A Structure-Based Assembly Screen of Protein Cage Libraries in Living Cells: Experimentally Repacking a Protein–Protein Interface To Recover Cage Formation in an Assembly-Frustrated Mutant

X-ray structures of homopolymeric L-ferritin obtained by freezing protein crystals at increasing exposure times to a ferrous solution showed the progressive formation of a triiron cluster on the inner cage surface of each subunit. After 60 min exposure, a fully assembled (μ3-oxo)Tris[(μ2-peroxo)(μ2-glutamato-κO:κO′)](glutamato-κO)(diaquo)triiron(III) anionic cluster appears in human L-ferritin. Glu60, Glu61, and Glu64 provide the anchoring of the cluster to the protein cage. Glu57 shuttles incoming iron ions toward the cluster. We observed a similar metallocluster in horse spleen L-ferritin, indicating that it represents a common feature of mammalian L-ferritins. The structures suggest a mechanism for iron mineral formation at the protein interface. The functional significance of the observed patch of carboxylate side chains and resulting metallocluster for biomineralization emerges from the lower iron oxidation rate measured in the E60AE61AE64A variant of human L-ferritin, leading to the proposal that the observed metallocluster corresponds to the suggested, but yet unobserved, nucleation site of L-ferritin.

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Fluorescence ratio imaging of dynamic intracellular ionic signals

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100102298 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 42-43

Author(s):

R. Y. Tsien ◽

A. Minta ◽

M. Poenie ◽

J.P.Y. Kao ◽

A. Harootunian

Keyword(s):

Binding Sites ◽

Living Cells ◽

Molecular Engineering ◽

Ph Indicators ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Fluorescence Ratio Imaging ◽

Ratio Imaging ◽

Technical Advances ◽

Indicator Dyes ◽

Fluorescein Dyes

Recent technical advances now enable the continuous imaging of important ionic signals inside individual living cells with micron spatial resolution and subsecond time resolution. This methodology relies on the molecular engineering of indicator dyes whose fluorescence is strong and highly sensitive to ions such as Ca2+, H+, or Na+, or Mg2+. The Ca2+ indicators, exemplified by fura-2 and indo-1, derive their high affinity (Kd near 200 nM) and selectivity for Ca2+ to a versatile tetracarboxylate binding site3 modeled on and isosteric with the well known chelator EGTA. The most commonly used pH indicators are fluorescein dyes (such as BCECF) modified to adjust their pKa's and improve their retention inside cells. Na+ indicators are crown ethers with cavity sizes chosen to select Na+ over K+: Mg2+ indicators use tricarboxylate binding sites truncated from those of the Ca2+ chelators, resulting in a more compact arrangement of carboxylates to suit the smaller ion.

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Application of FRAP and digitized fluorescence microscopy to problems in cell membrane dynamics

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100102675 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 118-119

Author(s):

K. Jacobson ◽

A. Ishihara ◽

B. Holifield ◽

F. Zhang

Keyword(s):

Fluorescence Microscopy ◽

Cell Biology ◽

Extended Period ◽

Dynamic Structure ◽

Living Cells ◽

Membrane Dynamics ◽

Molecular Cell Biology ◽

Image Averaging ◽

Single Living Cells ◽

Single Living

Our laboratory is concerned with understanding the dynamic structure of the plasma membrane with particular reference to the movement of membrane constituents during cell locomotion. In addition to the standard tools of molecular cell biology, we employ both fluorescence recovery after photo- bleaching (FRAP) and digitized fluorescence microscopy (DFM) to investigate individual cells. FRAP allows the measurement of translational mobility of membrane and cytoplasmic molecules in small regions of single, living cells. DFM is really a new form of light microscopy in that the distribution of individual classes of ions, molecules, and macromolecules can be followed in single, living cells. By employing fluorescent antibodies to defined antigens or fluorescent analogs of cellular constituents as well as ultrasensitive, electronic image detectors and video image averaging to improve signal to noise, fluorescent images of living cells can be acquired over an extended period without significant fading and loss of cell viability.

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Multimode light microscopy and fluorescence-based reagents as tools for the study of chemical and molecular dynamics of living cells and tissues

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100122496 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 418-419

Author(s):

D. L. Taylor

Keyword(s):

Living Cells ◽

Cellular Level ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Cellular Functions ◽

Macromolecular Assemblies ◽

Cell Functions ◽

Molecular Events ◽

Yield Information ◽

Full Knowledge ◽

Structural Methods

Cells function through the complex temporal and spatial interplay of ions, metabolites, macromolecules and macromolecular assemblies. Biochemical approaches allow the investigator to define the components and the solution chemical reactions that might be involved in cellular functions. Static structural methods can yield information concerning the 2- and 3-D organization of known and unknown cellular constituents. Genetic and molecular techniques are powerful approaches that can alter specific functions through the manipulation of gene products and thus identify necessary components and sequences of molecular events. However, full knowledge of the mechanism of particular cell functions will require direct measurement of the interplay of cellular constituents. Therefore, there has been a need to develop methods that can yield chemical and molecular information in time and space in living cells, while allowing the integration of information from biochemical, molecular and genetic approaches at the cellular level.

