Detection of Marine Toxins Using Reconstituted Sodium Channels

1995 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 570-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera L Trainer ◽  
Daniel G Baden ◽  
William A Catterall
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Channel ◽  
Sodium Channels ◽  
Biochemical Analysis ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Phospholipid Vesicles ◽  
Marine Toxins ◽  
Receptor Sites ◽  
Experimental Preparation

Abstract Specific binding of the marine toxins saxitoxin, tetrodotoxin, and brevetoxin to the rat brain sodium channel is demonstrated using purified sodium channels reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. Restoration of sodium channel function and binding activity by incorporation into phospholipid vesicles provides the only rigorous proof that the purified protein contains the neurotoxin receptor sites. In addition, reconstitution provides a valuable experimental preparation for biochemical analysis of neurotoxin binding sites and may facilitate the development of a specific toxin detection system.

scholarly journals Molecular basis of selective resistance of the bumblebee BiNav1 sodium channel to tau-fluvalinate

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (49) ◽  
pp. 12922-12927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaoying Wu ◽  
Yoshiko Nomura ◽  
Yuzhe Du ◽  
Boris S. Zhorov ◽  
Ke Dong
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Channel ◽  
Sodium Channels ◽  
Agricultural Pests ◽  
Nontarget Organisms ◽  
Voltage Gated Sodium Channels ◽  
Receptor Sites ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Varroa Mites ◽  
Selective Insecticides

Insecticides are widely used to control pests in agriculture and insect vectors that transmit human diseases. However, these chemicals can have a negative effect on nontarget, beneficial organisms including bees. Discovery and deployment of selective insecticides is a major mission of modern toxicology and pest management. Pyrethroids exert their toxic action by acting on insect voltage-gated sodium channels. Honeybees and bumblebees are highly sensitive to most pyrethroids, but are resistant to a particular pyrethroid, tau-fluvalinate (τ-FVL). Because of its unique selectivity, τ-FVL is widely used to control not only agricultural pests but also varroa mites, the principal ectoparasite of honeybees. However, the mechanism of bee resistance to τ-FVL largely remains elusive. In this study, we functionally characterized the sodium channel BiNav1–1 from the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) in Xenopus oocytes and found that the BiNav1–1 channel is highly sensitive to six commonly used pyrethroids, but resistant to τ-FVL. Phylogenetic and mutational analyses revealed that three residues, which are conserved in sodium channels from 12 bee species, underlie resistance to τ-FVL or sensitivity to the other pyrethroids. Further computer modeling and mutagenesis uncovered four additional residues in the pyrethroid receptor sites that contribute to the unique selectivity of the bumblebee sodium channel to τ-FVL versus other pyrethroids. Our data contribute to understanding a long-standing enigma of selective pyrethroid toxicity in bees and may be used to guide future modification of pyrethroids to achieve highly selective control of pests with minimal effects on nontarget organisms.

scholarly journals Anti-EGFR VHH Antibody under Thermal Stress is Better Solubilized with a Lysine than with an Arginine SEP Tag

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Md. Golam Kibria ◽  
Akari Fukutani ◽  
Yoko Akazawa-Ogawa ◽  
Yoshihisa Hagihara ◽  
Yutaka Kuroda
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Phosphate Buffer ◽  
Protein Concentration ◽  
Biochemical Analysis ◽  
Stress Condition ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Denatured State ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Structural And Functional Properties ◽  
Model Protein

In this study, we assessed the potential of arginine and lysine solubility-enhancing peptide (SEP) tags to control the solubility of a model protein, anti-EGFR VHH-7D12, in a thermally denatured state at a high temperature. We produced VHH-7D12 antibodies attached with a C-terminal SEP tag made of either five or nine arginines or lysines (7D12-C5R, 7D12-C9R, 7D12-C5K and 7D12-C9K, respectively). The 5-arginine and 5-lysine SEP tags increased the E. coli expression of VHH-7D12 by over 80%. Biophysical and biochemical analysis confirmed the native-like secondary and tertiary structural properties and the monomeric nature of all VHH-7D12 variants. Moreover, all VHH-7D12 variants retained a full binding activity to the EGFR extracellular domain. Finally, thermal stress with 45-minute incubation at 60 and 75 °C, where VHH-7D12 variants are unfolded, showed that the untagged VHH-7D12 formed aggregates in all of the four buffers, and the supernatant protein concentration was reduced by up to 35%. 7D12-C5R and 7D12-C9R did not aggregate in Na-acetate (pH 4.7) and Tris-HCl (pH 8.5) but formed aggregates in phosphate buffer (PB, pH 7.4) and phosphate buffer saline (PBS, pH 7.4). The lysine tags (either C5K or C9K) had the strongest solubilization effect, and both 7D12-C5K and 7D12-C9K remained in the supernatant. Altogether, our results indicate that, under a thermal stress condition, the lysine SEP tags solubilization effect is more potent than that of an arginine SEP tags, and the SEP tags did not affect the structural and functional properties of the protein.

