scholarly journals Compartmentalized cyanophycin metabolism in the diazotrophic filaments of a heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (10) ◽  
pp. 3823-3828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireia Burnat ◽  
Antonia Herrero ◽  
Enrique Flores
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Oxygenic Photosynthesis ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Protein Fusion ◽  
Vegetative Cells ◽  
Polar Granules ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Multicellular Organisms ◽  
Cyanophycin Synthetase

Heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria are multicellular organisms in which growth requires the activity of two metabolically interdependent cell types, the vegetative cells that perform oxygenic photosynthesis and the dinitrogen-fixing heterocysts. Vegetative cells provide the heterocysts with reduced carbon, and heterocysts provide the vegetative cells with fixed nitrogen. Heterocysts conspicuously accumulate polar granules made of cyanophycin [multi-L-arginyl-poly (L-aspartic acid)], which is synthesized by cyanophycin synthetase and degraded by the concerted action of cyanophycinase (that releases β-aspartyl-arginine) and isoaspartyl dipeptidase (that produces aspartate and arginine). Cyanophycin synthetase and cyanophycinase are present at high levels in the heterocysts. Here we created a deletion mutant of geneall3922encoding isoaspartyl dipeptidase in the model heterocyst-forming cyanobacteriumAnabaenasp. strain PCC 7120. The mutant accumulated cyanophycin and β-aspartyl-arginine, and was impaired specifically in diazotrophic growth. Analysis of anAnabaenastrain bearing an All3922-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion and determination of the enzyme activity in specific cell types showed that isoaspartyl dipeptidase is present at significantly lower levels in heterocysts than in vegetative cells. Consistently, isolated heterocysts released substantial amounts of β-aspartyl-arginine. These observations imply that β-aspartyl-arginine produced from cyanophycin in the heterocysts is transferred intercellularly to be hydrolyzed, producing aspartate and arginine in the vegetative cells. Our results showing compartmentalized metabolism of cyanophycin identify the nitrogen-rich molecule β-aspartyl-arginine as a nitrogen vehicle in the unique multicellular system represented by the heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria.

scholarly journals Molecular cloning and subcellular distribution of the novel PDE4B4 cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase isoform

2003 ◽  
Vol 370 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm SHEPHERD ◽  
Theresa McSORLEY ◽  
Aileen E. OLSEN ◽  
Lee Ann JOHNSTON ◽  
Neil C. THOMSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Distribution ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Subcellular Fractionation ◽  
Pde4 Inhibitor ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Rnase Protection ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Camp Levels

We have isolated cDNAs encoding PDE4B4, a new cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE4) isoform with novel properties. The amino acid sequence of PDE4B4 demonstrates that it is encoded by the PDE4B gene, but that it differs from the previously isolated PDE4B1, PDE4B2 and PDE4B3 isoforms by the presence of a novel N-terminal region of 17 amino acids. PDE4B4 contains both of the upstream conserved region 1 (UCR1) and UCR2 regulatory units that are characteristic of ‘long’ PDE4 isoforms. RNase protection demonstrated that PDE4B4 mRNA is expressed preferentially in liver, skeletal muscle and various regions of the brain, which differs from the pattern of tissue distribution of the other known PDE4B long forms, PDE4B1 and PDE4B3. Expression of PDE4B4 cDNA in COS7 cells produced a protein of 85kDa under denaturing conditions. Subcellular fractionation of recombinant, COS7-cell expressed PDE4B4 showed that the protein was localized within the cytosol, which was confirmed by confocal microscopic analysis of living COS7 cells transfected with a green fluorescent protein—PDE4B4 chimaera. PDE4B4 exhibited a Km for cAMP of 5.4μM and a Vmax, relative to that of the long PDE4B1 isoform, of 2.1. PDE4B4 was inhibited by the prototypical PDE4 inhibitor rolipram {4-[3-(cyclopentoxyl)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-pyrrolidinone} with an IC50 of 83nM. Treatment of COS7 cells with forskolin, to elevate cAMP levels, produced activation of PDE4B4, which was associated with the phosphorylation of PDE4B4 on Ser-56 within UCR1. The unique tissue distribution and intracellular targeting of PDE4B4 suggests that this isoform may have a distinct functional role in regulating cAMP levels in specific cell types.

