SMIM1, carrier of the Vel blood group, is a tail-anchored transmembrane protein and readily forms homodimers in a cell-free system

Abstract Antibodies to the Vel blood group antigen can cause adverse hemolytic reactions unless Vel-negative blood units are transfused. Since the genetic background of Vel-negativity was discovered in 2013, DNA-based typing of the 17-bp deletion causing the phenotype has facilitated identification of Vel-negative blood donors. SMIM1, the gene underlying Vel, encodes a 78-amino acid erythroid transmembrane protein of unknown function. The transmembrane orientation of SMIM1 has been debated since experimental data supported both the N- and C-termini being extracellular. Likewise, computational predictions of its orientation were divided and potential alternatives such as monotopic or dual-topology have been discussed but not investigated. We used a cell-free system to explore the topology of SMIM1 when synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). SMIM1 was tagged with an opsin-derived N-glycosylation reporter at either the N- or C-terminus and synthesized in vitro using rabbit reticulocyte lysate supplemented with canine pancreatic microsomes as a source of ER membrane. SMIM1 topology was then determined by assessing the N-glycosylation of its N- or C-terminal tags. Complementary experiments were carried out by expressing the same SMIM1 variants in HEK293T/17 cells and establishing their membrane orientation by immunoblotting and flow cytometry. Our data consistently indicate that SMIM1 has its short C-terminus located extracellularly and that it most likely belongs to the tail-anchored class of membrane proteins with the bulk of the polypeptide located in the cytoplasm. Having established its membrane orientation in an independent model system, future work can now focus on functional aspects of SMIM1 as a potential regulator of erythropoiesis.

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Posttranslational incorporation of contractile proteins into myofibrils in a cell-free system.

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.107.2.587 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 107 (2) ◽

pp. 587-596 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

M Bouché ◽

S M Goldfine ◽

D A Fischman

Keyword(s):

In Vitro Translation ◽

Homologous Proteins ◽

Free System ◽

Cell Free System ◽

Reticulocyte Lysate ◽

Thin Filament Proteins ◽

A Cell ◽

The Many ◽

Kinetic Equilibrium

The incorporation of newly synthesized protein into myofibrils has been examined in a cell-free system. Myofibrils were added to a reticulocyte lysate after the in vitro translation of muscle-specific poly(A)+RNA. Only a small number of the many synthesized proteins were found to associate with the exogenously added myofibrils. These proteins were all identified as sarcomeric components and had subunit mobilities (Mr) of 200, 140, 95, 86, 43, 38, 35, 25, 23, 20, and 18 kD. The association was rapid (t1/2 less than 15 min) and, for most of the proteins, relatively temperature insensitive. Except for a 43-kD polypeptide, tentatively identified as beta-actin, none of the proteins encoded by brain poly(A)+RNA associated with the myofibrils. When filaments made from purified myosin or actin were used as the "capture" substrates, only thick or thin filament proteins, respectively, were incorporated. Incorporation was substantially reduced when cross-linked myosin filaments were used. These results are compatible with a model in which proteins of the sarcomere are in kinetic equilibrium with homologous proteins in a soluble pool.

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Reconstitution of the folding pathway of collagen in a cell-free system: formation of correctly aligned and hydroxylated triple helices

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj2960511 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 296 (2) ◽

pp. 511-517 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

R B Middleton ◽

N J Bulleid

Keyword(s):

Post Translational Modification ◽

Type X Collagen ◽

Free System ◽

Cell Free System ◽

Native Collagen ◽

Reticulocyte Lysate ◽

A Cell ◽

Band Characteristic

We describe here a cell-free system which will carry out the initial stages in the synthesis, post-translational modification and assembly of type-X collagen. The mRNA coding for bovine type-X collagen was synthesized in vitro and translated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate to yield a protein that was collagenase sensitive and could be immunoprecipitated with antibodies raised to purified avian type-X collagen. When type-X collagen was synthesized in the absence of added microsomes or in the presence of canine pancreas microsomes, the translation products showed partial resistance to digestion with pepsin but were completely degraded with a mixture of chymotrypsin and trypsin, suggesting that only incorrectly aligned non-native collagen molecules were synthesized under these conditions. When the protein was synthesized in the presence of microsomes derived from avian fibroblasts or a human fibrosarcoma cell line, the translocated product migrated as a diffuse band characteristic of hydroxylated collagen. The synthesized polypeptides were also resistant to both pepsin and trypsin/chymotrypsin digestion, demonstrating the formation of correctly aligned native collagen. Furthermore, the collagen polypeptides assembled into higher-order structures, possibly trimers, which were stabilized by interchain disulphide bonds. The collagen helix synthesized in vitro had a melting temperature of 41 degrees C which is comparable with the protein synthesized in vivo, further demonstrating that the polypeptides were hydroxylated and that the triple helix formed was correctly aligned.