scholarly journals Crystallization of and selenomethionine phasing strategy for a SETMAR–DNA complex

2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 713-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiujia Chen ◽  
Millie Georgiadis
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Unexpected Finding ◽  
Terminal Inverted Repeat ◽  
Dna Binding Activity ◽  
New Genes

Transposable elements have played a critical role in the creation of new genes in all higher eukaryotes, including humans. Although the chimeric fusion protein SETMAR is no longer active as a transposase, it contains both the DNA-binding domain (DBD) and catalytic domain of theHsmar1transposase. The amino-acid sequence of the DBD has been virtually unchanged in 50 million years and, as a consequence, SETMAR retains its sequence-specific binding to the ancestralHsmar1terminal inverted repeat (TIR) sequence. Thus, the DNA-binding activity of SETMAR is likely to have an important biological function. To determine the structural basis for the recognition of TIR DNA by SETMAR, the design of TIR-containing oligonucleotides and SETMAR DBD variants, crystallization of DBD–DNA complexes, phasing strategies and initial phasing experiments are reported here. An unexpected finding was that oligonucleotides containing two BrdUs in place of thymidines produced better quality crystals in complex with SETMAR than their natural counterparts.

scholarly journals Adenosine Receptors of Cerebral Microvessels and Choroid Plexus

1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajesh N. Kalaria ◽  
Sami I. Harik
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Choroid Plexus ◽  
Adenosine Receptors ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Cerebral Microvessels ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Receptor Sites ◽  
Ligand Binding Sites

We studied, by ligand binding methods, the two adenosine receptors, A, and A2, in rat and pig cerebral microvessels and pig choroid plexus. Ligand binding to cerebral microvessels was compared with that to membranes of the cerebral cortex. [3H]Cyclohexyladenosine and [3H]l-phenylisopropyladenosine were the ligands used for A1-receptors, and [3H]5'- N-ethylcarboxamide adenosine ([3H]NECA) was used to assess A2-receptors. We report that cerebral microvessels and choroid plexus exhibit specific [3H]NECA binding, but have no appreciable A1-receptor ligand binding sites. Specific binding of [3H]NECA to cerebral microvessels, choroid plexus, and cerebral cortex was saturable and suggested the existence of two classes of A2-receptor sites: high-affinity ( Kd ∼ 250 n M) and low-affinity ( Kd ∼ 1–2 μ M) sites. The Kd and Bmax of NECA binding to cerebral microvessels and cerebral cortex were similar within each species. Our results, indicating the existence of A2-receptors in cerebral microvessels, are consistent with results of increased adenylate cyclase activity by adenosine and some of its analogues in these microvessels.

Plasmodium vivax MSP-1 peptides have high specific binding activity to human reticulocytes

Vaccine ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 1331-1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Eduardo Rodrı́guez ◽  
Mauricio Urquiza ◽  
Marisol Ocampo ◽  
Hernando Curtidor ◽  
Jorge Suárez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Vivax ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Binding Activity

Tissue-specific transcription of the mouse alpha-fetoprotein gene promoter is dependent on HNF-1

1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 4204-4212
Author(s):  
M H Feuerman ◽  
R Godbout ◽  
R S Ingram ◽  
S M Tilghman
Keyword(s):  
Specific Binding ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Alpha Fetoprotein ◽  
Transient Expression Assay ◽  
Band Shift ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Tissue Specific ◽  
Cis Acting ◽  
Dnase I Footprinting

