scholarly journals Barrier-to-autointegration factor

2002 ◽  
Vol 158 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Segura-Totten ◽  
Amy K. Kowalski ◽  
Robert Craigie ◽  
Katherine L. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Functional Surface ◽  
Chromatin Decondensation ◽  
Membrane Recruitment ◽  
Nuclear Assembly ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Direct Binding ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is a DNA-bridging protein, highly conserved in metazoans. BAF binds directly to LEM (LAP2, emerin, MAN1) domain nuclear membrane proteins, including LAP2 and emerin. We used site-directed mutagenesis and biochemical analysis to map functionally important residues in human BAF, including those required for direct binding to DNA or emerin. We also tested wild-type BAF and 25 point mutants for their effects on nuclear assembly in Xenopus egg extracts, which contain ∼12 μM endogenous BAF dimers. Exogenous BAF caused two distinct effects: at low added concentrations, wild-type BAF enhanced chromatin decondensation and nuclear growth; at higher added concentrations, wild-type BAF completely blocked chromatin decondensation and nuclear growth. Mutants fell into four classes, including one that defines a novel functional surface on the BAF dimer. Our results suggest that BAF, unregulated, potently compresses chromatin structure, and that BAF interactions with both DNA and LEM proteins are critical for membrane recruitment and chromatin decondensation during nuclear assembly.

The role of lamin LIII in nuclear assembly and DNA replication, in cell-free extracts of Xenopus eggs

1991 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
J. Meier ◽  
K.H. Campbell ◽  
C.C. Ford ◽  
R. Stick ◽  
C.J. Hutchison
Keyword(s):  
Dna Replication ◽  
Membrane Structures ◽  
Chromatin Decondensation ◽  
Immunoblotting Analysis ◽  
Nuclear Assembly ◽  
Contrast Microscopy ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts

Xenopus egg extracts, which support nuclear assembly and DNA replication, were functionally depleted of lamin LIII by inoculating them with monoclonal anti-lamin antibodies. Phase-contrast microscopy and electron-microscopy studies indicated that lamin-depleted extracts supported efficient chromatin decondensation, and assembly of double membrane structures and nuclear pores on demembranated sperm heads. Immunofluorescence microscopy suggests that lamin-antibody complexes are transported across the nuclear membrane but do not assemble into a lamina. These findings were confirmed by immunoblotting analysis of isolated nuclei. Metabolic labelling studies with either biotin-11-dUTP or [32P]dCTP, revealed that nuclei lacking a lamina were unable to initiate DNA replication and that, although such nuclei could import proteins required for DNA replication (e.g. PCNA), these proteins were apparently not organized into replicon clusters.

scholarly journals 2066 Functional characterization of mutant BRCA1

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (S1) ◽  
pp. 13-13
Author(s):  
John Barrows ◽  
David Long
Keyword(s):  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Coiled Coil ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Coiled Coil Region ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The objective of this work is to determine the mechanistic consequences of BRCA1 mutants in inter-strand crosslink (ICL) repair. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Our lab uses Xenopus egg extracts to study ICL repair. These extracts can be depleted of endogenous BRCA1 by immunoprecipitation. The goal of this work is to rescue endogenous depletion with in vitro translated, wild type BRCA1. Once achieved, we can supplement the depleted extract with BRCA1 mutants to access their function in ICL repair. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We hypothesize that the BRCT and RING domain mutations will abrogate ICL repair, while mutations in the coiled coil region will not affect repair. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These findings will have an immense impact on the understanding of BRCA1 domains. Importantly these results will spur personalized therapy of BRCA1 mutants by showing which domains are sensitive to cross-linking agents.

scholarly journals Xenopus Actin Depolymerizing Factor/Cofilin (XAC) Is Responsible for the Turnover of Actin Filaments in Listeria monocytogenes Tails

1997 ◽  
Vol 136 (6) ◽  
pp. 1323-1332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jody Rosenblatt ◽  
Brian J. Agnew ◽  
Hiroshi Abe ◽  
James R. Bamburg ◽  
Timothy J. Mitchison
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts ◽  
Turn Over ◽  
Assembly Rate