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4-dimensional, high-resolution imaging of living cells

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100122484 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 416-417

Author(s):

Shinya Inoué

Keyword(s):

Light Microscope ◽

Living Cells ◽

Live Cells ◽

Video Tape ◽

Active Living ◽

High Resolution Imaging ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Dynamic Architecture ◽

Resolution Imaging ◽

Disk Memory

This paper reports progress of our effort to rapidly capture, and display in time-lapsed mode, the 3-dimensional dynamic architecture of active living cells and developing embryos at the highest resolution of the light microscope. Our approach entails: (A) real-time video tape recording of through-focal, ultrathin optical sections of live cells at the highest resolution of the light microscope; (B) repeat of A at time-lapsed intervals; (C) once each time-lapsed interval, an image at home focus is recorded onto Optical Disk Memory Recorder (OMDR); (D) periods of interest are selected using the OMDR and video tape records; (E) selected stacks of optical sections are converted into plane projections representing different view angles (±4 degrees for stereo view, additional angles when revolving stereos are desired); (F) analysis using A - D.

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Modulated polarization microscopy displays the dynamics of cytoskeletal structures in living, motile cells

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100140889 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 902-903

Author(s):

J. R. Kuhn ◽

M. Poenie

Keyword(s):

Mitotic Spindle ◽

Actin Filaments ◽

Cell Shape ◽

Dynamic Structure ◽

Living Cells ◽

Cytoskeletal Proteins ◽

Polarization Microscopy ◽

Video Enhancement ◽

Ultrastructural Studies ◽

Motile Cells

Cell shape and movement are controlled by elements of the cytoskeleton including actin filaments an microtubules. Unfortunately, it is difficult to visualize the cytoskeleton in living cells and hence follow it dynamics. Immunofluorescence and ultrastructural studies of fixed cells while providing clear images of the cytoskeleton, give only a static picture of this dynamic structure. Microinjection of fluorescently Is beled cytoskeletal proteins has proved useful as a way to follow some cytoskeletal events, but long terry studies are generally limited by the bleaching of fluorophores and presence of unassembled monomers.Polarization microscopy has the potential for visualizing the cytoskeleton. Although at present, it ha mainly been used for visualizing the mitotic spindle. Polarization microscopy is attractive in that it pro vides a way to selectively image structures such as cytoskeletal filaments that are birefringent. By combing ing standard polarization microscopy with video enhancement techniques it has been possible to image single filaments. In this case, however, filament intensity depends on the orientation of the polarizer and analyzer with respect to the specimen.

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Ciliary coordination in newt lung cells requires microtubule-based linkages between basal bodies: A correlative light and EM study

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100123258 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 570-571

Author(s):

Robert Hard ◽

Gerald Rupp ◽

Matthew L. Withiam-Leitch ◽

Lisa Cardamone

Keyword(s):

Basal Body ◽

Untreated Control ◽

Beat Frequency ◽

Primary Cultures ◽

Living Cells ◽

Power Stroke ◽

Ultrastructural Changes ◽

Lung Cells ◽

Basal Bodies ◽

Ciliated Cells

In a coordinated field of beating cilia, the direction of the power stroke is correlated with the orientation of basal body appendages, called basal feet. In newt lung ciliated cells, adjacent basal feet are interconnected by cold-stable microtubules (basal MTs). In the present study, we investigate the hypothesis that these basal MTs stabilize ciliary distribution and alignment. To accomplish this, newt lung primary cultures were treated with the microtubule disrupting agent, Colcemid. In newt lung cultures, cilia normally disperse in a characteristic fashion as the mucociliary epithelium migrates from the tissue explant. Four arbitrary, but progressive stages of dispersion were defined and used to monitor this redistribution process. Ciliaiy beat frequency, coordination, and dispersion were assessed for 91 hrs in untreated (control) and treated cultures. When compared to controls, cilia dispersed more rapidly and ciliary coordination decreased markedly in cultures treated with Colcemid (2 mM). Correlative LM/EM was used to assess whether these effects of Colcemid were coupled to ultrastructural changes. Living cells were defined as having coordinated or uncoordinated cilia and then were processed for transmission EM.

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Microtubule Dynamics and Organelle Transport in Reticulomyxa

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100158510 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 194-195

Author(s):

Yih-Tai Chen ◽

Ursula Euteneuer ◽

Ken B. Johnson ◽

Michael P. Koonce ◽

Manfred Schliwa

Keyword(s):

Plasma Membrane ◽

Light Microscopy ◽

Cytoplasmic Dynein ◽

Living Cells ◽

Microtubule Dynamics ◽

Model Systems ◽

Organelle Transport ◽

Biochemical Characteristics ◽

Dependent Transport

The application of video techniques to light microscopy and the development of motility assays in reactivated or reconstituted model systems rapidly advanced our understanding of the mechanism of organelle transport and microtubule dynamics in living cells. Two microtubule-based motors have been identified that are good candidates for motors that drive organelle transport: kinesin, a plus end-directed motor, and cytoplasmic dynein, which is minus end-directed. However, the evidence that they do in fact function as organelle motors is still indirect.We are studying microtubule-dependent transport and dynamics in the giant amoeba, Reticulomyxa. This cell extends filamentous strands backed by an extensive array of microtubules along which organelles move bidirectionally at up to 20 μm/sec (Fig. 1). Following removal of the plasma membrane with a mild detergent, organelle transport can be reactivated by the addition of ATP (1). The physiological, pharmacological and biochemical characteristics show the motor to be a cytoplasmic form of dynein (2).

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