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A somatic cell-derived system for studying both early and late mitotic events in vitro

Journal of Cell Science ◽

10.1242/jcs.94.3.449 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 94 (3) ◽

pp. 449-462

Author(s):

J. Nakagawa ◽

G.T. Kitten ◽

E.A. Nigg

Keyword(s):

Chromatin Condensation ◽

Nuclear Lamina ◽

Free System ◽

Cell Free System ◽

Protein Substrates ◽

Nuclear Envelope Breakdown ◽

Biochemical Fractionation ◽

A Cell

We describe a cell-free system for studying mitotic reorganization of nuclear structure. The system utilizes soluble extracts prepared from metaphase-arrested somatic chicken cells and supports both the disassembly and subsequent partial reassembly of exogenous nuclei. By fluorescence microscopy, biochemical fractionation, protein phosphorylation assays and electron microscopy, we show that chicken embryonic nuclei incubated in extracts prepared from metaphase-arrested chicken hepatoma cells undergo nuclear envelope breakdown, lamina depolymerization and chromatin condensation. These prophase-like events are strictly dependent on ATP and do not occur when nuclei are incubated in interphase extracts. Compared to interphase extracts, metaphase extracts show increased kinase activities toward a number of nuclear protein substrates, including lamins and histone H1; moreover, they specifically contain four soluble phosphoproteins of Mr 38,000, 75,000, 95,000 and 165,000. Following disassembly of exogenous nuclei in metaphase extracts, telophase-like reassembly of a nuclear lamina and re-formation of nuclear membranes around condensed chromatin can be induced by depletion of ATP from the extract. We anticipate that this reversible cell-free system will contribute to the identification and characterization of factors involved in regulatory and mechanistic aspects of mitosis.

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Transcription of adenovirus type 2 genes in a cell-free system: apparent heterogeneity of initiation at some promoters

Molecular and Cellular Biology ◽

10.1128/mcb.1.7.635-651.1981 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 1 (7) ◽

pp. 635-651

Author(s):

D C Lee ◽

R G Roeder

Keyword(s):

Adenovirus Type ◽

Free System ◽

Ribonucleic Acids ◽

Cell Free System ◽

Cell Extracts ◽

A Cell ◽

Adenovirus Type 2

We examined the transcription of a variety of adenovirus type 2 genes in a cell-free system containing purified ribonucleic acid polymerase II and a crude extract from cultured human cells. The early EIA, EIB, EIII, and EIV genes and the intermediate polypeptide IX gene, all of which contain a recognizable TATAA sequence upstream from the cap site, were actively transcribed in vitro, albeit with apparently different efficiencies, whereas the early EII (map position 74.9) and IVa2 genes, both of which lack a TATAA sequence, were not actively transcribed. A reverse transcriptase-primer extension analysis showed that the 5' ends of the in vitro transcripts were identical to those of the corresponding in vivo ribonucleic acids and that, in those instances where initiation was heterogeneous in vivo, a similar kind of heterogeneity was observed in the cell-free system. Transcription of the polypeptide IX gene indicated that this transcript was not terminated at, or processed to, the polyadenylic acid addition site in vitro. We also failed to observe, using the in vitro system, any indication of transcriptional regulation based on the use of adenovirus type 2-infected cell extracts.

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Enhancement by Activated Protein C of tPA-induced Lysis in a Cell-free System

10.1055/s-0038-1644379 ◽

1987 ◽

Author(s):

J C Fredenburgh ◽

D Collen ◽

M E Nesheim

Keyword(s):

