centro Federal de Educacao Tecnologica no Espirito Santo (CEFETES), Vitoria, ES (Brazil)

    2004-07-01

    In this paper the designs of a fuzzy controller for the VASPS (Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System) liquid level and separation pressure control are presented, as well as a simulation of its work to evaluate the performance of the controller designed. The VASPS is a two-phase subsea separation and pumping system, which is made up of a separation vessel, where the mixture (liquid and gas) enters and suffers the separation process through three levels, the expansion chamber, the helix and the pool. The liquid inside the pool is taken to the platform using a pump that with a choke control the pool liquid level. The pool liquid level control is necessary because if the level exceeds the maximum value allowed, the liquid can invade the space occupied by the helix and hinder the separation process. An the other hand if the level is below the minimum allowed the pump can be damaged. The separation pressure control is important for operational security and efficiency issues, because when we keep the separation pressure near an optimum value we are maximizing its efficiency. With the controller and the simulator, many simulations of the work of system were made to get results that could be used to evaluate if the designed controller solved the problem and if its performance were satisfactory. After, a PID control system was designed to be used as comparison with the results obtained with the fuzzy controller, since the PID is widely used in the industrial environment. (author)

  1. Respiratory symptoms and bronchial responsiveness in competitive swimmers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stadelmann, Katrin; Stensrud, Trine; Carlsen, Kai-Haakon

    2011-03-01

    A high prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and respiratory symptoms has been reported among competitive swimmers. From the 2002 Winter Olympics, BHR measurements or bronchodilator reversibility have been required for approved use of β2-agonists in sports. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among respiratory symptoms in young elite swimmers, eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea (EVH), and the inhaled dose of methacholine, causing a 20% decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1; PD(20 methacholine)). The second aim of this study was to assess the repeatability of the EVH test. For this study, 15 male and 9 female adolescent elite swimmers, aged 15 to 25 yr, performed one PD(20 methacholine) test and two EVH tests in a randomized order. Dry air containing 5% CO2 was inhaled for 6 min with a target ventilation of ≥85% of maximum voluntary ventilation (minimum = 65%). PD(20 methacholine) ≤2 μmol and EVH with FEV1 reduction ≥10% were considered positive. Respiratory symptoms and medication were reported in the modified AQUA2008 questionnaire. Twenty swimmers (83%) reported respiratory symptoms, 13 (65%) of them had a positive provocation test. Fourteen (58%) had at least one positive test to either EVH or PD(20 methacholine); three had only one positive EVH test. One athlete had BHR without symptoms. The sensitivity of PD(20 methacholine) ≤2 μmol for respiratory symptoms was 50% versus 60% and 47.37% for the two EVH tests, respectively, and 75% for PD(20 methacholine) ≤4 μmol. The Bland-Altman plot of the two EVH tests showed a consistent distribution, with only one subject outside the limits of agreement. BHR was frequently found among adolescent competitive swimmers. PD(20 methacholine) ≤2 μmol and EVH ≥ 10% compared well, but PD(20 methacholine) ≤4 μmol had the highest sensitivity for respiratory symptoms. The EVH test has high repeatability but is very expensive and uncomfortable to perform.

  2. Homer2 protein regulates plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase-mediated Ca²⁺ signaling in mouse parotid gland acinar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yu-Mi; Lee, Jiae; Jo, Hae; Park, Soonhong; Chang, Inik; Muallem, Shmuel; Shin, Dong Min

    2014-09-05

    Homer proteins are scaffold molecules with a domain structure consisting of an N-terminal Ena/VASP homology 1 protein-binding domain and a C-terminal leucine zipper/coiled-coil domain. The Ena/VASP homology 1 domain recognizes proline-rich motifs and binds multiple Ca(2+)-signaling proteins, including G protein-coupled receptors, inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors, ryanodine receptors, and transient receptor potential channels. However, their role in Ca(2+) signaling in nonexcitable cells is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of Homer2 on Ca(2+) signaling in parotid gland acinar cells using Homer2-deficient (Homer2(-/-)) mice. Homer2 is localized at the apical pole in acinar cells. Deletion of Homer2 did not affect inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor localization or channel activity and did not affect the expression and activity of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase pumps. In contrast, Homer2 deletion markedly increased expression of plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA) pumps, in particular PMCA4, at the apical pole. Accordingly, Homer2 deficiency increased Ca(2+) extrusion by acinar cells. These findings were supported by co-immunoprecipitation of Homer2 and PMCA in wild-type parotid cells and transfected human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. We identified a Homer-binding PPXXF-like motif in the N terminus of PMCA that is required for interaction with Homer2. Mutation of the PPXXF-like motif did not affect the interaction of PMCA with Homer1 but inhibited its interaction with Homer2 and increased Ca(2+) clearance by PMCA. These findings reveal an important regulation of PMCA by Homer2 that has a central role on PMCA-mediated Ca(2+) signaling in parotid acinar cells. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. Near horizon structure of extremal vanishing horizon black holes

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    S. Sadeghian

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available We study the near horizon structure of Extremal Vanishing Horizon (EVH black holes, extremal black holes with vanishing horizon area with a vanishing one-cycle on the horizon. We construct the most general near horizon EVH and near-EVH ansatz for the metric and other fields, like dilaton and gauge fields which may be present in the theory. We prove that (1 the near horizon EVH geometry for generic gravity theory in generic dimension has a three dimensional maximally symmetric subspace; (2 if the matter fields of the theory satisfy strong energy condition either this 3d part is AdS3, or the solution is a direct product of a locally 3d flat space and a d−3 dimensional part; (3 these results extend to the near horizon geometry of near-EVH black holes, for which the AdS3 part is replaced with BTZ geometry. We present some specific near horizon EVH geometries in 3, 4 and 5 dimensions for which there is a classification. We also briefly discuss implications of these generic results for generic (gauged supergravity theories and also for the thermodynamics of near-EVH black holes and the EVH/CFT proposal.

  4. The Effect of 400 µg Inhaled Salbutamol on 3 km Time Trial Performance in a Low Humidity Environment

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    John Molphy, John W. Dickinson, Neil J. Chester, Mike Loosemore, Gregory Whyte

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The Objectives of the study were to investigate whether 400 µg inhaled salbutamol influences 3 km running time-trial performance and lung function in eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea positive (EVH+ve and negative (EVH-ve individuals. Fourteen male participants (22.4 ± 1.6yrs; 76.4 ± 8.7kg; 1.80 ± 0.07 m; (7 EVH+ve; 7 EVH-ve were recruited following written informed consent. All participants undertook an EVH challenge to identify either EVH+ve (↓FEV1>10% or EVH-ve (↓FEV110% from baseline in FEV1 following any time-trial. Administration of 400µg inhaled salbutamol does not improve 3 km time-trial performance in either mild EVH+ve or EVH–ve individuals despite significantly increased HR and FEV1.

  5. A hybrid method using the widely-used WIEN2k and VASP codes to calculate the complete set of XAS/EELS edges in a hundred-atoms system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donval, Gaël; Moreau, Philippe; Danet, Julien; Larbi, Séverine Jouanneau-Si; Bayle-Guillemaud, Pascale; Boucher, Florent

    2017-01-04

    Most of the recent developments in EELS modelling has been focused on getting a better agreement with measurements. Less work however has been dedicated to bringing EELS calculations to larger structures that can more realistically describe actual systems. The purpose of this paper is to present a hybrid approach well adapted to calculating the whole set of localised EELS core-loss edges (at the XAS level of theory) on larger systems using only standard tools, namely the WIEN2k and VASP codes. We illustrate the usefulness of this method by applying it to a set of amorphous silicon structures in order to explain the flattening of the silicon L 2,3 EELS edge peak at the onset. We show that the peak flattening is actually caused by the collective contribution of each of the atoms to the average spectrum, as opposed to a flattening occurring on each individual spectrum. This method allowed us to reduce the execution time by a factor of 3 compared to a usual-carefully optimised-WIEN2k calculation. It provided even greater speed-ups on more complex systems (interfaces, ∼300 atoms) that will be presented in a future paper. This method is suited to calculate all the localized edges of all the atoms of a structure in a single calculation for light atoms as long as the core-hole effects can be neglected.

  6. Early Outcomes of Endoscopic Vein Harvesting during the Initial Learning Period

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    Do Yeon Kim

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: The endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH method has been used in coronary artery bypass surgery in many countries. We started using the EVH method recently, and investigated the results during the early learning period. Methods: Between March 2012 and June 2014, 75 patients (31 patients in the EVH method group, and 44 patients in the open method group who underwent isolated first-time coronary artery bypass grafting using vein grafts were retrospectively analyzed with respect to the early outcomes including graft patency and risk factors for leg wound complications. For assessing the patency of vein graft, we performed coronary computed tomography angiography during the immediate postoperative period and 6 months later. Results: Mean harvesting time of endoscopic method was about 15 minutes. Patency rate during the immediate operative period and the 6-month patency rate were similar between the two groups (postoperative period: EVH 100% vs. open method 94.4%, p=0.493; at 6 months: EVH 93.3% vs. open method 90.9%, p=0.791. Leg wound complications occurred more frequently in the open method group (EVH 3.2% vs. open method 13.6%, p=0.127. According to the analysis, age was an independent risk factor for leg wound complications. Conclusion: EVH is a feasible method even for beginners and can be performed satisfactorily during their learning period.

  7. Predictive value of CT for first esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis: Value of para-umbilical vein patency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calame, Paul [Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of Besançon (France); Ronot, Maxime, E-mail: maxime.ronot@aphp.fr [Paris Nord Val de Seine, Beaujon, Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine (France); University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris (France); INSERM U1149, centre de recherche biomédicale Bichat-Beaujon, CRB3, Paris (France); Bouveresse, Sébastien [Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of Besançon (France); Cervoni, Jean-Paul [Department of Hepatology, University Hospitals of Besançon (France); Vilgrain, Valérie [Paris Nord Val de Seine, Beaujon, Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine (France); University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris (France); INSERM U1149, centre de recherche biomédicale Bichat-Beaujon, CRB3, Paris (France); Delabrousse, Éric [Department of Radiology, University Hospitals of Besançon (France)

    2017-02-15

    Highlights: • Large PUV are more frequent in patients without variceal bleeding and in those low-risk esophageal varices. • The PUV diameter is smaller in patients who experience variceal bleeding. • The imaging score could help to identify cirrhotic patients at high-risk for EVH. • Cirrhotic patients with high imaging score should be referred for treatment. - Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate if the presence/size of a para-umbilical vein (PUV) on computed tomography (CT) are associated with a first esophageal variceal hemorrhage (EVH) in patients with cirrhosis and whether imaging features can help identify patients at increased risk of EVH. Materials and methods: From January 2010 to June 2012 patients with cirrhosis who underwent CT and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy within six months were included. The presence/size of PUV was noted. PUV >5 mm were considered large (LPUV). Association with a first EVH was searched for, and validated in a prospective cohort of 55 patients. Results: 172 patients (113 men, mean 60 ± 12 yo) were included. Forty-three patients (25%) experienced a first EVH. LPUV were more frequent in the group without EVH (27% vs. 7%, p = 0.005). At multivariate analysis, factors associated with a first EVH were spleen size > 135 mm (Odd Ratio [OR] = 1.32 [95% confident interval [CI] 1.16–1.51], p < 0.001), ascites (OR = 4.07 [95%CI-1.84–9.01], p = 0.001) and small/absent PUV (OR = 3.06 [95%CI-1.86–5.05], p < 0.001). An imaging score combining these factors was significantly associated with first EVH in the study and the validation cohorts (EVH in 0%, 19%, and 33% when score 0–1, 2–3, and 4–5, respectively). Conclusions: A simple imaging score combining the PUV and spleen size, and the presence of ascites could help to identify cirrhotic patients at high-risk for EVH.

  8. Predictive value of CT for first esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis: Value of para-umbilical vein patency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calame, Paul; Ronot, Maxime; Bouveresse, Sébastien; Cervoni, Jean-Paul; Vilgrain, Valérie; Delabrousse, Éric

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Large PUV are more frequent in patients without variceal bleeding and in those low-risk esophageal varices. • The PUV diameter is smaller in patients who experience variceal bleeding. • The imaging score could help to identify cirrhotic patients at high-risk for EVH. • Cirrhotic patients with high imaging score should be referred for treatment. - Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate if the presence/size of a para-umbilical vein (PUV) on computed tomography (CT) are associated with a first esophageal variceal hemorrhage (EVH) in patients with cirrhosis and whether imaging features can help identify patients at increased risk of EVH. Materials and methods: From January 2010 to June 2012 patients with cirrhosis who underwent CT and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy within six months were included. The presence/size of PUV was noted. PUV >5 mm were considered large (LPUV). Association with a first EVH was searched for, and validated in a prospective cohort of 55 patients. Results: 172 patients (113 men, mean 60 ± 12 yo) were included. Forty-three patients (25%) experienced a first EVH. LPUV were more frequent in the group without EVH (27% vs. 7%, p = 0.005). At multivariate analysis, factors associated with a first EVH were spleen size > 135 mm (Odd Ratio [OR] = 1.32 [95% confident interval [CI] 1.16–1.51], p < 0.001), ascites (OR = 4.07 [95%CI-1.84–9.01], p = 0.001) and small/absent PUV (OR = 3.06 [95%CI-1.86–5.05], p < 0.001). An imaging score combining these factors was significantly associated with first EVH in the study and the validation cohorts (EVH in 0%, 19%, and 33% when score 0–1, 2–3, and 4–5, respectively). Conclusions: A simple imaging score combining the PUV and spleen size, and the presence of ascites could help to identify cirrhotic patients at high-risk for EVH.

  9. Superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs – extraordinary and outstanding success of evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazimierz Kochman

    2014-10-01

    , via their C-terminal domain, with proteins containing PDZ domains, which are present in the PDZ proteins. These proteins organize the NMDA receptors and some K+ channels while their PDZ domains generally bind 3-4 amino-acid stretches of C-terminal sequences of target proteins. The -S/TXV motif was found in some PDZ target proteins. GPCRs can also interact with the Enabled/VASP homology (EVH-like domain which interacts directly with group 1 mGluR receptors. Every year brings new very important data in research of these proteins, which should be called “the most successful structures evolved during the whole of animal evolution”.

  10. MIT domain of Vps4 is a Ca2+-dependent phosphoinositide-binding domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwaya, Naoko; Takasu, Hirotoshi; Goda, Natsuko; Shirakawa, Masahiro; Tanaka, Toshiki; Hamada, Daizo; Hiroaki, Hidekazu

    2013-05-01

    The microtubule interacting and trafficking (MIT) domain is a small protein module that is conserved in proteins of diverged function, such as Vps4, spastin and sorting nexin 15 (SNX15). The molecular function of the MIT domain is protein-protein interaction, in which the domain recognizes peptides containing MIT-interacting motifs. Recently, we identified an evolutionarily related domain, 'variant' MIT domain at the N-terminal region of the microtubule severing enzyme katanin p60. We found that the domain was responsible for binding to microtubules and Ca(2+). Here, we have examined whether the authentic MIT domains also bind Ca(2+). We found that the loop between the first and second α-helices of the MIT domain binds a Ca(2+) ion. Furthermore, the MIT domains derived from Vps4b and SNX15a showed phosphoinositide-binding activities in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. We propose that the MIT domain is a novel membrane-associating domain involved in endosomal trafficking.

  11. Clinicopathological comparisons of open vein harvesting and endoscopic vein harvesting in coronary artery bypass grafting patients in Mashhad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amouzeshi, Ahmad; Teshnisi, Mohamad Abbassi; Zirak, Nahid; Shamloo, Alireza Sepehri; Hoseinikhah, Hamid; Alizadeh, Behzad; Moeinipour, Aliasghar

    2016-01-01

    Harvesting of the greater saphenous vein is almost an inevitable part of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations, and it is done by two main techniques, i.e., conventional or open vein harvesting (OVH) and the minimally-invasive endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH). This study aimed to compare these two techniques in off-pump CABG procedures with respect to clinical and pathological outcomes. This cohort study was conducted on CABG candidates during a one-year period from October 2013 through September 2014 in the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Eighty-seven patients voluntarily underwent EVH, and another 86 patients matched for age, gender, and other cardiovascular risk factors were selected for OVH. They were followed up for six weeks, and the main outcome measures were infections of the wound, pain, duration of hospital stay, and the costs of hospitalization. Paired sample t-test, independent t-test, or their non-parametric equivalents and the chi-squared test were used by SPSS version 17.0 for data analysis. The mean duration of time for vein harvesting was shorter in the EVH group (p < 0.001), and the pain score was lower (p = 0.04). No infections occurred at the site of the wound. The length of hospital stay was not significantly different for the two groups (OVH versus EVH: 8.5 ± 3.3 versus 8.4 ± 3.2 days; p-value: 0.08). Hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the EVH group (OVH versus EVH: 5.8 ± 4.7 versus 7.3 ± 2.0 million Tomman; p-value: 0.008), yet no difference was diagnosed with respect to endothelial damage in the vein grafts harvested by the EVH and OVH techniques. EVH is considered as a minimally invasive and safe vein harvesting technique in our Center, and it can reduce the harvesting time and post-operative pain. In addition, its efficiency was similar to that of OVH.

  12. The SH2 Domain Interaction Landscape

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    Michele Tinti

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Members of the SH2 domain family modulate signal transduction by binding to short peptides containing phosphorylated tyrosines. Each domain displays a distinct preference for the sequence context of the phosphorylated residue. We have developed a high-density peptide chip technology that allows for probing of the affinity of most SH2 domains for a large fraction of the entire complement of tyrosine phosphopeptides in the human proteome. Using this technique, we have experimentally identified thousands of putative SH2-peptide interactions for more than 70 different SH2 domains. By integrating this rich data set with orthogonal context-specific information, we have assembled an SH2-mediated probabilistic interaction network, which we make available as a community resource in the PepspotDB database. A predicted dynamic interaction between the SH2 domains of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and the phosphorylated tyrosine in the extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation loop was validated by experiments in living cells.

  13. SH2 Domain Histochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhs, Sophia; Nollau, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Among posttranslational modifications, the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues is a key modification in cell signaling. Because of its biological importance, characterization of the cellular state of tyrosine phosphorylation is of great interest. Based on the unique properties of endogenously expressed SH2 domains recognizing tyrosine phosphorylated signaling proteins with high specificity we have developed an alternative approach, coined SH2 profiling, enabling us to decipher complex patterns of tyrosine phosphorylation in various normal and cancerous tissues. So far, SH2 profiling has largely been applied for the analysis of protein extracts with the limitation that information on spatial distribution and intensity of tyrosine phosphorylation within a tissue is lost. Here, we describe a novel SH2 domain based strategy for differential characterization of the state of tyrosine phosphorylation in formaldehyde-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues. This approach demonstrates that SH2 domains may serve as very valuable tools for the analysis of the differential state of tyrosine phosphorylation in primary tissues fixed and processed under conditions frequently applied by routine pathology laboratories.

  14. Magnetic domain structure and domain-wall energy in UFe8Ni2Si2 and UFe6Ni4Si2 intermetallic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wyslocki, J.J.; Suski, W.; Wochowski, K.

    1994-01-01

    Magnetic domain structures in the UFe 8 Ni 2 Si 2 and UFe 6 Ni 4 Si 2 compounds were studied using the powder pattern method. The domain structure observed is typical for uniaxial materials. The domain-wall energy density γ was determined from the average surface domain width D s observed on surfaces perpendicular to the easy axis as equal to 16 erg/cm 2 for UFe 8 Ni 2 Si 2 and 10 erg/cm 2 for UFe 6 Ni 4 Si 2 . Moreover, the critical diameter for single domain particle D c was calculated for the studied compounds

  15. The SH2 domain interaction landscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tinti, Michele; Kiemer, Lars; Costa, Stefano; Miller, Martin L; Sacco, Francesca; Olsen, Jesper V; Carducci, Martina; Paoluzi, Serena; Langone, Francesca; Workman, Christopher T; Blom, Nikolaj; Machida, Kazuya; Thompson, Christopher M; Schutkowski, Mike; Brunak, Søren; Mann, Matthias; Mayer, Bruce J; Castagnoli, Luisa; Cesareni, Gianni

    2013-04-25

    Members of the SH2 domain family modulate signal transduction by binding to short peptides containing phosphorylated tyrosines. Each domain displays a distinct preference for the sequence context of the phosphorylated residue. We have developed a high-density peptide chip technology that allows for probing of the affinity of most SH2 domains for a large fraction of the entire complement of tyrosine phosphopeptides in the human proteome. Using this technique, we have experimentally identified thousands of putative SH2-peptide interactions for more than 70 different SH2 domains. By integrating this rich data set with orthogonal context-specific information, we have assembled an SH2-mediated probabilistic interaction network, which we make available as a community resource in the PepspotDB database. A predicted dynamic interaction between the SH2 domains of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and the phosphorylated tyrosine in the extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation loop was validated by experiments in living cells. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Self-reported Symptoms after Induced and Inhibited Bronchoconstriction in Athletes

    Science.gov (United States)

    SIMPSON, ANDREW J.; ROMER, LEE M.; KIPPELEN, PASCALE

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Purpose A change in the perception of respiratory symptoms after treatment with inhaled beta2 agonists is often used to aid diagnosis of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). Our aim was to test the association between subjective ratings of respiratory symptoms and changes in airway caliber after induced and inhibited bronchoconstriction in athletes with EIB. Methods Eighty-five athletes with diagnosed or suspected EIB performed a eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea (EVH) challenge with dry air. Of the 45 athletes with hyperpnea-induced bronchoconstriction [i.e., post-EVH fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) ≥10%, EVH−], 36 were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Terbutaline (0.5 mg) or placebo was administered by inhalation 15 min before EVH. Spirometry (for FEV1) was performed before and after EVH, and respiratory symptoms were recorded 15 min after EVH on visual analog scales. Results Terbutaline inhibited bronchoconstriction (i.e., maximal fall in FEV1 athletes, with an average degree of bronchoprotection of 53% (95% confidence interval [CI], 45% to 62%). Terbutaline reduced group mean symptom scores (P athletes who had less than 10% FEV1 fall after EVH in the terbutaline condition, almost half (48%) rated at least one respiratory symptom higher under terbutaline, and more than one quarter (28%) had a higher total symptom score under terbutaline. Conclusion Self-reports of respiratory symptoms in conditions of induced and inhibited bronchoconstriction do not correlate with changes in airway caliber in athletes with EIB. Therefore, subjective ratings of respiratory symptoms after treatment with inhaled beta2 agonists should not be used as the sole diagnostic tool for EIB in athletes. PMID:25710876

  17. Three theorems on near horizon extremal vanishing horizon geometries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sadeghian

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available EVH black holes are Extremal black holes with Vanishing Horizon area, where vanishing of horizon area is a result of having a vanishing one-cycle on the horizon. We prove three theorems regarding near horizon geometry of EVH black hole solutions to generic Einstein gravity theories in diverse dimensions. These generic gravity theories are Einstein–Maxwell-dilaton-Λ theories, and gauged or ungauged supergravity theories with U(1 Maxwell fields. Our three theorems are: (1 The near horizon geometry of any EVH black hole has a three dimensional maximally symmetric subspace. (2 If the energy momentum tensor of the theory satisfies strong energy condition either this 3d part is an AdS3, or the solution is a direct product of a locally 3d flat space and a d−3 dimensional part. (3 These results extend to the near horizon geometry of near-EVH black holes, for which the AdS3 part is replaced with BTZ geometry.

  18. SH2 domains: modulators of nonreceptor tyrosine kinase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filippakopoulos, Panagis; Müller, Susanne; Knapp, Stefan

    2009-12-01

    The Src homology 2 (SH2) domain is a sequence-specific phosphotyrosine-binding module present in many signaling molecules. In cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases, the SH2 domain is located N-terminally to the catalytic kinase domain (SH1) where it mediates cellular localization, substrate recruitment, and regulation of kinase activity. Initially, structural studies established a role of the SH2 domain stabilizing the inactive state of Src family members. However, biochemical characterization showed that the presence of the SH2 domain is frequently required for catalytic activity, suggesting a crucial function stabilizing the active state of many nonreceptor tyrosine kinases. Recently, the structure of the SH2-kinase domain of Fes revealed that the SH2 domain stabilizes the active kinase conformation by direct interactions with the regulatory helix alphaC. Stabilizing interactions between the SH2 and the kinase domains have also been observed in the structures of active Csk and Abl. Interestingly, mutations in the SH2 domain found in human disease can be explained by SH2 domain destabilization or incorrect positioning of the SH2. Here we summarize our understanding of mechanisms that lead to tyrosine kinase activation by direct interactions mediated by the SH2 domain and discuss how mutations in the SH2 domain trigger kinase inactivation.

  19. The JH2 domain and SH2-JH2 linker regulate JAK2 activity: A detailed kinetic analysis of wild type and V617F mutant kinase domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanz Sanz, Arturo; Niranjan, Yashavanthi; Hammarén, Henrik; Ungureanu, Daniela; Ruijtenbeek, Rob; Touw, Ivo P; Silvennoinen, Olli; Hilhorst, Riet

    2014-10-01

    JAK2 tyrosine kinase regulates many cellular functions. Its activity is controlled by the pseudokinase (JH2) domain by still poorly understood mechanisms. The V617F mutation in the pseudokinase domain activates JAK2 and causes myeloproliferative neoplasms. We conducted a detailed kinetic analysis of recombinant JAK2 tyrosine kinase domain (JH1) and wild-type and V617F tandem kinase (JH1JH2) domains using peptide microarrays to define the functions of the kinase domains. The results show that i) JAK2 follows a random Bi-Bi reaction mechanism ii) JH2 domain restrains the activity of the JH1 domain by reducing the affinity for ATP and ATP competitive inhibitors iii) V617F decreases affinity for ATP but increases catalytic activity compared to wild-type and iv) the SH2-JH2 linker region participates in controlling activity by reducing the affinity for ATP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Jahn-teller domains and magnetic domains in Mn2FeO4

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kub, J.; Brabers, V.A.M.; Novák, P.; Gemperle, R.; Simsova, J.

    2000-01-01

    Elastic (Jahn–Teller) domains and magnetic domains in the tetragonal spinel Mn2FeO4 were studied using X-ray double-crystal topography, X-ray diffractometry and the colloid-SEM method. The Jahn–Teller domains of the measured samples are tetragonal with the [0 0 1] c-axis alternating perpendicularly

  1. Expression and Production of SH2 Domain Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bernard A; Ogiue-Ikeda, Mari; Machida, Kazuya

    2017-01-01

    The Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain lies at the heart of phosphotyrosine signaling, coordinating signaling events downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), adaptors, and scaffolds. Over a hundred SH2 domains are present in mammals, each having a unique specificity which determines its interactions with multiple binding partners. One of the essential tools necessary for studying and determining the role of SH2 domains in phosphotyrosine signaling is a set of soluble recombinant SH2 proteins. Here we describe methods, based on a broad experience with purification of all SH2 domains, for the production of SH2 domain proteins needed for proteomic and biochemical-based studies such as peptide arrays, mass-spectrometry, protein microarrays, reverse-phase microarrays, and high-throughput fluorescence polarization (HTP-FP). We describe stepwise protocols for expression and purification of SH2 domains using GST or poly His-tags, two widely adopted affinity tags. In addition, we address alternative approaches, challenges, and validation studies for assessing protein quality and provide general characteristics of purified human SH2 domains.

  2. Domain engineering of the metastable domains in the 4f-uniaxial-ferromagnet CeRu2Ga2B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wulferding, D.; Kim, H.; Yang, I.; Jeong, J.; Barros, K.; Kato, Y.; Martin, I.; Ayala-Valenzuela, O. E.; Lee, M.; Choi, H. C.; Ronning, F.; Civale, L.; Baumbach, R. E.; Bauer, E. D.; Thompson, J. D.; Movshovich, R.; Kim, Jeehoon

    2017-04-01

    In search of novel, improved materials for magnetic data storage and spintronic devices, compounds that allow a tailoring of magnetic domain shapes and sizes are essential. Good candidates are materials with intrinsic anisotropies or competing interactions, as they are prone to host various domain phases that can be easily and precisely selected by external tuning parameters such as temperature and magnetic field. Here, we utilize vector magnetic fields to visualize directly the magnetic anisotropy in the uniaxial ferromagnet CeRu2Ga2B. We demonstrate a feasible control both globally and locally of domain shapes and sizes by the external field as well as a smooth transition from single stripe to bubble domains, which opens the door to future applications based on magnetic domain tailoring.

  3. Evolution of Src Homology 2 (SH2) Domain to Recognize Sulfotyrosine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ju, Tong; Niu, Wei; Guo, Jiantao

    2016-09-16

    Protein tyrosine O-sulfation is considered as the most common type of post-translational tyrosine modification in nature and plays important roles in extracellular biomolecular interactions. To facilitate the mapping, biological study, and medicinal application of this type of post-translational modification, we seek to evolve a small protein scaffold that recognizes sulfotyrosine with high affinity. We focused our efforts on the engineering of the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain, which represents the largest class of known phosphotyrosine-recognition domain in nature and has a highly evolvable binding pocket. By using phage display, we successfully engineered the SH2 domain to recognize sulfotyrosine with high affinity. The best mutant, SH2-60.1, displayed more than 1700 fold higher sulfotyrosine-binding affinity than that of the wild-type SH2 domain. We also demonstrated that the evolved SH2 domain mutants could be used to detect sulfoprotein levels on the cell surface. These evolved SH2 domain mutants can be potentially applied to the study of protein tyrosine O-sulfation with proper experimental designs.

  4. Introduction: History of SH2 Domains and Their Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bernard A; Machida, Kazuya

    2017-01-01

    The Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain is the prototypical protein interaction module that lies at the heart of phosphotyrosine signaling. Since its serendipitous discovery, there has been a tremendous advancement in technologies and an array of techniques available for studying SH2 domains and phosphotyrosine signaling. In this chapter, we provide a glimpse of the history of SH2 domains and describe many of the tools and techniques that have been developed along the way and discuss future directions for SH2 domain studies. We highlight the gist of each chapter in this volume in the context of: the structural biology and phosphotyrosine binding; characterizing SH2 specificity and generating prediction models; systems biology and proteomics; SH2 domains in signal transduction; and SH2 domains in disease, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Many of the individual chapters provide an in-depth approach that will allow scientists to interrogate the function and role of SH2 domains.

  5. Classification and Lineage Tracing of SH2 Domains Throughout Eukaryotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bernard A

    2017-01-01

    Today there exists a rapidly expanding number of sequenced genomes. Cataloging protein interaction domains such as the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain across these various genomes can be accomplished with ease due to existing algorithms and predictions models. An evolutionary analysis of SH2 domains provides a step towards understanding how SH2 proteins integrated with existing signaling networks to position phosphotyrosine signaling as a crucial driver of robust cellular communication networks in metazoans. However organizing and tracing SH2 domain across organisms and understanding their evolutionary trajectory remains a challenge. This chapter describes several methodologies towards analyzing the evolutionary trajectory of SH2 domains including a global SH2 domain classification system, which facilitates annotation of new SH2 sequences essential for tracing the lineage of SH2 domains throughout eukaryote evolution. This classification utilizes a combination of sequence homology, protein domain architecture and the boundary positions between introns and exons within the SH2 domain or genes encoding these domains. Discrete SH2 families can then be traced across various genomes to provide insight into its origins. Furthermore, additional methods for examining potential mechanisms for divergence of SH2 domains from structural changes to alterations in the protein domain content and genome duplication will be discussed. Therefore a better understanding of SH2 domain evolution may enhance our insight into the emergence of phosphotyrosine signaling and the expansion of protein interaction domains.

  6. Progress towards the development of SH2 domain inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraskouskaya, Dziyana; Duodu, Eugenia; Arpin, Carolynn C; Gunning, Patrick T

    2013-04-21

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are 100 amino acid modular units, which recognize and bind to tyrosyl-phosphorylated peptide sequences on their target proteins, and thereby mediate intracellular protein-protein interactions. This review summarizes the progress towards the development of synthetic agents that disrupt the function of the SH2 domains in different proteins as well as the clinical relevance of targeting a specific SH2 domain. Since 1986, SH2 domains have been identified in over 110 human proteins, including kinases, transcription factors, and adaptor proteins. A number of these proteins are over-activated in many diseases, including cancer, and their function is highly dependent on their SH2 domain. Thus, inhibition of a protein's function through disrupting that of its SH2 domain has emerged as a promising approach towards the development of novel therapeutic modalities. Although targeting the SH2 domain is a challenging task in molecular recognition, the progress reported here demonstrates the feasibility of such an approach.

  7. SH2 domains: modulators of nonreceptor tyrosine kinase activity

    OpenAIRE

    Filippakopoulos, Panagis; Müller, Susanne; Knapp, Stefan

    2009-01-01

    The Src homology 2 (SH2) domain is a sequence-specific phosphotyrosine-binding module present in many signaling molecules. In cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases, the SH2 domain is located N-terminally to the catalytic kinase domain (SH1) where it mediates cellular localization, substrate recruitment, and regulation of kinase activity. Initially, structural studies established a role of the SH2 domain stabilizing the inactive state of Src family members. However, biochemical characterization showed ...

  8. Influence of cytochrome 2C19 allelic variants on on-treatment platelet reactivity evaluated by five different platelet function tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gremmel, Thomas; Kopp, Christoph W; Moertl, Deddo; Seidinger, Daniela; Koppensteiner, Renate; Panzer, Simon; Mannhalter, Christine; Steiner, Sabine

    2012-05-01

    The antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel has been linked to cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) carrier status. The presence of loss of function and gain of function variants were found to have a gene-dose effect on clopidogrel metabolism. However, genotyping is only one aspect of predicting response to clopidogrel and several platelet function tests are available to measure platelet response. Patients and methods We studied the influence of CYP2C19 allelic variants on on-treatment platelet reactivity as assessed by light transmission aggregometry (LTA), the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay, the VASP assay, multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA), and the Impact-R in 288 patients after stenting for cardiovascular disease. Allelic variants of CYP2C19 were determined with the Infiniti® CYP450 2C19+ assay and categorized into four metabolizer states (ultrarapid, extensive, intermediate, poor). Platelet reactivity increased linearly from ultrarapid to poor metabolizers using the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay (P = 0.04), the VASP assay (P = 0.02) and the Impact-R (P = 0.04). The proportion of patients with high on-treatment residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) identified by LTA, the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay and the VASP assay increased when the metabolizer status decreased, while no such relationship could be identified for results of MEA and Impact-R. The presence of loss of function variants (*2/*2, *2-8*/wt, *2/*17) was an independent predictor of HRPR in LTA and the VASP assay while it did not reach statistical significance in the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay, MEA, and the Impact-R. Depending on the type of platelet function test differences in the association of on-treatment platelet reactivity with CYP2C19 carrier status are observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Voltage-sensing phosphatase modulation by a C2 domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castle, Paul M; Zolman, Kevin D; Kohout, Susy C

    2015-01-01

    The voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP) is the first example of an enzyme controlled by changes in membrane potential. VSP has four distinct regions: the transmembrane voltage-sensing domain (VSD), the inter-domain linker, the cytosolic catalytic domain, and the C2 domain. The VSD transmits the changes in membrane potential through the inter-domain linker activating the catalytic domain which then dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) lipids. The role of the C2, however, has not been established. In this study, we explore two possible roles for the C2: catalysis and membrane-binding. The Ci-VSP crystal structures show that the C2 residue Y522 lines the active site suggesting a contribution to catalysis. When we mutated Y522 to phenylalanine, we found a shift in the voltage dependence of activity. This suggests hydrogen bonding as a mechanism of action. Going one step further, when we deleted the entire C2 domain, we found voltage-dependent enzyme activity was no longer detectable. This result clearly indicates the entire C2 is necessary for catalysis as well as for modulating activity. As C2s are known membrane-binding domains, we tested whether the VSP C2 interacts with the membrane. We probed a cluster of four positively charged residues lining the top of the C2 and suggested by previous studies to interact with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] (Kalli et al., 2014). Neutralizing those positive charges significantly shifted the voltage dependence of activity to higher voltages. We tested membrane binding by depleting PI(4,5)P2 from the membrane using the 5HT2C receptor and found that the VSD motions as measured by voltage clamp fluorometry (VCF) were not changed. These results suggest that if the C2 domain interacts with the membrane to influence VSP function it may not occur exclusively through PI(4,5)P2. Together, this data advances our understanding of the VSP C2 by demonstrating a necessary and critical role for the C2 domain in

  10. Domain 2: Sport Safety and Injury Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurchiek, Larry; Mokha, Monique Butcher

    2004-01-01

    Most coaches recognize the importance of creating a safe environment and preventing injuries of their athletes. Domain 2 is dedicated to this important aspect of coaching, and outlines specific areas within safety and injury prevention that coaches should address. Domain 2 sets the standards for facility, equipment, and environmental safety…

  11. Structure of an isolated unglycosylated antibody CH2 domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prabakaran, Ponraj; Vu, Bang K.; Gan, Jianhua; Feng, Yang; Dimitrov, Dimiter S.; Ji, Xinhua

    2008-01-01

    The crystal structure of an isolated unglycosylated antibody C H 2 domain has been determined at 1.7 Å resolution. The C H 2 (C H 3 for IgM and IgE) domain of an antibody plays an important role in mediating effector functions and preserving antibody stability. It is the only domain in human immunoglobulins (Igs) which is involved in weak interchain protein–protein interactions with another C H 2 domain solely through sugar moieties. The N-linked glycosylation at Asn297 is conserved in mammalian IgGs as well as in homologous regions of other antibody isotypes. To examine the structural details of the C H 2 domain in the absence of glycosylation and other antibody domains, the crystal structure of an isolated unglycosylated antibody γ1 C H 2 domain was determined at 1.7 Å resolution and compared with corresponding C H 2 structures from intact Fc, IgG and Fc receptor complexes. Furthermore, the oligomeric state of the protein in solution was studied using size-exclusion chromatography. The results suggested that the unglycosylated human antibody C H 2 domain is a monomer and that its structure is similar to that found in the intact Fc, IgG and Fc receptor complex structures. However, certain structural variations were observed in the Fc receptor-binding sites. Owing to its small size, stability and non-immunogenic Ig template, the C H 2-domain structure could be useful for the development by protein design of antibody domains exerting effector functions and/or antigen specificity and as a robust scaffold in protein-engineering applications

  12. Quantifying information transfer by protein domains: Analysis of the Fyn SH2 domain structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serrano Luis

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Efficient communication between distant sites within a protein is essential for cooperative biological response. Although often associated with large allosteric movements, more subtle changes in protein dynamics can also induce long-range correlations. However, an appropriate formalism that directly relates protein structural dynamics to information exchange between functional sites is still lacking. Results Here we introduce a method to analyze protein dynamics within the framework of information theory and show that signal transduction within proteins can be considered as a particular instance of communication over a noisy channel. In particular, we analyze the conformational correlations between protein residues and apply the concept of mutual information to quantify information exchange. Mapping out changes of mutual information on the protein structure then allows visualizing how distal communication is achieved. We illustrate the approach by analyzing information transfer by the SH2 domain of Fyn tyrosine kinase, obtained from Monte Carlo dynamics simulations. Our analysis reveals that the Fyn SH2 domain forms a noisy communication channel that couples residues located in the phosphopeptide and specificity binding sites and a number of residues at the other side of the domain near the linkers that connect the SH2 domain to the SH3 and kinase domains. We find that for this particular domain, communication is affected by a series of contiguous residues that connect distal sites by crossing the core of the SH2 domain. Conclusion As a result, our method provides a means to directly map the exchange of biological information on the structure of protein domains, making it clear how binding triggers conformational changes in the protein structure. As such it provides a structural road, next to the existing attempts at sequence level, to predict long-range interactions within protein structures.

  13. Voltage-sensing phosphatase modulation by a C2 domain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul M. Castle

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP is the first example of an enzyme controlled by changes in membrane potential. VSP has four distinct regions: the transmembrane voltage-sensing domain (VSD, the inter-domain linker, the cytosolic catalytic domain and the C2 domain. The VSD transmits the changes in membrane potential through the inter-domain linker activating the catalytic domain which then dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol phosphate lipids. The role of the C2, however, has not been established. In this study, we explore two possible roles for the C2: catalysis and membrane-binding. The Ci-VSP crystal structures show that the C2 residue Y522 lines the active site suggesting a contribution to catalysis. When we mutated Y522 to phenylalanine, we found a shift in the voltage dependence of activity. This suggests hydrogen bonding as a mechanism of action. Going one step further, when we deleted the entire C2 domain, we found voltage-dependent enzyme activity was no longer detectable. This result clearly indicates the entire C2 is necessary for catalysis as well as for modulating activity. As C2s are known membrane-binding domains, we tested whether the VSP C2 interacts with the membrane. We probed a cluster of four positively charged residues lining the top of the C2 and suggested by previous studies to interact with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5P2 (Kalli et al., 2014. Neutralizing those positive charges significantly shifted the voltage dependence of activity to higher voltages. We tested membrane binding by depleting PI(4,5P2 from the membrane using the 5HT2C receptor and found that the VSD motions as measured by voltage clamp fluorometry were not changed. These results suggest that if the C2 domain interacts with the membrane to influence VSP function it may not occur exclusively through PI(4,5P2. Together, this data advances our understanding of the VSP C2 by demonstrating a necessary and critical role for the C2 domain in

  14. A lipid binding domain in sphingosine kinase 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Don, Anthony S.; Rosen, Hugh

    2009-01-01

    The lipid second messenger sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a critical mediator of cellular proliferation and survival signals, and is essential for vasculogenesis and neurogenesis. S1P formation is catalysed by sphingosine kinases 1 and 2 (Sphk1 and Sphk2). We have found that the endogenous glycolipid sulfatide (3-O-sulfogalactosylceramide) binds to and inhibits the activity of Sphk2 and the closely related ceramide kinase (Cerk), but not Sphk1. Using sulfatide as a probe, we mapped the lipid binding domain to the N-terminus of Sphk2 (residues 1-175), a region of sequence that is absent in Sphk1, but aligns with a pleckstrin homology domain in Cerk. Accordingly, Sphk2 bound to phosphatidylinositol monophosphates but not to abundant cellular phospholipids. Deleting the N-terminal domain reduced Sphk2 membrane localisation in cells. We have therefore identified a lipid binding domain in Sphk2 that is important for the enzyme's sub-cellular localisation.

  15. Superbinder SH2 domains act as antagonists of cell signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaneko, Tomonori; Huang, Haiming; Cao, Xuan; Li, Xing; Li, Chengjun; Voss, Courtney; Sidhu, Sachdev S; Li, Shawn S C

    2012-09-25

    Protein-ligand interactions mediated by modular domains, which often play important roles in regulating cellular functions, are generally of moderate affinities. We examined the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain, a modular domain that recognizes phosphorylated tyrosine (pTyr) residues, to investigate how the binding affinity of a modular domain for its ligand influences the structure and cellular function of the protein. We used the phage display method to perform directed evolution of the pTyr-binding residues in the SH2 domain of the tyrosine kinase Fyn and identified three amino acid substitutions that critically affected binding. We generated three SH2 domain triple-point mutants that were "superbinders" with much higher affinities for pTyr-containing peptides than the natural domain. Crystallographic analysis of one of these superbinders revealed that the superbinder SH2 domain recognized the pTyr moiety in a bipartite binding mode: A hydrophobic surface encompassed the phenyl ring, and a positively charged site engaged the phosphate. When expressed in mammalian cells, the superbinder SH2 domains blocked epidermal growth factor receptor signaling and inhibited anchorage-independent cell proliferation, suggesting that pTyr superbinders might be explored for therapeutic applications and useful as biological research tools. Although the SH2 domain fold can support much higher affinity for its ligand than is observed in nature, our results suggest that natural SH2 domains are not optimized for ligand binding but for specificity and flexibility, which are likely properties important for their function in signaling and regulatory processes.

  16. Evolution of SH2 domains and phosphotyrosine signalling networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bernard A.; Nash, Piers D.

    2012-01-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains mediate selective protein–protein interactions with tyrosine phosphorylated proteins, and in doing so define specificity of phosphotyrosine (pTyr) signalling networks. SH2 domains and protein-tyrosine phosphatases expand alongside protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs) to coordinate cellular and organismal complexity in the evolution of the unikont branch of the eukaryotes. Examination of conserved families of PTKs and SH2 domain proteins provides fiduciary marks that trace the evolutionary landscape for the development of complex cellular systems in the proto-metazoan and metazoan lineages. The evolutionary provenance of conserved SH2 and PTK families reveals the mechanisms by which diversity is achieved through adaptations in tissue-specific gene transcription, altered ligand binding, insertions of linear motifs and the gain or loss of domains following gene duplication. We discuss mechanisms by which pTyr-mediated signalling networks evolve through the development of novel and expanded families of SH2 domain proteins and the elaboration of connections between pTyr-signalling proteins. These changes underlie the variety of general and specific signalling networks that give rise to tissue-specific functions and increasingly complex developmental programmes. Examination of SH2 domains from an evolutionary perspective provides insight into the process by which evolutionary expansion and modification of molecular protein interaction domain proteins permits the development of novel protein-interaction networks and accommodates adaptation of signalling networks. PMID:22889907

  17. Airway responses to eucapnic hyperpnea, exercise, and methacholine in elite swimmers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Lise; Winther, S.; Backer, V.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The International Olympic Committee Medical Commission (IOC-MC) requires athletes to provide the result of an objective test to support a diagnosis of asthma or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) if they want to inhale a beta-2-agonist. The purpose of the study was to evaluate th...... of diagnosing EIB. We recommend performing the EVH test when diagnosing and evaluating EIB in elite swimmers and if EVH test negative then proceeding to a strenuous LBT Udgivelsesdato: 2008/9...

  18. Hydrophobic interaction between the SH2 domain and the kinase domain is required for the activation of Csk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikkola, Esa T; Gahmberg, Carl G

    2010-06-18

    The protein tyrosine kinase C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) is activated by the engagement of its Src homology (SH) 2 domain. However, the molecular mechanism required for this is not completely understood. The crystal structure of the active Csk indicates that Csk could be activated by contact between the SH2 domain and the beta3-alphaC loop in the N-terminal lobe of the kinase domain. To study the importance of this interaction for the SH2-domain-mediated activation of Csk, we mutated the amino acid residues forming the contacts between the SH2 domain and the beta3-alphaC loop. The mutation of the beta3-alphaC loop Ala228 to glycine and of the SH2 domain Tyr116, Tyr133, Leu138, and Leu149 to alanine resulted in the inability of the SH2 domain ligand to activate Csk. Furthermore, the overexpressed Csk mutants A228G, Y133A/Y116A, L138A, and L149A were unable to efficiently inactivate endogenous Src in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The results suggest that the SH2-domain-mediated activation of Csk is dependent on the binding of the beta3-alphaC loop Ala228 to the hydrophobic pocket formed by the side chains of Tyr116, Tyr133, Leu138, and Leu149 on the surface of the SH2 domain. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Hydrogen storage property of alkali and alkaline-earth metal atoms decorated C24 fullerene: A DFT study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yafei; Cheng, Xinlu

    2018-04-01

    The hydrogen storage behavior of alkali and alkaline-earth metal (AM = Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca) atoms decorated C24 fullerene was investigated by using density functional theory (DFT) study. Our results indicate that the AM atoms prefer to adsorb atop the center of tetragon of C24 fullerene with the largest binding energy than other possible adsorption sites. Moreover, the hydrogen storage gravimetric density of 24H2/6Li/C24, 24H2/6Na/C24 and 36H2/6Ca/C24 configurations reaches up to 12.7 wt%, 10.1 wt% and 12 wt%, higher than the year 2020 target from the US department of energy (DOE). Also, the average adsorption energies of H2 molecules of the 24H2/6Li/C24, 24H2/6Na/C24 and 36H2/6Ca/C24 configurations are -0.198 eV/H2, -0.164 eV/H2 and -0.138 eV/H2, locate the desirable range under the physical adsorption at near ambient conditions. These findings will have important implications on designing new hydrogen storage materials in the future.

  20. Crystal structure of the Ig1 domain of the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM2 displays domain swapping

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Kim Krighaar; Kulahin, Nikolaj; Kristensen, Ole

    2008-01-01

    The crystal structure of the first immunoglobulin (Ig1) domain of neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2/OCAM/RNCAM) is presented at a resolution of 2.7 A. NCAM2 is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules (IgCAMs). In the structure, two Ig domains interact by domain...

  1. Solution structure of tensin2 SH2 domain and its phosphotyrosine-independent interaction with DLC-1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kun Dai

    Full Text Available Src homology 2 (SH2 domain is a conserved module involved in various biological processes. Tensin family member was reported to be involved in tumor suppression by interacting with DLC-1 (deleted-in-liver-cancer-1 via its SH2 domain. We explore here the important questions that what the structure of tensin2 SH2 domain is, and how it binds to DLC-1, which might reveal a novel binding mode.Tensin2 SH2 domain adopts a conserved SH2 fold that mainly consists of five β-strands flanked by two α-helices. Most SH2 domains recognize phosphorylated ligands specifically. However, tensin2 SH2 domain was identified to interact with nonphosphorylated ligand (DLC-1 as well as phosphorylated ligand.We determined the solution structure of tensin2 SH2 domain using NMR spectroscopy, and revealed the interactions between tensin2 SH2 domain and its ligands in a phosphotyrosine-independent manner.

  2. Fusion protein based on Grb2-SH2 domain for cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Yuriko; Furukawa, Takako; Arano, Yasushi; Fujibayashi, Yasuhisa; Saga, Tsuneo

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Grb2 mediates EGFR signaling through binding to phosphorylate EGFR with SH2 domain. → We generated fusion proteins containing 1 or 2 SH2 domains of Grb2 added with TAT. → The one with 2 SH2 domains (TSSF) interfered ERK phosphorylation. → TSSF significantly delayed the growth of EGFR overexpressing tumor in a mouse model. -- Abstract: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the very attractive targets for cancer therapy. In this study, we generated fusion proteins containing one or two Src-homology 2 (SH2) domains of growth factor receptor bound protein 2 (Grb2), which bind to phosphorylated EGFR, added with HIV-1 transactivating transcription for cell membrane penetration (termed TSF and TSSF, respectively). We examined if they can interfere Grb2-mediated signaling pathway and suppress tumor growth as expected from the lack of SH3 domain, which is necessary to intermediate EGFR-Grb2 cell signaling, in the fusion proteins. The transduction efficiency of TSSF was similar to that of TSF, but the binding activity of TSSF to EGFR was higher than that of TSF. Treatment of EGFR-overexpressing cells showed that TSSF decreased p42-ERK phosphorylation, while TSF did not. Both the proteins delayed cell growth but did not induce cell death in culture. TSSF also significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo under consecutive administration. In conclusion, TSSF showed an ability to inhibit EGFR-Grb2 signaling and could have a potential to treat EGFR-activated cancer.

  3. Src binds cortactin through an SH2 domain cystine-mediated linkage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Jason V.; Ammer, Amanda G.; Jett, John E.; Bolcato, Chris A.; Breaux, Jason C.; Martin, Karen H.; Culp, Mark V.; Gannett, Peter M.; Weed, Scott A.

    2012-01-01

    Summary Tyrosine-kinase-based signal transduction mediated by modular protein domains is critical for cellular function. The Src homology (SH)2 domain is an important conductor of intracellular signaling that binds to phosphorylated tyrosines on acceptor proteins, producing molecular complexes responsible for signal relay. Cortactin is a cytoskeletal protein and tyrosine kinase substrate that regulates actin-based motility through interactions with SH2-domain-containing proteins. The Src kinase SH2 domain mediates cortactin binding and tyrosine phosphorylation, but how Src interacts with cortactin is unknown. Here we demonstrate that Src binds cortactin through cystine bonding between Src C185 in the SH2 domain within the phosphotyrosine binding pocket and cortactin C112/246 in the cortactin repeats domain, independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. Interaction studies show that the presence of reducing agents ablates Src-cortactin binding, eliminates cortactin phosphorylation by Src, and prevents Src SH2 domain binding to cortactin. Tandem MS/MS sequencing demonstrates cystine bond formation between Src C185 and cortactin C112/246. Mutational studies indicate that an intact cystine binding interface is required for Src-mediated cortactin phosphorylation, cell migration, and pre-invadopodia formation. Our results identify a novel phosphotyrosine-independent binding mode between the Src SH2 domain and cortactin. Besides Src, one quarter of all SH2 domains contain cysteines at or near the analogous Src C185 position. This provides a potential alternative mechanism to tyrosine phosphorylation for cysteine-containing SH2 domains to bind cognate ligands that may be widespread in propagating signals regulating diverse cellular functions. PMID:23097045

  4. Src binds cortactin through an SH2 domain cystine-mediated linkage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Jason V; Ammer, Amanda G; Jett, John E; Bolcato, Chris A; Breaux, Jason C; Martin, Karen H; Culp, Mark V; Gannett, Peter M; Weed, Scott A

    2012-12-15

    Tyrosine-kinase-based signal transduction mediated by modular protein domains is critical for cellular function. The Src homology (SH)2 domain is an important conductor of intracellular signaling that binds to phosphorylated tyrosines on acceptor proteins, producing molecular complexes responsible for signal relay. Cortactin is a cytoskeletal protein and tyrosine kinase substrate that regulates actin-based motility through interactions with SH2-domain-containing proteins. The Src kinase SH2 domain mediates cortactin binding and tyrosine phosphorylation, but how Src interacts with cortactin is unknown. Here we demonstrate that Src binds cortactin through cystine bonding between Src C185 in the SH2 domain within the phosphotyrosine binding pocket and cortactin C112/246 in the cortactin repeats domain, independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. Interaction studies show that the presence of reducing agents ablates Src-cortactin binding, eliminates cortactin phosphorylation by Src, and prevents Src SH2 domain binding to cortactin. Tandem MS/MS sequencing demonstrates cystine bond formation between Src C185 and cortactin C112/246. Mutational studies indicate that an intact cystine binding interface is required for Src-mediated cortactin phosphorylation, cell migration, and pre-invadopodia formation. Our results identify a novel phosphotyrosine-independent binding mode between the Src SH2 domain and cortactin. Besides Src, one quarter of all SH2 domains contain cysteines at or near the analogous Src C185 position. This provides a potential alternative mechanism to tyrosine phosphorylation for cysteine-containing SH2 domains to bind cognate ligands that may be widespread in propagating signals regulating diverse cellular functions.

  5. Solution structure of the Grb2 SH2 domain complexed with a high-affinity inhibitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogura, Kenji; Shiga, Takanori; Yokochi, Masashi; Yuzawa, Satoru; Burke, Terrence R.; Inagaki, Fuyuhiko

    2008-01-01

    The solution structure of the growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) SH2 domain complexed with a high-affinity inhibitor containing a non-phosphorus phosphate mimetic within a macrocyclic platform was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Unambiguous assignments of the bound inhibitor and intermolecular NOEs between the Grb2 SH2 domain and the inhibitor was accomplished using perdeuterated Grb2 SH2 protein. The well-defined solution structure of the complex was obtained and compared to those by X-ray crystallography. Since the crystal structure of the Grb2 SH2 domain formed a domain-swapped dimer and several inhibitors were bound to a hinge region, there were appreciable differences between the solution and crystal structures. Based on the binding interactions between the inhibitor and the Grb2 SH2 domain in solution, we proposed a design of second-generation inhibitors that could be expected to have higher affinity

  6. Blue Light-excited Light-Oxygen-Voltage-sensing Domain 2 (LOV2) Triggers a Rearrangement of the Kinase Domain to Induce Phosphorylation Activity in Arabidopsis Phototropin1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oide, Mao; Okajima, Koji; Kashojiya, Sachiko; Takayama, Yuki; Oroguchi, Tomotaka; Hikima, Takaaki; Yamamoto, Masaki; Nakasako, Masayoshi

    2016-09-16

    Phototropin1 is a blue light (BL) receptor in plants and shows BL-dependent kinase activation. The BL-excited light-oxygen-voltage-sensing domain 2 (LOV2) is primarily responsible for the activation of the kinase domain; however, the molecular mechanism by which conformational changes in LOV2 are transmitted to the kinase domain remains unclear. Here, we investigated BL-induced structural changes of a minimum functional fragment of Arabidopsis phototropin1 composed of LOV2, the kinase domain, and a linker connecting the two domains using small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The fragment existed as a dimer and displayed photoreversible SAXS changes reflected in the radii of gyration of 42.9 Å in the dark and 48.8 Å under BL irradiation. In the dark, the molecular shape reconstructed from the SAXS profiles appeared as two bean-shaped lobes in a twisted arrangement that was 170 Å long, 80 Å wide, and 50 Å thick. The molecular shape under BL became slightly elongated from that in the dark. By fitting the crystal structure of the LOV2 dimer and a homology model of the kinase domain to their inferred shapes, the BL-dependent change could be interpreted as the positional shift in the kinase domain relative to that of the LOV2 dimer. In addition, we found that lysine 475, a functionally important residue, in the N-terminal region of LOV2 plays a critical role in transmitting the structural changes in LOV2 to the kinase domain. The interface between the domains is critical for signaling, suitably changing the structure to activate the kinase in response to conformational changes in the adjoining LOV2. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  7. In-Solution SH2 Domain Binding Assay Based on Proximity Ligation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machida, Kazuya

    2017-01-01

    Protein-protein interactions mediated by SH2 domains confer specificity in tyrosine kinase pathways. Traditional assays for assessing interactions between an SH2 domain and its interacting protein such as far-Western and pull-down are inherently low throughput. We developed SH2-PLA, an in-solution SH2 domain binding assay, that takes advantage of the speed and sensitivity of proximity ligation and real-time PCR. SH2-PLA allows for rapid assessment of SH2 domain binding to a target protein using only a few microliters of cell lysate, thereby making it an attractive new tool to study tyrosine kinase signaling.

  8. Structure of the thioredoxin-fold domain of human phosducin-like protein 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lou, Xiaochu; Bao, Rui; Zhou, Cong-Zhao; Chen, Yuxing

    2009-01-01

    The X-ray crystal structure of the Trx-fold domain of hPDCL2 was solved at 2.70 Å resolution and resembled the Trx-fold domain of rat phosducin. Human phosducin-like protein 2 (hPDCL2) has been identified as belonging to subgroup II of the phosducin (Pdc) family. The members of this family share an N-terminal helix domain and a C-terminal thioredoxin-fold (Trx-fold) domain. The X-ray crystal structure of the Trx-fold domain of hPDCL2 was solved at 2.70 Å resolution and resembled the Trx-fold domain of rat phosducin. Comparative structural analysis revealed the structural basis of their putative functional divergence

  9. Domain-orientation dependence of levitation force in seeded melt grown single-domain YBa2Cu3Ox

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, D.; Qu, D.; Sagar, S.; Lahiri, K.

    1997-01-01

    Domain-orientation dependence of levitation force has been determined for single-domain YBa 2 Cu 3 O x . The single-domain material is obtained from a seeded melt growth process. The levitation force has been found to reach a maximum as the c axis of the domain is parallel to the direction of the force. The levitation force decreases in a cosine law fashion as the angle θ (the angle between the direction of the force and the c axis) increases from 0 degree to 60 degree. A maximum anisotropy of levitation force of 2.29 has been found. A physical model is proposed to explain the observed orientation dependence. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

  10. Endoscopic Vein Harvesting for Coronary Bypass Grafting: A Blessing or a Trojan Horse?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Accord

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Conventional open harvest of the great saphenous vein (GSV during CABG results in approximately 7% donor-site complications. Using endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH the full GSV length can be harvested through a 3 cm incision. This nonsystematic review discusses several key issues concerning EVH, based on an extensive Pubmed search. Found studies show that EVH results in reduced number of wound complications, less postoperative pain, earlier postoperative mobilisation, reduced length of hospital stay, and is more cost-effective. Initial studies did not find significant differences in graft histology, patency, or clinical outcome. However, in 2009 convincing evidence of inferior histological graft properties became available. Furthermore, an observational study showed that EVH resulted in significantly more graft stenosis, was associated with higher mortality, more myocard infarction, and more reinterventions. Most recent publications could not confirm these findings, however larger randomised controlled trials focusing on graft quality are being awaited.

  11. Analysis of Domain Architecture and Phylogenetics of Family 2 Glycoside Hydrolases (GH2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Talens-Perales

    Full Text Available In this work we report a detailed analysis of the topology and phylogenetics of family 2 glycoside hydrolases (GH2. We distinguish five topologies or domain architectures based on the presence and distribution of protein domains defined in Pfam and Interpro databases. All of them share a central TIM barrel (catalytic module with two β-sandwich domains (non-catalytic at the N-terminal end, but differ in the occurrence and nature of additional non-catalytic modules at the C-terminal region. Phylogenetic analysis was based on the sequence of the Pfam Glyco_hydro_2_C catalytic module present in most GH2 proteins. Our results led us to propose a model in which evolutionary diversity of GH2 enzymes is driven by the addition of different non-catalytic domains at the C-terminal region. This model accounts for the divergence of β-galactosidases from β-glucuronidases, the diversification of β-galactosidases with different transglycosylation specificities, and the emergence of bicistronic β-galactosidases. This study also allows the identification of groups of functionally uncharacterized protein sequences with potential biotechnological interest.

  12. Probing SH2-domains using Inhibitor Affinity Purification (IAP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höfener, Michael; Heinzlmeir, Stephanie; Kuster, Bernhard; Sewald, Norbert

    2014-01-01

    Many human diseases are correlated with the dysregulation of signal transduction processes. One of the most important protein interaction domains in the context of signal transduction is the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain that binds phosphotyrosine residues. Hence, appropriate methods for the investigation of SH2 proteins are indispensable in diagnostics and medicinal chemistry. Therefore, an affinity resin for the enrichment of all SH2 proteins in one experiment would be desirable. However, current methods are unable to address all SH2 proteins simultaneously with a single compound or a small array of compounds. In order to overcome these limitations for the investigation of this particular protein family in future experiments, a dipeptide-derived probe has been designed, synthesized and evaluated. This probe successfully enriched 22 SH2 proteins from mixed cell lysates which contained 50 SH2 proteins. Further characterization of the SH2 binding properties of the probe using depletion and competition experiments indicated its ability to enrich complexes consisting of SH2 domain bearing regulatory PI3K subunits and catalytic phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) subunits that have no SH2 domain. The results make this probe a promising starting point for the development of a mixed affinity resin with complete SH2 protein coverage. Moreover, the additional findings render it a valuable tool for the evaluation of PI3K complex interrupting inhibitors.

  13. Rosette Assay: Highly Customizable Dot-Blot for SH2 Domain Screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ng, Khong Y; Machida, Kazuya

    2017-01-01

    With a growing number of high-throughput studies, structural analyses, and availability of protein-protein interaction databases, it is now possible to apply web-based prediction tools to SH2 domain-interactions. However, in silico prediction is not always reliable and requires experimental validation. Rosette assay is a dot blot-based reverse-phase assay developed for the assessment of binding between SH2 domains and their ligands. It is conveniently customizable, allowing for low- to high-throughput analysis of interactions between various numbers of SH2 domains and their ligands, e.g., short peptides, purified proteins, and cell lysates. The binding assay is performed in a 96-well plate (MBA or MWA apparatus) in which a sample spotted membrane is incubated with up to 96 labeled SH2 domains. Bound domains are detected and quantified using a chemiluminescence or near-infrared fluorescence (IR) imaging system. In this chapter, we describe a practical protocol for rosette assay to assess interactions between synthesized tyrosine phosphorylated peptides and a library of GST-tagged SH2 domains. Since the methodology is not confined to assessment of SH2-pTyr interactions, rosette assay can be broadly utilized for ligand and drug screening using different protein interaction domains or antibodies.

  14. The C2 domain of PKCalpha is a Ca2+ -dependent PtdIns(4,5)P2 sensing domain: a new insight into an old pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Bautista, Sonia; Marín-Vicente, Consuelo; Gómez-Fernández, Juan C; Corbalán-García, Senena

    2006-10-06

    The C2 domain is a targeting domain that responds to intracellular Ca2+ signals in classical protein kinases (PKCs) and mediates the translocation of its host protein to membranes. Recent studies have revealed a new motif in the C2 domain, named the lysine-rich cluster, that interacts with acidic phospholipids. The purpose of this work was to characterize the molecular mechanism by which PtdIns(4,5)P2 specifically interacts with this motif. Using a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry, fluorescence resonance energy transfer and time-lapse confocal microscopy, we show here that Ca2+ specifically binds to the Ca2+ -binding region, facilitating PtdIns(4,5)P2 access to the lysine-rich cluster. The magnitude of PtdIns(4,5)P2 binding is greater than in the case of other polyphosphate phosphatidylinositols. Very importantly, the residues involved in PtdIns(4,5)P2 binding are essential for the plasma membrane localization of PKCalpha when RBL-2H3 cells are stimulated through their IgE receptors. Additionally, CFP-PH and CFP-C1 domains were used as bioprobes to demonstrate the co-existence of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and diacylglycerol in the plasma membrane, and it was shown that although a fraction of PtdIns(4,5)P2 is hydrolyzed to generate diacylglycerol and IP3, an important amount still remains in the membrane where it is available to activate PKCalpha. These findings entail revision of the currently accepted model of PKCalpha recruitment to the membrane and its activation.

  15. Tyrosine Phosphorylation of the Lyn Src Homology 2 (SH2) Domain Modulates Its Binding Affinity and Specificity*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Lily L.; Wybenga-Groot, Leanne E.; Tong, Jiefei; Taylor, Paul; Minden, Mark D.; Trudel, Suzanne; McGlade, C. Jane; Moran, Michael F.

    2015-01-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are modular protein structures that bind phosphotyrosine (pY)-containing polypeptides and regulate cellular functions through protein-protein interactions. Proteomics analysis showed that the SH2 domains of Src family kinases are themselves tyrosine phosphorylated in blood system cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and multiple myeloma. Using the Src family kinase Lyn SH2 domain as a model, we found that phosphorylation at the conserved SH2 domain residue Y194 impacts the affinity and specificity of SH2 domain binding to pY-containing peptides and proteins. Analysis of the Lyn SH2 domain crystal structure supports a model wherein phosphorylation of Y194 on the EF loop modulates the binding pocket that engages amino acid side chains at the pY+2/+3 position. These data indicate another level of regulation wherein SH2-mediated protein-protein interactions are modulated by SH2 kinases and phosphatases. PMID:25587033

  16. 5'-Inositol phosphatase SHIP2 recruits Mena to stabilize invadopodia for cancer cell invasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajadurai, Charles V; Havrylov, Serhiy; Coelho, Paula P; Ratcliffe, Colin D H; Zaoui, Kossay; Huang, Bruce H; Monast, Anie; Chughtai, Naila; Sangwan, Veena; Gertler, Frank B; Siegel, Peter M; Park, Morag

    2016-09-12

    Invadopodia are specialized membrane protrusions that support degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by cancer cells, allowing invasion and metastatic spread. Although early stages of invadopodia assembly have been elucidated, little is known about maturation of invadopodia into structures competent for ECM proteolysis. The localized conversion of phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)-triphosphate and accumulation of phosphatidylinositol(3,4)-bisphosphate at invadopodia is a key determinant for invadopodia maturation. Here we investigate the role of the 5'-inositol phosphatase, SHIP2, and reveal an unexpected scaffold function of SHIP2 as a prerequisite for invadopodia-mediated ECM degradation. Through biochemical and structure-function analyses, we identify specific interactions between SHIP2 and Mena, an Ena/VASP-family actin regulatory protein. We demonstrate that SHIP2 recruits Mena, but not VASP, to invadopodia and that disruption of SHIP2-Mena interaction in cancer cells leads to attenuated capacity for ECM degradation and invasion in vitro, as well as reduced metastasis in vivo. Together, these findings identify SHIP2 as a key modulator of carcinoma invasiveness and a target for metastatic disease. © 2016 Rajadurai et al.

  17. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of the W2 domain of Drosophila melanogaster eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5C domain-containing protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Hui; Wang, Hong; Liu, Huihui; Teng, Maikun; Li, Xu

    2012-01-01

    The crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of the carboxy-terminal domain of D. melanogaster eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5C domain-containing protein are reported. The Drosophila melanogaster eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5C domain-containing protein (ECP) is composed of two independently folded domains which belong to the basic leucine-zipper and W2 domain-containing protein (BZW) family. Based on the sequence similarity between the C-terminal W2 domain of ECP and some eukaryotic translation initiation factors (such as eIF2B∊, eIF4γ, eIF5 etc.), ECP has been speculated to participate in the translation initiation process. Structural information on the C-terminal W2 domain of ECP would be helpful in understanding the specific cellular function of this protein. Here, the W2 domain of ECP was expressed and crystallized. Crystals grown by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method diffracted to 2.70 Å resolution and belonged to space group I4, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 81.05, c = 57.44 Å. The Matthews coefficient suggested that there was one molecule per asymmetric unit in the crystal

  18. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the Lyn Src homology 2 (SH2) domain modulates its binding affinity and specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Lily L; Wybenga-Groot, Leanne E; Tong, Jiefei; Taylor, Paul; Minden, Mark D; Trudel, Suzanne; McGlade, C Jane; Moran, Michael F

    2015-03-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are modular protein structures that bind phosphotyrosine (pY)-containing polypeptides and regulate cellular functions through protein-protein interactions. Proteomics analysis showed that the SH2 domains of Src family kinases are themselves tyrosine phosphorylated in blood system cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and multiple myeloma. Using the Src family kinase Lyn SH2 domain as a model, we found that phosphorylation at the conserved SH2 domain residue Y(194) impacts the affinity and specificity of SH2 domain binding to pY-containing peptides and proteins. Analysis of the Lyn SH2 domain crystal structure supports a model wherein phosphorylation of Y(194) on the EF loop modulates the binding pocket that engages amino acid side chains at the pY+2/+3 position. These data indicate another level of regulation wherein SH2-mediated protein-protein interactions are modulated by SH2 kinases and phosphatases. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  19. Hemolysis is associated with low reticulocyte production index and predicts blood transfusion in severe malarial anemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rolf Fendel

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Falciparum Malaria, an infectious disease caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is among the leading causes of death and morbidity attributable to infectious diseases worldwide. In Gabon, Central Africa, one out of four inpatients have severe malarial anemia (SMA, a life-threatening complication if left untreated. Emerging drug resistant parasites might aggravate the situation. This case control study investigates biomarkers of enhanced hemolysis in hospitalized children with either SMA or mild malaria (MM. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Ninety-one children were included, thereof 39 SMA patients. Strict inclusion criteria were chosen to exclude other causes of anemia. At diagnosis, erythrophagocytosis (a direct marker for extravascular hemolysis, EVH was enhanced in SMA compared to MM patients (5.0 arbitrary units (AU (interquartile range (IR: 2.2-9.6 vs. 2.1 AU (IR: 1.3-3.9, p<0.01. Furthermore, indirect markers for EVH, (i.e. serum neopterin levels, spleen size enlargement and monocyte pigment were significantly increased in SMA patients. Markers for erythrocyte ageing, such as CD35 (complement receptor 1, CD55 (decay acceleration factor and phosphatidylserine exposure (annexin-V-binding were investigated by flow cytometry. In SMA patients, levels of CD35 and CD55 on the red blood cell surface were decreased and erythrocyte removal markers were increased when compared to MM or reconvalescent patients. Additionally, intravascular hemolysis (IVH was quantified using several indirect markers (LDH, alpha-HBDH, haptoglobin and hemopexin, which all showed elevated IVH in SMA. The presence of both IVH and EVH predicted the need for blood transfusion during antimalarial treatment (odds ratio 61.5, 95% confidence interval (CI: 8.9-427. Interestingly, this subpopulation is characterized by a significantly lowered reticulocyte production index (RPI, p<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the multifactorial pathophysiology of SMA

  20. 5′-Inositol phosphatase SHIP2 recruits Mena to stabilize invadopodia for cancer cell invasion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaoui, Kossay; Huang, Bruce H.; Sangwan, Veena; Gertler, Frank B.

    2016-01-01

    Invadopodia are specialized membrane protrusions that support degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) by cancer cells, allowing invasion and metastatic spread. Although early stages of invadopodia assembly have been elucidated, little is known about maturation of invadopodia into structures competent for ECM proteolysis. The localized conversion of phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)-triphosphate and accumulation of phosphatidylinositol(3,4)-bisphosphate at invadopodia is a key determinant for invadopodia maturation. Here we investigate the role of the 5′-inositol phosphatase, SHIP2, and reveal an unexpected scaffold function of SHIP2 as a prerequisite for invadopodia-mediated ECM degradation. Through biochemical and structure-function analyses, we identify specific interactions between SHIP2 and Mena, an Ena/VASP-family actin regulatory protein. We demonstrate that SHIP2 recruits Mena, but not VASP, to invadopodia and that disruption of SHIP2–Mena interaction in cancer cells leads to attenuated capacity for ECM degradation and invasion in vitro, as well as reduced metastasis in vivo. Together, these findings identify SHIP2 as a key modulator of carcinoma invasiveness and a target for metastatic disease. PMID:27597754

  1. Design of potentially active ligands for SH2 domains by molecular modeling methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hurmach V. V.

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Search for new chemical structures possessing specific biological activity is a complex problem that needs the use of the latest achievements of molecular modeling technologies. It is well known that SH2 domains play a major role in ontogenesis as intermediaries of specific protein-protein interactions. Aim. Developing an algorithm to investigate the properties of SH2 domain binding, search for new potential active compounds for the whole SH2 domains class. Methods. In this paper, we utilize a complex of computer modeling methods to create a generic set of potentially active compounds targeting universally at the whole class of SH2 domains. A cluster analysis of all available three-dimensional structures of SH2 domains was performed and general pharmacophore models were formulated. The models were used for virtual screening of collection of drug-like compounds provided by Enamine Ltd. Results. The design technique for library of potentially active compounds for SH2 domains class was proposed. Conclusions. The original algorithm of SH2 domains research with molecular docking method was developed. Using our algorithm, the active compounds for SH2 domains were found.