Previous work identified four upstream cis-acting elements required for tissue-specific expression of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene: three distal enhancers and a promoter. To further define the role of the promoter in regulating AFP gene expression, segments of the region were tested for the ability to direct transcription of a reporter gene in transient expression assay. Experiments showed that the region within 250 base pairs of the start of transcription was sufficient to confer liver-specific transcription. DNase I footprinting and band shift assays indicated that the region between -130 and -100 was recognized by two factors, one of which was highly sequence specific and found only in hepatoma cells. Competition assays suggested that the liver-specific binding activity was HNF-1, previously identified by its binding to other liver-specific promoters. Mutation of the HNF-1 recognition site at -120 resulted in a significant reduction in transcription in transfection assays, suggesting a biological role for HNF-1 in the regulation of AFP expression.

Only two of the five zinc fingers of the eukaryotic transcriptional repressor PRDI-BF1 are required for sequence-specific DNA binding

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1940-1949
Author(s):  
A D Keller ◽  
T Maniatis
Keyword(s):  
Dna Binding ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Zinc Fingers ◽  
Transcriptional Repressor ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient ◽  
Sequence Requirements

The eukaryotic transcriptional repressor PRDI-BF1 contains five zinc fingers of the C2H2 type, and the protein binds specifically to PRDI, a 14-bp regulatory element of the beta interferon gene promoter. We have investigated the amino acid sequence requirements for specific binding to PRDI and found that the five zinc fingers and a short stretch of amino acids N terminal to the first finger are necessary and sufficient for PRDI-specific binding. The contribution of individual zinc fingers to DNA binding was investigated by inserting them in various combinations into another zinc finger-containing DNA-binding protein whose own fingers had been removed. We found that insertion of PRDI-BF1 zinc fingers 1 and 2 confer PRDI-binding activity on the recipient protein. In contrast, the insertion of PRDI-BF1 zinc fingers 2 through 5, the insertion of zinc finger 1 or 2 alone, and the insertion of zinc fingers 1 and 2 in reverse order did not confer PRDI-binding activity. We conclude that the first two PRDI-BF1 zinc fingers together are sufficient for the sequence-specific recognition of PRDI.

scholarly journals A gating charge interaction required for late slow inactivation of the bacterial sodium channel NavAb

2013 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamer M. Gamal El-Din ◽  
Gilbert Q. Martinez ◽  
Jian Payandeh ◽  
Todd Scheuer ◽  
William A. Catterall
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Channel ◽  
Sodium Channels ◽  
Late Phase ◽  
Membrane Potentials ◽  
Charge Movement ◽  
Slow Inactivation ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Voltage Gated Sodium Channels ◽  
Gating Charge ◽  
Charge Interaction

Voltage-gated sodium channels undergo slow inactivation during repetitive depolarizations, which controls the frequency and duration of bursts of action potentials and prevents excitotoxic cell death. Although homotetrameric bacterial sodium channels lack the intracellular linker-connecting homologous domains III and IV that causes fast inactivation of eukaryotic sodium channels, they retain the molecular mechanism for slow inactivation. Here, we examine the functional properties and slow inactivation of the bacterial sodium channel NavAb expressed in insect cells under conditions used for structural studies. NavAb activates at very negative membrane potentials (V1/2 of approximately −98 mV), and it has both an early phase of slow inactivation that arises during single depolarizations and reverses rapidly, and a late use-dependent phase of slow inactivation that reverses very slowly. Mutation of Asn49 to Lys in the S2 segment in the extracellular negative cluster of the voltage sensor shifts the activation curve ∼75 mV to more positive potentials and abolishes the late phase of slow inactivation. The gating charge R3 interacts with Asn49 in the crystal structure of NavAb, and mutation of this residue to Cys causes a similar positive shift in the voltage dependence of activation and block of the late phase of slow inactivation as mutation N49K. Prolonged depolarizations that induce slow inactivation also cause hysteresis of gating charge movement, which results in a requirement for very negative membrane potentials to return gating charges to their resting state. Unexpectedly, the mutation N49K does not alter hysteresis of gating charge movement, even though it prevents the late phase of slow inactivation. Our results reveal an important molecular interaction between R3 in S4 and Asn49 in S2 that is crucial for voltage-dependent activation and for late slow inactivation of NavAb, and they introduce a NavAb mutant that enables detailed functional studies in parallel with structural analysis.

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