Immuno-EM Localization of GFP-tagged Yolk Proteins in C. Elegans Using Microwave Fixation

2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 949-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Christine Paupard ◽  
Agnes Miller ◽  
Barth Grant ◽  
David Hirsh ◽  
David H. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Green Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Protein Fusion ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
High Resolution Analysis ◽  
Resolution Analysis ◽  
Microwave Fixation ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Transgenic Strains

Because of the presence of a low-permeability cuticle covering the animal, fixation of C. elegans tissue for immunoelectron microscopy has proved very difficult. Here we applied a microwave fixation protocol to improve penetration of fixatives before postembedding immunogold labeling. Using this technique, we were able to successfully localize several components of yolk (YP170) trafficking in both wild-type and transgenic strains expressing a vitellogenin::green fluorescent protein fusion (YP170::GFP). Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants are commonly used as markers to localize proteins in transgenic C. elegans using fluorescence microscopy. We have developed a robust method to localize GFP at the EM level. This procedure is applicable to the characterization of transgenic strains in which GFP is used to mark particular proteins or cell types and will undoubtedly be very useful for high-resolution analysis of marked structures. (J Histochem Cytochem 49:949–956, 2001)

scholarly journals Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting Using the D-Root Device and Optimization for Scarce and/or Non-Accessible Root Cell Populations

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Paz González-García ◽  
Estéfano Bustillo-Avendaño ◽  
Alvaro Sanchez-Corrionero ◽  
Juan C. del Pozo ◽  
Miguel A. Moreno-Risueno
Keyword(s):  
Cell Sorting ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Populations ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting ◽  
Stressful Environment ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Green Fluorescent

Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is a technique used to isolate specific cell populations based on characteristics detected by flow cytometry. FACS has been broadly used in transcriptomic analyses of individual cell types during development or under different environmental conditions. Different protoplast extraction protocols are available for plant roots; however, they were designed for accessible cell populations, which normally were grown in the presence of light, a non-natural and stressful environment for roots. Here, we report a protocol using FACS to isolate root protoplasts from Arabidopsis green fluorescent protein (GFP)-marked lines using the minimum number of enzymes necessary for an optimal yield, and with the root system grown in darkness in the D-Root device. This device mimics natural conditions as the shoot grows in the presence of light while the roots grow in darkness. In addition, we optimized this protocol for specific patterns of scarce cell types inside more differentiated tissues using the mCherry fluorescent protein. We provide detailed experimental protocols for effective protoplasting, subsequent purification through FACS, and RNA extraction. Using this RNA, we generated cDNA and sequencing libraries, proving that our methods can be used for genome-wide transcriptomic analyses of any cell-type from roots grown in darkness.

scholarly journals In vivotissue-specific chromatin profiling inDrosophila melanogasterusing GFP-tagged nuclei

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Jauregui-Lozano ◽  
Kimaya Bakhle ◽  
Vikki M. Weake
Keyword(s):  
Cell Types ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Chromatin State ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Histone Marks ◽  
The Many ◽  
Chromatin Profiling ◽  
Photoreceptor Neurons ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

AbstractThe chromatin landscape defines cellular identity in multicellular organisms with unique patterns of DNA accessibility and histone marks decorating the genome of each cell type. Thus, profiling the chromatin state of different cell types in an intact organism under disease or physiological conditions can provide insight into how chromatin regulates cell homeostasisin vivo. To overcome the many challenges associated with characterizing chromatin state in specific cell types, we developed an improved approach to isolateDrosophilanuclei tagged with GFP expressed under Gal4/UAS control. Using this protocol, we profiled chromatin accessibility using Omni-ATAC, and examined the distribution of histone marks using ChIP-seq and CUT&Tag in adult photoreceptor neurons. We show that the chromatin landscape of photoreceptors reflects the transcriptional state of these cells, demonstrating the quality and reproducibility of our approach for profiling the transcriptome and epigenome of specific cell types inDrosophila.

scholarly journals Inactivation of a Heterocyst-Specific Invertase Indicates a Principal Role of Sucrose Catabolism in Heterocysts of Anabaena sp.

2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (20) ◽  
pp. 5526-5533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocío López-Igual ◽  
Enrique Flores ◽  
Antonia Herrero
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Northern Analysis ◽  
Filamentous Cyanobacterium ◽  
Nitrogen Deprivation ◽  
Vegetative Cells ◽  
Anabaena Sp ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Pcc 7120 ◽  
Diazotrophic Growth

ABSTRACT Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 is a filamentous cyanobacterium that carries out N2 fixation in specialized cells called heterocysts, which exchange nutrients and regulators with the filament's vegetative cells that perform the photosynthetic fixation of CO2. The Anabaena genome carries two genes coding for alkaline/neutral invertases, invA and invB. As shown by Northern analysis, both genes were expressed monocistronically and induced under nitrogen deprivation, although induction was stronger for invB than for invA. Whereas expression of an InvA-N-GFP fusion (green fluorescent protein [GFP] fused to the N terminus of the InvA protein [InvA-N]) was homogeneous along the cyanobacterial filament, consistent with the lack of dependence on HetR, expression of an InvB-N-GFP fusion upon combined nitrogen deprivation took place mainly in differentiating and mature heterocysts. In an hetR genetic background, the InvB-N-GFP fusion was strongly expressed all along the filament. An insertional mutant of invA could grow diazotrophically but was impaired in nifHDK induction and exhibited an increased frequency of heterocysts, suggesting a regulatory role of the invertase-mediated carbon flux in vegetative cells. In contrast, an invB mutant was strongly impaired in diazotrophic growth, showing a crucial role of sucrose catabolism mediated by the InvB invertase in the heterocysts.