  2. The 1.7 Å X-ray crystal structure of the porcine factor VIII C2 domain and binding analysis to anti-human C2 domain antibodies and phospholipid surfaces.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caileen M Brison

    Full Text Available The factor VIII C2 domain is essential for binding to activated platelet surfaces as well as the cofactor activity of factor VIII in blood coagulation. Inhibitory antibodies against the C2 domain commonly develop following factor VIII replacement therapy for hemophilia A patients, or they may spontaneously arise in cases of acquired hemophilia. Porcine factor VIII is an effective therapeutic for hemophilia patients with inhibitor due to its low cross-reactivity; however, the molecular basis for this behavior is poorly understood. In this study, the X-ray crystal structure of the porcine factor VIII C2 domain was determined, and superposition of the human and porcine C2 domains demonstrates that most surface-exposed differences cluster on the face harboring the "non-classical" antibody epitopes. Furthermore, antibody-binding results illustrate that the "classical" 3E6 antibody can bind both the human and porcine C2 domains, although the inhibitory titer to human factor VIII is 41 Bethesda Units (BU/mg IgG versus 0.8 BU/mg IgG to porcine factor VIII, while the non-classical G99 antibody does not bind to the porcine C2 domain nor inhibit porcine factor VIII activity. Further structural analysis of differences between the electrostatic surface potentials suggest that the C2 domain binds to the negatively charged phospholipid surfaces of activated platelets primarily through the 3E6 epitope region. In contrast, the G99 face, which contains residue 2227, should be distal to the membrane surface. Phospholipid binding assays indicate that both porcine and human factor VIII C2 domains bind with comparable affinities, and the human K2227A and K2227E mutants bind to phospholipid surfaces with similar affinities as well. Lastly, the G99 IgG bound to PS-immobilized factor VIII C2 domain with an apparent dissociation constant of 15.5 nM, whereas 3E6 antibody binding to PS-bound C2 domain was not observed.

  3. Structure of the interleukin-2 tyrosine kinase Src homology 2 domain; comparison between X-ray and NMR-derived structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joseph, Raji E.; Ginder, Nathaniel D.; Hoy, Julie A.; Nix, Jay C.; Fulton, D. Bruce; Honzatko, Richard B.; Andreotti, Amy H.

    2012-01-01

    The interleukin-2 tyrosine kinase Src homology 2 domain was crystallized and its structure was solved to 2.35 Å resolution. The structure reveals a domain-swapped dimer that is related to other dimeric SH2 domains solved previously. The cis–trans-prolyl isomerization that is evident from solution studies of Itk SH2 cannot be observed in the crystal structure. The crystal structure of the interleukin-2 tyrosine kinase Src homology domain (Itk SH2) is described and it is found that unlike in studies of this domain using NMR spectroscopy, cis–trans-prolyl isomerization is not readily detected in the crystal structure. Based on similarities between the Itk SH2 crystal form and the cis form of the Itk SH2 NMR structure, it is concluded that it is likely that the prolyl imide bond at least in part adopts the cis conformation in the crystal form. However, the lack of high-resolution data and the dynamic nature of the proline-containing loop mean that the precise imide-bond conformation cannot be determined and prolyl cis–trans isomerization in the crystal cannot be ruled out. Given the preponderance of structures that have been solved by X-ray crystallography in the Protein Data Bank, this result supports the notion that prolyl isomerization in folded proteins has been underestimated among known structures. Interestingly, while the precise status of the proline residue is ambiguous, Itk SH2 crystallizes as a domain-swapped dimer. The domain-swapped structure of Itk SH2 is similar to the domain-swapped SH2 domains of Grb2 and Nck, with domain swapping occurring at the β-meander region of all three SH2 domains. Thus, for Itk SH2 structural analysis by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography revealed very different structural features: proline isomerization versus domain-swapped dimerization, respectively

  4. Critical role of the FERM domain in Pyk2 stimulated glioma cell migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lipinski, Christopher A.; Tran, Nhan L.; Dooley, Andrea; Pang, Yuan-Ping; Rohl, Carole; Kloss, Jean; Yang, Zhongbo; McDonough, Wendy; Craig, David; Berens, Michael E.; Loftus, Joseph C.

    2006-01-01

    The strong tendency of malignant glioma cells to invade locally into surrounding normal brain precludes effective surgical resection, reduces the efficacy of radiotherapy, and is associated with increased resistance to chemotherapy regimens. We report that the N-terminal FERM domain of Pyk2 regulates its promigratory function. A 3-dimensional model of the Pyk2 FERM domain was generated and mutagenesis studies identified residues essential for Pyk2 promigratory function. Model-based targeted mutations within the FERM domain decreased Pyk2 phosphorylation and reduced the capacity of Pyk2 to stimulate glioma cell migration but did not significantly alter the intracellular distribution of Pyk2. Expression of autonomous Pyk2 FERM domain fragments containing analogous mutations exhibited reduced capacity to inhibit glioma cell migration and Pyk2 phosphorylation relative to expression of an autonomous wild type FERM domain fragment. These results indicate that the FERM domain plays an important role in regulating the functional competency of Pyk2 as a promigratory factor in glioma

  5. Quantifying information transfer by protein domains: Analysis of the Fyn SH2 domain structure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lenaerts, Tom; Ferkinghoff-Borg, Jesper; Stricher, Francois

    2008-01-01

    instance of communication over a noisy channel. In particular, we analyze the conformational correlations between protein residues and apply the concept of mutual information to quantify information exchange. Mapping out changes of mutual information on the protein structure then allows visualizing how...... distal communication is achieved. We illustrate the approach by analyzing information transfer by the SH2 domain of Fyn tyrosine kinase, obtained from Monte Carlo dynamics simulations. Our analysis reveals that the Fyn SH2 domain forms a noisy communication channel that couples residues located......Background: Efficient communication between distant sites within a protein is essential for cooperative biological response. Although often associated with large allosteric movements, more subtle changes in protein dynamics can also induce long-range correlations. However, an appropriate formalism...

  6. SH2 Domains Serve as Lipid-Binding Modules for pTyr-Signaling Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Mi-Jeong; Sheng, Ren; Silkov, Antonina; Jung, Da-Jung; Wang, Zhi-Gang; Xin, Yao; Kim, Hyunjin; Thiagarajan-Rosenkranz, Pallavi; Song, Seohyeon; Yoon, Youngdae; Nam, Wonhee; Kim, Ilshin; Kim, Eui; Lee, Dong-Gyu; Chen, Yong; Singaram, Indira; Wang, Li; Jang, Myoung Ho; Hwang, Cheol-Sang; Honig, Barry; Ryu, Sungho; Lorieau, Justin; Kim, You-Me; Cho, Wonhwa

    2016-04-07

    The Src-homology 2 (SH2) domain is a protein interaction domain that directs myriad phosphotyrosine (pY)-signaling pathways. Genome-wide screening of human SH2 domains reveals that ∼90% of SH2 domains bind plasma membrane lipids and many have high phosphoinositide specificity. They bind lipids using surface cationic patches separate from pY-binding pockets, thus binding lipids and the pY motif independently. The patches form grooves for specific lipid headgroup recognition or flat surfaces for non-specific membrane binding and both types of interaction are important for cellular function and regulation of SH2 domain-containing proteins. Cellular studies with ZAP70 showed that multiple lipids bind its C-terminal SH2 domain in a spatiotemporally specific manner and thereby exert exquisite spatiotemporal control over its protein binding and signaling activities in T cells. Collectively, this study reveals how lipids control SH2 domain-mediated cellular protein-protein interaction networks and suggest a new strategy for therapeutic modulation of pY-signaling pathways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Conformational determinants of phosphotyrosine peptides complexed with the Src SH2 domain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Nachman

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The inhibition of specific SH2 domain mediated protein-protein interactions as an effective chemotherapeutic approach in the treatment of diseases remains a challenge. That different conformations of peptide-ligands are preferred by different SH2 domains is an underappreciated observation from the structural analysis of phosphotyrosine peptide binding to SH2 domains that may aid in future drug design. To explore the nature of ligand binding, we use simulated annealing (SA to sample the conformational space of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides complexed with the Src SH2 domain. While in good agreement with the crystallographic and NMR studies of high-affinity phosphopeptide-SH2 domain complexes, the results suggest that the structural basis for phopsphopeptide- Src SH2 interactions is more complex than the "two-pronged plug two-hole socket" model. A systematic study of peptides of type pYEEX, where pY is phosphotyrosine and X is a hydrophobic residue, indicates that these peptides can assume two conformations, one extended and one helical, representing the balance between the interaction of residue X with the hydrophobic hole on the surface of the Src SH2 domain, and its contribution to the inherent tendency of the two glutamic acids to form an alpha-helix. In contrast, a beta-turn conformation, almost identical to that observed in the crystal structure of pYVNV bound to the Grb2 SH2 domain, predominates for pYXNX peptides, even in the presence of isoleucine at the third position. While peptide binding affinities, as measured by fluorescence polarization, correlate with the relative proportion of extended peptide conformation, these results suggest a model where all three residues C-terminal to the phosphotyrosine determine the conformation of the bound phosphopeptide. The information obtained in this work can be used in the design of specific SH2 domain inhibitors.

  8. Sc-Decorated WS_2 Nanoribbons as Hydrogen Storage Media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Bin; Wang Yu-Sheng; Zhang Jing; Song Na-Hong; Li Meng; Yi Lin

    2016-01-01

    The hydrogen storage behavior of Sc-decorated WS_2 monolayer and WS_2 nanoribbons is systematically studied by using first principles calculations based on the density functional theory. The present results indicate that an Sc-decorated WS_2 monolayer is not suitable for storing hydrogen due to the weak interaction between the monolayer WS_2 sheet and the Sc atoms. It is found that both the hybridization mechanism and the Coulomb attraction make the Sc atoms stably adsorb on the edges of WS_2 nanoribbons without clustering. The 2Sc/WS_2 NRs system can adsorb at most eight H_2 molecules with average adsorption energy of 0.20 eV/H_2. The results show that the desorption of H_2 is possible by lowering the pressure or by increasing the temperature. (paper)

  9. Hydrogen adsorption on and solubility in graphites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanashenko, S.L.; Wampler, W.R.

    1996-01-01

    The experimental data on adsorption and solubility of hydrogen isotopes in graphite over a wide range of temperatures and pressures are reviewed. Langmuir adsorption isotherms are proposed for the hydrogen-graphite interaction. The entropy and enthalpy of adsorption are estimated, allowing for effects of relaxation of dangling sp 2 bonds. Three kinds of traps are proposed: edge carbon atoms of interstitial loops with an adsorption enthalpy relative to H 2 gas of -4.4 eV/H 2 (unrelaxed, Trap 1), edge carbon atoms at grain surfaces with an adsorption enthalpy of -2.3 eV/H 2 (relaxed, Trap 2), and basal plane adsorption sites with an enthalpy of +2.43 eV/H 2 (Trap 3). The adsorption capacity of different types of graphite depends on the concentration of traps which depends on the crystalline microstructure of the material. The number of potential sites for the 'true solubility' (Trap 3) is assumed to be about one site per carbon atom in all types of graphite, but the endothermic character of this solubility leads to a negligible H inventory compared to the concentration of hydrogen in type 1 and type 2 traps for temperatures and gas pressures used in the experiments. Irradiation with neutrons or carbon atoms increases the concentration of type 1 and type 2 traps from about 20 and 200 appm respectively for unirradiated (POCO AXF-5Q) graphite to about 1500 and 5000 appm, respectively, at damage levels above 1 dpa. (orig.)

  10. Tools for the analysis of dose optimization: I. Effect-volume histogram

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alber, M.; Nuesslin, F.

    2002-01-01

    With the advent of dose optimization algorithms, predominantly for intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), computer software has progressed beyond the point of being merely a tool at the hands of an expert and has become an active, independent mediator of the dosimetric conflicts between treatment goals and risks. To understand and control the internal decision finding as well as to provide means to influence it, a tool for the analysis of the dose distribution is presented which reveals the decision-making process performed by the algorithm. The internal trade-offs between partial volumes receiving high or low doses are driven by functions which attribute a weight to each volume element. The statistics of the distribution of these weights is cast into an effect-volume histogram (EVH) in analogy to dose-volume histograms. The analysis of the EVH reveals which traits of the optimum dose distribution result from the defined objectives, and which are a random consequence of under- or misspecification of treatment goals. The EVH can further assist in the process of finding suitable objectives and balancing conflicting objectives. If biologically inspired objectives are used, the EVH shows the distribution of local dose effect relative to the prescribed level. (author)

  11. Thickness-dependent a_1/a_2 domain evolution in ferroelectric PbTiO_3 films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, S.; Zhu, Y.L.; Tang, Y.L.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, S.R.; Wang, Y.J.; Ma, X.L.

    2017-01-01

    Ferroelectric a_1/a_2 domain structure has great potentials in high dielectric capacitors and tunable microwave devices. Understanding its structure is crucial to better control the domain configurations for future applications. In this paper, PbTiO_3 thin films with variant thicknesses are deposited on (110)-oriented GdScO_3 substrates by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) and investigated by using conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Cs-corrected Scanning TEM. Contrast analysis and electron diffractions reveal that PbTiO_3 films are domain oriented consisting of a_1/a_2 and a/c domain structure. The a_1/a_2 domains are found to distribute periodically and its width increases with increasing film thickness following square root rule. Cs-corrected STEM imaging demonstrates that the domain walls of a_1/a_2 domain structure have the rotation characteristic of 90° ferroelastic domain wall. The interchange of a_1/a_2 domains induces the formation of vertex domains composed of two 90° and one 180° domain walls. Strains are mainly concentrated on the domain walls. The formation of this complex domain configuration is discussed in terms of the effect of the misfit strain, film thickness and cooling rate. These results provide novel information about a_1/a_2 domain structures and are expected to shed some light on modulating a_1/a_2 ferroelectric domain patterns in the design of ferroelectric-based devices.

  12. Characterizing SH2 Domain Specificity and Network Interactions Using SPOT Peptide Arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bernard A

    2017-01-01

    Src Homology 2 (SH2) domains are protein interaction modules that recognize and bind tyrosine phosphorylated ligands. Their ability to distinguish binding to over thousands of potential phosphotyrosine (pTyr) ligands within the cell is critical for the fidelity of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling. Within humans there are over a hundred SH2 domains with more than several thousand potential ligands across many cell types and cell states. Therefore, defining the specificity of individual SH2 domains is critical for predicting and identifying their physiological ligands. Here, in this chapter, I describe the broad use of SPOT peptide arrays for examining SH2 domain specificity. An orientated peptide array library (OPAL) approach can uncover both favorable and non-favorable residues, thus providing an in-depth analysis to SH2 specificity. Moreover, I discuss the application of SPOT arrays for paneling SH2 ligand binding with physiological peptides.

  13. An Efficient Semi-supervised Learning Approach to Predict SH2 Domain Mediated Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kundu, Kousik; Backofen, Rolf

    2017-01-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domain is an important subclass of modular protein domains that plays an indispensable role in several biological processes in eukaryotes. SH2 domains specifically bind to the phosphotyrosine residue of their binding peptides to facilitate various molecular functions. For determining the subtle binding specificities of SH2 domains, it is very important to understand the intriguing mechanisms by which these domains recognize their target peptides in a complex cellular environment. There are several attempts have been made to predict SH2-peptide interactions using high-throughput data. However, these high-throughput data are often affected by a low signal to noise ratio. Furthermore, the prediction methods have several additional shortcomings, such as linearity problem, high computational complexity, etc. Thus, computational identification of SH2-peptide interactions using high-throughput data remains challenging. Here, we propose a machine learning approach based on an efficient semi-supervised learning technique for the prediction of 51 SH2 domain mediated interactions in the human proteome. In our study, we have successfully employed several strategies to tackle the major problems in computational identification of SH2-peptide interactions.

  14. MERTK interactions with SH2-domain proteins in the retinal pigment epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelby, Shameka J; Colwill, Karen; Dhe-Paganon, Sirano; Pawson, Tony; Thompson, Debra A

    2013-01-01

    The receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK plays an essential role in the phagocytic uptake of shed photoreceptor membranes by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). A fundamental aspect of signal transduction by receptor tyrosine kinases involves autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues that recruit Src-homology 2 (SH2)-domain proteins to the receptor intracellular domain. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the interactions of human MERTK with SH2-domain proteins present in the RPE. The MERTK intracellular domain was expressed as a 6xHis-fusion protein (6xHis-rMERTK(571-999)), purified and phosphorylated. Ni(2+)-NTA pull downs were performed using 6xHis-rMERTK(571-999) in incubations with recombinant phosphotyrosine-recognition sequences expressed as GST-fusion proteins. In addition, pull downs of native SH2-domain proteins were performed using 6xHis-rMERTK(571-999) and protein homogenates from rat RPE/choroid. For both recombinant and native proteins, western analysis detected MERTK interactions with GRB2, PIK3R1 (P85α), VAV3, and SRC. Immunohistochemical analysis localized each protein to mouse RPE. In cultured RPE-J cells incubated with rod outer segments (OS), siRNA knockdown of Grb2 had no effect on OS binding, but significantly reduced OS uptake. Pik3r1 localized to early phagosomes along with Rab5 and Eea1. Phosphorylation and activation of Src was detected downstream of phagocytosis and Mertk activation. These findings suggest that MERTK signaling in the RPE involves a cohort of SH2-domain proteins with the potential to regulate both cytoskeletal rearrangement and membrane movement. Identification of the SH2-domain signaling partners of MERTK is an important step toward further defining the mechanism of RPE phagocytosis that is central to the function and survival of the retina.

  15. MERTK interactions with SH2-domain proteins in the retinal pigment epithelium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shameka J Shelby

    Full Text Available The receptor tyrosine kinase MERTK plays an essential role in the phagocytic uptake of shed photoreceptor membranes by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE. A fundamental aspect of signal transduction by receptor tyrosine kinases involves autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues that recruit Src-homology 2 (SH2-domain proteins to the receptor intracellular domain. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the interactions of human MERTK with SH2-domain proteins present in the RPE. The MERTK intracellular domain was expressed as a 6xHis-fusion protein (6xHis-rMERTK(571-999, purified and phosphorylated. Ni(2+-NTA pull downs were performed using 6xHis-rMERTK(571-999 in incubations with recombinant phosphotyrosine-recognition sequences expressed as GST-fusion proteins. In addition, pull downs of native SH2-domain proteins were performed using 6xHis-rMERTK(571-999 and protein homogenates from rat RPE/choroid. For both recombinant and native proteins, western analysis detected MERTK interactions with GRB2, PIK3R1 (P85α, VAV3, and SRC. Immunohistochemical analysis localized each protein to mouse RPE. In cultured RPE-J cells incubated with rod outer segments (OS, siRNA knockdown of Grb2 had no effect on OS binding, but significantly reduced OS uptake. Pik3r1 localized to early phagosomes along with Rab5 and Eea1. Phosphorylation and activation of Src was detected downstream of phagocytosis and Mertk activation. These findings suggest that MERTK signaling in the RPE involves a cohort of SH2-domain proteins with the potential to regulate both cytoskeletal rearrangement and membrane movement. Identification of the SH2-domain signaling partners of MERTK is an important step toward further defining the mechanism of RPE phagocytosis that is central to the function and survival of the retina.

  16. Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein Activity Is Required for Coxiella burnetii Growth in Human Macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Punsiri M Colonne

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes human Q fever, an acute flu-like illness that can progress to chronic endocarditis and liver and bone infections. Humans are typically infected by aerosol-mediated transmission, and C. burnetii initially targets alveolar macrophages wherein the pathogen replicates in a phagolysosome-like niche known as the parasitophorous vacuole (PV. C. burnetii manipulates host cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA signaling to promote PV formation, cell survival, and bacterial replication. In this study, we identified the actin regulatory protein vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP as a PKA substrate that is increasingly phosphorylated at S157 and S239 during C. burnetii infection. Avirulent and virulent C. burnetii triggered increased levels of phosphorylated VASP in macrophage-like THP-1 cells and primary human alveolar macrophages, and this event required the Cα subunit of PKA. VASP phosphorylation also required bacterial protein synthesis and secretion of effector proteins via a type IV secretion system, indicating the pathogen actively triggers prolonged VASP phosphorylation. Optimal PV formation and intracellular bacterial replication required VASP activity, as siRNA-mediated depletion of VASP reduced PV size and bacterial growth. Interestingly, ectopic expression of a phospho-mimetic VASP (S239E mutant protein prevented optimal PV formation, whereas VASP (S157E mutant expression had no effect. VASP (S239E expression also prevented trafficking of bead-containing phagosomes to the PV, indicating proper VASP activity is critical for heterotypic fusion events that control PV expansion in macrophages. Finally, expression of dominant negative VASP (S157A in C. burnetii-infected cells impaired PV formation, confirming importance of the protein for proper infection. This study provides the first evidence of VASP manipulation by an intravacuolar bacterial pathogen via activation of PKA

  17. SH2-catalytic domain linker heterogeneity influences allosteric coupling across the SFK family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Register, A C; Leonard, Stephen E; Maly, Dustin J

    2014-11-11

    Src-family kinases (SFKs) make up a family of nine homologous multidomain tyrosine kinases whose misregulation is responsible for human disease (cancer, diabetes, inflammation, etc.). Despite overall sequence homology and identical domain architecture, differences in SH3 and SH2 regulatory domain accessibility and ability to allosterically autoinhibit the ATP-binding site have been observed for the prototypical SFKs Src and Hck. Biochemical and structural studies indicate that the SH2-catalytic domain (SH2-CD) linker, the intramolecular binding epitope for SFK SH3 domains, is responsible for allosterically coupling SH3 domain engagement to autoinhibition of the ATP-binding site through the conformation of the αC helix. As a relatively unconserved region between SFK family members, SH2-CD linker sequence variability across the SFK family is likely a source of nonredundant cellular functions between individual SFKs via its effect on the availability of SH3 and SH2 domains for intermolecular interactions and post-translational modification. Using a combination of SFKs engineered with enhanced or weakened regulatory domain intramolecular interactions and conformation-selective inhibitors that report αC helix conformation, this study explores how SH2-CD sequence heterogeneity affects allosteric coupling across the SFK family by examining Lyn, Fyn1, and Fyn2. Analyses of Fyn1 and Fyn2, isoforms that are identical but for a 50-residue sequence spanning the SH2-CD linker, demonstrate that SH2-CD linker sequence differences can have profound effects on allosteric coupling between otherwise identical kinases. Most notably, a dampened allosteric connection between the SH3 domain and αC helix leads to greater autoinhibitory phosphorylation by Csk, illustrating the complex effects of SH2-CD linker sequence on cellular function.

  18. High resolution crystal structure of the Grb2 SH2 domain with a phosphopeptide derived from CD28.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kunitake Higo

    Full Text Available Src homology 2 (SH2 domains play a critical role in cellular signal transduction. They bind to peptides containing phosphotyrosine (pY with various specificities that depend on the flanking amino-acid residues. The SH2 domain of growth-factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2 specifically recognizes pY-X-N-X, whereas the SH2 domains in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K recognize pY-X-X-M. Binding of the pY site in CD28 (pY-M-N-M by PI3K and Grb2 through their SH2 domains is a key step that triggers the CD28 signal transduction for T cell activation and differentiation. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of the Grb2 SH2 domain in complex with a pY-containing peptide derived from CD28 at 1.35 Å resolution. The peptide was found to adopt a twisted U-type conformation, similar to, but distinct from type-I β-turn. In all previously reported crystal structures, the peptide bound to the Grb2 SH2 domains adopts a type-I β-turn conformation, except those with a proline residue at the pY+3 position. Molecular modeling also suggests that the same peptide bound to PI3K might adopt a very different conformation.

  19. High resolution crystal structure of the Grb2 SH2 domain with a phosphopeptide derived from CD28.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higo, Kunitake; Ikura, Teikichi; Oda, Masayuki; Morii, Hisayuki; Takahashi, Jun; Abe, Ryo; Ito, Nobutoshi

    2013-01-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains play a critical role in cellular signal transduction. They bind to peptides containing phosphotyrosine (pY) with various specificities that depend on the flanking amino-acid residues. The SH2 domain of growth-factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) specifically recognizes pY-X-N-X, whereas the SH2 domains in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) recognize pY-X-X-M. Binding of the pY site in CD28 (pY-M-N-M) by PI3K and Grb2 through their SH2 domains is a key step that triggers the CD28 signal transduction for T cell activation and differentiation. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of the Grb2 SH2 domain in complex with a pY-containing peptide derived from CD28 at 1.35 Å resolution. The peptide was found to adopt a twisted U-type conformation, similar to, but distinct from type-I β-turn. In all previously reported crystal structures, the peptide bound to the Grb2 SH2 domains adopts a type-I β-turn conformation, except those with a proline residue at the pY+3 position. Molecular modeling also suggests that the same peptide bound to PI3K might adopt a very different conformation.

  20. Systematic characterization of the specificity of the SH2 domains of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Bing; Tan, Pauline H; Li, Shawn S C; Pei, Dehua

    2013-04-09

    Cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases (CTK) generally contain a Src-homology 2 (SH2) domain, whose role in the CTK family is not fully understood. Here we report the determination of the specificity of 25 CTK SH2 domains by screening one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) peptide libraries. Based on the peptide sequences selected by the SH2 domains, we built Support Vector Machine (SVM) models for the prediction of binding ligands for the SH2 domains. These models yielded support for the progressive phosphorylation model for CTKs in which the overlapping specificity of the CTK SH2 and kinase domains has been proposed to facilitate targeting of the CTK substrates with at least two potential phosphotyrosine (pTyr) sites. We curated 93 CTK substrates with at least two pTyr sites catalyzed by the same CTK, and showed that 71% of these substrates had at least two pTyr sites predicted to bind a common CTK SH2 domain. More importantly, we found 34 instances where there was at least one pTyr site predicted to be recognized by the SH2 domain of the same CTK, suggesting that the SH2 and kinase domains of the CTKs may cooperate to achieve progressive phosphorylation of a protein substrate. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: From protein structures to clinical applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. 2D acoustic-elastic coupled waveform inversion in the Laplace domain

    KAUST Repository

    Bae, Hoseuk

    2010-04-01

    Although waveform inversion has been intensively studied in an effort to properly delineate the Earth\\'s structures since the early 1980s, most of the time- and frequency-domain waveform inversion algorithms still have critical limitations in their applications to field data. This may be attributed to the highly non-linear objective function and the unreliable low-frequency components. To overcome the weaknesses of conventional waveform inversion algorithms, the acoustic Laplace-domain waveform inversion has been proposed. The Laplace-domain waveform inversion has been known to provide a long-wavelength velocity model even for field data, which may be because it employs the zero-frequency component of the damped wavefield and a well-behaved logarithmic objective function. However, its applications have been confined to 2D acoustic media.We extend the Laplace-domain waveform inversion algorithm to a 2D acoustic-elastic coupled medium, which is encountered in marine exploration environments. In 2D acoustic-elastic coupled media, the Laplace-domain pressures behave differently from those of 2D acoustic media, although the overall features are similar to each other. The main differences are that the pressure wavefields for acoustic-elastic coupled media show negative values even for simple geological structures unlike in acoustic media, when the Laplace damping constant is small and the water depth is shallow. The negative values may result from more complicated wave propagation in elastic media and at fluid-solid interfaces.Our Laplace-domain waveform inversion algorithm is also based on the finite-element method and logarithmic wavefields. To compute gradient direction, we apply the back-propagation technique. Under the assumption that density is fixed, P- and S-wave velocity models are inverted from the pressure data. We applied our inversion algorithm to the SEG/EAGE salt model and the numerical results showed that the Laplace-domain waveform inversion

  2. In vitro guanine nucleotide exchange activity of DHR-2/DOCKER/CZH2 domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Côté, Jean-François; Vuori, Kristiina

    2006-01-01

    Rho family GTPases regulate a large variety of biological processes, including the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Like other members of the Ras superfamily of small GTP-binding proteins, Rho GTPases cycle between a GDP-bound (inactive) and a GTP-bound (active) state, and, when active, the GTPases relay extracellular signals to a large number of downstream effectors. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) promote the exchange of GDP for GTP on Rho GTPases, thereby activating them. Most Rho-GEFs mediate their effects through their signature domain known as the Dbl Homology-Pleckstrin Homology (DH-PH) module. Recently, we and others identified a family of evolutionarily conserved, DOCK180-related proteins that also display GEF activity toward Rho GTPases. The DOCK180-family of proteins lacks the canonical DH-PH module. Instead, they rely on a novel domain, termed DHR-2, DOCKER, or CZH2, to exchange GDP for GTP on Rho targets. In this chapter, the experimental approach that we used to uncover the exchange activity of the DHR-2 domain of DOCK180-related proteins will be described.

  3. Distinct mechanisms of a phosphotyrosyl peptide binding to two SH2 domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Xiaodong; Zhou, Huan-Xiang

    2014-05-01

    Protein phosphorylation is very common post-translational modification, catalyzed by kinases, for signaling and regulation. Phosphotyrosines frequently target SH2 domains. The spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is critical for tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins and for regulation of important pathways. Phosphorylation of both Y342 and Y346 in Syk linker B is required for optimal signaling. The SH2 domains of Vav1 and PLC-γ both bind this doubly phosphorylated motif. Here we used a recently developed method to calculate the effects of Y342 and Y346 phosphorylation on the rate constants of a peptide from Syk linker B binding to the SH2 domains of Vav1 and PLC-γ. The predicted effects agree well with experimental observations. Moreover, we found that the same doubly phosphorylated peptide binds the two SH2 domains via distinct mechanisms, with apparent rigid docking for Vav1 SH2 and dock-and-coalesce for PLC-γ SH2.

  4. Solution structure of telomere binding domain of AtTRB2 derived from Arabidopsis thaliana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun, Ji-Hye; Lee, Won Kyung; Kim, Heeyoun; Kim, Eunhee; Cheong, Chaejoon; Cho, Myeon Haeng; Lee, Weontae

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • We have determined solution structure of Myb domain of AtTRB2. • The Myb domain of AtTRB2 is located in the N-terminal region. • The Myb domain of AtTRB2 binds to plant telomeric DNA without fourth helix. • Helix 2 and 3 of the Myb domain of AtTRB2 are involved in DNA recognition. • AtTRB2 is a novel protein distinguished from other known plant TBP. - Abstract: Telomere homeostasis is regulated by telomere-associated proteins, and the Myb domain is well conserved for telomere binding. AtTRB2 is a member of the SMH (Single-Myb-Histone)-like family in Arabidopsis thaliana, having an N-terminal Myb domain, which is responsible for DNA binding. The Myb domain of AtTRB2 contains three α-helices and loops for DNA binding, which is unusual given that other plant telomere-binding proteins have an additional fourth helix that is essential for DNA binding. To understand the structural role for telomeric DNA binding of AtTRB2, we determined the solution structure of the Myb domain of AtTRB2 (AtTRB2 1–64 ) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In addition, the inter-molecular interaction between AtTRB2 1–64 and telomeric DNA has been characterized by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and NMR titration analyses for both plant (TTTAGGG)n and human (TTAGGG)n telomere sequences. Data revealed that Trp28, Arg29, and Val47 residues located in Helix 2 and Helix 3 are crucial for DNA binding, which are well conserved among other plant telomere binding proteins. We concluded that although AtTRB2 is devoid of the additional fourth helix in the Myb-extension domain, it is able to bind to plant telomeric repeat sequences as well as human telomeric repeat sequences

  5. Functional significance of SRJ domain mutations in CITED2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiann-mun Chen

    Full Text Available CITED2 is a transcriptional co-activator with 3 conserved domains shared with other CITED family members and a unique Serine-Glycine Rich Junction (SRJ that is highly conserved in placental mammals. Loss of Cited2 in mice results in cardiac and aortic arch malformations, adrenal agenesis, neural tube and placental defects, and partially penetrant defects in left-right patterning. By screening 1126 sporadic congenital heart disease (CHD cases and 1227 controls, we identified 19 variants, including 5 unique non-synonymous sequence variations (N62S, R92G, T166N, G180-A187del and A187T in patients. Many of the CHD-specific variants identified in this and previous studies cluster in the SRJ domain. Transient transfection experiments show that T166N mutation impairs TFAP2 co-activation function and ES cell proliferation. We find that CITED2 is phosphorylated by MAPK1 in vitro at T166, and that MAPK1 activation enhances the coactivation function of CITED2 but not of CITED2-T166N. In order to investigate the functional significance in vivo, we generated a T166N mutation of mouse Cited2. We also used PhiC31 integrase-mediated cassette exchange to generate a Cited2 knock-in allele replacing the mouse Cited2 coding sequence with human CITED2 and with a mutant form deleting the entire SRJ domain. Mouse embryos expressing only CITED2-T166N or CITED2-SRJ-deleted alleles surprisingly show no morphological abnormalities, and mice are viable and fertile. These results indicate that the SRJ domain is dispensable for these functions of CITED2 in mice and that mutations clustering in the SRJ region are unlikely to be the sole cause of the malformations observed in patients with sporadic CHD. Our results also suggest that coding sequence mutations observed in case-control studies need validation using in vivo models and that predictions based on structural conservation and in vitro functional assays, or even in vivo global loss of function models, may be

  6. Investigation of phosphotyrosine recognition by the SH2 domain of the Src kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradshaw, J M; Mitaxov, V; Waksman, G

    1999-11-05

    The binding of tyrosine phosphorylated targets by SH2 domains is required for propagation of many cellular signals in higher eukaryotes; however, the determinants of phosphotyrosine (pTyr) recognition by SH2 domains are not well understood. In order to identify the attributes of pTyr required for high affinity interaction with SH2 domains, the binding of the SH2 domain of the Src kinase (Src SH2 domain) to a dephosphorylated peptide, a phosphoserine-containing peptide, and the amino acid pTyr was studied using titration calorimetry and compared with the binding of a high affinity tyrosyl phosphopeptide. The dephosphorylated peptide and the phosphoserine containing peptide both bind extremely weakly to the Src SH2 domain (DeltaGo (dephosphorylated)=-3.6 kcal/mol, DeltaGo (phosphoserine) >-3.7 kcal/mol); however, the DeltaGo value of pTyr binding is more favorable (-4.7 kcal/mol, or 50 % of the entire binding free energy of a high affinity tyrosyl phosphopeptide). These results indicate that both the phosphate and the tyrosine ring of the pTyr are critical determinants of high affinity binding. Alanine mutagenesis was also used to evaluate the energetic contribution to binding of ten residues located in the pTyr-binding site. Mutation of the strictly conserved Arg betaB5 resulted in a large increase in DeltaGo (DeltaDeltaGo=3.2 kcal/mol) while elimination of the other examined residues each resulted in a significantly smaller (DeltaDeltaGoSH2 domain, surprisingly increased affinity by eightfold (DeltaDeltaGo=-1.1 kcal/mol). Using a double mutant cycle analysis, it was revealed that residues of the pTyr-binding pocket are not coupled to the peptide residues C-terminal to the pTyr. In addition, comparison of each residue's DeltaDeltaGo value upon mutation with that residue's sequence conservation among SH2 domains revealed only a modest correlation between a residue's energetic contribution to pTyr recognition and its conservation throughout evolution. The results of

  7. Structural Characterization of Monomeric/Dimeric State of p59fyn SH2 Domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huculeci, Radu; Kieken, Fabien; Garcia-Pino, Abel; Buts, Lieven; van Nuland, Nico; Lenaerts, Tom

    2017-01-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are key modulators in various signaling pathways allowing the recognition of phosphotyrosine sites of different proteins. Despite the fact that SH2 domains acquire their biological functions in a monomeric state, a multitude of reports have shown their tendency to dimerize. Here, we provide a technical description on how to isolate and characterize by gel filtration, circular dichroism (CD), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) each conformational state of p59 fyn SH2 domain.

  8. Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the SH2 domain of IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joseph, Raji E.; Ginder, Nathaniel D.; Hoy, Julie A.; Nix, Jay C.; Honzatko, Richard B.; Andreotti, Amy H.

    2011-01-01

    Crystallization conditions are described for the cis- and trans-imide bond-containing SH2 domain of IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase. Proline is a unique amino acid owing to the relatively small energy difference between the cis and trans conformations of its peptide bond. The X–Pro imide bond readily undergoes cis–trans isomerization in the context of short peptides as well as some proteins. However, the direct detection of cis–trans proline isomerization in folded proteins is technically challenging. NMR spectroscopy is well suited to the direct detection of proline isomerization in folded proteins. It is less clear how well X-ray crystallography can reveal this conformational exchange event in folded proteins. Conformational heterogeneity owing to cis–trans proline isomerization in the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of the IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) has been extensively characterized by NMR. Using the ITK SH2 domain as a test system, an attempt was made to determine whether proline isomerization could be detected in a crystal structure of the ITK SH2 domain. As a first step towards this goal, the purification, crystallization and preliminary characterization of the ITK SH2 domain are described

  9. Purification of SOCS (Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling) SH2 Domains for Structural and Functional Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liau, Nicholas P D; Laktyushin, Artem; Babon, Jeffrey J

    2017-01-01

    Src Homology 2 (SH2) domains are protein domains which have a high binding affinity for specific amino acid sequences containing a phosphorylated tyrosine residue. The Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) proteins use an SH2 domain to bind to components of certain cytokine signaling pathways to downregulate the signaling cascade. The recombinantly produced SH2 domains of various SOCS proteins have been used to undertake structural and functional studies elucidating the method of how such targeting occurs. Here, we describe the protocol for the recombinant production and purification of SOCS SH2 domains, with an emphasis on SOCS3.

  10. Solution structure of telomere binding domain of AtTRB2 derived from Arabidopsis thaliana

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yun, Ji-Hye [Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Won Kyung [Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Heeyoun [Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Eunhee; Cheong, Chaejoon [Magnetic Resonance Team, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Ochang, Chungbuk 363-883 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Myeon Haeng [Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Weontae, E-mail: wlee@spin.yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-09-26

    Highlights: • We have determined solution structure of Myb domain of AtTRB2. • The Myb domain of AtTRB2 is located in the N-terminal region. • The Myb domain of AtTRB2 binds to plant telomeric DNA without fourth helix. • Helix 2 and 3 of the Myb domain of AtTRB2 are involved in DNA recognition. • AtTRB2 is a novel protein distinguished from other known plant TBP. - Abstract: Telomere homeostasis is regulated by telomere-associated proteins, and the Myb domain is well conserved for telomere binding. AtTRB2 is a member of the SMH (Single-Myb-Histone)-like family in Arabidopsis thaliana, having an N-terminal Myb domain, which is responsible for DNA binding. The Myb domain of AtTRB2 contains three α-helices and loops for DNA binding, which is unusual given that other plant telomere-binding proteins have an additional fourth helix that is essential for DNA binding. To understand the structural role for telomeric DNA binding of AtTRB2, we determined the solution structure of the Myb domain of AtTRB2 (AtTRB2{sub 1–64}) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In addition, the inter-molecular interaction between AtTRB2{sub 1–64} and telomeric DNA has been characterized by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and NMR titration analyses for both plant (TTTAGGG)n and human (TTAGGG)n telomere sequences. Data revealed that Trp28, Arg29, and Val47 residues located in Helix 2 and Helix 3 are crucial for DNA binding, which are well conserved among other plant telomere binding proteins. We concluded that although AtTRB2 is devoid of the additional fourth helix in the Myb-extension domain, it is able to bind to plant telomeric repeat sequences as well as human telomeric repeat sequences.

  11. Crystal structure of Src-like adaptor protein 2 reveals close association of SH3 and SH2 domains through β-sheet formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wybenga-Groot, Leanne E; McGlade, C Jane

    2013-12-01

    The Src-like adaptor proteins (SLAP/SLAP2) are key components of Cbl-dependent downregulation of antigen receptor, cytokine receptor, and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in hematopoietic cells. SLAP and SLAP2 consist of adjacent SH3 and SH2 domains that are most similar in sequence to Src family kinases (SFKs). Notably, the SH3-SH2 connector sequence is significantly shorter in SLAP/SLAP2 than in SFKs. To understand the structural implication of a short SH3-SH2 connector sequence, we solved the crystal structure of a protein encompassing the SH3 domain, SH3-SH2 connector, and SH2 domain of SLAP2 (SLAP2-32). While both domains adopt typical folds, the short SH3-SH2 connector places them in close association. Strand βe of the SH3 domain interacts with strand βA of the SH2 domain, resulting in the formation of a continuous β sheet that spans the length of the protein. Disruption of the SH3/SH2 interface through mutagenesis decreases SLAP-32 stability in vitro, consistent with inter-domain binding being an important component of SLAP2 structure and function. The canonical peptide binding pockets of the SH3 and SH2 domains are fully accessible, in contrast to other protein structures that display direct interaction between SH3 and SH2 domains, in which either peptide binding surface is obstructed by the interaction. Our results reveal potential sites of novel interaction for SH3 and SH2 domains, and illustrate the adaptability of SH2 and SH3 domains in mediating interactions. As well, our results suggest that the SH3 and SH2 domains of SLAP2 function interdependently, with implications on their mode of substrate binding. © 2013.

  12. Presence of an SH2 domain in the actin-binding protein tensin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, S; Lu, M L; Lo, S H; Lin, S; Butler, J A; Druker, B J; Roberts, T M; An, Q; Chen, L B

    1991-05-03

    The molecular cloning of the complementary DNA coding for a 90-kilodalton fragment of tensin, an actin-binding component of focal contacts and other submembraneous cytoskeletal structures, is reported. The derived amino acid sequence revealed the presence of a Src homology 2 (SH2) domain. This domain is shared by a number of signal transduction proteins including nonreceptor tyrosine kinases such as Abl, Fps, Src, and Src family members, the transforming protein Crk, phospholipase C-gamma 1, PI-3 (phosphatidylinositol) kinase, and guanosine triphosphatase-activating protein (GAP). Like the SH2 domain found in Src, Crk, and Abl, the SH2 domain of tensin bound specifically to a number of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins from v-src-transformed cells. Tensin was also found to be phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. These findings suggest that by possessing both actin-binding and phosphotyrosine-binding activities and being itself a target for tyrosine kinases, tensin may link signal transduction pathways with the cytoskeleton.

  13. SH2 and SH3 domains: elements that control interactions of cytoplasmic signaling proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, C A; Anderson, D; Moran, M F; Ellis, C; Pawson, T

    1991-05-03

    Src homology (SH) regions 2 and 3 are noncatalytic domains that are conserved among a series of cytoplasmic signaling proteins regulated by receptor protein-tyrosine kinases, including phospholipase C-gamma, Ras GTPase (guanosine triphosphatase)-activating protein, and Src-like tyrosine kinases. The SH2 domains of these signaling proteins bind tyrosine phosphorylated polypeptides, implicated in normal signaling and cellular transformation. Tyrosine phosphorylation acts as a switch to induce the binding of SH2 domains, thereby mediating the formation of heteromeric protein complexes at or near the plasma membrane. The formation of these complexes is likely to control the activation of signal transduction pathways by tyrosine kinases. The SH3 domain is a distinct motif that, together with SH2, may modulate interactions with the cytoskeleton and membrane. Some signaling and transforming proteins contain SH2 and SH3 domains unattached to any known catalytic element. These noncatalytic proteins may serve as adaptors to link tyrosine kinases to specific target proteins. These observations suggest that SH2 and SH3 domains participate in the control of intracellular responses to growth factor stimulation.

  14. Quantitation of the calcium and membrane binding properties of the C2 domains of dysferlin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Nazish; Padmanarayana, Murugesh; Marty, Naomi J; Johnson, Colin P

    2014-01-21

    Dysferlin is a large membrane protein involved in calcium-triggered resealing of the sarcolemma after injury. Although it is generally accepted that dysferlin is Ca(2+) sensitive, the Ca(2+) binding properties of dysferlin have not been characterized. In this study, we report an analysis of the Ca(2+) and membrane binding properties of all seven C2 domains of dysferlin as well as a multi-C2 domain construct. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurements indicate that all seven dysferlin C2 domains interact with Ca(2+) with a wide range of binding affinities. The C2A and C2C domains were determined to be the most sensitive, with Kd values in the tens of micromolar, whereas the C2D domain was least sensitive, with a near millimolar Kd value. Mutagenesis of C2A demonstrates the requirement for negatively charged residues in the loop regions for divalent ion binding. Furthermore, dysferlin displayed significantly lower binding affinity for the divalent cations magnesium and strontium. Measurement of a multidomain construct indicates that the solution binding affinity does not change when C2 domains are linked. Finally, sedimentation assays suggest all seven C2 domains bind lipid membranes, and that Ca(2+) enhances but is not required for interaction. This report reveals for the first time, to our knowledge, that all dysferlin domains bind Ca(2+) albeit with varying affinity and stoichiometry. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Functional diversity of Csk, Chk, and Src SH2 domains due to a single residue variation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayrapetov, Marina K; Nam, Nguyen Hai; Ye, Guofeng; Kumar, Anil; Parang, Keykavous; Sun, Gongqin

    2005-07-08

    The C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) family of protein tyrosine kinases contains two members: Csk and Csk homologous kinase (Chk). Both phosphorylate and inactivate Src family kinases. Recent reports suggest that the Src homology (SH) 2 domains of Csk and Chk may bind to different phosphoproteins, which provides a basis for different cellular functions for Csk and Chk. To verify and characterize such a functional divergence, we compared the binding properties of the Csk, Chk, and Src SH2 domains and investigated the structural basis for the functional divergence. First, the study demonstrated striking functional differences between the Csk and Chk SH2 domains and revealed functional similarities between the Chk and Src SH2 domains. Second, structural analysis and mutagenic studies revealed that the functional differences among the three SH2 domains were largely controlled by one residue, Glu127 in Csk, Ile167 in Chk, and Lys200 in Src. Mutating these residues in the Csk or Chk SH2 domain to the Src counterpart resulted in dramatic gain of function similar to Src SH2 domain, whereas mutating Lys200 in Src SH2 domain to Glu (the Csk counterpart) resulted in loss of Src SH2 function. Third, a single point mutation of E127K rendered Csk responsive to activation by a Src SH2 domain ligand. Finally, the optimal phosphopeptide sequence for the Chk SH2 domain was determined. These results provide a compelling explanation for the functional differences between two homologous protein tyrosine kinases and reveal a new structure-function relationship for the SH2 domains.

  16. Structures of BIR domains from human NAIP and cIAP2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herman, Maria Dolores; Moche, Martin; Flodin, Susanne; Welin, Martin; Trésaugues, Lionel; Johansson, Ida; Nilsson, Martina; Nordlund, Pär; Nyman, Tomas

    2009-01-01

    The crystal structures of the human NAIP BIR2 and cIAP2 BIR3 domains have been determined. Both BIR domains harbors an amino-terminal tetrapeptide in its peptide-binding groove. The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins contains key modulators of apoptosis and inflammation that interact with caspases through baculovirus IAP-repeat (BIR) domains. Overexpression of IAP proteins frequently occurs in cancer cells, thus counteracting the activated apoptotic program. The IAP proteins have therefore emerged as promising targets for cancer therapy. In this work, X-ray crystallography was used to determine the first structures of BIR domains from human NAIP and cIAP2. Both structures harbour an N-terminal tetrapeptide in the conserved peptide-binding groove. The structures reveal that these two proteins bind the tetrapeptides in a similar mode as do other BIR domains. Detailed interactions are described for the P1′–P4′ side chains of the peptide, providing a structural basis for peptide-specific recognition. An arginine side chain in the P3′ position reveals favourable interactions with its hydrophobic moiety in the binding pocket, while hydrophobic residues in the P2′ and P4′ pockets make similar interactions to those seen in other BIR domain–peptide complexes. The structures also reveal how a serine in the P1′ position is accommodated in the binding pockets of NAIP and cIAP2. In addition to shedding light on the specificity determinants of these two proteins, the structures should now also provide a framework for future structure-based work targeting these proteins

  17. Time-resolved multimodal analysis of Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain binding in signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jadwin, Joshua A; Oh, Dongmyung; Curran, Timothy G; Ogiue-Ikeda, Mari; Jia, Lin; White, Forest M; Machida, Kazuya; Yu, Ji; Mayer, Bruce J

    2016-04-12

    While the affinities and specificities of SH2 domain-phosphotyrosine interactions have been well characterized, spatio-temporal changes in phosphosite availability in response to signals, and their impact on recruitment of SH2-containing proteins in vivo, are not well understood. To address this issue, we used three complementary experimental approaches to monitor phosphorylation and SH2 binding in human A431 cells stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF): 1) phospho-specific mass spectrometry; 2) far-Western blotting; and 3) live cell single-molecule imaging of SH2 membrane recruitment. Far-Western and MS analyses identified both well-established and previously undocumented EGF-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation and binding events, as well as dynamic changes in binding patterns over time. In comparing SH2 binding site phosphorylation with SH2 domain membrane recruitment in living cells, we found in vivo binding to be much slower. Delayed SH2 domain recruitment correlated with clustering of SH2 domain binding sites on the membrane, consistent with membrane retention via SH2 rebinding.

  18. Hydrogeological characterisation and modelling of deformation zones and fracture domains, Forsmark modelling stage 2.2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Follin, Sven (SF GeoLogic AB, Taeby (SE)); Leven, Jakob (Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co., Stockholm (SE)); Hartley, Lee; Jackson, Peter; Joyce, Steve; Roberts, David; Swift, Ben (Serco Assurance, Harwell (GB))

    2007-09-15

    The work reported here collates the structural-hydraulic information gathered in 21 cored boreholes and 32 percussion-drilled boreholes belonging to Forsmark site description, modelling stage 2.2. The analyses carried out provide the hydrogeological input descriptions of the bedrock in Forsmark needed by the end users Repository Engineering, Safety Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment; that is, hydraulic properties of deformation zones and fracture domains. The same information is also needed for constructing 3D groundwater flow models of the Forsmark site and surrounding area. The analyses carried out render the following conceptual model regarding the observed heterogeneity in deformation zone transmissivity: We find the geological division of the deterministically modelled deformation zones into eight categories (sets) useful from a hydrogeological point of view. Seven of the eight categories are steeply dipping, WNW, NW, NNW, NNE, NE, ENE and EW, and on is gently dipping, G. All deformation zones, regardless of orientation (strike and dip), are subjected to a substantial decrease in transmissivity with depth. The data gathered suggest a contrast of c. 20,000 times for the uppermost one kilometre of bedrock, i.e. more than four orders of magnitude. The hydraulic properties below this depth are not investigated. The lateral heterogeneity is also substantial but more irregular in its appearance. For instance, for a given elevation and deformation zone category (orientation), the spatial variability in transmissivity within a particular deformation zone appears to be as large as the variability between all deformation zones. This suggests that the lateral correlation length is shorter than the shortest distance between two adjacent observation points and shorter than the category spacing. The observation that the mean transmissivity of the gently-dipping deformation zones is c. one to two orders of magnitude greater than the mean transmissivities of all

  19. Shear at Twin Domain Boundaries in YBa2Cu3O7-x

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caldwell, W. A.; Tamura, N.; Celestre, R. S.; MacDowell, A. A.; Padmore, H. A.; Geballe, T. H.; Koster, G.; Batterman, B. W.; Patel, J. R.

    2004-05-01

    The microstructure and strain state of twin domains in YBa2Cu3O7-x are discussed based upon synchrotron white-beam x-ray microdiffraction measurements. Intensity variations of the fourfold twin splitting of Laue diffraction peaks are used to determine the twin domain structure. Strain analysis shows that interfaces between neighboring twin domains are strained in shear, whereas the interior of these domains are regions of low strain. These measurements are consistent with the orientation relationships of twin boundaries within and across domains and show that basal plane shear stresses can exceed 100MPa where twin domains meet. Our results support stress field pinning of magnetic flux vortices by twin domain boundaries.

  20. SH2 Binding Site Protection Assay: A Method for Identification of SH2 Domain Interaction Partners by Exploiting SH2 Mediated Phosphosite Protection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jadwin, Joshua A

    2017-01-01

    Over the last two decades there has been a significant effort in the field to characterize the phosphosite binding specificities of SH2 domains with the goal of deciphering the pY signaling code. Although high throughput studies in various formats using most SH2 domains have collectively provided a rich resource of in vitro SH2-pTyr site specificity maps, this data can only be used approximate what is happening in the cell where protein concentrations and localization are not homogenous, as they are for in vitro experiments. Here we describe an in vivo approach, SH2 site protection assay, which can capture the pTyr binding specificity of SH2 domains in the cell. The basis of this approach is SH2-pY site protection, the ability of SH2 domains to prevent the PTP-dependent dephosphorylation of their pY site binding partners. We overexpress a tracer SH2 domain in cells and quantify the change in abundance of tyrosine phosphorylated sites using MS. Since the method is performed in vivo, it has the advantage of identifying SH2-pY interactions as they occur within in the cell.

  1. A novel calmodulin-regulated Ca2+-ATPase (ACA2) from Arabidopsis with an N-terminal autoinhibitory domain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, J. F.; Hong, B.; Hwang, I.; Guo, H. Q.; Stoddard, R.; Huang, J. F.; Palmgren, M. G.; Sze, H.; Evans, M. L. (Principal Investigator)

    1998-01-01

    To study transporters involved in regulating intracellular Ca2+, we isolated a full-length cDNA encoding a Ca2+-ATPase from a model plant, Arabidopsis, and named it ACA2 (Arabidopsis Ca2+-ATPase, isoform 2). ACA2p is most similar to a "plasma membrane-type" Ca2+-ATPase, but is smaller (110 kDa), contains a unique N-terminal domain, and is missing a long C-terminal calmodulin-binding regulatory domain. In addition, ACA2p is localized to an endomembrane system and not the plasma membrane, as shown by aqueous-two phase fractionation of microsomal membranes. ACA2p was expressed in yeast as both a full-length protein (ACA2-1p) and an N-terminal truncation mutant (ACA2-2p; Delta residues 2-80). Only the truncation mutant restored the growth on Ca2+-depleted medium of a yeast mutant defective in both endogenous Ca2+ pumps, PMR1 and PMC1. Although basal Ca2+-ATPase activity of the full-length protein was low, it was stimulated 5-fold by calmodulin (50% activation around 30 nM). In contrast, the truncated pump was fully active and insensitive to calmodulin. A calmodulin-binding sequence was identified within the first 36 residues of the N-terminal domain, as shown by calmodulin gel overlays on fusion proteins. Thus, ACA2 encodes a novel calmodulin-regulated Ca2+-ATPase distinguished by a unique N-terminal regulatory domain and a non-plasma membrane localization.

  2. Peierls-distorted Ru-chains and boron dumbbells in Nb{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} and Ta{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} from first-principles calculations and experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Touzani, Rachid S.; Mbarki, Mohammed; Chen, Ximeng [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University (Germany); Fokwa, Boniface P.T. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University (Germany); Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside (UCR), Riverside, CA (United States)

    2016-09-15

    Nb{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} and Ta{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} phases were recently predicted by GGA-VASP structure optimization to crystallize in the Nb{sub 2}OsB{sub 2}-type structure. Although the Fe-based (Mo{sub 2}FeB{sub 2} type) and Os-based (Nb{sub 2}OsB{sub 2} type, superstructure variant of Mo{sub 2}FeB{sub 2} type) analogues have been synthesized and characterized successfully, the Ru-based phases remained unknown. Crystal structure prediction of Nb{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} and Ta{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} phases, using an evolutionary algorithm, led to the AlMn{sub 2}B{sub 2}-type structure in contrast to the aforementioned optimization; however, phonon calculations showed that the Nb{sub 2}OsB{sub 2}-type phases are dynamically more stable than the AlMn{sub 2}B{sub 2}-type phases. A slightly modified synthetic strategy finally led to the successful preparation of the predicted phases. The extremely quick arc-melting procedure, under argon atmosphere, not only led to a quantitative amount of the phases but also to single crystals suitable for structure determination. Powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction as well as EDX analysis of the metal ratio have confirmed the GGA-VASP structure optimization: Nb{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} and Ta{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} compounds indeed crystallize isotypically with Nb{sub 2}OsB{sub 2} structure, a superstructure variant of Mo{sub 2}FeB{sub 2} type, in which B-dumbbells and Peierls-distorted Ru-chains are found. Susceptibility measurements on a Ta{sub 2}RuB{sub 2} single crystal reveal no superconducting transition down to 2 K, even though some features in the band structures of both phases, similar to those reported in superconducting NbRuB, hinted at possible superconductivity. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  3. Dissection of the BCR-ABL signaling network using highly specific monobody inhibitors to the SHP2 SH2 domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sha, Fern; Gencer, Emel Basak; Georgeon, Sandrine; Koide, Akiko; Yasui, Norihisa; Koide, Shohei; Hantschel, Oliver

    2013-09-10

    The dysregulated tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL causes chronic myelogenous leukemia in humans and forms a large multiprotein complex that includes the Src-homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2). The expression of SHP2 is necessary for BCR-ABL-dependent oncogenic transformation, but the precise signaling mechanisms of SHP2 are not well understood. We have developed binding proteins, termed monobodies, for the N- and C-terminal SH2 domains of SHP2. Intracellular expression followed by interactome analysis showed that the monobodies are essentially monospecific to SHP2. Two crystal structures revealed that the monobodies occupy the phosphopeptide-binding sites of the SH2 domains and thus can serve as competitors of SH2-phosphotyrosine interactions. Surprisingly, the segments of both monobodies that bind to the peptide-binding grooves run in the opposite direction to that of canonical phosphotyrosine peptides, which may contribute to their exquisite specificity. When expressed in cells, monobodies targeting the N-SH2 domain disrupted the interaction of SHP2 with its upstream activator, the Grb2-associated binder 2 adaptor protein, suggesting decoupling of SHP2 from the BCR-ABL protein complex. Inhibition of either N-SH2 or C-SH2 was sufficient to inhibit two tyrosine phosphorylation events that are critical for SHP2 catalytic activity and to block ERK activation. In contrast, targeting the N-SH2 or C-SH2 revealed distinct roles of the two SH2 domains in downstream signaling, such as the phosphorylation of paxillin and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5. Our results delineate a hierarchy of function for the SH2 domains of SHP2 and validate monobodies as potent and specific antagonists of protein-protein interactions in cancer cells.

  4. Assessment of response to beta-blockers by expression of βArr2 and RhoA/ROCK2 in antrum mucosa in cirrhotic patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trebicka, Jonel; von Heydebrand, Matthias; Lehmann, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) are first choice for prevention of variceal bleeding. But possible deleterious effects in refractory ascites and frequent non-response are clinical drawbacks. Since levels of vasoactive proteins in antrum mucosa reflect vascular dysfunction...... and protein expression of Ras homolog family member A (RhoA), Rho-kinase (ROCK)2, beta-arrestin2 (βArr2), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the phosphorylation of downstream effectors VASP and moesin were analyzed using PCR and Western blot. Further 21 patients on NSBB were evaluated...

  5. Data-Aided Frequency-Domain 2×2 MIMO Equalizer for 112 Gbit/s PDM-QPSK Coherent Transmission Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pittalà, Fabio; Hauske, Fabian N.; Ye, Yabin

    2012-01-01

    Benefits of a low-complexity adaptive 32-tap 2×2 MIMO frequency-domain filter update by data-aided channel estimation over a time-domain filter with DD-LMS are shown. Superior stability and convergence speed is demonstrated with identical impairment tolerance....

  6. Molecular basis of the specific subcellular localization of the C2-like domain of 5-lipoxygenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Shilpa; Das, Sudipto; Funk, Colin D; Murray, Diana; Cho, Wonhwa

    2002-04-12

    The activation of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) involves its calcium-dependent translocation to the nuclear envelope, where it catalyzes the two-step transformation of arachidonic acid into leukotriene A(4), leading to the synthesis of various leukotrienes. To understand the mechanism by which 5-LO is specifically targeted to the nuclear envelope, we studied the membrane binding properties of the amino-terminal domain of 5-LO, which has been proposed to have a C2 domain-like structure. The model building, electrostatic potential calculation, and in vitro membrane binding studies of the isolated C2-like domain of 5-LO and selected mutants show that this Ca(2+)-dependent domain selectively binds zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine, which is conferred by tryptophan residues (Trp(13), Trp(75), and Trp(102)) located in the putative Ca(2+)-binding loops. The spatiotemporal dynamics of the enhanced green fluorescence protein-tagged C2-like domain of 5-LO and mutants in living cells also show that the phosphatidylcholine selectivity of the C2-like domain accounts for the specific targeting of 5-LO to the nuclear envelope. Together, these results show that the C2-like domain of 5-LO is a genuine Ca(2+)-dependent membrane-targeting domain and that the subcellular localization of the domain is governed in large part by its membrane binding properties.

  7. Diversity in peptide recognition by the SH2 domain of SH2B1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKercher, Marissa A; Guan, Xiaoyang; Tan, Zhongping; Wuttke, Deborah S

    2018-02-01

    SH2B1 is a multidomain protein that serves as a key adaptor to regulate numerous cellular events, such as insulin, leptin, and growth hormone signaling pathways. Many of these protein-protein interactions are mediated by the SH2 domain of SH2B1, which recognizes ligands containing a phosphorylated tyrosine (pY), including peptides derived from janus kinase 2, insulin receptor, and insulin receptor substrate-1 and -2. Specificity for the SH2 domain of SH2B1 is conferred in these ligands either by a hydrophobic or an acidic side chain at the +3 position C-terminal to the pY. This specificity for chemically disparate species suggests that SH2B1 relies on distinct thermodynamic or structural mechanisms to bind to peptides. Using binding and structural strategies, we have identified unique thermodynamic signatures for each peptide binding mode, and several SH2B1 residues, including K575 and R578, that play distinct roles in peptide binding. The high-resolution structure of the SH2 domain of SH2B1 further reveals conformationally plastic protein loops that may contribute to the ability of the protein to recognize dissimilar ligands. Together, numerous hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, in addition to backbone conformational flexibility, permit the recognition of diverse peptides by SH2B1. An understanding of this expanded peptide recognition will allow for the identification of novel physiologically relevant SH2B1/peptide interactions, which can contribute to the design of obesity and diabetes pharmaceuticals to target the ligand-binding interface of SH2B1 with high specificity. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Phonons of single quintuple Bi 2 Te 3 and Bi 2 Se 3 films and bulk materials

    KAUST Repository

    Cheng, Wei; Ren, Shang-Fen

    2011-01-01

    Phonons of single quintuple films of Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 and corresponding bulk materials are calculated in detail by MedeA (a trademark of Materials Design) and Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP). The calculated results with and without spin-orbit couplings are compared, and the important roles that the spin-orbit coupling plays in these materials are discussed. A symmetry breaking caused by the anharmonic potentials around Bi atoms in the single quintuple films is identified and discussed. The observed Raman intensity features in Bi 2Te3 and Bi2Se3 quintuple films are explained. © 2011 American Physical Society.

  9. Phonons of single quintuple Bi 2 Te 3 and Bi 2 Se 3 films and bulk materials

    KAUST Repository

    Cheng, Wei

    2011-03-10

    Phonons of single quintuple films of Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 and corresponding bulk materials are calculated in detail by MedeA (a trademark of Materials Design) and Vienna ab initio simulation package (VASP). The calculated results with and without spin-orbit couplings are compared, and the important roles that the spin-orbit coupling plays in these materials are discussed. A symmetry breaking caused by the anharmonic potentials around Bi atoms in the single quintuple films is identified and discussed. The observed Raman intensity features in Bi 2Te3 and Bi2Se3 quintuple films are explained. © 2011 American Physical Society.

  10. Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the SH2 domain of IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Raji E; Ginder, Nathaniel D; Hoy, Julie A; Nix, Jay C; Honzatko, Richard B; Andreotti, Amy H

    2011-02-01

    Proline is a unique amino acid owing to the relatively small energy difference between the cis and trans conformations of its peptide bond. The X-Pro imide bond readily undergoes cis-trans isomerization in the context of short peptides as well as some proteins. However, the direct detection of cis-trans proline isomerization in folded proteins is technically challenging. NMR spectroscopy is well suited to the direct detection of proline isomerization in folded proteins. It is less clear how well X-ray crystallography can reveal this conformational exchange event in folded proteins. Conformational heterogeneity owing to cis-trans proline isomerization in the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of the IL-2-inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) has been extensively characterized by NMR. Using the ITK SH2 domain as a test system, an attempt was made to determine whether proline isomerization could be detected in a crystal structure of the ITK SH2 domain. As a first step towards this goal, the purification, crystallization and preliminary characterization of the ITK SH2 domain are described.

  11. Structural insights into FRS2α PTB domain recognition by neurotrophin receptor TrkB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Lei; Kuti, Miklos; Mujtaba, Shiraz; Zhou, Ming-Ming

    2014-07-01

    The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) substrate 2 (FRS2) family proteins function as scaffolding adapters for receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The FRS2α proteins interact with RTKs through the phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain and transfer signals from the activated receptors to downstream effector proteins. Here, we report the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the FRS2α PTB domain bound to phosphorylated TrkB. The structure reveals that the FRS2α-PTB domain is comprised of two distinct but adjacent pockets for its mutually exclusive interaction with either nonphosphorylated juxtamembrane region of the FGFR, or tyrosine phosphorylated peptides TrkA and TrkB. The new structural insights suggest rational design of selective small molecules through targeting of the two conjunct pockets in the FRS2α PTB domain. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Solution structure of the human Grb7-SH2 domain/erbB2 peptide complex and structural basis for Grb7 binding to ErbB2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivancic, Monika; Daly, Roger J.; Lyons, Barbara A.

    2003-01-01

    The solution structure of the hGrb7-SH2 domain in complex with a ten amino acid phosphorylated peptide ligand representative of the erbB2 receptor tyrosine kinase (pY1139) is presented as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance methods. The hGrb7-SH2 domain structure reveals the Src homology 2 domain topology consisting of a central β-sheet capped at each end by an α-helix. The presence of a four residue insertion in the region between β-strand E and the EF loop and resulting influences on the SH2 domain/peptide complex structure are discussed. The binding conformation of the erbB2 peptide is in a β-turn similar to that found in phosphorylated tyrosine peptides bound to the Grb2-SH2 domain. To our knowledge this is only the second example of an SH2 domain binding its naturally occurring ligands in a turn, instead of extended, conformation. Close contacts between residues responsible for binding specificity in hGrb7-SH2 and the erbB2 peptide are characterized and the potential effect of mutation of these residues on the hGrb7-SH2 domain structure is discussed

  13. Domain matching epitaxy of cubic In{sub 2}O{sub 3} on r-plane sapphire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vogt, Patrick; Trampert, Achim; Ramsteiner, Manfred; Bierwagen, Oliver [Paul-Drude-Institut fuer Festkoerperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117, Berlin (Germany)

    2015-07-15

    Undoped, Sn-doped, and Mg-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers were grown on rhombohedral r-plane sapphire (α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (10.2)) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering experiments demonstrated the formation of phase-pure, cubic (110)-oriented In{sub 2}O{sub 3} for Sn- and Mg-concentrations up to 2 x 10{sup 20} and 6 x 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images showed facetted domains without any surface-parallel (110) facets. High Mg- or Sn-doping influenced surface morphology and the facet formation. X-ray diffraction Φ-scans indicated the formation of two rotational domains separated by an angle Φ = 86.6 due to the substrate mirror-symmetry around the in-plane-projected Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} c-axis. The in-plane epitaxial relationships to the substrate were determined for both domains. For the first domain it is Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}[01.0] parallel In{sub 2}O{sub 3}[3 anti 3 anti 4]. For the second domain the inplane epitaxial relation is Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}[01.0] parallel In{sub 2}O{sub 3}[3 anti 34]. A low-mismatch coincidence lattice of indium atoms from the film and oxygen atoms from the substrate rationalizes this epitaxial relation by domain-matched epitaxy. Cross-sectional transmission-electron microscopy showed a columnar domain-structure, indicating the vertical growth of the rotational domains after their nucleation. Coincidence structure of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} (110) (In atoms in red) grown on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (10.2) (O atoms in blue) showing two rotational domians. (copyright 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  14. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the V domain of human nectin-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qian, Xiaomin; Qi, Jianxun; Chu, Fuliang; Liu, Jun; Li, Qing; Yan, Jinghua

    2009-01-01

    Crystals of the V domain of human nectin-2 diffracted to 1.85 Å resolution and were monoclinic, belonging to space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 52.3, b = 43.9, c = 56.1 Å, β = 118.2°. Nectin-2 belongs to a family of immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecules that are characterized by the presence of three immunoglobulin-like domains (V, C2 and C2) in the extracellular region. The V domain plays important roles in cell adhesion, NK cell activation and the entry of some herpesvirus. In this study, the V domain of human nectin-2 was expressed in Escherichia coli in the form of inclusion bodies, which were subsequently denatured and refolded. The soluble protein was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 1.85 Å resolution and belonged to space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 52.3, b = 43.9, c = 56.1 Å, β = 118.2°

  15. High-Throughput Quantification of SH2 Domain-Phosphopeptide Interactions with Cellulose-Peptide Conjugate Microarrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelmann, Brett W

    2017-01-01

    The Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain family primarily recognizes phosphorylated tyrosine (pY) containing peptide motifs. The relative affinity preferences among competing SH2 domains for phosphopeptide ligands define "specificity space," and underpins many functional pY mediated interactions within signaling networks. The degree of promiscuity exhibited and the dynamic range of affinities supported by individual domains or phosphopeptides is best resolved by a carefully executed and controlled quantitative high-throughput experiment. Here, I describe the fabrication and application of a cellulose-peptide conjugate microarray (CPCMA) platform to the quantitative analysis of SH2 domain specificity space. Included herein are instructions for optimal experimental design with special attention paid to common sources of systematic error, phosphopeptide SPOT synthesis, microarray fabrication, analyte titrations, data capture, and analysis.

  16. The identification of FANCD2 DNA binding domains reveals nuclear localization sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niraj, Joshi; Caron, Marie-Christine; Drapeau, Karine; Bérubé, Stéphanie; Guitton-Sert, Laure; Coulombe, Yan; Couturier, Anthony M; Masson, Jean-Yves

    2017-08-21

    Fanconi anemia (FA) is a recessive genetic disorder characterized by congenital abnormalities, progressive bone-marrow failure, and cancer susceptibility. The FA pathway consists of at least 21 FANC genes (FANCA-FANCV), and the encoded protein products interact in a common cellular pathway to gain resistance against DNA interstrand crosslinks. After DNA damage, FANCD2 is monoubiquitinated and accumulates on chromatin. FANCD2 plays a central role in the FA pathway, using yet unidentified DNA binding regions. By using synthetic peptide mapping and DNA binding screen by electromobility shift assays, we found that FANCD2 bears two major DNA binding domains predominantly consisting of evolutionary conserved lysine residues. Furthermore, one domain at the N-terminus of FANCD2 bears also nuclear localization sequences for the protein. Mutations in the bifunctional DNA binding/NLS domain lead to a reduction in FANCD2 monoubiquitination and increase in mitomycin C sensitivity. Such phenotypes are not fully rescued by fusion with an heterologous NLS, which enable separation of DNA binding and nuclear import functions within this domain that are necessary for FANCD2 functions. Collectively, our results enlighten the importance of DNA binding and NLS residues in FANCD2 to activate an efficient FA pathway. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  17. Combining biophysical methods to analyze the disulfide bond in SH2 domain of C-terminal Src kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Dongsheng; Cowburn, David

    2016-01-01

    The Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain is a structurally conserved protein domain that typically binds to a phosphorylated tyrosine in a peptide motif from the target protein. The SH2 domain of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) contains a single disulfide bond, which is unusual for most SH2 domains. Although the global motion of SH2 domain regulates Csk function, little is known about the relationship between the disulfide bond and binding of the ligand. In this study, we combined X-ray crystallography, solution NMR, and other biophysical methods to reveal the interaction network in Csk. Denaturation studies have shown that disulfide bond contributes significantly to the stability of SH2 domain, and crystal structures of the oxidized and C122S mutant showed minor conformational changes. We further investigated the binding of SH2 domain to a phosphorylated peptide from Csk-binding protein upon reduction and oxidation using both NMR and fluorescence approaches. This work employed NMR, X-ray cryptography, and other biophysical methods to study a disulfide bond in Csk SH2 domain. In addition, this work provides in-depth understanding of the structural dynamics of Csk SH2 domain.

  18. Human alpha2-macroglobulin is composed of multiple domains, as predicted by homology with complement component C3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doan, Ninh; Gettins, Peter G W

    2007-10-01

    Human alpha2M (alpha2-macroglobulin) and the complement components C3 and C4 are thiol ester-containing proteins that evolved from the same ancestral gene. The recent structure determination of human C3 has allowed a detailed prediction of the location of domains within human alpha2M to be made. We describe here the expression and characterization of three alpha(2)M domains predicted to be involved in the stabilization of the thiol ester in native alpha2M and in its activation upon bait region proteolysis. The three newly expressed domains are MG2 (macroglobulin domain 2), TED (thiol ester-containing domain) and CUB (complement protein subcomponents C1r/C1s, urchin embryonic growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein 1) domain. Together with the previously characterized RBD (receptor-binding domain), they represent approx. 42% of the alpha2M polypeptide. Their expression as folded domains strongly supports the predicted domain organization of alpha2M. An X-ray crystal structure of MG2 shows it to have a fibronectin type-3 fold analogous to MG1-MG8 of C3. TED is, as predicted, an alpha-helical domain. CUB is a spliced domain composed of two stretches of polypeptide that flank TED in the primary structure. In intact C3 TED interacts with RBD, where it is in direct contact with the thiol ester, and with MG2 and CUB on opposite, flanking sides. In contrast, these alpha2M domains, as isolated species, show negligible interaction with one another, suggesting that the native conformation of alpha2M, and the consequent thiol ester-stabilizing domain-domain interactions, result from additional restraints imposed by the physical linkage of these domains or by additional domains in the protein.

  19. Binding Assays Using Recombinant SH2 Domains: Far-Western, Pull-Down, and Fluorescence Polarization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machida, Kazuya; Liu, Bernard

    2017-01-01

    Recognition of phosphotyrosine-containing sequences by SH2 domains confers specificity in tyrosine kinase pathways. By assessing interactions between isolated SH2 domains and their binding proteins, it is possible to gain insight into otherwise inaccessible complex cellular systems. Far-Western, pull-down, and fluorescence polarization (FP) have been frequently used for characterization of phosphotyrosine signaling. Here, we outline standard protocols for these established assays using recombinant SH2 domain, emphasizing the importance of appropriate sample preparation and assay controls.

