scholarly journals Identification and molecular characterization of E-MAP-115, a novel microtubule-associated protein predominantly expressed in epithelial cells.

1993 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Masson ◽  
T E Kreis

A novel microtubule-associated protein (MAP) of M(r) 115,000 has been identified by screening of a HeLa cell cDNA expression library with an anti-serum raised against microtubule-binding proteins from HeLa cells. Monoclonal and affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies were generated for the further characterization of this MAP. It is different from the microtubule-binding proteins of similar molecular weights, characterized so far, by its nucleotide-insensitive binding to microtubules and different sedimentation behavior. Since it is predominantly expressed in cells of epithelial origin (Caco-2, HeLa, MDCK), and rare (human skin, A72) or not detectable (Vero) in fibroblastic cells, we name it E-MAP-115 (epithelial MAP of 115 kD). In HeLa cells, E-MAP-115 is preferentially associated with subdomains or subsets of perinuclear microtubules. In Caco-2 cells, labeling for E-MAP-115 increases when they polarize and form blisters. The molecular characterization of E-MAP-115 reveals that it is a novel protein with no significant homologies to other known proteins. The secondary structure predicted from its sequence indicates two domains connected by a putative hinge region rich in proline and alanine (PAPA region). E-MAP-115 has two highly charged regions with predicted alpha-helical structure, one basic with a pI of 10.9 in the NH2-terminal domain and one neutral with a pI of 7.6 immediately following the PAPA region in the acidic COOH-terminal half of the molecule. A novel microtubule-binding site has been localized to the basic alpha-helical region in the NH2-terminal domain using in vitro microtubule-binding assays and expression of mutant polypeptides in vivo. Overexpression of this domain of E-MAP-115 by transfection of fibroblasts lacking significant levels of this protein with its cDNA renders microtubules stable to nocodazole. We conclude that E-MAP-115 is a microtubule-stabilizing protein that may play an important role during reorganization of microtubules during polarization and differentiation of epithelial cells.

1990 ◽  
Vol 110 (5) ◽  
pp. 1623-1633 ◽  
Author(s):  
J E Rickard ◽  
T E Kreis

A protein of Mr 170,000 (170K protein) has been identified in HeLa cells, using an antiserum raised against HeLa nucleotide-sensitive microtubule-binding proteins. Affinity-purified antibodies specific for this 170K polypeptide were used for its characterization. In vitro sedimentation of the 170K protein with taxol microtubules polymerized from HeLa high-speed supernatant is enhanced in the presence of an ATP depleting system, but unaffected by the non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue AMP-PNP. In addition, it can be eluted from taxol microtubules by ATP or GTP, as well as NaCl. Thus it shows microtubule-binding characteristics distinct from those of the previously described classes of nucleotide-sensitive microtubule-binding proteins, the motor proteins kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein, homologues of which are also present in HeLa cells. The 170K protein sediments on sucrose gradients at approximately 6S, separate from kinesin (9.5S) and cytoplasmic dynein (20S), further indicating that it is not associated with these motor proteins. Immunofluorescence localization of the 170K protein shows a patchy distribution in interphase HeLa cells, often organized into linear arrays that correlate with microtubules. However, not all microtubules are labeled, and there is a significant accumulation of antigen at the peripheral ends of microtubules. In mitotic cells, 170K labeling is found in the spindle, but there is also dotty labeling in the cytoplasm. After depolymerization of microtubules by nocodazole, the staining pattern is also patchy but not organized in linear arrays, suggesting that the protein may be able to associate with other intracellular structures as well as microtubules. In vinblastine-treated cells, there is strong labeling of tubulin paracrystals, and random microtubules induced in vivo by taxol are also labeled by the antibodies. These immunofluorescence labeling patterns are stable to extraction of cells with Triton X-100 before fixation, further suggesting an association of the protein with cytoplasmic structures. In vivo, therefore, the 170K protein appears to be associated with a subset of microtubules at discrete sites. Its in vitro behavior suggests that it belongs to a novel class of nucleotide-sensitive microtubule-binding proteins.


