scholarly journals The flexible C terminus of the rotavirus non-structural protein NSP4 is an important determinant of its biological properties

2008 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 1485-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepa Rajasekaran ◽  
Narayan P. Sastri ◽  
Jagannath R. Marathahalli ◽  
Shanthinath S. Indi ◽  
Kiranmayee Pamidimukkala ◽  
...  

The rotavirus non-structural protein NSP4 functions as the viral enterotoxin and intracellular receptor for the double-layered particles (DLP). The full-length protein cannot be expressed and/or purified to homogeneity from bacterial or insect cells. However, a bacterially expressed and purified mutant lacking the N-terminal 72 aa (ΔN72) was recently obtained from strains Hg18 and SA11 exhibiting approximately 17–20-, 150–200- and 13166–15800-fold lower DD50 (50% diarrhoea-inducing dose) values in suckling mice compared with that reported for the partially pure, full-length protein, a C-terminal M175I mutant and a synthetic peptide comprising aa 114–135, respectively, suggesting the requirement for a unique conformation for optimal functions of the purified protein. The stretch of approximately 40 aa from the C terminus of the cytoplasmic tail of the endoplasmic reticulum-anchored NSP4 is highly flexible and exhibits high sequence variation compared with the other regions, the significance of which in diarrhoea induction remain unresolved. Here, it was shown that every amino acid substitution or deletion in the flexible C terminus resulted in altered conformation, multimerization, trypsin resistance and thioflavin T (ThT) binding, and affected DLP binding and the diarrhoea-inducing ability of the highly diarrhoeagenic SA11 and Hg18 ΔN72 in suckling mice. These studies further revealed that high ThT fluorescence correlated with efficient diarrhoea induction, suggesting the importance of an optimal ThT-recognizable conformation in diarrhoea induction by purified NSP4. These results based on biological properties provide a possible conformational basis for understanding the influence of primary sequence variations on diarrhoea induction in newborn mice by purified NSP4s that cannot be explained by extensive sequence analyses.

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 210-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Huang ◽  
Krishna Narayanan ◽  
Naoto Ito ◽  
C. J. Peters ◽  
Shinji Makino

ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SCoV) accessory protein 3a is a virus structural protein. We demonstrate here that 3a protein was released efficiently in membranous structures from various cell lines expressing 3a protein. A subpopulation of the released 3a protein is associated with detergent-resistant membranes. The presence of the YxxΦ and diacidic motifs, located within the cytoplasmic tail of the 3a protein, was not required for its efficient release. Analysis of supernatant from SCoV-infected cells with sucrose gradient sedimentation and virus capture assay indicated that the 3a protein was released from infected cells in two distinct populations, as a component of SCoV particles, and in membrane structures with a lower buoyant density. These data provide new insights into the biological properties of SCoV 3a protein.


Author(s):  
Ichiro Yamamoto ◽  
Toshiaki Tachibana ◽  
Hiroko Maruyama ◽  
Noriyuki Komatsu ◽  
Hiroyuki Kuramoto ◽  
...  

We have paid attention to the alteration of glycosyltransferase in carcinoma cells, because it might be related to the malignancy of the cells. In this connection, localization of β1-4 galactosyl transferase (β1-4 Gal T) in human endometrial carcinoma cells was examined immunocytochemically using two kinds of cell lines, each of which showed different degree of differentiation.An antibody was purified from the rabbit antiserum against the synthetic peptide, IFNRLVFRGMSC (W89) of human β1-4 Gal T coupled with KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanine) by protein A column and peptide-affinity column chromatography. The anti-W89 serum reacts to the C-terminus of human β 1-4 Gal T and to both membrane-bound and soluble forms of the enzyme. Cell line of well differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma (I) and that of poorly differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma (50B) were cultivated respectively in MEM medium containing 15% FCS and 2 mM glutamine for 4 d at 37°C under 5% CO2. The cells were fixed in a mixture of 4% paraformaldehyde and 0.1% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M Soerensen’s phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 4°C for 30 min, washed with PBS, then freezed and thawed. The indirect method of the peroxidase- labeled antibody technique was used for immunocytochemistry of both LM and TEM on the cell lines. The cells were dehydrated in ethanol and embedded in TAAB 812. Ultrathin sections were observed under a TEM, JEM-100S.


1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (03) ◽  
pp. 454-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Bregengaard ◽  
Ole Nordfang ◽  
Per Østergaard ◽  
Jens G L Petersen ◽  
Giorgio Meyn ◽  
...  

SummaryTissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is a feed back inhibitor of the initial activation of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation. In humans, injection of heparin results in a 2-6 fold increase in plasma TFPI and recent studies suggest that TFPI may be important for the anticoagulant activity of heparin. Full length (FL) TFPI, but not recombinant two-domain (2D) TFPI, has a poly cationic C-terminus showing very strong heparin binding. Therefore, we have investigated if heparin affects the pharmacokinetics of TFPI with and without this C-terminus.FL-TFPI (608 U/kg) and 2D-TFPI (337 U/kg) were injected intravenously in rabbits with and without simultaneous intravenous injections of low molecular weight heparin (450 anti-XaU/kg).Heparin decreased the volume of distribution and the clearance of FL-TFPI by a factor 10-15, whereas the pharmacokinetics of 2D-TFPI were unaffected by heparin. When heparin was administered 2 h following TFPI the recovery of FL-TFPI was similar to that found in the group receiving the two compounds simultaneously, suggesting that the releasable pool of FL-TFPI is removed very slowly in the absence of circulating heparin.


2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (19) ◽  
pp. 9028-9038 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-B. Nousbaum ◽  
S. J. Polyak ◽  
S. C. Ray ◽  
D. G. Sullivan ◽  
A. M. Larson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5A (NS5A) protein has been controversially implicated in the inherent resistance of HCV to interferon (IFN) antiviral therapy in clinical studies. In this study, the relationship between NS5A mutations and selection pressures before and during antiviral therapy and virologic response to therapy were investigated. Full-length NS5A clones were sequenced from 20 HCV genotype 1-infected patients in a prospective, randomized clinical trial of IFN induction (daily) therapy and IFN plus ribavirin combination therapy. Pretreatment NS5A nucleotide and amino acid phylogenies did not correlate with clinical IFN responses and domains involved in NS5A functions in vitro were all well conserved before and during treatment. A consensus IFN sensitivity-determining region (ISDR237–276) sequence associated with IFN resistance was not found, although the presence of Ala245 within the ISDR was associated with nonresponse to treatment in genotype 1a-infected patients (P < 0.01). There were more mutations in the 26 amino acids downstream of the ISDR required for PKR binding in pretreatment isolates from responders versus nonresponders in both HCV-1a- and HCV-1b-infected patients (P < 0.05). In HCV-1a patients, more amino acid changes were observed in isolates from IFN-sensitive patients (P < 0.001), and the mutations appeared to be concentrated in two variable regions in the C terminus of NS5A, that corresponded to the previously described V3 region and a new variable region, 310 to 330. Selection of pretreatment minor V3 quasispecies was observed within the first 2 to 6 weeks of therapy in responders but not nonresponders, whereas the ISDR and PKR binding domains did not change in either patient response group. These data suggest that host-mediated selective pressures act primarily on the C terminus of NS5A and that NS5A can perturb or evade the IFN-induced antiviral response using sequences outside of the putative ISDR. Mechanistic studies are needed to address the role of the C terminus of NS5A in HCV replication and antiviral resistance.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 747-757
Author(s):  
K Georgopoulos ◽  
B A Morgan ◽  
D D Moore

Expression of the CD3 delta gene of the T-cell receptor (TCR) complex is regulated by a T-cell-specific enhancer. A highly conserved 40-bp motif (element delta A) within the CD3 delta enhancer is responsible for mediating its activity and specificity. Element delta A exhibits sequence similarities to the cyclic AMP response element (CRE) but does not respond to changes in the level of cyclic AMP. Using the delta A element as a probe, we have isolated three cDNA clones encoding three distinct protein isoforms, products of differential splicing and alternate promoter usage of the CRE-BP gene. These isoforms share the DNA binding and dimerization domains at the C terminus of the protein but differ at their N termini. In transfection assays, their activities as transcription regulators differ: CRE-BP2 is a potent activator, CRE-BP3 is a weak activator, and CRE-BP1 is transcriptionally inert. Mutations in the basic region of the CRE-BP1 protein which abrogate its ability to bind DNA render this protein a dominant repressor of the delta A enhancer. Antibodies to the CRE-BP protein interact specifically with the ubiquitous and predominantly T-cell-restricted nuclear complexes that bind to the delta A element and suggest the presence of this protein in homo- and heterodimeric complexes. Since the delta A motif is also present in the enhancer and promoter of the TCR alpha and beta genes, the CRE-BP isoforms may mediate expression of other members of the CD3/TCR complex during T-cell development.