  20. Regularized Laplace-Fourier-Domain Full Waveform Inversion Using a Weighted l 2 Objective Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Hyunggu; Kwon, Jungmin; Shin, Changsoo; Zhou, Hongbo; Cogan, Mike

    2017-03-01

    Full waveform inversion (FWI) can be applied to obtain an accurate velocity model that contains important geophysical and geological information. FWI suffers from the local minimum problem when the starting model is not sufficiently close to the true model. Therefore, an accurate macroscale velocity model is essential for successful FWI, and Laplace-Fourier-domain FWI is appropriate for obtaining such a velocity model. However, conventional Laplace-Fourier-domain FWI remains an ill-posed and ill-conditioned problem, meaning that small errors in the data can result in large differences in the inverted model. This approach also suffers from certain limitations related to the logarithmic objective function. To overcome the limitations of conventional Laplace-Fourier-domain FWI, we introduce a weighted l 2 objective function, instead of the logarithmic objective function, as the data-domain objective function, and we also introduce two different model-domain regularizations: first-order Tikhonov regularization and prior model regularization. The weighting matrix for the data-domain objective function is constructed to suitably enhance the far-offset information. Tikhonov regularization smoothes the gradient, and prior model regularization allows reliable prior information to be taken into account. Two hyperparameters are obtained through trial and error and used to control the trade-off and achieve an appropriate balance between the data-domain and model-domain gradients. The application of the proposed regularizations facilitates finding a unique solution via FWI, and the weighted l 2 objective function ensures a more reasonable residual, thereby improving the stability of the gradient calculation. Numerical tests performed using the Marmousi synthetic dataset show that the use of the weighted l 2 objective function and the model-domain regularizations significantly improves the Laplace-Fourier-domain FWI. Because the Laplace-Fourier-domain FWI is improved, the

  1. Human α2-macroglobulin is composed of multiple domains, as predicted by homology with complement component C3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doan, Ninh; Gettins, Peter G. W.

    2007-01-01

    Human α2M (α2-macroglobulin) and the complement components C3 and C4 are thiol ester-containing proteins that evolved from the same ancestral gene. The recent structure determination of human C3 has allowed a detailed prediction of the location of domains within human α2M to be made. We describe here the expression and characterization of three α2M domains predicted to be involved in the stabilization of the thiol ester in native α2M and in its activation upon bait region proteolysis. The three newly expressed domains are MG2 (macroglobulin domain 2), TED (thiol ester-containing domain) and CUB (complement protein subcomponents C1r/C1s, urchin embryonic growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein 1) domain. Together with the previously characterized RBD (receptor-binding domain), they represent approx. 42% of the α2M polypeptide. Their expression as folded domains strongly supports the predicted domain organization of α2M. An X-ray crystal structure of MG2 shows it to have a fibronectin type-3 fold analogous to MG1–MG8 of C3. TED is, as predicted, an α-helical domain. CUB is a spliced domain composed of two stretches of polypeptide that flank TED in the primary structure. In intact C3 TED interacts with RBD, where it is in direct contact with the thiol ester, and with MG2 and CUB on opposite, flanking sides. In contrast, these α2M domains, as isolated species, show negligible interaction with one another, suggesting that the native conformation of α2M, and the consequent thiol ester-stabilizing domain–domain interactions, result from additional restraints imposed by the physical linkage of these domains or by additional domains in the protein. PMID:17608619

  2. Trp[superscript 2313]-His[superscript 2315] of Factor VIII C2 Domain Is Involved in Membrane Binding Structure of a Complex Between the C[subscript 2] Domain and an Inhibitor of Membrane Binding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Zhuo; Lin, Lin; Yuan, Cai; Nicolaes, Gerry A.F.; Chen, Liqing; Meehan, Edward J.; Furie, Bruce; Furie, Barbara; Huang, Mingdong (Harvard-Med); (UAH); (Maastricht); (Chinese Aca. Sci.)

    2010-11-03

    Factor VIII (FVIII) plays a critical role in blood coagulation by forming the tenase complex with factor IXa and calcium ions on a membrane surface containing negatively charged phospholipids. The tenase complex activates factor X during blood coagulation. The carboxyl-terminal C2 domain of FVIII is the main membrane-binding and von Willebrand factor-binding region of the protein. Mutations of FVIII cause hemophilia A, whereas elevation of FVIII activity is a risk factor for thromboembolic diseases. The C2 domain-membrane interaction has been proposed as a target of intervention for regulation of blood coagulation. A number of molecules that interrupt FVIII or factor V (FV) binding to cell membranes have been identified through high throughput screening or structure-based design. We report crystal structures of the FVIII C2 domain under three new crystallization conditions, and a high resolution (1.15 {angstrom}) crystal structure of the FVIII C2 domain bound to a small molecular inhibitor. The latter structure shows that the inhibitor binds to the surface of an exposed {beta}-strand of the C2 domain, Trp{sup 2313}-His{sup 2315}. This result indicates that the Trp{sup 2313}-His{sup 2315} segment is an important constituent of the membrane-binding motif and provides a model to understand the molecular mechanism of the C2 domain membrane interaction.

  3. Microstructure within domains of melt-processed YBa2Cu3O7-x superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexander, K.B.; Goyal, A.; Kroeger, D.M.; Selvamanickam, V.; Salama, K.

    1992-01-01

    The microstructure within single domains of melt-processed YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (1:2:3) material has been examined. Rather than composing a ''brick-wall'' structure, the stacked, parallel platelets within the domains are actually portions of a single crystal. A growth mechanism is proposed that is consistent with the observed microstructural features. The anisotropic nature of the growth of 1:2:3 results in gaps separating the platelets. The gaps, however, terminate within domains, resulting in interconnected single-crystalline material. The absence of weak-link behavior for current flow along the c axis and the high critical-current densities observed within domains of melt-processed 1:2:3 material are readily explained by the fact that current flow is solely through single-crystalline material

  4. Structural and biophysical investigation of the interaction of a mutant Grb2 SH2 domain (W121G) with its cognate phosphopeptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaioannou, Danai; Geibel, Sebastian; Kunze, Micha B A; Kay, Christopher W M; Waksman, Gabriel

    2016-03-01

    The adaptor protein Grb2 is a key element of mitogenetically important signaling pathways. With its SH2 domain it binds to upstream targets while its SH3 domains bind to downstream proteins thereby relaying signals from the cell membranes to the nucleus. The Grb2 SH2 domain binds to its targets by recognizing a phosphotyrosine (pY) in a pYxNx peptide motif, requiring an Asn at the +2 position C-terminal to the pY with the residue either side of this Asn being hydrophobic. Structural analysis of the Grb2 SH2 domain in complex with its cognate peptide has shown that the peptide adopts a unique β-turn conformation, unlike the extended conformation that phosphopeptides adopt when bound to other SH2 domains. TrpEF1 (W121) is believed to force the peptide into this unusual conformation conferring this unique specificity to the Grb2 SH2 domain. Using X-ray crystallography, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), we describe here a series of experiments that explore the role of TrpEF1 in determining the specificity of the Grb2 SH2 domain. Our results demonstrate that the ligand does not adopt a pre-organized structure before binding to the SH2 domain, rather it is the interaction between the two that imposes the hairpin loop to the peptide. Furthermore, we find that the peptide adopts a similar structure when bound to both the wild-type Grb2 SH2 domain and a TrpEF1Gly mutant. This suggests that TrpEF1 is not the determining factor for the conformation of the phosphopeptide. © 2015 The Protein Society.

  5. Shapes of isolated domains and field induced evolution of regular and random 2D domain structures in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chernykh, A.; Shur, V.; Nikolaeva, E.; Shishkin, E.; Shur, A.; Terabe, K.; Kurimura, S.; Kitamura, K.; Gallo, K.

    2005-01-01

    The variety of the shapes of isolated domains, revealed in congruent and stoichiometric LiTaO 3 and LiNbO 3 by chemical etching and visualized by optical and scanning probe microscopy, was obtained by computer simulation. The kinetic nature of the domain shape was clearly demonstrated. The kinetics of domain structure with the dominance of the growth of the steps formed at the domain walls as a result of domain merging was investigated experimentally in slightly distorted artificial regular two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal domain structure and random natural one. The artificial structure has been realized in congruent LiNbO 3 by 2D electrode pattern produced by photolithography. The polarization reversal in congruent LiTaO 3 was investigated as an example of natural domain growth limited by merging. The switching process defined by domain merging was studied by computer simulation. The crucial dependence of the switching kinetics on the nuclei concentration has been revealed

  6. Solution structure, dynamics and thermodynamics of the three SH3 domains of CD2AP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roldan, Jose L. Ortega [Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Quimica Fisica e Instituto de Biotecnologia, Facultad de Ciencias (Spain); Blackledge, Martin [Institut de Biologie Structurale Jean-Pierre Ebel, CEA, CNRS, UJF UMR 5075, Protein Dynamics and Flexibility by NMR (France); Nuland, Nico A. J. van, E-mail: nvnuland@vub.ac.be [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Structural Biology Brussels (Belgium); Azuaga, Ana I. [Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Quimica Fisica e Instituto de Biotecnologia, Facultad de Ciencias (Spain)

    2011-06-15

    CD2 associated protein (CD2AP) is an adaptor protein that plays an important role in cell to cell union needed for the kidney function. It contains three N-terminal SH3 domains that are able to interact among others with CD2, ALIX, c-Cbl and Ubiquitin. To understand the role of the individual SH3 domains of this adaptor protein we have performed a complete structural, thermodynamic and dynamic characterization of the separate domains using NMR and DSC. The energetic contributions to the stability and the backbone dynamics have been related to the structural features of each domain using the structure-based FoldX algorithm. We have found that the N-terminal SH3 domain of both adaptor proteins CD2AP and CIN85 are the most stable SH3 domains that have been studied until now. This high stability is driven by a more extensive network of intra-molecular interactions. We believe that this increased stabilization of N-terminal SH3 domains in adaptor proteins is crucial to maintain the necessary conformation to establish the proper interactions critical for the recruitment of their natural targets.

  7. Selective Targeting of SH2 Domain-Phosphotyrosine Interactions of Src Family Tyrosine Kinases with Monobodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kükenshöner, Tim; Schmit, Nadine Eliane; Bouda, Emilie; Sha, Fern; Pojer, Florence; Koide, Akiko; Seeliger, Markus; Koide, Shohei; Hantschel, Oliver

    2017-05-05

    The binding of Src-homology 2 (SH2) domains to phosphotyrosine (pY) sites is critical for the autoinhibition and substrate recognition of the eight Src family kinases (SFKs). The high sequence conservation of the 120 human SH2 domains poses a significant challenge to selectively perturb the interactions of even the SFK SH2 family against the rest of the SH2 domains. We have developed synthetic binding proteins, termed monobodies, for six of the SFK SH2 domains with nanomolar affinity. Most of these monobodies competed with pY ligand binding and showed strong selectivity for either the SrcA (Yes, Src, Fyn, Fgr) or SrcB subgroup (Lck, Lyn, Blk, Hck). Interactome analysis of intracellularly expressed monobodies revealed that they bind SFKs but no other SH2-containing proteins. Three crystal structures of monobody-SH2 complexes unveiled different and only partly overlapping binding modes, which rationalized the observed selectivity and enabled structure-based mutagenesis to modulate inhibition mode and selectivity. In line with the critical roles of SFK SH2 domains in kinase autoinhibition and T-cell receptor signaling, monobodies binding the Src and Hck SH2 domains selectively activated respective recombinant kinases, whereas an Lck SH2-binding monobody inhibited proximal signaling events downstream of the T-cell receptor complex. Our results show that SFK SH2 domains can be targeted with unprecedented potency and selectivity using monobodies. They are excellent tools for dissecting SFK functions in normal development and signaling and to interfere with aberrant SFK signaling networks in cancer cells. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Structures of BIR domains from human NAIP and cIAP2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herman, Maria Dolores; Moche, Martin; Flodin, Susanne; Welin, Martin; Trésaugues, Lionel; Johansson, Ida; Nilsson, Martina; Nordlund, Pär; Nyman, Tomas

    2009-11-01

    The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins contains key modulators of apoptosis and inflammation that interact with caspases through baculovirus IAP-repeat (BIR) domains. Overexpression of IAP proteins frequently occurs in cancer cells, thus counteracting the activated apoptotic program. The IAP proteins have therefore emerged as promising targets for cancer therapy. In this work, X-ray crystallography was used to determine the first structures of BIR domains from human NAIP and cIAP2. Both structures harbour an N-terminal tetrapeptide in the conserved peptide-binding groove. The structures reveal that these two proteins bind the tetrapeptides in a similar mode as do other BIR domains. Detailed interactions are described for the P1'-P4' side chains of the peptide, providing a structural basis for peptide-specific recognition. An arginine side chain in the P3' position reveals favourable interactions with its hydrophobic moiety in the binding pocket, while hydrophobic residues in the P2' and P4' pockets make similar interactions to those seen in other BIR domain-peptide complexes. The structures also reveal how a serine in the P1' position is accommodated in the binding pockets of NAIP and cIAP2. In addition to shedding light on the specificity determinants of these two proteins, the structures should now also provide a framework for future structure-based work targeting these proteins.

  9. Identifying the Role of E2 Domains on Alphavirus Neutralization and Protective Immune Responses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Weger-Lucarelli

    Full Text Available Chikungunya virus (CHIKV and other alphaviruses are the etiologic agents of numerous diseases in both humans and animals. Despite this, the viral mediators of protective immunity against alphaviruses are poorly understood, highlighted by the lack of a licensed human vaccine for any member of this virus genus. The alphavirus E2, the receptor-binding envelope protein, is considered to be the predominant target of the protective host immune response. Although envelope protein domains have been studied for vaccine and neutralization in flaviviruses, their role in alphaviruses is less characterized. Here, we describe the role of the alphavirus E2 domains in neutralization and protection through the use of chimeric viruses.Four chimeric viruses were constructed in which individual E2 domains of CHIKV were replaced with the corresponding domain from Semliki Forest virus (SFV (ΔDomA/ΔDomB/ΔDomC/ ΔDomA+B. Vaccination studies in mice (both live and inactivated virus revealed that domain B was the primary determinant of neutralization. Neutralization studies with CHIKV immune serum from humans were consistent with mouse studies, as ΔDomB was poorly neutralized.Using chimeric viruses, it was determined that the alphavirus E2 domain B was the critical target of neutralizing antibodies in both mice and humans. Therefore, chimeric viruses may have more relevance for vaccine discovery than peptide-based approaches, which only detect linear epitopes. This study provides new insight into the role of alphavirus E2 domains on neutralization determinants and may be useful for the design of novel therapeutic technologies.

  10. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling by n-terminal SH2 domain mutants of the p85α regulatory subunit of PI3K is enhanced by deletion of its c-terminal SH2 domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofmann, Bianca T; Jücker, Manfred

    2012-10-01

    The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is frequently activated in human cancer cells due to gain of function mutations in the catalytic (p110) and the regulatory (p85) subunits. The regulatory subunit consists of an SH3 domain and two SH2 domains. An oncogenic form of p85α named p65 lacking the c-terminal SH2 domain (cSH2) has been cloned from an irradiation-induced murine thymic lymphoma and transgenic mice expressing p65 in T lymphocytes develop a lymphoproliferative disorder. We have recently detected a c-terminal truncated form of p85α named p76α in a human lymphoma cell line lacking most of the cSH2 domain due to a frame shift mutation. Here, we report that the deletion of the cSH2 domain enhances the activating effects of the n-terminal SH2 domain (nSH2) mutants K379E and R340E on the PI3K/Akt pathway and micro tumor formation in a focus assay. Further analysis revealed that this transforming effect is mediated by activation of the catalytic PI3K isoform p110α and downstream signaling through mTOR. Our data further support a mechanistic model in which mutations of the cSH2 domain of p85α can abrogate its negative regulatory function on PI3K activity via the nSH2 domain of p85α. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Coupled motions in the SH2 and kinase domains of Csk control Src phosphorylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Lilly; Lieser, Scot A; Miyashita, Osamu; Miller, Meghan; Tasken, Kjetil; Onuchic, Josè N; Adams, Joseph A; Woods, Virgil L; Jennings, Patricia A

    2005-08-05

    The C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) phosphorylates and down-regulates Src family tyrosine kinases. The Csk-binding protein (Cbp) localizes Csk close to its substrates at the plasma membrane, and increases the specific activity of the kinase. To investigate this long-range catalytic effect, the phosphorylation of Src and the conformation of Csk were investigated in the presence of a high-affinity phosphopeptide derived from Cbp. This peptide binds tightly to the SH2 domain and enhances Src recognition (lowers K(m)) by increasing the apparent phosphoryl transfer rate in the Csk active site, a phenomenon detected in rapid quench flow experiments. Previous studies demonstrated that the regulation of Csk activity is linked to conformational changes in the enzyme that can be probed with hydrogen-deuterium exchange methods. We show that the Cbp peptide impacts deuterium incorporation into its binding partner (the SH2 domain), and into the SH2-kinase linker and several sequences in the kinase domain, including the glycine-rich loop in the active site. These findings, along with computational data from normal mode analyses, suggest that the SH2 domain moves in a cantilever fashion with respect to the small lobe of the kinase domain, ordering the active site for catalysis. The binding of a small Cbp-derived peptide to the SH2 domain of Csk modifies these motions, enhancing Src recognition.

  12. Chemical shift assignments of the partially deuterated Fyn SH2-SH3 domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kieken, Fabien; Loth, Karine; van Nuland, Nico; Tompa, Peter; Lenaerts, Tom

    2018-04-01

    Src Homology 2 and 3 (SH2 and SH3) are two key protein interaction modules involved in regulating the activity of many proteins such as tyrosine kinases and phosphatases by respective recognition of phosphotyrosine and proline-rich regions. In the Src family kinases, the inactive state of the protein is the direct result of the interaction of the SH2 and the SH3 domain with intra-molecular regions, leading to a closed structure incompetent with substrate modification. Here, we report the 1 H, 15 N and 13 C backbone- and side-chain chemical shift assignments of the partially deuterated Fyn SH3-SH2 domain and structural differences between tandem and single domains. The BMRB accession number is 27165.

  13. The development and application of a quantitative peptide microarray platform to SH2 domain specificity space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelmann, Brett Warren

    The Src homology 2 (SH2) domains evolved alongside protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and phosphatases (PTPs) in metazoans to recognize the phosphotyrosine (pY) post-translational modification. The human genome encodes 121 SH2 domains within 111 SH2 domain containing proteins that represent the primary mechanism for cellular signal transduction immediately downstream of PTKs. Despite pY recognition contributing to roughly half of the binding energy, SH2 domains possess substantial binding specificity, or affinity discrimination between phosphopeptide ligands. This specificity is largely imparted by amino acids (AAs) adjacent to the pY, typically from positions +1 to +4 C-terminal to the pY. Much experimental effort has been undertaken to construct preferred binding motifs for many SH2 domains. However, due to limitations in previous experimental methodologies these motifs do not account for the interplay between AAs. It was therefore not known how AAs within the context of individual peptides function to impart SH2 domain specificity. In this work we identified the critical role context plays in defining SH2 domain specificity for physiological ligands. We also constructed a high quality interactome using 50 SH2 domains and 192 physiological ligands. We next developed a quantitative high-throughput (Q-HTP) peptide microarray platform to assess the affinities four SH2 domains have for 124 physiological ligands. We demonstrated the superior characteristics of our platform relative to preceding approaches and validated our results using established biophysical techniques, literature corroboration, and predictive algorithms. The quantitative information provided by the arrays was leveraged to investigate SH2 domain binding distributions and identify points of binding overlap. Our microarray derived affinity estimates were integrated to produce quantitative interaction motifs capable of predicting interactions. Furthermore, our microarrays proved capable of resolving

  14. Critical role of the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of neuronal SH2B1 in the regulation of body weight and glucose homeostasis in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, David L; Cho, Kae Won; Rui, Liangyou

    2010-08-01

    SH2B1 is an SH2 domain-containing adaptor protein that plays a key role in the regulation of energy and glucose metabolism in both rodents and humans. Genetic deletion of SH2B1 in mice results in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the SH2B1 loci and chromosomal deletions of the SH2B1 loci associate with obesity and insulin resistance in humans. In cultured cells, SH2B1 promotes leptin and insulin signaling by binding via its SH2 domain to phosphorylated tyrosines in Janus kinase 2 and the insulin receptor, respectively. Here we generated three lines of mice to analyze the role of the SH2 domain of SH2B1 in the central nervous system. Transgenic mice expressing wild-type, SH2 domain-defective (R555E), or SH2 domain-alone (DeltaN503) forms of SH2B1 specifically in neurons were crossed with SH2B1 knockout mice to generate KO/SH2B1, KO/R555E, or KO/DeltaN503 compound mutant mice. R555E had a replacement of Arg(555) with Glu within the SH2 domain. DeltaN503 contained an intact SH2 domain but lacked amino acids 1-503. Neuron-specific expression of recombinant SH2B1, but not R555E or DeltaN503, corrected hyperphagia, obesity, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance in SH2B1 null mice. Neuron-specific expression of R555E in wild-type mice promoted obesity and insulin resistance. These results indicate that in addition to the SH2 domain, N-terminal regions of neuronal SH2B1 are also required for the maintenance of normal body weight and glucose metabolism. Additionally, mutations in the SH2 domain of SH2B1 may increase the susceptibility to obesity and type 2 diabetes in a dominant-negative manner.

  15. Mutations in the LRRK2 Roc-COR tandem domain link Parkinson's disease to Wnt signalling pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sancho, Rosa M; Law, Bernard M H; Harvey, Kirsten

    2009-10-15

    Mutations in PARK8, encoding LRRK2, are the most common known cause of Parkinson's disease. The LRRK2 Roc-COR tandem domain exhibits GTPase activity controlling LRRK2 kinase activity via an intramolecular process. We report the interaction of LRRK2 with the dishevelled family of phosphoproteins (DVL1-3), key regulators of Wnt (Wingless/Int) signalling pathways important for axon guidance, synapse formation and neuronal maintenance. Interestingly, DVLs can interact with and mediate the activation of small GTPases with structural similarity to the LRRK2 Roc domain. The LRRK2 Roc-COR domain and the DVL1 DEP domain were necessary and sufficient for LRRK2-DVL1 interaction. Co-expression of DVL1 increased LRRK2 steady-state protein levels, an effect that was dependent on the DEP domain. Strikingly, LRRK2-DVL1-3 interactions were disrupted by the familial PARK8 mutation Y1699C, whereas pathogenic mutations at residues R1441 and R1728 strengthened LRRK2-DVL1 interactions. Co-expression of DVL1 with LRRK2 in mammalian cells resulted in the redistribution of LRRK2 to typical cytoplasmic DVL1 aggregates in HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells and co-localization in neurites and growth cones of differentiated dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells. This is the first report of the modulation of a key LRRK2-accessory protein interaction by PARK8 Roc-COR domain mutations segregating with Parkinson's disease. Since the DVL1 DEP domain is known to be involved in the regulation of small GTPases, we propose that: (i) DVLs may influence LRRK2 GTPase activity, and (ii) Roc-COR domain mutations modulating LRRK2-DVL interactions indirectly influence kinase activity. Our findings also link LRRK2 to Wnt signalling pathways, suggesting novel pathogenic mechanisms and new targets for genetic analysis in Parkinson's disease.

  16. An intact Pms2 ATPase domain is not essential for male fertility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Jared M; Dudley, Sandra; Miller, Ashleigh J; Liskay, R Michael

    2016-03-01

    The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) machinery in mammals plays critical roles in both mutation avoidance and spermatogenesis. Meiotic analysis of knockout mice of two different MMR genes, Mlh1 and Mlh3, revealed both male and female infertility associated with a defect in meiotic crossing over. In contrast, another MMR gene knockout, Pms2 (Pms2(ko/ko)), which contained a deletion of a portion of the ATPase domain, produced animals that were male sterile but female fertile. However, the meiotic phenotype of Pms2(ko/ko) males was less clear-cut than for Mlh1- or Mlh3-deficient meiosis. More recently, we generated a different Pms2 mutant allele (Pms2(cre)), which results in deletion of the same portion of the ATPase domain. Surprisingly, Pms2(cre/cre) male mice were completely fertile, suggesting that the ATPase domain of Pms2 is not required for male fertility. To explore the difference in male fertility, we examined the Pms2 RNA and found that alternative splicing of the Pms2(cre) allele results in a predicted Pms2 containing the C-terminus, which contains the Mlh1-interaction domain, a possible candidate for stabilizing Mlh1 levels. To study further the basis of male fertility, we examined Mlh1 levels in testes and found that whereas Pms2 loss in Pms2(ko/ko) mice results in severely reduced levels of Mlh1 expression in the testes, Mlh1 levels in Pms2(cre/cre) testes were reduced to a lesser extent. Thus, we propose that a primary function of Pms2 during spermatogenesis is to stabilize Mlh1 levels prior to its critical crossing over function with Mlh3. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits NR2A and NR2B bind to the SH2 domains of phospholipase C-gamma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurd, J W; Bissoon, N

    1997-08-01

    The NMDA receptor has recently been found to be phosphorylated on tyrosine. To assess the possible connection between tyrosine phosphorylation of the NMDA receptor and signaling pathways in the postsynaptic cell, we have investigated the relationship between tyrosine phosphorylation and the binding of NMDA receptor subunits to the SH2 domains of phospholipase C-gamma (PLC-gamma). A glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein containing both the N- and the C-proximal SH2 domains of PLC-gamma was bound to glutathione-agarose and reacted with synaptic junctional proteins and glycoproteins. Tyrosine-phosphorylated PSD-GP180, which has been identified as the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor, bound to the SH2-agarose beads in a phosphorylation-dependent fashion. Immunoblot analysis with antibodies specific for individual NMDA receptor subunits showed that both NR2A and NR2B subunits bound to the SH2-agarose. No binding occurred to GST-agarose lacking an associated SH2 domain, indicating that binding was specific for the SH2 domains. The binding of receptor subunits increased after the incubation of synaptic junctions with ATP and decreased after treatment of synaptic junctions with exogenous protein tyrosine phosphatase. Immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that NR2A and NR2B were phosphorylated on tyrosine and further that tyrosine phosphorylation of each of the subunits was increased after incubation with ATP. The results demonstrate that NMDA receptor subunits NR2A and NR2B will bind to the SH2 domains of PLC-gamma and that isolated synaptic junctions contain endogenous protein tyrosine kinase(s) that can phosphorylate both NR2A and NR2B receptor subunits, and suggest that interaction of the tyrosine-phosphorylated NMDA receptor with proteins that contain SH2 domains may serve to link it to signaling pathways in the postsynaptic cell.

  18. Domain decomposition method for solving elliptic problems in unbounded domains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khoromskij, B.N.; Mazurkevich, G.E.; Zhidkov, E.P.

    1991-01-01

    Computational aspects of the box domain decomposition (DD) method for solving boundary value problems in an unbounded domain are discussed. A new variant of the DD-method for elliptic problems in unbounded domains is suggested. It is based on the partitioning of an unbounded domain adapted to the given asymptotic decay of an unknown function at infinity. The comparison of computational expenditures is given for boundary integral method and the suggested DD-algorithm. 29 refs.; 2 figs.; 2 tabs

  19. Structural coupling of SH2-kinase domains links Fes and Abl substrate recognition and kinase activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filippakopoulos, Panagis; Kofler, Michael; Hantschel, Oliver; Gish, Gerald D; Grebien, Florian; Salah, Eidarus; Neudecker, Philipp; Kay, Lewis E; Turk, Benjamin E; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Pawson, Tony; Knapp, Stefan

    2008-09-05

    The SH2 domain of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases can enhance catalytic activity and substrate recognition, but the molecular mechanisms by which this is achieved are poorly understood. We have solved the structure of the prototypic SH2-kinase unit of the human Fes tyrosine kinase, which appears specialized for positive signaling. In its active conformation, the SH2 domain tightly interacts with the kinase N-terminal lobe and positions the kinase alphaC helix in an active configuration through essential packing and electrostatic interactions. This interaction is stabilized by ligand binding to the SH2 domain. Our data indicate that Fes kinase activation is closely coupled to substrate recognition through cooperative SH2-kinase-substrate interactions. Similarly, we find that the SH2 domain of the active Abl kinase stimulates catalytic activity and substrate phosphorylation through a distinct SH2-kinase interface. Thus, the SH2 and catalytic domains of active Fes and Abl pro-oncogenic kinases form integrated structures essential for effective tyrosine kinase signaling.

  20. In vivo binding properties of SH2 domains from GTPase-activating protein and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, J A; Kashishian, A

    1993-01-01

    We have used a transient expression system and mutant platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors to study the binding specificities of the Src homology 2 (SH2) regions of the Ras GTPase-activator protein (GAP) and the p85 alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 kinase). A number of fusion proteins, each tagged with an epitope allowing recognition by a monoclonal antibody, were expressed at levels comparable to those of endogenous GAP. Fusion proteins containing the central SH2-SH3-SH2 region of GAP or the C-terminal region of p85 alpha, which includes two SH2 domains, bound to PDGF receptors in response to PDGF stimulation. Both fusion proteins showed the same requirements for tyrosine phosphorylation sites in the PDGF receptor as the full-length proteins from which they were derived, i.e., binding of the GAP fusion protein was reduced by mutation of Tyr-771, and binding of the p85 fusion protein was reduced by mutation of Tyr-740, Tyr-751, or both residues. Fusion proteins containing single SH2 domains from either GAP or p85 alpha did not bind detectably to PDGF receptors in this system, suggesting that two SH2 domains in a single polypeptide cooperate to raise the affinity of binding. The sequence specificities of individual SH2 domains were deduced from the binding properties of fusion proteins containing one SH2 domain from GAP and another from p85. The results suggest that the C-terminal GAP SH2 domain specifies binding to Tyr-771, the C-terminal p85 alpha SH2 domain binds to either Tyr-740 or Tyr-751, and each protein's N-terminal SH2 domain binds to unidentified phosphorylation sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images PMID:8382774

  1. The selectivity of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling is controlled by a secondary SH2 domain binding site.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Jae Hyun; Lew, Erin Denise; Yuzawa, Satoru; Tomé, Francisco; Lax, Irit; Schlessinger, Joseph

    2009-08-07

    SH2 domain-mediated interactions represent a crucial step in transmembrane signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases. SH2 domains recognize phosphotyrosine (pY) in the context of particular sequence motifs in receptor phosphorylation sites. However, the modest binding affinity of SH2 domains to pY containing peptides may not account for and likely represents an oversimplified mechanism for regulation of selectivity of signaling pathways in living cells. Here we describe the crystal structure of the activated tyrosine kinase domain of FGFR1 in complex with a phospholipase Cgamma fragment. The structural and biochemical data and experiments with cultured cells show that the selectivity of phospholipase Cgamma binding and signaling via activated FGFR1 are determined by interactions between a secondary binding site on an SH2 domain and a region in FGFR1 kinase domain in a phosphorylation independent manner. These experiments reveal a mechanism for how SH2 domain selectivity is regulated in vivo to mediate a specific cellular process.

  2. MPEG-2 Compressed-Domain Algorithms for Video Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hesseler Wolfgang

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents new algorithms for extracting metadata from video sequences in the MPEG-2 compressed domain. Three algorithms for efficient low-level metadata extraction in preprocessing stages are described. The first algorithm detects camera motion using the motion vector field of an MPEG-2 video. The second method extends the idea of motion detection to a limited region of interest, yielding an efficient algorithm to track objects inside video sequences. The third algorithm performs a cut detection using macroblock types and motion vectors.

  3. Functional analysis of the NH{sub 2}-terminal hydrophobic region and BRICHOS domain of GKN1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Jung Hwan; Choi, Yoo Jin; Choi, Won Suk; Nam, Suk Woo; Lee, Jung Young; Park, Won Sang, E-mail: wonsang@catholic.ac.kr

    2013-11-01

    Highlights: •NH{sub 2}-terminal and BRICHOS domain of GKN1 inhibited tumor cell growth. •NH{sub 2}-terminal and BRICHOS domain of GKN1 regulated cell cycle. •NH{sub 2}-terminal and BRICHOS domain of GKN1 inhibited epigenetic regulators. -- Abstract: Gastrokine 1 (GKN1) protects the gastric antral mucosa and promotes healing by facilitating restitution and proliferation after injury. GKN1 is down-regulated in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells and loss of GKN1 expression is tightly associated with gastric carcinogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms as a tumor suppressor are largely unknown. Presently, the hydrophobic region and BRICHOS domain of GKN1, pGKN1{sup D13N}, pGKN1{sup Δ68–199}, and pGKN1{sup Δ1–67,165–199} were shown to suppress gastric cancer cell growth and recapitulate GKN1 functions. As well, the hydrophobic region and BRICHOS domain of GKN1 had a synergistic anti-cancer effect with 5-FU on tumor cell growth, implying that the NH{sub 2}-terminal hydrophobic region and BRICHOS domain of GKN1 are sufficient for tumor suppression, thereby suggesting a therapeutic intervention for gastric cancer. Also, its domain inducing endogenous miR-185 directly targeted the epigenetic effectors DNMT1 and EZH2 in gastric cancer cells. Our results suggest that the NH{sub 2}-terminal hydrophobic region and BRICHOS domain of GKN1 are sufficient for its tumor suppressor activities.

  4. Roles of the SH2 and SH3 domains in the regulation of neuronal Src kinase functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groveman, Bradley R; Xue, Sheng; Marin, Vedrana; Xu, Jindong; Ali, Mohammad K; Bienkiewicz, Ewa A; Yu, Xian-Min

    2011-02-01

    Previous studies demonstrated that intra-domain interactions between Src family kinases (SFKs), stabilized by binding of the phosphorylated C-terminus to the SH2 domain and/or binding of the SH2 kinase linker to the SH3 domain, lock the molecules in a closed conformation, disrupt the kinase active site, and inactivate SFKs. Here we report that the up-regulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) induced by expression of constitutively active neuronal Src (n-Src), in which the C-terminus tyrosine is mutated to phenylalanine (n-Src/Y535F), is significantly reduced by dysfunctions of the SH2 and/or SH3 domains of the protein. Furthermore, we found that dysfunctions of SH2 and/or SH3 domains reduce auto-phosphorylation of the kinase activation loop, depress kinase activity, and decrease NMDAR phosphorylation. The SH2 domain plays a greater regulatory role than the SH3 domain. Our data also show that n-Src binds directly to the C-terminus of the NMDAR NR2A subunit in vitro, with a K(D) of 108.2 ± 13.3 nM. This binding is not Src kinase activity-dependent, and dysfunctions of the SH2 and/or SH3 domains do not significantly affect the binding. These data indicate that the SH2 and SH3 domains may function to promote the catalytic activity of active n-Src, which is important in the regulation of NMDAR functions. © 2010 The Authors Journal compilation © 2010 FEBS.

  5. Interaction of the transactivation domain of B-Myb with the TAZ2 domain of the coactivator p300: molecular features and properties of the complex.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ojore Oka

    Full Text Available The transcription factor B-Myb is a key regulator of the cell cycle in vertebrates, with activation of transcription involving the recognition of specific DNA target sites and the recruitment of functional partner proteins, including the coactivators p300 and CBP. Here we report the results of detailed studies of the interaction between the transactivation domain of B-Myb (B-Myb TAD and the TAZ2 domain of p300. The B-Myb TAD was characterized using circular dichroism, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy, which revealed that the isolated domain exists as a random coil polypeptide. Pull-down and spectroscopic experiments clearly showed that the B-Myb TAD binds to p300 TAZ2 to form a moderately tight (K(d ~1.0-10 µM complex, which results in at least partial folding of the B-Myb TAD. Significant changes in NMR spectra of p300 TAZ2 suggest that the B-Myb TAD binds to a relatively large patch on the surface of the domain (~1200 Å(2. The apparent B-Myb TAD binding site on p300 TAZ2 shows striking similarity to the surface of CBP TAZ2 involved in binding to the transactivation domain of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1, which suggests that the structure of the B-Myb TAD-p300 TAZ2 complex may share many features with that reported for STAT1 TAD-p300 TAZ2.

  6. Improving the performance of DomainDiscovery of protein domain boundary assignment using inter-domain linker index

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zomaya Albert Y

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Knowledge of protein domain boundaries is critical for the characterisation and understanding of protein function. The ability to identify domains without the knowledge of the structure – by using sequence information only – is an essential step in many types of protein analyses. In this present study, we demonstrate that the performance of DomainDiscovery is improved significantly by including the inter-domain linker index value for domain identification from sequence-based information. Improved DomainDiscovery uses a Support Vector Machine (SVM approach and a unique training dataset built on the principle of consensus among experts in defining domains in protein structure. The SVM was trained using a PSSM (Position Specific Scoring Matrix, secondary structure, solvent accessibility information and inter-domain linker index to detect possible domain boundaries for a target sequence. Results Improved DomainDiscovery is compared with other methods by benchmarking against a structurally non-redundant dataset and also CASP5 targets. Improved DomainDiscovery achieves 70% accuracy for domain boundary identification in multi-domains proteins. Conclusion Improved DomainDiscovery compares favourably to the performance of other methods and excels in the identification of domain boundaries for multi-domain proteins as a result of introducing support vector machine with benchmark_2 dataset.

  7. A photoaffinity scan maps regions of the p85 SH2 domain involved in phosphoprotein binding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, K P; Shoelson, S E

    1993-03-15

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are modular phosphotyrosine binding pockets found within a wide variety of cytoplasmic signaling molecules. Here we develop a new approach to analyzing protein-protein interfaces termed photoaffinity scanning, and apply the method to map regions of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p85 SH2 domain that participate in phospho-protein binding. Each residue except phosphotyrosine (pY) within a tightly binding, IRS-1-derived phosphopeptide (GNGDpYMPMSPKS) was substituted with the photoactive amino acid, benzoylphenylalanine (Bpa). Whereas most substitutions had little effect on binding affinity, Bpa substitution of either Met (+1 and +3 with respect to pY) reduced affinity 50-100-fold to confirm their importance in the pYMXM recognition motif. In three cases photolysis of SH2 domain/Bpa phosphopeptide complexes led to cross-linking of > 50% of the SH2 domain; cross-link positions were identified by microsequence, amino acid composition, and electrospray mass spectrometric analyses. Bpa-1 cross-links within alpha-helix I, whereas Bpa+1 and Bpa+4 cross-link the SH2 domain within the flexible loop C-terminal to alpha-helix II. Moreover, cross-linking at any position prevents SH2 domain cleavage at a trypsin-sensitive site within the flexible loop between beta-strands 1 and 2. Therefore, at least three distinct SH2 regions in addition to the beta-sheet participate in phosphoprotein binding; the loop cross-linked by phosphopeptide residues C-terminal to pY appears to confer specificity to the phosphoprotein/SH2 domain interaction.

  8. 2.5-D frequency-domain viscoelastic wave modelling using finite-element method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jian-guo; Huang, Xing-xing; Liu, Wei-fang; Zhao, Wei-jun; Song, Jian-yong; Xiong, Bin; Wang, Shang-xu

    2017-10-01

    2-D seismic modelling has notable dynamic information discrepancies with field data because of the implicit line-source assumption, whereas 3-D modelling suffers from a huge computational burden. The 2.5-D approach is able to overcome both of the aforementioned limitations. In general, the earth model is treated as an elastic material, but the real media is viscous. In this study, we develop an accurate and efficient frequency-domain finite-element method (FEM) for modelling 2.5-D viscoelastic wave propagation. To perform the 2.5-D approach, we assume that the 2-D viscoelastic media are based on the Kelvin-Voigt rheological model and a 3-D point source. The viscoelastic wave equation is temporally and spatially Fourier transformed into the frequency-wavenumber domain. Then, we systematically derive the weak form and its spatial discretization of 2.5-D viscoelastic wave equations in the frequency-wavenumber domain through the Galerkin weighted residual method for FEM. Fixing a frequency, the 2-D problem for each wavenumber is solved by FEM. Subsequently, a composite Simpson formula is adopted to estimate the inverse Fourier integration to obtain the 3-D wavefield. We implement the stiffness reduction method (SRM) to suppress artificial boundary reflections. The results show that this absorbing boundary condition is valid and efficient in the frequency-wavenumber domain. Finally, three numerical models, an unbounded homogeneous medium, a half-space layered medium and an undulating topography medium, are established. Numerical results validate the accuracy and stability of 2.5-D solutions and present the adaptability of finite-element method to complicated geographic conditions. The proposed 2.5-D modelling strategy has the potential to address modelling studies on wave propagation in real earth media in an accurate and efficient way.

  9. Crystal Structure of a Complex of the Intracellular Domain of Interferon λ Receptor 1 (IFNLR1) and the FERM/SH2 Domains of Human JAK1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Di; Wlodawer, Alexander; Lubkowski, Jacek

    2016-11-20

    The crystal structure of a construct consisting of the FERM and SH2-like domains of the human Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) bound to a fragment of the intracellular domain of the interferon-λ receptor 1 (IFNLR1) has been determined at the nominal resolution of 2.1Å. In this structure, the receptor peptide forms an 85-Å-long extended chain, in which both the previously identified box1 and box2 regions bind simultaneously to the FERM and SH2-like domains of JAK1. Both domains of JAK1 are generally well ordered, with regions not seen in the crystal structure limited to loops located away from the receptor-binding regions. The structure provides a much more complete and accurate picture of the interactions between JAK1 and IFNLR1 than those given in earlier reports, illuminating the molecular basis of the JAK-cytokine receptor association. A glutamate residue adjacent to the box2 region in IFNLR1 mimics the mode of binding of a phosphotyrosine in classical SH2 domains. It was shown here that a deletion of residues within the box1 region of the receptor abolishes stable interactions with JAK1, although it was previously shown that box2 alone is sufficient to stabilize a similar complex of the interferon-α receptor and TYK2. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Superdiffusive motion of membrane-targeting C2 domains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campagnola, Grace; Nepal, Kanti; Schroder, Bryce W.; Peersen, Olve B.; Krapf, Diego

    2015-12-01

    Membrane-targeting domains play crucial roles in the recruitment of signalling molecules to the plasma membrane. For most peripheral proteins, the protein-to-membrane interaction is transient. After proteins dissociate from the membrane they have been observed to rebind following brief excursions in the bulk solution. Such membrane hops can have broad implications for the efficiency of reactions on membranes. We study the diffusion of membrane-targeting C2 domains using single-molecule tracking in supported lipid bilayers. The ensemble-averaged mean square displacement (MSD) exhibits superdiffusive behaviour. However, traditional time-averaged MSD analysis of individual trajectories remains linear and does not reveal superdiffusion. Our observations are explained in terms of bulk excursions that introduce jumps with a heavy-tail distribution. These hopping events allow proteins to explore large areas in a short time. The experimental results are shown to be consistent with analytical models of bulk-mediated diffusion and numerical simulations.

  11. Binding of the water of primary hydration to the sodium and cesium salts of deoxyribonucleic acid and potassium hyaluronate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitson, K. B.; Lukan, A. M.; Marlowe, R. L.; Lee, S. A.; Anthony, L.; Rupprecht, A.

    1998-08-01

    Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been used to evaluate the average enthalpy of desorption of the water of primary hydration bound to wet-spun films of potassium hyaluronate (KHA) and CsDNA. The enthalpies were measured to be 0.24+/-0.08 eV/H2O molecule for KHA and 0.32+/-0.10 eV/H2O molecule for CsDNA. A Kissinger analysis was used to extract the net activation energy (0.61+/-0.04 eV) for the desorption of this water from KHA by analyzing DSC data acquired at different heating rates. The average effective force constants at 295 K of this water bound to KHA (63+/-3 μdyn/Å) and NaDNA (17+/-4 μdyn/Å) are determined from Rayleigh scattering of Mossbauer radiation data [G. Albanese, A. Deriu, F. Cavatorta, and A. Rupprecht, Hyperfine Interact. 95, 97 (1995)] via a harmonic approximation.

  12. Nanoscopic studies of domain structure dynamics in ferroelectric La:HfO2 capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buragohain, P.; Richter, C.; Schenk, T.; Lu, H.; Mikolajick, T.; Schroeder, U.; Gruverman, A.

    2018-05-01

    Visualization of domain structure evolution under an electrical bias has been carried out in ferroelectric La:HfO2 capacitors by a combination of Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) and pulse switching techniques to study the nanoscopic mechanism of polarization reversal and the wake-up process. It has been directly shown that the main mechanism behind the transformation of the polarization hysteretic behavior and an increase in the remanent polarization value upon the alternating current cycling is electrically induced domain de-pinning. PFM imaging and local spectroscopy revealed asymmetric switching in the La:HfO2 capacitors due to a significant imprint likely caused by the different boundary conditions at the top and bottom interfaces. Domain switching kinetics can be well-described by the nucleation limited switching model characterized by a broad distribution of the local switching times. It has been found that the domain velocity varies significantly throughout the switching process indicating strong interaction with structural defects.

  13. The Abl SH2-kinase linker naturally adopts a conformation competent for SH3 domain binding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shugui; Brier, Sébastien; Smithgall, Thomas E; Engen, John R

    2007-04-01

    The core of the Abelson tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) is structurally similar to Src-family kinases where SH3 and SH2 domains pack against the backside of the kinase domain in the down-regulated conformation. Both kinase families depend upon intramolecular association of SH3 with the linker joining the SH2 and kinase domains for suppression of kinase activity. Hydrogen deuterium exchange (HX) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to probe intramolecular interaction of the c-Abl SH3 domain with the linker in recombinant constructs lacking the kinase domain. Under physiological conditions, the c-Abl SH3 domain undergoes partial unfolding, which is stabilized by ligand binding, providing a unique assay for SH3:linker interaction in solution. Using this approach, we observed dynamic association of the SH3 domain with the linker in the absence of the kinase domain. Truncation of the linker before W254 completely prevented cis-interaction with SH3, while constructs containing amino acids past this point showed SH3:linker interactions. The observation that the Abl linker sequence exhibits SH3-binding activity in the absence of the kinase domain is unique to Abl and was not observed with Src-family kinases. These results suggest that SH3:linker interactions may have a more prominent role in Abl regulation than in Src kinases, where the down-regulated conformation is further stabilized by a second intramolecular interaction between the C-terminal tail and the SH2 domain.

  14. WW domain-binding protein 2: an adaptor protein closely linked to the development of breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shuai; Wang, Han; Huang, Yu-Fan; Li, Ming-Li; Cheng, Jiang-Hong; Hu, Peng; Lu, Chuan-Hui; Zhang, Ya; Liu, Na; Tzeng, Chi-Meng; Zhang, Zhi-Ming

    2017-07-19

    The WW domain is composed of 38 to 40 semi-conserved amino acids shared with structural, regulatory, and signaling proteins. WW domain-binding protein 2 (WBP2), as a binding partner of WW domain protein, interacts with several WW-domain-containing proteins, such as Yes kinase-associated protein (Yap), paired box gene 8 (Pax8), WW-domain-containing transcription regulator protein 1 (TAZ), and WW-domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) through its PPxY motifs within C-terminal region, and further triggers the downstream signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo. Studies have confirmed that phosphorylated form of WBP2 can move into nuclei and activate the transcription of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), whose expression were the indicators of breast cancer development, indicating that WBP2 may participate in the progression of breast cancer. Both overexpression of WBP2 and activation of tyrosine phosphorylation upregulate the signal cascades in the cross-regulation of the Wnt and ER signaling pathways in breast cancer. Following the binding of WBP2 to the WW domain region of TAZ which can accelerate migration, invasion and is required for the transformed phenotypes of breast cancer cells, the transformation of epithelial to mesenchymal of MCF10A is activated, suggesting that WBP2 is a key player in regulating cell migration. When WBP2 binds with WWOX, a tumor suppressor, ER transactivation and tumor growth can be suppressed. Thus, WBP2 may serve as a molecular on/off switch that controls the crosstalk between E2, WWOX, Wnt, TAZ, and other oncogenic signaling pathways. This review interprets the relationship between WBP2 and breast cancer, and provides comprehensive views about the function of WBP2 in the regulation of the pathogenesis of breast cancer and endocrine therapy in breast cancer treatment.

  15. Sequence analysis of DBL2β domain of vargene of Indonesian Plasmodium falciparum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulistyaningsih, E.; Romadhon, B. D.; Palupi, I.; Hidayah, F.; Dewi, R.; Prasetyo, A.

    2018-03-01

    Malaria is a major health problem in tropical countries including Indonesia. The most deadly agent is Plasmodium falciparum. In P. falciparum infection, PfEMP1 is supposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of malaria. PfEMP1 is encoded by var gene family, it is a polymorphic protein where the extra-cellular portion contains of three distinct binding domains: Duffy binding-like (DBL), Cysteine-rich interdomain regions (CIDR) and C2. PfEMP1 varies in domain composition and binding specificity. The study explored the characteristic of Indonesian DBL2β-var genes and investigated its role to the malaria outcome. Twenty blood samples from clinically mild to severe malaria patients in Jember, East Java were collected for DNA extraction. Diagnosis was confirmed by Giemsa-stained thick blood smear. PCR was conducted using specific primer targeting on the full-length of DBL2ß and resulted approximately single band of 1,7 kb in a sample. This band was observed only from severe malaria sample. Sequence analysis directly from PCR product showed 74-99% similarities with previous sequences in Gene Bank. In conclusion, the DBL2β domain of vargene of Indonesian isolates was 1603 nucleotides in length and there was a possible association of the existence of DBL2β domain with the severity of malaria outcome.

  16. A novel disulfide bond in the SH2 Domain of the C-terminal Src kinase controls catalytic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, Jamie E; Whitford, Paul C; Shaffer, Jennifer; Onuchic, Jose N; Adams, Joseph A; Jennings, Patricia A

    2007-02-02

    The SH2 domain of the C-terminal Src kinase [Csk] contains a unique disulfide bond that is not present in other known SH2 domains. To investigate whether this unusual disulfide bond serves a novel function, the effects of disulfide bond formation on catalytic activity of the full-length protein and on the structure of the SH2 domain were investigated. The kinase activity of full-length Csk decreases by an order of magnitude upon formation of the disulfide bond in the distal SH2 domain. NMR spectra of the fully oxidized and fully reduced SH2 domains exhibit similar chemical shift patterns and are indicative of similar, well-defined tertiary structures. The solvent-accessible disulfide bond in the isolated SH2 domain is highly stable and far from the small lobe of the kinase domain. However, reduction of this bond results in chemical shift changes of resonances that map to a cluster of residues that extend from the disulfide bond across the molecule to a surface that is in direct contact with the small lobe of the kinase domain in the intact molecule. Normal mode analyses and molecular dynamics calculations suggest that disulfide bond formation has large effects on residues within the kinase domain, most notably within the active-site cleft. Overall, the data indicate that reversible cross-linking of two cysteine residues in the SH2 domain greatly impacts catalytic function and interdomain communication in Csk.

  17. An Experimental Study of Dynamic Stall on Advanced Airfoil Sections. Volume 2. Pressure and Force Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-09-01

    FQRMAT(/7H FRAME,IX,4HTRIP,3X,4HTYPE,5X,2HAO,9X,24AI,8X, IHQ , I IOX,IHM,6X,2HRE,8X,IHK,8X,4HFREQ) 2002 FORMAT(2X,15,2X,LI,3X,8H STEADY,2X,2(F5.1,4H DEG...C-,FIO.6) 7 2007 FORMAT(1l,EVH ALPHA,3X, IHQ ,3X,13C2X,2HCP,I2,X),4X,2C.,, I 5X,2RCD,5X,2HCM). 2008 FORMIAT(14X,13(2X32HCP,12,1X)//) 2009 FORMAT(2X...4 - .. ~ 4I. * ’~ -~ 4. A 441 4 * * 4.. 9 S ) td " p.- j ~-- -~ "U ".4 1: U, lk~ 0~ .4 0" A, 9 (9 0U 9? 0 ~ V ~ - 0 * qI; ow.. * 00 - . **. 4

  18. Structure of the N-terminal domain of the protein Expansion: an ‘Expansion’ to the Smad MH2 fold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beich-Frandsen, Mads; Aragón, Eric; Llimargas, Marta; Benach, Jordi; Riera, Antoni; Pous, Joan; Macias, Maria J.

    2015-01-01

    Expansion is a modular protein that is conserved in protostomes. The first structure of the N-terminal domain of Expansion has been determined at 1.6 Å resolution and the new Nα-MH2 domain was found to belong to the Smad/FHA superfamily of structures. Gene-expression changes observed in Drosophila embryos after inducing the transcription factor Tramtrack led to the identification of the protein Expansion. Expansion contains an N-terminal domain similar in sequence to the MH2 domain characteristic of Smad proteins, which are the central mediators of the effects of the TGF-β signalling pathway. Apart from Smads and Expansion, no other type of protein belonging to the known kingdoms of life contains MH2 domains. To compare the Expansion and Smad MH2 domains, the crystal structure of the Expansion domain was determined at 1.6 Å resolution, the first structure of a non-Smad MH2 domain to be characterized to date. The structure displays the main features of the canonical MH2 fold with two main differences: the addition of an α-helical region and the remodelling of a protein-interaction site that is conserved in the MH2 domain of Smads. Owing to these differences, to the new domain was referred to as Nα-MH2. Despite the presence of the Nα-MH2 domain, Expansion does not participate in TGF-β signalling; instead, it is required for other activities specific to the protostome phyla. Based on the structural similarities to the MH2 fold, it is proposed that the Nα-MH2 domain should be classified as a new member of the Smad/FHA superfamily

  19. Structure of the N-terminal domain of the protein Expansion: an ‘Expansion’ to the Smad MH2 fold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beich-Frandsen, Mads; Aragón, Eric [Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Llimargas, Marta [Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, IBMB–CSIC, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Benach, Jordi [ALBA Synchrotron, BP 1413, km 3.3, Cerdanyola del Vallès (Spain); Riera, Antoni [Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franqués 1-11, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Pous, Joan [Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Platform of Crystallography IBMB–CSIC, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Macias, Maria J., E-mail: maria.macias@irbbarcelona.org [Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona (Spain)

    2015-04-01

    Expansion is a modular protein that is conserved in protostomes. The first structure of the N-terminal domain of Expansion has been determined at 1.6 Å resolution and the new Nα-MH2 domain was found to belong to the Smad/FHA superfamily of structures. Gene-expression changes observed in Drosophila embryos after inducing the transcription factor Tramtrack led to the identification of the protein Expansion. Expansion contains an N-terminal domain similar in sequence to the MH2 domain characteristic of Smad proteins, which are the central mediators of the effects of the TGF-β signalling pathway. Apart from Smads and Expansion, no other type of protein belonging to the known kingdoms of life contains MH2 domains. To compare the Expansion and Smad MH2 domains, the crystal structure of the Expansion domain was determined at 1.6 Å resolution, the first structure of a non-Smad MH2 domain to be characterized to date. The structure displays the main features of the canonical MH2 fold with two main differences: the addition of an α-helical region and the remodelling of a protein-interaction site that is conserved in the MH2 domain of Smads. Owing to these differences, to the new domain was referred to as Nα-MH2. Despite the presence of the Nα-MH2 domain, Expansion does not participate in TGF-β signalling; instead, it is required for other activities specific to the protostome phyla. Based on the structural similarities to the MH2 fold, it is proposed that the Nα-MH2 domain should be classified as a new member of the Smad/FHA superfamily.

  20. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness testing in athletes of the Swiss Paralympic team

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background The aim of this study was to assess airway hyperresponsiveness to eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation and dry powder mannitol challenge in athletes aiming to participate at the Paralympic Games 2008 in Beijing, especially in athletes with spinal cord injury. Methods Forty-four athletes with a disability (27 with paraplegia (group 1), 3 with tetraplegia (group 2) and 14 with other disabilities such as blindness or single limb amputations (group 3) performed spirometry, skin prick testing, measurement of exhaled nitric oxide, eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation challenge test (EVH) and mannitol challenge test (MCT). A fall in FEV1 of ≥10% in either challenge test was deemed positive for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Results Fourteen (32%) athletes were atopic and 7 (16%) had a history of physician-diagnosed asthma. Absolute lung function values were significantly lower in patients of group 1 and 2 compared to group 3. Nine (20%) athletes were positive to EVH (8 paraplegics, 1 tetraplegic), and 8 (18%) athletes were positive to MCT (7 paraplegics, 1 tetraplegic). Fourteen (22.7%) subjects were positive to at least one challenge; only three athletes were positive to both tests. None of the athletes in group 3 had a positive test. Both challenge tests showed a significant association with physician-diagnosed asthma status (p = 0.0001). The positive and negative predictive value to diagnose physician-diagnosed asthma was 89% and 91% for EHV, and 75% and 86% for MCT, respectively. Conclusion EVH and MCT can be used to identify, but especially exclude asthma in Paralympic athletes. PMID:23845126

  1. The BRCT domain is a phospho-protein binding domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaochun; Chini, Claudia Christiano Silva; He, Miao; Mer, Georges; Chen, Junjie

    2003-10-24

    The carboxyl-terminal domain (BRCT) of the Breast Cancer Gene 1 (BRCA1) protein is an evolutionarily conserved module that exists in a large number of proteins from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Although most BRCT domain-containing proteins participate in DNA-damage checkpoint or DNA-repair pathways, or both, the function of the BRCT domain is not fully understood. We show that the BRCA1 BRCT domain directly interacts with phosphorylated BRCA1-Associated Carboxyl-terminal Helicase (BACH1). This specific interaction between BRCA1 and phosphorylated BACH1 is cell cycle regulated and is required for DNA damage-induced checkpoint control during the transition from G2 to M phase of the cell cycle. Further, we show that two other BRCT domains interact with their respective physiological partners in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Thirteen additional BRCT domains also preferentially bind phospho-peptides rather than nonphosphorylated control peptides. These data imply that the BRCT domain is a phospho-protein binding domain involved in cell cycle control.

  2. The first transmembrane domain (TM1) of β2-subunit binds to the transmembrane domain S1 of α-subunit in BK potassium channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morera, Francisco J.; Alioua, Abderrahmane; Kundu, Pallob; Salazar, Marcelo; Gonzalez, Carlos; Martinez, Agustin D.; Stefani, Enrico; Toro, Ligia; Latorre, Ramon

    2012-01-01

    The BK channel is one of the most broadly expressed ion channels in mammals. In many tissues, the BK channel pore-forming α-subunit is associated to an auxiliary β-subunit that modulates the voltage- and Ca2+-dependent activation of the channel. Structural components present in β-subunits that are important for the physical association with the α-subunit are yet unknown. Here, we show through co-immunoprecipitation that the intracellular C-terminus, the second transmembrane domain (TM2) and the extracellular loop of the β2-subunit are dispensable for association with the α-subunit pointing transmembrane domain 1 (TM1) as responsible for the interaction. Indeed, the TOXCAT assay for transmembrane protein–protein interactions demonstrated for the first time that TM1 of the β2-subunit physically binds to the transmembrane S1 domain of the α-subunit. PMID:22710124

  3. Preliminary crystallographic characterization of the Grb2 SH2 domain in complex with a FAK-derived phosphotyrosyl peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Hsiao-Hsin; Chen, Cuei-Wen; Chang, Yu-Yung; Shen, Tang-Long; Hsu, Chun-Hua

    2010-01-01

    Crystals of the Grb2 SH2 domain in complex with a phosphotyrosyl peptide corresponding to residues 921–930 of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) have been obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion technique. Data have been collected to 2.49 Å resolution. Growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) is an adaptor protein with a single SH2 domain that specifically binds to focal adhesion kinase (FAK) when residue Tyr925 of FAK is phosphorylated. The Grb2–FAK interaction is associated with cellular integrin-activated signal transduction events leading to the activation of the Ras-MAPK pathway. Crystals of the Grb2 SH2 domain in complex with a phosphopeptide corresponding to residues 921–930 of FAK have been obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion technique. The crystals belonged to space group P3 1 21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 102.7, c = 127.6 Å, α = β = 90.0, γ = 120.0°. A diffraction data set was collected from a flash-cooled crystal at 100 K to 2.49 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. Structure determination by molecular replacement and analysis of the detailed structure of the complex are currently in progress

  4. Localization and chiral symmetry in 2+1 flavor domain wall QCD

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    David J. Antonio; Kenneth C. Bowler; Peter A. Boyle; Norman H. Christ; Michael A. Clark; Saul D. Cohen; Chris Dawson; Alistair Hart; Balint Joó; Chulwoo Jung; Richard D. Kenway; Shu Li; Meifeng Lin; Robert D. Mawhinney; Christopher M. Maynard; Shigemi Ohta; Robert J. Tweedie; Azusa Yamaguchi

    2008-01-01

    We present results for the dependence of the residual mass of domain wall fermions (DWF) on the size of the fifth dimension and its relation to the density and localization properties of low-lying eigenvectors of the corresponding hermitian Wilson Dirac operator relevant to simulations of 2+1 flavor domain wall QCD. Using the DBW2 and Iwasaki gauge actions, we generate ensembles of configurations with a $16^3\\times 32$ space-time volume and an extent of 8 in the fifth dimension for the sea quarks. We demonstrate the existence of a regime where the degree of locality, the size of chiral symmetry breaking and the rate of topology change can be acceptable for inverse lattice spacings $a^{-1} \\ge 1.6$ GeV.

  5. Functional properties of the recombinant kringle-2 domain of tissue plasminogen activator produced in Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilhelm, O.G.; Jaskunas, S.R.; Vlahos, C.J.; Bang, N.U.

    1990-01-01

    The kringle-2 domain (residues 176-262) of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant peptide, which concentrated in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies, was isolated, solubilized, chemically refolded, and purified by affinity chromatography on lysine-Sepharose to apparent homogeneity. [35S]Cysteine-methionine-labeled polypeptide was used to study the interactions of kringle-2 with lysine, fibrin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. The kringle-2 domain bound to lysine-Sepharose and to preformed fibrin with a Kd = 104 +/- 6.2 microM (0.86 +/- 0.012 binding site) and a Kd = 4.2 +/- 1.05 microM (0.80 +/- 0.081 binding site), respectively. Competition experiments and direct binding studies showed that the kringle-2 domain is required for the formation of the ternary t-PA-plasminogen-intact fibrin complex and that the association between the t-PA kringle-2 domain and fibrin does not require plasmin degradation of fibrin and exposure of new COOH-terminal lysine residues. We also observed that kringle-2 forms a complex with highly purified guanidine-activated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, dissociable by 0.2 M epsilon-aminocaproic acid. The kringle-2 polypeptide significantly inhibited tissue plasminogen activator/plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 interaction. The kringle-2 domain bound to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in a specific and saturable manner with a Kd = 0.51 +/- 0.055 microM (0.35 +/- 0.026 binding site). Therefore, the t-PA kringle-2 domain is important for the interaction of t-PA not only with fibrin, but also with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and thus represents a key structure in the regulation of fibrinolysis

  6. 3D Mapping of the SPRY2 domain of ryanodine receptor 1 by single-particle cryo-EM.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Perálvarez-Marín

    Full Text Available The type 1 skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1 is principally responsible for Ca(2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and for the subsequent muscle contraction. The RyR1 contains three SPRY domains. SPRY domains are generally known to mediate protein-protein interactions, however the location of the three SPRY domains in the 3D structure of the RyR1 is not known. Combining immunolabeling and single-particle cryo-electron microscopy we have mapped the SPRY2 domain (S1085-V1208 in the 3D structure of RyR1 using three different antibodies against the SPRY2 domain. Two obstacles for the image processing procedure; limited amount of data and signal dilution introduced by the multiple orientations of the antibody bound in the tetrameric RyR1, were overcome by modifying the 3D reconstruction scheme. This approach enabled us to ascertain that the three antibodies bind to the same region, to obtain a 3D reconstruction of RyR1 with the antibody bound, and to map SPRY2 to the periphery of the cytoplasmic domain of RyR1. We report here the first 3D localization of a SPRY2 domain in any known RyR isoform.

  7. The Janus Kinase (JAK) FERM and SH2 Domains: Bringing Specificity to JAK-Receptor Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrao, Ryan; Lupardus, Patrick J

    2017-01-01

    The Janus kinases (JAKs) are non-receptor tyrosine kinases essential for signaling in response to cytokines and interferons and thereby control many essential functions in growth, development, and immune regulation. JAKs are unique among tyrosine kinases for their constitutive yet non-covalent association with class I and II cytokine receptors, which upon cytokine binding bring together two JAKs to create an active signaling complex. JAK association with cytokine receptors is facilitated by N-terminal FERM and SH2 domains, both of which are classical mediators of peptide interactions. Together, the JAK FERM and SH2 domains mediate a bipartite interaction with two distinct receptor peptide motifs, the proline-rich "Box1" and hydrophobic "Box2," which are present in the intracellular domain of cytokine receptors. While the general sidechain chemistry of Box1 and Box2 peptides is conserved between receptors, they share very weak primary sequence homology, making it impossible to posit why certain JAKs preferentially interact with and signal through specific subsets of cytokine receptors. Here, we review the structure and function of the JAK FERM and SH2 domains in light of several recent studies that reveal their atomic structure and elucidate interaction mechanisms with both the Box1 and Box2 receptor motifs. These crystal structures demonstrate how evolution has repurposed the JAK FERM and SH2 domains into a receptor-binding module that facilitates interactions with multiple receptors possessing diverse primary sequences.

  8. Remarkable Electromechanical Coupling in the 22 Composite Based on Single-domain PMN–0.33PT Crystal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitaly Yu. TOPOLOV

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available A novel parallel-connected 22 single-domain 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3 – 0.33PbTiO3 crystal / polymer composite with various orientations of polarization vectors of the components is proposed to analyze behavior of electromechanical coupling factors k*3j and k*k where j = 1, 2 and 3. It is shown that the combination of the highly piezo-active relaxor-ferroelectric single-domain component and the piezoelectric polymer provides considerable values of k*k (min k*k » –0.8 and max k*k» 0.7 and |k*33| (about 0.9. The active role of the polarization orientation effect and the composite structure in attaining the high performance is emphasized in this work. A strong correlation between k*k and the hydrostatic piezoelectric coefficient is first revealed near min k*k and max k*k of the 22 composite. Some advantages concerned with the presence of the single-domain component in the 22 composite are discussed in connection with the large values of k*3j and k*k as well as with the considerable anisotropy of k*3j.

  9. Molecular Mechanisms of SH2- and PTB-Domain-Containing Proteins in Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Melany J.; Stacey, Melissa M.; Liu, Bernard A.; Pawson, Tony

    2013-01-01

    Intracellular signaling is mediated by reversible posttranslational modifications (PTMs) that include phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and acetylation, among others. In response to extracellular stimuli such as growth factors, receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) typically dimerize and initiate signaling through phosphorylation of their cytoplasmic tails and downstream scaffolds. Signaling effectors are recruited to these phosphotyrosine (pTyr) sites primarily through Src homology 2 (SH2) domains and pTyr-binding (PTB) domains. This review describes how these conserved domains specifically recognize pTyr residues and play a major role in mediating precise downstream signaling events. PMID:24296166

  10. Molecular mechanisms of SH2- and PTB-domain-containing proteins in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Melany J; Stacey, Melissa M; Liu, Bernard A; Pawson, Tony

    2013-12-01

    Intracellular signaling is mediated by reversible posttranslational modifications (PTMs) that include phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and acetylation, among others. In response to extracellular stimuli such as growth factors, receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) typically dimerize and initiate signaling through phosphorylation of their cytoplasmic tails and downstream scaffolds. Signaling effectors are recruited to these phosphotyrosine (pTyr) sites primarily through Src homology 2 (SH2) domains and pTyr-binding (PTB) domains. This review describes how these conserved domains specifically recognize pTyr residues and play a major role in mediating precise downstream signaling events.

  11. Crystal structure of the Rasputin NTF2-like domain from Drosophila melanogaster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vognsen, Tina; Kristensen, Ole

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of Rasputin protein is presented. ► Differences to known ligand binding sites of nuclear transport factor 2 are discussed. ► A new ligand binding site for the Rasputin and G3BP proteins is proposed. -- Abstract: The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of the Drosophila homolog of Ras GTPase SH3 Binding Protein (G3BP), Rasputin, was determined at 2.7 Å resolution. The overall structure is highly similar to nuclear transport factor 2: It is a homodimer comprised of a β-sheet and three α-helices forming a cone-like shape. However, known binding sites for RanGDP and FxFG containing peptides show electrostatic and steric differences compared to nuclear transport factor 2. A HEPES molecule bound in the structure suggests a new, and possibly physiologically relevant, ligand binding site.

  12. Regulation of plant plasma membrane H+- and Ca2+-ATPases by terminal domains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bækgaard, Lone; Fuglsang, Anja Thoe; Palmgren, Michael Gjedde

    2005-01-01

    In the last few years, major progress has been made to elucidate the structure, function, and regulation of P-type plasma membrane H(+)-and Ca(2+)-ATPases. Even though a number of regulatory proteins have been identified, many pieces are still lacking in order to understand the complete regulatory...... mechanisms of these pumps. In plant plasma membrane H(+)- and Ca(2+)-ATPases, autoinhibitory domains are situated in the C- and N-terminal domains, respectively. A model for a common mechanism of autoinhibition is discussed....

  13. Distinct roles for the IIId2 sub-domain in pestivirus and picornavirus internal ribosome entry sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willcocks, Margaret M; Zaini, Salmah; Chamond, Nathalie; Ulryck, Nathalie; Allouche, Delphine; Rajagopalan, Noemie; Davids, Nana A; Fahnøe, Ulrik; Hadsbjerg, Johanne; Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun; Roberts, Lisa O; Sargueil, Bruno; Belsham, Graham J; Locker, Nicolas

    2017-12-15

    Viral internal ribosomes entry site (IRES) elements coordinate the recruitment of the host translation machinery to direct the initiation of viral protein synthesis. Within hepatitis C virus (HCV)-like IRES elements, the sub-domain IIId(1) is crucial for recruiting the 40S ribosomal subunit. However, some HCV-like IRES elements possess an additional sub-domain, termed IIId2, whose function remains unclear. Herein, we show that IIId2 sub-domains from divergent viruses have different functions. The IIId2 sub-domain present in Seneca valley virus (SVV), a picornavirus, is dispensable for IRES activity, while the IIId2 sub-domains of two pestiviruses, classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and border disease virus (BDV), are required for 80S ribosomes assembly and IRES activity. Unlike in SVV, the deletion of IIId2 from the CSFV and BDV IRES elements impairs initiation of translation by inhibiting the assembly of 80S ribosomes. Consequently, this negatively affects the replication of CSFV and BDV. Finally, we show that the SVV IIId2 sub-domain is required for efficient viral RNA synthesis and growth of SVV, but not for IRES function. This study sheds light on the molecular evolution of viruses by clearly demonstrating that conserved RNA structures, within distantly related RNA viruses, have acquired different roles in the virus life cycles. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  14. Inhibition of TLR2 signaling by small molecule inhibitors targeting a pocket within the TLR2 TIR domain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistry, Pragnesh; Laird, Michelle H. W.; Schwarz, Ryan S.; Greene, Shannon; Dyson, Tristan; Snyder, Greg A.; Xiao, Tsan Sam; Chauhan, Jay; Fletcher, Steven; Toshchakov, Vladimir Y.; MacKerell, Alexander D.; Vogel, Stefanie N.

    2015-01-01

    Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is initiated by dimerization of intracellular Toll/IL-1 receptor resistance (TIR) domains. For all TLRs except TLR3, recruitment of the adapter, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), to TLR TIR domains results in downstream signaling culminating in proinflammatory cytokine production. Therefore, blocking TLR TIR dimerization may ameliorate TLR2-mediated hyperinflammatory states. The BB loop within the TLR TIR domain is critical for mediating certain protein–protein interactions. Examination of the human TLR2 TIR domain crystal structure revealed a pocket adjacent to the highly conserved P681 and G682 BB loop residues. Using computer-aided drug design (CADD), we sought to identify a small molecule inhibitor(s) that would fit within this pocket and potentially disrupt TLR2 signaling. In silico screening identified 149 compounds and 20 US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs based on their predicted ability to bind in the BB loop pocket. These compounds were screened in HEK293T-TLR2 transfectants for the ability to inhibit TLR2-mediated IL-8 mRNA. C16H15NO4 (C29) was identified as a potential TLR2 inhibitor. C29, and its derivative, ortho-vanillin (o-vanillin), inhibited TLR2/1 and TLR2/6 signaling induced by synthetic and bacterial TLR2 agonists in human HEK-TLR2 and THP-1 cells, but only TLR2/1 signaling in murine macrophages. C29 failed to inhibit signaling induced by other TLR agonists and TNF-α. Mutagenesis of BB loop pocket residues revealed an indispensable role for TLR2/1, but not TLR2/6, signaling, suggesting divergent roles. Mice treated with o-vanillin exhibited reduced TLR2-induced inflammation. Our data provide proof of principle that targeting the BB loop pocket is an effective approach for identification of TLR2 signaling inhibitors. PMID:25870276

  15. Large scale 2D spectral compressed sensing in continuous domain

    KAUST Repository

    Cai, Jian-Feng

    2017-06-20

    We consider the problem of spectral compressed sensing in continuous domain, which aims to recover a 2-dimensional spectrally sparse signal from partially observed time samples. The signal is assumed to be a superposition of s complex sinusoids. We propose a semidefinite program for the 2D signal recovery problem. Our model is able to handle large scale 2D signals of size 500 × 500, whereas traditional approaches only handle signals of size around 20 × 20.

  16. Large scale 2D spectral compressed sensing in continuous domain

    KAUST Repository

    Cai, Jian-Feng; Xu, Weiyu; Yang, Yang

    2017-01-01

    We consider the problem of spectral compressed sensing in continuous domain, which aims to recover a 2-dimensional spectrally sparse signal from partially observed time samples. The signal is assumed to be a superposition of s complex sinusoids. We propose a semidefinite program for the 2D signal recovery problem. Our model is able to handle large scale 2D signals of size 500 × 500, whereas traditional approaches only handle signals of size around 20 × 20.