Protein C ◽

Activated Protein C ◽

Protein S ◽

Plasminogen Activation ◽

Free System ◽

Cell Free System ◽

Normal Plasma ◽

Lysis Time ◽

A Cell

The profibrinolytic activity of human activated protein C (APC) was studied in a cell-free system using human plasma. Normal and Ba+* citrate adsorbed human plasmas were dialyzed against 150mM NaCl, 20mM Hepes, pH 7.4 and diluted to an A280 of 16. Reactions were initiated by the addition of aliquots of plasma to cuvettes containing human melanoma tPA and human thrombin at final concentrations of 1 and 30nM, respectively. The effects of Ca+* and varying concentrations of APC on clotlysis times were examined by monitoring turbidity at 600nM while maintaining the temperature at 37°C. The lysis time, defined as the midpoint of turbidity change, was 128 min for normal plasma containing 10 mM Ca+* and showed progressive and saturable shortening to about 90 min at > 50nM APC. In the absence of Ca+*, lysis time was 55 min for normal plasma and did not shorten in response to APC. With Ba+* citrate adsorbed plasma, the lysis time was 82 min in the presence of 10mM Ca+*, and shortened to 42 min without Ca+*. APC had no effect on lysis time in Ba+* adsorbed plasma either with or without Ca+*. Both bovine and human APC were equally potent. Electrophoresis in DodSO4 and autoradiography of plasma samples containing 125I-labelled plasminogen indicated enhanced rates of plasminogen activation in the presence of APC. These data indicate that APC decreases lysis time in vitro at the level of plasminogen activation. This effect is dependent on Ca+* and may involve additional vitamin K-dependent protein ( s).

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Ligand-dependent and -independent activation of the transcription factor γRF-1 in a cell-free system

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj3100461 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 310 (2) ◽

pp. 461-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

C A Feghali ◽

T M Wright

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Tyrosine Phosphatase ◽

Cell Fractionation ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Sodium Orthovanadate ◽

Ifn Gamma ◽

Free System ◽

Cell Free System ◽

A Cell

gamma RF-1 is a recently identified transcription factor induced by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) which binds to a unique palindromic enhancer, gamma RE-1, in the promoter of the mig gene. This paper describes the ligand-dependent and ligand-independent activation of gamma RF-1 in a cell-free system. gamma RF-1 activity was induced by IFN-gamma in a time-dependent manner from 5 to 60 min in lysates prepared from the human monocytic leukaemia line THP-1 and the human epidermoid carcinoma line A431. The activation of gamma RF-1 in vitro required both ATP and an inhibitor of tyrosine phosphatases (sodium orthovanadate or pervanadate). In the presence of limiting concentrations (micromolar) of ATP, activation was also dependent upon stimulation with IFN-gamma, whereas at millimolar concentrations of ATP, gamma RF-1 was activated by either sodium orthovanadate or pervanadate in the absence of ligand. Based on cell fractionation studies, both membrane and cytosol components were essential for activation of gamma RF-1 in vitro. Consistent with a role for one or more tyrosine kinases in the activation of gamma RF-1, its DNA binding activity was blocked by monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies and by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein, lavendustin A and herbimycin A. A comparison with recently described pathways of IFN-mediated transcription factor regulation indicates that the in vitro activation of gamma RF-1 is unique, requiring both membrane and cytosol fractions and inhibition of endogenous tyrosine phosphatase activity.

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Yeast cell-free system that catalyses joint-molecule formation in a Rad51p- and Rad52p-dependent fashion

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj3470363 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 347 (2) ◽

pp. 363-368 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vijayalakshmi NAGARAJ ◽

David NORRIS

Keyword(s):

Homologous Recombination ◽

Specific Activity ◽

Yeast Cells ◽

Active Components ◽

Free System ◽

Cell Free System ◽

Molecule Formation ◽

A Cell

One of the central reactions of homologous recombination is the invasion of a single strand of DNA into a homologous duplex to form a joint molecule. Here we describe the isolation of a cell-free system from meiotic yeast cells that catalyses joint-molecule formation in vitro. The active components in the system required ATP and homologous DNA and operated in both 0.5 and 13 mM MgCl2. When the cell-free system was prepared from rad51/rad51 and rad52/rad52 mutants and joint-molecule formation was assayed at 0.5 mM MgCl2, the specific activity decreased to 6% and 13.8% respectively of the wild-type level. However, when the same mutant extracts were premixed, joint-molecule formation increased 4-8-fold, i.e. the mutant extracts exhibited complementation in vitro. These results demonstrated that Rad51p and Rad52p were required for optimal joint-molecule formation at 0.5 mM MgCl2. Intriguingly, however, Rad51p and Rad52p seemed to be more dispensable at higher concentrations of MgCl2 (13 mM). Further purification of the responsible activity has proven problematical, but it did flow through a sizing column as a single peak (molecular mass 1.2 MDa) that was co-eluted with Rad51p and RFA, the eukaryotic single-stranded DNA-binding protein. All of these characteristics are consistent with the known properties of the reaction in vivo and suggest that the new cell-free system will be suitable for purifying enzymes involved in homologous recombination.

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