2004 ◽  
Vol 377 (2) ◽  
pp. 459-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose M. LAPLAZA ◽  
Magnolia BOSTICK ◽  
Derek T. SCHOLES ◽  
M. Joan CURCIO ◽  
Judy CALLIS

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the ubiquitin-like protein Rub1p (related to ubiquitin 1 protein) covalently attaches to the cullin protein Cdc53p (cell division cycle 53 protein), a subunit of a class of ubiquitin E3 ligases named SCF (Skp1–Cdc53–F-box protein) complex. We identified Rtt101p (regulator of Ty transposition 101 protein, where Ty stands for transposon of yeast), initially found during a screen for proteins to confer retrotransposition suppression, and Cul3p (cullin 3 protein), a protein encoded by the previously uncharacterized open reading frame YGR003w, as two new in vivo targets for Rub1p conjugation. These proteins show significant identity with Cdc53p and, therefore, are cullin proteins. Modification of Cul3p is eliminated by deletion of the Rub1p pathway through disruption of either RUB1 or its activating enzyme ENR2/ULA1. The same disruptions in the Rub pathway decreased the percentage of total Rtt101p that is modified from approx. 60 to 30%. This suggests that Rtt101p has an additional RUB1- and ENR2-independent modification. All modified forms of Rtt101p and Cul3p were lost when a single lysine residue in a conserved region near the C-terminus was replaced by an arginine residue. These results suggest that this lysine residue is the site of Rub1p-dependent and -independent modifications in Rtt101p and of Rub1p-dependent modification in Cul3p. An rtt101Δ strain was hypersensitive to thiabendazole, isopropyl (N-3-chlorophenyl) carbamate and methyl methanesulphonate, but rub1Δ strains were not. Whereas rtt101Δ strains exhibited a 14-fold increase in Ty1 transposition, isogenic rub1Δ strains did not show statistically significant increases. Rtt101K791Rp, which cannot be modified, complemented for Rtt101p function in a transposition assay. Altogether, these results suggest that neither the RUB1-dependent nor the RUB1-independent form of Rtt101p is required for Rtt101p function. The identification of additional Rub1p targets in S. cerevisiae suggests an expanded role for Rub in this organism.


2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 1274-1287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaori Tanabe ◽  
Noriko Ito ◽  
Tomomi Wakuri ◽  
Fumiyo Ozoe ◽  
Makoto Umeda ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Sla1 is a Schizosaccharomyces pombe homolog of the human La protein. La proteins are known to be RNA-binding proteins that bear conserved RNA recognition motifs (La and RRMs), but their biological functions still have not been fully resolved. In this study, we show that the S. pombe La homolog (Sla1) is involved in regulating sexual development. Sla1 truncated in the C terminus (Sla1ΔC) induced ectopic sporulation in the ras1Δ strain and several other sporulation-deficient mutants. The C terminus contains a nuclear localization signal. While full-length Sla1 localizes in the nucleus, Sla1ΔC is found throughout the cell, suggesting the cytoplasmic localization of Sla1ΔC is involved in its sporulation-inducing activity. Further deletion analysis of Sla1 indicated that a small region (35 amino acids) that includes a portion of RRM2 is sufficient to induce sporulation. The La motif (RRM1) is not involved in this activity. Strikingly, Sla1ΔC induced haploid meiosis in a heterothallic strain, similar to the pat1-114 or mei2-SATA mutation. Sla1ΔC induced sporulation in a mei3 disruptant but not in a mei2 disruptant, indicating that Sla1ΔC requires Mei2 to induce haploid meiosis. Deletion of the chromosomal sla1 gene lowered the temperature sensitivity of the pat1-114 mutant. Two-hybrid analysis indicated that Pat1 interacts with Sla1ΔC but not full-length Sla1. Thus, Sla1ΔC may block Pat1 activity. This block would remove the inhibition on Mei2, which would then drive the cell into haploid meiosis. Finally, Sla1 was degraded prior to the start of meiosis when we monitored Sla1 in cells in which meiosis was synchronously induced. The ability of truncated Sla1 to induce ectopic meiosis represents a very novel function that has hitherto not been suspected for the La family of proteins.


2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-211
Author(s):  
Andrew Wieczorek ◽  
Clara K. Chan ◽  
Suzana Kovacic ◽  
Cindy Li ◽  
Thomas Dierks ◽  
...  