  17. Crystal Structure of the Extracellular Cholinesterase-Like Domain from Neuroligin-2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koehnke,J.; Jin, X.; Budreck, E.; Posy, S.; Scheiffele, P.; Hnoig, B.; Shapiro, L.

    2008-01-01

    Neuroligins (NLs) are catalytically inactive members of a family of cholinesterase-like transmembrane proteins that mediate cell adhesion at neuronal synapses. Postsynaptic neuroligins engage in Ca2+-dependent transsynaptic interactions via their extracellular cholinesterase domain with presynaptic neurexins (NRXs). These interactions may be regulated by two short splice insertions (termed A and B) in the NL cholinesterase domain. Here, we present the 3.3- Angstroms crystal structure of the ectodomain from NL2 containing splice insertion A (NL2A). The overall structure of NL2A resembles that of cholinesterases, but several structural features are unique to the NL proteins. First, structural elements surrounding the esterase active-site region differ significantly between active esterases and NL2A. On the opposite surface of the NL2A molecule, the positions of the A and B splice insertions identify a candidate NRX interaction site of the NL protein. Finally, sequence comparisons of NL isoforms allow for mapping the location of residues of previously identified mutations in NL3 and NL4 found in patients with autism spectrum disorders. Overall, the NL2 structure promises to provide a valuable model for dissecting NL isoform- and synapse-specific functions.

  18. Several domains from VAR2CSA can induce Plasmodium falciparum adhesion-blocking antibodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salanti, Ali; Resende, Mafalda; Ditlev, Sisse B

    2010-01-01

    . In this study, it is demonstrated that other domains of VAR2CSA also can induce antibodies with inhibitory activity. METHODS: All VAR2CSA domains from the 3D7 and HB3 parasites were produced in Baculovirus-transfected insect cells. Groups of three rats per protein were immunized and anti-sera were tested...

  19. The SH2 and SH3 domains of mammalian Grb2 couple the EGF receptor to the Ras activator mSos1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozakis-Adcock, M; Fernley, R; Wade, J; Pawson, T; Bowtell, D

    1993-05-06

    Many tyrosine kinases, including the receptors for hormones such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), nerve growth factor and insulin, transmit intracellular signals through Ras proteins. Ligand binding to such receptors stimulates Ras guanine-nucleotide-exchange activity and increases the level of GTP-bound Ras, suggesting that these tyrosine kinases may activate a guanine-nucleotide releasing protein (GNRP). In Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, genetic studies have shown that Ras activation by tyrosine kinases requires the protein Sem-5/drk, which contains a single Src-homology (SH) 2 domain and two flanking SH3 domains. Sem-5 is homologous to the mammalian protein Grb2, which binds the autophosphorylated EGF receptor and other phosphotyrosine-containing proteins such as Shc through its SH2 domain. Here we show that in rodent fibroblasts, the SH3 domains of Grb2 are bound to the proline-rich carboxy-terminal tail of mSos1, a protein homologous to Drosophila Sos. Sos is required for Ras signalling and contains a central domain related to known Ras-GNRPs. EGF stimulation induces binding of the Grb2-mSos1 complex to the autophosphorylated EGF receptor, and mSos1 phosphorylation. Grb2 therefore appears to link tyrosine kinases to a Ras-GNRP in mammalian cells.

  20. Adaptor proteins intersectin 1 and 2 bind similar proline-rich ligands but are differentially recognized by SH2 domain-containing proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Novokhatska

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Scaffolding proteins of the intersectin (ITSN family, ITSN1 and ITSN2, are crucial for the initiation stage of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. These proteins are closely related but have implications in distinct pathologies. To determine how these proteins could be separated in certain cell pathways we performed a comparative study of ITSNs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have shown that endogenous ITSN1 and ITSN2 colocalize and form a complex in cells. A structural comparison of five SH3 domains, which mediated most ITSNs protein-protein interactions, demonstrated a similarity of their ligand-binding sites. We showed that the SH3 domains of ITSN2 bound well-established interactors of ITSN1 as well as newly identified ITSNs protein partners. A search for a novel interacting interface revealed multiple tyrosines that could be phosphorylated in ITSN2. Phosphorylation of ITSN2 isoforms but not ITSN1 short isoform was observed in various cell lines. EGF stimulation of HeLa cells enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of ITSN2 isoforms and enabled their recognition by the SH2 domains of the Fyn, Fgr and Abl1 kinases, the regulatory subunit of PI3K, the adaptor proteins Grb2 and Crk, and phospholipase C gamma. The SH2 domains mentioned were unable to bind ITSN1 short isoform. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results indicate that during evolution of vertebrates ITSN2 acquired a novel protein-interaction interface that allows its specific recognition by the SH2 domains of signaling proteins. We propose that these data could be important to understand the functional diversity of paralogous ITSN proteins.

  1. Crystal structure of the Rasputin NTF2-like domain from Drosophila melanogaster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vognsen, Tina, E-mail: tv@farma.ku.dk [Biostructural Research, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Kristensen, Ole, E-mail: ok@farma.ku.dk [Biostructural Research, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark)

    2012-03-30

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of Rasputin protein is presented. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Differences to known ligand binding sites of nuclear transport factor 2 are discussed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new ligand binding site for the Rasputin and G3BP proteins is proposed. -- Abstract: The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of the Drosophila homolog of Ras GTPase SH3 Binding Protein (G3BP), Rasputin, was determined at 2.7 A resolution. The overall structure is highly similar to nuclear transport factor 2: It is a homodimer comprised of a {beta}-sheet and three {alpha}-helices forming a cone-like shape. However, known binding sites for RanGDP and FxFG containing peptides show electrostatic and steric differences compared to nuclear transport factor 2. A HEPES molecule bound in the structure suggests a new, and possibly physiologically relevant, ligand binding site.

  2. Characterization of the N-deacetylase domain from the heparan sulfate N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duncan, Michael B.; Liu, May; Fox, Courtney; Liu, Jian

    2006-01-01

    Heparin and heparan sulfate are linear sulfated polysaccharides that exert a multitude of biological functions. Heparan sulfate glucosaminyl N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase isoform 2 (NDST-2), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of heparin, contains two distinct activities. This bifunctional enzyme removes the acetyl group from N-acetylated glucosamine (N-deacetylase activity) and transfers a sulfuryl group to the unsubstituted amino position (N-sulfotransferase activity). The N-sulfotransferase activity of NDST has been unambiguously localized to the C-terminal domain of NDST. Here, we report that the N-terminal domain of NDST-2 retains N-deacetylase activity. The N-terminal domain (A66-P604) of human NDST-2, designated as N-deacetylase (NDase), was cloned as a (His) 6 -fusion protein, and protein expression was carried out in Escherichia coli. Heparosan treated with NDase contains N-unsubstituted glucosamine and is highly susceptible to N-sulfation by N-sulfotransferase. Our results conclude that the N-terminal domain of NDST-2 contains functional N-deacetylase activity. This finding helps further elucidate the mechanism of action of heparan sulfate N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferases and the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate in general

  3. Domain walls and perturbation theory in high-temperature gauge theory: SU(2) in 2+1 dimensions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korthals Altes, C.; Michels, A.; Teper, M.; Stephanov, M.

    1997-01-01

    We study the detailed properties of Z 2 domain walls in the deconfined high-temperature phase of the d=2+1 SU(2) gauge theory. These walls are studied both by computer simulations of the lattice theory and by one-loop perturbative calculations. The latter are carried out both in the continuum and on the lattice. We find that leading order perturbation theory reproduces the detailed properties of these domain walls remarkably accurately even at temperatures where the effective dimensionless expansion parameter g 2 /T is close to unity. The quantities studied include the surface tension, the action density profiles, roughening, and the electric screening mass. It is only for the last quantity that we find an exception to the precocious success of perturbation theory. All this shows that, despite the presence of infrared divergences at higher orders, high-T perturbation theory can be an accurate calculational tool. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

  4. Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) regulates proliferation of endochondral cells in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawai, Ikuma; Hisaki, Tomoka; Sugiura, Koji; Naito, Kunihiko; Kano, Kiyoshi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) is a receptor tyrosine kinase. ► DDR2 regulates cell proliferation, cell adhesion, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. ► We produced in vitro and in vivo model to better understand the role of DDR2. ► DDR2 might play an inhibitory role in the proliferation of chondrocyte. -- Abstract: Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is activated by fibrillar collagens. DDR2 regulates cell proliferation, cell adhesion, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. The decrement of endogenous DDR2 represses osteoblastic marker gene expression and osteogenic differentiation in murine preosteoblastic cells, but the functions of DDR2 in chondrogenic cellular proliferation remain unclear. To better understand the role of DDR2 signaling in cellular proliferation in endochondral ossification, we inhibited Ddr2 expression via the inhibitory effect of miRNA on Ddr2 mRNA (miDdr2) and analyzed the cellular proliferation and differentiation in the prechondrocyte ATDC5 cell lines. To investigate DDR2’s molecular role in endochondral cellular proliferation in vivo, we also produced transgenic mice in which the expression of truncated, kinase dead (KD) DDR2 protein is induced, and evaluated the DDR2 function in cellular proliferation in chondrocytes. Although the miDdr2-transfected ATDC5 cell lines retained normal differentiation ability, DDR2 reduction finally promoted cellular proliferation in proportion to the decreasing ratio of Ddr2 expression, and it also promoted earlier differentiation to cartilage cells by insulin induction. The layer of hypertrophic chondrocytes in KD Ddr2 transgenic mice was not significantly thicker than that of normal littermates, but the layer of proliferative chondrocytes in KD-Ddr2 transgenic mice was significantly thicker than that of normal littermates. Taken together, our data demonstrated that DDR2 might play a local and essential role in the

  5. Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) regulates proliferation of endochondral cells in mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawai, Ikuma; Hisaki, Tomoka; Sugiura, Koji; Naito, Kunihiko [Laboratory of Applied Genetics, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657 (Japan); Kano, Kiyoshi, E-mail: kanokiyo@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp [Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan. (Japan); Biomedical Science Center for Translational Research (BSCTR), The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753-8515 (Japan)

    2012-10-26

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) is a receptor tyrosine kinase. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer DDR2 regulates cell proliferation, cell adhesion, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We produced in vitro and in vivo model to better understand the role of DDR2. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer DDR2 might play an inhibitory role in the proliferation of chondrocyte. -- Abstract: Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is activated by fibrillar collagens. DDR2 regulates cell proliferation, cell adhesion, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. The decrement of endogenous DDR2 represses osteoblastic marker gene expression and osteogenic differentiation in murine preosteoblastic cells, but the functions of DDR2 in chondrogenic cellular proliferation remain unclear. To better understand the role of DDR2 signaling in cellular proliferation in endochondral ossification, we inhibited Ddr2 expression via the inhibitory effect of miRNA on Ddr2 mRNA (miDdr2) and analyzed the cellular proliferation and differentiation in the prechondrocyte ATDC5 cell lines. To investigate DDR2's molecular role in endochondral cellular proliferation in vivo, we also produced transgenic mice in which the expression of truncated, kinase dead (KD) DDR2 protein is induced, and evaluated the DDR2 function in cellular proliferation in chondrocytes. Although the miDdr2-transfected ATDC5 cell lines retained normal differentiation ability, DDR2 reduction finally promoted cellular proliferation in proportion to the decreasing ratio of Ddr2 expression, and it also promoted earlier differentiation to cartilage cells by insulin induction. The layer of hypertrophic chondrocytes in KD Ddr2 transgenic mice was not significantly thicker than that of normal littermates, but the layer of proliferative chondrocytes in KD-Ddr2 transgenic mice was significantly thicker than that of normal littermates

  6. Different methods of membrane domains isolation result in similar 2-D distribution patterns of membrane domain proteins

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Matoušek, Petr; Hodný, Zdeněk; Švandová, I.; Svoboda, Petr

    2003-01-01

    Roč. 81, č. 6 (2003), s. 365-372 ISSN 0829-8211 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LN00A026 Grant - others:Wellcome Trust(GB) xx Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922; CEZ:MSM 113100003; CEZ:AV0Z5039906 Keywords : membrane domain * G protein * two-dimensional electrophoresis * GPI-ancored proteins Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.456, year: 2003

  7. Itk tyrosine kinase substrate docking is mediated by a nonclassical SH2 domain surface of PLCgamma1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, Lie; Joseph, Raji E; Fulton, D Bruce; Andreotti, Amy H

    2009-12-15

    Interleukin-2 tyrosine kinase (Itk) is a Tec family tyrosine kinase that mediates signaling processes after T cell receptor engagement. Activation of Itk requires recruitment to the membrane via its pleckstrin homology domain, phosphorylation of Itk by the Src kinase, Lck, and binding of Itk to the SLP-76/LAT adapter complex. After activation, Itk phosphorylates and activates phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1), leading to production of two second messengers, DAG and IP(3). We have previously shown that phosphorylation of PLC-gamma1 by Itk requires a direct, phosphotyrosine-independent interaction between the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of PLC-gamma1 and the kinase domain of Itk. We now define this docking interface using a combination of mutagenesis and NMR spectroscopy and show that disruption of the Itk/PLCgamma1 docking interaction attenuates T cell signaling. The binding surface on PLCgamma1 that mediates recognition by Itk highlights a nonclassical binding activity of the well-studied SH2 domain providing further evidence that SH2 domains participate in important signaling interactions beyond recognition of phosphotyrosine.

  8. Comparison of SH3 and SH2 domain dynamics when expressed alone or in an SH(3+2) construct: the role of protein dynamics in functional regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engen, J R; Smithgall, T E; Gmeiner, W H; Smith, D L

    1999-04-02

    Protein dynamics play an important role in protein function and regulation of enzymatic activity. To determine how additional interactions with surrounding structure affects local protein dynamics, we have used hydrogen exchange and mass spectrometry to investigate the SH2 and SH3 domains of the protein tyrosine kinase Hck. Exchange rates of isolated Hck SH3 and SH2 domains were compared with rates for the same domains when part of a larger SH(3+2) construct. Increased deuterium incorporation was observed for the SH3 domain in the joint construct, particularly near the SH2 interface and the short sequence that connects SH3 to SH2, implying greater flexibility of SH3 when it is part of SH(3+2). Slow cooperative unfolding of the SH3 domain occurred at the same rate in isolated SH3 as in the SH(3+2) construct, suggesting a functional significance for this unfolding. The SH2 domain displayed relatively smaller changes in flexibility when part of the SH(3+2) construct. These results suggest that the domains influence each other. Further, our results imply a link between functional regulation and structural dynamics of SH3 and SH2 domains. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  9. Charge ordering, ferroelectric, and magnetic domains in LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} observed by scanning probe microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, I. K.; Jeong, Y. H., E-mail: yhj@postech.ac.kr [Department of Physics, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jeehoon [Department of Physics, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); CALDES, Institute of Basic Science, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, S. H. [YE Team, Samsung Electronics, 1 Samsungjeonja-Ro, Hwaseong 445-330 (Korea, Republic of); Cheong, S.-W. [Laboratory of Pohang Emergent Materials, POSTECH, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Pohang 790-784 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 (United States)

    2015-04-13

    LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} is a multiferroic system which exhibits charge order, ferroelectricity, and ferrimagnetism simultaneously below ∼230 K. The ferroelectric/charge order domains of LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} are imaged with both piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and electrostatic force microscopy (EFM), while the magnetic domains are characterized by magnetic force microscopy (MFM). Comparison of PFM and EFM results suggests that the proposed ferroelectricity in LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} is not of usual displacive type but of electronic origin. Simultaneous characterization of ferroelectric/charge order and magnetic domains by EFM and MFM, respectively, on the same surface of LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} reveals that both domains have irregular patterns of similar shape, but the length scales are quite different. The domain size is approximately 100 nm for the ferroelectric domains, while the magnetic domain size is much larger and gets as large as 1 μm. We also demonstrate that the origin of the formation of irregular domains in LuFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} is not extrinsic but intrinsic.

  10. The intervening domain from MeCP2 enhances the DNA affinity of the methyl binding domain and provides an independent DNA interaction site.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claveria-Gimeno, Rafael; Lanuza, Pilar M; Morales-Chueca, Ignacio; Jorge-Torres, Olga C; Vega, Sonia; Abian, Olga; Esteller, Manel; Velazquez-Campoy, Adrian

    2017-01-31

    Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) preferentially interacts with methylated DNA and it is involved in epigenetic regulation and chromatin remodelling. Mutations in MeCP2 are linked to Rett syndrome, the leading cause of intellectual retardation in girls and causing mental, motor and growth impairment. Unstructured regions in MeCP2 provide the plasticity for establishing interactions with multiple binding partners. We present a biophysical characterization of the methyl binding domain (MBD) from MeCP2 reporting the contribution of flanking domains to its structural stability and dsDNA interaction. The flanking disordered intervening domain (ID) increased the structural stability of MBD, modified its dsDNA binding profile from an entropically-driven moderate-affinity binding to an overwhelmingly enthalpically-driven high-affinity binding. Additionally, ID provided an additional site for simultaneously and autonomously binding an independent dsDNA molecule, which is a key feature linked to the chromatin remodelling and looping activity of MeCP2, as well as its ability to interact with nucleosomes replacing histone H1. The dsDNA interaction is characterized by an unusually large heat capacity linked to a cluster of water molecules trapped within the binding interface. The dynamics of disordered regions together with extrinsic factors are key determinants of MeCP2 global structural properties and functional capabilities.

  11. Domain Walls and Matter-Antimatter Domains in the Early Universe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dolgov A.D.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We suggest a scenario of spontaneous (or dynamical C and CP violation according to which it is possible to generate domains of matter and antimatter separated by cosmologically large distances. Such C(CP violation existed only in the early universe and later it disappeared with the only trace of generated matter and antimatter domains. So this scenario does not suffer from the problem of domain walls. According to this scenario the width of the domain wall should grow exponentially to prevent annihilation at the domain boundaries. Though there is a classical result obtained by Basu and Vilenkin that the width of the wall tends to the one of the stationary solution (constant physical width. That is why we considered thick domain walls in a de Sitter universe following paper by Basu and Vilenkin. However, we were interested not only in stationary solutions found therein, but also investigated the general case of domain wall evolution with time. When the wall thickness parameter, δ0 , is smaller than H−1/2 where H is the Hubble parameter in de Sitter space-time, then the stationary solutions exist, and initial field configurations tend with time to the stationary ones. However, there are no stationary solutions for δ0>H−1/2 We have calculated numerically the rate of the wall expansion in this case and have found that the width of the wall grows exponentially fast for δ0≫H−1 An explanation for the critical value δ0c=H−1/2 is also proposed.

  12. Interaction of calmodulin with the calmodulin binding domain of the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vorherr, T.; James, P.; Krebs, J.; Carafoli, E.; McCormick, D.J.; Penniston, J.T.; Enyedi, A.

    1990-01-01

    Peptides corresponding to the calmodulin binding domain of the plasma membrane Ca 2+ pump were synthesized, and their interaction with calmodulin was studied with circular dichroism, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and fluorescence techniques. They corresponded to the complete calmodulin binding domain (28 residues), to its first 15 or 20 amino acids, and to its C-terminal 14 amino acids. The first three peptides interacted with calmodulin. The K value was similar to that of the intact enzyme in the 28 and 20 amino acid peptides, but increased substantially in the shorter 15 amino acid peptide. The 14 amino acid peptide corresponding to the C-terminal portion of the domain failed to bind calmodulin. 2D NMR experiments on the 20 amino acid peptides have indicated that the interaction occurred with the C-terminal half of calmodulin. A tryptophan that is conserved in most calmodulin binding domains of proteins was replaced by other amino acids, giving rise to modified peptides which had lower affinity for calmodulin. An 18 amino acid peptide corresponding to an acidic sequence immediately N-terminal to the calmodulin binding domain which is likely to be a Ca 2+ binding site in the pump was also synthesized. Circular dichroism experiments have shown that it interacted with calmodulin binding domain, supporting the suggestion that the latter, or a portion of it, may act as a natural inhibitor of the pump

  13. Sc-Decorated Porous Graphene for High-Capacity Hydrogen Storage: First-Principles Calculations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuhong Chen

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The generalized gradient approximation (GGA function based on density functional theory is adopted to investigate the optimized geometrical structure, electron structure and hydrogen storage performance of Sc modified porous graphene (PG. It is found that the carbon ring center is the most stable adsorbed position for a single Sc atom on PG, and the maximum number of adsorbed H2 molecules is four with the average adsorption energy of −0.429 eV/H2. By adding a second Sc atom on the other side of the system, the hydrogen storage capacity of the system can be improved effectively. Two Sc atoms located on opposite sides of the PG carbon ring center hole is the most suitable hydrogen storage structure, and the hydrogen storage capacity reach a maximum 9.09 wt % at the average adsorption energy of −0.296 eV/H2. The adsorption of H2 molecules in the PG system is mainly attributed to orbital hybridization among H, Sc, and C atoms, and Coulomb attraction between negatively charged H2 molecules and positively charged Sc atoms.

  14. Associations of Total and Domain-Specific Sedentary Time With Type 2 Diabetes in Taiwanese Older Adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Chun Hsueh

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in older adults has become a public health concern. We investigated the associations of total and domain-specific sedentary time with risk of type 2 diabetes in older adults. Methods: The sample comprised 1046 older people (aged ≥65 years. Analyses were performed using crosssectional data collected via computer-assisted telephone-based interviews in 2014. Data on six self-reported domains of sedentary time (Measure of Older Adults’ Sedentary Time, type 2 diabetes status, and sociodemographic variables were included in the study. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs for total and individual sedentary behavior components and likelihood of type 2 diabetes. Results: A total of 17.5% of the participants reported type 2 diabetes. No significant associations were found between total sitting time and risk of type 2 diabetes, after controlling for confounding factors. After total sedentary behavior was stratified into six domains, only watching television for more than 2 hours per day was associated with higher odds of type 2 diabetes (OR 1.56; 95% CI, 1.10–2.21, but no significant associations were found between other domains of sedentary behavior (computer use, reading, socializing, transport, and hobbies and risk of type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, among domain-specific sedentary behavior, excessive television viewing might increase the risk of type 2 diabetes among older adults more than other forms of sedentary behavior.

  15. Spred-2 deficiency exacerbates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung inflammation in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Xu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS is a severe and life-threatening acute lung injury (ALI that is caused by noxious stimuli and pathogens. ALI is characterized by marked acute inflammation with elevated alveolar cytokine levels. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK pathways are involved in cytokine production, but the mechanisms that regulate these pathways remain poorly characterized. Here, we focused on the role of Sprouty-related EVH1-domain-containing protein (Spred-2, a negative regulator of the Ras-Raf-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK-MAPK pathway, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced acute lung inflammation. METHODS: Wild-type (WT mice and Spred-2(-/- mice were exposed to intratracheal LPS (50 µg in 50 µL PBS to induce pulmonary inflammation. After LPS-injection, the lungs were harvested to assess leukocyte infiltration, cytokine and chemokine production, ERK-MAPK activation and immunopathology. For ex vivo experiments, alveolar macrophages were harvested from untreated WT and Spred-2(-/- mice and stimulated with LPS. In in vitro experiments, specific knock down of Spred-2 by siRNA or overexpression of Spred-2 by transfection with a plasmid encoding the Spred-2 sense sequence was introduced into murine RAW264.7 macrophage cells or MLE-12 lung epithelial cells. RESULTS: LPS-induced acute lung inflammation was significantly exacerbated in Spred-2(-/- mice compared with WT mice, as indicated by the numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, levels of alveolar TNF-α, CXCL2 and CCL2 in a later phase, and lung pathology. U0126, a selective MEK/ERK inhibitor, reduced the augmented LPS-induced inflammation in Spred-2(-/- mice. Specific knock down of Spred-2 augmented LPS-induced cytokine and chemokine responses in RAW264.7 cells and MLE-12 cells, whereas Spred-2 overexpression decreased this response in RAW264.7 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The ERK-MAPK pathway is involved in LPS-induced acute lung inflammation. Spred-2 controls

  16. SH2 domains of the p85 alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulate binding to growth factor receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGlade, C J; Ellis, C; Reedijk, M; Anderson, D; Mbamalu, G; Reith, A D; Panayotou, G; End, P; Bernstein, A; Kazlauskas, A

    1992-01-01

    The binding of cytoplasmic signaling proteins such as phospholipase C-gamma 1 and Ras GTPase-activating protein to autophosphorylated growth factor receptors is directed by their noncatalytic Src homology region 2 (SH2) domains. The p85 alpha regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, which associates with several receptor protein-tyrosine kinases, also contains two SH2 domains. Both p85 alpha SH2 domains, when expressed individually as fusion proteins in bacteria, bound stably to the activated beta receptor for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Complex formation required PDGF stimulation and was dependent on receptor tyrosine kinase activity. The bacterial p85 alpha SH2 domains recognized activated beta PDGF receptor which had been immobilized on a filter, indicating that SH2 domains contact autophosphorylated receptors directly. Several receptor tyrosine kinases within the PDGF receptor subfamily, including the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor and the Steel factor receptor (Kit), also associate with PI 3-kinase in vivo. Bacterially expressed SH2 domains derived from the p85 alpha subunit of PI 3-kinase bound in vitro to the activated colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor and to Kit. We infer that the SH2 domains of p85 alpha bind to high-affinity sites on these receptors, whose creation is dependent on receptor autophosphorylation. The SH2 domains of p85 are therefore primarily responsible for the binding of PI 3-kinase to activated growth factor receptors. Images PMID:1372092

  17. Predicting detection performance with model observers: Fourier domain or spatial domain?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Baiyu; Yu, Lifeng; Leng, Shuai; Kofler, James; Favazza, Christopher; Vrieze, Thomas; McCollough, Cynthia

    2016-02-27

    The use of Fourier domain model observer is challenged by iterative reconstruction (IR), because IR algorithms are nonlinear and IR images have noise texture different from that of FBP. A modified Fourier domain model observer, which incorporates nonlinear noise and resolution properties, has been proposed for IR and needs to be validated with human detection performance. On the other hand, the spatial domain model observer is theoretically applicable to IR, but more computationally intensive than the Fourier domain method. The purpose of this study is to compare the modified Fourier domain model observer to the spatial domain model observer with both FBP and IR images, using human detection performance as the gold standard. A phantom with inserts of various low contrast levels and sizes was repeatedly scanned 100 times on a third-generation, dual-source CT scanner at 5 dose levels and reconstructed using FBP and IR algorithms. The human detection performance of the inserts was measured via a 2-alternative-forced-choice (2AFC) test. In addition, two model observer performances were calculated, including a Fourier domain non-prewhitening model observer and a spatial domain channelized Hotelling observer. The performance of these two mode observers was compared in terms of how well they correlated with human observer performance. Our results demonstrated that the spatial domain model observer correlated well with human observers across various dose levels, object contrast levels, and object sizes. The Fourier domain observer correlated well with human observers using FBP images, but overestimated the detection performance using IR images.

  18. TEM studies of domain formation mechanisms in MnV{sub 2}O{sub 4}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murakami, Y., E-mail: murakami@tagen.tohoku.ac.jp [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako 351-0198 (Japan); Nii, Y.; Arima, T. [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Shindo, D. [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako 351-0198 (Japan); Yanagisawa, K. [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako 351-0198 (Japan); Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0412 (Japan); Tonomura, A. [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako 351-0198 (Japan); Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd., Hatoyama 350-0395 (Japan); Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0412 (Japan)

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: ► Irregular shape of the phase boundary, due to the small transformation strain. ► TEM studies demonstrate the essential reduction of net magnetization by cooling. ► Twining morphology provides a key to understating of the anomalous magnetic domains. -- Abstract: Crystallographic and magnetic domains produced in a spinel-type compound MnV{sub 2}O{sub 4}, which exhibits a type of giant magnetostriction attributed to twin boundary motion, have been studied using transmission electron microscopy techniques. Although MnV{sub 2}O{sub 4} undergoes a displacive cubic-to-tetragonal transformation upon cooling, it does not show a well-defined habit plane (i.e. the plane with a specific index that is favored for minimizing the transformation) due to the small elongation/contraction in the lattice. Electron holography demonstrates a considerable reduction in the magnetic signal by cooling the tetragonal phase to 40 K. Despite the elimination of micrometer-scale ferrimagnetic domains, weak magnetic contrast still remained, indicating small residual magnetic domains in particular portions, such as in the crosshatch of twinning pairs.

  19. The glycosylated IgII extracellular domain of EMMPRIN is implicated in the induction of MMP-2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadimitropoulou, Adriana; Mamalaki, Avgi

    2013-07-01

    EMMPRIN is a widely expressed transmembrane glycoprotein that plays important roles in many physiological and pathological processes, such as tumor invasion and metastasis. It stimulates the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) by tumor-associated fibroblasts. In the present study, our aim was to (a) to investigate if the IgII loop domain of the extracellular domain (ECD) of EMMPRIN contributes to the MMP production by fibroblasts and (b) to evaluate the significance of glycosylation in this process. For this purpose, we expressed the ECD, IgI, or IgII domains of EMMPRIN, in their glycosylated and non-glycosylated forms, in the heterologous expression systems of P. pastoris and E. coli, respectively. Dermal fibroblasts were treated with purified recombinant domains and proteins from cell extracts and supernatants were analyzed by Western blot and zymography assays. Fibroblasts treated with ECD-, IgI-, and IgII-glycosylated domains of EMMPRIN significantly stimulated the gelatinolytic activity of MMP-2, compared to untreated fibroblasts, whereas no significant effect was observed after treatment with the non-glycosylated ECD, IgI, and IgII domains. Western blot analysis from cell extracts and supernatants revealed that only the glycosylated forms were able to stimulate MMP-2 production and secretion, respectively. Quantitative PCR revealed that this effect was not attributed to transcriptional alterations. This study showed that N-glycosylation was a prerequisite for efficient MMP-2 production, with the IgII loop domain contributing significantly to this process. Perturbation of the function of IgII-EMMPRIN loop could have potential therapeutic value in the inhibition of MMP-2-dependent cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

  20. Protein-phosphotyrosine proteome profiling by superbinder-SH2 domain affinity purification mass spectrometry, sSH2-AP-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Jiefei; Cao, Biyin; Martyn, Gregory D; Krieger, Jonathan R; Taylor, Paul; Yates, Bradley; Sidhu, Sachdev S; Li, Shawn S C; Mao, Xinliang; Moran, Michael F

    2017-03-01

    Recently, "superbinder" SH2 domain variants with three amino acid substitutions (sSH2) were reported to have 100-fold or greater affinity for protein-phosphotyrosine (pY) than natural SH2 domains. Here we report a protocol in which His-tagged Src sSH2 efficiently captures pY-peptides from protease-digested HeLa cell total protein extracts. Affinity purification of pY-peptides by this method shows little bias for pY-proximal amino acid sequences, comparable to that achieved by using antibodies to pY, but with equal or higher yield. Superbinder-SH2 affinity purification mass spectrometry (sSH2-AP-MS) therefore provides an efficient and economical approach for unbiased pY-directed phospho-proteome profiling without the use of antibodies. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Residues 240-250 in the C-terminus of the Pirh2 protein complement the function of the RING domain in self-ubiquitination of the Pirh2 protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rami Abou Zeinab

    Full Text Available Pirh2 is a p53 inducible gene that encodes a RING-H2 domain and is proposed to be a main regulator of p53 protein, thus fine tuning the DNA damage response. Pirh2 interacts physically with p53 and promotes its MDM2-independent ubiquitination and subsequent degradation as well as participates in an auto-regulatory feedback loop that controls p53 function. Pirh2 also self-ubiquitinates. Interestingly, Pirh2 is overexpressed in a wide range of human tumors. In this study, we investigated the domains and residues essential for Pirh2 self-ubiquitination. Deletions were made in each of the three major domains of Pirh2: the N-terminal domain (NTD, Ring domain (RING, and C-terminal domain (CTD. The effects of these deletions on Pirh2 self-ubiquitination were then assessed using in vitro ubiquitination assays. Our results demonstrate that the RING domain is essential, but not sufficient, for Pirh2 self-ubiquitination and that residues 240-250 of the C-terminal domain are also essential. Our results demonstrate that Pirh2 mediated p53 polyubiquitination occurs mainly through the K48 residue of ubiquitin in vitro. Our data further our understanding of the mechanism of Pirh2 self-ubiquitination and may help identify valuable therapeutic targets that play roles in reducing the effects of the overexpression of Pirh2, thus maximizing p53's response to DNA damage.

  2. Phosphopeptide occupancy and photoaffinity cross-linking of the v-Src SH2 domain attenuates tyrosine kinase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, P; Shoelson, S E; Drew, J S; Miller, W T

    1994-12-02

    Phosphorylation of c-Src at carboxyl-terminal Tyr-527 suppresses tyrosine kinase activity and transforming potential, presumably by facilitating the intramolecular interaction of the C terminus of Src with its SH2 domain. In addition, it has been shown previously that occupancy of the c-Src SH2 domain with a phosphopeptide stimulates c-Src kinase catalytic activity. We have performed analogous studies with v-Src, the transforming protein from Rous sarcoma virus, which has extensive homology with c-Src. v-Src lacks an autoregulatory phosphorylation site, and its kinase domain is constitutively active. Phosphopeptides corresponding to the sequences surrounding c-Src Tyr-527 and a Tyr-Glu-Glu-Ile motif from the hamster polyoma virus middle T antigen inhibit tyrosine kinase activity of baculovirus-expressed v-Src 2- and 4-fold, respectively. To determine the mechanism of this regulation, the Tyr-527 phosphopeptide was substituted with the photoactive amino acid p-benzoylphenylalanine at the adjacent positions (N- and C-terminal) to phosphotyrosine. These peptides photoinactivate the v-Src tyrosine kinase 5-fold in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the peptides cross-link an isolated Src SH2 domain with similar rates and specificity. These data indicate that occupancy of the v-Src SH2 domain induces a conformational change that is transmitted to the kinase domain and attenuates tyrosine kinase activity.

  3. Recombinant expression in E. coli of human FGFR2 with its transmembrane and extracellular domains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Bajinting

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases containing three domains: an extracellular receptor domain, a single transmembrane helix, and an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. FGFRs are activated by fibroblast growth factors (FGFs as part of complex signal transduction cascades regulating angiogenesis, skeletal formation, cell differentiation, proliferation, cell survival, and cancer. We have developed the first recombinant expression system in E. coli to produce a construct of human FGFR2 containing its transmembrane and extracellular receptor domains. We demonstrate that the expressed construct is functional in binding heparin and dimerizing. Size exclusion chromatography demonstrates that the purified FGFR2 does not form a complex with FGF1 or adopts an inactive dimer conformation. Progress towards the successful recombinant production of intact FGFRs will facilitate further biochemical experiments and structure determination that will provide insight into how extracellular FGF binding activates intracellular kinase activity.

  4. Occupancy of a C2-C2 type 'zinc-finger' protein domain by copper. Direct observation by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchens, T W; Allen, M H; Li, C M; Yip, T T

    1992-09-07

    The metal ion specificity of most 'zinc-finger' metal binding domains is unknown. The human estrogen receptor protein contains two different C2-C2 type 'zinc-finger' sequences within its DNA-binding domain (ERDBD). Copper inhibits the function of this protein by mechanisms which remain unclear. We have used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to evaluate directly the 71-residue ERDBD (K180-M250) in the absence and presence of Cu(II) ions. The ERDBD showed a high affinity for Cu and was completely occupied with 4 Cu bound; each Cu ion was evidently bound to only two ligand residues (net loss of only 2 Da per bound Cu). The Cu binding stoichiometry was confirmed by atomic absorption. These results (i) provide the first direct physical evidence for the ability of the estrogen receptor DNA-binding domain to bind Cu and (ii) document a twofold difference in the Zn- and Cu-binding capacity. Differences in the ERDBD domain structure with bound Zn and Cu are predicted. Given the relative intracellular contents of Zn and Cu, our findings demonstrate the need to investigate further the Cu occupancy of this and other zinc-finger domains both in vitro and in vivo.

  5. The Three-Dimensional Solution Structure of the Src Homology Domain-2 of the Growth Factor Receptor-Bound Protein-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senior, Mary M.; Frederick, Anne F.; Black, Stuart; Murgolo, Nicholas J.; Perkins, Louise M.; Wilson, Oswald; Snow, Mark E.; Wang Yusen

    1998-01-01

    A set of high-resolution three-dimensional solution structures of the Src homology region-2 (SH2) domain of the growth factor receptor-bound protein-2 was determined using heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. The NMR data used in this study were collected on a stable monomeric protein solution that was free of protein aggregates and proteolysis. The solution structure was determined based upon a total of 1439 constraints, which included 1326 nuclear Overhauser effect distance constraints, 70 hydrogen bond constraints, and 43 dihedral angle constraints. Distance geometry-simulated annealing calculations followed by energy minimization yielded a family of 18 structures that converged to a root-mean-square deviation of 1.09 A for all backbone atoms and 0.40 A for the backbone atoms of the central β-sheet. The core structure of the SH2 domain contains an antiparallel β-sheet flanked by two parallel α-helices displaying an overall architecture that is similar to other known SH2 domain structures. This family of NMR structures is compared to the X-ray structure and to another family of NMR solution structures determined under different solution conditions

  6. Two amino acid residues confer different binding affinities of Abelson family kinase SRC homology 2 domains for phosphorylated cortactin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gifford, Stacey M; Liu, Weizhi; Mader, Christopher C; Halo, Tiffany L; Machida, Kazuya; Boggon, Titus J; Koleske, Anthony J

    2014-07-11

    The closely related Abl family kinases, Arg and Abl, play important non-redundant roles in the regulation of cell morphogenesis and motility. Despite similar N-terminal sequences, Arg and Abl interact with different substrates and binding partners with varying affinities. This selectivity may be due to slight differences in amino acid sequence leading to differential interactions with target proteins. We report that the Arg Src homology (SH) 2 domain binds two specific phosphotyrosines on cortactin, a known Abl/Arg substrate, with over 10-fold higher affinity than the Abl SH2 domain. We show that this significant affinity difference is due to the substitution of arginine 161 and serine 187 in Abl to leucine 207 and threonine 233 in Arg, respectively. We constructed Abl SH2 domains with R161L and S187T mutations alone and in combination and find that these substitutions are sufficient to convert the low affinity Abl SH2 domain to a higher affinity "Arg-like" SH2 domain in binding to a phospho-cortactin peptide. We crystallized the Arg SH2 domain for structural comparison to existing crystal structures of the Abl SH2 domain. We show that these two residues are important determinants of Arg and Abl SH2 domain binding specificity. Finally, we expressed Arg containing an "Abl-like" low affinity mutant Arg SH2 domain (L207R/T233S) and find that this mutant, although properly localized to the cell periphery, does not support wild type levels of cell edge protrusion. Together, these observations indicate that these two amino acid positions confer different binding affinities and cellular functions on the distinct Abl family kinases. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  7. Effect of the SH3-SH2 domain linker sequence on the structure of Hck kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meiselbach, Heike; Sticht, Heinrich

    2011-08-01

    The coordination of activity in biological systems requires the existence of different signal transduction pathways that interact with one another and must be precisely regulated. The Src-family tyrosine kinases, which are found in many signaling pathways, differ in their physiological function despite their high overall structural similarity. In this context, the differences in the SH3-SH2 domain linkers might play a role for differential regulation, but the structural consequences of linker sequence remain poorly understood. We have therefore performed comparative molecular dynamics simulations of wildtype Hck and of a mutant Hck in which the SH3-SH2 domain linker is replaced by the corresponding sequence from the homologous kinase Lck. These simulations reveal that linker replacement not only affects the orientation of the SH3 domain itself, but also leads to an alternative conformation of the activation segment in the Hck kinase domain. The sequence of the SH3-SH2 domain linker thus exerts a remote effect on the active site geometry and might therefore play a role in modulating the structure of the inactive kinase or in fine-tuning the activation process itself.

  8. C2 Domains as Protein-Protein Interaction Modules in the Ciliary Transition Zone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim Remans

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available RPGR-interacting protein 1 (RPGRIP1 is mutated in the eye disease Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA and its structural homolog, RPGRIP1-like (RPGRIP1L, is mutated in many different ciliopathies. Both are multidomain proteins that are predicted to interact with retinitis pigmentosa G-protein regulator (RPGR. RPGR is mutated in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa and is located in photoreceptors and primary cilia. We solved the crystal structure of the complex between the RPGR-interacting domain (RID of RPGRIP1 and RPGR and demonstrate that RPGRIP1L binds to RPGR similarly. RPGRIP1 binding to RPGR affects the interaction with PDEδ, the cargo shuttling factor for prenylated ciliary proteins. RPGRIP1-RID is a C2 domain with a canonical β sandwich structure that does not bind Ca2+ and/or phospholipids and thus constitutes a unique type of protein-protein interaction module. Judging from the large number of C2 domains in most of the ciliary transition zone proteins identified thus far, the structure presented here seems to constitute a cilia-specific module that is present in multiprotein transition zone complexes.

  9. Mutations in actin used for structural studies partially disrupt β-thymosin/WH2 domains interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deville, Célia; Girard-Blanc, Christine; Assrir, Nadine; Nhiri, Naïma; Jacquet, Eric; Bontems, François; Renault, Louis; Petres, Stéphane; van Heijenoort, Carine

    2016-10-01

    Understanding the structural basis of actin cytoskeleton remodeling requires stabilization of actin monomers, oligomers, and filaments in complex with partner proteins, using various biochemical strategies. Here, we report a dramatic destabilization of the dynamic interaction with a model β-thymosin/WH2 domain induced by mutations in actin. This result underlines that mutant actins should be used with prudence to characterize interactions with intrinsically disordered partners as destabilization of dynamic interactions, although identifiable by NMR, may be invisible to other structural techniques. It also highlights how both β-thymosin/WH2 domains and actin tune local structure and dynamics in regulatory processes involving intrinsically disordered domains. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  10. Crystal structure of the Rasputin NTF2-like domain from Drosophila melanogaster

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vognsen, Tina Reinholdt; Kristensen, Ole

    2012-01-01

    The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of the Drosophila homolog of Ras GTPase SH3 Binding Protein (G3BP), Rasputin, was determined at 2.7Å resolution. The overall structure is highly similar to nuclear transport factor 2: It is a homodimer comprised of a ß-sheet and three a-helices forming...

  11. Cardiorespiratory screening in elite endurance sports athletes: the Quebec study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turmel, Julie; Poirier, Paul; Bougault, Valérie; Blouin, Evelyne; Belzile, Mireille; Boulet, Louis-Philippe

    2012-09-01

    Cardiorespiratory disorders are common in athletes. However, these conditions are often underdiagnosed, which potentially results in impaired performance and increased health risks. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in a research setting, the prevalence of cardiorespiratory disorders in athletes in order to determine the potential value of a screening program. One hundred thirty-three athletes were studied. Each subject underwent a physical examination. A eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) test and a methacholine inhalation test were performed to confirm the diagnosis of asthma. A cardiovascular evaluation was also performed, including maximal exercise test with electrocardiogram, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, 24-hour Holter monitoring, and blood sampling. Seventy-four (56%) athletes had airway hyperresponsiveness to EVH or the methacholine inhalation test. Among those with airway hyperresponsiveness, 45 (61%) athletes were only hyperresponsive to EVH, and 10 (14%) were only hyperresponsive to the methacholine inhalation test (using the criteria of a PC20 ≤ 4 mg/mL). Thirty-two (24%) athletes had a known diagnosis of asthma, while 34 (26%) athletes received a new asthma diagnosis. Ninety-seven (73%) athletes were sensitized to common airborne allergens. Forty-seven (35%) athletes completed the cardiovascular evaluation. Three (6%) and 7 (15%) athletes had a previous or new diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, respectively. Resting systemic hypertension was documented in 2 (4%) athletes and exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise was found in 12 (26%) athletes. This cardiorespiratory screening data set in athletes showed a high prevalence of exercise-induced asthma and exercise hypertension, which in many cases were not previously diagnosed.

  12. Comprehensive Binary Interaction Mapping of SH2 Domains via Fluorescence Polarization Reveals Novel Functional Diversification of ErbB Receptors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciaccio, Mark F.; Chuu, Chih-pin; Jones, Richard B.

    2012-01-01

    First-generation interaction maps of Src homology 2 (SH2) domains with receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) phosphosites have previously been generated using protein microarray (PM) technologies. Here, we developed a large-scale fluorescence polarization (FP) methodology that was able to characterize interactions between SH2 domains and ErbB receptor phosphosites with higher fidelity and sensitivity than was previously achieved with PMs. We used the FP assay to query the interaction of synthetic phosphopeptides corresponding to 89 ErbB receptor intracellular tyrosine sites against 93 human SH2 domains and 2 phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domains. From 358,944 polarization measurements, the affinities for 1,405 unique biological interactions were determined, 83% of which are novel. In contrast to data from previous reports, our analyses suggested that ErbB2 was not more promiscuous than the other ErbB receptors. Our results showed that each receptor displays unique preferences in the affinity and location of recruited SH2 domains that may contribute to differences in downstream signaling potential. ErbB1 was enriched versus the other receptors for recruitment of domains from RAS GEFs whereas ErbB2 was enriched for recruitment of domains from tyrosine and phosphatidyl inositol phosphatases. ErbB3, the kinase inactive ErbB receptor family member, was predictably enriched for recruitment of domains from phosphatidyl inositol kinases and surprisingly, was enriched for recruitment of domains from tyrosine kinases, cytoskeletal regulatory proteins, and RHO GEFs but depleted for recruitment of domains from phosphatidyl inositol phosphatases. Many novel interactions were also observed with phosphopeptides corresponding to ErbB receptor tyrosines not previously reported to be phosphorylated by mass spectrometry, suggesting the existence of many biologically relevant RTK sites that may be phosphorylated but below the detection threshold of standard mass spectrometry procedures. This

  13. Comprehensive binary interaction mapping of SH2 domains via fluorescence polarization reveals novel functional diversification of ErbB receptors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronald J Hause

    Full Text Available First-generation interaction maps of Src homology 2 (SH2 domains with receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK phosphosites have previously been generated using protein microarray (PM technologies. Here, we developed a large-scale fluorescence polarization (FP methodology that was able to characterize interactions between SH2 domains and ErbB receptor phosphosites with higher fidelity and sensitivity than was previously achieved with PMs. We used the FP assay to query the interaction of synthetic phosphopeptides corresponding to 89 ErbB receptor intracellular tyrosine sites against 93 human SH2 domains and 2 phosphotyrosine binding (PTB domains. From 358,944 polarization measurements, the affinities for 1,405 unique biological interactions were determined, 83% of which are novel. In contrast to data from previous reports, our analyses suggested that ErbB2 was not more promiscuous than the other ErbB receptors. Our results showed that each receptor displays unique preferences in the affinity and location of recruited SH2 domains that may contribute to differences in downstream signaling potential. ErbB1 was enriched versus the other receptors for recruitment of domains from RAS GEFs whereas ErbB2 was enriched for recruitment of domains from tyrosine and phosphatidyl inositol phosphatases. ErbB3, the kinase inactive ErbB receptor family member, was predictably enriched for recruitment of domains from phosphatidyl inositol kinases and surprisingly, was enriched for recruitment of domains from tyrosine kinases, cytoskeletal regulatory proteins, and RHO GEFs but depleted for recruitment of domains from phosphatidyl inositol phosphatases. Many novel interactions were also observed with phosphopeptides corresponding to ErbB receptor tyrosines not previously reported to be phosphorylated by mass spectrometry, suggesting the existence of many biologically relevant RTK sites that may be phosphorylated but below the detection threshold of standard mass spectrometry

  14. Solution NMR structure of the HLTF HIRAN domain: a conserved module in SWI2/SNF2 DNA damage tolerance proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korzhnev, Dmitry M.; Neculai, Dante; Dhe-Paganon, Sirano; Arrowsmith, Cheryl H.; Bezsonova, Irina

    2016-01-01

    HLTF is a SWI2/SNF2-family ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzyme that acts in the error-free branch of DNA damage tolerance (DDT), a cellular mechanism that enables replication of damaged DNA while leaving damage repair for a later time. Human HLTF and a closely related protein SHPRH, as well as their yeast homologue Rad5, are multi-functional enzymes that share E3 ubiquitin-ligase activity required for activation of the error-free DDT. HLTF and Rad5 also function as ATP-dependent dsDNA translocases and possess replication fork reversal activities. Thus, they can convert Y-shaped replication forks into X-shaped Holliday junction structures that allow error-free replication over DNA lesions. The fork reversal activity of HLTF is dependent on 3′-ssDNA-end binding activity of its N-terminal HIRAN domain. Here we present the solution NMR structure of the human HLTF HIRAN domain, an OB-like fold module found in organisms from bacteria (as a stand-alone domain) to plants, fungi and metazoan (in combination with SWI2/SNF2 helicase-like domain). The obtained structure of free HLTF HIRAN is similar to recently reported structures of its DNA bound form, while the NMR analysis also reveals that the DNA binding site of the free domain exhibits conformational heterogeneity. Sequence comparison of N-terminal regions of HLTF, SHPRH and Rad5 aided by knowledge of the HLTF HIRAN structure suggests that the SHPRH N-terminus also includes an uncharacterized structured module, exhibiting weak sequence similarity with HIRAN regions of HLTF and Rad5, and potentially playing a similar functional role.

  15. Solution NMR structure of the HLTF HIRAN domain: a conserved module in SWI2/SNF2 DNA damage tolerance proteins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Korzhnev, Dmitry M. [University of Connecticut Health, Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics (United States); Neculai, Dante [Zhejiang University, School of Medicine (China); Dhe-Paganon, Sirano [Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Biology (United States); Arrowsmith, Cheryl H. [University of Toronto, Structural Genomics Consortium (Canada); Bezsonova, Irina, E-mail: bezsonova@uchc.edu [University of Connecticut Health, Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics (United States)

    2016-11-15

    HLTF is a SWI2/SNF2-family ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzyme that acts in the error-free branch of DNA damage tolerance (DDT), a cellular mechanism that enables replication of damaged DNA while leaving damage repair for a later time. Human HLTF and a closely related protein SHPRH, as well as their yeast homologue Rad5, are multi-functional enzymes that share E3 ubiquitin-ligase activity required for activation of the error-free DDT. HLTF and Rad5 also function as ATP-dependent dsDNA translocases and possess replication fork reversal activities. Thus, they can convert Y-shaped replication forks into X-shaped Holliday junction structures that allow error-free replication over DNA lesions. The fork reversal activity of HLTF is dependent on 3′-ssDNA-end binding activity of its N-terminal HIRAN domain. Here we present the solution NMR structure of the human HLTF HIRAN domain, an OB-like fold module found in organisms from bacteria (as a stand-alone domain) to plants, fungi and metazoan (in combination with SWI2/SNF2 helicase-like domain). The obtained structure of free HLTF HIRAN is similar to recently reported structures of its DNA bound form, while the NMR analysis also reveals that the DNA binding site of the free domain exhibits conformational heterogeneity. Sequence comparison of N-terminal regions of HLTF, SHPRH and Rad5 aided by knowledge of the HLTF HIRAN structure suggests that the SHPRH N-terminus also includes an uncharacterized structured module, exhibiting weak sequence similarity with HIRAN regions of HLTF and Rad5, and potentially playing a similar functional role.

  16. MESSENGER E/V/H MASCS 5 VIRS DERIVED ANALYSIS DATA V2.0

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Abstract ======== This data set consists of the MESSENGER MASCS VIRS derived analysis product, also known as the DAP. The DAP is a 500 meter per pixel mosaic map of...

  17. Crystal structure of an SH2-kinase construct of c-Abl and effect of the SH2 domain on kinase activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenz, Sonja; Deng, Patricia; Hantschel, Oliver; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Kuriyan, John

    2015-06-01

    Constitutive activation of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl (cellular Abelson tyrosine protein kinase 1, Abl1) in the Bcr (breakpoint cluster region)-Abl1 fusion oncoprotein is the molecular cause of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Recent studies have indicated that an interaction between the SH2 (Src-homology 2) domain and the N-lobe (N-terminal lobe) of the c-Abl kinase domain (KD) has a critical role in leukaemogenesis [Grebien et al. (2011) Cell 147, 306-319; Sherbenou et al. (2010) Blood 116, 3278-3285]. To dissect the structural basis of this phenomenon, we studied c-Abl constructs comprising the SH2 and KDs in vitro. We present a crystal structure of an SH2-KD construct bound to dasatinib, which contains the relevant interface between the SH2 domain and the N-lobe of the KD. We show that the presence of the SH2 domain enhances kinase activity moderately and that this effect depends on contacts in the SH2/N-lobe interface and is abrogated by specific mutations. Consistently, formation of the interface decreases slightly the association rate of imatinib with the KD. That the effects are small compared with the dramatic in vivo consequences suggests an important function of the SH2-N-lobe interaction might be to help disassemble the auto-inhibited conformation of c-Abl and promote processive phosphorylation, rather than substantially stimulate kinase activity.

  18. Recovering protein-protein and domain-domain interactions from aggregation of IP-MS proteomics of coregulator complexes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amin R Mazloom

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Coregulator proteins (CoRegs are part of multi-protein complexes that transiently assemble with transcription factors and chromatin modifiers to regulate gene expression. In this study we analyzed data from 3,290 immuno-precipitations (IP followed by mass spectrometry (MS applied to human cell lines aimed at identifying CoRegs complexes. Using the semi-quantitative spectral counts, we scored binary protein-protein and domain-domain associations with several equations. Unlike previous applications, our methods scored prey-prey protein-protein interactions regardless of the baits used. We also predicted domain-domain interactions underlying predicted protein-protein interactions. The quality of predicted protein-protein and domain-domain interactions was evaluated using known binary interactions from the literature, whereas one protein-protein interaction, between STRN and CTTNBP2NL, was validated experimentally; and one domain-domain interaction, between the HEAT domain of PPP2R1A and the Pkinase domain of STK25, was validated using molecular docking simulations. The scoring schemes presented here recovered known, and predicted many new, complexes, protein-protein, and domain-domain interactions. The networks that resulted from the predictions are provided as a web-based interactive application at http://maayanlab.net/HT-IP-MS-2-PPI-DDI/.

  19. Focal adhesion kinase-dependent focal adhesion recruitment of SH2 domains directs SRC into focal adhesions to regulate cell adhesion and migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jui-Chung; Chen, Yu-Chen; Kuo, Chih-Ting; Wenshin Yu, Helen; Chen, Yin-Quan; Chiou, Arthur; Kuo, Jean-Cheng

    2015-12-18

    Directed cell migration requires dynamical control of the protein complex within focal adhesions (FAs) and this control is regulated by signaling events involving tyrosine phosphorylation. We screened the SH2 domains present in tyrosine-specific kinases and phosphatases found within FAs, including SRC, SHP1 and SHP2, and examined whether these enzymes transiently target FAs via their SH2 domains. We found that the SRC_SH2 domain and the SHP2_N-SH2 domain are associated with FAs, but only the SRC_SH2 domain is able to be regulated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK). The FAK-dependent association of the SRC_SH2 domain is necessary and sufficient for SRC FA targeting. When the targeting of SRC into FAs is inhibited, there is significant suppression of SRC-mediated phosphorylation of paxillin and FAK; this results in an inhibition of FA formation and maturation and a reduction in cell migration. This study reveals an association between FAs and the SRC_SH2 domain as well as between FAs and the SHP2_N-SH2 domains. This supports the hypothesis that the FAK-regulated SRC_SH2 domain plays an important role in directing SRC into FAs and that this SRC-mediated FA signaling drives cell migration.

  20. Enhanced Prediction of Src Homology 2 (SH2) Domain Binding Potentials Using a Fluorescence Polarization-derived c-Met, c-Kit, ErbB, and Androgen Receptor Interactome*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Kin K.; Hause, Ronald J.; Barkinge, John L.; Ciaccio, Mark F.; Chuu, Chih-Pin; Jones, Richard B.

    2014-01-01

    Many human diseases are associated with aberrant regulation of phosphoprotein signaling networks. Src homology 2 (SH2) domains represent the major class of protein domains in metazoans that interact with proteins phosphorylated on the amino acid residue tyrosine. Although current SH2 domain prediction algorithms perform well at predicting the sequences of phosphorylated peptides that are likely to result in the highest possible interaction affinity in the context of random peptide library screens, these algorithms do poorly at predicting the interaction potential of SH2 domains with physiologically derived protein sequences. We employed a high throughput interaction assay system to empirically determine the affinity between 93 human SH2 domains and phosphopeptides abstracted from several receptor tyrosine kinases and signaling proteins. The resulting interaction experiments revealed over 1000 novel peptide-protein interactions and provided a glimpse into the common and specific interaction potentials of c-Met, c-Kit, GAB1, and the human androgen receptor. We used these data to build a permutation-based logistic regression classifier that performed considerably better than existing algorithms for predicting the interaction potential of several SH2 domains. PMID:24728074

  1. Multifunctional G-rich and RRM-containing domains of TbRGG2 perform separate yet essential functions in trypanosome RNA editing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foda, Bardees M; Downey, Kurtis M; Fisk, John C; Read, Laurie K

    2012-09-01

    Efficient editing of Trypanosoma brucei mitochondrial RNAs involves the actions of multiple accessory factors. T. brucei RGG2 (TbRGG2) is an essential protein crucial for initiation and 3'-to-5' progression of editing. TbRGG2 comprises an N-terminal G-rich region containing GWG and RG repeats and a C-terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM)-containing domain. Here, we perform in vitro and in vivo separation-of-function studies to interrogate the mechanism of TbRGG2 action in RNA editing. TbRGG2 preferentially binds preedited mRNA in vitro with high affinity attributable to its G-rich region. RNA-annealing and -melting activities are separable, carried out primarily by the G-rich and RRM domains, respectively. In vivo, the G-rich domain partially complements TbRGG2 knockdown, but the RRM domain is also required. Notably, TbRGG2's RNA-melting activity is dispensable for RNA editing in vivo. Interactions between TbRGG2 and MRB1 complex proteins are mediated by both G-rich and RRM-containing domains, depending on the binding partner. Overall, our results are consistent with a model in which the high-affinity RNA binding and RNA-annealing activities of the G-rich domain are essential for RNA editing in vivo. The RRM domain may have key functions involving interactions with the MRB1 complex and/or regulation of the activities of the G-rich domain.

  2. A novel mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain of ERBB2 in hepatocellular carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bekaii-Saab, Tanios; Williams, Nita; Plass, Christoph; Calero, Miguel Villalona; Eng, Charis

    2006-01-01

    Several studies showed that gain-of-function somatic mutations affecting the catalytic domain of EGFR in non-small cell lung carcinomas were associated with response to gefitinib and erlotinib, both EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In addition, 4% of non-small cell lung carcinomas were shown to have ERBB2 mutations in the kinase domain. In our study, we sought to determine if similar respective gain-of-function EGFR and ERBB2 mutations were present in hepatoma and/or biliary cancers. We extracted genomic DNA from 40 hepatoma (18) and biliary cancers (22) samples, and 44 adenocarcinomas of the lung, this latter as a positive control for mutation detection. We subjected those samples to PCR-based semi-automated double stranded nucleotide sequencing targeting exons 18–21 of EGFR and ERBB2. All samples were tested against matched normal DNA. We found 11% of hepatoma, but no biliary cancers, harbored a novel ERBB2 H878Y mutation in the activating domain. These newly described mutations may play a role in predicting response to EGFR-targeted therapy in hepatoma and their role should be explored in prospective studies

  3. Blue light-excited LOV1 and LOV2 domains cooperatively regulate the kinase activity of full-length phototropin2 from Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oide, Mao; Okajima, Koji; Nakagami, Hirofumi; Kato, Takayuki; Sekiguchi, Yuki; Oroguchi, Tomotaka; Hikima, Takaaki; Yamamoto, Masaki; Nakasako, Masayoshi

    2018-01-19

    Phototropin2 (phot2) is a blue-light (BL) receptor that regulates BL-dependent activities for efficient photosynthesis in plants. phot2 comprises two BL-receiving light-oxygen-voltage-sensing domains (LOV1 and LOV2) and a kinase domain. BL-excited LOV2 is thought to be primarily responsible for the BL-dependent activation of the kinase. However, the molecular mechanisms by which small BL-induced conformational changes in the LOV2 domain are transmitted to the kinase remain unclear. Here, we used full-length wild-type and mutant phot2 proteins from Arabidopsis to study their molecular properties in the dark and under BL irradiation. Phosphorylation assays and absorption measurements indicated that the LOV1 domain assists the thermal relaxation of BL-excited LOV2 and vice versa. Using small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy, we observed that phot2 forms a dimer and has a rod shape with a maximum length of 188 Å and a radius of gyration of 44 Å. Under BL, phot2 displayed large conformational changes that bent the rod shape. By superimposing the crystal structures of the LOV1 dimer, LOV2, and a homology model of the kinase to the observed changes, we inferred that the BL-dependent change consisted of positional shifts of both LOV2 and the kinase relative to LOV1. Furthermore, phot2 mutants lacking the photocycle in LOV1 or LOV2 still exhibited conformational changes under BL, suggesting that LOV1 and LOV2 cooperatively contribute to the conformational changes that activate the kinase. These results suggest that BL-activated LOV1 contributes to the kinase activity of phot2. We discuss the possible intramolecular interactions and signaling mechanisms in phot2. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  4. The Impact of Type 2 Diabetes on the Efficacy of ADP Receptor Blockers in Patients with Acute ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Pilot Prospective Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matej Samoš

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The aim of this study was to validate the impact of type 2 diabetes (T2D on the platelet reactivity in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI treated with adenosine diphosphate (ADP receptor blockers. Methods. A pilot prospective study was performed. Totally 67 patients were enrolled. 21 patients had T2D. Among all study population, 33 patients received clopidogrel and 34 patients received prasugrel. The efficacy of ADP receptor blocker therapy had been tested in two time intervals using light transmission aggregometry with specific inducer and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation (VASP-P flow cytometry assay. Results. There were no significant differences in platelet aggregability among T2D and nondiabetic (ND group. The platelet reactivity index of VASP-P did not differ significantly between T2D and ND group (59.4±30.9% versus 60.0±25.2% and 33.9±25.3% versus 38.6±29.3% in second testing. The number of ADP receptor blocker nonresponders did not differ significantly between T2D and ND patients. The time interval from ADP receptor blocker loading dosing to the blood sampling was similar in T2D and ND patients in both examinations. Conclusion. This prospective study did not confirm the higher platelet reactivity and higher prevalence of ADP receptor blocker nonresponders in T2D acute STEMI patients.

  5. Hierarchical domain structure of lead-free piezoelectric (Na{sub 1/2} Bi{sub 1/2})TiO{sub 3}-(K{sub 1/2} Bi{sub 1/2})TiO{sub 3} single crystals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Luo, Chengtao, E-mail: lchentao@vt.edu; Wang, Yaojin; Ge, Wenwei; Li, Jiefang; Viehland, Dwight [Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 (United States); Delaire, Olivier [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Li, Xiaobin; Luo, Haosu [Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 215 Chengbei Road, Jiading, Shanghai 201800 (China)

    2016-05-07

    We report a unique hierarchical domain structure in single crystals of (Na{sub 1/2}Bi{sub 1/2})TiO{sub 3}-xat. %(K{sub 1/2}Bi{sub 1/2})TiO{sub 3} for x = 5 and 8 by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A high density of polar nano-domains with a lamellar morphology was found, which were self-assembled into a quadrant-like configuration, which then assembled into conventional ferroelectric macro-domains. Studies by high resolution TEM revealed that the polar lamellar regions contained a coexistence of in-phase and anti-phase oxygen octahedral tilt regions of a few nanometers in size. Domain frustration over multiple length scales may play an important role in the stabilization of the hierarchy, and in reducing the piezoelectric response of this Pb-free piezoelectric solid solution.

  6. Comparison of Modified Impedance Whole Blood Platelet Aggregation Method Detecting Platelet Function in ACS Patients with Different CYP2C19 Genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Chanjuan; Qiao, Rui; Zhang, Jie

    2016-01-01

    A reliable laboratory test to monitor onclopidogrel platelet reactivity (PR) is very necessary. In addition, genetic factors also play an important part in onclopidogrel PR. This study aimed to modify the original impedance whole blood platelet aggregation assay associated with the release assay to monitor onclopidogrel PR and assess their relationship with genotype. We adjusted the concentration of calcium in the in vitro reaction system of platelet aggregation to modify the original impedance whole blood platelet aggregation assay. Meanwhile, chronolume, which quantified the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) released from platelet dense granules, is added to this reaction system to reflect the platelet release function. In the modified assay, platelet magnified activation time (MAT) and the maximal platelet ATP release value (RV) were used to reflect platelet function parameters. In the original assay, the electrical resistance (omega) and RV were used to reflect platelet function parameters. Onclopidogrel PR was detected by the original impedance whole blood platelet aggregation assay, modified assay, and flow cytometric vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) assay in 168 patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 polymorphisms were also detected in all of these patients. This modified method showed that when 12.5 microL CaCl2 (0.2 mmol/L) was added to the reaction system, MAT was appropriate (93 +/- 23 seconds). The CVs for the modified impedance assay and release assay were 9.31% and 6.13%, respectively. The mean VASP-PRI in the patient group treated with clopidogrel was significantly lower than that in the control group without antiplatelet therapy (54.88 +/- 16.81% vs. 79.86 +/- 10.24%, p 50% group were shorter than that in the PRI 50% group were higher than that in the PRI omega) and RV of the original method showed no differences between the two groups [0 (0-2) vs. 0 (0-1.25), 0.05 (0-0.25) vs. 0.08 (0-0.24); p > 0.05, p > 0

  7. Specific phosphopeptide binding regulates a conformational change in the PI 3-kinase SH2 domain associated with enzyme activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoelson, S E; Sivaraja, M; Williams, K P; Hu, P; Schlessinger, J; Weiss, M A

    1993-01-01

    SH2 (src-homology 2) domains define a newly recognized binding motif that mediates the physical association of target phosphotyrosyl proteins with downstream effector enzymes. An example of such phosphoprotein-effector coupling is provided by the association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) with specific phosphorylation sites within the PDGF receptor, the c-Src/polyoma virus middle T antigen complex and the insulin receptor substrate IRS-1. Notably, phosphoprotein association with the SH2 domains of p85 also stimulates an increase in catalytic activity of the PI 3-kinase p110 subunit, which can be mimicked by phosphopeptides corresponding to targeted phosphoprotein phosphorylation sites. To investigate how phosphoprotein binding to the p85 SH2 domain stimulates p110 catalytic activation, we have examined the differential effects of phosphotyrosine and PDGF receptor-, IRS-1- and c-Src-derived phosphopeptides on the conformation of an isolated SH2 domain of PI 3-kinase. Although phosphotyrosine and both activating and non-activating phosphopeptides bind to the SH2 domain, activating phosphopeptides bind with higher affinity and induce a qualitatively distinct conformational change as monitored by CD and NMR spectroscopy. Amide proton exchange and protease protection assays further show that high affinity, specific phosphopeptide binding induces non-local dynamic SH2 domain stabilization. Based on these findings we propose that specific phosphoprotein binding to the p85 subunit induces a change in SH2 domain structure which is transmitted to the p110 subunit and regulates enzymatic activity by an allosteric mechanism. Images PMID:8382612

  8. Nanoscale organization of {beta}{sub 2}-adrenergic receptor-Venus fusion protein domains on the surface of mammalian cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vobornik, Dusan; Rouleau, Yanouchka; Haley, Jennifer [Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6 (Canada); Bani-Yaghoub, Mahmud [Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6 (Canada); Taylor, Rod [Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6 (Canada); Johnston, Linda J., E-mail: Linda.Johnston@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6 (Canada); Pezacki, John Paul, E-mail: John.Pezacki@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6 (Canada)

    2009-04-24

    Adrenergic receptors are a key component of nanoscale multiprotein complexes that are responsible for controlling the beat rate in a mammalian heart. We demonstrate the ability of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) to visualize {beta}{sub 2}-adrenergic receptors ({beta}{sub 2}AR) fused to the GFP analogue Venus at the nanoscale on HEK293 cells. The expression of the {beta}{sub 2}AR-Venus fusion protein was tightly controlled using a tetracycline-induced promoter. Both the size and density of the observed nanoscale domains are dependent on the level of induction and thus the level of protein expression. At concentrations between 100 and 700 ng/ml of inducer doxycycline, the size of domains containing the {beta}{sub 2}AR-Venus fusion protein appears to remain roughly constant, but the number of domains per cell increase. At 700 ng/ml doxycycline the functional receptors are organized into domains with an average diameter of 150 nm with a density similar to that observed for the native protein on primary murine cells. By contrast, larger micron-sized domains of {beta}{sub 2}AR are observed in the membrane of the HEK293 cells that stably overexpress {beta}{sub 2}AR-GFP and {beta}{sub 2}AR-eYFP. We conclude that precise chemical control of gene expression is highly advantageous for the use {beta}{sub 2}AR-Venus fusion proteins as models for {beta}{sub 2}AR function. These observations are critical for designing future cell models and assays based on {beta}{sub 2}AR, since the receptor biology is consistent with a relatively low density of nanoscale receptor domains.

  9. Changes in signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) dynamics induced by complexation with pharmacological inhibitors of Src homology 2 (SH2) domain dimerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resetca, Diana; Haftchenary, Sina; Gunning, Patrick T; Wilson, Derek J

    2014-11-21

    The activity of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is dysregulated in a number of hematological and solid malignancies. Development of pharmacological STAT3 Src homology 2 (SH2) domain interaction inhibitors holds great promise for cancer therapy, and a novel class of salicylic acid-based STAT3 dimerization inhibitors that includes orally bioavailable drug candidates has been recently developed. The compounds SF-1-066 and BP-1-102 are predicted to bind to the STAT3 SH2 domain. However, given the highly unstructured and dynamic nature of the SH2 domain, experimental confirmation of this prediction was elusive. We have interrogated the protein-ligand interaction of STAT3 with these small molecule inhibitors by means of time-resolved electrospray ionization hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. Analysis of site-specific evolution of deuterium uptake induced by the complexation of STAT3 with SF-1-066 or BP-1-102 under physiological conditions enabled the mapping of the in silico predicted inhibitor binding site to the STAT3 SH2 domain. The binding of both inhibitors to the SH2 domain resulted in significant local decreases in dynamics, consistent with solvent exclusion at the inhibitor binding site and increased rigidity of the inhibitor-complexed SH2 domain. Interestingly, inhibitor binding induced hot spots of allosteric perturbations outside of the SH2 domain, manifesting mainly as increased deuterium uptake, in regions of STAT3 important for DNA binding and nuclear localization. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  10. Domain-to-domain coupling in voltage-sensing phosphatase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakata, Souhei; Matsuda, Makoto; Kawanabe, Akira; Okamura, Yasushi

    2017-01-01

    Voltage-sensing phosphatase (VSP) consists of a transmembrane voltage sensor and a cytoplasmic enzyme region. The enzyme region contains the phosphatase and C2 domains, is structurally similar to the tumor suppressor phosphatase PTEN, and catalyzes the dephosphorylation of phosphoinositides. The transmembrane voltage sensor is connected to the phosphatase through a short linker region, and phosphatase activity is induced upon membrane depolarization. Although the detailed molecular characteristics of the voltage sensor domain and the enzyme region have been revealed, little is known how these two regions are coupled. In addition, it is important to know whether mechanism for coupling between the voltage sensor domain and downstream effector function is shared among other voltage sensor domain-containing proteins. Recent studies in which specific amino acid sites were genetically labeled using a fluorescent unnatural amino acid have enabled detection of the local structural changes in the cytoplasmic region of Ciona intestinalis VSP that occur with a change in membrane potential. The results of those studies provide novel insight into how the enzyme activity of the cytoplasmic region of VSP is regulated by the voltage sensor domain.

  11. Characterization of the domains of E. coli initiation factor IF2 responsible for recognition of the ribosome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manuel Palacios Moreno, Juan; Andersen, Lars Dyrskjøt; Egebjerg Kristensen, Janni

    1999-01-01

    We have studied the interactions between the ribosome and the domains of Escherichia coli translation initiation factor 2, using an in vitro ribosomal binding assay with wild-type forms, N- and C-terminal truncated forms of IF2 as well as isolated structural domains. A deletion mutant of the factor...

  12. Characterization of the domains of E. coli initiation factor IF2 responsible for recognition of the ribosome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manuel Palacios Moreno, Juan; Andersen, Lars Dyrskjøt; Egebjerg Kristensen, Janni

    1999-01-01

    We have studied the interactions between the ribosome and the domains of Escherichia coli translation initiation factor 2, using an in vitro ribosomal binding assay with wild-type forms, N- and C-terminal truncated forms of IF2 as well as isolated structural domains. A deletion mutant of the fact...

  13. Structural determinants at the interface of the ARC2 and leucine-rich repeat domains control the activation of the plant immune receptors Rx1 and Gpa2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slootweg, Erik J; Spiridon, Laurentiu N; Roosien, Jan; Butterbach, Patrick; Pomp, Rikus; Westerhof, Lotte; Wilbers, Ruud; Bakker, Erin; Bakker, Jaap; Petrescu, Andrei-José; Smant, Geert; Goverse, Aska

    2013-07-01

    Many plant and animal immune receptors have a modular nucleotide-binding-leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) architecture in which a nucleotide-binding switch domain, NB-ARC, is tethered to a LRR sensor domain. The cooperation between the switch and sensor domains, which regulates the activation of these proteins, is poorly understood. Here, we report structural determinants governing the interaction between the NB-ARC and LRR in the highly homologous plant immune receptors Gpa2 and Rx1, which recognize the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida and Potato virus X, respectively. Systematic shuffling of polymorphic sites between Gpa2 and Rx1 showed that a minimal region in the ARC2 and N-terminal repeats of the LRR domain coordinate the activation state of the protein. We identified two closely spaced amino acid residues in this region of the ARC2 (positions 401 and 403) that distinguish between autoactivation and effector-triggered activation. Furthermore, a highly acidic loop region in the ARC2 domain and basic patches in the N-terminal end of the LRR domain were demonstrated to be required for the physical interaction between the ARC2 and LRR. The NB-ARC and LRR domains dissociate upon effector-dependent activation, and the complementary-charged regions are predicted to mediate a fast reassociation, enabling multiple rounds of activation. Finally, we present a mechanistic model showing how the ARC2, NB, and N-terminal half of the LRR form a clamp, which regulates the dissociation and reassociation of the switch and sensor domains in NB-LRR proteins.