A novel linker histone-like protein is associated with cytoplasmic filaments inCaenorhabditis elegans

2002 ◽  
Vol 115 (14) ◽  
pp. 2881-2891
Author(s):  
Monika A. Jedrusik ◽  
Stefan Vogt ◽  
Peter Claus ◽  
Ekkehard Schulze
Keyword(s):  
Rna Interference ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Muscle Growth ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Globular Domain ◽  
Protein Fusion ◽  
Linker Histones ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Fusion Protein Expression ◽  
Green Fluorescent

The histone H1 complement of Caenorhabditis elegans contains a single unusual protein, H1.X. Although H1.X possesses the globular domain and the canonical three-domain structure of linker histones, the amino acid composition of H1.X is distinctly different from conventional linker histones in both terminal domains. We have characterized H1.X in C. elegans by antibody labeling, green fluorescent protein fusion protein expression and RNA interference. Unlike normal linker histones, H1.X is a cytoplasmic as well as a nuclear protein and is not associated with chromosomes. H1.X is most prominently expressed in the marginal cells of the pharynx and is associated with a peculiar cytoplasmic cytoskeletal structure therein, the tonofilaments. Additionally H1.X::GFP is expressed in the cytoplasm of body and vulva muscle cells, neurons, excretory cells and in the nucleoli of embryonic blastomeres and adult gut cells. RNA interference with H1.X results in uncoordinated and egg laying defective animals, as well as in a longitudinally enlarged pharynx. These phenotypes indicate a cytoplasmic role of H1.X in muscle growth and muscle function.

scholarly journals Functional Characterization of a Drought-Responsive Invertase Inhibitor from Maize (Zea mays L.)

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 4081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Chen ◽  
Xiaohong Liu ◽  
Xiaojia Huang ◽  
Wei Luo ◽  
Yuming Long ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Protein Fusion ◽  
Drought Treatment ◽  
Vacuolar Invertase ◽  
Maize Leaves ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Proteinaceous Inhibitor

Invertases (INVs) play essential roles in plant growth in response to environmental cues. Previous work showed that plant invertases can be post-translationally regulated by small protein inhibitors (INVINHs). Here, this study characterizes a proteinaceous inhibitor of INVs in maize (Zm-INVINH4). A functional analysis of the recombinant Zm-INVINH4 protein revealed that it inhibited both cell wall and vacuolar invertase activities from maize leaves. A Zm-INVINH4::green fluorescent protein fusion experiment indicated that this protein localized in the apoplast. Transcript analysis showed that Zm-INVINH4 is specifically expressed in maize sink tissues, such as the base part of the leaves and young kernels. Moreover, drought stress perturbation significantly induced Zm-INVINH4 expression, which was accompanied with a decrease of cell wall invertase (CWI) activities and an increase of sucrose accumulation in both base parts of the leaves 2 to 7 days after pollinated kernels. In summary, the results support the hypothesis that INV-related sink growth in response to drought treatment is (partially) caused by a silencing of INV activity via drought-induced induction of Zm-INVINH4 protein.

scholarly journals Myofibroblast Development Is Characterized by Specific Cell-Cell Adherens Junctions

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 4310-4320 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Hinz ◽  
P. Pittet ◽  
J. Smith-Clerc ◽  
C. Chaponnier ◽  
J.-J. Meister
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Contractile Activity ◽  
Adherens Junctions ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Flow Chamber ◽  
Dermal Fibroblasts ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Collagen Gels ◽  
Green Fluorescent

Myofibroblasts of wound granulation tissue, in contrast to dermal fibroblasts, join stress fibers at sites of cadherin-type intercellular adherens junctions (AJs). However, the function of myofibroblast AJs, their molecular composition, and the mechanisms of their formation are largely unknown. We demonstrate that fibroblasts change cadherin expression from N-cadherin in early wounds to OB-cadherin in contractile wounds, populated with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-positive myofibroblasts. A similar shift occurs during myofibroblast differentiation in culture and seems to be responsible for the homotypic segregation of α-SMA-positive and -negative fibroblasts in suspension. AJs of plated myofibroblasts are reinforced by α-SMA–mediated contractile activity, resulting in high mechanical resistance as demonstrated by subjecting cell pairs to hydrodynamic forces in a flow chamber. A peptide that inhibits α-SMA–mediated contractile force causes the reorganization of large stripe-like AJs to belt-like contacts as shown for enhanced green fluorescent protein-α–catenin-transfected cells and is associated with a reduced mechanical resistance. Anti-OB-cadherin but not anti-N-cadherin peptides reduce the contraction of myofibroblast-populated collagen gels, suggesting that AJs are instrumental for myofibroblast contractile activity.

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