scholarly journals Effect of A-tract-mediated linker histone orientation on trinucleosome compaction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhura De ◽  
Martin Wuertz ◽  
Gabriele Mueller ◽  
Katalin Toth ◽  
Rebecca C. Wade

Linker histones (LH) have been shown to preferentially bind to AT-rich DNA, and specifically to A-tracts, contiguous stretches of adenines. Recently, using spFRET (single pair Foerster/Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer), we showed that the globular domain (gH) of Xenopus laevis H1.0b LH orients towards A-tracts present on the linker-DNA (L-DNA) in LH:mononucleosome complexes. We investigated the impact of this A-tract mediated orientation of the gH on the compaction of higher-order structures by studying trinucleosomes as minimal models for chromatin. Two 600 bp DNA sequences were constructed containing three Widom 601 core sequences separated by about 40 bp linkers and A-tracts inserted on either the outer or the inner L-DNAs flanking the 1st and the 3rd Widom 601 sequences. The two inner L-DNAs were fluorescently labelled at their midpoints. Trinucleosomes were reconstituted using the doubly-labelled 600 bp DNA, core histone octamers and the full-length H1.0b LH. SpFRET was performed for a range of NaCl concentrations. While the LH compacted the trinucleosomes, surprisingly, the extent of compaction was similar for trinucleosomes with A-tracts either on the two outer or on the two inner L-DNAs. Modeling constrained by the FRET efficiency suggests that the trinucleosomes adopt a zig-zagged conformation with the 1st and 3rd nucleosomes stacked on top of each other. Even though we expect that the gH of neighbouring (1st and 3rd) LHs are oriented towards the A-tracts, our models suggest that they are not sufficiently close to dimerize and affect compaction. Thus, despite differences in A-tract placements, the LH compacts trinucleosomes similarly.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Carl DeHaven

This thesis contains four topic areas: a review of single-molecule microscropy methods and splicing, conformational dynamics of stem II of the U2 snRNA, the impact of post-transcriptional modifications on U2 snRNA folding dynamics, and preliminary findings on Mango aptamer folding dynamics.


Author(s):  
Hsin-Chih Yeh ◽  
Christopher M. Puleo ◽  
Yi-Ping Ho ◽  
Tza-Huei Wang

In this report, we review several single-molecule detection (SMD) methods and newly developed nanocrystal-mediated single-fluorophore strategies for ultrasensitive and specific analysis of genomic sequences. These include techniques, such as quantum dot (QD)-mediated fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology and dual-color fluorescence coincidence and colocalization analysis, which allow separation-free detection of low-abundance DNA sequences and mutational analysis of oncogenes. Microfluidic approaches developed for use with single-molecule detection to achieve rapid, low-volume, and quantitative analysis of nucleic acids, such as electrokinetic manipulation of single molecules and confinement of sub-nanoliter samples using microfluidic networks integrated with valves, are also discussed.


Hypertension ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel C Villela ◽  
Anke Teichmann ◽  
Sebastian Kirsch ◽  
Maibritt Mardahl ◽  
Lisa M Münter ◽  
...  