  14. Evolutionary divergence in the catalytic activity of the CAM-1, ROR1 and ROR2 kinase domains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Travis W Bainbridge

    Full Text Available Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptors (ROR 1 and 2 are atypical members of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK family and have been associated with several human diseases. The vertebrate RORs contain an ATP binding domain that deviates from the consensus amino acid sequence, although the impact of this deviation on catalytic activity is not known and the kinase function of these receptors remains controversial. Recently, ROR2 was shown to signal through a Wnt responsive, β-catenin independent pathway and suppress a canonical Wnt/β-catenin signal. In this work we demonstrate that both ROR1 and ROR2 kinase domains are catalytically deficient while CAM-1, the C. elegans homolog of ROR, has an active tyrosine kinase domain, suggesting a divergence in the signaling processes of the ROR family during evolution. In addition, we show that substitution of the non-consensus residues from ROR1 or ROR2 into CAM-1 and MuSK markedly reduce kinase activity, while restoration of the consensus residues in ROR does not restore robust kinase function. We further demonstrate that the membrane-bound extracellular domain alone of either ROR1 or ROR2 is sufficient for suppression of canonical Wnt3a signaling, and that this domain can also enhance Wnt5a suppression of Wnt3a signaling. Based on these data, we conclude that human ROR1 and ROR2 are RTK-like pseudokinases.

  15. Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of the CH domain of the cotton kinesin GhKCH2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qin, Xinghua [China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100094, People’s Republic of (China); The Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 Changlexi Road, Xincheng District, Xi’an 710032, People’s Republic of (China); Chen, Ziwei; Li, Ping; Liu, Guoqin, E-mail: liu@cau.edu.cn [China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100094, People’s Republic of (China)

    2016-02-19

    The cloning, expression, purification and crystallization of the CH domain of the plant-specific kinesin GhKCH2 is reported. GhKCH2 belongs to a group of plant-specific kinesins (KCHs) containing an actin-binding calponin homology (CH) domain in the N-terminus. Previous studies revealed that the GhKCH2 CH domain (GhKCH2-CH) had a higher affinity for F-actin (K{sub d} = 0.42 ± 0.02 µM) than most other CH-domain-containing proteins. To understand the underlying mechanism, prokaryotically expressed GhKCH2-CH (amino acids 30–166) was purified and crystallized. Crystals were grown by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using 0.1 M Tris–HCl pH 7.0, 20%(w/v) PEG 8000 as a precipitant. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 2.5 Å and belonged to space group P2{sub 1}, with unit-cell parameters a = 41.57, b = 81.92, c = 83.00 Å, α = 90.00, β = 97.31, γ = 90.00°. Four molecules were found in the asymmetric unit with a Matthews coefficient of 2.22 Å{sup 3} Da{sup −1}, corresponding to a solvent content of 44.8%.

  16. Novel autophosphorylation sites of Src family kinases regulate kinase activity and SH2 domain-binding capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weir, Marion E; Mann, Jacqueline E; Corwin, Thomas; Fulton, Zachary W; Hao, Jennifer M; Maniscalco, Jeanine F; Kenney, Marie C; Roman Roque, Kristal M; Chapdelaine, Elizabeth F; Stelzl, Ulrich; Deming, Paula B; Ballif, Bryan A; Hinkle, Karen L

    2016-04-01

    Src family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) are critical players in normal and aberrant biological processes. While phosphorylation importantly regulates SFKs at two known tyrosines, large-scale phosphoproteomics have revealed four additional tyrosines commonly phosphorylated in SFKs. We found these novel tyrosines to be autophosphorylation sites. Mimicking phosphorylation at the C-terminal site to the activation loop decreased Fyn activity. Phosphomimetics and direct phosphorylation at the three SH2 domain sites increased Fyn activity while reducing phosphotyrosine-dependent interactions. While 68% of human SH2 domains exhibit conservation of at least one of these tyrosines, few have been found phosphorylated except when found in cis to a kinase domain. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  17. Critical Role of the Src Homology 2 (SH2) Domain of Neuronal SH2B1 in the Regulation of Body Weight and Glucose Homeostasis in Mice

    OpenAIRE

    Morris, David L.; Cho, Kae Won; Rui, Liangyou

    2010-01-01

    SH2B1 is an SH2 domain-containing adaptor protein that plays a key role in the regulation of energy and glucose metabolism in both rodents and humans. Genetic deletion of SH2B1 in mice results in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the SH2B1 loci and chromosomal deletions of the SH2B1 loci associate with obesity and insulin resistance in humans. In cultured cells, SH2B1 promotes leptin and insulin signaling by binding via its SH2 domain to phosphorylated tyrosines ...

  18. Interaction of moving domain boundaries with a magnetic field in GdΛ2 (MoOΛ4)Λ3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popov, S.A.; Tikhomirova, N.A.; Phlerova, S.A.

    1985-01-01

    Results obtained during the investigation of gadolinium molybdate Gd 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 (GMo) crystal repolarization by the electric field at the background of simultaneous action of permanent magnetic fields with a strength up to 20kOe are presented. The magnetic field is oriented in different directions in respect to crystallographic sample directions. Polarization- optical control of a domain structure was conducted in synchronism with sample repolarization. Study of the effect of magnetic field on integral rate of domain boundaries motion in GMO has shown, that a speed of domain wall motion changes as a function of magnetic field orientation with respect to moving domain wall. So, if the wall is oriented paralled to magnetic field force lines, at H=20kOe speed of its motion increases a 1.2-1.5 times, and decreases a 2-2.5 times in the case of perpendicular orientation

  19. Induction of adhesion-inhibitory antibodies against placental Plasmodium falciparum parasites by using single domains of VAR2CSA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Morten A; Pinto, Vera V; Resende, Mafalda

    2009-01-01

    between a parasite protein expressed on erythrocytes named variant surface antigen 2-chondroitin sulfate A (VAR2CSA) and CSA on syncytiotrophoblasts. VAR2CSA is a large polymorphic protein consisting of six Duffy binding-like (DBL), domains and with current constraints on recombinant protein production...... which induce antibodies that inhibit CSA binding of different parasite strains. In this study, we produced a large panel of VAR2CSA proteins and raised antibodies against these antigens. We show that antibodies against the DBL4 domain effectively inhibit parasite binding. As the inhibition...... was not limited to homologous parasite strains, it seems feasible to base a protective malaria vaccine on a single VAR2CSA DBL domain....

  20. xHMMER3x2: Utilizing HMMER3's speed and HMMER2's sensitivity and specificity in the glocal alignment mode for improved large-scale protein domain annotation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yap, Choon-Kong; Eisenhaber, Birgit; Eisenhaber, Frank; Wong, Wing-Cheong

    2016-11-29

    While the local-mode HMMER3 is notable for its massive speed improvement, the slower glocal-mode HMMER2 is more exact for domain annotation by enforcing full domain-to-sequence alignments. Since a unit of domain necessarily implies a unit of function, local-mode HMMER3 alone remains insufficient for precise function annotation tasks. In addition, the incomparable E-values for the same domain model by different HMMER builds create difficulty when checking for domain annotation consistency on a large-scale basis. In this work, both the speed of HMMER3 and glocal-mode alignment of HMMER2 are combined within the xHMMER3x2 framework for tackling the large-scale domain annotation task. Briefly, HMMER3 is utilized for initial domain detection so that HMMER2 can subsequently perform the glocal-mode, sequence-to-full-domain alignments for the detected HMMER3 hits. An E-value calibration procedure is required to ensure that the search space by HMMER2 is sufficiently replicated by HMMER3. We find that the latter is straightforwardly possible for ~80% of the models in the Pfam domain library (release 29). However in the case of the remaining ~20% of HMMER3 domain models, the respective HMMER2 counterparts are more sensitive. Thus, HMMER3 searches alone are insufficient to ensure sensitivity and a HMMER2-based search needs to be initiated. When tested on the set of UniProt human sequences, xHMMER3x2 can be configured to be between 7× and 201× faster than HMMER2, but with descending domain detection sensitivity from 99.8 to 95.7% with respect to HMMER2 alone; HMMER3's sensitivity was 95.7%. At extremes, xHMMER3x2 is either the slow glocal-mode HMMER2 or the fast HMMER3 with glocal-mode. Finally, the E-values to false-positive rates (FPR) mapping by xHMMER3x2 allows E-values of different model builds to be compared, so that any annotation discrepancies in a large-scale annotation exercise can be flagged for further examination by dissectHMMER. The xHMMER3x2 workflow allows

  1. Inhibition of tumor metastasis by a growth factor receptor bound protein 2 Src homology 2 domain-binding antagonist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giubellino, Alessio; Gao, Yang; Lee, Sunmin; Lee, Min-Jung; Vasselli, James R; Medepalli, Sampath; Trepel, Jane B; Burke, Terrence R; Bottaro, Donald P

    2007-07-01

    Metastasis, the primary cause of death in most forms of cancer, is a multistep process whereby cells from the primary tumor spread systemically and colonize distant new sites. Blocking critical steps in this process could potentially inhibit tumor metastasis and dramatically improve cancer survival rates; however, our understanding of metastasis at the molecular level is still rudimentary. Growth factor receptor binding protein 2 (Grb2) is a widely expressed adapter protein with roles in epithelial cell growth and morphogenesis, as well as angiogenesis, making it a logical target for anticancer drug development. We have previously shown that a potent antagonist of Grb2 Src homology-2 domain-binding, C90, blocks growth factor-driven cell motility in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo. We now report that C90 inhibits metastasis in vivo in two aggressive tumor models, without affecting primary tumor growth rate. These results support the potential efficacy of this compound in reducing the metastatic spread of primary solid tumors and establish a critical role for Grb2 Src homology-2 domain-mediated interactions in this process.

  2. The SH2 Domain Regulates c-Abl Kinase Activation by a Cyclin-Like Mechanism and Remodulation of the Hinge Motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dölker, Nicole; Górna, Maria W.; Sutto, Ludovico; Torralba, Antonio S.; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Gervasio, Francesco L.

    2014-01-01

    Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1) tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL). Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys both local and global effects on the dynamics of the catalytic domain. Locally, it regulates the flexibility of the αC helix in a fashion reminiscent of cyclins in cyclin-dependent kinases, reorienting catalytically important motifs. At a more global level, SH2 binding redirects the hinge motion of the N and C lobes and changes the conformational equilibrium of the activation loop. The complex network of subtle structural shifts that link the SH2 domain with the activation loop and the active site may be partially conserved with other SH2-domain containing kinases and therefore offer additional parameters for the design of conformation-specific inhibitors. PMID:25299346

  3. The SH2 domain regulates c-Abl kinase activation by a cyclin-like mechanism and remodulation of the hinge motion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dölker, Nicole; Górna, Maria W; Sutto, Ludovico; Torralba, Antonio S; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Gervasio, Francesco L

    2014-10-01

    Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1) tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL). Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys both local and global effects on the dynamics of the catalytic domain. Locally, it regulates the flexibility of the αC helix in a fashion reminiscent of cyclins in cyclin-dependent kinases, reorienting catalytically important motifs. At a more global level, SH2 binding redirects the hinge motion of the N and C lobes and changes the conformational equilibrium of the activation loop. The complex network of subtle structural shifts that link the SH2 domain with the activation loop and the active site may be partially conserved with other SH2-domain containing kinases and therefore offer additional parameters for the design of conformation-specific inhibitors.

  4. The SH2 domain regulates c-Abl kinase activation by a cyclin-like mechanism and remodulation of the hinge motion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicole Dölker

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1 tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL. Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2 domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys both local and global effects on the dynamics of the catalytic domain. Locally, it regulates the flexibility of the αC helix in a fashion reminiscent of cyclins in cyclin-dependent kinases, reorienting catalytically important motifs. At a more global level, SH2 binding redirects the hinge motion of the N and C lobes and changes the conformational equilibrium of the activation loop. The complex network of subtle structural shifts that link the SH2 domain with the activation loop and the active site may be partially conserved with other SH2-domain containing kinases and therefore offer additional parameters for the design of conformation-specific inhibitors.

  5. Identification of Tyrosine Phosphorylated Proteins by SH2 Domain Affinity Purification and Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhs, Sophia; Gerull, Helwe; Nollau, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Phosphotyrosine signaling plays a major role in the control of many important biological functions such as cell proliferation and apoptosis. Deciphering of phosphotyrosine-dependent signaling is therefore of great interest paving the way for the understanding of physiological and pathological processes of signal transduction. On the basis of the specific binding of SH2 domains to phosphotyrosine residues, we here present an experimental workflow for affinity purification and subsequent identification of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins by mass spectrometry. In combination with SH2 profiling, a broadly applicable platform for the characterization of phosphotyrosine profiles in cell extracts, our pull down strategy enables researchers by now to identify proteins in signaling cascades which are differentially phosphorylated and selectively recognized by distinct SH2 domains.

  6. Exceptionally tight membrane-binding may explain the key role of the synaptotagmin-7 C 2 A domain in asynchronous neurotransmitter release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Voleti, Rashmi; Tomchick, Diana R.; Südhof, Thomas C.; Rizo, Josep

    2017-09-18

    Synaptotagmins (Syts) act as Ca2+ sensors in neurotransmitter release by virtue of Ca2+-binding to their two C2 domains, but their mechanisms of action remain unclear. Puzzlingly, Ca2+-binding to the C2B domain appears to dominate Syt1 function in synchronous release, whereas Ca2+-binding to the C2A domain mediates Syt7 function in asynchronous release. Here we show that crystal structures of the Syt7 C2A domain and C2AB region, and analyses of intrinsic Ca2+-binding to the Syt7 C2 domains using isothermal titration calorimetry, did not reveal major differences that could explain functional differentiation between Syt7 and Syt1. However, using liposome titrations under Ca2+ saturating conditions, we show that the Syt7 C2A domain has a very high membrane affinity and dominates phospholipid binding to Syt7 in the presence or absence of L-α-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-diphosphate (PIP2). For Syt1, the two Ca2+-saturated C2 domains have similar affinities for membranes lacking PIP2, but the C2B domain dominates binding to PIP2-containing membranes. Mutagenesis revealed that the dramatic differences in membrane affinity between the Syt1 and Syt7 C2A domains arise in part from apparently conservative residue substitutions, showing how striking biochemical and functional differences can result from the cumulative effects of subtle residue substitutions. Viewed together, our results suggest that membrane affinity may be a key determinant of the functions of Syt C2 domains in neurotransmitter release.

  7. Interrelation between domain structures and polarization switching in hybrid improper ferroelectric Ca3(Mn,Ti)2O7

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Bin; Huang, Fei-Ting; Wang, Yazhong; Kim, Jae-Wook; Wang, Lihai; Lim, Seong-Joon; Cheong, Sang-Wook

    2017-05-01

    Ca3Mn2O7 and Ca3Ti2O7 have been proposed as the prototypical hybrid improper ferroelectrics (HIFs), and a significant magnetoelectric (ME) coupling in magnetic Ca3Mn2O7 is, in fact, reported theoretically and experimentally. Although the switchability of polarization is confirmed in Ca3Ti2O7 and other non-magnetic HIFs, there is no report of switchable polarization in the isostructural Ca3Mn2O7. We constructed the phase diagram of Ca3Mn2-xTixO7 through our systematic study of a series of single crystalline Ca3Mn2-xTixO7 (x = 0, 0.1, 1, 1.5, and 2). Using transmission electron microscopy, we have unveiled the unique domain structure of Ca3Mn2O7: the high-density 90° stacking of a- and b-domains along the c-axis due to the phase transition through an intermediate Acca phase and the in-plane irregular wavy ferroelastic twin domains. The interrelation between domain structures and physical properties is unprecedented: the stacking along the c-axis prevents the switching of polarization and causes the irregular in-plane ferroelastic domain pattern. In addition, we have determined the magnetic phase diagram and found complex magnetism of Ca3Mn2O7 with isotropic canted moments. These results lead to negligible observable ME coupling in Ca3Mn2O7 and guide us to explore multiferroics with large ME coupling.

  8. Membrane Restructuring by Phospholipase A2 Is Regulated by the Presence of Lipid Domains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leidy, Chad; Ocampo, Jackson; Duelund, Lars

    2011-01-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) catalyzes the hydrolysis of glycerophospholipids. This enzyme is sensitive to membrane structure, and its activity has been shown to increase in the presence of liquid-crystalline/gel (Lα/Lβ) lipid domains. In this work, we explore whether lipid domains can also...... without necessarily destroying the membrane. We confirm by high-performance liquid chromatography the preferential hydrolysis of DMPC within the phase coexistence region of the DMPC/DSPC phase diagram, showing that this preferential hydrolysis is accentuated close to the solidus phase boundary...

  9. Grb7 SH2 domain structure and interactions with a cyclic peptide inhibitor of cancer cell migration and proliferation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pero Stephanie C

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Human growth factor receptor bound protein 7 (Grb7 is an adapter protein that mediates the coupling of tyrosine kinases with their downstream signaling pathways. Grb7 is frequently overexpressed in invasive and metastatic human cancers and is implicated in cancer progression via its interaction with the ErbB2 receptor and focal adhesion kinase (FAK that play critical roles in cell proliferation and migration. It is thus a prime target for the development of novel anti-cancer therapies. Recently, an inhibitory peptide (G7-18NATE has been developed which binds specifically to the Grb7 SH2 domain and is able to attenuate cancer cell proliferation and migration in various cancer cell lines. Results As a first step towards understanding how Grb7 may be inhibited by G7-18NATE, we solved the crystal structure of the Grb7 SH2 domain to 2.1 Å resolution. We describe the details of the peptide binding site underlying target specificity, as well as the dimer interface of Grb 7 SH2. Dimer formation of Grb7 was determined to be in the μM range using analytical ultracentrifugation for both full-length Grb7 and the SH2 domain alone, suggesting the SH2 domain forms the basis of a physiological dimer. ITC measurements of the interaction of the G7-18NATE peptide with the Grb7 SH2 domain revealed that it binds with a binding affinity of Kd = ~35.7 μM and NMR spectroscopy titration experiments revealed that peptide binding causes perturbations to both the ligand binding surface of the Grb7 SH2 domain as well as to the dimer interface, suggesting that dimerisation of Grb7 is impacted on by peptide binding. Conclusion Together the data allow us to propose a model of the Grb7 SH2 domain/G7-18NATE interaction and to rationalize the basis for the observed binding specificity and affinity. We propose that the current study will assist with the development of second generation Grb7 SH2 domain inhibitors, potentially leading to novel inhibitors of

  10. Gating of human ClC-2 chloride channels and regulation by carboxy-terminal domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Olivares, Jennie; Alekov, Alexi; Boroumand, Mohammad Reza; Begemann, Birgit; Hidalgo, Patricia; Fahlke, Christoph

    2008-11-15

    Eukaryotic ClC channels are dimeric proteins with each subunit forming an individual protopore. Single protopores are gated by a fast gate, whereas the slow gate is assumed to control both protopores through a cooperative movement of the two carboxy-terminal domains. We here study the role of the carboxy-terminal domain in modulating fast and slow gating of human ClC-2 channels, a ubiquitously expressed ClC-type chloride channel involved in transepithelial solute transport and in neuronal chloride homeostasis. Partial truncation of the carboxy-terminus abolishes function of ClC-2 by locking the channel in a closed position. However, unlike other isoforms, its complete removal preserves function of ClC-2. ClC-2 channels without the carboxy-terminus exhibit fast and slow gates that activate and deactivate significantly faster than in WT channels. In contrast to the prevalent view, a single carboxy-terminus suffices for normal slow gating, whereas both domains regulate fast gating of individual protopores. Our findings demonstrate that the carboxy-terminus is not strictly required for slow gating and that the cooperative gating resides in other regions of the channel protein. ClC-2 is expressed in neurons and believed to open at negative potentials and increased internal chloride concentrations after intense synaptic activity. We propose that the function of the ClC-2 carboxy-terminus is to slow down the time course of channel activation in order to stabilize neuronal excitability.

  11. Importance of Hypervariable Region 2 for Stability and Affinity of a Shark Single-Domain Antibody Specific for Ebola Virus Nucleoprotein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George P Anderson

    Full Text Available Single-domain antibodies derived from the unique New Antigen Receptor found in sharks have numerous potential applications, ranging from diagnostic reagents to therapeutics. Shark-derived single-domain antibodies possess the same characteristic ability to refold after heat denaturation found in single-domain antibodies derived from camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies. Recently, two shark derived single-domain antibodies specific for the nucleoprotein of Ebola virus were described. Our evaluation confirmed their high affinity for the nucleoprotein, but found their melting temperatures to be low relative to most single-domain antibodies. Our first approach towards improving their stability was grafting antigen-binding regions (complementarity determining regions of one of these single-domain antibodies onto a high melting temperature shark single-domain antibody. This resulted in two variants: one that displayed excellent affinity with a low melting temperature, while the other had poor affinity but a higher melting temperature. These new proteins, however, differed in only 3 amino acids within the complementarity determining region 2 sequence. In shark single-domain antibodies, the complementarity determining region 2 is often referred to as hypervariable region 2, as this segment of the antibody domain is truncated compared to the sequence in camelid single-domain antibodies and conventional heavy chain variable domains. To elucidate which of the three amino acids or combinations thereof were responsible for the affinity and stability we made the 6 double and single point mutants that covered the intermediates between these two clones. We found a single amino acid change that achieved a 10°C higher melting temperature while maintaining sub nM affinity. This research gives insights into the impact of the shark sdAb hypervariable 2 region on both stability and affinity.

  12. Structural electronic and mechanical properties of YM2 (M=Mn, Fe, Co) laves phase compounds: First principle calculations analyzed with datamining approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saidi, F.; Sebaa, N.; Mahmoudi, A.; Aourag, H.; Merad, G.; Dergal, M.

    2018-06-01

    We performed first-principle calculations to investigate structural, phase stability, electronic and mechanical properties for the Laves phases YM2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co) with C15, C14 and C36 structures. We used the density functional theory within the framework of both pseudo-potentials and plane wave basis using VASP (Vienna Ab Initio Software Package). The calculated equilibrium structural parameters are in accordance with available theoretical values. Mechanical properties were calculated, discussed, and analyzed with data mining approach in terms of structure stability. The results reveal that YCo2 is harder than YFe2 and YMn2.

  13. Cyclic phosphopeptides for interference with Grb2 SH2 domain signal transduction prepared by ring-closing metathesis and phosphorylation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, Frank J; de Mol, Nico J; Fischer, Marcel J E; Kemmink, Johan; Liskamp, Rob M J; Dekker, Frank

    2003-01-01

    Cyclic phosphopeptides were prepared using ring-closing metathesis followed by phosphorylation. These cyclic phosphopeptides were designed to interact with the SH2 domain of Grb2, which is a signal transduction protein of importance as a target for antiproliferative drug development. Binding of

  14. Influenza Polymerase Can Adopt an Alternative Configuration Involving a Radical Repacking of PB2 Domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thierry, Eric; Guilligay, Delphine; Kosinski, Jan; Bock, Thomas; Gaudon, Stephanie; Round, Adam; Pflug, Alexander; Hengrung, Narin; El Omari, Kamel; Baudin, Florence; Hart, Darren J; Beck, Martin; Cusack, Stephen

    2016-01-07

    Influenza virus polymerase transcribes or replicates the segmented RNA genome (vRNA) into respectively viral mRNA or full-length copies and initiates RNA synthesis by binding the conserved 3' and 5' vRNA ends (the promoter). In recent structures of promoter-bound polymerase, the cap-binding and endonuclease domains are configured for cap snatching, which generates capped transcription primers. Here, we present a FluB polymerase structure with a bound complementary cRNA 5' end that exhibits a major rearrangement of the subdomains within the C-terminal two-thirds of PB2 (PB2-C). Notably, the PB2 nuclear localization signal (NLS)-containing domain translocates ∼90 Å to bind to the endonuclease domain. FluA PB2-C alone and RNA-free FluC polymerase are similarly arranged. Biophysical and cap-dependent endonuclease assays show that in solution the polymerase explores different conformational distributions depending on which RNA is bound. The inherent flexibility of the polymerase allows it to adopt alternative conformations that are likely important during polymerase maturation into active progeny RNPs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Inhibitory Effect of Flavonolignans on the P2Y12 Pathway in Blood Platelets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bijak, Michal; Szelenberger, Rafal; Dziedzic, Angela; Saluk-Bijak, Joanna

    2018-02-10

    Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is the major platelet agonist, which is important in the shape changes, stability, and growth of the thrombus. Platelet activation by ADP is associated with the G protein-coupled receptors P2Y1 and P2Y12. The pharmacologic blockade of the P2Y12 receptor significantly reduces the risk of peripheral artery disease, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and vascular death. Recent studies demonstrated the inhibition of ADP-induced blood platelet activation by three major compounds of the flavonolignans group: silybin, silychristin, and silydianin. For this reason, the aim of the current work was to verify the effects of silybin, silychristin, and silydianin on ADP-induced physiological platelets responses, as well as mechanisms of P2Y12-dependent intracellular signal transduction. We evaluated the effect of tested flavonolignans on ADP-induced blood platelets' aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (using light transmission aggregometry), adhesion to fibrinogen (using the static method), and the secretion of PF-4 (using the ELISA method). Additionally, using the double labeled flow cytometry method, we estimated platelet vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation. We demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction of blood platelets' ability to perform ADP-induced aggregation, adhere to fibrinogen, and secrete PF-4 in samples treated with flavonolignans. Additionally, we observed that all of the tested flavonolignans were able to increase VASP phosphorylation in blood platelets samples, which is correlated with P2Y12 receptor inhibition. All of these analyses show that silychristin and silybin have the strongest inhibitory effect on blood platelet activation by ADP, while silydianin also inhibits the ADP pathway, but to a lesser extent. The results obtained in this study clearly demonstrate that silybin, silychristin, and silydianin have inhibitory properties against the P2Y12 receptor and block ADP-induced blood platelet

  16. Hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method for the 2-D frequency-domain elastic wave equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnasse-Gahot, Marie; Calandra, Henri; Diaz, Julien; Lanteri, Stéphane

    2018-04-01

    Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods are nowadays actively studied and increasingly exploited for the simulation of large-scale time-domain (i.e. unsteady) seismic wave propagation problems. Although theoretically applicable to frequency-domain problems as well, their use in this context has been hampered by the potentially large number of coupled unknowns they incur, especially in the 3-D case, as compared to classical continuous finite element methods. In this paper, we address this issue in the framework of the so-called hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) formulations. As a first step, we study an HDG method for the resolution of the frequency-domain elastic wave equations in the 2-D case. We describe the weak formulation of the method and provide some implementation details. The proposed HDG method is assessed numerically including a comparison with a classical upwind flux-based DG method, showing better overall computational efficiency as a result of the drastic reduction of the number of globally coupled unknowns in the resulting discrete HDG system.

  17. Molecular determinants of transport stimulation of EAAT2 are located at interface between the trimerization and substrate transport domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortensen, Ole V; Liberato, José L; Coutinho-Netto, Joaquim; Dos Santos, Wagner F; Fontana, Andréia C K

    2015-04-01

    Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) regulate glutamatergic signal transmission by clearing extracellular glutamate. Dysfunction of these transporters has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders. Previous studies have shown that venom from the spider Parawixia bistriata and a purified compound (Parawixin1) stimulate EAAT2 activity and protect retinal tissue from ischemic damage. In the present study, the EAAT2 subtype specificity of this compound was explored, employing chimeric proteins between EAAT2 and EAAT3 transporter subtypes and mutants to characterize the structural region targeted by the compound. This identified a critical residue (Histidine-71 in EAAT2 and Serine-45 in EAAT3) in transmembrane domain 2 (TM2) to be important for the selectivity between EAAT2 and EAAT3 and for the activity of the venom. Using the identified residue in TM2 as a structural anchor, several neighboring amino acids within TM5 and TM8 were identified to also be important for the activity of the venom. This structural domain of the transporter lies at the interface of the rigid trimerization domain and the central substrate-binding transport domain. Our studies suggest that the mechanism of glutamate transport enhancement involves an interaction with the transporter that facilitates the movement of the transport domain. We identified a domain (purple star) in the glutamate transporter EAAT2 that is important for transport stimulation through a spider venom, and suggest a mechanism for enhanced transporter function through facilitated substrate translocation (arrow). Because the dysfunction of glutamate transporters is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, understanding the mechanisms of enhanced transport could have therapeutic implications. © 2015 International Society for Neurochemistry.

  18. Solid state perovskite solar modules by vacuum-vapor assisted sequential deposition on Nd:YVO_4 laser patterned rutile TiO_2 nanorods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fakharuddin, Azhar; Wali, Qamar; Rauf, Muhammad; Jose, Rajan; Palma, Alessandro L; Giacomo, Francesco Di; Casaluci, Simone; Matteocci, Fabio; Carlo, Aldo Di; Brown, Thomas M

    2015-01-01

    The past few years have witnessed remarkable progress in solution-processed methylammonium lead halide (CH_3NH_3PbX_3, X = halide) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with reported photoconversion efficiency (η) exceeding 20% in laboratory-scale devices and reaching up to 13% in their large area perovskite solar modules (PSMs). These devices mostly employ mesoporous TiO_2 nanoparticles (NPs) as an electron transport layer (ETL) which provides a scaffold on which the perovskite semiconductor can grow. However, limitations exist which are due to trap-limited electron transport and non-complete pore filling. Herein, we have employed TiO_2 nanorods (NRs), a material offering a two-fold higher electronic mobility and higher pore-filing compared to their particle analogues, as an ETL. A crucial issue in NRs’ patterning over substrates is resolved by using precise Nd:YVO_4 laser ablation, and a champion device with η ∼ 8.1% is reported via a simple and low cost vacuum-vapor assisted sequential processing (V-VASP) of a CH_3NH_3PbI_3 film. Our experiments showed a successful demonstration of NRs-based PSMs via the V-VASP technique which can be applied to fabricate large area modules with a pin-hole free, smooth and dense perovskite layer which is required to build high efficiency devices. (paper)

  19. Peptides identify multiple hotspots within the ligand binding domain of the TNF receptor 2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lennick Michael

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hotspots are defined as the minimal functional domains involved in protein:protein interactions and sufficient to induce a biological response. Results Here we describe the use of complex and high diversity phage display libraries to isolate peptides (called Hotspot Ligands or HSPLs which sub-divide the ligand binding domain of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2; p75 into multiple hotspots. We have shown that these libraries could generate HSPLs which not only subdivide hotspots on protein and non-protein targets but act as agonists or antagonists. Using this approach, we generated peptides which were specific for human TNFR2, could be competed by the natural ligands, TNFα and TNFβ and induced an unexpected biological response in a TNFR2-specific manner. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the dissection of the TNFR2 into biologically active hotspots with the concomitant identification of a novel and unexpected biological activity.

  20. Phorbol ester and hydrogen peroxide synergistically induce the interaction of diacylglycerol kinase gamma with the Src homology 2 and C1 domains of beta2-chimaerin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasuda, Satoshi; Kai, Masahiro; Imai, Shin-ichi; Kanoh, Hideo; Sakane, Fumio

    2008-01-01

    DGKgamma (diacylglycerol kinase gamma) was reported to interact with beta2-chimaerin, a GAP (GTPase-activating protein) for Rac, in response to epidermal growth factor. Here we found that PMA and H2O2 also induced the interaction of DGKgamma with beta2-chimaerin. It is noteworthy that simultaneous addition of PMA and H2O2 synergistically enhanced the interaction. In this case, PMA was replaceable by DAG (diacylglycerol). The beta2-chimaerin translocation from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane caused by PMA plus H2O2 was further enhanced by the expression of DGKgamma. Moreover, DGKgamma apparently enhanced the beta2-chimaerin GAP activity upon cell stimulation with PMA. PMA was found to be mainly required for a conversion of beta2-chimaerin into an active form. On the other hand, H2O2 was suggested to induce a release of Zn2+ from the C1 domain of beta2-chimaerin. By stepwise deletion analysis, we demonstrated that the SH2 (Src homology 2) and C1 domains of beta2-chimaerin interacted with the N-terminal half of catalytic region of DGKgamma. Unexpectedly, the SH2 domain of beta2-chimaerin contributes to the interaction independently of phosphotyrosine. Taken together, these results suggest that the functional link between DGKgamma and beta2-chimaerin has a broad significance in response to a wide range of cell stimuli. Our work offers a novel mechanism of protein-protein interaction, that is, the phosphotyrosine-independent interaction of the SH2 domain acting in co-operation with the C1 domain.

  1. Site descriptive modelling Forsmark, stage 2.2. A fracture domain concept as a basis for the statistical modelling of fractures and minor deformation zones, and interdisciplinary coordination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olofsson, Isabelle; Simeonov, Assen [Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Manageme nt Co., Stockholm (Sweden); Stephens, Michael [Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), U ppsala (Sweden); Follin, Sven [SF GeoLogic AB, Taeby (Sweden); Nilsson, Ann-Chatrin [G eosigma AB, Uppsala (Sweden); Roeshoff, Kennert; Lindberg, Ulrika; Lanaro, Flavio [Bergbygg konsult AB, Haesselby (Sweden); Fredriksson, Anders; Persson, Lars [Golder Associat es AB (Sweden)

    2007-04-15

    The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) is undertaking site characterization at two different locations, Forsmark and Simpevarp/Laxemar, with the objective of siting a final waste repository at depth for spent nuclear fuel. The programme is built upon the development of site descriptive models after each data freeze. This report describes the first attempt to define fracture domains for the Forsmark site modelling in stage 2.2. Already during model version 1.2 at Forsmark, significant spatial variability in the fracture pattern was observed. The variability appeared to be so significant that it provoked the need for a subdivision of the model volume for the treatment of geological and hydrogeological data into sub-volumes. Subsequent analyses of data collected up to data freeze 2.1 led to a better understanding of the site and a concept for the definition of fracture domains based on geological characteristics matured. The main objectives of this report are to identify and describe fracture domains at the site on the basis of geological data and to compile hydrogeological, hydrogeochemical and rock mechanics data within each fracture domain and address the implications of this integration activity. On the basis of borehole data, six fracture domains (FFM01-FFM06) have been recognized inside and immediately around the candidate volume. Three of these domains (FFM01, FFM02 and FFM06) lie inside the target volume for a potential repository in the northwestern part of the candidate area, and need to be addressed in the geological DFN modelling work. The hydrogeological data support the subdivision of the bedrock into fracture domains FFM01, FFM02 and FFM03. Few or no data are available for the other three domains. The hydrogeochemical data also support the subdivision into fracture domains FFM01 and FFM02. Since few data are available from the bedrock between deformation zones inside FFM03, there is little information on the hydrogeochemical

  2. Interactions of polyomavirus middle T with the SH2 domains of the pp85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoakim, M; Hou, W; Liu, Y; Carpenter, C L; Kapeller, R; Schaffhausen, B S

    1992-01-01

    The binding of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase to the polyomavirus middle T antigen is facilitated by tyrosine phosphorylation of middle T on residue 315. The pp85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase contains two SH2 domains, one in the middle of the molecule and one at the C terminus. When assayed by blotting with phosphorylated middle T, the more N-terminal SH2 domain is responsible for binding to middle T. When assayed in solution with glutathione S transferase fusions, both SH2s are capable of binding phosphorylated middle T. While both SH2 fusions can compete with intact pp85 for binding to middle T, the C-terminal SH2 is the more efficient of the two. Interaction between pp85 or its SH2 domains and middle T can be blocked by a synthetic peptide comprising the tyrosine phosphorylation sequence around middle T residue 315. Despite the fact that middle T can interact with both SH2s, these domains are not equivalent. Only the C-terminal SH2-middle T interaction was blocked by anti-SH2 antibody; the two SH2 fusions also interact with different cellular proteins. Images PMID:1380095

  3. Preparation of crystals for characterizing the Grb7 SH2 domain before and after complex formation with a bicyclic peptide antagonist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambaye, Nigus D; Gunzburg, Menachem J; Traore, Daouda A K; Del Borgo, Mark P; Perlmutter, Patrick; Wilce, Matthew C J; Wilce, Jacqueline A

    2014-02-01

    Human growth factor receptor-bound protein 7 (Grb7) is an adapter protein involved in cell growth, migration and proliferation. It is now recognized that Grb7 is an emerging therapeutic target in specific cancer subtypes. Recently, the discovery of a bicyclic peptide inhibitor that targets the Grb7 SH2 domain, named G7-B1, was reported. In an attempt to probe the foundation of its interaction with Grb7, the crystallization and preliminary data collection of both the apo and G7-B1-bound forms of the Grb7 SH2 domain are reported here. Diffraction-quality crystals were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. After several rounds of microseeding, crystals of the apo Grb7 SH2 domain were obtained that diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution, while those of the G7-B1-Grb7 SH2 domain complex diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution. The apo Grb7 SH2 domain crystallized in the trigonal space group P63, whereas the G7-B1-Grb7 SH2 domain complex crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21. The experimental aspects of crystallization, crystal optimization and data collection and the preliminary data are reported.

  4. Beyond cross-domain learning: Multiple-domain nonnegative matrix factorization

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Gao, Xin

    2014-01-01

    Traditional cross-domain learning methods transfer learning from a source domain to a target domain. In this paper, we propose the multiple-domain learning problem for several equally treated domains. The multiple-domain learning problem assumes that samples from different domains have different distributions, but share the same feature and class label spaces. Each domain could be a target domain, while also be a source domain for other domains. A novel multiple-domain representation method is proposed for the multiple-domain learning problem. This method is based on nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF), and tries to learn a basis matrix and coding vectors for samples, so that the domain distribution mismatch among different domains will be reduced under an extended variation of the maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) criterion. The novel algorithm - multiple-domain NMF (MDNMF) - was evaluated on two challenging multiple-domain learning problems - multiple user spam email detection and multiple-domain glioma diagnosis. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is experimentally verified. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Beyond cross-domain learning: Multiple-domain nonnegative matrix factorization

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Jim Jing-Yan

    2014-02-01

    Traditional cross-domain learning methods transfer learning from a source domain to a target domain. In this paper, we propose the multiple-domain learning problem for several equally treated domains. The multiple-domain learning problem assumes that samples from different domains have different distributions, but share the same feature and class label spaces. Each domain could be a target domain, while also be a source domain for other domains. A novel multiple-domain representation method is proposed for the multiple-domain learning problem. This method is based on nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF), and tries to learn a basis matrix and coding vectors for samples, so that the domain distribution mismatch among different domains will be reduced under an extended variation of the maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) criterion. The novel algorithm - multiple-domain NMF (MDNMF) - was evaluated on two challenging multiple-domain learning problems - multiple user spam email detection and multiple-domain glioma diagnosis. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is experimentally verified. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Expression, refolding and crystallizations of the Grb2-like (GADS) C-terminal SH3 domain complexed with a SLP-76 motif peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faravelli, Alessandro; Dimasi, Nazzareno

    2005-01-01

    Several crystals of the Grb2-like C-terminal SH3 domain in complex with a motif peptide from the SLP-76 protein were obtained and characterized. The Grb2-like adaptor protein GADS is composed of an N-terminal SH3 domain, an SH2 domain, a proline-rich region and a C-terminal SH3 domain. GADS interacts through its C-terminal SH3 domain with the adaptor protein SLP-76, thus recruiting this protein and other associated molecules to the linker for activation of T-cell (LAT) protein. The DNA encoding the C-terminal SH3 domain of GADS (GADS-cSH3) was assembled synthetically using a recursive PCR technique and the protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, refolded and purified. Several crystals of this domain in complex with the SLP-76 peptide were obtained and characterized

  7. An acetylation site in lectin domain modulates the biological activity of polypeptide GalNAc-transferase-2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zlocowski, Natacha; Lorenz, Virginia; Bennett, Eric Paul

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Polypeptide GalNAc-transferases (ppGalNAc-Ts) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the initiation of mucin-type O-glycosylation. All ppGalNAc-T family members contain a common (QXW)3 motif which is present in R-type lectin group. Acetylation site K521 is part of the QKW motif of ß......-trefoil in the lectin domain of ppGalNAc-T2. We used a combination of acetylation and site-directed mutagenesis approaches to examine the functional role of K521 in ppGalNAc-T2. Binding assays of non-acetylated and acetylated forms of the mutant ppGalNAc-T2K521Q to various naked and aGalNAc-glycosylated mucin peptides...... indicated that degree of interaction of lectin domain with aGalNAc depends on the peptide sequence of mucin. Studies of inhibitory effect of various carbohydrates on interactions of ppGalNAc-T2 with MUC1aGalNAc indicate that point K521Q mutation enhance the carbohydrate specificity of lectin domain for aGalNAc...

  8. The mannosylated extracellular domain of Her2/neu produced in P. pastoris induces protective antitumor immunity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dimitriadis, Alexios; Gontinou, Chrysanthi; Baxevanis, Constantin N; Mamalaki, Avgi

    2009-01-01

    Her2/neu is overexpressed in various human cancers of epithelial origin and is associated with increased metastatic potential and poor prognosis. Several attempts have been made using the extracellular domain of Her2/neu (ECD/Her2) as a prophylactic vaccine in mice with no success in tumor prevention. The extracellular domain of Her2/neu (ECD/Her2) was expressed in yeast P. pastoris, in a soluble highly mannosylated form. The immune response of the immunization with this recombinant ECD/Her2 was analyzed using immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis, proliferation and cytotoxicity assays as well as specific tumor growth assays. Mannosylated ECD/Her2 elicited a humoral response with HER2/neu specific antibodies in vaccinated mice, which were able to reduce the proliferation rate of cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, it elicited a cellular response with Her2/neu-specific CTL capable of lysing tumor cells, in vitro. When immunized Balb/c and HHD mice were challenged with Her2/neu-overexpressing cells, tumor growth was inhibited. Here we report on the efficacy of the extracellular domain of human Her2/neu produced in yeast P. pastoris, which confers mannosylation of the protein, to act as a potent anti-tumor vaccine against Her2/neu overexpressing tumors. Specific cellular and humoral responses were observed as well as efficacy

  9. The novel 2Fe–2S outer mitochondrial protein mitoNEET displays conformational flexibility in its N-terminal cytoplasmic tethering domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conlan, Andrea R.; Paddock, Mark L.; Axelrod, Herbert L.; Cohen, Aina E.; Abresch, Edward C.; Wiley, Sandra; Roy, Melinda; Nechushtai, Rachel; Jennings, Patricia A.

    2009-01-01

    The crystal structure of the anti-diabetic drug target mitoNEET obtained from a GFP fusion construct (1.4 Å resolution, R factor = 20.2%) shows that the CDGSH 2Fe–2S binding domains are superimposable with previously determined non-fused constructs. However, there is considerable flexibility in the position of the outer mitochondrial tethering arms resulting in two different conformations in the crystal structure. A primary role for mitochondrial dysfunction is indicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. A widely used drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes is pioglitazone, a member of the thiazolidinedione class of molecules. MitoNEET, a 2Fe–2S outer mitochondrial membrane protein, binds pioglitazone [Colca et al. (2004 ▶), Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.286, E252–E260]. The soluble domain of the human mitoNEET protein has been expressed C-terminal to the superfolder green fluorescent protein and the mitoNEET protein has been isolated. Comparison of the crystal structure of mitoNEET isolated from cleavage of the fusion protein (1.4 Å resolution, R factor = 20.2%) with other solved structures shows that the CDGSH domains are superimposable, indicating proper assembly of mitoNEET. Furthermore, there is considerable flexibility in the position of the cytoplasmic tethering arms, resulting in two different conformations in the crystal structure. This flexibility affords multiple orientations on the outer mitochondrial membrane

  10. Unravelling merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 domains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hao, Song; Yang, Bingchu; Gao, Yongli

    2016-01-01

    The presence of grain boundaries is inevitable for chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown MoS 2 domains owing to various merging behaviors, which greatly limits its potential applications in novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. It is therefore of great significance to unravel the merging behaviors of the synthesized polygon shape MoS 2 domains. Here we provide systematic investigations of merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown polycrystalline MoS 2 crystals by multiple means. Morphological results exhibit various polygon shape features, ascribed to polycrystalline crystals merged with triangle shape MoS 2 single crystals. The thickness of triangle and polygon shape MoS 2 crystals is identical manifested by Raman intensity and peak position mappings. Three merging behaviors are proposed to illustrate the formation mechanisms of observed various polygon shaped MoS 2 crystals. The combined photoemission electron microscopy and kelvin probe force microscopy results reveal that the surface potential of perfect merged crystals is identical, which has an important implication for fabricating MoS 2 -based devices.

  11. Contribution of the LIM domain and nebulin-repeats to the interaction of Lasp-2 with actin filaments and focal adhesions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroyuki Nakagawa

    Full Text Available Lasp-2 binds to actin filaments and concentrates in the actin bundles of filopodia and lamellipodia in neural cells and focal adhesions in fibroblastic cells. Lasp-2 has three structural regions: a LIM domain, a nebulin-repeat region, and an SH3 domain; however, the region(s responsible for its interactions with actin filaments and focal adhesions are still unclear. In this study, we revealed that the N-terminal fragment from the LIM domain to the first nebulin-repeat module (LIM-n1 retained actin-binding activity and showed a similar subcellular localization to full-length lasp-2 in neural cells. The LIM domain fragment did not interact with actin filaments or localize to actin filament bundles. In contrast, LIM-n1 showed a clear subcellular localization to filopodial actin bundles. Although truncation of the LIM domain caused the loss of F-actin binding activity and the accumulation of filopodial actin bundles, these truncated fragments localized to focal adhesions. These results suggest that lasp-2 interactions with actin filaments are mediated through the cooperation of the LIM domain and the first nebulin-repeat module in vitro and in vivo. Actin filament binding activity may be a major contributor to the subcellular localization of lasp-2 to filopodia but is not crucial for lasp-2 recruitment to focal adhesions.

  12. Crystal structure of the G3BP2 NTF2-like domain in complex with a canonical FGDF motif peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristensen, Ole

    2015-11-06

    The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of the human Ras GTPase SH3 Binding Protein (G3BP), isoform 2, was determined at a resolution of 2.75 Å in complex with a peptide containing a FGDF sequence motif. The overall structure of the protein is highly similar to the homodimeric N-terminal domains of the G3BP1 and Rasputin proteins. Recently, a subset of G3BP interacting proteins was recognized to share a common sequence motif, FGDF. The most studied binding partners, USP10 and viral nsP3, interfere with essential G3BP functions related to assembly of cellular stress granules. Reported molecular modeling suggested that FGDF-motif containing peptides bind in an extended conformation into a hydrophobic groove on the surface of the G3BP NTF2-like domain in a manner similar to the known binding of FxFG nucleoporin repeats. The results in this paper provide evidence for a different binding mode. The FGDF peptide binds and changes conformation of the protruding N-terminal residues by providing hydrophobic interactions to a symmetry related molecule that facilitated crystallization of the G3BP2 isoform. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Direct visualization of phase separation between superconducting and nematic domains in Co-doped CaFe2As2 close to a first-order phase transition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fente, Antón; Correa-Orellana, Alexandre; Böhmer, Anna E.; Kreyssig, Andreas; Ran, S.; Bud'ko, Sergey L.; Canfield, Paul C.; Mompean, Federico J.; García-Hernández, Mar; Munuera, Carmen; Guillamón, Isabel; Suderow, Hermann

    2018-01-01

    We show that biaxial strain induces alternating tetragonal superconducting and orthorhombic nematic domains in Co-substituted CaFe2As2 . We use atomic force, magnetic force, and scanning tunneling microscopy to identify the domains and characterize their properties, finding in particular that tetragonal superconducting domains are very elongated, more than several tens of micrometers long and about 30 nm wide; have the same Tc as unstrained samples; and hold vortices in a magnetic field. Thus, biaxial strain produces a phase-separated state, where each phase is equivalent to what is found on either side of the first-order phase transition between antiferromagnetic orthorhombic and superconducting tetragonal phases found in unstrained samples when changing Co concentration. Having such alternating superconducting domains separated by normal conducting domains with sizes of the order of the coherence length opens opportunities to build Josephson junction networks or vortex pinning arrays and suggests that first-order quantum phase transitions lead to nanometric-size phase separation under the influence of strain.

  14. The pH-sensitive structure of the C-terminal domain of voltage-gated proton channel and the thermodynamic characteristics of Zn{sup 2+} binding to this domain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Qing; Li, Chuanyong; Li, Shu Jie, E-mail: shujieli@nankai.edu.cn

    2015-01-02

    Highlights: • The α-helical content of the C-terminus is decreased with a pH increase. • The thermostability of the C-terminus is decreased with a pH increase. • Zn{sup 2+} binds to His{sup 244} and His{sup 266} residues within the C-terminal domain. • The binding of Zn{sup 2+} to His{sup 244} residue is an endothermic heat reaction. • The binding of Zn{sup 2+} to His{sup 266} residue is an exothermic heat reaction. - Abstract: The voltage-gated proton channel Hv1 is strongly sensitive to Zn{sup 2+}. The H{sup +} conduction is decreased at a high concentration of Zn{sup 2+} and Hv1 channel closing is slowed by the internal application of Zn{sup 2+}. Although the recent studies demonstrated that Zn{sup 2+} interacts with the intracellular C-terminal domain, the binding sites and details of the interaction remain unknown. Here, we studied the pH-dependent structural stability of the intracellular C-terminal domain of human Hv1 and showed that Zn{sup 2+} binds to His{sup 244} and His{sup 266} residues. The thermodynamics signature of Zn{sup 2+} binding to the two sites was investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry. The binding of Zn{sup 2+} to His{sup 244} (mutant H266A) and His{sup 266} (mutant H244A) were an endothermic heat reaction and an exothermic heat reaction, respectively.

  15. Electrostatics effects on Ca(2+) binding and conformational changes in EF-hand domains: Functional implications for EF-hand proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ababou, Abdessamad; Zaleska, Mariola

    2015-12-01

    Mutations of Gln41 and Lys75 with nonpolar residues in the N-terminal domain of calmodulin (N-Cam) revealed the importance of solvation energetics in conformational change of Ca(2+) sensor EF-hand domains. While in general these domains have polar residues at these corresponding positions yet the extent of their conformational response to Ca(2+) binding and their Ca(2+) binding affinity can be different from N-Cam. Consequently, here we address the charge state of the polar residues at these positions. The results show that the charge state of these polar residues can affect substantially the conformational change and the Ca(2+) binding affinity of our N-Cam variants. Since all the variants kept their conformational activity in the presence of Ca(2+) suggests that the differences observed among them mainly originate from the difference in their molecular dynamics. Hence we propose that the molecular dynamics of Ca(2+) sensor EF-hand domains is a key factor in the multifunctional aspect of EF-hand proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The SH2 Domain Regulates c-Abl Kinase Activation by a Cyclin-Like Mechanism and Remodulation of the Hinge Motion

    OpenAIRE

    Dölker, N.; Górna, M. W.; Sutto, L.; Torralba, A. S.; Superti-Furga, G.; Gervasio, F. L.

    2014-01-01

    Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1) tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL). Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys...

  17. Identification of novel key amino acids at the interface of the transmembrane domains of human BST-2 and HIV-1 Vpu.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Xiaojing; Hu, Siqi; Li, Jian; Xu, Fengwen; Mei, Shan; Zhou, Jinming; Cen, Shan; Jin, Qi; Guo, Fei

    2013-08-06

    BST-2 (bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2) is an interferon-inducible protein that inhibits virus release by tethering viral particles to the cell surface. This antiviral activity of BST-2 is antagonized by HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu. Vpu physically interacts with BST-2 through their mutual transmembrane (TM) domains. In this study, we utilized the BRET assay and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method to further characterize the interaction of BST-2 and Vpu. Amino acids I34, L37, P40 and L41 in the TM domain of BST-2, and L11, A18 and W22 in the TM domain of Vpu were identified to be critical for the interaction between BST-2 and Vpu. The residues P40 in the TM domain of BST-2 and L11 in the TM domain of Vpu were shown, for the first time, to be important for their interaction. Furthermore, triple-amino-acid substitutions, 14-16 (AII to VAA) and 26-28 (IIE to AAA) in Vpu TM, not the single-residue mutation, profoundly disrupted BST-2/Vpu interaction. The results of MD simulation revealed significant conformational changes of the BST-2/Vpu complex as a result of mutating P40 of BST-2 and L11, 14-16 (AII to VAA) and 26-28 (IIE to AAA) of Vpu. In addition, disrupting the interaction between BST-2 and Vpu rendered BST-2 resistant to Vpu antagonization. Through use of the BRET assay, we identified novel key residues P40 in the TM domain of BST-2 and L11 in the TM domain of Vpu that are important for their interaction. These results add new insights into the molecular mechanism behind BST-2 antagonization by HIV-1 Vpu.

  18. The Fanconi Anemia DNA Repair Pathway Is Regulated by an Interaction between Ubiquitin and the E2-like Fold Domain of FANCL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miles, Jennifer A; Frost, Mark G; Carroll, Eilis; Rowe, Michelle L; Howard, Mark J; Sidhu, Ateesh; Chaugule, Viduth K; Alpi, Arno F; Walden, Helen

    2015-08-21

    The Fanconi Anemia (FA) DNA repair pathway is essential for the recognition and repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICL). Inefficient repair of these ICL can lead to leukemia and bone marrow failure. A critical step in the pathway is the monoubiquitination of FANCD2 by the RING E3 ligase FANCL. FANCL comprises 3 domains, a RING domain that interacts with E2 conjugating enzymes, a central domain required for substrate interaction, and an N-terminal E2-like fold (ELF) domain. The ELF domain is found in all FANCL homologues, yet the function of the domain remains unknown. We report here that the ELF domain of FANCL is required to mediate a non-covalent interaction between FANCL and ubiquitin. The interaction involves the canonical Ile44 patch on ubiquitin, and a functionally conserved patch on FANCL. We show that the interaction is not necessary for the recognition of the core complex, it does not enhance the interaction between FANCL and Ube2T, and is not required for FANCD2 monoubiquitination in vitro. However, we demonstrate that the ELF domain is required to promote efficient DNA damage-induced FANCD2 monoubiquitination in vertebrate cells, suggesting an important function of ubiquitin binding by FANCL in vivo. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  19. Llama immunization with full-length VAR2CSA generates cross-reactive and inhibitory single-domain antibodies against the DBL1X domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes-Silva, Sofia; Gangnard, Stéphane; Vidal, Marta; Vuchelen, Anneleen; Dechavanne, Sebastien; Chan, Sherwin; Pardon, Els; Steyaert, Jan; Ramboarina, Stephanie; Chêne, Arnaud; Gamain, Benoît

    2014-12-09

    VAR2CSA stands today as the leading vaccine candidate aiming to protect future pregnant women living in malaria endemic areas against the severe clinical outcomes of pregnancy associated malaria (PAM). The rational design of an efficient VAR2CSA-based vaccine relies on a profound understanding of the molecular interactions associated with P. falciparum infected erythrocyte sequestration in the placenta. Following immunization of a llama with the full-length VAR2CSA recombinant protein, we have expressed and characterized a panel of 19 nanobodies able to recognize the recombinant VAR2CSA as well as the surface of erythrocytes infected with parasites originating from different parts of the world. Domain mapping revealed that a large majority of nanobodies targeted DBL1X whereas a few of them were directed towards DBL4ε, DBL5ε and DBL6ε. One nanobody targeting the DBL1X was able to recognize the native VAR2CSA protein of the three parasite lines tested. Furthermore, four nanobodies targeting DBL1X reproducibly inhibited CSA adhesion of erythrocytes infected with the homologous NF54-CSA parasite strain, providing evidences that DBL1X domain is part or close to the CSA binding site. These nanobodies could serve as useful tools to identify conserved epitopes shared between different variants and to characterize the interactions between VAR2CSA and CSA.

  20. An Amphiphysin-Like Domain in Fus2p Is Required for Rvs161p Interaction and Cortical Localization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard A. Stein

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Cell–cell fusion fulfils essential roles in fertilization, development and tissue repair. In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, fusion between two haploid cells of opposite mating type generates the diploid zygote. Fus2p is a pheromone-induced protein that regulates cell wall removal during mating. Fus2p shuttles from the nucleus to localize at the shmoo tip, bound to Rvs161p, an amphiphysin. However, Rvs161p independently binds a second amphiphysin, Rvs167p, playing an essential role in endocytosis. To understand the basis of the Fus2p–Rvs161p interaction, we analyzed Fus2p structural domains. A previously described N-terminal domain (NTD is necessary and sufficient to regulate nuclear/cytoplasmic trafficking of Fus2p. The Dbl homology domain (DBH binds GTP-bound Cdc42p; binding is required for cell fusion, but not localization. We identified an approximately 200 amino acid region of Fus2p that is both necessary and sufficient for Rvs161p binding. The Rvs161p binding domain (RBD contains three predicted alpha-helices; structural modeling suggests that the RBD adopts an amphiphysin-like structure. The RBD contains a 13-amino-acid region, conserved with Rvs161p and other amphiphysins, which is essential for binding. Mutations in the RBD, predicted to affect membrane binding, abolish cell fusion without affecting Rvs161p binding. We propose that Fus2p/Rvs161p form a novel heterodimeric amphiphysin required for cell fusion. Rvs161p binding is required but not sufficient for Fus2p localization. Mutations in the C-terminal domain (CTD of Fus2p block localization, but not Rvs161p binding, causing a significant defect in cell fusion. We conclude that the Fus2p CTD mediates an additional, Rvs161p-independent interaction at the shmoo tip.

  1. Identification of the interaction and interaction domains of chicken anemia virus VP2 and VP3 proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Fenfen; Pan, Wei; Gao, Honglei; Qi, Xiaole; Qin, Liting; Wang, Yongqiang; Gao, Yulong; Wang, Xiaomei

    2018-01-01

    Chicken anemia virus (CAV) is a small, single-stranded DNA virus of Anelloviridae family. Its genome segments encode three proteins, VP1, VP2, and VP3. This study identified an interaction between VP2 and VP3 and mapped the interaction domains. Through the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system, VP2 was found to interact with VP3. The presence of the VP2-VP3 complex in CAV-infected chicken cells was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Confocal microscopy showed that VP2 and VP3 were expressed in the cytoplasm in cotransfected Vero cells. In the Y2H system, the interaction domains were identified as being within the N-terminal aa 1-30 and C-terminal aa 17-60 for VP2 and the N-terminal aa 46-60 and C-terminal aa 1-7 for VP3. This study showed the interaction between VP2 and VP3 of CAV and identified multiple independent interactive domains within the two proteins. This provides novel information for investigating the biological functions of these proteins. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. Mono-domain YBa2Cu3Oy superconductor fabrics prepared by an infiltration process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sudhakar Reddy, E.; Noudem, J.G.; Tarka, M.; Schmitz, G.J.

    2000-01-01

    A novel process for the fabrication of a new form of YBa 2 Cu 3 O y (123) superconducting material, with the dimensions of a thick film and the microstructure of a melt-textured single-domain bulk is described. The process allows the fabrication of 123 as a self-supporting fabric or as a thick film on various substrate materials. The process, which is generic and economical, uses commercially available Y 2 O 3 fabrics as a precursor material. The Y 2 O 3 cloth is infiltrated with barium cuprates and copper oxides from a liquid-phase source, then converted into Y 2 BaCuO 5 (211) phase and eventually to 123. The nucleation and growth of the 123 phase is controlled by seeding the cloth with an oriented heterogeneous MgO or Nd123 seed. Interesting application areas for the new form of the 123 mono-domain fabric are discussed. (author)

  3. Identification of the kinase that activates a nonmetazoan STAT gives insights into the evolution of phosphotyrosine-SH2 domain signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araki, Tsuyoshi; Kawata, Takefumi; Williams, Jeffrey G

    2012-07-10

    SH2 domains are integral to many animal signaling pathways. By interacting with specific phosphotyrosine residues, they provide regulatable protein-protein interaction domains. Dictyostelium is the only nonmetazoan with functionally characterized SH2 domains, but the cognate tyrosine kinases are unknown. There are no orthologs of the animal tyrosine kinases, but there are very many tyrosine kinase-like kinases (TKLs), a group of kinases which, despite their family name, are classified mainly as serine-threonine kinases. STATs are transcription factors that dimerize via phosphotyrosine-SH2 domain interactions. STATc is activated by phosphorylation on Tyr922 when cells are exposed to the prestalk inducer differentiation inducing factor (DIF-1), a chlorinated hexaphenone. We show that in a null mutant for Pyk2, a tyrosine-specific TKL, exposure to DIF-1 does not activate STATc. Conversely, overexpression of Pyk2 causes constitutive STATc activation. Pyk2 phosphorylates STATc on Tyr922 in vitro and complexes with STATc both in vitro and in vivo. This demonstration that a TKL directly activates a STAT has significant implications for understanding the evolutionary origins of SH2 domain-phosphotyrosine signaling. It also has mechanistic implications. Our previous work suggested that a predicted constitutive STATc tyrosine kinase activity is counterbalanced in vivo by the DIF-1-regulated activity of PTP3, a Tyr922 phosphatase. Here we show that the STATc-Pyk2 complex is formed constitutively by an interaction between the STATc SH2 domain and phosphotyrosine residues on Pyk2 that are generated by autophosphorylation. Also, as predicted, Pyk2 is constitutively active as a STATc kinase. This observation provides further evidence for this highly atypical, possibly ancestral, STAT regulation mechanism.

  4. A novel PKD2L1 C-terminal domain critical for trimerization and channel function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wang; Hussein, Shaimaa; Yang, JungWoo; Huang, Jun; Zhang, Fan; Hernandez-Anzaldo, Samuel; Fernandez-Patron, Carlos; Cao, Ying; Zeng, Hongbo; Tang, Jingfeng; Chen, Xing-Zhen

    2015-03-30

    As a transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily member, polycystic kidney disease 2-like-1 (PKD2L1) is also called TRPP3 and has similar membrane topology as voltage-gated cation channels. PKD2L1 is involved in hedgehog signaling, intestinal development, and sour tasting. PKD2L1 and PKD1L3 form heterotetramers with 3:1 stoichiometry. C-terminal coiled-coil-2 (CC2) domain (G699-W743) of PKD2L1 was reported to be important for its trimerization but independent studies showed that CC2 does not affect PKD2L1 channel function. It thus remains unclear how PKD2L1 proteins oligomerize into a functional channel. By SDS-PAGE, blue native PAGE and mutagenesis we here identified a novel C-terminal domain called C1 (K575-T622) involved in stronger homotrimerization than the non-overlapping CC2, and found that the PKD2L1 N-terminus is critical for dimerization. By electrophysiology and Xenopus oocyte expression, we found that C1, but not CC2, is critical for PKD2L1 channel function. Our co-immunoprecipitation and dynamic light scattering experiments further supported involvement of C1 in trimerization. Further, C1 acted as a blocking peptide that inhibits PKD2L1 trimerization as well as PKD2L1 and PKD2L1/PKD1L3 channel function. Thus, our study identified C1 as the first PKD2L1 domain essential for both PKD2L1 trimerization and channel function, and suggest that PKD2L1 and PKD2L1/PKD1L3 channels share the PKD2L1 trimerization process.

  5. Functional interactions of the AF-2 activation domain core region of the human androgen receptor with the amino-terminal domain and with the transcriptional coactivator TIF2 (transcriptional intermediary factor2)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    C.A. Berrevoets (Cor); P. Doesburg (Paul); K. Steketee (Karine); J. Trapman (Jan); A.O. Brinkmann (Albert)

    1998-01-01

    textabstractPrevious studies in yeast and mammalian cells showed a functional interaction between the amino-terminal domain and the carboxy-terminal, ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the human androgen receptor (AR). In the present study, the AR subdomains involved in

  6. MESSENGER E/V/H GRNS 2 GAMMA RAY SPECTROMETER RAW DATA V1.0

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Abstract ======== This data set consists of the MESSENGER GRS uncalibrated observations, also known as EDRs. The GRS experiment is a gamma ray spectrometer designed...

  7. Her4 and Her2/neu tyrosine kinase domains dimerize and activate in a reconstituted in vitro system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monsey, John; Shen, Wei; Schlesinger, Paul; Bose, Ron

    2010-03-05

    Her4 (ErbB-4) and Her2/neu (ErbB-2) are receptor-tyrosine kinases belonging to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family. Crystal structures of EGFR and Her4 kinase domains demonstrate kinase dimerization and activation through an allosteric mechanism. The kinase domains form an asymmetric dimer, where the C-lobe surface of one monomer contacts the N-lobe of the other monomer. EGFR kinase dimerization and activation in vitro was previously reported using a nickel-chelating lipid-liposome system, and we now apply this system to all other members of the EGFR family. Polyhistidine-tagged Her4, Her2/neu, and Her3 kinase domains are bound to these nickel-liposomes and are brought to high local concentration, mimicking what happens to full-length receptors in vivo following ligand binding. Addition of nickel-liposomes to Her4 kinase domain results in 40-fold activation in kinase activity and marked enhancement of C-terminal tail autophosphorylation. Activation of Her4 shows a sigmoidal dependence on kinase concentration, consistent with a cooperative process requiring kinase dimerization. Her2/neu kinase activity is also activated by nickel-liposomes, and is increased further by heterodimerization with Her3 or Her4. The ability of Her3 and Her4 to heterodimerize and activate other family members is studied in vitro. Her3 kinase domain readily activates Her2/neu but is a poor activator of Her4, which differs from the prediction made by the asymmetric dimer model. Mutation of Her3 residues (952)ENI(954) to the corresponding sequence in Her4 enhanced the ability of Her3 to activate Her4, demonstrating that sequence differences on the C-lobe surface influence the heterodimerization and activation of ErbB kinase domains.

  8. Host determinant residue lysine 627 lies on the surface of a discrete, folded domain of influenza virus polymerase PB2 subunit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franck Tarendeau

    Full Text Available Understanding how avian influenza viruses adapt to human hosts is critical for the monitoring and prevention of future pandemics. Host specificity is determined by multiple sites in different viral proteins, and mutation of only a limited number of these sites can lead to inter-species transmission. Several of these sites have been identified in the viral polymerase, the best characterised being position 627 in the PB2 subunit. Efficient viral replication at the relatively low temperature of the human respiratory tract requires lysine 627 rather than the glutamic acid variant found systematically in avian viruses. However, the molecular mechanism by which any of these host specific sites determine host range are unknown, although adaptation to host factors is frequently evoked. We used ESPRIT, a library screening method, to identify a new PB2 domain that contains a high density of putative host specific sites, including residue 627. The X-ray structure of this domain (denoted the 627-domain exhibits a novel fold with the side-chain of Lys627 solvent exposed. The structure of the K627E mutated domain shows no structural differences but the charge reversal disrupts a striking basic patch on the domain surface. Five other recently proposed host determining sites of PB2 are also located on the 627-domain surface. The structure of the complete C-terminal region of PB2 comprising the 627-domain and the previously identified NLS-domain, which binds the host nuclear import factor importin alpha, was also determined. The two domains are found to pack together with a largely hydrophilic interface. These data enable a three-dimensional mapping of approximately half of PB2 sites implicated in cross-species transfer onto a single structural unit. Their surface location is consistent with roles in interactions with other viral proteins or host factors. The identification and structural characterization of these well-defined PB2 domains will help design

  9. GUM2DFT—a software tool for uncertainty evaluation of transient signals in the frequency domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eichstädt, S; Wilkens, V

    2016-01-01

    The Fourier transform and its counterpart for discrete time signals, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT), are common tools in measurement science and application. Although almost every scientific software package offers ready-to-use implementations of the DFT, the propagation of uncertainties in line with the guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM) is typically neglected. This is of particular importance in dynamic metrology, when input estimation is carried out by deconvolution in the frequency domain. To this end, we present the new open-source software tool GUM2DFT, which utilizes closed formulas for the efficient propagation of uncertainties for the application of the DFT, inverse DFT and input estimation in the frequency domain. It handles different frequency domain representations, accounts for autocorrelation and takes advantage of the symmetry inherent in the DFT result for real-valued time domain signals. All tools are presented in terms of examples which form part of the software package. GUM2DFT will foster GUM-compliant evaluation of uncertainty in a DFT-based analysis and enable metrologists to include uncertainty evaluations in their routine work. (paper)

  10. Structures of the Sgt2/SGTA Dimerization Domain with the Get5/UBL4A UBL Domain Reveal an Interaction that Forms a Conserved Dynamic Interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin W. Chartron

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available In the cytoplasm, the correct delivery of membrane proteins is an essential and highly regulated process. The posttranslational targeting of the important tail-anchor membrane (TA proteins has recently been under intense investigation. A specialized pathway, called the guided entry of TA proteins (GET pathway in yeast and the transmembrane domain recognition complex (TRC pathway in vertebrates, recognizes endoplasmic-reticulum-targeted TA proteins and delivers them through a complex series of handoffs. An early step is the formation of a complex between Sgt2/SGTA, a cochaperone with a presumed ubiquitin-like-binding domain (UBD, and Get5/UBL4A, a ubiquitin-like domain (UBL-containing protein. We structurally characterize this UBD/UBL interaction for both yeast and human proteins. This characterization is supported by biophysical studies that demonstrate that complex formation is mediated by electrostatics, generating an interface that has high-affinity with rapid kinetics. In total, this work provides a refined model of the interplay of Sgt2 homologs in TA targeting.

  11. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak2 in the JH2 domain inhibits cytokine signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feener, Edward P; Rosario, Felicia; Dunn, Sarah L; Stancheva, Zlatina; Myers, Martin G

    2004-06-01

    Jak family tyrosine kinases mediate signaling by cytokine receptors to regulate diverse biological processes. Although Jak2 and other Jak kinase family members are phosphorylated on numerous sites during cytokine signaling, the identity and function of most of these sites remains unknown. Using tandem mass spectroscopic analysis of activated Jak2 protein from intact cells, we identified Tyr(221) and Tyr(570) as novel sites of Jak2 phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of both sites was stimulated by cytokine treatment of cultured cells, and this stimulation required Jak2 kinase activity. While we observed no gross alteration of signaling upon mutation of Tyr(221), Tyr(570) lies within the inhibitory JH2 domain of Jak2, and mutation of this site (Jak2(Y570F)) results in constitutive Jak2-dependent signaling in the absence of cytokine stimulation and enhances and prolongs Jak2 activation during cytokine stimulation. Mutation of Tyr(570) does not alter the ability of SOCS3 to bind or inhibit Jak2, however. Thus, the phosphorylation of Tyr(570) in vivo inhibits Jak2-dependent signaling independently of SOCS3-mediated inhibition. This Tyr(570)-dependent mechanism of Jak2 inhibition likely represents an important mechanism by which cytokine function is regulated.

  12. Inverse agonism at the P2Y12 receptor and ENT1 transporter blockade contribute to platelet inhibition by ticagrelor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aungraheeta, Riyaad; Conibear, Alexandra; Butler, Mark; Kelly, Eamonn; Nylander, Sven; Mumford, Andrew; Mundell, Stuart J

    2016-12-08

    Ticagrelor is a potent antagonist of the P2Y 12 receptor (P2Y 12 R) and consequently an inhibitor of platelet activity effective in the treatment of atherothrombosis. Here, we sought to further characterize its molecular mechanism of action. Initial studies showed that ticagrelor promoted a greater inhibition of adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)-induced Ca 2+ release in washed platelets vs other P2Y 12 R antagonists. This additional effect of ticagrelor beyond P2Y 12 R antagonism was in part as a consequence of ticagrelor inhibiting the equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1) on platelets, leading to accumulation of extracellular adenosine and activation of G s -coupled adenosine A 2A receptors. This contributed to an increase in basal cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation (VASP-P). In addition, ticagrelor increased platelet cAMP and VASP-P in the absence of ADP in an adenosine receptor-independent manner. We hypothesized that this increase originated from a direct effect on basal agonist-independent P2Y 12 R signaling, and this was validated in 1321N1 cells stably transfected with human P2Y 12 R. In these cells, ticagrelor blocked the constitutive agonist-independent activity of the P2Y 12 R, limiting basal G i -coupled signaling and thereby increasing cAMP levels. These data suggest that ticagrelor has the pharmacological profile of an inverse agonist. Based on our results showing insurmountable inhibition of ADP-induced Ca 2+ release and forskolin-induced cAMP, the mode of antagonism of ticagrelor also appears noncompetitive, at least functionally. In summary, our studies describe 2 novel modes of action of ticagrelor, inhibition of platelet ENT1 and inverse agonism at the P2Y 12 R that contribute to its effective inhibition of platelet activation. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

  13. Crystal structures of the human G3BP1 NTF2-like domain visualize FxFG Nup Repeat Specificity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vognsen, Tina Reinholdt; Möller, Ingvar Rúnar; Kristensen, Ole

    2013-01-01

    Ras GTPase Activating Protein SH3 Domain Binding Protein (G3BP) is a potential anti-cancer drug target implicated in several cellular functions. We have used protein crystallography to solve crystal structures of the human G3BP1 NTF2-like domain both alone and in complex with an FxFG Nup repeat...... peptide. Despite high structural similarity, the FxFG binding site is located between two alpha helices in the G3BP1 NTF2-like domain and not at the dimer interface as observed for nuclear transport factor 2. ITC studies showed specificity towards the FxFG motif but not FG and GLFG motifs. The unliganded...

  14. In-situ observation of domain wall motion in Pb(In{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}-Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-PbTiO{sub 3} crystals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Dabin; Cai, Changlong [Laboratory of Thin Film Techniques and Optical Test, Xi' an Technological University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Li, Zhenrong, E-mail: zhrli@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Li, Fei; Xu, Zhuo [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry and International Center for Dielectric Research, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Zhang, Shujun, E-mail: soz1@psu.edu [Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States); Cheng, Yaojin [Science and Technology on Low-Light-Level Night Vision Laboratory, Xi' an 710065 (China)

    2014-07-21

    Various domain structures, including wave-like domains, mixed needle-like and laminar domains, typical embedded 90° and 180° domains, have been observed in unpoled rhombohedral, monoclinic, and tetragonal Pb(In{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}-Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-PbTiO{sub 3} (PIN-PMN-PT) crystals by polarizing light microscope; while in poled tetragonal crystals, the parallel 180° domains were reversed and only vertical 90° domain walls were observed. For 0.24PIN-0.42PMN-0.34PT crystals with morphotropic phase boundary composition, the domain wall motion was in-situ observed as a function of applied electric field along crystallographic [100] direction. With increasing the electric field from 0 to 12 kV/cm, the rhombohedral (R) domains were found to change to monoclinic (M) domains and then to tetragonal (T) domains. The electric field-induced phase transition was also confirmed by X-ray diffraction and the temperature-dependent dielectric behavior.