2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sun ◽  
C.L. Leung ◽  
R.K. Liem

MACF (microtubule actin cross-linking factor) is a large, 608-kDa protein that can associate with both actin microfilaments and microtubules (MTs). Structurally, MACF can be divided into 3 domains: an N-terminal domain that contains both a calponin type actin-binding domain and a plakin domain; a rod domain that is composed of 23 dystrophin-like spectrin repeats; and a C-terminal domain that includes two EF-hand calcium-binding motifs, as well as a region that is homologous to two related proteins, GAR22 and Gas2. We have previously demonstrated that the C-terminal domain of MACF binds to MTs, although no homology was observed between this domain and other known microtubule-binding proteins. In this report, we describe the characterization of this microtubule-binding domain of MACF by transient transfection studies and in vitro binding assays. We found that the C-terminus of MACF contains at least two microtubule-binding regions, a GAR domain and a domain containing glycine-serine-arginine (GSR) repeats. In transfected cells, the GAR domain bound to and partially stabilized MTs to depolymerization by nocodazole. The GSR-containing domain caused MTs to form bundles that are still sensitive to nocodazole-induced depolymerization. When present together, these two domains acted in concert to bundle MTs and render them stable to nocodazole treatment. Recently, a study has shown that the N-terminal half of the plakin domain (called the M1 domain) of MACF also binds MTs. We therefore examined the microtubule binding ability of the M1 domain in the context of the entire plakin domain with and without the remaining N-terminal regions of two different MACF isoforms. Interestingly, in the presence of the surrounding sequences, the M1 domain did not bind MTs. In addition to MACF, cDNA sequences encoding the GAR and GSR-containing domains are also found in the partial human EST clone KIAA0728, which has high sequence homology to the 3′ end of the MACF cDNA; hence, we refer to it as MACF2. The C-terminal domain of mouse MACF2 was cloned and characterized. The microtubule-binding properties of MACF2 C-terminal domain are similar to that of MACF. The GAR domain was originally found in Gas 2 protein and here we show that it can associate with MTs in transfected cells. Plectin and desmoplakin have GSR-containing domains at their C-termini and we further demonstrate that the GSR-containing domain of plectin, but not desmoplakin, can bind to MTs in vivo.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weili Cai ◽  
Schyler Nunziata ◽  
John Rascoe ◽  
Michael J. Stulberg

AbstractHuanglongbing (HLB) is a worldwide deadly citrus disease caused by the phloem-limited bacteria ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas) vectored by Asian citrus psyllids. In order to effectively manage this disease, it is crucial to understand the relationship among the bacterial isolates from different geographical locations. Whole genome sequencing approaches will provide more precise molecular characterization of the diversity among populations. Due to the lack of in vitro culture, obtaining the whole genome sequence of CLas is still a challenge, especially for medium to low titer samples. Hundreds of millions of sequencing reads are needed to get good coverage of CLas from an HLB positive citrus sample. In order to overcome this limitation, we present here a new method, Agilent SureSelect XT HS target enrichment, which can specifically enrich CLas from a metagenomic sample while greatly reducing cost and increasing whole genome coverage of the pathogen. In this study, the CLas genome was successfully sequenced with 99.3% genome coverage and over 72X sequencing coverage from low titer tissue samples (equivalent to 28.52 Cq using Li 16 S qPCR). More importantly, this method also effectively captures regions of diversity in the CLas genome, which provides precise molecular characterization of different strains.


Author(s):  
Dennis Zimmermann ◽  
Alisha N. Morganthaler ◽  
David R. Kovar ◽  
Cristian Suarez

1995 ◽  
Vol 270 (4) ◽  
pp. 1583-1588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky A. Speelman ◽  
Katrina Allen ◽  
Tamara L. Grounds ◽  
Marian R. Neutra ◽  
Tomas Kirchhausen ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Joshua Mallen ◽  
Manisha Kalsan ◽  
Peyman Zarrineh ◽  
Laure Bridoux ◽  
Shandar Ahmad ◽  
...  

The highly conserved HOX homeodomain (HD) transcription factors (TFs) establish the identity of different body parts along the antero–posterior axis of bilaterian animals. Segment diversification and the morphogenesis of different structures is achieved by generating precise patterns of HOX expression along the antero–posterior axis and by the ability of different HOX TFs to instruct unique and specific transcriptional programs. However, HOX binding properties in vitro, characterised by the recognition of similar AT-rich binding sequences, do not account for the ability of different HOX to instruct segment-specific transcriptional programs. To address this problem, we previously compared HOXA2 and HOXA3 binding in vivo. Here, we explore if sequence motif enrichments observed in vivo are explained by binding affinities in vitro. Unexpectedly, we found that the highest enriched motif in HOXA2 peaks was not recognised by HOXA2 in vitro, highlighting the importance of investigating HOX binding in its physiological context. We also report the ability of HOXA2 and HOXA3 to heterodimerise, which may have functional consequences for the HOX patterning function in vivo.


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