Collagen is the predominant structural protein in vertebrates, where it contributes to connective tissues and the ECM; it is also widely used in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Dysfunction of this protein and its processing can lead to a wide variety of developmental disorders and connective tissue diseases. Recombinantly engineering the protein is challenging due to post-translational modifications generally required for its stability and secretion from cells. Introducing end labels into the protein is problematic, because the N- and C-termini of the physiologically relevant tropocollagen lie internal to the initially flanking N- and C-propeptide sequences. Here, we introduce mutations into human type II procollagen in a manner that addresses these concerns and purify the recombinant protein from a stably transfected HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line. Our approach introduces chemically addressable groups into the N- and C-telopeptide termini of tropocollagen. Simultaneous overexpression of formylglycine generating enzyme (FGE) allows the endogenous production of an aldehyde tag in a defined, substituted sequence in the N terminus of the mutated collagen, whereas the C-terminus of each chain presents a sulfhydryl group from an introduced cysteine. These modifications are designed to enable specific covalent end-labelling of collagen. We find that the doubly mutated protein folds and is secreted from cells. Higher order assembly into well-ordered collagen fibrils is demonstrated through transmission electron microscopy. Chemical tagging of thiols is successful; however, background from endogenous aldehydes present in wild-type collagen has thus far obscured the desired specific N-terminal labelling. Strategies to overcome this challenge are proposed.


F1000Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia R. Buonarati ◽  
Peter B. Henderson ◽  
Geoffrey G. Murphy ◽  
Mary C. Horne ◽  
Johannes W. Hell

Background: The L-type Ca2+ channel Cav1.2 is a prominent regulator of neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and gene expression. The central element of Cav1.2 is the pore-forming α11.2 subunit. It exists in two major size forms, whose molecular masses have proven difficult to precisely determine. Recent work suggests that α11.2 is proteolytically cleaved between the second and third of its four pore-forming domains (Michailidis et al,. 2014). Methods: To better determine the apparent molecular masses (MR)of the α11.2 size forms, extensive systematic immunoblotting of brain tissue as well as full length and C-terminally truncated α11.2 expressed in HEK293 cells was conducted using six different region–specific antibodies against α11.2. Results: The full length form of α11.2 migrated, as expected, with an apparent MR of ~250 kDa. A shorter form of comparable prevalence with an apparent MR of ~210 kDa could only be detected in immunoblots probed with antibodies recognizing α11.2 at an epitope 400 or more residues upstream of the C-terminus. Conclusions: The main two size forms of α11.2 are the full length form and a shorter form, which lacks ~350 distal C-terminal residues. Midchannel cleavage as suggested by Michailidis et al. (2014) is at best minimal in brain tissue.


2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Guo ◽  
Baocheng Liu ◽  
Zhenzhen Ding ◽  
Guobang Li ◽  
Meizi Liu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) belongs to the Tospovirus genus of the Bunyaviridae family and represents the sole plant-infecting group within bunyavirus. TSWV encodes a nucleocapsid protein (N) which encapsidates the RNA genome to form a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP). In addition, the N has multiple roles during the infection of plant cells. Here, we report the crystal structure of the full-length TSWV N. The N features a body domain consisting of an N-lobe and a C-lobe. These lobes clamp a positively charged groove which may constitute the RNA binding site. Furthermore, the body domains are flanked by N- and C-terminal arms which mediate homotypic interactions to the neighboring subunits, resulting in a ring-shaped N trimer. Interestingly, the C terminus of one protomer forms an additional interaction with the protomer of an adjacent trimer in the crystal, which may constitute a higher-order oligomerization contact. In this way, this study provides insights into the structure and trimeric assembly of TSWV N, which help to explain previous functional findings, but also suggests distinct N interactions within a higher-order RNP. IMPORTANCE TSWV is one of the most devastating plant pathogens that cause severe diseases in numerous agronomic and ornamental crops worldwide. TSWV is also the prototypic member of the Tospovirus genus, which is the sole group of plant-infecting viruses in the bunyavirus family. This study determined the structure of full-length TSWV N in an oligomeric state. The structural observations explain previously identified biological properties of TSWV N. Most importantly, the additional homotypic interaction between the C terminus of one protomer with another protomer indicates that there is a distinct mechanism of RNP formation in the bunyavirus family, thereby enhancing the current knowledge of negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus-encoded N. TSWV N is the last remaining representative N with an unknown structure in the bunyavirus family. Combined with previous studies, the structure of TSWV N helps to build a complete picture of the bunyavirus-encoded N family and reveals a close evolutionary relationship between orthobunyavirus, phlebovirus, hantavirus, and tospovirus.


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