  15. Identification of functional domains of the IR2 protein of equine herpesvirus 1 required for inhibition of viral gene expression and replication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Seong K.; Kim, Seongman; Dai Gan; Zhang Yunfei; Ahn, Byung C.; O'Callaghan, Dennis J.

    2011-01-01

    The equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) negative regulatory IR2 protein (IR2P), an early 1,165-amino acid (aa) truncated form of the 1487-aa immediate-early protein (IEP), lacks the trans-activation domain essential for IEP activation functions but retains domains for binding DNA, TFIIB, and TBP and the nuclear localization signal. IR2P mutants of the N-terminal region which lack either DNA-binding activity or TFIIB-binding activity were unable to down-regulate EHV-1 promoters. In EHV-1-infected cells expressing full-length IR2P, transcription and protein expression of viral regulatory IE, early EICP0, IR4, and UL5, and late ETIF genes were dramatically inhibited. Viral DNA levels were reduced to 2.1% of control infected cells, but were vey weakly affected in cells that express the N-terminal 706 residues of IR2P. These results suggest that IR2P function requires the two N-terminal domains for binding DNA and TFIIB as well as the C-terminal residues 707 to 1116 containing the TBP-binding domain. - Highlights: → We examine the functional domains of IR2P that mediates negative regulation. → IR2P inhibits at the transcriptional level. → DNA-binding mutant or TFIIB-binding mutant fails to inhibit. → C-terminal aa 707 to 1116 are required for full inhibition. → Inhibition requires the DNA-binding domain, TFIIB-binding domain, and C-terminus.

  16. An SH2 domain-based tyrosine kinase assay using biotin ligase modified with a terbium(III) complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sueda, Shinji; Shinboku, Yuki; Kusaba, Takeshi

    2013-01-01

    Src homology 2 (SH2) domains are modules of approximately 100 amino acids and are known to bind phosphotyrosine-containing sequences with high affinity and specificity. In the present work, we developed an SH2 domain-based assay for Src tyrosine kinase using a unique biotinylation reaction from archaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii. S. tokodaii biotinylation has a unique property that biotin protein ligase (BPL) forms a stable complex with its biotinylated substrate protein (BCCP). Here, an SH2 domain from lymphocyte-specific tyrosine kinase was genetically fused to a truncated BCCP, and the resulting fusion protein was labeled through biotinylation with BPL carrying multiple copies of a luminescent Tb(3+) complex. The labeled SH2 fusion proteins were employed to detect a phosphorylated peptide immobilized on the surface of the microtiter plate, where the phosphorylated peptide was produced by phosphorylation to the substrate peptide by Src tyrosine kinase. Our assay allows for a reliable determination of the activity of Src kinase lower than 10 pg/μL by a simple procedure.

  17. Thermal properties of UO2 from density functional theory: role of strong correlations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panigrahi, Puspamitra; Kaur Gurpreet; Valsakumar, M.C.

    2011-01-01

    We report a study of ground state magnetic structure of Uranium-dioxide (UO 2 ) using ab initio calculations employing PAW pseudopotentials and Dudarev's version of GGA+U formalism as implemented in VASP to take into account the strong on-site Coulomb correlation among the localized Uranium-5f electrons. By choosing the value of the Hubbard parameter U eff to be 4.0 eV, we have confirmed the experimental observation that the ground state of UO 2 is an insulator with an anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) ordering. We study systematically the ground state structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of UO 2 and focus on the structure sensitive thermal properties such as specific heat, thermal expansion and comment on the calculation of thermal conductivity. (author)

  18. Propiedades estructurales y magnéticas de nanopartículas de Co2Au10

    OpenAIRE

    García Mayo, Sara

    2017-01-01

    Hemos llevado a cabo una búsqueda del estado fundamental de la nanoaleación Co2Au10, que hemos comprobado que puede ser vista como un dímero de Co recubierto por diez átomos de Au, con vistas a encontrar un bit magnético estable en el límite de la miniaturización, y hemos estudiado sus propiedades estructurales y magnéticas desde una aproximación relativista escalar. Los cálculos se han realizado empleando el código VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package), que es una impleme...

  19. Direct EIT reconstructions of complex admittivities on a chest-shaped domain in 2-D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Sarah J; Mueller, Jennifer L

    2013-04-01

    Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a medical imaging technique in which current is applied on electrodes on the surface of the body, the resulting voltage is measured, and an inverse problem is solved to recover the conductivity and/or permittivity in the interior. Images are then formed from the reconstructed conductivity and permittivity distributions. In the 2-D geometry, EIT is clinically useful for chest imaging. In this work, an implementation of a D-bar method for complex admittivities on a general 2-D domain is presented. In particular, reconstructions are computed on a chest-shaped domain for several realistic phantoms including a simulated pneumothorax, hyperinflation, and pleural effusion. The method demonstrates robustness in the presence of noise. Reconstructions from trigonometric and pairwise current injection patterns are included.

  20. Domains and domain loss

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haberland, Hartmut

    2005-01-01

    politicians and in the media, especially in the discussion whether some languages undergo ‘domain loss’ vis-à-vis powerful international languages like English. An objection that has been raised here is that domains, as originally conceived, are parameters of language choice and not properties of languages...

  1. 2.5D Inversion Algorithm of Frequency-Domain Airborne Electromagnetics with Topography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianjun Xi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available We presented a 2.5D inversion algorithm with topography for frequency-domain airborne electromagnetic data. The forward modeling is based on edge finite element method and uses the irregular hexahedron to adapt the topography. The electric and magnetic fields are split into primary (background and secondary (scattered field to eliminate the source singularity. For the multisources of frequency-domain airborne electromagnetic method, we use the large-scale sparse matrix parallel shared memory direct solver PARDISO to solve the linear system of equations efficiently. The inversion algorithm is based on Gauss-Newton method, which has the efficient convergence rate. The Jacobian matrix is calculated by “adjoint forward modelling” efficiently. The synthetic inversion examples indicated that our proposed method is correct and effective. Furthermore, ignoring the topography effect can lead to incorrect results and interpretations.

  2. Between-Domain Relations of Students’ Academic Emotions and Their Judgments of School Domain Similarity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas eGoetz

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available With the aim to deepen our understanding of the between-domain relations of academic emotions, a series of three studies was conducted. We theorized that between-domain relations of trait (i.e., habitual emotions reflected students’ judgments of domain similarities, whereas between-domain relations of state (i.e., momentary emotions did not. This supposition was based on the accessibility model of emotional self-report, according to which individuals’ beliefs tend to strongly impact trait, but not state emotions. The aim of Study 1 (interviews; N = 40; 8th and 11th graders was to gather salient characteristics of academic domains from students’ perspective. In Study 2 (N=1709; 8th and 11th graders the 13 characteristics identified in Study 1 were assessed along with academic emotions in four different domains (mathematics, physics, German, and English using a questionnaire-based trait assessment. With respect to the same domains, state emotions were assessed in Study 3 (N = 121; 8th and 11th graders by employing an experience sampling approach. In line with our initial assumptions, between-domain relations of trait but not state academic emotions reflected between-domain relations of domain characteristics. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

  3. Between-domain relations of students' academic emotions and their judgments of school domain similarity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goetz, Thomas; Haag, Ludwig; Lipnevich, Anastasiya A.; Keller, Melanie M.; Frenzel, Anne C.; Collier, Antonie P. M.

    2014-01-01

    With the aim to deepen our understanding of the between-domain relations of academic emotions, a series of three studies was conducted. We theorized that between-domain relations of trait (i.e., habitual) emotions reflected students' judgments of domain similarities, whereas between-domain relations of state (i.e., momentary) emotions did not. This supposition was based on the accessibility model of emotional self-report, according to which individuals' beliefs tend to strongly impact trait, but not state emotions. The aim of Study 1 (interviews; N = 40; 8th and 11th graders) was to gather salient characteristics of academic domains from students' perspective. In Study 2 (N = 1709; 8th and 11th graders) the 13 characteristics identified in Study 1 were assessed along with academic emotions in four different domains (mathematics, physics, German, and English) using a questionnaire-based trait assessment. With respect to the same domains, state emotions were assessed in Study 3 (N = 121; 8th and 11th graders) by employing an experience sampling approach. In line with our initial assumptions, between-domain relations of trait but not state academic emotions reflected between-domain relations of domain characteristics. Implications for research and practice are discussed. PMID:25374547

  4. The ShcA SH2 domain engages a 14-3-3/PI3'K signaling complex and promotes breast cancer cell survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursini-Siegel, J; Hardy, W R; Zheng, Y; Ling, C; Zuo, D; Zhang, C; Podmore, L; Pawson, T; Muller, W J

    2012-11-29

    The ShcA adapter protein transmits activating signals downstream of receptor and cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases through the establishment of phosphotyrosine-dependent complexes. In this regard, ShcA possesses both a phosphotyrosine-binding domain (PTB) and Src homology 2 domain (SH2), which bind phosphotyrosine residues in a sequence-specific manner. Although the majority of receptor tyrosine kinases expressed in breast cancer cells bind the PTB domain, very little is known regarding the biological importance of SH2-driven ShcA signaling during mammary tumorigenesis. To address this, we employed transgenic mice expressing a mutant ShcA allele harboring a non-functional SH2 domain (ShcR397K) under the transcriptional control of the endogenous ShcA promoter. Using transplantation approaches, we demonstrate that SH2-dependent ShcA signaling within the mammary epithelial compartment is essential for breast tumor outgrowth, survival and the development of lung metastases. We further show that the ShcA SH2 domain activates the AKT pathway, potentially through a novel SH2-mediated complex between ShcA, 14-3-3ζ and the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3') kinase. This study is the first to demonstrate that the SH2 domain of ShcA is critical for tumor survival during mammary tumorigenesis.

  5. Time Domain Characterization of 1-2 GHz Circular-ended Bowtie Antenna Using Normalizad Impulse Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joko Suryana

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Frequency domain analysis is a powerful and compact tool for characterizing the antenna parameters such as gain, radiation pattern and the impedance as a function of frequency. However, if time or space is a major concern, such as in the GPR appication, the time domain analysis would be a very important tool due to their unique capability for determining the echo delay and range profile of target image. In this paper, we will describe the classical theory of system characterization in time domain, and then also propose the mathematical model for characterizing the 1 - 2 GHz circular-ended Bowtie antenna. From the measurement results, we concluded that the implemented Bowtie antenna has good normalized impulse response with very small ringing, so it is suitable for GPR applications.

  6. An intact Pms2 ATPase domain is not essential for male fertility

    OpenAIRE

    Fischer, Jared M; Dudley, Sandra; Miller, Ashleigh J; Liskay, R Michael

    2015-01-01

    The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) machinery in mammals plays critical roles in both mutation avoidance and spermatogenesis. Meiotic analysis of knockout mice of two different MMR genes, Mlh1 and Mlh3, revealed both male and female infertility associated with a defect in meiotic crossing over. In contrast, another MMR gene knockout, Pms2 (Pms2ko/ko), which contained a deletion of a portion of the ATPase domain, produced animals that were male sterile but female fertile. However, the meiotic phenot...

  7. SH3 Domains Differentially Stimulate Distinct Dynamin I Assembly Modes and G Domain Activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sai Krishnan

    Full Text Available Dynamin I is a highly regulated GTPase enzyme enriched in nerve terminals which mediates vesicle fission during synaptic vesicle endocytosis. One regulatory mechanism involves its interactions with proteins containing Src homology 3 (SH3 domains. At least 30 SH3 domain-containing proteins bind dynamin at its proline-rich domain (PRD. Those that stimulate dynamin activity act by promoting its oligomerisation. We undertook a systematic parallel screening of 13 glutathione-S-transferase (GST-tagged endocytosis-related SH3 domains on dynamin binding, GTPase activity and oligomerisation. No correlation was found between dynamin binding and their potency to stimulate GTPase activity. There was limited correlation between the extent of their ability to stimulate dynamin activity and the level of oligomerisation, indicating an as yet uncharacterised allosteric coupling of the PRD and G domain. We examined the two variants, dynamin Iab and Ibb, which differ in the alternately splice middle domain α2 helix. They responded differently to the panel of SH3s, with the extent of stimulation between the splice variants varying greatly between the SH3s. This study reveals that SH3 binding can act as a heterotropic allosteric regulator of the G domain via the middle domain α2 helix, suggesting an involvement of this helix in communicating the PRD-mediated allostery. This indicates that SH3 binding both stabilises multiple conformations of the tetrameric building block of dynamin, and promotes assembly of dynamin-SH3 complexes with distinct rates of GTP hydrolysis.

  8. Domain-induced activation of human phospholipase A2 type IIA: Local versus global lipid composition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leidy, C.; Linderoth, L.; Andresen, T.L.

    2006-01-01

    , we show that local enrichment of anionic lipids into fluid domains triggers PLA(2)-IIA activity. In addition, the compositional range of enzyme activity is shown to be related to the underlying lipid phase diagram. A comparison is done between PLA(2)-IIA and snake venom PLA(2), which in contrast...... to PLA(2)-IIA hydrolyzes both anionic and zwitterionic membranes. In general, this work shows that PLA(2)-IIA activation can be accomplished through local enrichment of anionic lipids into domains, indicating a mechanism for PLA(2)-IIA to target perturbed native membranes with low global anionic lipid...

  9. Reliability and validity study of the Gujarati version of the Oswestry Disability Index 2.1a.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Sweni; Balaganapathy, M

    2017-09-22

    Among all musculoskeletal disorders back pain is the most common reason for functional limitation in working age. It is due to low back pain (LBP) that the ODI has become one of the principal outcome measures for evaluation of disability and has been widely used in research as well as in clinical practice. So far, validated Gujarati version of the ODI 2.1a has not been reported. To accomplish the translation and validation of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) version 2.1a into the Gujarati language. Cross-sectional study. The validation of the ODI-Gujarati was tested in 120 patients diagnosed with non-specific LBP, who were receiving physiotherapy at a clinic in Gujarat, India. Data was collected at on initial visit and after 48 hours. During both visits, patients completed the Oswestry Disability Index-Gujarati (ODI-G), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire-Gujarati (RMDQ-G), and Visual Analogue Scale-Pain (VAS-P). Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach's alpha. The Gujarati version indicated high internal consistency (α= 0.96). Test-retest reliability was measured by intra-class correlation coefficient and it revealed very high correlation (ICC = 0.92). Construct validity was confirmed by strong correlation with RMDQ-G (r= 0.76), and concurrent validity indicated moderate correlation with VAS-P (r= 0.50). Factor analysis explained that the ODI was loaded on 1 factor. The Oswestry disability index version 2.1a was successfully translated into Gujarati language, showing excellent psychometric properties. Therefore, it can be used in evaluating the disability amongst Gujarati population with LBP for both clinical and research purposes.

  10. Appearance of large crystalline domains in VO{sub 2} films grown on sapphire (001) and their phase transition characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Azhan, Nurul Hanis; Su, Kui; Okimura, Kunio, E-mail: okifn@keyaki.cc.u-tokai.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hiratsuka 259-1292 (Japan); Zaghrioui, Mustapha; Sakai, Joe [GREMAN, UMR 7347 CNRS, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Parc de Grandmont 37200 Tours (France)

    2015-06-28

    We report the first observation of large crystalline domains of several μm-size in VO{sub 2} films deposited on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (001) substrates by rf-biased reactive sputtering technique. The large crystalline domains, dominated with random in-plane oriented growth of (011){sub M1}-orientation, appear only under adequate substrate biasing, such as 10 W, while most biasing conditions result in conventional nanosized grains of highly oriented (010){sub M1}-orientation. Two temperature-controlled analyses, x-ray diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopy, have revealed that some parts of large crystalline domains undergo intermediate monoclinic (M2) phase during the thermally-induced structural phase transition from monoclinic (M1) to rutile-tetragonal (R) phase. As an effect of the appearance of large crystalline domains, the film showed in-plane tensile stress, resulting in high T{sub IMT} of 69 °C due to the elongation of the V-V distance in its low-temperature monoclinic phase.

  11. Kinetic and equilibrium properties of regulatory Ca(2+)-binding domains in sodium-calcium exchangers 2 and 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tal, Inbal; Kozlovsky, Tom; Brisker, Dafna; Giladi, Moshe; Khananshvili, Daniel

    2016-04-01

    In mammals, three sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) protein isoforms (NCX1, NCX2, and NCX3) mediate Ca(2+) fluxes across the membrane to maintain cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis. NCX isoforms and their splice variants are expressed in a tissue-specific manner to meet physiological demands. NCX1 is ubiquitously expressed, NCX2 is expressed in the brain and spinal cord, and NCX3 is expressed in the brain and skeletal muscle. Eukaryotic NCXs contain two cytosolic regulatory Ca(2+)-binding domains, CBD1 and CBD2, which form a two-domain tandem (CBD12) through a short linker. Ca(2+) binding to the CBDs underlies allosteric regulation of NCX. Previous structural and functional studies in NCX1 have shown that the CBDs synergistically interact, where their interactions are modulated in a splice variant-specific manner by splicing segment at CBD2. Here, we analyze the equilibrium and kinetic properties of Ca(2+) binding to purified preparations of CBD1, CBD2, and CBD12 from NCX2 and from NCX3 splice variants. We show that CBD1 interacts with CBD2 in the context of the CBD12 tandem in all NCX isoforms, where these interactions specifically modulate Ca(2+) sensing at the primary sensor of CBD1 to meet the physiological requirements. For example, the rate-limiting slow dissociation of "occluded" Ca(2+) from the primary allosteric sensor of variants expressed in skeletal muscle is ∼10-fold slower than that of variants expressed in the brain. Notably, these kinetic differences between NCX variants occur while maintaining a similar Ca(2+) affinity of the primary sensor, since the resting [Ca(2+)]i levels are similar among different cell types. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Convergent solid-phase and solution approaches in the synthesis of the cysteine-rich Mdm2 RING finger domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasileiou, Zoe; Barlos, Kostas; Gatos, Dimitrios

    2009-12-01

    The RING finger domain of the Mdm2, located at the C-terminus of the protein, is necessary for regulation of p53, a tumor suppressor protein. The 48-residues long Mdm2 peptide is an important target for studying its interaction with small anticancer drug candidates. For the chemical synthesis of the Mdm2 RING finger domain, the fragment condensation on solid-phase and the fragment condensation in solution were studied. The latter method was performed using either protected or free peptides at the C-terminus as the amino component. Best results were achieved using solution condensation where the N-component was applied with the C-terminal carboxyl group left unprotected. The developed method is well suited for large-scale synthesis of Mdm2 RING finger domain, combining the advantages of both solid-phase and solution synthesis. (c) 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Significant role of PB1 and UBA domains in multimerization of Joka2, a selective autophagy cargo receptor from tobacco

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna eZientara-Rytter

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Tobacco Joka2 protein is a hybrid homolog of two mammalian selective autophagy cargo receptors, p62 and NBR1. These proteins can directly interact with the members of ATG8 family and the polyubiquitinated cargoes designed for degradation. Function of the selective autophagy cargo receptors relies on their ability to form protein aggregates. It has been shown that the N-terminal PB1 domain of p62 is involved in formation of aggregates, while the UBA domains of p62 and NBR1 have been associated mainly with cargo binding. Here we focus on roles of PB1 and UBA domains in localization and aggregation of Joka2 in plant cells. We show that Joka2 can homodimerize not only through its N-terminal PB1-PB1 interactions but also via interaction between N-terminal PB1 and C-terminal UBA domains. We also demonstrate that Joka2 co-localizes with recombinant ubiquitin and sequestrates it into aggregates and that C-terminal part (containing UBA domains is sufficient for this effect. Our results indicate that Joka2 accumulates in cytoplasmic aggregates and suggest that in addition to these multimeric forms it also exists in the nucleus and cytoplasm in a monomeric form.

  14. The host-binding domain of the P2 phage tail spike reveals a trimeric iron-binding structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamashita, Eiki; Nakagawa, Atsushi; Takahashi, Junichi; Tsunoda, Kin-ichi; Yamada, Seiko; Takeda, Shigeki

    2011-01-01

    The C-terminal domain of a bacteriophage P2 tail-spike protein, gpV, was crystallized and its structure was solved at 1.27 Å resolution. The refined model showed a triple β-helix structure and the presence of iron, calcium and chloride ions. The adsorption and infection of bacteriophage P2 is mediated by tail fibres and tail spikes. The tail spikes on the tail baseplate are used to irreversibly adsorb to the host cells. Recently, a P2 phage tail-spike protein, gpV, was purified and it was shown that a C-terminal domain, Ser87–Leu211, is sufficient for the binding of gpV to host Escherichia coli membranes [Kageyama et al. (2009 ▶), Biochemistry, 48, 10129–10135]. In this paper, the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of P2 gpV is reported. The structure is a triangular pyramid and looks like a spearhead composed of an intertwined β-sheet, a triple β-helix and a metal-binding region containing iron, calcium and chloride ions

  15. The Role of Factor XIa (FXIa) Catalytic Domain Exosite Residues in Substrate Catalysis and Inhibition by the Kunitz Protease Inhibitor Domain of Protease Nexin 2*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Ya-Chi; Miller, Tara N.; Navaneetham, Duraiswamy; Schoonmaker, Robert T.; Sinha, Dipali; Walsh, Peter N.

    2011-01-01

    To select residues in coagulation factor XIa (FXIa) potentially important for substrate and inhibitor interactions, we examined the crystal structure of the complex between the catalytic domain of FXIa and the Kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain of a physiologically relevant FXIa inhibitor, protease nexin 2 (PN2). Six FXIa catalytic domain residues (Glu98, Tyr143, Ile151, Arg3704, Lys192, and Tyr5901) were subjected to mutational analysis to investigate the molecular interactions between FXIa and the small synthetic substrate (S-2366), the macromolecular substrate (factor IX (FIX)) and inhibitor PN2KPI. Analysis of all six Ala mutants demonstrated normal Km values for S-2366 hydrolysis, indicating normal substrate binding compared with plasma FXIa; however, all except E98A and K192A had impaired values of kcat for S-2366 hydrolysis. All six Ala mutants displayed deficient kcat values for FIX hydrolysis, and all were inhibited by PN2KPI with normal values of Ki except for K192A, and Y5901A, which displayed increased values of Ki. The integrity of the S1 binding site residue, Asp189, utilizing p-aminobenzamidine, was intact for all FXIa mutants. Thus, whereas all six residues are essential for catalysis of the macromolecular substrate (FIX), only four (Tyr143, Ile151, Arg3704, and Tyr5901) are important for S-2366 hydrolysis; Glu98 and Lys192 are essential for FIX but not S-2366 hydrolysis; and Lys192 and Tyr5901 are required for both inhibitor and macromolecular substrate interactions. PMID:21778227

  16. Effect of increasing disorder on domains of the 2d Coulomb glass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhandari, Preeti; Malik, Vikas

    2017-12-06

    We have studied a two dimensional lattice model of Coulomb glass for a wide range of disorders at [Formula: see text]. The system was first annealed using Monte Carlo simulation. Further minimization of the total energy of the system was done using an algorithm developed by Baranovskii et al, followed by cluster flipping to obtain the pseudo-ground states. We have shown that the energy required to create a domain of linear size L in d dimensions is proportional to [Formula: see text]. Using Imry-Ma arguments given for random field Ising model, one gets critical dimension [Formula: see text] for Coulomb glass. The investigation of domains in the transition region shows a discontinuity in staggered magnetization which is an indication of a first-order type transition from charge-ordered phase to disordered phase. The structure and nature of random field fluctuations of the second largest domain in Coulomb glass are inconsistent with the assumptions of Imry and Ma, as was also reported for random field Ising model. The study of domains showed that in the transition region there were mostly two large domains, and that as disorder was increased the two large domains remained, but a large number of small domains also opened up. We have also studied the properties of the second largest domain as a function of disorder. We furthermore analysed the effect of disorder on the density of states, and showed a transition from hard gap at low disorders to a soft gap at higher disorders. At [Formula: see text], we have analysed the soft gap in detail, and found that the density of states deviates slightly ([Formula: see text]) from the linear behaviour in two dimensions. Analysis of local minima show that the pseudo-ground states have similar structure.

  17. Molecular dissection of the interaction between the SH3 domain and the SH2-Kinase Linker region in PTK6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Han Ie; Jung, Jinwon; Lee, Eun-Saem; Kim, Yong-Chul; Lee, Weontae; Lee, Seung-Taek

    2007-11-03

    PTK6 (also known as Brk) is an intracellular tyrosine kinase that contains SH3, SH2, and tyrosine kinase catalytic (Kinase) domains. The SH3 domain of PTK6 interacts with the N-terminal half of the linker (Linker) region between the SH2 and Kinase domains. Site-directed mutagenesis and surface plasmon resonance studies showed that a tryptophan residue (Trp44) in the SH3 domain and proline residues in the Linker region, in the order of Pro177, Pro175, and Pro179, contribute to the interaction. The three-dimensional modeled structure of the SH3-Linker complex was in agreement with the biochemical data. Disruption of the intramolecular interaction between the SH3 domain and the Linker region by mutation of Trp44, Pro175, Pro177, and Pro179 markedly increased the catalytic activity of PTK6 in HEK 293 cells. These results demonstrate that Trp44 in the SH3 domain and Pro177, Pro175, and Pro179 in the N-terminal half of the Linker region play important roles in the SH3-Linker interaction to maintain the protein in an inactive conformation along with the phosphorylated Tyr447-SH2 interaction.

  18. Anti-phase boundaries and magnetic domain structures in Ni{sub 2}MnGa-type Heusler alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Venkateswaran, S.P. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Nuhfer, N.T. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); De Graef, M. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States)]. E-mail: degraef@cmu.edu

    2007-05-15

    The microstructure and magnetic domain structure of austenitic Heusler Ni{sub 2}MnGa are investigated as a function of heat treatment to study the interplay of anti-phase boundaries and magnetic domain walls. Conventional electron microscopy observations on arc-melted polycrystalline samples show that anti-phase boundaries in this system are invisible for standard two-beam imaging conditions, due to the large extinction distance of the Heusler superlattice reflections. Lorentz Fresnel and Foucault observations on quenched samples reveal a wavy magnetic domain morphology, reminiscent of curved anti-phase boundaries. A close inspection of the domain images indicates that the anti-phase boundaries have a magnetization state different from that of the matrix. Fresnel image simulations for a simple magnetization model are in good agreement with the observations. Magnetic coercivity measurements show a decrease in coercivity with annealing, which correlates with the microscopy observations of reduced anti-phase boundary density for annealed samples.

  19. Crystal structure of the Rasputin NTF2-like domain from Drosophila melanogaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vognsen, Tina; Kristensen, Ole

    2012-03-30

    The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of the Drosophila homolog of Ras GTPase SH3 Binding Protein (G3BP), Rasputin, was determined at 2.7Å resolution. The overall structure is highly similar to nuclear transport factor 2: It is a homodimer comprised of a β-sheet and three α-helices forming a cone-like shape. However, known binding sites for RanGDP and FxFG containing peptides show electrostatic and steric differences compared to nuclear transport factor 2. A HEPES molecule bound in the structure suggests a new, and possibly physiologically relevant, ligand binding site. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Unravelling merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown monolayer MoS{sub 2} domains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hao, Song; Yang, Bingchu, E-mail: bingchuyang@csu.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronics, Institute of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process in Advanced Materials, Central South University, 605 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Hunan Key Laboratory for Super-Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, Central South University, 932 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Gao, Yongli [College of Physics and Electronics, Institute of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process in Advanced Materials, Central South University, 605 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Hunan Key Laboratory for Super-Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, Central South University, 932 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14534 (United States)

    2016-08-28

    The presence of grain boundaries is inevitable for chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown MoS{sub 2} domains owing to various merging behaviors, which greatly limits its potential applications in novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. It is therefore of great significance to unravel the merging behaviors of the synthesized polygon shape MoS{sub 2} domains. Here we provide systematic investigations of merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown polycrystalline MoS{sub 2} crystals by multiple means. Morphological results exhibit various polygon shape features, ascribed to polycrystalline crystals merged with triangle shape MoS{sub 2} single crystals. The thickness of triangle and polygon shape MoS{sub 2} crystals is identical manifested by Raman intensity and peak position mappings. Three merging behaviors are proposed to illustrate the formation mechanisms of observed various polygon shaped MoS{sub 2} crystals. The combined photoemission electron microscopy and kelvin probe force microscopy results reveal that the surface potential of perfect merged crystals is identical, which has an important implication for fabricating MoS{sub 2}-based devices.

  1. 1-Oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol stimulates 5-lipoxygenase activity via a putative (phospho)lipid binding site within the N-terminal C2-like domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hörnig, Christina; Albert, Dana; Fischer, Lutz; Hörnig, Michael; Rådmark, Olof; Steinhilber, Dieter; Werz, Oliver

    2005-07-22

    5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) catalysis is positively regulated by Ca2+ ions and phospholipids that both act via the N-terminal C2-like domain of 5-LO. Previously, we have shown that 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) functions as an agonist for human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) in stimulating 5-LO product formation. Here we have demonstrated that OAG directly stimulates 5-LO catalysis in vitro. In the absence of Ca2+ (chelated using EDTA), OAG strongly and concentration-dependently stimulated crude 5-LO in 100,000 x g supernatants as well as purified 5-LO enzyme from PMNL. Also, the monoglyceride 1-O-oleyl-rac-glycerol and 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol were effective, whereas various phospholipids did not stimulate 5-LO. However, in the presence of Ca2+, OAG caused no stimulation of 5-LO. Also, phospholipids or cellular membranes abolished the effects of OAG. As found previously for Ca2+, OAG renders 5-LO activity resistant against inhibition by glutathione peroxidase activity, and this effect of OAG is reversed by phospholipids. Intriguingly, a 5-LO mutant lacking tryptophan residues (Trp-13, -75, and -102) important for the binding of the 5-LO C2-like domain to phospholipids was not stimulated by OAG. We conclude that OAG directly stimulates 5-LO by acting at a phospholipid binding site located within the C2-like domain.

  2. Antigenicity of peptides comprising the immunosuppressive domain of the retroviral envelope glycoprotein [version 2; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bryony Jenkins

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available To achieve persistent infection of the host, viruses often subvert or suppress host immunity through mechanisms that are not entirely understood. The envelope glycoprotein of several retroviruses is thought to possess potent immunosuppressive activity, mapped to a 17-amino acid residue conserved domain. Synthetic peptides corresponding to this immunosuppressive domain can inhibit lymphocyte activation, whereas mutation of key domain residues can increase the lymphocyte response to linked antigenic epitopes. Using three T cell receptors (TCRs of defined specificity, we examine the effect of the immunosuppressive domain on the T cell response to their respective antigenic peptides. We find that fusion of a T cell epitope to the immunosuppressive domain can greatly modulate its potency. However, the effects heavily depend on the particular combination of TCR and peptide-major histocompatibility complex class II (pMHC II, and are mimicked by sequence-scrambled peptides of similar length, suggesting they operate at the level of pMHC formation or TCR-pMHC interaction. These results offer an alternative explanation for the immunogenicity of T cell epitopes comprising the putative immunosuppressive domain, which is more consistent with an effect on peptide antigenicity than true immunosuppressive activity.

  3. External electric field: An effective way to prevent aggregation of Mg atoms on γ-graphyne for high hydrogen storage capacity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Ping-Ping; Zhang, Hong; Cheng, Xin-Lu; Tang, Yong-Jian

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Due to large pores in the sheet of γ-graphyne, it should be a potential materials for energy storage applications. Our calculations might motivate active experimental efforts in designing high-efficiency hydrogen storage media. • For the first time, we use an applied external electric field to prevent Mg atoms from clustering using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. • The results demonstrate that, for Mg-G after electric field (F = 0.05 V/nm) treatment, ten H_2 molecules per Mg atom can be adsorbed and the hydrogen storage capacities reach to 10.64 wt%, with the average binding energies of 0.28 eV/H_2. - Abstract: In this article, we investigate the hydrogen storage capacity of Mg-decorated γ-graphyne (Mg-G) based on DFT calculations. Our results indicate that an external electric field can effectively prevent Mg atoms aggregating on γ-graphyne sheet. The Mg-G, after electric field (F = 0.05 V/nm) treatment, can store up to ten H_2 molecules and the hydrogen storage capacity is 10.64 wt%, with the average adsorption energy of 0.28 eV/H_2. Our calculations demonstrate that Mg-G is a potential material for hydrogen storage with high capacity and might motivate active experimental efforts in designing hydrogen storage media.

  4. Ab-initio study of electronic and magnetic properties of Co-doped Mo2C monolayer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Veenu; Tankeshwar, K.; Saini, Hardev S.

    2018-05-01

    The spin polarized density functional theory (DFT) based calculations has been performed to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of pristine and Co-doped Mo2C using VASP code. The calculated results show that the pristine Mo2C is found to be non-magnetic whereas the Co dopant at Mo-site in the Mo2C monolayer generates the ferromagnetism in the resultant compound. The total magnetic moment of the system has been found to be 1.2µB which increases to 2.03µB as the concentration of Co increase from 3% to 8%, respectively. The electronic structure calculations of the pristine and Co-doped Mo2C show its metallic behavior which may found its application in magnetic energy storage devices, magnetic tape etc.

  5. Pathogenic Parkinson's disease mutations across the functional domains of LRRK2 alter the autophagic/lysosomal response to starvation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzoni, Claudia; Mamais, Adamantios; Dihanich, Sybille; McGoldrick, Phillip; Devine, Michael J; Zerle, Julia; Kara, Eleanna; Taanman, Jan-Willem; Healy, Daniel G; Marti-Masso, Jose-Felix; Schapira, Anthony H; Plun-Favreau, Helene; Tooze, Sharon; Hardy, John; Bandopadhyay, Rina; Lewis, Patrick A

    2013-11-29

    LRRK2 is one of the most important genetic contributors to Parkinson's disease (PD). Point mutations in this gene cause an autosomal dominant form of PD, but to date no cellular phenotype has been consistently linked with mutations in each of the functional domains (ROC, COR and Kinase) of the protein product of this gene. In this study, primary fibroblasts from individuals carrying pathogenic mutations in the three central domains of LRRK2 were assessed for alterations in the autophagy/lysosomal pathway using a combination of biochemical and cellular approaches. Mutations in all three domains resulted in alterations in markers for autophagy/lysosomal function compared to wild type cells. These data highlight the autophagy and lysosomal pathways as read outs for pathogenic LRRK2 function and as a marker for disease, and provide insight into the mechanisms linking LRRK2 function and mutations. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Application of modern tensor calculus to engineered domain structures. 2. Tensor distinction of domain states

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kopský, Vojtěch

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 62, - (2006), s. 65-76 ISSN 0108-7673 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/04/0992 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : tensorial covariants * domain states * stability spaces Subject RIV: BE - Theoretical Physics Impact factor: 1.676, year: 2006

  7. Carbon Domains on MoS2/TiO2 System via Catalytic Acetylene Oligomerization: Synthesis, Structure, and Surface Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Cravanzola

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Carbon domains have been obtained at the surface of a MoS2/TiO2 (Evonik, P25 system via oligomerization and cyclotrimerization reactions involved in the interaction of the photoactive material with acetylene. Firstly, MoS2 nanosheets have been synthesized at the surface of TiO2, via sulfidation of a molybdenum oxide precursor with H2S (bottom-up method. Secondly, the morphology and the structure, the optical and the vibrational properties of the obtained materials, for each step of the synthesis procedure, have been investigated by microscopy and spectroscopy methods. In particular, transmission electron microscopy images provide a simple tool to highlight the effectiveness of the sulfidation process, thus showing 1L, 2L, and stacked MoS2 nanosheets anchored to the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles. Lastly, in-situ FTIR spectroscopy investigation gives insights into the nature of the oligomerized species, showing that the formation of both polyenic and aromatic systems can be taken into account, being their formation promoted by both Ti and Mo catalytic sites. This finding gives an opportunity for the assembly of extended polyenic, polyaromatic, or mixed domains firmly attached at the surface of photoactive materials. The presented approach, somehow different from the carbon adding or doping processes of TiO2, is of potential interest for the advanced green chemistry and energy conversion/transport applications.

  8. The SH2 domain of Abl kinases regulates kinase autophosphorylation by controlling activation loop accessibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamontanara, Allan Joaquim; Georgeon, Sandrine; Tria, Giancarlo; Svergun, Dmitri I.; Hantschel, Oliver

    2014-11-01

    The activity of protein kinases is regulated by multiple molecular mechanisms, and their disruption is a common driver of oncogenesis. A central and almost universal control element of protein kinase activity is the activation loop that utilizes both conformation and phosphorylation status to determine substrate access. In this study, we use recombinant Abl tyrosine kinases and conformation-specific kinase inhibitors to quantitatively analyse structural changes that occur after Abl activation. Allosteric SH2-kinase domain interactions were previously shown to be essential for the leukemogenesis caused by the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. We find that these allosteric interactions switch the Abl activation loop from a closed to a fully open conformation. This enables the trans-autophosphorylation of the activation loop and requires prior phosphorylation of the SH2-kinase linker. Disruption of the SH2-kinase interaction abolishes activation loop phosphorylation. Our analysis provides a molecular mechanism for the SH2 domain-dependent activation of Abl that may also regulate other tyrosine kinases.

  9. Stabilizing the CH2 Domain of an Antibody by Engineering in an Enhanced Aromatic Sequon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wentao; Kong, Leopold; Connelly, Stephen; Dendle, Julia M; Liu, Yu; Wilson, Ian A; Powers, Evan T; Kelly, Jeffery W

    2016-07-15

    Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) exhibiting highly selective binding to a protein target constitute a large and growing proportion of the therapeutics market. Aggregation of mAbs results in the loss of their therapeutic efficacy and can result in deleterious immune responses. The CH2 domain comprising part of the Fc portion of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is typically the least stable domain in IgG-type antibodies and therefore influences their aggregation propensity. We stabilized the CH2 domain by engineering an enhanced aromatic sequon (EAS) into the N-glycosylated C'E loop and observed a 4.8 °C increase in the melting temperature of the purified IgG1 Fc fragment. This EAS-stabilized CH2 domain also conferred enhanced stability against thermal and low pH induced aggregation in the context of a full-length monoclonal IgG1 antibody. The crystal structure of the EAS-stabilized (Q295F/Y296A) IgG1 Fc fragment confirms the design principle, i.e., the importance of the GlcNAc1•F295 interaction, and surprisingly reveals that the core fucose attached to GlcNAc1 also engages in an interaction with F295. Inhibition of core fucosylation confirms the contribution of the fucose-Phe interaction to the stabilization. The Q295F/Y296A mutations also modulate the binding affinity of the full-length antibody to Fc receptors by decreasing the binding to low affinity Fc gamma receptors (FcγRIIa, FcγRIIIa, and FcγRIIIb), while maintaining wild-type binding affinity to FcRn and FcγRI. Our results demonstrate that engineering an EAS into the N-glycosylated reverse turn on the C'E loop leads to stabilizing N-glycan-protein interactions in antibodies and that this modification modulates antibody-Fc receptor binding.

  10. The EBNA-2 N-Terminal Transactivation Domain Folds into a Dimeric Structure Required for Target Gene Activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anders Friberg

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Epstein-Barr virus (EBV is a γ-herpesvirus that may cause infectious mononucleosis in young adults. In addition, epidemiological and molecular evidence links EBV to the pathogenesis of lymphoid and epithelial malignancies. EBV has the unique ability to transform resting B cells into permanently proliferating, latently infected lymphoblastoid cell lines. Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2 is a key regulator of viral and cellular gene expression for this transformation process. The N-terminal region of EBNA-2 comprising residues 1-58 appears to mediate multiple molecular functions including self-association and transactivation. However, it remains to be determined if the N-terminus of EBNA-2 directly provides these functions or if these activities merely depend on the dimerization involving the N-terminal domain. To address this issue, we determined the three-dimensional structure of the EBNA-2 N-terminal dimerization (END domain by heteronuclear NMR-spectroscopy. The END domain monomer comprises a small fold of four β-strands and an α-helix which form a parallel dimer by interaction of two β-strands from each protomer. A structure-guided mutational analysis showed that hydrophobic residues in the dimer interface are required for self-association in vitro. Importantly, these interface mutants also displayed severely impaired self-association and transactivation in vivo. Moreover, mutations of solvent-exposed residues or deletion of the α-helix do not impair dimerization but strongly affect the functional activity, suggesting that the EBNA-2 dimer presents a surface that mediates functionally important intra- and/or intermolecular interactions. Our study shows that the END domain is a novel dimerization fold that is essential for functional activity. Since this specific fold is a unique feature of EBNA-2 it might provide a novel target for anti-viral therapeutics.

  11. To Err or Not to Err: A Question for the Instruction of Psychomotor Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, Robert N.

    1977-01-01

    The effectiveness of guided and nonguided instructional strategies for teaching psychomotor skills is reviewed from the perspectives of learning theories, psychomotor research, transfer of learning, and the function and desirability of making errors in the learning process. (EVH)

  12. Natural variation of the amino-terminal glutamine-rich domain in Drosophila argonaute2 is not associated with developmental defects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Hain

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The Drosophila argonaute2 (ago2 gene plays a major role in siRNA mediated RNA silencing pathways. Unlike mammalian Argonaute proteins, the Drosophila protein has an unusual amino-terminal domain made up largely of multiple copies of glutamine-rich repeats (GRRs. We report here that the ago2 locus produces an alternative transcript that encodes a putative short isoform without this amino-terminal domain. Several ago2 mutations previously reported to be null alleles only abolish expression of the long, GRR-containing isoform. Analysis of drop out (dop mutations had previously suggested that variations in GRR copy number result in defects in RNAi and embryonic development. However, we find that dop mutations genetically complement transcript-null alleles of ago2 and that ago2 alleles with variant GRR copy numbers support normal development. In addition, we show that the assembly of the central RNAi machinery, the RISC (RNA induced silencing complex, is unimpaired in embryos when GRR copy number is altered. In fact, we find that GRR copy number is highly variable in natural D. melanogaster populations as well as in laboratory strains. Finally, while many other insects share an extensive, glutamine-rich Ago2 amino-terminal domain, its primary sequence varies drastically between species. Our data indicate that GRR variation does not modulate an essential function of Ago2 and that the amino-terminal domain of Ago2 is subject to rapid evolution.

  13. Topological domain walls in helimagnets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenherr, P.; Müller, J.; Köhler, L.; Rosch, A.; Kanazawa, N.; Tokura, Y.; Garst, M.; Meier, D.

    2018-05-01

    Domain walls naturally arise whenever a symmetry is spontaneously broken. They interconnect regions with different realizations of the broken symmetry, promoting structure formation from cosmological length scales to the atomic level1,2. In ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials, domain walls with unique functionalities emerge, holding great promise for nanoelectronics and spintronics applications3-5. These walls are usually of Ising, Bloch or Néel type and separate homogeneously ordered domains. Here we demonstrate that a wide variety of new domain walls occurs in the presence of spatially modulated domain states. Using magnetic force microscopy and micromagnetic simulations, we show three fundamental classes of domain walls to arise in the near-room-temperature helimagnet iron germanium. In contrast to conventional ferroics, the domain walls exhibit a well-defined inner structure, which—analogous to cholesteric liquid crystals—consists of topological disclination and dislocation defects. Similar to the magnetic skyrmions that form in the same material6,7, the domain walls can carry a finite topological charge, permitting an efficient coupling to spin currents and contributions to a topological Hall effect. Our study establishes a new family of magnetic nano-objects with non-trivial topology, opening the door to innovative device concepts based on helimagnetic domain walls.

  14. A potent transrepression domain in the retinoblastoma protein induces a cell cycle arrest when bound to E2F sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sellers, W R; Rodgers, J W; Kaelin, W G

    1995-01-01

    An intact T/E1A-binding domain (the pocket) is necessary, but not sufficient, for the retinoblastoma protein (RB) to bind to DNA-protein complexes containing E2F and for RB to induce a G1/S block. Indirect evidence suggests that the binding of RB to E2F may, in addition to inhibiting E2F transactivation function, generate a complex capable of functioning as a transrepressor. Here we show that a chimera in which the E2F1 transactivation domain was replaced with the RB pocket could, in a DNA-binding and pocket-dependent manner, mimic the ability of RB to repress transcription and induce a cell cycle arrest. In contrast, a transdominant negative E2F1 mutant that is capable of blocking E2F-dependent transactivation did not. Fusion of the RB pocket to a heterologous DNA-binding domain unrelated to E2F likewise generated a transrepressor protein when scored against a suitable reporter. These results suggest that growth suppression by RB is due, at least in part, to transrepression mediated by the pocket domain bound to certain promoters via E2F. Images Fig. 4 Fig. 5 PMID:8524800

  15. NBS1 localizes to gamma-H2AX foci through interaction with the FHA/BRCT domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, J.; Chen, D.J.; Sakamoto, S.; Matsuura, S.; Tanimoto, K.; Komatsu, K.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) represent the most potentially serious damage to a genome, and hence, many repair proteins are recruited to nuclear damage sites by as yet poorly characterized sensor mechanisms. Histone H2AX, one of histone H2A family, is phosphorylated within a few minutes in response to ionizing radiation (IR) and the phosphorylated H2AX (gamma-H2AX) forms foci at the region of DSBs. Moreover, Histone H2AX is essential for the IR-induced focus formation of DNA repair proteins such as BRCA1, NBS1 and 53BP1. Hence, we investigated that the function of histone H2AX for the recruitment of NBS1/hMRE11/ hRAD50 complex to DSBs sites. We clarify that NBS1 physically interacts with histone H2AX independent of DNA. We also show that the NBS1-binding can occur in the absence of interaction with hMRE11 or BRCA1. Furthermore, this NBS1 physical interaction was reduced when anti-gamma-H2AX antibody was introduced into normal cells. We also demonstrate that the FHA/BRCT domain of NBS1 is essential for this physical interaction by the immunoprecipitation studies and a pull-down assay with recombinant FHA/BRCT domain. These findings suggest that the FHA/BRCT domain have a crucial role for both binding to histone and for re-localization of hMRE11/hRAD50 nuclease complex to the vicinity of DNA damage

  16. Quality of life and functional capacity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - Cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa-Gonçalves, Diana; Bernardes, Miguel; Costa, Lúcia

    2017-04-08

    To analyze the Health related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and physical function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and compare it with the general population. We also intended to analyze about disease activity influence in HRQoL and functional capacity, as well as determine potential determinants for these outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in RA patients from a university hospital of Portugal. We obtained Short Form 36, EuroQoL 5D, health assessment questionnaire, visual analog scale for pain and patient's assessment of disease activity. Comparisons between SF-36 and EQ-5D values with our population reference values were conducted using the Mann-Whitney test. Data were compared in different levels of disease activity, using Kruskal Wallis test and Fisher's exact test. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the potential determinants of outcomes. RA sample showed significantly lower values than the portuguese general population on physical summary measure of SF-36 (median=32 vs. 50, p<0.001) and EQ-5D (median=0.620 vs. 0.758 respectively; p<0.001). Lower disease activity levels had better PROs and this was true even when compared patients achieving remission with those in low disease activity. The HAQ (r 2 =67%), VAS-P (r 2 =62%) and VAS-DA (r 2 =58%) were the variables that strongly related to SF-36. Considering HAQ, the strongest relation was found with VAS-P, VAS-DA and age (r 2 =60%, 61% and 33%, respectively). Multiple regression analysis identified HAQ, VAS-P and educational status as determinants of the HRQoL; age, female gender, employment, VAS-P and VAS-DA as determinants of physical function. Impairment of HRQoL in RA patients is enormous. We found significant differences between different levels of disease activity, showing higher HRQoL and functional capacity at lower disease activity levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights

  17. Processing of single- and multi-domain YBa2Cu3Ox bulk materials for levitation applications by Nd1+xBa2-xCu3Oy seeding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todt, V.R.

    1995-01-01

    Melt processing of YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (Y123) is a well established technique to produce materials for levitation applications. We report our new results on the melt-processing of Y123. To achieve materials with high levitation forces we utilize a seeding technique using Nd 1+x Ba 2-x Cu 3 O y- seeds (Nd123). Two different kinds of Nd13-seeds, one plate-shaped and the other cube-shaped, were developed and used for this study. The microstructures of the levitators depended strongly on the type of the seeding material used and on the seeding geometry. We were able to produce large single domains as well as materials containing five domains with three different c-axis orientations. Levitation forces up to 8.2 N for samples with a diameter of about 18 mm were found for the multi-domain samples, which is well within the area of the levitation forces measured for the single domain materials

  18. Competition of the Peierls relief and structural defects in damping the domain walls in [Mn left brace (R/S)-pn right brace]2[Mn left brace(R/S)-pn right brace2(H2O)][Cr(CN)6]2 ferrimagnet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talantsev, A.D.; Kollak, O.V.; Kirman, M.V.; Morgunov, R.B.

    2015-01-01

    The [ [Mn left brace (R/S)-pn right brace] 2 [Mn left brace(R/S)-pn right brace 2 (H 2 O)][Cr(CN) 6 ] 2 molecular ferrimagnet exhibits an inverse sequence of changes in the domain wall motion regimes with increasing temperature in alternative magnetic field of 0.04-1400 Hz frequency. Initiation of the relaxation regime on the background of creep indicates that there are two different systems of the domain walls damping. The threshold amplitude of the alternative magnetic field corresponds to the Peierls relief contribution to the domain wall dynamics as well as the defect contribution usually considered.

  19. Generic domain models in software engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiden, Neil

    1992-01-01

    This paper outlines three research directions related to domain-specific software development: (1) reuse of generic models for domain-specific software development; (2) empirical evidence to determine these generic models, namely elicitation of mental knowledge schema possessed by expert software developers; and (3) exploitation of generic domain models to assist modelling of specific applications. It focuses on knowledge acquisition for domain-specific software development, with emphasis on tool support for the most important phases of software development.

  20. RG domain wall for the general (su)-hat (2) coset models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stanishkov, Marian [Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy,Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria)

    2016-08-16

    We consider a RG flow in a general (su)-hat (2) coset model induced by the least relevant field. This is done using two different approaches. We first compute the mixing coefficients of certain fields in the UV and IR theories using a conformal perturbation theory. The necessary structure constants are computed. The same coefficients can be calculated using the RG domain wall construction of Gaiotto. We compute the corresponding one-point functions and show that the two approaches give the same result in the leading order.

  1. Using terahertz time-domain spectroscopical technique to monitor cocrystal formation between piracetam and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Yong; Xia, Yi; Zhang, Huili; Hong, Zhi

    2013-07-01

    Far-infrared vibrational absorption of cocrystal formation between 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHBA) and piracetam compounds under solvent evaporation and grinding methods have been investigated using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) at room temperature. The experimental results show large difference among absorption spectra of the formed cocrystals and the involved individual parent molecules in 0.20-1.50 THz region, which probably originated from the intra-molecular and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds due to the presence of two hydroxyl groups in 2,5-DHBA and amide moieties in piracetam compound. The THz absorption spectra of two formed cocrystals with different methods are almost identical. With grinding method, the reaction process can be monitored directly from both time-domain and frequency-domain spectra using THz-TDS technique. The results indicate that THz-TDS technology can absolutely offer us a high potential method to identify and characterize the formed cocrystals, and also provide the rich information about their reaction dynamic process involving two or more molecular crystals in situ to better know the corresponding reaction mechanism in pharmaceutical fields.

  2. Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Fyn SH2 domain and its complex with a phosphotyrosine peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huculeci, Radu; Buts, Lieven; Lenaerts, Tom; Nuland, Nico A. J. van; Garcia-Pino, Abel

    2012-01-01

    The SH2 domain of the human protein tyrosine kinase Fyn has been expressed, purified and crystallized in the unbound state and in complex with a high-affinity phosphotyrosine peptide. SH2 domains are widespread protein-binding modules that recognize phosphotyrosines and play central roles in intracellular signalling pathways. The SH2 domain of the human protein tyrosine kinase Fyn has been expressed, purified and crystallized in the unbound state and in complex with a high-affinity phosphotyrosine peptide. X-ray data were collected to a resolution of 2.00 Å for the unbound form and 1.40 Å for the protein in complex with the phosphotyrosine peptide

  3. Dynamically Coupled Residues within the SH2 Domain of FYN Are Key to Unlocking Its Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huculeci, Radu; Cilia, Elisa; Lyczek, Agatha; Buts, Lieven; Houben, Klaartje; Seeliger, Markus A; van Nuland, Nico; Lenaerts, Tom

    2016-11-01

    Src kinase activity is controlled by various mechanisms involving a coordinated movement of kinase and regulatory domains. Notwithstanding the extensive knowledge related to the backbone dynamics, little is known about the more subtle side-chain dynamics within the regulatory domains and their role in the activation process. Here, we show through experimental methyl dynamic results and predicted changes in side-chain conformational couplings that the SH2 structure of Fyn contains a dynamic network capable of propagating binding information. We reveal that binding the phosphorylated tail of Fyn perturbs a residue cluster near the linker connecting the SH2 and SH3 domains of Fyn, which is known to be relevant in the regulation of the activity of Fyn. Biochemical perturbation experiments validate that those residues are essential for inhibition of Fyn, leading to a gain of function upon mutation. These findings reveal how side-chain dynamics may facilitate the allosteric regulation of the different members of the Src kinase family. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Suramin blocks interaction between human FGF1 and FGFR2 D2 domain and reduces downstream signaling activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Zong-Sian, E-mail: gary810426@hotmail.com [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Liu, Che Fu, E-mail: s9823002@m98.nthu.edu.tw [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China); Fu, Brian, E-mail: brianfu9@gmail.com [Northwood High School, Irvine, CA (United States); Chou, Ruey-Hwang, E-mail: rhchou@mail.cmu.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University, No.91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan (China); Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taiwan (China); Yu, Chin, E-mail: cyu.nthu@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan (China)

    2016-09-02

    The extracellular portion of the human fibroblast growth factor receptor2 D2 domain (FGFR2 D2) interacts with human fibroblast growth factor 1 (hFGF1) to activate a downstream signaling cascade that ultimately affects mitosis and differentiation. Suramin is an antiparasiticdrug and a potent inhibitor of FGF-induced angiogenesis. Suramin has been shown to bind to hFGF1, and might block the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. Here, we titrated hFGF1 with FGFR2 D2 and suramin to elucidate their interactions using the detection of NMR. The docking results of both hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 domain and hFGF1-suramin complex were superimposed. The results indicate that suramin blocks the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. We used the PyMOL software to show the hydrophobic interaction of hFGF1-suramin. In addition, we used a Water-soluble Tetrazolium salts assay (WST1) to assess hFGF1 bioactivity. The results will be useful for the development of new antimitogenic activity drugs. - Highlights: • The interfacial residues on hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin contact surface were mapped by {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N HSQC experiments. • hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex models were generated from NMR restraints by using HADDOCK program. • We analyzed hFGF1-Suramin complex models and found the interaction between hFGF1-Suramin is hydrophobic. • The bioactivity of the hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex was studied by using WST1 assay.

  5. Suramin blocks interaction between human FGF1 and FGFR2 D2 domain and reduces downstream signaling activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Zong-Sian; Liu, Che Fu; Fu, Brian; Chou, Ruey-Hwang; Yu, Chin

    2016-01-01

    The extracellular portion of the human fibroblast growth factor receptor2 D2 domain (FGFR2 D2) interacts with human fibroblast growth factor 1 (hFGF1) to activate a downstream signaling cascade that ultimately affects mitosis and differentiation. Suramin is an antiparasiticdrug and a potent inhibitor of FGF-induced angiogenesis. Suramin has been shown to bind to hFGF1, and might block the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. Here, we titrated hFGF1 with FGFR2 D2 and suramin to elucidate their interactions using the detection of NMR. The docking results of both hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 domain and hFGF1-suramin complex were superimposed. The results indicate that suramin blocks the interaction between hFGF1 and FGFR2 D2. We used the PyMOL software to show the hydrophobic interaction of hFGF1-suramin. In addition, we used a Water-soluble Tetrazolium salts assay (WST1) to assess hFGF1 bioactivity. The results will be useful for the development of new antimitogenic activity drugs. - Highlights: • The interfacial residues on hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin contact surface were mapped by "1H-"1"5N HSQC experiments. • hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex models were generated from NMR restraints by using HADDOCK program. • We analyzed hFGF1-Suramin complex models and found the interaction between hFGF1-Suramin is hydrophobic. • The bioactivity of the hFGF1-FGFR2 D2 and hFGF1-Suramin complex was studied by using WST1 assay.

  6. The minimal essential unit for cadherin-mediated intercellular adhesion comprises extracellular domains 1 and 2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shan, Weisong; Yagita, Yoshiki; Wang, Zhaohui

    2004-01-01

    of the extracellular domains of N-cadherin and produced various cell lines to examine adhesion properties. We show that the first domain of N-cadherin alone on the cell surface fails to generate adhesive activity and that the first two domains of N-cadherin form the "minimal essential unit" to mediate cell adhesion...... domains of N-cadherin have distinct roles in cell adhesion, i.e. the first two domains are responsible for homophilic adhesion activity, and the other domains promote adhesion efficiency most likely by positioning essential domains relatively far out from the cell surface....

  7. Overcoming Short-Circuit in Lead-Free CH3NH3SnI3 Perovskite Solar Cells via Kinetically Controlled Gas-Solid Reaction Film Fabrication Process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoyama, Takamichi; Cao, Duyen H; Stoumpos, Constantinos C; Song, Tze-Bin; Sato, Yoshiharu; Aramaki, Shinji; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G

    2016-03-03

    The development of Sn-based perovskite solar cells has been challenging because devices often show short-circuit behavior due to poor morphologies and undesired electrical properties of the thin films. A low-temperature vapor-assisted solution process (LT-VASP) has been employed as a novel kinetically controlled gas-solid reaction film fabrication method to prepare lead-free CH3NH3SnI3 thin films. We show that the solid SnI2 substrate temperature is the key parameter in achieving perovskite films with high surface coverage and excellent uniformity. The resulting high-quality CH3NH3SnI3 films allow the successful fabrication of solar cells with drastically improved reproducibility, reaching an efficiency of 1.86%. Furthermore, our Kelvin probe studies show the VASP films have a doping level lower than that of films prepared from the conventional one-step method, effectively lowering the film conductivity. Above all, with (LT)-VASP, the short-circuit behavior often obtained from the conventional one-step-fabricated Sn-based perovskite devices has been overcome. This study facilitates the path to more successful Sn-perovskite photovoltaic research.

  8. The SRC homology 2 domain of Rin1 mediates its binding to the epidermal growth factor receptor and regulates receptor endocytosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbieri, M Alejandro; Kong, Chen; Chen, Pin-I; Horazdovsky, Bruce F; Stahl, Philip D

    2003-08-22

    Activated epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) recruit intracellular proteins that mediate receptor signaling and endocytic trafficking. Rin1, a multifunctional protein, has been shown to regulate EGFR internalization (1). Here we show that EGF stimulation induces a specific, rapid, and transient membrane recruitment of Rin1 and that recruitment is dependent on the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of Rin1. Immunoprecipitation of EGFR is accompanied by co-immunoprecipitation of Rin1 in a time- and ligand-dependent manner. Association of Rin1 and specifically the SH2 domain of Rin1 with the EGFR was dependent on tyrosine phosphorylation of the intracellular domain of the EGFR. The recruitment of Rin1, observed by light microscopy, indicated that although initially cytosolic, Rin1 was recruited to both plasma membrane and endosomes following EGF addition. Moreover, the expression of the SH2 domain of Rin1 substantially impaired the internalization of EGF without affecting internalization of transferrin. Finally, we found that Rin1 co-immunoprecipitated with a number of tyrosine kinase receptors but not with cargo endocytic receptors. These results indicate that Rin1 provides a link via its SH2 domain between activated tyrosine kinase receptors and the endocytic pathway through the recruitment and activation of Rab5a.

  9. Domain wall networks on solitons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutcliffe, Paul

    2003-01-01

    Domain wall networks on the surface of a soliton are studied in a simple theory. It consists of two complex scalar fields, in 3+1 dimensions, with a global U(1)xZ n symmetry, where n>2. Solutions are computed numerically in which one of the fields forms a Q ball and the other field forms a network of domain walls localized on the surface of the Q ball. Examples are presented in which the domain walls lie along the edges of a spherical polyhedron, forming junctions at its vertices. It is explained why only a small restricted class of polyhedra can arise as domain wall networks

  10. The domain packing and temperature dependence of the spontaneous shear angle in ferroelastic compound KD3(SeO3)2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balagurov, A.M.; Beskrovnyj, A.I.; Savenko, B.N.; Shuvalov, L.A.

    1984-01-01

    The domain structure in ferroelastic phase of KD 3 (SeO 3 ) 2 (DKTS) conpound was investigated by neutron time-of-flight diffractometry. The temperature dependence of spontaneous shear angle was determined from diffraction intensity measurements for a lot of spots in reciprocal lattice. The domain structure was found similar with that of KH 2 PO 4

  11. Modulation of catalytic activity in multi-domain protein tyrosine phosphatases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lalima L Madan

    Full Text Available Signaling mechanisms involving protein tyrosine phosphatases govern several cellular and developmental processes. These enzymes are regulated by several mechanisms which include variation in the catalytic turnover rate based on redox stimuli, subcellular localization or protein-protein interactions. In the case of Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (RPTPs containing two PTP domains, phosphatase activity is localized in their membrane-proximal (D1 domains, while the membrane-distal (D2 domain is believed to play a modulatory role. Here we report our analysis of the influence of the D2 domain on the catalytic activity and substrate specificity of the D1 domain using two Drosophila melanogaster RPTPs as a model system. Biochemical studies reveal contrasting roles for the D2 domain of Drosophila Leukocyte antigen Related (DLAR and Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase on Drosophila chromosome band 99A (PTP99A. While D2 lowers the catalytic activity of the D1 domain in DLAR, the D2 domain of PTP99A leads to an increase in the catalytic activity of its D1 domain. Substrate specificity, on the other hand, is cumulative, whereby the individual specificities of the D1 and D2 domains contribute to the substrate specificity of these two-domain enzymes. Molecular dynamics simulations on structural models of DLAR and PTP99A reveal a conformational rationale for the experimental observations. These studies reveal that concerted structural changes mediate inter-domain communication resulting in either inhibitory or activating effects of the membrane distal PTP domain on the catalytic activity of the membrane proximal PTP domain.

  12. An acceleration technique for 2D MOC based on Krylov subspace and domain decomposition methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Hongbo; Wu Hongchun; Cao Liangzhi

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → We convert MOC into linear system solved by GMRES as an acceleration method. → We use domain decomposition method to overcome the inefficiency on large matrices. → Parallel technology is applied and a matched ray tracing system is developed. → Results show good efficiency even in large-scale and strong scattering problems. → The emphasis is that the technique is geometry-flexible. - Abstract: The method of characteristics (MOC) has great geometrical flexibility but poor computational efficiency in neutron transport calculations. The generalized minimal residual (GMRES) method, a type of Krylov subspace method, is utilized to accelerate a 2D generalized geometry characteristics solver AutoMOC. In this technique, a form of linear algebraic equation system for angular flux moments and boundary fluxes is derived to replace the conventional characteristics sweep (i.e. inner iteration) scheme, and then the GMRES method is implemented as an efficient linear system solver. This acceleration method is proved to be reliable in theory and simple for implementation. Furthermore, as introducing no restriction in geometry treatment, it is suitable for acceleration of an arbitrary geometry MOC solver. However, it is observed that the speedup decreases when the matrix becomes larger. The spatial domain decomposition method and multiprocessing parallel technology are then employed to overcome the problem. The calculation domain is partitioned into several sub-domains. For each of them, a smaller matrix is established and solved by GMRES; and the adjacent sub-domains are coupled by 'inner-edges', where the trajectory mismatches are considered adequately. Moreover, a matched ray tracing system is developed on the basis of AutoCAD, which allows a user to define the sub-domains on demand conveniently. Numerical results demonstrate that the acceleration techniques are efficient without loss of accuracy, even in the case of large-scale and strong scattering

  13. Structure of the phosphotransferase domain of the bifunctional aminoglycoside-resistance enzyme AAC(6')-Ie-APH(2'')-Ia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Clyde A; Toth, Marta; Bhattacharya, Monolekha; Frase, Hilary; Vakulenko, Sergei B

    2014-06-01

    The bifunctional acetyltransferase(6')-Ie-phosphotransferase(2'')-Ia [AAC(6')-Ie-APH(2'')-Ia] is the most important aminoglycoside-resistance enzyme in Gram-positive bacteria, conferring resistance to almost all known aminoglycoside antibiotics in clinical use. Owing to its importance, this enzyme has been the focus of intensive research since its isolation in the mid-1980s but, despite much effort, structural details of AAC(6')-Ie-APH(2'')-Ia have remained elusive. The structure of the Mg2GDP complex of the APH(2'')-Ia domain of the bifunctional enzyme has now been determined at 2.3 Å resolution. The structure of APH(2'')-Ia is reminiscent of the structures of other aminoglycoside phosphotransferases, having a two-domain architecture with the nucleotide-binding site located at the junction of the two domains. Unlike the previously characterized APH(2'')-IIa and APH(2'')-IVa enzymes, which are capable of utilizing both ATP and GTP as the phosphate donors, APH(2'')-Ia uses GTP exclusively in the phosphorylation of the aminoglycoside antibiotics, and in this regard closely resembles the GTP-dependent APH(2'')-IIIa enzyme. In APH(2'')-Ia this GTP selectivity is governed by the presence of a `gatekeeper' residue, Tyr100, the side chain of which projects into the active site and effectively blocks access to the adenine-binding template. Mutation of this tyrosine residue to a less bulky phenylalanine provides better access for ATP to the NTP-binding template and converts APH(2'')-Ia into a dual-specificity enzyme.

  14. Magnetization process and domains in MTJ

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Czapkiewicz, M.; Zoladz, M.; Wrona, J.; Wisniowski, P.; Rak, R.; Stobiecki, T. [Department of Electronics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow (Poland); Kim, C.G.; Kim, C.O. [Department of Materials Engineering, Chungnam National University, 305-764 Daejon (Korea); Takahashi, M.; Tsunoda, M. [Department of Electronic Engineering, Tohoku University, 980-8579 Sendai (Japan)

    2004-06-01

    The magnetization process and domain structure of free layers in as deposited and annealed magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) of Si/Ta/Cu/Ta/NiFe/Cu/IrMn(10)/CoFe(2.5)/Al-O(1.5)/CoFe(2.5)/NiFe(t)/Ta, where t=10, 30 and 100 nm, were investigated by Kerr microscopy, R-VSM and MOKE magnetometers. Different types of domain patterns observed in free layers (CoFe(2.5)/NiFe(t)) depending on the mutual relation between interlayer coupling energy and free layer magnetostatic energy. For as deposited samples fuzzy domains with fine irregular ''patches'' pattern, typical for weak interlayer coupling, are observed. Annealed MTJs, however, are characterized by large domains superimposed by crossed stripes, which led to the blocking of coherent rotation of magnetization. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  15. Mobile sequences in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, the E2 component, the catalytic domain and the 2-oxogluturate dehydrogenase complex of Azotobacter vinelandii, as detected by 600 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanemaaijer, R.; Vervoort, J.; Westphal, A.H.; Kok, A. de.; Veeger, C.

    1988-01-01

    600 MHz 1 H-NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Azotobacter vinelandii contains regions of the polypeptide chain with intramolecular mobility. This mobility is located in the E 2 component and can probably be ascribed to alanine-proline-rich regions that link the lipoyl sibdiomains to each other as well as to the E 1 and E 3 binding domain. In the catalytic domain of E 2 which is thought to form a compact, rigid core, also conformational flexibility is observed. It is conceivable that the N-terminal region of the catalytic domain, which contains many alanine residues, is responsible for the observed mobility. In the low-field region of the 1 H-NMR spectrum of E 2 specific resonances are found, which can be ascribed to mobile phenylalanine, histidine and/or tyrosine residues which are located in the E 1 and E 3 binding domain that links the lipoyl domain to the catalytic domain. In the 1 H-NMR spectrum of the intact complex, these resonances cannot be observed, indicating a decreased mobility of the E 1 and E 3 binding domain. (author). 24 refs.; 2 figs

  16. Amplitude modulation of charge-density-wave domains in 1T-TaS2 at 300 K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coleman, R.V.; McNairy, W.W.; Slough, C.G.

    1991-01-01

    Measurements of the charge-density-wave (CDW) amplitude modulation in 1T-TaS 2 at room temperature have been made using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operating in the constant current mode. The amplitude profiles are in good agreement with the profile predicated by the CDW domain model of Nakanishi and Shiba. Interference effects between the atomic and CDW lattices have been analyzed and do not modify these profiles significantly. They represent the true CDW amplitude variation connected with the CDW domain structure

  17. Utilizing nanobody technology to target non-immunodominant domains of VAR2CSA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ditlev, Sisse B; Florea, Raluca; Nielsen, Morten A

    2014-01-01

    adhesion. However, the development of a VAR2CSA adhesion-blocking vaccine remains challenging due to (i) the large size of VAR2CSA and (ii) the extensive immune selection for polymorphisms and thereby non-neutralizing B-cell epitopes. Camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies (HcAbs) are known to target epitopes...... that are less immunogenic to classical IgG and, due to their small size and protruding antigen-binding loop, able to reach and recognize cryptic, conformational epitopes which are inaccessible to conventional antibodies. The variable heavy chain (VHH) domain is the antigen-binding site of camelid HcAbs, the so...

  18. Insight into the Selectivity of the G7-18NATE Inhibitor Peptide for the Grb7-SH2 Domain Target.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Gabrielle M; Lucas, William A H; Gunzburg, Menachem J; Wilce, Jacqueline A

    2017-01-01

    Growth factor receptor bound protein 7 (Grb7) is an adaptor protein with established roles in the progression of both breast and pancreatic cancers. Through its C-terminal SH2 domain, Grb7 binds to phosphorylated tyrosine kinases to promote proliferative and migratory signaling. Here, we investigated the molecular basis for the specificity of a Grb7 SH2-domain targeted peptide inhibitor. We identified that arginine 462 in the BC loop is unique to Grb7 compared to Grb2, another SH2 domain bearing protein that shares the same consensus binding motif as Grb7. Using surface plasmon resonance we demonstrated that Grb7-SH2 binding to G7-18NATE is reduced 3.3-fold when the arginine is mutated to the corresponding Grb2 amino acid. The reverse mutation in Grb2-SH2 (serine to arginine), however, was insufficient to restore binding of G7-18NATE to Grb2-SH2. Further, using a microarray, we confirmed that G7-18NATE is specific for Grb7 over a panel of 79 SH2 domains, and identified that leucine at the βD6 position may also be a requirement for Grb7-SH2 binding. This study provides insight into the specificity defining features of Grb7 for the inhibitor molecule G7-18NATE, that will assist in the development of improved Grb7 targeted inhibitors.

  19. Insight into the Selectivity of the G7-18NATE Inhibitor Peptide for the Grb7-SH2 Domain Target

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabrielle M. Watson

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Growth factor receptor bound protein 7 (Grb7 is an adaptor protein with established roles in the progression of both breast and pancreatic cancers. Through its C-terminal SH2 domain, Grb7 binds to phosphorylated tyrosine kinases to promote proliferative and migratory signaling. Here, we investigated the molecular basis for the specificity of a Grb7 SH2-domain targeted peptide inhibitor. We identified that arginine 462 in the BC loop is unique to Grb7 compared to Grb2, another SH2 domain bearing protein that shares the same consensus binding motif as Grb7. Using surface plasmon resonance we demonstrated that Grb7-SH2 binding to G7-18NATE is reduced 3.3-fold when the arginine is mutated to the corresponding Grb2 amino acid. The reverse mutation in Grb2-SH2 (serine to arginine, however, was insufficient to restore binding of G7-18NATE to Grb2-SH2. Further, using a microarray, we confirmed that G7-18NATE is specific for Grb7 over a panel of 79 SH2 domains, and identified that leucine at the βD6 position may also be a requirement for Grb7-SH2 binding. This study provides insight into the specificity defining features of Grb7 for the inhibitor molecule G7-18NATE, that will assist in the development of improved Grb7 targeted inhibitors.

  20. Insight into the Selectivity of the G7-18NATE Inhibitor Peptide for the Grb7-SH2 Domain Target

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Gabrielle M.; Lucas, William A. H.; Gunzburg, Menachem J.; Wilce, Jacqueline A.

    2017-01-01

    Growth factor receptor bound protein 7 (Grb7) is an adaptor protein with established roles in the progression of both breast and pancreatic cancers. Through its C-terminal SH2 domain, Grb7 binds to phosphorylated tyrosine kinases to promote proliferative and migratory signaling. Here, we investigated the molecular basis for the specificity of a Grb7 SH2-domain targeted peptide inhibitor. We identified that arginine 462 in the BC loop is unique to Grb7 compared to Grb2, another SH2 domain bearing protein that shares the same consensus binding motif as Grb7. Using surface plasmon resonance we demonstrated that Grb7-SH2 binding to G7-18NATE is reduced 3.3-fold when the arginine is mutated to the corresponding Grb2 amino acid. The reverse mutation in Grb2-SH2 (serine to arginine), however, was insufficient to restore binding of G7-18NATE to Grb2-SH2. Further, using a microarray, we confirmed that G7-18NATE is specific for Grb7 over a panel of 79 SH2 domains, and identified that leucine at the βD6 position may also be a requirement for Grb7-SH2 binding. This study provides insight into the specificity defining features of Grb7 for the inhibitor molecule G7-18NATE, that will assist in the development of improved Grb7 targeted inhibitors. PMID:29018805

  1. Computational dissection of allosteric inhibition of the SH2 domain of Bcr-Abl kinase by the monobody inhibitor AS25.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Mingfei; Zheng, Guodong; Li, Xiaolong; Zhang, Zhongqin; Jv, Guanqun; Wang, Xiaowei; Wang, Jialin

    2017-06-01

    The deregulated breakpoint cluster region (Bcr)-Abelson tyrosine kinase (Abl) fusion protein represents an attractive pharmacological target for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The high affinity of monobody AS25 was designed to target the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of Bcr-Abl, leading to allosteric inhibition of Bcr-Abl through formation of protein-protein interactions. An I164E mutation in the SH2 domain disrupts AS25 binding to the SH2 domain of Bcr-Abl. The detailed mechanisms, however, remain to be unresolved. Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and binding free energy calculations were performed to explore the conformational and energetic differences between the wild-type (WT) complexes of Bcr-Abl SH2 domain and AS25 (SH2 WT -AS25) as well as the mutated complexes (SH2 I164E -AS25). The results revealed that I164E mutation not only caused an increase in the conformational flexibility of SH2-AS25 complexes, but also weakened the binding affinity of AS25 to SH2. The comparative binding modes of SH2-AS25 complexes between WT and the I164E mutant were comprehensively analyzed to unravel the disruption of hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions in the interface of the SH2-AS25 complex triggered by the I164E mutation. The results obtained may help to design the next generation of higher affinity Bcr-Abl SH2-specific peptide inhibitors.