In contrast to the slow rate of depolymerization of pure actin in vitro, populations of actin filaments in vivo turn over rapidly. Therefore, the rate of actin depolymerization must be accelerated by one or more factors in the cell. Since the actin dynamics in Listeria monocytogenes tails bear many similarities to those in the lamellipodia of moving cells, we have used Listeria as a model system to isolate factors required for regulating the rapid actin filament turnover involved in cell migration. Using a cell-free Xenopus egg extract system to reproduce the Listeria movement seen in a cell, we depleted candidate depolymerizing proteins and analyzed the effect that their removal had on the morphology of Listeria tails. Immunodepletion of Xenopus actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin (XAC) from Xenopus egg extracts resulted in Listeria tails that were approximately five times longer than the tails from undepleted extracts. Depletion of XAC did not affect the tail assembly rate, suggesting that the increased tail length was caused by an inhibition of actin filament depolymerization. Immunodepletion of Xenopus gelsolin had no effect on either tail length or assembly rate. Addition of recombinant wild-type XAC or chick ADF protein to XAC-depleted extracts restored the tail length to that of control extracts, while addition of mutant ADF S3E that mimics the phosphorylated, inactive form of ADF did not reduce the tail length. Addition of excess wild-type XAC to Xenopus egg extracts reduced the length of Listeria tails to a limited extent. These observations show that XAC but not gelsolin is essential for depolymerizing actin filaments that rapidly turn over in Xenopus extracts. We also show that while the depolymerizing activities of XAC and Xenopus extract are effective at depolymerizing normal filaments containing ADP, they are unable to completely depolymerize actin filaments containing AMPPNP, a slowly hydrolyzible ATP analog. This observation suggests that the substrate for XAC is the ADP-bound subunit of actin and that the lifetime of a filament is controlled by its nucleotide content.

scholarly journals Ran-GTP stabilises microtubule asters and inhibits nuclear assembly in Xenopus egg extracts

1999 ◽  
Vol 112 (14) ◽  
pp. 2453-2461 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Zhang ◽  
M. Hughes ◽  
P.R. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Nucleocytoplasmic Transport ◽  
Asymmetric Distribution ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Free System ◽  
Nuclear Assembly ◽  
Microtubule Stability ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Ran Gtp ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts

Ran is an abundant GTPase of the Ras superfamily that is highly conserved in eukaryotes. In interphase cells, Ran is mainly nuclear and thought to be predominantly GTP-bound, but it is also present in the cytoplasm, probably GDP-bound. This asymmetric distribution plays an important role in directing nucleocytoplasmic transport. Ran has also been implicated in cell cycle control, including the transition from mitosis to interphase when the compartmentalisation of the nucleus is established. Here, we have examined the role of Ran in this transition using a cell-free system of Xenopus egg extracts supplemented with sperm heads that provides a model for microtubule aster formation and post-M phase nuclear assembly. Ran-GTP, added as wild-type protein, a mutant defective in GTPase activity (Q69L), or generated by addition of the specific nucleotide exchange factor RCC1, stabilises large microtubule asters nucleated at the sperm centrosome, prevents the redistribution of NuMA from the aster to the nucleus and blocks chromatin decondensation. In contrast, Ran GDP does not stabilise microtubules or inhibit nuclear assembly. RanT24N and RanBP1, which oppose the generation of Ran-GTP by RCC1, arrest nuclear growth after disappearance of the aster. Ran associates with microtubule asters in egg extracts and with mitotic spindles in somatic Xenopus cells, suggesting that it may affect microtubule stability directly. These results show that Ran has a novel function in the control of microtubule stability that is clearly distinct from nucleocytoplasmic transport. The Ran GDP/GTP switch may play a role in co-ordinating changes in the structure of microtubules and the assembly of the nucleus associated with the transition from mitosis to interphase.

scholarly journals Oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis in Xenopus egg extracts

1988 ◽  
Vol 16 (17) ◽  
pp. 8525-8539
Author(s):  
Geneviève Almouzni ◽  
Sylvie Mousseron-Grall ◽  
Marcel Méchali
Keyword(s):  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts

scholarly journals The Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex has a specific role in the activation of Chk1 in response to stalled replication forks

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1343-1353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joon Lee ◽  
William G. Dunphy
Keyword(s):  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Nuclease Activity ◽  
Replication Forks ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mrn Complex ◽  
Egg Extracts ◽  
Unknown Property ◽  
Xenopus Egg ◽  
Xenopus Egg Extracts ◽  
Stalled Replication Forks

The activation of Chk1 in response to stalled replication forks in Xenopus egg extracts involves a complex pathway containing ATM and Rad3-related (ATR), topoisomerase IIβ-binding protein 1 (TopBP1), Rad17, the Rad9-Hus1-Rad1 (9-1-1) complex, and Claspin. We have observed that egg extracts lacking the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) complex show greatly, although not completely, reduced activation of Chk1 in response to replication blockages. Depletion of both Rad17 and MRN leads to a further, essentially complete, reduction in the activation of Chk1. Thus, Rad17 and MRN act in at least a partially additive manner in promoting activation of Chk1. There was not an obvious change in the binding of RPA, ATR, Rad17, or the 9-1-1 complex to chromatin in aphidicolin (APH)-treated, MRN-depleted extracts. However, there was a substantial reduction in the binding of TopBP1. In structure–function studies of the MRN complex, we found that the Mre11 subunit is necessary for the APH-induced activation of Chk1. Moreover, a nuclease-deficient mutant of Mre11 cannot substitute for wild-type Mre11 in this process. These results indicate that the MRN complex, in particular the nuclease activity of Mre11, plays an important role in the activation of Chk1 in response to stalled replication forks. These studies reveal a previously unknown property of the MRN complex in genomic stability.

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