  2. Inherent dynamics of head domain correlates with ATP-recognition of P2X4 receptors: insights gained from molecular simulations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-Dong Huang

    Full Text Available P2X receptors are ATP-gated ion channels involved in many physiological functions, and determination of ATP-recognition (AR of P2X receptors will promote the development of new therapeutic agents for pain, inflammation, bladder dysfunction and osteoporosis. Recent crystal structures of the zebrafish P2X4 (zfP2X4 receptor reveal a large ATP-binding pocket (ABP located at the subunit interface of zfP2X4 receptors, which is occupied by a conspicuous cluster of basic residues to recognize triphosphate moiety of ATP. Using the engineered affinity labeling and molecular modeling, at least three sites (S1, S2 and S3 within ABP have been identified that are able to recognize the adenine ring of ATP, implying the existence of at least three distinct AR modes in ABP. The open crystal structure of zfP2X4 confirms one of three AR modes (named AR1, in which the adenine ring of ATP is buried into site S1 while the triphosphate moiety interacts with clustered basic residues. Why architecture of ABP favors AR1 not the other two AR modes still remains unexplored. Here, we examine the potential role of inherent dynamics of head domain, a domain involved in ABP formation, in AR determinant of P2X4 receptors. In silico docking and binding free energy calculation revealed comparable characters of three distinct AR modes. Inherent dynamics of head domain, especially the downward motion favors the preference of ABP for AR1 rather than AR2 and AR3. Along with the downward motion of head domain, the closing movement of loop139-146 and loop169-183, and structural rearrangements of K70, K72, R298 and R143 enabled ABP to discriminate AR1 from other AR modes. Our observations suggest the essential role of head domain dynamics in determining AR of P2X4 receptors, allowing evaluation of new strategies aimed at developing specific blockers/allosteric modulators by preventing the dynamics of head domain associated with both AR and channel activation of P2X4 receptors.

  3. The Src SH2 domain interacts dynamically with the focal adhesion kinase binding site as demonstrated by paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindfors, Hanna E; Drijfhout, Jan Wouter; Ubbink, Marcellus

    2012-06-01

    The interaction between the tyrosine kinases Src and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key step in signaling processes from focal adhesions. The phosphorylated tyrosine residue 397 in FAK is able to bind the Src SH2 domain. To establish the extent of the FAK binding motif, the binding affinity of the SH2 domain for phosphorylated and unphosphorylated FAK-derived peptides of increasing length was determined and compared with that of the internal Src SH2 binding site. It is shown that the FAK peptides have higher affinity than the internal binding site and that seven negative residues adjacent to the core SH2 binding motif increase the binding constant 30-fold. A rigid spin-label incorporated in the FAK peptides was used to establish on the basis of paramagnetic relaxation enhancement whether the peptide-protein complex is well defined. A large spread of the paramagnetic effects on the surface of the SH2 domain suggests that the peptide-protein complex exhibits dynamics, despite the high affinity of the peptide. The strong electrostatic interaction between the positive side of the SH2 domain and the negative peptide results in a high affinity but may also favor a dynamic interaction. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Interactions of polyomavirus middle T with the SH2 domains of the pp85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase.

    OpenAIRE

    Yoakim, M; Hou, W; Liu, Y; Carpenter, C L; Kapeller, R; Schaffhausen, B S

    1992-01-01

    The binding of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase to the polyomavirus middle T antigen is facilitated by tyrosine phosphorylation of middle T on residue 315. The pp85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase contains two SH2 domains, one in the middle of the molecule and one at the C terminus. When assayed by blotting with phosphorylated middle T, the more N-terminal SH2 domain is responsible for binding to middle T. When assayed in solution with glutathione S transferase fusions, both SH2s are ca...

  5. Specific inhibition of p97/VCP ATPase and kinetic analysis demonstrate interaction between D1 and D2 ATPase domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Tsui-Fen; Bulfer, Stacie L; Weihl, Conrad C; Li, Kelin; Lis, Lev G; Walters, Michael A; Schoenen, Frank J; Lin, Henry J; Deshaies, Raymond J; Arkin, Michelle R

    2014-07-29

    The p97 AAA (ATPase associated with diverse cellular activities), also called VCP (valosin-containing protein), is an important therapeutic target for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. p97 forms a hexamer composed of two AAA domains (D1 and D2) that form two stacked rings and an N-terminal domain that binds numerous cofactor proteins. The interplay between the three domains in p97 is complex, and a deeper biochemical understanding is needed in order to design selective p97 inhibitors as therapeutic agents. It is clear that the D2 ATPase domain hydrolyzes ATP in vitro, but whether D1 contributes to ATPase activity is controversial. Here, we use Walker A and B mutants to demonstrate that D1 is capable of hydrolyzing ATP and show for the first time that nucleotide binding in the D2 domain increases the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of D1 ATP hydrolysis 280-fold, by increasing kcat 7-fold and decreasing Km about 40-fold. We further show that an ND1 construct lacking D2 but including the linker between D1 and D2 is catalytically active, resolving a conflict in the literature. Applying enzymatic observations to small-molecule inhibitors, we show that four p97 inhibitors (DBeQ, ML240, ML241, and NMS-873) have differential responses to Walker A and B mutations, to disease-causing IBMPFD mutations, and to the presence of the N domain binding cofactor protein p47. These differential effects provide the first evidence that p97 cofactors and disease mutations can alter p97 inhibitor potency and suggest the possibility of developing context-dependent inhibitors of p97. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Identification and characterization of B-cell epitopes in the DBL4e domain of VAR2CSA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ditlev, Sisse B; Nielsen, Morten A; Resende, Mafalda

    2012-01-01

    and is the leading candidate for a placental malaria vaccine. Antibodies induced in rats against the recombinant DBL4e domain of VAR2CSA inhibit the binding of a number of laboratory and field parasite isolates to CSA. In this study, we used a DBL4e peptide-array to identify epitopes targeted by DBL4e...... might be involved in the induction of inhibitory antibodies induced by the recombinant DBL4e domain....

  7. Recombinant human B7.2 IgV-like domain expressed in bacteria maintains its co-stimulatory activity in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Xiaocai; Ma, Jun; Zheng, Jin; Lai, Baochang; Geng, Yiping; Wang, Yili; Si, Lüsheng

    2002-07-01

    To investigate which of the two immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains, the immunoglobulin variable region homologous domain IgV (hB7.2 IgV) and the immunoglobulin constant region homologous domain IgC (hB7.2 IgC) on the human B7.2 molecule contains receptor binding sites, and to evaluate whether the B7.2 protein expressed in bacteria has biological activity in vitro. Three fragments of hB7.2 IgV,hB7.2 IgC and the complete extracellular region of human B7.2 containing both the IgV and IgC domains,hB7.2 Ig (V+C), were amplified by PCR and subcloned into pGEM-Teasy. Three recombinants,pGEX-4T-3-hB7.2 IgV,pGEX-4T-3-hB7.2 IgC and pGEX-4T-3-hB7.2 Ig (V+C), were generated by cloning the fragments into a prokaryote expression plasmid (pGEX-4T-3) and transformed into the host strain E. coli DH5alpha. The relevant target fusion proteins consisting of GST and hB7.2 IgV,hB7.2 IgC and hB7.2 Ig (V+C), were identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. With the presence of the first signal imitated by anti-CD3 antibody, T cell activation was observed by exposing purified T lymphocytes to each soluble form of the three bacterially-produced human B7.2 fusion proteins by [(3)H]-TdR incorporation. Three recombinant fusion proteins of human B7.2, GST-hB7.2 IgV, GST-hB7.2 IgC and GST-hB7.2 Ig (V+C) were produced and detected in inclusion body form from engineered bacteria. With the first signal present,T lymphocytes proliferated when co-stimulated by bacterially-produced either GST-hB7.2 Ig (V+C) or GST-hB7.2 IgV fusion proteins, but not by GST-hB7.2 IgC. Functional human B7.2 fusion protein can be produced in bacteria. The IgV-like domain of human B7.2 is sufficient for B7.2 to interact with its counter-receptors and co-stimulate T lymphocytes.

  8. Anisotropy of domain wall resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viret; Samson; Warin; Marty; Ott; Sondergard; Klein; Fermon

    2000-10-30

    The resistive effect of domain walls in FePd films with perpendicular anisotropy was studied experimentally as a function of field and temperature. The films were grown directly on MgO substrates, which induces an unusual virgin magnetic configuration composed of 60 nm wide parallel stripe domains. This allowed us to carry out the first measurements of the anisotropy of domain wall resistivity in the two configurations of current perpendicular and parallel to the walls. At 18 K, we find 8.2% and 1.3% for the domain wall magnetoresistance normalized to the wall width (8 nm) in these two respective configurations. These values are consistent with the predictions of Levy and Zhang.

  9. Ferroelectric negative capacitance domain dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

    2018-05-01

    Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transient negative capacitance is shown to originate from reverse domain nucleation and unrestricted domain growth. However, with the onset of domain coalescence, the capacitance becomes positive again. The persistence of the negative capacitance state is therefore limited by the speed of domain wall motion. By changing the applied electric field, capacitor area or external resistance, this domain wall velocity can be varied predictably over several orders of magnitude. Additionally, detailed insights into the intrinsic material properties of the ferroelectric are obtainable through these measurements. A new method for reliable extraction of the average negative capacitance of the ferroelectric is presented. Furthermore, a simple analytical model is developed, which accurately describes the negative capacitance transient time as a function of the material properties and the experimental boundary conditions.

  10. Cyclic GMP-mediated memory enhancement in the object recognition test by inhibitors of phosphodiesterase-2 in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lueptow, Lindsay M; Zhan, Chang-Guo; O'Donnell, James M

    2016-02-01

    Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase-2 (PDE2) is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction. Using the object recognition test (ORT), this study assessed the effects of two PDE2 inhibitors, Bay 60-7550 and ND7001, on learning and memory, and examined underlying mechanisms. To assess the role of PDE2 inhibition on phases of memory, Bay 60-7550 (3 mg/kg) was administered: 30 min prior to training; 0, 1, or 3 h after training; or 30 min prior to recall testing. To assess cyclic nucleotide involvement in PDE2 inhibitor-enhanced memory consolidation, either the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 20 mg/kg; intraperitoneal (IP)), soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[-1,2,4]oxadiazolo-[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 20 mg/kg; IP), protein kinase G inhibitor KT5823 (2.5 μg; intracerebroventricular (ICV)), or protein kinase A inhibitor H89 (1 μg; ICV) was administered 30 min prior to the PDE2 inhibitor Bay 60-7550 (3 mg/kg) or ND7001 (3 mg/kg). Changes in the phosphorylation of 3'5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) at Ser-133 and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) at Ser-239 were determined to confirm activation of cAMP and 3'5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling. Bay 60-7550 (3 mg/kg) enhanced memory of mice in the ORT when given 30 min prior to training, immediately after training, or 30 min prior to recall. Inhibitors of the cGMP pathway blocked the memory-enhancing effects of both Bay 60-7550 (3 mg/kg) and ND7001 (3 mg/kg) on early consolidation processes. Bay 60-7550 (3 mg/kg) enhanced phosphorylation of CREB and VASP, both targets of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). These results confirm a potential of PDE2, or components of its signaling pathway, as a therapeutic target for drug discovery focused on restoring memory function.

  11. Supplementary Material for: A new mode of SAM domain mediated oligomerization observed in the CASKIN2 neuronal scaffolding protein

    KAUST Repository

    Smirnova, Ekaterina; Kwan, Jamie; Siu, Ryan; Gao, Xin; Zoidl, Georg; Demeler, Borries; Saridakis, Vivian; Donaldson, Logan

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background CASKIN2 is a homolog of CASKIN1, a scaffolding protein that participates in a signaling network with CASK (calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase). Despite a high level of homology between CASKIN2 and CASKIN1, CASKIN2 cannot bind CASK due to the absence of a CASK Interaction Domain and consequently, may have evolved undiscovered structural and functional distinctions. Results We demonstrate that the crystal structure of the Sterile Alpha Motif (SAM) domain tandem (SAM1-SAM2) oligomer from CASKIN2 is different than CASKIN1, with the minimal repeating unit being a dimer, rather than a monomer. Analytical ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity methods revealed differences in monomer/dimer equilibria across a range of concentrations and ionic strengths for the wild type CASKIN2 SAM tandem and a structure-directed double mutant that could not oligomerize. Further distinguishing CASKIN2 from CASKIN1, EGFP-tagged SAM tandem proteins expressed in Neuro2a cells produced punctae that were distinct both in shape and size. Conclusions This study illustrates a new way in which neuronal SAM domains can assemble into large macromolecular assemblies that might concentrate and amplify synaptic responses.

  12. Expression, purification and preliminary biochemical and structural characterization of the leucine rich repeat namesake domain of leucine rich repeat kinase 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vancraenenbroeck, Renée; Lobbestael, Evy; Weeks, Stephen D; Strelkov, Sergei V; Baekelandt, Veerle; Taymans, Jean-Marc; De Maeyer, Marc

    2012-03-01

    Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common cause of familial Parkinson's disease. Much research effort has been directed towards the catalytic core region of LRRK2 composed of GTPase (ROC, Ras of complex proteins) and kinase domains and a connecting COR (C-terminus of ROC) domain. In contrast, the precise functions of the protein-protein interaction domains, such as the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain, are not known. In the present study, we modeled the LRRK2 LRR domain (LRR(LRRK2)) using a template assembly approach, revealing the presence of 14 LRRs. Next, we focused on the expression and purification of LRR(LRRK2) in Escherichia coli. Buffer optimization revealed that the protein requires the presence of a zwitterionic detergent, namely Empigen BB, during solubilization and the subsequent purification and characterization steps. This indicates that the detergent captures the hydrophobic surface patches of LRR(LRRK2) thereby suppressing its aggregation. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy measured 18% α-helices and 21% β-sheets, consistent with predictions from the homology model. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and dynamic light scattering measurements showed the presence of a single species, with a Stokes radius corresponding to the model dimensions of a protein monomer. Furthermore, no obvious LRR(LRRK2) multimerization was detected via cross-linking studies. Finally, the LRR(LRRK2) clinical mutations did not influence LRR(LRRK2) secondary, tertiary or quaternary structure as determined via SEC and CD spectroscopy. We therefore conclude that these mutations are likely to affect putative LRR(LRRK2) inter- and intramolecular interactions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Protein phosphatase 2a (PP2A binds within the oligomerization domain of striatin and regulates the phosphorylation and activation of the mammalian Ste20-Like kinase Mst3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jones Candace A

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Striatin, a putative protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A B-type regulatory subunit, is a multi-domain scaffolding protein that has recently been linked to several diseases including cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM, which causes symptoms ranging from headaches to stroke. Striatin association with the PP2A A/C (structural subunit/catalytic subunit heterodimer alters PP2A substrate specificity, but targets and roles of striatin-associated PP2A are not known. In addition to binding the PP2A A/C heterodimer to form a PP2A holoenzyme, striatin associates with cerebral cavernous malformation 3 (CCM3 protein, the mammalian Mps one binder (MOB homolog, Mob3/phocein, the mammalian sterile 20-like (Mst kinases, Mst3, Mst4 and STK25, and several other proteins to form a large signaling complex. Little is known about the molecular architecture of the striatin complex and the regulation of these sterile 20-like kinases. Results To help define the molecular organization of striatin complexes and to determine whether Mst3 might be negatively regulated by striatin-associated PP2A, a structure-function analysis of striatin was performed. Two distinct regions of striatin are capable of stably binding directly or indirectly to Mob3--one N-terminal, including the coiled-coil domain, and another more C-terminal, including the WD-repeat domain. In addition, striatin residues 191-344 contain determinants necessary for efficient association of Mst3, Mst4, and CCM3. PP2A associates with the coiled-coil domain of striatin, but unlike Mob3 and Mst3, its binding appears to require striatin oligomerization. Deletion of the caveolin-binding domain on striatin abolishes striatin family oligomerization and PP2A binding. Point mutations in striatin that disrupt PP2A association cause hyperphosphorylation and activation of striatin-associated Mst3. Conclusions Striatin orchestrates the regulation of Mst3 by PP2A. It binds Mst3 likely as a dimer with CCM3 via

  14. Persistence of metastable vortex lattice domains in MgB2 in the presence of vortex motion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rastovski, C; Schlesinger, K J; Gannon, W J; Dewhurst, C D; DeBeer-Schmitt, L; Zhigadlo, N D; Karpinski, J; Eskildsen, M R

    2013-09-06

    Recently, extensive vortex lattice metastability was reported in MgB2 in connection with a second-order rotational phase transition. However, the mechanism responsible for these well-ordered metastable vortex lattice phases is not well understood. Using small-angle neutron scattering, we studied the vortex lattice in MgB2 as it was driven from a metastable to the ground state through a series of small changes in the applied magnetic field. Our results show that metastable vortex lattice domains persist in the presence of substantial vortex motion and directly demonstrate that the metastability is not due to vortex pinning. Instead, we propose that it is due to the jamming of counterrotated vortex lattice domains which prevents a rotation to the ground state orientation.

  15. Nb2OsB2, with a new twofold superstructure of the U3Si2 type: Synthesis, crystal chemistry and chemical bonding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbarki, Mohammed; Touzani, Rachid St.; Fokwa, Boniface P. T.

    2013-07-01

    The new ternary metal-rich boride, Nb2OsB2, was synthesized by arc-melting the elements in a water-cooled copper crucible under an argon atmosphere. The compound was characterized from single-crystal X-ray data and EDX measurements. It crystallizes as a new superstructure (space group P4/mnc, no. 128) of the tetragonal U3Si2-structure type with lattice parameters a=5.922(1) Å and c=6.879(2) Å. All of the B atoms are involved in B2 dumbbells with B-B distances of 1.89(4) Å. Structure relaxation using VASP (Vienna ab intio Simulation Package) has confirmed the space group and the lattice parameters. According to electronic structure calculations (TB-LMTO-ASA), the homoatomic B-B interactions are optimized and very strong, but relatively strong heteroatomic Os-B, Nb-B and Nb-Os bonds are also found: These interactions, which together build a three-dimensional network, are mainly responsible for the structural stability of this new phase. The density of state at the Fermi level predicts metallic behavior, as expected, from this metal-rich boride.

  16. The D Domain of LRRC4 anchors ERK1/2 in the cytoplasm and competitively inhibits MEK/ERK activation in glioma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeyou Wang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background As a well-characterized key player in various signal transduction networks, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2 has been widely implicated in the development of many malignancies. We previously found that Leucine-rich repeat containing 4 (LRRC4 was a tumor suppressor and a negative regulator of the ERK/MAPK pathway in glioma tumorigenesis. However, the precise molecular role of LRRC4 in ERK signal transmission is unclear. Methods The interaction between LRRC4 and ERK1/2 was assessed by co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays in vivo and in vitro. We also investigated the interaction of LRRC4 and ERK1/2 and the role of the D domain in ERK activation in glioma cells. Results Here, we showed that LRRC4 and ERK1/2 interact via the D domain and CD domain, respectively. Following EGF stimuli, the D domain of LRRC4 anchors ERK1/2 in the cytoplasm and abrogates ERK1/2 activation and nuclear translocation. In glioblastoma cells, ectopic LRRC4 expression competitively inhibited the interaction of endogenous mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK and ERK1/2. Mutation of the D domain decreased the LRRC4-mediated inhibition of MAPK signaling and its anti-proliferation and anti-invasion roles. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that the D domain of LRRC4 anchors ERK1/2 in the cytoplasm and competitively inhibits MEK/ERK activation in glioma cells. These findings identify a new mechanism underlying glioblastoma progression and suggest a novel therapeutic strategy by restoring the activity of LRRC4 to decrease MAPK cascade activation.

  17. Domain analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjørland, Birger

    2017-01-01

    The domain-analytic approach to knowledge organization (KO) (and to the broader field of library and information science, LIS) is outlined. The article reviews the discussions and proposals on the definition of domains, and provides an example of a domain-analytic study in the field of art studies....... Varieties of domain analysis as well as criticism and controversies are presented and discussed....

  18. Frequency domain kinetic of positron-electron annihilation in the MgO-Al2O3 spinel-type ceramics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fl'unt, Orest; Klym, Halyna; Ingram, Adam

    2018-03-01

    In this work, the kinetic of positron-electron annihilation in the MgO-Al2O3 spinel-type ceramics sintered at different temperatures (1100, 1200 and 1400 °C) has been calculated and analyzed in a frequency domain. The spectra of real (in-phase) and imaginary (quadrature) components of positron-electron annihilation kinetic have been obtained numerically from usual temporal characteristics using integral Fourier transform. The numerical calculations were carried out using cubic spline interpolation of the pulse characteristics of MgO-Al2O3 ceramics in time domain with following analytical calculations of integrals. The obtained spectra as real so imaginary part of MgO-Al2O3 ceramics in frequency domain almost good obey a Debye law denying correlation between elementary positron annihilation processes. Complex diagrams of frequency domain responses of as-prepared samples have a shape of semicircles with close characteristic frequencies. Some deviation on low-frequency side of the semicircles is observed confirming an availability of longer time kinetic processes. Sintering temperature dependencies of the relaxation times and characteristic frequencies of positron-electron annihilation processes have been obtained. It is shown that position of large maxima on the frequency dependencies of imaginary part corresponds to fast average relaxation lifetime representing the most intensive interaction process of positrons with small cavity traps in solids.

  19. Inferring domain-domain interactions from protein-protein interactions with formal concept analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Khor

    Full Text Available Identifying reliable domain-domain interactions will increase our ability to predict novel protein-protein interactions, to unravel interactions in protein complexes, and thus gain more information about the function and behavior of genes. One of the challenges of identifying reliable domain-domain interactions is domain promiscuity. Promiscuous domains are domains that can occur in many domain architectures and are therefore found in many proteins. This becomes a problem for a method where the score of a domain-pair is the ratio between observed and expected frequencies because the protein-protein interaction network is sparse. As such, many protein-pairs will be non-interacting and domain-pairs with promiscuous domains will be penalized. This domain promiscuity challenge to the problem of inferring reliable domain-domain interactions from protein-protein interactions has been recognized, and a number of work-arounds have been proposed. This paper reports on an application of Formal Concept Analysis to this problem. It is found that the relationship between formal concepts provides a natural way for rare domains to elevate the rank of promiscuous domain-pairs and enrich highly ranked domain-pairs with reliable domain-domain interactions. This piggybacking of promiscuous domain-pairs onto less promiscuous domain-pairs is possible only with concept lattices whose attribute-labels are not reduced and is enhanced by the presence of proteins that comprise both promiscuous and rare domains.

  20. Inferring Domain-Domain Interactions from Protein-Protein Interactions with Formal Concept Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khor, Susan

    2014-01-01

    Identifying reliable domain-domain interactions will increase our ability to predict novel protein-protein interactions, to unravel interactions in protein complexes, and thus gain more information about the function and behavior of genes. One of the challenges of identifying reliable domain-domain interactions is domain promiscuity. Promiscuous domains are domains that can occur in many domain architectures and are therefore found in many proteins. This becomes a problem for a method where the score of a domain-pair is the ratio between observed and expected frequencies because the protein-protein interaction network is sparse. As such, many protein-pairs will be non-interacting and domain-pairs with promiscuous domains will be penalized. This domain promiscuity challenge to the problem of inferring reliable domain-domain interactions from protein-protein interactions has been recognized, and a number of work-arounds have been proposed. This paper reports on an application of Formal Concept Analysis to this problem. It is found that the relationship between formal concepts provides a natural way for rare domains to elevate the rank of promiscuous domain-pairs and enrich highly ranked domain-pairs with reliable domain-domain interactions. This piggybacking of promiscuous domain-pairs onto less promiscuous domain-pairs is possible only with concept lattices whose attribute-labels are not reduced and is enhanced by the presence of proteins that comprise both promiscuous and rare domains. PMID:24586450

  1. Domains I and IV of annexin A2 affect the formation and integrity of in vitro capillary-like networks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aase M Raddum

    Full Text Available Annexin A2 (AnxA2 is a widely expressed multifunctional protein found in different cellular compartments. In spite of lacking a hydrophobic signal peptide, AnxA2 is found at the cell surface of endothelial cells, indicative of a role in angiogenesis. Increased extracellular levels of AnxA2 in tumours correlate with neoangiogenesis, metastasis and poor prognosis. We hypothesised that extracellular AnxA2 may contribute to angiogenesis by affecting endothelial cell-cell interactions and motility. To address this question, we studied the effect of heterotetrameric and monomeric forms of AnxA2, as well as its two soluble domains on the formation and maintenance of capillary-like structures by using an in vitro co-culture system consisting of endothelial and smooth muscle cells. In particular, addition of purified domains I and IV of AnxA2 potently inhibited the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-dependent formation of the capillary-like networks in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, these AnxA2 domains disrupted endothelial cell-cell contacts in preformed capillary-like networks, resulting in the internalisation of vascular endothelial (VE-cadherin and the formation of VE-cadherin-containing filopodia-like structures between the endothelial cells, suggesting increased cell motility. Addition of monoclonal AnxA2 antibodies, in particular against Tyr23 phosphorylated AnxA2, also strongly inhibited network formation in the co-culture system. These results suggest that extracellular AnxA2, most likely in its Tyr phosphorylated form, plays a pivotal role in angiogenesis. The exogenously added AnxA2 domains most likely mediate their effects by competing with endogenous AnxA2 for extracellular factors necessary for the initiation and maintenance of angiogenesis, such as those involved in the formation/integrity of cell-cell contacts.

  2. Characterization of Runella slithyformis HD-Pnk, a bifunctional DNA/RNA end-healing enzyme composed of an N-terminal 2',3' -phosphoesterase HD domain and a C-terminal 5' -OH polynucleotide kinase domain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munir, Annum; Shuman, Stewart

    2016-11-28

    5' and 3' end healing are key steps in nucleic acid break repair in which 5' -OH ends are phosphorylated by a polynucleotide kinase and 3' -PO 4 or 2',3' -cyclic-PO 4 ends are hydrolyzed by a phosphoesterase to generate the 5' -PO 4 and 3' -OH termini required for sealing by classic polynucleotide ligases. End healing and sealing enzymes are present in diverse bacterial taxa, often organized as modular units within a single multifunctional polypeptide or as subunits of a repair complex. Here we identify and characterize Runella slithyformis HD-Pnk as a novel bifunctional end-healing enzyme composed of an N-terminal 2',3' -phosphoesterase HD domain and a C-terminal 5' -OH polynucleotide kinase P-loop domain. HD-Pnk phosphorylates 5' -OH polynucleotides (9-mers or longer) in the presence of magnesium and any NTP donor. HD-Pnk dephosphorylates RNA 2',3' -cyclic phosphate, RNA 3' -phosphate, RNA 2' -phosphate, and DNA 3' -phosphate ends in the presence of a transition metal cofactor, which can be nickel, copper or cobalt. HD-Pnkp homologs are present in genera from eleven bacterial phyla and are often encoded in an operon with a putative ATP-dependent polynucleotide ligase. The present study provides insights to the diversity of nucleic acid repair strategies via the characterization of Runella slithyformis HD-Pnkp as the exemplar of a novel clade of dual 5' and 3' end-healing enzymes that phosphorylate 5' -OH termini and dephosphorylate 2',3' -cyclic-PO 4 , 3' -PO 4 , and 2' -PO 4 ends. The distinctive feature of HD-Pnk is its domain composition: a fusion of an N-terminal HD phosphohydrolase module to a C-terminal P-loop polynucleotide kinase module. Homologs of Runella HD-Pnk with the same domain composition, domain order, and similar polypeptide size are distributed widely among genera from eleven bacterial phyla. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  3. Structure of lipid kinase p110β/p85β elucidates an unusual SH2-domain-mediated inhibitory mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xuxiao; Vadas, Oscar; Perisic, Olga; Anderson, Karen E; Clark, Jonathan; Hawkins, Phillip T; Stephens, Len R; Williams, Roger L

    2011-03-04

    Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are essential for cell growth, migration, and survival. The structure of a p110β/p85β complex identifies an inhibitory function for the C-terminal SH2 domain (cSH2) of the p85 regulatory subunit. Mutagenesis of a cSH2 contact residue activates downstream signaling in cells. This inhibitory contact ties up the C-terminal region of the p110β catalytic subunit, which is essential for lipid kinase activity. In vitro, p110β basal activity is tightly restrained by contacts with three p85 domains: the cSH2, nSH2, and iSH2. RTK phosphopeptides relieve inhibition by nSH2 and cSH2 using completely different mechanisms. The binding site for the RTK's pYXXM motif is exposed on the cSH2, requiring an extended RTK motif to reach and disrupt the inhibitory contact with p110β. This contrasts with the nSH2 where the pY-binding site itself forms the inhibitory contact. This establishes an unusual mechanism by which p85 SH2 domains contribute to RTK signaling specificities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Ratchet Effects and Domain Wall Energy Landscapes in Amorphous Magnetic Films with 2D Arrays of Asymmetric Holes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, J. I.; Alija, A.; Sobrado, I.; Perez-Junquera, A.; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, G.; Velez, M.; Alameda, J. M.; Marconi, V. I.; Kolton, A. B.; Parrondo, J. M. R.

    2009-03-01

    The driven motion of domain walls in extended magnetic films patterned with 2D arrays of asymmetric holes has been found to be subject to two different crossed ratchet effects [1] which results in an inversion of the sign of domain wall motion rectification as a function of the applied magnetic field. This effect can be understood in terms of the competition between drive, elasticity and asymmetric pinning as revealed by a simple 4̂-model. In order to optimize the asymmetric hole design, the relevant energy landscapes for domain wall motion across the array of asymmetric holes have been calculated by micromagnetic simulations as a function of array geometrical characteristics. The effects of a transverse magnetic field on these two crossed ratchet effects will also be discussed in terms of the decrease in domain wall energy per unit area and of the modifications in the magnetostatic barriers for domain wall pinning at the asymmetric inclusions. Work supported by Spanish MICINN.[1] A. Perez-Junquera et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 (2008) 037203

  5. Tyr721 regulates specific binding of the CSF-1 receptor kinase insert to PI 3'-kinase SH2 domains: a model for SH2-mediated receptor-target interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reedijk, M; Liu, X; van der Geer, P; Letwin, K; Waterfield, M D; Hunter, T; Pawson, T

    1992-01-01

    Efficient binding of active phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3'-kinase to the autophosphorylated macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor (CSF-1R) requires the noncatalytic kinase insert (KI) region of the receptor. To test whether this region could function independently to bind PI 3'-kinase, the isolated CSF-1R KI was expressed in Escherichia coli, and was inducibly phosphorylated on tyrosine. The tyrosine phosphorylated form of the CSF-1R KI bound PI 3'-kinase in vitro, whereas the unphosphorylated form had no binding activity. The p85 alpha subunit of PI 3'-kinase contains two Src homology (SH)2 domains, which are implicated in the interactions of signalling proteins with activated receptors. Bacterially expressed p85 alpha SH2 domains complexed in vitro with the tyrosine phosphorylated CSF-1R KI. Binding of the CSF-1R KI to PI 3'-kinase activity, and to the p85 alpha SH2 domains, required phosphorylation of Tyr721 within the KI domain, but was independent of phosphorylation at Tyr697 and Tyr706. Tyr721 was also critical for the association of activated CSF-1R with PI 3'-kinase in mammalian cells. Complex formation between the CSF-1R and PI 3'-kinase can therefore be reconstructed in vitro in a specific interaction involving the phosphorylated receptor KI and the SH2 domains of p85 alpha. Images PMID:1314163

  6. Domain Endurants: An Analysis and Description Process Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjørner, Dines

    2014-01-01

    We present a summary, Sect. 2, of a structure of domain analysis and description concepts: techniques and tools. And we link, in Sect. 3, these concepts, embodied in domain analysis prompts and domain description prompts, in a model of how a diligent domain analyser cum describer would use them. We...

  7. Hydrogen diffusion in a one domain. beta. -V sub 2 H single crystal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Richter, D.; Mahling-Ennaoui, S. (Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin, 38 - Grenoble (France)); Hempelmann, R. (Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Festkoerperforschung)

    1989-01-01

    The authors present first quasielastic neutron scattering experiments on hydrogen diffusion in a one-domain crystal of the ordered metal hydride {beta}-V{sub 2}H. The experiments led to a detailed evaluation of the microscopic jump geometries. At temperatures at which the structure is still intact the main diffusion channel leads across antistructural sites situated in empty layers in between occupied H-sheets. (orig.).

  8. The linker domain of poly(rC) binding protein 2 is a major determinant in poliovirus cap-independent translation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sean, Polen; Nguyen, Joseph H C; Semler, Bert L

    2008-09-01

    Poliovirus, a member of the enterovirus genus in the family Picornaviridae, is the causative agent of poliomyelitis. Translation of the viral genome is mediated through an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) encoded within the 5' noncoding region (5' NCR). IRES elements are highly structured RNA sequences that facilitate the recruitment of ribosomes for translation. Previous studies have shown that binding of a cellular protein, poly(rC) binding protein 2 (PCBP2), to a major stem-loop structure in the genomic 5' NCR is necessary for the translation of picornaviruses containing type I IRES elements, including poliovirus, coxsackievirus, and human rhinovirus. PCBP1, an isoform that shares approximately 90% amino acid identity to PCBP2, cannot efficiently stimulate poliovirus IRES-mediated translation, most likely due to its reduced binding affinity to stem-loop IV within the poliovirus IRES. The primary differences between PCBP1 and PCBP2 are found in the so-called linker domain between the second and third K-homology (KH) domains of these proteins. We hypothesize that the linker region of PCBP2 augments binding to poliovirus stem-loop IV RNA. To test this hypothesis, we generated six PCBP1/PCBP2 chimeric proteins. The recombinant PCBP1/PCBP2 chimeric proteins were able to interact with poliovirus stem-loop I RNA and participate in protein-protein interactions. We demonstrated that the PCBP1/PCBP2 chimeric proteins with the PCBP2 linker, but not with the PCBP1 linker, were able to interact with poliovirus stem-loop IV RNA, and could subsequently stimulate poliovirus IRES-mediated translation. In addition, using a monoclonal anti-PCBP2 antibody (directed against the PCBP2 linker domain) in mobility shift assays, we showed that the PCBP2 linker domain modulates binding to poliovirus stem-loop IV RNA via a mechanism that is not inhibited by the antibody.

  9. The BCL6 RD2 Domain Governs Commitment of Activated B Cells to Form Germinal Centers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuanxin Huang

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available To understand how the Bcl6 transcriptional repressor functions in the immune system, we disrupted its RD2 repression domain in mice. Bcl6RD2MUT mice exhibit a complete loss of germinal center (GC formation but retain normal extrafollicular responses. Bcl6RD2MUT antigen-engaged B cells migrate to the interfollicular zone and interact with cognate T helper cells. However, these cells fail to complete early GC-commitment differentiation and coalesce as nascent GC aggregates. Bcl6 directly binds and represses trafficking receptors S1pr1 and Gpr183 by recruiting Hdac2 through the RD2 domain. Deregulation of these genes impairs B cell migration and may contribute to GC failure in Bcl6RD2MUT mice. The development of functional GC-TFH cells was partially impaired in Bcl6RD2MUT mice. In contrast to Bcl6−/− mice, Bcl6RD2MUT animals experience no inflammatory disease or macrophage deregulation. These results reveal an essential role for RD2 repression in early GC commitment and striking biochemical specificity in Bcl6 control of humoral and innate immune-cell phenotypes.

  10. Interactions between lipids and proteins are critical for organization of plasma membrane-ordered domains in tobacco BY-2 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosjean, Kevin; Der, Christophe; Robert, Franck; Thomas, Dominique; Mongrand, Sébastien; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia

    2018-06-27

    The laterally heterogeneous plant plasma membrane (PM) is organized into finely controlled specialized areas that include membrane-ordered domains. Recently, the spatial distribution of such domains within the PM has been identified as playing a key role in cell responses to environmental challenges. To examine membrane order at a local level, BY-2 tobacco suspension cell PMs were labelled with an environment-sensitive probe (di-4-ANEPPDHQ). Four experimental models were compared to identify mechanisms and cell components involved in short-term (1 h) maintenance of the ordered domain organization in steady-state cell PMs: modulation of the cytoskeleton or the cell wall integrity of tobacco BY-2 cells; and formation of giant vesicles using either a lipid mixture of tobacco BY-2 cell PMs or the original lipid and protein combinations of the tobacco BY-2 cell PM. Whilst inhibiting phosphorylation or disrupting either the cytoskeleton or the cell wall had no observable effects, we found that lipids and proteins significantly modified both the abundance and spatial distribution of ordered domains. This indicates the involvement of intrinsic membrane components in the local physical state of the plant PM. Our findings support a major role for the 'lipid raft' model, defined as the sterol-dependent ordered assemblies of specific lipids and proteins in plant PM organization.

  11. The Zinc Finger of Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain Protein 2 Is Essential for Efficient Hydroxylation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor α.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arsenault, Patrick R; Song, Daisheng; Chung, Yu Jin; Khurana, Tejvir S; Lee, Frank S

    2016-09-15

    Prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) (also known as EGLN1) is a key oxygen sensor in mammals that posttranslationally modifies hypoxia-inducible factor α (HIF-α) and targets it for degradation. In addition to its catalytic domain, PHD2 contains an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger domain, which we have previously proposed recruits PHD2 to the HSP90 pathway to promote HIF-α hydroxylation. Here, we provide evidence that this recruitment is critical both in vitro and in vivo We show that in vitro, the zinc finger can function as an autonomous recruitment domain to facilitate interaction with HIF-α. In vivo, ablation of zinc finger function by a C36S/C42S Egln1 knock-in mutation results in upregulation of the erythropoietin gene, erythrocytosis, and augmented hypoxic ventilatory response, all hallmarks of Egln1 loss of function and HIF stabilization. Hence, the zinc finger ordinarily performs a critical positive regulatory function. Intriguingly, the function of this zinc finger is impaired in high-altitude-adapted Tibetans, suggesting that their adaptation to high altitude may, in part, be due to a loss-of-function EGLN1 allele. Thus, these findings have important implications for understanding both the molecular mechanism of the hypoxic response and human adaptation to high altitude. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  12. First-principle Calculations of Mechanical Properties of Al2Cu, Al2CuMg and MgZn2 Intermetallics in High Strength Aluminum Alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LIAO Fei

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Structural stabilities, mechanical properties and electronic structures of Al2Cu, Al2CuMg and MgZn2 intermetallics in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu aluminum alloys were determined from the first-principle calculations by VASP based on the density functional theory. The results show that the cohesive energy (Ecoh decreases in the order MgZn2 > Al2CuMg > Al2Cu, whereas the formation enthalpy (ΔH decreases in the order MgZn2 > Al2Cu > Al2CuMg. Al2Cu can act as a strengthening phase for its ductile and high Young's modulus. The Al2CuMg phase exhibits elastic anisotropy and may act as a crack initiation point. MgZn2 has good plasticity and low melting point, which is the main strengthening phase in the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu aluminum alloys. Metallic bonding mode coexists with a fractional ionic interaction in Al2Cu, Al2CuMg and MgZn2, and that improves the structural stability. In order to improve the alloys' performance further, the generation of MgZn2 phase should be promoted by increasing Zn content while Mg and Cu contents are decreased properly.

  13. Association between receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase RPTPalpha and the Grb2 adaptor. Dual Src homology (SH) 2/SH3 domain requirement and functional consequences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Su, J; Yang, L T; Sap, J

    1996-01-01

    domain in Grb2 (, ). We show here that association of Grb2 with RPTPalpha also involves a critical function for the C-terminal SH3 domain of Grb2. Furthermore, Grb2 SH3 binding peptides interfere with RPTPalpha-Grb2 association in vitro, and the RPTPalpha protein can dissociate the Grb2-Sos complex...... in vivo. These observations constitute a novel mode of Grb2 association and suggest a model in which association with a tyrosine-phosphorylated protein restricts the repertoire of SH3 binding proteins with which Grb2 can simultaneously interact. The function of the Tyr798 tyrosine phosphorylation/Grb2...... binding site in RPTPalpha was studied further by expression of wild type or mutant RPTPalpha proteins in PC12 cells. In these cells, wild type RPTPalpha interferes with acidic fibroblast growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth; this effect requires both the catalytic activity and the Grb2 binding Tyr798...

  14. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the transpeptidase domain of penicillin-binding protein 2B from Streptococcus pneumoniae

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamada, Mototsugu, E-mail: mototsugu-yamada@meiji.co.jp; Watanabe, Takashi; Baba, Nobuyoshi; Miyara, Takako; Saito, Jun; Takeuchi, Yasuo [Pharmaceutical Research Center, Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd, 760 Morooka-cho, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 222-8567 (Japan)

    2008-04-01

    The selenomethionyl-substituted transpeptidase domain of penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2B from S. pneumoniae was isolated from a limited proteolysis digest of the soluble form of recombinant PBP 2B and then crystallized. MAD data were collected to 2.4 Å resolution. Penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2B from Streptococcus pneumoniae catalyzes the cross-linking of peptidoglycan precursors that occurs during bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis. A selenomethionyl (SeMet) substituted PBP 2B transpeptidase domain was isolated from a limited proteolysis digest of a soluble form of recombinant PBP 2B and then crystallized. The crystals belonged to space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 86.39, c = 143.27 Å. Diffraction data were collected to 2.4 Å resolution using the BL32B2 beamline at SPring-8. The asymmetric unit contains one protein molecule and 63.7% solvent.

  15. Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the transpeptidase domain of penicillin-binding protein 2B from Streptococcus pneumoniae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Mototsugu; Watanabe, Takashi; Baba, Nobuyoshi; Miyara, Takako; Saito, Jun; Takeuchi, Yasuo

    2008-01-01

    The selenomethionyl-substituted transpeptidase domain of penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2B from S. pneumoniae was isolated from a limited proteolysis digest of the soluble form of recombinant PBP 2B and then crystallized. MAD data were collected to 2.4 Å resolution. Penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2B from Streptococcus pneumoniae catalyzes the cross-linking of peptidoglycan precursors that occurs during bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis. A selenomethionyl (SeMet) substituted PBP 2B transpeptidase domain was isolated from a limited proteolysis digest of a soluble form of recombinant PBP 2B and then crystallized. The crystals belonged to space group P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 86.39, c = 143.27 Å. Diffraction data were collected to 2.4 Å resolution using the BL32B2 beamline at SPring-8. The asymmetric unit contains one protein molecule and 63.7% solvent

  16. Lipid domain morphologies in phosphatidylcholine-ceramide monolayers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karttunen, Mikko; Haataja, Mikko P; Säily, Matti

    2009-01-01

    of ceramide from 2 to 24 carbon atoms (Cer2 to Cer24). Fluid Cer2, Cer6, and Cer8/DMPC mixtures were miscible at all surface pressures. Longer ceramides, however, formed surface pressure-dependent immiscible mixtures with DMPC. The domain morphology under fluorescence microscopy after including a trace amount...... of fluorescent NBD-phosphatidylcholine into DMPC/Cer mixtures was found to be very sensitive to the N-acyl chain length. Shorter ceramides (Cer10-Cer14) formed flower-like (seaweed) domains, whereas longer ceramides (N-acyl chain length>14 carbon atoms) formed round and regular domains. We attribute...

  17. CIF2Cell: Generating geometries for electronic structure programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björkman, Torbjörn

    2011-05-01

    The CIF2Cell program generates the geometrical setup for a number of electronic structure programs based on the crystallographic information in a Crystallographic Information Framework (CIF) file. The program will retrieve the space group number, Wyckoff positions and crystallographic parameters, make a sensible choice for Bravais lattice vectors (primitive or principal cell) and generate all atomic positions. Supercells can be generated and alloys are handled gracefully. The code currently has output interfaces to the electronic structure programs ABINIT, CASTEP, CPMD, Crystal, Elk, Exciting, EMTO, Fleur, RSPt, Siesta and VASP. Program summaryProgram title: CIF2Cell Catalogue identifier: AEIM_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEIM_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU GPL version 3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 12 691 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 74 933 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Python (versions 2.4-2.7) Computer: Any computer that can run Python (versions 2.4-2.7) Operating system: Any operating system that can run Python (versions 2.4-2.7) Classification: 7.3, 7.8, 8 External routines: PyCIFRW [1] Nature of problem: Generate the geometrical setup of a crystallographic cell for a variety of electronic structure programs from data contained in a CIF file. Solution method: The CIF file is parsed using routines contained in the library PyCIFRW [1], and crystallographic as well as bibliographic information is extracted. The program then generates the principal cell from symmetry information, crystal parameters, space group number and Wyckoff sites. Reduction to a primitive cell is then performed, and the resulting cell is output to suitably named files along with documentation of the information source generated from any bibliographic information contained in the CIF

  18. Nucleic acid sequences encoding D1 and D1/D2 domains of human coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freimuth, Paul I.

    2010-04-06

    The invention provides recombinant human CAR (coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor) polypeptides which bind adenovirus. Specifically, polypeptides corresponding to adenovirus binding domain D1 and the entire extracellular domain of human CAR protein comprising D1 and D2 are provided. In another aspect, the invention provides nucleic acid sequences encoding these domains and expression vectors for producing the domains and bacterial cells containing such vectors. The invention also includes an isolated fusion protein comprised of the D1 polypeptide fused to a polypeptide which facilitates folding of D1 when expressed in bacteria. The functional D1 domain finds application in a therapeutic method for treating a patient infected with a CAR D1-binding virus, and also in a method for identifying an antiviral compound which interferes with viral attachment. The invention also provides a method for specifically targeting a cell for infection by a virus which binds to D1.

  19. The CC2D1A, a member of a new gene family with C2 domains, is involved in autosomal recessive non-syndromic mental retardation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basel-Vanagaite, L; Attia, R; Yahav, M; Ferland, R J; Anteki, L; Walsh, C A; Olender, T; Straussberg, R; Magal, N; Taub, E; Drasinover, V; Alkelai, A; Bercovich, D; Rechavi, G; Simon, A J; Shohat, M

    2006-03-01

    The molecular basis of autosomal recessive non-syndromic mental retardation (NSMR) is poorly understood, mostly owing to heterogeneity and absence of clinical criteria for grouping families for linkage analysis. Only two autosomal genes, the PRSS12 gene on chromosome 4q26 and the CRBN on chromosome 3p26, have been shown to cause autosomal recessive NSMR, each gene in only one family. To identify the gene causing autosomal recessive NSMR on chromosome 19p13.12. The candidate region established by homozygosity mapping was narrowed down from 2.4 Mb to 0.9 Mb on chromosome 19p13.12. A protein truncating mutation was identified in the gene CC2D1A in nine consanguineous families with severe autosomal recessive NSMR. The absence of the wild type protein in the lymphoblastoid cells of the patients was confirmed. CC2D1A is a member of a previously uncharacterised gene family that carries two conserved motifs, a C2 domain and a DM14 domain. The C2 domain is found in proteins which function in calcium dependent phospholipid binding; the DM14 domain is unique to the CC2D1A protein family and its role is unknown. CC2D1A is a putative signal transducer participating in positive regulation of I-kappaB kinase/NFkappaB cascade. Expression of CC2D1A mRNA was shown in the embryonic ventricular zone and developing cortical plate in staged mouse embryos, persisting into adulthood, with highest expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. A previously unknown signal transduction pathway is important in human cognitive development.

  20. Tyr120Asp mutation alters domain flexibility and dynamics of MeCP2 DNA binding domain leading to impaired DNA interaction: Atomistic characterization of a Rett syndrome causing mutation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Annessa, Ilda; Gandaglia, Anna; Brivio, Elena; Stefanelli, Gilda; Frasca, Angelisa; Landsberger, Nicoletta; Di Marino, Daniele

    2018-05-01

    Mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene represent the main origin of Rett syndrome, causing a profound intellectual disability in females. MeCP2 is an epigenetic transcriptional regulator containing two main functional domains: a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) and a transcription repression domain (TRD). Over 600 pathogenic mutations were reported to affect the whole protein; almost half of missense mutations affect the MBD. Understanding the impact of these mutations on the MBD structure and interaction with DNA will foster the comprehension of their pathogenicity and possibly genotype/phenotype correlation studies. Herein, we use molecular dynamics simulations to obtain a detailed view of the dynamics of WT and mutated MBD in the presence and absence of DNA. The pathogenic mutation Y120D is used as paradigm for our studies. Further, since the Y120 residue was previously found to be a phosphorylation site, we characterize the dynamic profile of the MBD also in the presence of Y120 phosphorylation (pY120). We found that addition of a phosphate group to Y120 or mutation in aspartic acid affect domain mobility that samples an alternative conformational space with respect to the WT, leading to impaired ability to interact with DNA. Experimental assays showing a significant reduction in the binding affinity between the mutated MBD and the DNA confirmed our predictions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Thermal response of domains in cardiolipin content bilayers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Domenech, Oscar [Departament de Quimica-Fisica, Facultat de Quimica, U.B. 08028 (Spain); Morros, Antoni [Unitat de Biofisica, Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina (Spain); Servei de Ressonancia Magnetica Nuclear (SeRMN), U.A.B., 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Cabanas, Miquel E. [Servei de Ressonancia Magnetica Nuclear (SeRMN), U.A.B., 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); Montero, M. Teresa [Departament de Fisicoquimica, Facultat de Farmacia, U.B. 08028 (Spain); Hernandez-Borrell, Jordi [Departament de Fisicoquimica, Facultat de Farmacia, U.B. 08028 (Spain)], E-mail: jordihernandezborrell@ub.edu

    2007-10-15

    In the study described here, supported planar bilayers (SPBs) of 1-palmitoy-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE):cardiolipin (CL) (0.8:0.2, mol/mol) were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM). SPBs were formed from suspensions of POPE:CL (0.8:0.2, mol/mol) in inverted hexagonal (H{sub II}) phases (buffer containing Ca{sup 2+}). Three laterally segregated domains which differ in height were observed at 24 degC. Based on the area accounted for each domain and the nominal composition of the mixture, we interpret that the higher domain is formed by CL, while the intermediate and lower domains (LDs) are formed by POPE. The three domains respond to temperature increase with relative changes in their area. At 37 degC, we observed that the increase in the area of the intermediate domain occurs at the expense of the LD. {sup 31}P-nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 31}P-NMR) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used in combination with AFM to characterize the phase behavior of the suspensions and to elucidate the nature of the structures observed.

  2. Transcriptional machinery of TNF-α-inducible YTH domain containing 2 (YTHDC2) gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanabe, Atsushi; Konno, Junpei; Tanikawa, Kenya; Sahara, Hiroeki

    2014-02-01

    We previously demonstrated that a cellular factor, cyclosporin A (CsA) associated helicase-like protein (CAHL) that is identical to YTH domain containing 2 (YTHDC2), forms trimer complex with cyclophilin B and NS5B of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and facilitates HCV genome replication. Gene expression of YTHDC2 was shown in tumor cell lines and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-treated hepatocytes, but not in untreated. However, the function of YTHDC2 in the tumor cells and the mechanism by which the YTHDC2 gene is transcribed in these cells is largely unknown. We first evaluated that the role of YTHDC2 in the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line Huh7 using RNA interference and found that YTHDC2-downregulated Huh7 were significantly decreased cell growth as compared to control. We next demonstrated that the cAMP response element (CRE) site in the promoter region of the YTHDC2 gene is critical for YTHDC2 transcription. To further investigate the transcription factors bound to the CRE site, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Our findings demonstrate that c-Jun and ATF-2 bind to the CRE site in Huh7, and that TNF-α induces the biological activity of these transcription factors in hepatocytes as well as Huh7. Moreover, treatment with the HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), reduces YTHDC2 expression in Huh7 and in TNF-α-stimulated hepatocytes. Collectively, these data show that YTHDC2 plays an important role in tumor cells growth and activation/recruitment of c-Jun and ATF-2 to the YTHDC2 promoter is necessary for the transcription of YTHDC2, and that HDAC activity is required for the efficient expression of YTHDC2 in both of hepatocyte and HCC cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Absorption and emission spectroscopic characterisation of combined wildtype LOV1-LOV2 domain of phot from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, S-H; Dick, B; Zirak, P; Penzkofer, A; Schiereis, T; Hegemann, P

    2005-10-03

    An absorption and emission spectroscopic characterisation of the combined wild-type LOV1-LOV2 domain string (abbreviated LOV1/2) of phot from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is carried out at pH 8. A LOV1/2-MBP fusion protein (MBP=maltose binding protein) and LOV1/2 with a His-tag at the C-terminus (LOV1/2-His) expressed in an Escherichia coli strain are investigated. Blue-light photo-excitation generates a non-fluorescent intermediate photoproduct (flavin-C(4a)-cysteinyl adduct with absorption peak at 390 nm). The photo-cycle dynamics is studied by dark-state absorption and fluorescence measurement, by following the temporal absorption and emission changes under blue and violet light exposure, and by measuring the temporal absorption and fluorescence recovery after light exposure. The fluorescence quantum yield, phi(F), of the dark adapted samples is phi(F)(LOV1/2-His) approximately 0.15 and phi(F)(LOV1/2-MBP) approximately 0.17. A bi-exponential absorption recovery after light exposure with a fast (in the several 10-s range) and a slow component (in the near 10-min range) are resolved. The quantum yield of photo-adduct formation, phi(Ad), is extracted from excitation intensity dependent absorption measurements. It decreases somewhat with rising excitation intensity. The behaviour of the combined wildtype LOV1-LOV2 double domains is compared with the behaviour of the separate LOV1 and LOV2 domains.

  4. The YARHG domain: an extracellular domain in search of a function.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Penny Coggill

    Full Text Available We have identified a new bacterial protein domain that we hypothesise binds to peptidoglycan. This domain is called the YARHG domain after the most highly conserved sequence-segment. The domain is found in the extracellular space and is likely to be composed of four alpha-helices. The domain is found associated with protein kinase domains, suggesting it is associated with signalling in some bacteria. The domain is also found associated with three different families of peptidases. The large number of different domains that are found associated with YARHG suggests that it is a useful functional module that nature has recombined multiple times.

  5. Global existence of solutions for semilinear damped wave equation in 2-D exterior domain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikehata, Ryo

    We consider a mixed problem of a damped wave equation utt-Δ u+ ut=| u| p in the two dimensional exterior domain case. Small global in time solutions can be constructed in the case when the power p on the nonlinear term | u| p satisfies p ∗=2Japon. 55 (2002) 33) plays an effective role.

  6. Rating knowledge sharing in cross-domain collaborative filtering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bin; Zhu, Xingquan; Li, Ruijiang; Zhang, Chengqi

    2015-05-01

    Cross-domain collaborative filtering (CF) aims to share common rating knowledge across multiple related CF domains to boost the CF performance. In this paper, we view CF domains as a 2-D site-time coordinate system, on which multiple related domains, such as similar recommender sites or successive time-slices, can share group-level rating patterns. We propose a unified framework for cross-domain CF over the site-time coordinate system by sharing group-level rating patterns and imposing user/item dependence across domains. A generative model, say ratings over site-time (ROST), which can generate and predict ratings for multiple related CF domains, is developed as the basic model for the framework. We further introduce cross-domain user/item dependence into ROST and extend it to two real-world cross-domain CF scenarios: 1) ROST (sites) for alleviating rating sparsity in the target domain, where multiple similar sites are viewed as related CF domains and some items in the target domain depend on their correspondences in the related ones; and 2) ROST (time) for modeling user-interest drift over time, where a series of time-slices are viewed as related CF domains and a user at current time-slice depends on herself in the previous time-slice. All these ROST models are instances of the proposed unified framework. The experimental results show that ROST (sites) can effectively alleviate the sparsity problem to improve rating prediction performance and ROST (time) can clearly track and visualize user-interest drift over time.

  7. A new mode of SAM domain mediated oligomerization observed in the CASKIN2 neuronal scaffolding protein

    KAUST Repository

    Smirnova, Ekaterina; Kwan, Jamie J.; Siu, Ryan; Gao, Xin; Zoidl, Georg; Demeler, Borries; Saridakis, Vivian; Donaldson, Logan W.

    2016-01-01

    Background: CASKIN2 is a homolog of CASKIN1, a scaffolding protein that participates in a signaling network with CASK (calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase). Despite a high level of homology between CASKIN2 and CASKIN1, CASKIN2 cannot bind CASK due to the absence of a CASK Interaction Domain and consequently, may have evolved undiscovered structural and functional distinctions.

  8. A new mode of SAM domain mediated oligomerization observed in the CASKIN2 neuronal scaffolding protein

    KAUST Repository

    Smirnova, Ekaterina

    2016-08-22

    Background: CASKIN2 is a homolog of CASKIN1, a scaffolding protein that participates in a signaling network with CASK (calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase). Despite a high level of homology between CASKIN2 and CASKIN1, CASKIN2 cannot bind CASK due to the absence of a CASK Interaction Domain and consequently, may have evolved undiscovered structural and functional distinctions.

  9. In silico simulations of STAT1 and STAT3 inhibitors predict SH2 domain cross-binding specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szelag, Malgorzata; Sikorski, Krzysztof; Czerwoniec, Anna; Szatkowska, Katarzyna; Wesoly, Joanna; Bluyssen, Hans A R

    2013-11-15

    Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) comprise a family of transcription factors that are structurally related and which participate in signaling pathways activated by cytokines, growth factors and pathogens. Activation of STAT proteins is mediated by the highly conserved Src homology 2 (SH2) domain, which interacts with phosphotyrosine motifs for specific contacts between STATs and receptors and for STAT dimerization. By generating new models for human (h)STAT1, hSTAT2 and hSTAT3 we applied comparative in silico docking to determine SH2-binding specificity of the STAT3 inhibitor stattic, and of fludarabine (STAT1 inhibitor). Thus, we provide evidence that by primarily targeting the highly conserved phosphotyrosine (pY+0) SH2 binding pocket stattic is not a specific hSTAT3 inhibitor, but is equally effective towards hSTAT1 and hSTAT2. This was confirmed in Human Micro-vascular Endothelial Cells (HMECs) in vitro, in which stattic inhibited interferon-α-induced phosphorylation of all three STATs. Likewise, fludarabine inhibits both hSTAT1 and hSTAT3 phosphorylation, but not hSTAT2, by competing with the highly conserved pY+0 and pY-X binding sites, which are less well-preserved in hSTAT2. Moreover we observed that in HMECs in vitro fludarabine inhibits cytokine and lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of hSTAT1 and hSTAT3 but does not affect hSTAT2. Finally, multiple sequence alignment of STAT-SH2 domain sequences confirmed high conservation between hSTAT1 and hSTAT3, but not hSTAT2, with respect to stattic and fludarabine binding sites. Together our data offer a molecular basis that explains STAT cross-binding specificity of stattic and fludarabine, thereby questioning the present selection strategies of SH2 domain-based competitive small inhibitors. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Light-induced conformational changes of LOV1 (light oxygen voltage-sensing domain 1) and LOV2 relative to the kinase domain and regulation of kinase activity in Chlamydomonas phototropin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okajima, Koji; Aihara, Yusuke; Takayama, Yuki; Nakajima, Mihoko; Kashojiya, Sachiko; Hikima, Takaaki; Oroguchi, Tomotaka; Kobayashi, Amane; Sekiguchi, Yuki; Yamamoto, Masaki; Suzuki, Tomomi; Nagatani, Akira; Nakasako, Masayoshi; Tokutomi, Satoru

    2014-01-03

    Phototropin (phot), a blue light (BL) receptor in plants, has two photoreceptive domains named LOV1 and LOV2 as well as a Ser/Thr kinase domain (KD) and acts as a BL-regulated protein kinase. A LOV domain harbors a flavin mononucleotide that undergoes a cyclic photoreaction upon BL excitation via a signaling state in which the inhibition of the kinase activity by LOV2 is negated. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying the BL-dependent activation of the kinase, the photochemistry, kinase activity, and molecular structure were studied with the phot of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Full-length and LOV2-KD samples of C. reinhardtii phot showed cyclic photoreaction characteristics with the activation of LOV- and BL-dependent kinase. Truncation of LOV1 decreased the photosensitivity of the kinase activation, which was well explained by the fact that the signaling state lasted for a shorter period of time compared with that of the phot. Small angle x-ray scattering revealed monomeric forms of the proteins in solution and detected BL-dependent conformational changes, suggesting an extension of the global molecular shapes of both samples. Constructed molecular model of full-length phot based on the small angle x-ray scattering data proved the arrangement of LOV1, LOV2, and KD for the first time that showed a tandem arrangement both in the dark and under BL irradiation. The models suggest that LOV1 alters its position relative to LOV2-KD under BL irradiation. This finding demonstrates that LOV1 may interact with LOV2 and modify the photosensitivity of the kinase activation through alteration of the duration of the signaling state in LOV2.

  11. The human ACC2 CT-domain C-terminus is required for full functionality and has a novel twist

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Madauss, Kevin P. [Department of Computational and Structural Chemistry, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Five Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Burkhart, William A.; Consler, Thomas G. [Department of Biochemical Reagents and Assay Development, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Five Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Cowan, David J. [Department of Chemistry in the Center for Excellence in Metabolic Pathways Drug Discovery, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Five Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Gottschalk, William K. [Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy and Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 (United States); Miller, Aaron B. [Department of Computational and Structural Chemistry, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Five Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Short, Steven A. [Department of Biochemical Reagents and Assay Development, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Five Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States); Tran, Thuy B. [Department of Physiology, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 (United States); Williams, Shawn P., E-mail: shawn.p.williams@gsk.com [Department of Computational and Structural Chemistry, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Five Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States)

    2009-05-01

    The use of biophysical assays permitted the identification of a specific human ACC2 carboxyl transferase (CT) domain mutant that binds inhibitors and crystallizes in their presence. This mutant led to determination of the human ACC2 CT domain–CP-640186 complex crystal structure, which revealed differences in the inhibitor conformation from the yeast protein complex that are caused by differing residues in the binding pocket. Inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) may prevent lipid-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, making the enzyme an attractive pharmaceutical target. Although the enzyme is highly conserved amongst animals, only the yeast enzyme structure is available for rational drug design. The use of biophysical assays has permitted the identification of a specific C-terminal truncation of the 826-residue human ACC2 carboxyl transferase (CT) domain that is both functionally competent to bind inhibitors and crystallizes in their presence. This C-terminal truncation led to the determination of the human ACC2 CT domain–CP-640186 complex crystal structure, which revealed distinctions from the yeast-enzyme complex. The human ACC2 CT-domain C-terminus is comprised of three intertwined α-helices that extend outwards from the enzyme on the opposite side to the ligand-binding site. Differences in the observed inhibitor conformation between the yeast and human structures are caused by differing residues in the binding pocket.

  12. .Gov Domains API

    Data.gov (United States)

    General Services Administration — This dataset offers the list of all .gov domains, including state, local, and tribal .gov domains. It does not include .mil domains, or other federal domains outside...

  13. The four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) regulates ovarian granulosa cell tumor progression via controlling AKT1 transcription

    OpenAIRE

    Hua, G; He, C; Lv, X; Fan, L; Wang, C; Remmenga, S W; Rodabaugh, K J; Yang, L; Lele, S M; Yang, P; Karpf, A R; Davis, J S; Wang, C

    2016-01-01

    The four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) has been shown to play important roles in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, adhesion, motility and signal transduction in a cell type and tissue-dependent manner. However, the function of FHL2 in ovarian physiology and pathology is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the role and functional mechanism of FHL2 in the progression of ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs). Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that FHL2 was overexp...

  14. The Cish SH2 domain is essential for PLC-γ1 regulation in TCR stimulated CD8+ T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guittard, Geoffrey; Dios-Esponera, Ana; Palmer, Douglas C; Akpan, Itoro; Barr, Valarie A; Manna, Asit; Restifo, Nicholas P; Samelson, Lawrence E

    2018-03-28

    Cish, participates within a multi-molecular E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, which ubiquitinates target proteins. It has an inhibitory effect on T cell activation mediated by PLC-γ1 regulation, and it functions as a potent checkpoint in CD8 + T cell tumor immunotherapy. To study the structural and functional relationships between Cish and PLC-γ1 during CD8 + T cell activation, we tested mutants of the Cish-SH2 (R107K) and D/BC (L222Q, C226Q) domains. We confirmed that Cish-SH2-specific binding was essential for PLC-γ1 ubiquitination and degradation. This domain was essential for the Cish-mediated inhibition of Ca 2+ release upon TCR stimulation. No effect on inhibition of cytokine release was observed with SH2 or D/BC mutants, although the absence of Cish led to an increased release of IFN-γ and TNF-α. Using imaging we showed that Cish was expressed mostly in the cytoplasm and we did not see any Cish clustering at the plasma membrane upon stimulation. We conclude that the Cish-SH2 domain is essential for PLC-γ1 regulation in TCR-stimulated CD8 + T cells.

  15. DPP6 domains responsible for its localization and function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Lin; Long, Laura K; Hatch, Michael M; Hoffman, Dax A

    2014-11-14

    Dipeptidyl peptidase-like protein 6 (DPP6) is an auxiliary subunit of the Kv4 family of voltage-gated K(+) channels known to enhance channel surface expression and potently accelerate their kinetics. DPP6 is a single transmembrane protein, which is structurally remarkable for its large extracellular domain. Included in this domain is a cysteine-rich motif, the function of which is unknown. Here we show that this cysteine-rich domain of DPP6 is required for its export from the ER and expression on the cell surface. Disulfide bridges formed at C349/C356 and C465/C468 of the cysteine-rich domain are necessary for the enhancement of Kv4.2 channel surface expression but not its interaction with Kv4.2 subunits. The short intracellular N-terminal and transmembrane domains of DPP6 associates with and accelerates the recovery from inactivation of Kv4.2, but the entire extracellular domain is necessary to enhance Kv4.2 surface expression and stabilization. Our findings show that the cysteine-rich domain of DPP6 plays an important role in protein folding of DPP6 that is required for transport of DPP6/Kv4.2 complexes out of the ER. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  16. The Prion-like Domain in the Exomer-Dependent Cargo Pin2 Serves as a trans-Golgi Retention Motif

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicja M. Ritz

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Prion and prion-like domains (PLDs are found in many proteins throughout the animal kingdom. We found that the PLD in the S. cerevisiae exomer-dependent cargo protein Pin2 is involved in the regulation of protein transport and localization. The domain serves as a Pin2 retention signal in the trans-Golgi network (TGN. Pin2 is localized in a polarized fashion at the plasma membrane of the bud early in the cell cycle and the bud neck at cytokinesis. This polarized localization is dependent on both exo- and endocytosis. Upon environmental stress, Pin2 is rapidly endocytosed, and the PLD aggregates and causes sequestration of Pin2. The aggregation of Pin2 is reversible upon stress removal and Pin2 is rapidly re-exported to the plasma membrane. Altogether, these data uncover a role for PLDs as protein localization elements.

  17. Abl N-terminal cap stabilization of SH3 domain dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shugui; Dumitrescu, Teodora Pene; Smithgall, Thomas E; Engen, John R

    2008-05-27

    Crystal structures and other biochemical data indicate that the N-terminal cap (NCap) region of the Abelson tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) is important for maintaining the downregulated conformation of the kinase domain. The exact contributions that the NCap makes in stabilizing the various intramolecular interactions within c-Abl are less clear. While the NCap appears to be important for locking the SH3 and SH2 domains to the back of the kinase domain, there may be other more subtle elements of regulation. Hydrogen exchange (HX) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to determine if the NCap contributes to intramolecular interactions involving the Abl SH3 domain. Under physiological conditions, the Abl SH3 domain underwent partial unfolding and its unfolding half-life was slowed during binding to the SH2 kinase linker, providing a unique assay for testing NCap-induced stabilization of the SH3 domain in various constructs. The results showed that the NCap stabilizes the dynamics of the SH3 domain in certain constructs but does not increase the relative affinity of the SH3 domain for the native SH2 kinase linker. The stabilization effect was absent in constructs of just the NCap and SH3 but was obvious when the SH2 domain and the SH2 kinase linker were present. These results suggest that interactions between the NCap and the SH3 domain can contribute to c-Abl stabilization in constructs that contain at least the SH2 domain, an effect that may partially compensate for the absence of the negative regulatory C-terminal tail found in the related Src family of kinases.

  18. Domain walls and fermion scattering in grand unified models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steer, D.A.; Vachaspati, T.

    2006-01-01

    Motivated by grand unification, we study the properties of domain walls formed in a model with SU(5)xZ 2 symmetry which is spontaneously broken to SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1)/Z 6 , and subsequently to SU(3)xU(1)/Z 3 . Even after the first stage of symmetry breaking, the SU(3) symmetry is broken to SU(2)xU(1)/Z 2 on the domain wall. In a certain range of parameters, flux tubes carrying color- and hyper-charge live on the domain wall and appear as 'boojums' when viewed from one side of the domain wall. Magnetic monopoles are also formed in the symmetry breaking and those carrying color and hyper-charge can be repelled from the wall due to the Meissner effect, or else their magnetic flux can penetrate the domain wall in quantized units. After the second stage of symmetry breaking, fermions can transmute when they scatter with the domain wall, providing a simpler version of fermion-monopole scattering: for example, neutrinos can scatter into d-quarks, leaving behind electric charge and color which is carried by gauge field excitations living on the domain wall

  19. Polar Domain Discovery with Sparkler

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duerr, R.; Khalsa, S. J. S.; Mattmann, C. A.; Ottilingam, N. K.; Singh, K.; Lopez, L. A.

    2017-12-01

    The scientific web is vast and ever growing. It encompasses millions of textual, scientific and multimedia documents describing research in a multitude of scientific streams. Most of these documents are hidden behind forms which require user action to retrieve and thus can't be directly accessed by content crawlers. These documents are hosted on web servers across the world, most often on outdated hardware and network infrastructure. Hence it is difficult and time-consuming to aggregate documents from the scientific web, especially those relevant to a specific domain. Thus generating meaningful domain-specific insights is currently difficult. We present an automated discovery system (Figure 1) using Sparkler, an open-source, extensible, horizontally scalable crawler which facilitates high throughput and focused crawling of documents pertinent to a particular domain such as information about polar regions. With this set of highly domain relevant documents, we show that it is possible to answer analytical questions about that domain. Our domain discovery algorithm leverages prior domain knowledge to reach out to commercial/scientific search engines to generate seed URLs. Subject matter experts then annotate these seed URLs manually on a scale from highly relevant to irrelevant. We leverage this annotated dataset to train a machine learning model which predicts the `domain relevance' of a given document. We extend Sparkler with this model to focus crawling on documents relevant to that domain. Sparkler avoids disruption of service by 1) partitioning URLs by hostname such that every node gets a different host to crawl and by 2) inserting delays between subsequent requests. With an NSF-funded supercomputer Wrangler, we scaled our domain discovery pipeline to crawl about 200k polar specific documents from the scientific web, within a day.

  20. The F-BAR domains from srGAP1, srGAP2 and srGAP3 regulate membrane deformation differently

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coutinho-Budd, Jaeda; Ghukasyan, Vladimir; Zylka, Mark J.; Polleux, Franck

    2012-01-01

    Summary Coordination of membrane deformation and cytoskeletal dynamics lies at the heart of many biological processes critical for cell polarity, motility and morphogenesis. We have recently shown that Slit-Robo GTPase-activating protein 2 (srGAP2) regulates neuronal morphogenesis through the ability of its F-BAR domain to regulate membrane deformation and induce filopodia formation. Here, we demonstrate that the F-BAR domains of two closely related family members, srGAP1 and srGAP3 [designated F-BAR(1) and F-BAR(3), respectively] display significantly different membrane deformation properties in non-neuronal COS7 cells and in cortical neurons. F-BAR(3) induces filopodia in both cell types, though less potently than F-BAR(2), whereas F-BAR(1) prevents filopodia formation in cortical neurons and reduces plasma membrane dynamics. These three F-BAR domains can heterodimerize, and they act synergistically towards filopodia induction in COS7 cells. As measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, F-BAR(2) displays faster molecular dynamics than F-BAR(3) and F-BAR(1) at the plasma membrane, which correlates well with its increased potency to induce filopodia. We also show that the molecular dynamic properties of F-BAR(2) at the membrane are partially dependent on F-Actin. Interestingly, acute phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] depletion in cells does not interfere with plasma membrane localization of F-BAR(2), which is compatible with our result showing that F-BAR(2) binds to a broad range of negatively-charged phospholipids present at the plasma membrane, including phosphatidylserine (PtdSer). Overall, our results provide novel insights into the functional diversity of the membrane deformation properties of this subclass of F-BAR-domains required for cell morphogenesis. PMID:22467852

  1. Same but not alike: Structure, flexibility and energetics of domains in multi-domain proteins are influenced by the presence of other domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vishwanath, Sneha; de Brevern, Alexandre G; Srinivasan, Narayanaswamy

    2018-02-01

    The majority of the proteins encoded in the genomes of eukaryotes contain more than one domain. Reasons for high prevalence of multi-domain proteins in various organisms have been attributed to higher stability and functional and folding advantages over single-domain proteins. Despite these advantages, many proteins are composed of only one domain while their homologous domains are part of multi-domain proteins. In the study presented here, differences in the properties of protein domains in single-domain and multi-domain systems and their influence on functions are discussed. We studied 20 pairs of identical protein domains, which were crystallized in two forms (a) tethered to other proteins domains and (b) tethered to fewer protein domains than (a) or not tethered to any protein domain. Results suggest that tethering of domains in multi-domain proteins influences the structural, dynamic and energetic properties of the constituent protein domains. 50% of the protein domain pairs show significant structural deviations while 90% of the protein domain pairs show differences in dynamics and 12% of the residues show differences in the energetics. To gain further insights on the influence of tethering on the function of the domains, 4 pairs of homologous protein domains, where one of them is a full-length single-domain protein and the other protein domain is a part of a multi-domain protein, were studied. Analyses showed that identical and structurally equivalent functional residues show differential dynamics in homologous protein domains; though comparable dynamics between in-silico generated chimera protein and multi-domain proteins were observed. From these observations, the differences observed in the functions of homologous proteins could be attributed to the presence of tethered domain. Overall, we conclude that tethered domains in multi-domain proteins not only provide stability or folding advantages but also influence pathways resulting in differences in

  2. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) Specifically Induces Membrane Penetration and Deformation by Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) Domains*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Youngdae; Zhang, Xiuqi; Cho, Wonhwa

    2012-01-01

    Cellular proteins containing Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domains play a key role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Despite extensive structural and functional studies of BAR domains, it is still unknown how exactly these domains interact with the plasma membrane containing phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) and whether they function by a universal mechanism or by different mechanisms. Here we report that PtdIns(4,5)P2 specifically induces partial membrane penetration of the N-terminal amphiphilic α-helix (H0) of two representative N-BAR domains from Drosophila amphiphysin (dAmp-BAR) and rat endophilin A1 (EndoA1-BAR). Our quantitative fluorescence imaging analysis shows that PtdIns(4,5)P2-dependent membrane penetration of H0 is important for self-association of membrane-bound dAmp-BAR and EndoA1-BAR and their membrane deformation activity. EndoA1-BAR behaves differently from dAmp-BAR because the former has an additional amphiphilic α-helix that penetrates the membrane in a PtdIns(4,5)P2-independent manner. Depletion of PtdIns(4,5)P2 from the plasma membrane of HEK293 cells abrogated the membrane deforming activity of EndoA1-BAR and dAmp-BAR. Collectively, these studies suggest that the local PtdIns(4,5)P2 concentration in the plasma membrane may regulate the membrane interaction and deformation by N-BAR domain-containing proteins during clathrin-mediated endocytosis. PMID:22888025

  3. The CC2D1A, a member of a new gene family with C2 domains, is involved in autosomal recessive non‐syndromic mental retardation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basel‐Vanagaite, L; Attia, R; Yahav, M; Ferland, R J; Anteki, L; Walsh, C A; Olender, T; Straussberg, R; Magal, N; Taub, E; Drasinover, V; Alkelai, A; Bercovich, D; Rechavi, G; Simon, A J; Shohat, M

    2006-01-01

    Background The molecular basis of autosomal recessive non‐syndromic mental retardation (NSMR) is poorly understood, mostly owing to heterogeneity and absence of clinical criteria for grouping families for linkage analysis. Only two autosomal genes, the PRSS12 gene on chromosome 4q26 and the CRBN on chromosome 3p26, have been shown to cause autosomal recessive NSMR, each gene in only one family. Objective To identify the gene causing autosomal recessive NSMR on chromosome 19p13.12. Results The candidate region established by homozygosity mapping was narrowed down from 2.4 Mb to 0.9 Mb on chromosome 19p13.12. A protein truncating mutation was identified in the gene CC2D1A in nine consanguineous families with severe autosomal recessive NSMR. The absence of the wild type protein in the lymphoblastoid cells of the patients was confirmed. CC2D1A is a member of a previously uncharacterised gene family that carries two conserved motifs, a C2 domain and a DM14 domain. The C2 domain is found in proteins which function in calcium dependent phospholipid binding; the DM14 domain is unique to the CC2D1A protein family and its role is unknown. CC2D1A is a putative signal transducer participating in positive regulation of I‐κB kinase/NFκB cascade. Expression of CC2D1A mRNA was shown in the embryonic ventricular zone and developing cortical plate in staged mouse embryos, persisting into adulthood, with highest expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Conclusions A previously unknown signal transduction pathway is important in human cognitive development. PMID:16033914

  4. Structural and functional determinants of conserved lipid interaction domains of inward rectifying Kir6.2 channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cukras, Catherine A; Jeliazkova, Iana; Nichols, Colin G

    2002-06-01

    All members of the inward rectifiier K(+) (Kir) channel family are activated by phosphoinositides and other amphiphilic lipids. To further elucidate the mechanistic basis, we examined the membrane association of Kir6.2 fragments of K(ATP) channels, and the effects of site-directed mutations of these fragments and full-length Kir6.2 on membrane association and K(ATP) channel activity, respectively. GFP-tagged Kir6.2 COOH terminus and GFP-tagged pleckstrin homology domain from phospholipase C delta1 both associate with isolated membranes, and association of each is specifically reduced by muscarinic m1 receptor-mediated phospholipid depletion. Kir COOH termini are predicted to contain multiple beta-strands and a conserved alpha-helix (residues approximately 306-311 in Kir6.2). Systematic mutagenesis of D307-F315 reveals a critical role of E308, I309, W311 and F315, consistent with residues lying on one side of a alpha-helix. Together with systematic mutation of conserved charges, the results define critical determinants of a conserved domain that underlies phospholipid interaction in Kir channels.

  5. HCV NS5A protein containing potential ligands for both Src homology 2 and 3 domains enhances autophosphorylation of Src family kinase Fyn in B cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakashima, Kenji; Takeuchi, Kenji; Chihara, Kazuyasu; Horiguchi, Tomoko; Sun, Xuedong; Deng, Lin; Shoji, Ikuo; Hotta, Hak; Sada, Kiyonao

    2012-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects B lymphocytes and induces mixed cryoglobulinemia and B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The molecular mechanism for the pathogenesis of HCV infection-mediated B cell disorders remains obscure. To identify the possible role for HCV nonstructural 5A (NS5A) protein in B cells, we generated the stable B cell lines expressing Myc-His tagged NS5A. Immunoprecipitation study in the presence or absence of pervanadate (PV) implied that NS5A was tyrosine phosphorylated by pervanadate (PV) treatment of the cells. Therefore we examined pull-down assay by using glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fusion proteins of various Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, which associates with phosphotyrosine within a specific amino acid sequence. The results showed that NS5A specifically bound to SH2 domain of Fyn from PV-treated B cells in addition to Src homology 3 (SH3) domain. Substitution of Arg(176) to Lys in the SH2 domain of Fyn abrogated this interaction. Deletion mutational analysis demonstrated that N-terminal region of NS5A was not required for the interaction with the SH2 domain of Fyn. Tyr(334) was identified as a tyrosine phosphorylation site in NS5A. Far-western analysis revealed that SH2 domain of Fyn directly bound to NS5A. Fyn and NS5A were colocalized in the lipid raft. These results suggest that NS5A directly binds to the SH2 domain of Fyn in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent manner. Lastly, we showed that the expression of NS5A in B cells increased phosphorylation of activation loop tyrosine in the kinase domain of Fyn. NS5A containing ligand for both SH2 and SH3 domains enhances an aberrant autophosphorylation and kinase activity of Fyn in B cells.

  6. HCV NS5A protein containing potential ligands for both Src homology 2 and 3 domains enhances autophosphorylation of Src family kinase Fyn in B cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenji Nakashima

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infects B lymphocytes and induces mixed cryoglobulinemia and B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The molecular mechanism for the pathogenesis of HCV infection-mediated B cell disorders remains obscure. To identify the possible role for HCV nonstructural 5A (NS5A protein in B cells, we generated the stable B cell lines expressing Myc-His tagged NS5A. Immunoprecipitation study in the presence or absence of pervanadate (PV implied that NS5A was tyrosine phosphorylated by pervanadate (PV treatment of the cells. Therefore we examined pull-down assay by using glutathione S-transferase (GST-fusion proteins of various Src homology 2 (SH2 domains, which associates with phosphotyrosine within a specific amino acid sequence. The results showed that NS5A specifically bound to SH2 domain of Fyn from PV-treated B cells in addition to Src homology 3 (SH3 domain. Substitution of Arg(176 to Lys in the SH2 domain of Fyn abrogated this interaction. Deletion mutational analysis demonstrated that N-terminal region of NS5A was not required for the interaction with the SH2 domain of Fyn. Tyr(334 was identified as a tyrosine phosphorylation site in NS5A. Far-western analysis revealed that SH2 domain of Fyn directly bound to NS5A. Fyn and NS5A were colocalized in the lipid raft. These results suggest that NS5A directly binds to the SH2 domain of Fyn in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent manner. Lastly, we showed that the expression of NS5A in B cells increased phosphorylation of activation loop tyrosine in the kinase domain of Fyn. NS5A containing ligand for both SH2 and SH3 domains enhances an aberrant autophosphorylation and kinase activity of Fyn in B cells.

  7. The metal-ion-dependent adhesion site in the Von Willebrand factor-A domain of α2δ subunits is key to trafficking voltage-gated Ca2+ channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantí, C.; Nieto-Rostro, M.; Foucault, I.; Heblich, F.; Wratten, J.; Richards, M. W.; Hendrich, J.; Douglas, L.; Page, K. M.; Davies, A.; Dolphin, A. C.

    2005-01-01

    All auxiliary α2δ subunits of voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels contain an extracellular Von Willebrand factor-A (VWA) domain that, in α2δ-1 and -2, has a perfect metal-ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS). Modeling of the α2δ-2 VWA domain shows it to be highly likely to bind a divalent cation. Mutating the three key MIDAS residues responsible for divalent cation binding resulted in a MIDAS mutant α2δ-2 subunit that was still processed and trafficked normally when it was expressed alone. However, unlike WT α2δ-2, the MIDAS mutant α2δ-2 subunit did not enhance and, in some cases, further diminished CaV1.2, -2.1, and -2.2 currents coexpressed with β1b by using either Ba2+ or Na+ as a permeant ion. Furthermore, expression of the MIDAS mutant α2δ-2 reduced surface expression and strongly increased the perinuclear retention of CaVα1 subunits at the earliest time at which expression was observed in both Cos-7 and NG108–15 cells. Despite the presence of endogenous α2δ subunits, heterologous expression of α2δ-2 in differentiated NG108–15 cells further enhanced the endogenous high-threshold Ca2+ currents, whereas this enhancement was prevented by the MIDAS mutations. Our results indicate that α2δ subunits normally interact with the CaVα1 subunit early in their maturation, before the appearance of functional plasma membrane channels, and an intact MIDAS motif in the α2δ subunit is required to promote trafficking of the α1 subunit to the plasma membrane by an integrin-like switch. This finding provides evidence for a primary role of a VWA domain in intracellular trafficking of a multimeric complex, in contrast to the more usual roles in binding extracellular ligands in other exofacial VWA domains. PMID:16061813

  8. Antibody responses to the full-length VAR2CSA and its DBL domains in Cameroonian children and teenagers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fodjo, Barriere A Y; Atemnkeng, Njika; Esemu, Livo

    2016-01-01

    villages and 160 children with severe malaria from the city.  Results: Low Ab levels to VAR2CSA were detected in children; however, Ab levels to FV2 in teenagers were rare. Children preferentially recognized DBL2 (56-70%) and DBL4 (50-60%), while multigravidae produced high levels of IgG to DBL3, DBL5...... and FV2. Sixty-seven percent of teenage girls (n = 16/24) recognized ID1-ID2a region of VAR2CSA. Children with severe forms of malaria had significantly higher IgG to merozoite antigens (all p 0.05) when compared to the healthy children.  Conclusion: The study...... suggests that children, including teenage girls acquire Ab to VAR2CSA domains and FV2, but Ab levels are much lower than those needed to protect women from placental infections and repertoire of Ab responses to DBL domains is different from those in pregnant women. Interestingly, children with severe...

  9. Self-powdering and nonlinear optical domain structures in ferroelastic β'-Gd2(MoO4)3 crystals formed in glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsukada, Y.; Honma, T.; Komatsu, T.

    2009-01-01

    Ferroelastic β'-Gd 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 , (GMO), crystals are formed through the crystallization of 21.25Gd 2 O 3 -63.75MoO 3 -15B 2 O 3 glass (mol%), and two scientific curious phenomena are observed. (1) GMO crystals formed in the crystallization break into small pieces with a triangular prism or pyramid shape having a length of 50-500 μm spontaneously during the crystallizations in the inside of an electric furnace, not during the cooling in air after the crystallization. This phenomenon is called 'self-powdering phenomenon during crystallization' in this paper. (2) Each self-powdered GMO crystal grain shows a periodic domain structure with different refractive indices, and a spatially periodic second harmonic generation (SHG) depending on the domain structure is observed. It is proposed from polarized micro-Raman scattering spectra and the azimuthal dependence of second harmonic intensities that GMO crystals are oriented in each crystal grain and the orientation of (MoO 4 ) 2- tetrahedra in GMO crystals changes periodically due to spontaneous strains in ferroelastic GMO crystals. - Graphical abstract: This figure shows the polarized optical photograph at room temperature for a particle (piece) obtained by a heat treatment of the glass at 590 deg. C for 2 h in an electric furnace in air. This particle was obtained through the self-powdering behavior in the crystallization of glass. The periodic domain structure is observed. Ferroelastic β'-Gd 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 crystals are formed in the particle, and second harmonic generations are detected, depending on the domain structure.

  10. Differential recognition of terminal extracellular Plasmodium falciparum VAR2CSA domains by sera from multigravid, malaria-exposed Malian women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Travassos, Mark A; Coulibaly, Drissa; Bailey, Jason A; Niangaly, Amadou; Adams, Matthew; Nyunt, Myaing M; Ouattara, Amed; Lyke, Kirsten E; Laurens, Matthew B; Pablo, Jozelyn; Jasinskas, Algis; Nakajima, Rie; Berry, Andrea A; Takala-Harrison, Shannon; Kone, Abdoulaye K; Kouriba, Bourema; Rowe, J Alexandra; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Thera, Mahamadou A; Laufer, Miriam K; Felgner, Philip L; Plowe, Christopher V

    2015-06-01

    The Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family mediates parasite sequestration in small capillaries through tissue-specific cytoadherence. The best characterized of these proteins is VAR2CSA, which is expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes that bind to chondroitin sulfate in the placental matrix. Antibodies to VAR2CSA prevent placental cytoadherence and protect against placental malaria. The size and complexity of the VAR2CSA protein pose challenges for vaccine development, but smaller constitutive domains may be suitable for subunit vaccine development. A protein microarray was printed to include five overlapping fragments of the 3D7 VAR2CSA extracellular region. Malian women with a history of at least one pregnancy had antibody recognition of four of these fragments and had stronger reactivity against the two distal fragments than did nulliparous women, children, and men from Mali, suggesting that the C-terminal extracellular VAR2CSA domains are a potential focus of protective immunity. With carefully chosen sera from longitudinal studies of pregnant women, this approach has the potential to identify seroreactive VAR2CSA domains associated with protective immunity against pregnancy-associated malaria. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  11. SH3 domain tyrosine phosphorylation--sites, role and evolution.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuzana Tatárová

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: SH3 domains are eukaryotic protein domains that participate in a plethora of cellular processes including signal transduction, proliferation, and cellular movement. Several studies indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation could play a significant role in the regulation of SH3 domains. RESULTS: To explore the incidence of the tyrosine phosphorylation within SH3 domains we queried the PhosphoSite Plus database of phosphorylation sites. Over 100 tyrosine phosphorylations occurring on 20 different SH3 domain positions were identified. The tyrosine corresponding to c-Src Tyr-90 was by far the most frequently identified SH3 domain phosphorylation site. A comparison of sequences around this tyrosine led to delineation of a preferred sequence motif ALYD(Y/F. This motif is present in about 15% of human SH3 domains and is structurally well conserved. We further observed that tyrosine phosphorylation is more abundant than serine or threonine phosphorylation within SH3 domains and other adaptor domains, such as SH2 or WW domains. Tyrosine phosphorylation could represent an important regulatory mechanism of adaptor domains. CONCLUSIONS: While tyrosine phosphorylation typically promotes signaling protein interactions via SH2 or PTB domains, its role in SH3 domains is the opposite - it blocks or prevents interactions. The regulatory function of tyrosine phosphorylation is most likely achieved by the phosphate moiety and its charge interfering with binding of polyproline helices of SH3 domain interacting partners.

  12. Effect of domain variations on damping capacity of Fe-16Cr-2.5Mo alloy solution annealed at 1373 K and 1473 K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Yonggang; Ning Li; Wen Yuhua

    2011-01-01

    The damping capacity of Fe-16Cr-2.5Mo alloy heat-treated at different temperatures was investigated. A water-based magnetic fluid was used to analyze domain morphologies. The experimental results show that there is a maximum value of damping capacity when the solution annealing temperature of the material is 1373 K. When the annealing temperature is higher, the damping capacity of the alloy drops quickly. The change in damping capacity with the solution annealing temperature is believed to be due to different domain morphologies. The domains are larger and the domain-wall area is smaller in the alloy annealed at a higher temperature. The wedge-shaped domains acted as obstacles for pinning the domain-wall movement, even though movement of the 90 o domains is easy. As a result, the damping capacity of the alloys drops when the annealing temperature is very high. - Research Highlights: →The change in damping capacity with solution annealing temperature is believed to be due to different domain morphologies. →The domains are larger and the domain-wall area is smaller in the alloy annealed at a higher temperature. →The wedge-shaped domains acted as obstacles for pinning the domain-wall movement, even though movement of the 90 o domains is easy.

  13. A 2D Daubechies finite wavelet domain method for transient wave response analysis in shear deformable laminated composite plates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nastos, C. V.; Theodosiou, T. C.; Rekatsinas, C. S.; Saravanos, D. A.

    2018-03-01

    An efficient numerical method is developed for the simulation of dynamic response and the prediction of the wave propagation in composite plate structures. The method is termed finite wavelet domain method and takes advantage of the outstanding properties of compactly supported 2D Daubechies wavelet scaling functions for the spatial interpolation of displacements in a finite domain of a plate structure. The development of the 2D wavelet element, based on the first order shear deformation laminated plate theory is described and equivalent stiffness, mass matrices and force vectors are calculated and synthesized in the wavelet domain. The transient response is predicted using the explicit central difference time integration scheme. Numerical results for the simulation of wave propagation in isotropic, quasi-isotropic and cross-ply laminated plates are presented and demonstrate the high spatial convergence and problem size reduction obtained by the present method.

  14. The TIR domain of TIR-NB-LRR resistance proteins is a signaling domain involved in cell death induction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swiderski, Michal R; Birker, Doris; Jones, Jonathan D G

    2009-02-01

    In plants, the TIR (toll interleukin 1 receptor) domain is found almost exclusively in nucleotide-binding (NB) leucine-rich repeat resistance proteins and their truncated homologs, and has been proposed to play a signaling role during resistance responses mediated by TIR containing R proteins. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves of "TIR + 80", the RPS4 truncation without the NB-ARC domain, leads to EDS1-, SGT1-, and HSP90-dependent cell death. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing the RPS4 TIR+80 from either dexamethasone or estradiol-inducible promoters display inducer-dependent cell death. Cell death is also elicited by transient expression of similarly truncated constructs from two other R proteins, RPP1A and At4g19530, but is not elicited by similar constructs representing RPP2A and RPP2B proteins. Site-directed mutagenesis of the RPS4 TIR domain identified many loss-of-function mutations but also revealed several gain-of function substitutions. Lack of cell death induction by the E160A substitution suggests that amino acids outside of the TIR domain contribute to cell death signaling in addition to the TIR domain itself. This is consistent with previous observations that the TIR domain itself is insufficient to induce cell death upon transient expression.

  15. Physical and functional interactions between SH2 and SH3 domains of the Src family protein tyrosine kinase p59fyn

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Panchamoorthy, G.; Fukazawa, T.; Stolz, L.; Payne, G.; Reedquist, K.; Shoelson, S.; Songyang, Z.; Cantley, L.; Walsh, C.; Band, H.

    1994-01-01

    The Src family protein tyrosine kinases participate in signalling through cell surface receptors that lack intrinsic tyrosine kinase domains. All nine members of this family possess adjacent Src homology (SH2 and SH3) domains, both of which are essential for repression of the enzymatic activity. The

  16. Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction of the G3BP1 NTF2-like domain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vognsen, Tina; Möller, Ingvar Rúnar; Kristensen, Ole

    2011-01-01

    The nuclear transport factor 2-like (NTF2-like) domain of human G3BP1 was subcloned, overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Crystals were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Diffraction data were collected to 3.6 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. The crystals...

  17. Domain-Specific Control of Selective Attention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Szu-Hung; Yeh, Yei-Yu

    2014-01-01

    Previous research has shown that loading information on working memory affects selective attention. However, whether the load effect on selective attention is domain-general or domain-specific remains unresolved. The domain-general effect refers to the findings that load in one content (e.g. phonological) domain in working memory influences processing in another content (e.g., visuospatial) domain. Attentional control supervises selection regardless of information domain. The domain-specific effect refers to the constraint of influence only when maintenance and processing operate in the same domain. Selective attention operates in a specific content domain. This study is designed to resolve this controversy. Across three experiments, we manipulated the type of representation maintained in working memory and the type of representation upon which the participants must exert control to resolve conflict and select a target into the focus of attention. In Experiments 1a and 1b, participants maintained digits and nonverbalized objects, respectively, in working memory while selecting a target in a letter array. In Experiment 2, we presented auditory digits with a letter flanker task to exclude the involvement of resource competition within the same input modality. In Experiments 3a and 3b, we replaced the letter flanker task with an object flanker task while manipulating the memory load on object and digit representation, respectively. The results consistently showed that memory load modulated distractibility only when the stimuli of the two tasks were represented in the same domain. The magnitude of distractor interference was larger under high load than under low load, reflecting a lower efficacy of information prioritization. When the stimuli of the two tasks were represented in different domains, memory load did not modulate distractibility. Control of processing priority in selective attention demands domain-specific resources. PMID:24866977

  18. Research on the differences between 2-(2-Chlorophenyl)benzimidazole and 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)benzimidazole based on terahertz time domain spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Maojiang; Yang, Fei; Liu, Liping; Shen, Li; Hu, Pengfei; Zhang, Li; Su, Caixia

    2018-05-01

    Due to wide variety of biological and pharmacological activities of benzimidazole derivatives, the differences between 2-(2-Chlorophenyl)benzimidazole and 2-(4-Chlorophenyl) benzimidazole were researched by employing terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and density functional theory systematically. Although the only difference between their molecular configurations is the arrangement of chlorine atom on chlorophenyl ring, there are distinctive differences in their fingerprint spectra in the range of 0.2-2.5 THz, such as amount, amplitude, and frequency position of absorption peaks. The validity of these results was confirmed by the theoretical results simulated by using density functional theory. The possible reasons of these differences originate from the different van der Waals forces and the different dihedral angles of the molecules within crystal cell. These results indicate the importance of this spectral range as a conformational fingerprint region where even minor changes in the molecular configuration lead to major differences in its THz absorption.

  19. Magnetocrystalline anisotropy constants, rotational hysteresis energy and magnetic domain structure in UFe6Al6, UFe9AlSi2 and ScFe10Si2 intermetallic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wyslocki, J.J.; Pawlik, P.; Wochowski, K.; Kotur, B.; Bodak, O.I.

    1996-01-01

    The magnetic torque, T, was applied to determine the anisotropy constants K 1 and K 2 of the UFe 6 Al 6 , UFe 9 AlSi 2 and ScFe 10 Si 2 compounds. The mechanism of magnetization reversal processes in these compounds was investigated on the basis of the analysis of the rotational hysteresis energy, W r and rotational hysteresis integral, R, calculated from the magnetic torque curves. Applying the powder pattern method, magnetic domain structures were observed. Moreover, the fundamental parameters of the domain structure were determined. (orig.)

  20. Domain Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjørner, Dines

    Before software can be designed we must know its requirements. Before requirements can be expressed we must understand the domain. So it follows, from our dogma, that we must first establish precise descriptions of domains; then, from such descriptions, “derive” at least domain and interface requirements; and from those and machine requirements design the software, or, more generally, the computing systems.

  1. SH2 Ligand-Like Effects of Second Cytosolic Domain of Na/K-ATPase α1 Subunit on Src Kinase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banerjee, Moumita; Duan, Qiming; Xie, Zijian

    2015-01-01

    Our previous studies have suggested that the α1 Na/K-ATPase interacts with Src to form a receptor complex. In vitro binding assays indicate an interaction between second cytosolic domain (CD2) of Na/K-ATPase α1 subunit and Src SH2 domain. Since SH2 domain targets Src to specific signaling complexes, we expressed CD2 as a cytosolic protein and studied whether it could act as a Src SH2 ligand in LLC-PK1 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses indicated a direct binding of CD2 to Src, consistent with the in vitro binding data. Functionally, CD2 expression increased basal Src activity, suggesting a Src SH2 ligand-like property of CD2. Consistently, we found that CD2 expression attenuated several signaling pathways where Src plays an important role. For instance, although it increased surface expression of Na/K-ATPase, it decreased ouabain-induced activation of Src and ERK by blocking the formation of Na/K-ATPase/Src complex. Moreover, it also attenuated cell attachment-induced activation of Src/FAK. Consequently, CD2 delayed cell spreading, and inhibited cell proliferation. Furthermore, these effects appear to be Src-specific because CD2 expression had no effect on EGF-induced activation of EGF receptor and ERK. Hence, the new findings indicate the importance of Na/K-ATPase/Src interaction in ouabain-induced signal transduction, and support the proposition that the CD2 peptide may be utilized as a Src SH2 ligand capable of blocking Src-dependent signaling pathways via a different mechanism from a general Src kinase inhibitor.

  2. Arabidopsis COLD SHOCK DOMAIN PROTEIN2 is a RNA chaperone that is regulated by cold and developmental signals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, Kentaro; Kim, Myung-Hee; Imai, Ryozo

    2007-01-01

    Bacterial cold shock proteins (CSPs) are RNA chaperones that unwind RNA secondary structures. Arabidopsis COLD SHOCK DOMAIN PROTEIN2 (AtCSP2) contains a domain that is shared with bacterial CSPs. Here we showed that AtCSP2 binds to RNA and unwinds nucleic acid duplex. Heterologous expression of AtCSP2 complemented cold sensitivity of an Escherichia coli csp quadruple mutant, indicating that AtCSP2 function as a RNA chaperone in E. coli. AtCSP2 mRNA and protein levels increased during cold acclimation, but the protein accumulation was most prominent after 10 days of cold treatment. AtCSP2 promoter::GUS transgenic plants revealed that AtCSP2 is expressed only in root and shoot apical regions during vegetative growth but is expressed in reproductive organs such as pollens, ovules and embryos. These data indicated that AtCSP2 is involved in developmental processes as well as cold adaptation. Localization of AtCSP2::GFP in nucleolus and cytoplasm suggested different nuclear and cytosolic RNA targets

  3. Particle Communication and Domain Neighbor Coupling: Scalable Domain Decomposed Algorithms for Monte Carlo Particle Transport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Brien, M. J.; Brantley, P. S.

    2015-01-20

    In order to run Monte Carlo particle transport calculations on new supercomputers with hundreds of thousands or millions of processors, care must be taken to implement scalable algorithms. This means that the algorithms must continue to perform well as the processor count increases. In this paper, we examine the scalability of:(1) globally resolving the particle locations on the correct processor, (2) deciding that particle streaming communication has finished, and (3) efficiently coupling neighbor domains together with different replication levels. We have run domain decomposed Monte Carlo particle transport on up to 221 = 2,097,152 MPI processes on the IBM BG/Q Sequoia supercomputer and observed scalable results that agree with our theoretical predictions. These calculations were carefully constructed to have the same amount of work on every processor, i.e. the calculation is already load balanced. We also examine load imbalanced calculations where each domain’s replication level is proportional to its particle workload. In this case we show how to efficiently couple together adjacent domains to maintain within workgroup load balance and minimize memory usage.

  4. A novel RNA binding surface of the TAM domain of TIP5/BAZ2A mediates epigenetic regulation of rRNA genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anosova, Irina; Melnik, Svitlana; Tripsianes, Konstantinos; Kateb, Fatiha; Grummt, Ingrid; Sattler, Michael

    2015-05-26

    The chromatin remodeling complex NoRC, comprising the subunits SNF2h and TIP5/BAZ2A, mediates heterochromatin formation at major clusters of repetitive elements, including rRNA genes, centromeres and telomeres. Association with chromatin requires the interaction of the TAM (TIP5/ARBP/MBD) domain of TIP5 with noncoding RNA, which targets NoRC to specific genomic loci. Here, we show that the NMR structure of the TAM domain of TIP5 resembles the fold of the MBD domain, found in methyl-CpG binding proteins. However, the TAM domain exhibits an extended MBD fold with unique C-terminal extensions that constitute a novel surface for RNA binding. Mutation of critical amino acids within this surface abolishes RNA binding in vitro and in vivo. Our results explain the distinct binding specificities of TAM and MBD domains to RNA and methylated DNA, respectively, and reveal structural features for the interaction of NoRC with non-coding RNA. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  5. Domains and naïve theories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelman, Susan A; Noles, Nicholaus S

    2011-09-01

    Human cognition entails domain-specific cognitive processes that influence memory, attention, categorization, problem-solving, reasoning, and knowledge organization. This article examines domain-specific causal theories, which are of particular interest for permitting an examination of how knowledge structures change over time. We first describe the properties of commonsense theories, and how commonsense theories differ from scientific theories, illustrating with children's classification of biological and nonbiological kinds. We next consider the implications of domain-specificity for broader issues regarding cognitive development and conceptual change. We then examine the extent to which domain-specific theories interact, and how people reconcile competing causal frameworks. Future directions for research include examining how different content domains interact, the nature of theory change, the role of context (including culture, language, and social interaction) in inducing different frameworks, and the neural bases for domain-specific reasoning. WIREs Cogni Sci 2011 2 490-502 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.124 This article is categorized under: Psychology > Reasoning and Decision Making. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Novel nonphosphorylated peptides with conserved sequences selectively bind to Grb7 SH2 domain with affinity comparable to its phosphorylated ligand.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Zhang

    Full Text Available The Grb7 (growth factor receptor-bound 7 protein, a member of the Grb7 protein family, is found to be highly expressed in such metastatic tumors as breast cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, etc. The src-homology 2 (SH2 domain in the C-terminus is reported to be mainly involved in Grb7 signaling pathways. Using the random peptide library, we identified a series of Grb7 SH2 domain-binding nonphosphorylated peptides in the yeast two-hybrid system. These peptides have a conserved GIPT/K/N sequence at the N-terminus and G/WD/IP at the C-terminus, and the region between the N-and C-terminus contains fifteen amino acids enriched with serines, threonines and prolines. The association between the nonphosphorylated peptides and the Grb7 SH2 domain occurred in vitro and ex vivo. When competing for binding to the Grb7 SH2 domain in a complex, one synthesized nonphosphorylated ligand, containing the twenty-two amino acid-motif sequence, showed at least comparable affinity to the phosphorylated ligand of ErbB3 in vitro, and its overexpression inhibited the proliferation of SK-BR-3 cells. Such nonphosphorylated peptides may be useful for rational design of drugs targeted against cancers that express high levels of Grb7 protein.

  7. EBNA-2 of herpesvirus papio diverges significantly from the type A and type B EBNA-2 proteins of Epstein-Barr virus but retains an efficient transactivation domain with a conserved hydrophobic motif.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, P D; Ryon, J J; Hayward, S D

    1993-01-01

    EBNA-2 contributes to the establishment of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latency in B cells and to the resultant alterations in B-cell growth pattern by up-regulating expression from specific viral and cellular promoters. We have taken a comparative approach toward characterizing functional domains within EBNA-2. To this end, we have cloned and sequenced the EBNA-2 gene from the closely related baboon virus herpesvirus papio (HVP). All human EBV isolates have either a type A or type B EBNA-2 gene. However, the HVP EBNA-2 gene falls into neither the type A category nor the type B category, suggesting that the separation into these two subtypes may have been a recent evolutionary event. Comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences indicates 37% amino acid identity with EBV type A EBNA-2 and 35% amino acid identity with type B EBNA-2. To define the domains of EBNA-2 required for transcriptional activation, the DNA binding domain of the GAL4 protein was fused to overlapping segments of EBV EBNA-2. This approach identified a 40-amino-acid (40-aa) EBNA-2 activation domain located between aa 437 and 477. Transactivation ability was completely lost when the amino-terminal boundary of this domain was moved to aa 441, indicating that the motif at aa 437 to 440, Pro-Ile-Leu-Phe, contains residues critical for function. The aa 437 boundary identified in these experiments coincides precisely with a block of conserved sequences in HVP EBNA-2, and the comparable carboxy-terminal region of HVP EBNA-2 also functioned as a strong transcriptional activation domain when fused to the Gal4(1-147) protein. The EBV and HVP EBNA-2 activation domains share a mixed proline-rich, negatively charged character with a striking conservation of positionally equivalent hydrophobic residues. The importance of the individual amino acids making up the Pro-Ile-Leu-Phe motif was examined by mutagenesis. Any alteration of these residues was found to reduce transactivation efficiency, with changes at the

  8. The NH2-terminal php domain of the alpha subunit of the Escherichia coli replicase binds the epsilon proofreading subunit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieczorek, Anna; McHenry, Charles S

    2006-05-05

    The alpha subunit of the replicase of all bacteria contains a php domain, initially identified by its similarity to histidinol phosphatase but of otherwise unknown function (Aravind, L., and Koonin, E. V. (1998) Nucleic Acids Res. 26, 3746-3752). Deletion of 60 residues from the NH2 terminus of the alpha php domain destroys epsilon binding. The minimal 255-residue php domain, estimated by sequence alignment with homolog YcdX, is insufficient for epsilon binding. However, a 320-residue segment including sequences that immediately precede the polymerase domain binds epsilon with the same affinity as the 1160-residue full-length alpha subunit. A subset of mutations of a conserved acidic residue (Asp43 in Escherichia coli alpha) present in the php domain of all bacterial replicases resulted in defects in epsilon binding. Using sequence alignments, we show that the prototypical gram+ Pol C, which contains the polymerase and proofreading activities within the same polypeptide chain, has an epsilon-like sequence inserted in a surface loop near the center of the homologous YcdX protein. These findings suggest that the php domain serves as a platform to enable coordination of proofreading and polymerase activities during chromosomal replication.

  9. Big domains are novel Ca²+-binding modules: evidences from big domains of Leptospira immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raman, Rajeev; Rajanikanth, V; Palaniappan, Raghavan U M; Lin, Yi-Pin; He, Hongxuan; McDonough, Sean P; Sharma, Yogendra; Chang, Yung-Fu

    2010-12-29

    Many bacterial surface exposed proteins mediate the host-pathogen interaction more effectively in the presence of Ca²+. Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins, LigA and LigB, are surface exposed proteins containing Bacterial immunoglobulin like (Big) domains. The function of proteins which contain Big fold is not known. Based on the possible similarities of immunoglobulin and βγ-crystallin folds, we here explore the important question whether Ca²+ binds to a Big domains, which would provide a novel functional role of the proteins containing Big fold. We selected six individual Big domains for this study (three from the conserved part of LigA and LigB, denoted as Lig A3, Lig A4, and LigBCon5; two from the variable region of LigA, i.e., 9(th) (Lig A9) and 10(th) repeats (Lig A10); and one from the variable region of LigB, i.e., LigBCen2. We have also studied the conserved region covering the three and six repeats (LigBCon1-3 and LigCon). All these proteins bind the calcium-mimic dye Stains-all. All the selected four domains bind Ca²+ with dissociation constants of 2-4 µM. Lig A9 and Lig A10 domains fold well with moderate thermal stability, have β-sheet conformation and form homodimers. Fluorescence spectra of Big domains show a specific doublet (at 317 and 330 nm), probably due to Trp interaction with a Phe residue. Equilibrium unfolding of selected Big domains is similar and follows a two-state model, suggesting the similarity in their fold. We demonstrate that the Lig are Ca²+-binding proteins, with Big domains harbouring the binding motif. We conclude that despite differences in sequence, a Big motif binds Ca²+. This work thus sets up a strong possibility for classifying the proteins containing Big domains as a novel family of Ca²+-binding proteins. Since Big domain is a part of many proteins in bacterial kingdom, we suggest a possible function these proteins via Ca²+ binding.

  10. Solution structure of leptospiral LigA4 Big domain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mei, Song; Zhang, Jiahai [Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Zhang, Xuecheng [School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui 230039 (China); Tu, Xiaoming, E-mail: xmtu@ustc.edu.cn [Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)

    2015-11-13

    Pathogenic Leptospiraspecies express immunoglobulin-like proteins which serve as adhesins to bind to the extracellular matrices of host cells. Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein A (LigA), a surface exposed protein containing tandem repeats of bacterial immunoglobulin-like (Big) domains, has been proved to be involved in the interaction of pathogenic Leptospira with mammalian host. In this study, the solution structure of the fourth Big domain of LigA (LigA4 Big domain) from Leptospira interrogans was solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The structure of LigA4 Big domain displays a similar bacterial immunoglobulin-like fold compared with other Big domains, implying some common structural aspects of Big domain family. On the other hand, it displays some structural characteristics significantly different from classic Ig-like domain. Furthermore, Stains-all assay and NMR chemical shift perturbation revealed the Ca{sup 2+} binding property of LigA4 Big domain. - Highlights: • Determining the solution structure of a bacterial immunoglobulin-like domain from a surface protein of Leptospira. • The solution structure shows some structural characteristics significantly different from the classic Ig-like domains. • A potential Ca{sup 2+}-binding site was identified by strains-all and NMR chemical shift perturbation.

  11. Solution structure of leptospiral LigA4 Big domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei, Song; Zhang, Jiahai; Zhang, Xuecheng; Tu, Xiaoming

    2015-01-01

    Pathogenic Leptospiraspecies express immunoglobulin-like proteins which serve as adhesins to bind to the extracellular matrices of host cells. Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein A (LigA), a surface exposed protein containing tandem repeats of bacterial immunoglobulin-like (Big) domains, has been proved to be involved in the interaction of pathogenic Leptospira with mammalian host. In this study, the solution structure of the fourth Big domain of LigA (LigA4 Big domain) from Leptospira interrogans was solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The structure of LigA4 Big domain displays a similar bacterial immunoglobulin-like fold compared with other Big domains, implying some common structural aspects of Big domain family. On the other hand, it displays some structural characteristics significantly different from classic Ig-like domain. Furthermore, Stains-all assay and NMR chemical shift perturbation revealed the Ca"2"+ binding property of LigA4 Big domain. - Highlights: • Determining the solution structure of a bacterial immunoglobulin-like domain from a surface protein of Leptospira. • The solution structure shows some structural characteristics significantly different from the classic Ig-like domains. • A potential Ca"2"+-binding site was identified by strains-all and NMR chemical shift perturbation.

  12. Microstructural and domain effects in epitaxial CoFe2O4 films on MgO with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Comes, Ryan; Gu Man; Khokhlov, Mikhail; Lu Jiwei; Wolf, Stuart A.

    2012-01-01

    CoFe 2 O 4 (CFO) epitaxial thin films of various thicknesses were grown on MgO substrates using the pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The films have excellent in-plane coherence with the substrate, exhibit layer-by-layer growth and have well-defined thickness fringes in x-ray diffraction measurements. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements indicate that misfit dislocations form in thicker films and the critical thickness for the dislocation formation is estimated. Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in CFO due to epitaxial in-plane tensile strain from the substrate was found. A stripe-like domain structure in the demagnetized state is demonstrated using magnetic force microscopy (MFM), in agreement with previous predictions. Coercivity increased in thicker films, which is explained by domain wall pinning due to misfit dislocations at the CFO/MgO interface. - Highlights: → X-ray diffraction and rocking curves indicate films are amongst highest quality in the literature. → Domain structure of CoFe 2 O 4 films on MgO was found to be stripe-like using MFM. → Critical thickness for misfit dislocations estimated and agrees with experiment. → Effect of misfit dislocations on surface morphology explained. → Role of dislocations and antiphase boundaries in domain wall formation and motion explained.

  13. Domain requirements for the Dock adapter protein in growth- cone signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Y; Zipursky, S L

    1998-03-03

    Tyrosine phosphorylation has been implicated in growth-cone guidance through genetic, biochemical, and pharmacological studies. Adapter proteins containing src homology 2 (SH2) domains and src homology 3 (SH3) domains provide a means of linking guidance signaling through phosphotyrosine to downstream effectors regulating growth-cone motility. The Drosophila adapter, Dreadlocks (Dock), the homolog of mammalian Nck containing three N-terminal SH3 domains and a single SH2 domain, is highly specialized for growth-cone guidance. In this paper, we demonstrate that Dock can couple signals in either an SH2-dependent or an SH2-independent fashion in photoreceptor (R cell) growth cones, and that Dock displays different domain requirements in different neurons.

  14. Domain walls at finite temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, C.A. de; Marques, G.C.; Silva, A.J. da; Ventura, I.

    1983-08-01

    It is suggested that the phase transition of lambda phi 4 theory as a function of temperature coincides with the spontaneous appearance of domain walls. Based on one-loop calculations, T sub(c) = 4M/√ lambda is estimated as the temperature for these domains to because energetically favored, to be compared with T sub(c) = 4.9M/√ lambda from effective potential calculations (which are performed directly in the broken phase). Domain walls, as well as other Types of fluctuations, disorder the system above T sub(c), leading to =0. The critical exponent for the specific heat above T sub(c) is computed; and α=2/3 + 0 (√ lambda) is obtained. (Author) [pt

  15. Regulation of β2-adrenergic receptor function by conformationally selective single-domain intrabodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Staus, Dean P; Wingler, Laura M; Strachan, Ryan T

    2014-01-01

    . However, a monomeric single-domain antibody (nanobody) from the Camelid family was recently found to allosterically bind and stabilize an active conformation of the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR). Here, we set out to study the functional interaction of 18 related nanobodies with the β2AR to investigate...... their roles as novel tools for studying GPCR biology. Our studies revealed several sequence-related nanobody families with preferences for active (agonist-occupied) or inactive (antagonist-occupied) receptors. Flow cytometry analysis indicates that all nanobodies bind to epitopes displayed...... on the intracellular receptor surface; therefore, we transiently expressed them intracellularly as "intrabodies" to test their effects on β2AR-dependent signaling. Conformational specificity was preserved after intrabody conversion as demonstrated by the ability for the intracellularly expressed nanobodies...

  16. Mechanism of Dynamic Recrystallization and Evolution of Texture in the Hot Working Domains of the Processing Map for Mg-4Al-2Ba-2Ca Alloy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kalidass Suresh

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of dynamic recrystallization (DRX and its effect on the evolution of texture during uniaxial compression of a creep-resistant cast Mg-4Al-2Ba-2Ca alloy in the temperature range of 260–500 °C and strain rate range of 0.0003–10 s−1 has been studied using transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques with a view to understand its mechanism. For this purpose, a processing map has been developed for this alloy, which revealed two domains of DRX in the temperature and strain rate ranges of: (1 300–390 °C/0.0003–0.001 s−1 and (2 400–500 °C/0.0003–0.5 s−1. In Domain 1, DRX occurs by basal slip and recovery by dislocation climb, as indicated by the presence of planar slip bands and high dislocation density leading to tilt boundary formation and a low-intensity basal texture. On the other hand, DRX in Domain 2 occurs by second order pyramidal slip and recovery by cross-slip since the microstructure revealed tangled dislocation structure with twist boundaries and randomized texture. The high volume content of intermetallic phases Mg21Al3Ba2 and (Al,Mg2Ca eutectic phase is considered to be responsible for the observed hot deformation behavior.

  17. The BAH domain of ORC1 links H4K20me2 to DNA replication licensing and Meier-Gorlin syndrome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuo, Alex J; Song, Jikui; Cheung, Peggie; Ishibe-Murakami, Satoko; Yamazoe, Sayumi; Chen, James K; Patel, Dinshaw J; Gozani, Or [Stanford; (MSKCC); (Stanford-MED)

    2012-07-11

    The recognition of distinctly modified histones by specialized 'effector' proteins constitutes a key mechanism for transducing molecular events at chromatin to biological outcomes. Effector proteins influence DNA-templated processes, including transcription, DNA recombination and DNA repair; however, no effector functions have yet been identified within the mammalian machinery that regulate DNA replication. Here we show that ORC1 - a component of ORC (origin of replication complex), which mediates pre-DNA replication licensing - contains a bromo adjacent homology (BAH) domain that specifically recognizes histone H4 dimethylated at lysine 20 (H4K20me2). Recognition of H4K20me2 is a property common to BAH domains present within diverse metazoan ORC1 proteins. Structural studies reveal that the specificity of the BAH domain for H4K20me2 is mediated by a dynamic aromatic dimethyl-lysine-binding cage and multiple intermolecular contacts involving the bound peptide. H4K20me2 is enriched at replication origins, and abrogating ORC1 recognition of H4K20me2 in cells impairs ORC1 occupancy at replication origins, ORC chromatin loading and cell-cycle progression. Mutation of the ORC1 BAH domain has been implicated in the aetiology of Meier-Gorlin syndrome (MGS), a form of primordial dwarfism, and ORC1 depletion in zebrafish results in an MGS-like phenotype. We find that wild-type human ORC1, but not ORC1-H4K20me2-binding mutants, rescues the growth retardation of orc1 morphants. Moreover, zebrafish depleted of H4K20me2 have diminished body size, mirroring the phenotype of orc1 morphants. Together, our results identify the BAH domain as a novel methyl-lysine-binding module, thereby establishing the first direct link between histone methylation and the metazoan DNA replication machinery, and defining a pivotal aetiological role for the canonical H4K20me2 mark, via ORC1, in primordial dwarfism.

  18. Dynamics of SARS-coronavirus HR2 domain in the prefusion and transition states

    Science.gov (United States)

    McReynolds, Susanna; Jiang, Shaokai; Rong, Lijun; Caffrey, Michael

    2009-12-01

    The envelope glycoproteins S1 and S2 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) mediate viral entry by conformational change from a prefusion state to a postfusion state that enables fusion of the viral and target membranes. In this work we present the characterization of the dynamic properties of the SARS-CoV S2-HR2 domain (residues 1141-1193 of S) in the prefusion and newly discovered transition states by NMR 15N relaxation studies. The dynamic properties of the different states, which are stabilized under different experimental conditions, extend the current model of viral membrane fusion and give insight into the design of structure-based antagonists of SARS-CoV in particular, as well as other enveloped viruses such as HIV.

  19. Characterization of Runella slithyformis HD-Pnk, a Bifunctional DNA/RNA End-Healing Enzyme Composed of an N-Terminal 2′,3′-Phosphoesterase HD Domain and a C-Terminal 5′-OH Polynucleotide Kinase Domain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munir, Annum

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT 5′- and 3′-end-healing reactions are key steps in nucleic acid break repair in which 5′-OH ends are phosphorylated by a polynucleotide kinase (Pnk) and 3′-PO4 or 2′,3′-cyclic-PO4 ends are hydrolyzed by a phosphoesterase to generate the 5′-PO4 and 3′-OH termini required for sealing by classic polynucleotide ligases. End-healing and sealing enzymes are present in diverse bacterial taxa, often organized as modular units within a single multifunctional polypeptide or as subunits of a repair complex. Here we identify and characterize Runella slithyformis HD-Pnk as a novel bifunctional end-healing enzyme composed of an N-terminal 2′,3′-phosphoesterase HD domain and a C-terminal 5′-OH polynucleotide kinase P-loop domain. HD-Pnk phosphorylates 5′-OH polynucleotides (9-mers or longer) in the presence of magnesium and any nucleoside triphosphate donor. HD-Pnk dephosphorylates RNA 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate, RNA 3′-phosphate, RNA 2′-phosphate, and DNA 3′-phosphate ends in the presence of a transition metal cofactor, which can be nickel, copper, or cobalt. HD-Pnk homologs are present in genera from 11 bacterial phyla and are often encoded in an operon with a putative ATP-dependent polynucleotide ligase. IMPORTANCE The present study provides insights regarding the diversity of nucleic acid repair strategies via the characterization of Runella slithyformis HD-Pnk as the exemplar of a novel clade of dual 5′- and 3′-end-healing enzymes that phosphorylate 5′-OH termini and dephosphorylate 2′,3′-cyclic-PO4, 3′-PO4, and 2′-PO4 ends. The distinctive feature of HD-Pnk is its domain composition, i.e., a fusion of an N-terminal HD phosphohydrolase module and a C-terminal P-loop polynucleotide kinase module. Homologs of Runella HD-Pnk with the same domain composition, same domain order, and similar polypeptide sizes are distributed widely among genera from 11 bacterial phyla. PMID:27895092

  20. Ferroelectric Negative Capacitance Domain Dynamics

    OpenAIRE

    Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr$_{0.2}$Ti$_{0.8}$)O$_3$ capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transien...

  1. p68 Sam is a substrate of the insulin receptor and associates with the SH2 domains of p85 PI3K.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Margalet, V; Najib, S

    1999-07-23

    The 68 kDa Src substrate associated during mitosis is an RNA binding protein with Src homology 2 and 3 domain binding sites. A role for Src associated in mitosis 68 as an adaptor protein in signaling transduction has been proposed in different systems such as T-cell receptors. In the present work, we have sought to assess the possible role of Src associated in mitosis 68 in insulin receptor signaling. We performed in vivo studies in HTC-IR cells and in vitro studies using recombinant Src associated in mitosis 68, purified insulin receptor and fusion proteins containing either the N-terminal or the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. We have found that Src associated in mitosis 68 is a substrate of the insulin receptor both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, tyrosine-phosphorylated Src associated in mitosis 68 was found to associate with p85 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase in response to insulin, as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation studies. Therefore, Src associated in mitosis 68 may be part of the signaling complexes of insulin receptor along with p85. In vitro studies demonstrate that Src associated in mitosis 68 associates with the Src homology 2 domains of p85 after tyrosine phosphorylation by the activated insulin receptor. Moreover, tyr-phosphorylated Src associated in mitosis 68 binds with a higher affinity to the N-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85 compared to the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85, suggesting a preferential association of Src associated in mitosis 68 with the N-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85. This association may be important for the link of the signaling with RNA metabolism.

  2. Alternative splicing, gene localization, and binding of SH2-B to the insulin receptor kinase domain

    OpenAIRE

    Nelms, Keats; O'Neill, Thomas J.; Li, Shiqing; Hubbard, Stevan R.; Gustafson, Thomas A.; Paul, William E.

    1999-01-01

    . The SH2-B protein is an SH2-domain-containing molecule that interacts with a number of phosphorylated kinase and receptor molecules including the insulin receptor. Two isoforms of the SH2-B have been identified and have been proposed to arise through alternate splicing. Here we have identified a third isoform of the SH2-B protein, SH2-Bγ, that interacts specifically with the insulin receptor. This interaction required phosphorylation of residue Y1146 in the triple tyrosine motif within the ...

  3. The SHOCT domain: a widespread domain under-represented in model organisms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Y Eberhardt

    Full Text Available We have identified a new protein domain, which we have named the SHOCT domain (Short C-terminal domain. This domain is widespread in bacteria with over a thousand examples. But we found it is missing from the most commonly studied model organisms, despite being present in closely related species. It's predominantly C-terminal location, co-occurrence with numerous other domains and short size is reminiscent of the Gram-positive anchor motif, however it is present in a much wider range of species. We suggest several hypotheses about the function of SHOCT, including oligomerisation and nucleic acid binding. Our initial experiments do not support its role as an oligomerisation domain.

  4. Domain requirements for the Dock adapter protein in growth- cone signaling

    OpenAIRE

    Rao, Yong; Zipursky, S. Lawrence

    1998-01-01

    Tyrosine phosphorylation has been implicated in growth-cone guidance through genetic, biochemical, and pharmacological studies. Adapter proteins containing src homology 2 (SH2) domains and src homology 3 (SH3) domains provide a means of linking guidance signaling through phosphotyrosine to downstream effectors regulating growth-cone motility. The Drosophila adapter, Dreadlocks (Dock), the homolog of mammalian Nck containing three N-terminal SH3 domains and a single SH2 domain, is highly speci...

  5. Rab11-family of interacting protein 2 associates with chlamydial inclusions through its Rab-binding domain and promotes bacterial multiplication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leiva, Natalia; Capmany, Anahí; Damiani, María Teresa

    2013-01-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular pathogen, survives within host cells in a special compartment named 'inclusion' and takes advantage of host vesicular transport pathways for its growth and replication. Rab GTPases are key regulatory proteins of intracellular trafficking. Several Rabs, among them Rab11 and Rab14, are implicated in chlamydial development. FIP2, a member of the Rab11-Family of Interacting Proteins, presents at the C-terminus a Rab-binding domain that interacts with both Rab11 and Rab14. In this study, we determined and characterized the recruitment of endogenous and GFP-tagged FIP2 to the chlamydial inclusions. The recruitment of FIP2 is specific since other members of the Rab11-Family of Interacting Proteins do not associate with the chlamydial inclusions. The Rab-binding domain of FIP2 is essential for its association. Our results indicate that FIP2 binds to Rab11 at the chlamydial inclusion membrane through its Rab-binding domain. The presence of FIP2 at the chlamydial inclusion favours the recruitment of Rab14. Furthermore, our results show that FIP2 promotes inclusion development and bacterial replication. In agreement, the silencing of FIP2 decreases the bacterial progeny. C. trachomatis likely recruits FIP2 to hijack host intracellular trafficking to redirect vesicles full of nutrients towards the inclusion. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  6. The MB2 gene family of Plasmodium species has a unique combination of S1 and GTP-binding domains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogunjumo Oluwasanmi

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Identification and characterization of novel Plasmodium gene families is necessary for developing new anti-malarial therapeutics. The products of the Plasmodium falciparum gene, MB2, were shown previously to have a stage-specific pattern of subcellular localization and proteolytic processing. Results Genes homologous to MB2 were identified in five additional parasite species, P. knowlesi, P. gallinaceum, P. berghei, P. yoelii, and P. chabaudi. Sequence comparisons among the MB2 gene products reveal amino acid conservation of structural features, including putative S1 and GTP-binding domains, and putative signal peptides and nuclear localization signals. Conclusions The combination of domains is unique to this gene family and indicates that MB2 genes comprise a novel family and therefore may be a good target for drug development.

  7. The MB2 gene family of Plasmodium species has a unique combination of S1 and GTP-binding domains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Lisa C; Nguyen, Thanh V; Deville, Benoit; Ogunjumo, Oluwasanmi; James, Anthony A

    2004-01-01

    Background Identification and characterization of novel Plasmodium gene families is necessary for developing new anti-malarial therapeutics. The products of the Plasmodium falciparum gene, MB2, were shown previously to have a stage-specific pattern of subcellular localization and proteolytic processing. Results Genes homologous to MB2 were identified in five additional parasite species, P. knowlesi, P. gallinaceum, P. berghei, P. yoelii, and P. chabaudi. Sequence comparisons among the MB2 gene products reveal amino acid conservation of structural features, including putative S1 and GTP-binding domains, and putative signal peptides and nuclear localization signals. Conclusions The combination of domains is unique to this gene family and indicates that MB2 genes comprise a novel family and therefore may be a good target for drug development. PMID:15222903

  8. Mechanistic insights into phosphoprotein-binding FHA domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Xiangyang; Van Doren, Steven R

    2008-08-01

    [Structure: see text]. FHA domains are protein modules that switch signals in diverse biological pathways by monitoring the phosphorylation of threonine residues of target proteins. As part of the effort to gain insight into cellular avoidance of cancer, FHA domains involved in the cellular response to DNA damage have been especially well-characterized. The complete protein where the FHA domain resides and the interaction partners determine the nature of the signaling. Thus, a key biochemical question is how do FHA domains pick out their partners from among thousands of alternatives in the cell? This Account discusses the structure, affinity, and specificity of FHA domains and the formation of their functional structure. Although FHA domains share sequence identity at only five loop residues, they all fold into a beta-sandwich of two beta-sheets. The conserved arginine and serine of the recognition loops recognize the phosphorylation of the threonine targeted. Side chains emanating from loops that join beta-strand 4 with 5, 6 with 7, or 10 with 11 make specific contacts with amino acids of the ligand that tailor sequence preferences. Many FHA domains choose a partner in extended conformation, somewhat according to the residue three after the phosphothreonine in sequence (pT + 3 position). One group of FHA domains chooses a short carboxylate-containing side chain at pT + 3. Another group chooses a long, branched aliphatic side chain. A third group prefers other hydrophobic or uncharged polar side chains at pT + 3. However, another FHA domain instead chooses on the basis of pT - 2, pT - 3, and pT + 1 positions. An FHA domain from a marker of human cancer instead chooses a much longer protein fragment that adds a beta-strand to its beta-sheet and that presents hydrophobic residues from a novel helix to the usual recognition surface. This novel recognition site and more remote sites for the binding of other types of protein partners were predicted for the entire family

  9. Rearrangement of crystallographic domains driven by magnetic field in ferromagnetic Ni2MnGa and antiferromagnetic CoO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terai, Tomoyuki; Yasui, Motoyoshi; Yamamoto, Masataka; Kakeshita, Tomoyuki

    2009-01-01

    We have investigated the rearrangement of crystallographic domains (martensite variants) in Ni 2 MnGa ferromagnetic shape memory alloy and CoO antiferromagnetic oxide by applying magnetic field up to 8.0 MA/m. From the result of optical microscope observation of Ni 2 MnGa single crystal, when a magnetic field is applied along [001] p (p represents a parent phase), the rearrangement of crystallographic domains occurs and the single domain state is obtained below T Ms = 202 K. The same rearrangement occurs but partially when a magnetic field is applied along [110] p . On the other hand, when a magnetic field is applied along [111] p , the rearrangement does not occur. In case of the CoO single crystal, when a magnetic field is applied along [001] p below T Ms = 293 K, the rearrangement occurs at 170 K ≤ T ≤ 293 K, but does not occur at T p and [111] p , the rearrangement does not occur below T Ms . In order to explain the rearrangement in the alloy and the oxide, we have evaluated the magnetic shear stress, τ mag , which is derived from the difference in magnetic energy among crystallographic domains and have compared it with the shear stress required for the twinning plane movement, τ req . As a result, we have found that the rearrangement occurs when the value of τ mag is larger than or equal to the value of τ req for the present alloy and oxide.

  10. APPL proteins FRET at the BAR: direct observation of APPL1 and APPL2 BAR domain-mediated interactions on cell membranes using FRET microscopy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heidi J Chial

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Human APPL1 and APPL2 are homologous RAB5 effectors whose binding partners include a diverse set of transmembrane receptors, signaling proteins, and phosphoinositides. APPL proteins associate dynamically with endosomal membranes and are proposed to function in endosome-mediated signaling pathways linking the cell surface to the cell nucleus. APPL proteins contain an N-terminal Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR domain, a central pleckstrin homology (PH domain, and a C-terminal phosphotyrosine binding (PTB domain. Previous structural and biochemical studies have shown that the APPL BAR domains mediate homotypic and heterotypic APPL-APPL interactions and that the APPL1 BAR domain forms crescent-shaped dimers. Although previous studies have shown that APPL minimal BAR domains associate with curved cell membranes, direct interaction between APPL BAR domains on cell membranes in vivo has not been reported.Herein, we used a laser-scanning confocal microscope equipped with a spectral detector to carry out fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET experiments with cyan fluorescent protein/yellow fluorescent protein (CFP/YFP FRET donor/acceptor pairs to examine interactions between APPL minimal BAR domains at the subcellular level. This comprehensive approach enabled us to evaluate FRET levels in a single cell using three methods: sensitized emission, standard acceptor photobleaching, and sequential acceptor photobleaching. We also analyzed emission spectra to address an outstanding controversy regarding the use of CFP donor/YFP acceptor pairs in FRET acceptor photobleaching experiments, based on reports that photobleaching of YFP converts it into a CFP-like species.All three methods consistently showed significant FRET between APPL minimal BAR domain FRET pairs, indicating that they interact directly in a homotypic (i.e., APPL1-APPL1 and APPL2-APPL2 and heterotypic (i.e., APPL1-APPL2 manner on curved cell membranes. Furthermore, the results of our experiments

  11. Structure of Thermotoga maritima TM0439: implications for the mechanism of bacterial GntR transcription regulators with Zn2+-binding FCD domains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng, Meiying; Cooper, David R.; Grossoehme, Nickolas E.; Yu, Minmin; Hung, Li-Wei; Cieslik, Marcin; Derewenda, Urszula; Lesley, Scott A.; Wilson, Ian A.; Giedroc, David P.; Derewenda, Zygmunt S.

    2009-01-01

    Here, the crystal structure of TM0439, a GntR regulator with an FCD domain found in the Thermotoga maritima genome, is described. The GntR superfamily of dimeric transcription factors, with more than 6200 members encoded in bacterial genomes, are characterized by N-terminal winged-helix DNA-binding domains and diverse C-terminal regulatory domains which provide a basis for the classification of the constituent families. The largest of these families, FadR, contains nearly 3000 proteins with all-α-helical regulatory domains classified into two related Pfam families: FadR-C and FCD. Only two crystal structures of FadR-family members, those of Escherichia coli FadR protein and LldR from Corynebacterium glutamicum, have been described to date in the literature. Here, the crystal structure of TM0439, a GntR regulator with an FCD domain found in the Thermotoga maritima genome, is described. The FCD domain is similar to that of the LldR regulator and contains a buried metal-binding site. Using atomic absorption spectroscopy and Trp fluorescence, it is shown that the recombinant protein contains bound Ni 2+ ions but that it is able to bind Zn 2+ with K d < 70 nM. It is concluded that Zn 2+ is the likely physiological metal and that it may perform either structural or regulatory roles or both. Finally, the TM0439 structure is compared with two other FadR-family structures recently deposited by structural genomics consortia. The results call for a revision in the classification of the FadR family of transcription factors

  12. SH2 Ligand-Like Effects of Second Cytosolic Domain of Na/K-ATPase α1 Subunit on Src Kinase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moumita Banerjee

    Full Text Available Our previous studies have suggested that the α1 Na/K-ATPase interacts with Src to form a receptor complex. In vitro binding assays indicate an interaction between second cytosolic domain (CD2 of Na/K-ATPase α1 subunit and Src SH2 domain. Since SH2 domain targets Src to specific signaling complexes, we expressed CD2 as a cytosolic protein and studied whether it could act as a Src SH2 ligand in LLC-PK1 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses indicated a direct binding of CD2 to Src, consistent with the in vitro binding data. Functionally, CD2 expression increased basal Src activity, suggesting a Src SH2 ligand-like property of CD2. Consistently, we found that CD2 expression attenuated several signaling pathways where Src plays an important role. For instance, although it increased surface expression of Na/K-ATPase, it decreased ouabain-induced activation of Src and ERK by blocking the formation of Na/K-ATPase/Src complex. Moreover, it also attenuated cell attachment-induced activation of Src/FAK. Consequently, CD2 delayed cell spreading, and inhibited cell proliferation. Furthermore, these effects appear to be Src-specific because CD2 expression had no effect on EGF-induced activation of EGF receptor and ERK. Hence, the new findings indicate the importance of Na/K-ATPase/Src interaction in ouabain-induced signal transduction, and support the proposition that the CD2 peptide may be utilized as a Src SH2 ligand capable of blocking Src-dependent signaling pathways via a different mechanism from a general Src kinase inhibitor.

  13. A two-dimensional time domain near zone to far zone transformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luebbers, Raymond J.; Ryan, Deirdre; Beggs, John H.; Kunz, Karl S.

    1991-01-01

    In a previous paper, a time domain transformation useful for extrapolating 3-D near zone finite difference time domain (FDTD) results to the far zone was presented. In this paper, the corresponding 2-D transform is outlined. While the 3-D transformation produced a physically observable far zone time domain field, this is not convenient to do directly in 2-D, since a convolution would be required. However, a representative 2-D far zone time domain result can be obtained directly. This result can then be transformed to the frequency domain using a Fast Fourier Transform, corrected with a simple multiplicative factor, and used, for example, to calculate the complex wideband scattering width of a target. If an actual time domain far zone result is required it can be obtained by inverse Fourier transform of the final frequency domain result.

  14. Multiple nonlinear Bragg diffraction of femtosecond laser pulses in a {\\chi^{(2)}} photonic lattice with hexagonal domains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyunishev, A. M.; Arkhipkin, V. G.; Baturin, I. S.; Akhmatkhanov, A. R.; Shur, V. Ya; Chirkin, A. S.

    2018-04-01

    The frequency doubling of femtosecond laser pulses in a two-dimensional (2D) rectangular nonlinear photonic lattice with hexagonal domains is studied experimentally and theoretically. The broad fundamental spectrum enables frequency conversion under nonlinear Bragg diffraction for a series of transverse orders at a fixed longitudinal quasi-phase-matching order. The consistent nonstationary theory of the frequency doubling of femtosecond laser pulses is developed using the representation based on the reciprocal lattice of the structure. The calculated spatial distribution of the second-harmonic spectral intensity agrees well with the experimental data. The condition for multiple nonlinear Bragg diffraction in a 2D nonlinear photonic lattice is offered. The hexagonal shape of the domains contributes to multibeam second harmonic excitation. The maximum conversion efficiency for a series of transverse orders in the range 0.01%-0.03% is obtained.

  15. Distinctive functions of Syk N-terminal and C-terminal SH2 domains in the signaling cascade elicited by oxidative stress in B cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, J; Takano, T; Hermann, P; Gao, S; Han, W; Noda, C; Yanagi, S; Yamamura, H

    2000-05-01

    Syk plays a crucial role in the transduction of oxidative stress signaling. In this paper, we investigated the roles of Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of Syk in oxidative stress signaling, using Syk-negative DT40 cells expressing the N- or C-terminal SH2 domain mutant [mSH2(N) or mSH2(C)] of Syk. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk in cells expressing mSH2(N) Syk after H(2)O(2) treatment was higher than that in cells expressing wild-type Syk or mSH2(C) Syk. The tyrosine phosphorylation of wild-type Syk and mSH2(C) Syk, but not that of mSH2(N), was sensitive to PP2, a specific inhibitor of Src-family protein-tyrosine kinase. In oxidative stress, the C-terminal SH2 domain of Syk was demonstrated to be required for induction of tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma2 phosphorylation, inositol 1,4, 5-triphosphate (IP(3)) generation, Ca(2)(+) release from intracellular stores, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation. In contrast, in mSH2(N) Syk-expressing cells, tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular proteins including PLC-gamma2 was markedly induced in oxidative stress. The enhanced phosphorylation of mSH2(N) Syk and PLC-gamma2, however, did not link to Ca(2)(+) mobilization from intracellular pools and IP(3) generation. Thus, the N- and C-terminal SH2 domains of Syk possess distinctive functions in oxidative stress signaling.

  16. Crystallization and X-ray crystallographic analysis of the cap-binding domain of influenza A virus H1N1 polymerase subunit PB2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Yong; Meng, Geng; Luo, Ming; Zheng, Xiaofeng

    2013-01-01

    Substrate-free cap-binding domain of influenza A virus H1N1 polymerase subunit PB2 has been crystallized to show the structural details and clarify whether obvious conformational changes exist between the substrate-free and substrate-bound cap-binding domain. PB2 is one of the subunits of the influenza virus heterotrimeric polymerase. By its cap-binding domain (PB2 cap ), PB2 captures the 5′ cap of the host pre-mRNA to generate a capped 5′ oligonucleotide primer for virus transcription. The crystal structure of influenza A virus H3N2 PB2 cap with bound cap analogue m 7 GTP has been reported previously. To show the substrate-free structural details of PB2 cap and clarify whether obvious conformational changes exist between the substrate-free and substrate-bound cap-binding domain, we have successfully obtained the crystal of substrate-free H1N1 PB2 cap . The crystal of H1N1 PB2 cap diffracted to a high resolution of 1.32 Å. The crystal symmetry belongs to space group P1 with unit-cell parameters a = 29.49, b = 37.04, c = 38.33 Å, α = 71.10, β = 69.84, γ = 75.85°. There is one molecule in the asymmetric unit

  17. Protein domain analysis of genomic sequence data reveals regulation of LRR related domains in plant transpiration in Ficus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lang, Tiange; Yin, Kangquan; Liu, Jinyu; Cao, Kunfang; Cannon, Charles H; Du, Fang K

    2014-01-01

    Predicting protein domains is essential for understanding a protein's function at the molecular level. However, up till now, there has been no direct and straightforward method for predicting protein domains in species without a reference genome sequence. In this study, we developed a functionality with a set of programs that can predict protein domains directly from genomic sequence data without a reference genome. Using whole genome sequence data, the programming functionality mainly comprised DNA assembly in combination with next-generation sequencing (NGS) assembly methods and traditional methods, peptide prediction and protein domain prediction. The proposed new functionality avoids problems associated with de novo assembly due to micro reads and small single repeats. Furthermore, we applied our functionality for the prediction of leucine rich repeat (LRR) domains in four species of Ficus with no reference genome, based on NGS genomic data. We found that the LRRNT_2 and LRR_8 domains are related to plant transpiration efficiency, as indicated by the stomata index, in the four species of Ficus. The programming functionality established in this study provides new insights for protein domain prediction, which is particularly timely in the current age of NGS data expansion.

  18. Biophysical characterization of the fluorescent protein voltage probe VSFP2.3 based on the voltage-sensing domain of Ci-VSP

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundby, Alicia; Akemann, Walther; Knöpfel, Thomas

    2010-01-01

    A voltage sensitive phosphatase was discovered in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. The phosphatase, Ci-VSP, contains a voltage-sensing domain homologous to those known from voltage-gated ion channels, but unlike ion channels, the voltage-sensing domain of Ci-VSP can reside in the cell membrane...... as a monomer. We fused the voltage-sensing domain of Ci-VSP to a pair of fluorescent reporter proteins to generate a genetically encodable voltage-sensing fluorescent probe, VSFP2.3. VSFP2.3 is a fluorescent voltage probe that reports changes in membrane potential as a FRET (fluorescence resonance energy....... Neutralization of an arginine in S4, previously suggested to be a sensing charge, and measuring associated sensing currents indicate that this charge is likely to reside at the membrane-aqueous interface rather than within the membrane electric field. The data presented give us insights into the voltage-sensing...

  19. Crystal Structures and Thermodynamic Analysis Reveal Distinct Mechanisms of CD28 Phosphopeptide Binding to the Src Homology 2 (SH2) Domains of Three Adaptor Proteins*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inaba, Satomi; Numoto, Nobutaka; Ogawa, Shuhei; Morii, Hisayuki; Ikura, Teikichi; Abe, Ryo; Ito, Nobutoshi; Oda, Masayuki

    2017-01-01

    Full activation of T cells and differentiation into effector T cells are essential for many immune responses and require co-stimulatory signaling via the CD28 receptor. Extracellular ligand binding to CD28 recruits protein-tyrosine kinases to its cytoplasmic tail, which contains a YMNM motif. Following phosphorylation of the tyrosine, the proteins growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2), Grb2-related adaptor downstream of Shc (Gads), and p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase may bind to pYMNM (where pY is phosphotyrosine) via their Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, leading to downstream signaling to distinct immune pathways. These three adaptor proteins bind to the same site on CD28 with variable affinity, and all are important for CD28-mediated co-stimulatory function. However, the mechanism of how these proteins recognize and compete for CD28 is unclear. To visualize their interactions with CD28, we have determined the crystal structures of Gads SH2 and two p85 SH2 domains in complex with a CD28-derived phosphopeptide. The high resolution structures obtained revealed that, whereas the CD28 phosphopeptide bound to Gads SH2 is in a bent conformation similar to that when bound to Grb2 SH2, it adopts a more extended conformation when bound to the N- and C-terminal SH2 domains of p85. These differences observed in the peptide-protein interactions correlated well with the affinity and other thermodynamic parameters for each interaction determined by isothermal titration calorimetry. The detailed insight into these interactions reported here may inform the development of compounds that specifically inhibit the association of CD28 with these adaptor proteins to suppress excessive T cell responses, such as in allergies and autoimmune diseases. PMID:27927989

  20. Crystal Structures and Thermodynamic Analysis Reveal Distinct Mechanisms of CD28 Phosphopeptide Binding to the Src Homology 2 (SH2) Domains of Three Adaptor Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inaba, Satomi; Numoto, Nobutaka; Ogawa, Shuhei; Morii, Hisayuki; Ikura, Teikichi; Abe, Ryo; Ito, Nobutoshi; Oda, Masayuki

    2017-01-20

    Full activation of T cells and differentiation into effector T cells are essential for many immune responses and require co-stimulatory signaling via the CD28 receptor. Extracellular ligand binding to CD28 recruits protein-tyrosine kinases to its cytoplasmic tail, which contains a YMNM motif. Following phosphorylation of the tyrosine, the proteins growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2), Grb2-related adaptor downstream of Shc (Gads), and p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase may bind to pYMNM (where pY is phosphotyrosine) via their Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, leading to downstream signaling to distinct immune pathways. These three adaptor proteins bind to the same site on CD28 with variable affinity, and all are important for CD28-mediated co-stimulatory function. However, the mechanism of how these proteins recognize and compete for CD28 is unclear. To visualize their interactions with CD28, we have determined the crystal structures of Gads SH2 and two p85 SH2 domains in complex with a CD28-derived phosphopeptide. The high resolution structures obtained revealed that, whereas the CD28 phosphopeptide bound to Gads SH2 is in a bent conformation similar to that when bound to Grb2 SH2, it adopts a more extended conformation when bound to the N- and C-terminal SH2 domains of p85. These differences observed in the peptide-protein interactions correlated well with the affinity and other thermodynamic parameters for each interaction determined by isothermal titration calorimetry. The detailed insight into these interactions reported here may inform the development of compounds that specifically inhibit the association of CD28 with these adaptor proteins to suppress excessive T cell responses, such as in allergies and autoimmune diseases. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.