The angiotensin AT2-receptor (AT2R) and the receptor MAS share a strinkingly similar spectrum of signaling mechanisms and protective, physiological actions. Furthermore, cross-inhibition by the respective receptor antagonists has been observed. Therefore we hypothesised that a physical interaction between these two receptors may exist. HEK-293 cells were transfected with vectors encoding MAS or AT2R fused in the C-terminus with the fluorophores CFP or YFP for FRET and GFP or mCherry for FCCS. FRET with photobleaching was used to detect, whether MAS and AT2R are localised in very close proximity (1-10nm) in cell membranes thus indicating dimerisation. FCCS was used to follow simultaneously occurring fluctuations in fluorescence intensity of both labeled molecules. Several controls were applied such as co-transfection of equal amounts of fused and non-fused MAS/AT2R expression vectors for competition, co-tranfection of coding and uncoding pcDNA vectors or co-transfection with an unrelated transmembrane receptor. Experiments were conducted under baseline conditions and in cells treated with AT2R/MAS agonists and antagonists Significant FRET efficiency of 10.8±0.8% was measured for AT2-YFP/MAS-CFP strongly indicating heterodimerisation. FRET efficiency was not altered by AT2R or MAS agonists or antagonists. Non-fluorescent MAS and AT2R competed with fluorescent receptors as indicated by a 50% reduction in FRET efficiency (6.0±0.6%), while empty vectors did not compete (9.6±0.6%). No FRET efficiency was observed with an unrelated transmembrane receptor (0.44±1.44%) indicating specificity of receptor interactions. Both, MAS and AT2R also formed homodimers (7.4±0.8% for MAS, 9.2±0.8% for AT2R). Hetero- and homodimerisations were absent if amino acid C35 of the AT2R was mutated (3,9 ± 1,2%). FCCS corroborated the FRET results and revealed a significantly enhanced cross correlation in cells tranfected with fluorophore-tagged MAS/AT2R when compared to vectors only expressing the fluorophores (8.5±3% vs 11.1±4%; p<0.0001). Our data strongly suggest that MAS and the AT2R form homo- and heterodimers. Studies to investigate the physiological relevance of MAS/AT2R dimerisation are currently being conducted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (25) ◽  
pp. 14522-14531
Author(s):  
Allison Anderson ◽  
Ikuo Masuho ◽  
Ezequiel Marron Fernandez de Velasco ◽  
Atsushi Nakano ◽  
Lutz Birnbaumer ◽  
...  

How G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) evoke specific biological outcomes while utilizing a limited array of G proteins and effectors is poorly understood, particularly in native cell systems. Here, we examined signaling evoked by muscarinic (M2R) and adenosine (A1R) receptor activation in the mouse sinoatrial node (SAN), the cardiac pacemaker. M2R and A1R activate a shared pool of cardiac G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+(GIRK) channels in SAN cells from adult mice, but A1R-GIRK responses are smaller and slower than M2R-GIRK responses. Recordings from mice lacking Regulator of G protein Signaling 6 (RGS6) revealed that RGS6 exerts a GPCR-dependent influence on GIRK-dependent signaling in SAN cells, suppressing M2R-GIRK coupling efficiency and kinetics and A1R-GIRK signaling amplitude. Fast kinetic bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays in transfected HEK cells showed that RGS6 prefers Gαoover Gαias a substrate for its catalytic activity and that M2R signals preferentially via Gαo, while A1R does not discriminate between inhibitory G protein isoforms. The impact of atrial/SAN-selective ablation of Gαoor Gαi2was consistent with these findings. Gαi2ablation had minimal impact on M2R-GIRK and A1R-GIRK signaling in SAN cells. In contrast, Gαoablation decreased the amplitude and slowed the kinetics of M2R-GIRK responses, while enhancing the sensitivity and prolonging the deactivation rate of A1R-GIRK signaling. Collectively, our data show that differences in GPCR-G protein coupling preferences, and the Gαosubstrate preference of RGS6, shape A1R- and M2R-GIRK signaling dynamics in mouse SAN cells.


1995 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 1543-1558 ◽  
Author(s):  
T W Gadella ◽  
T M Jovin

The aggregation states of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on single A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells were assessed with two new techniques for determining fluorescence resonance energy transfer: donor photobleaching fluorescence resonance energy transfer (pbFRET) microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Fluorescein-(donor) and rhodamine-(acceptor) labeled EGF were bound to the cells and the extent of oligomerization was monitored by the spatially resolved FRET efficiency as a function of the donor/acceptor ratio and treatment conditions. An average FRET efficiency of 5% was determined after a low temperature (4 degrees C) incubation with the fluorescent EGF analogs for 40 min. A subsequent elevation of the temperature for 5 min caused a substantial increase of the average FRET efficiency to 14% at 20 degrees C and 31% at 37 degrees C. In the context of a two-state (monomer/dimer) model for the EGFR, these FRET efficiencies were consistent with minimal average receptor dimerizations of 13, 36, and 69% at 4, 20, and 37 degrees C, respectively. A431 cells were pretreated with the monoclonal antibody mAb 2E9 that specifically blocks EGF binding to the predominant population of low affinity EGFR (15). The average FRET efficiency increased dramatically to 28% at 4 degrees C, indicative of a minimal receptor dimerization of 65% for the subpopulation of high affinity receptors. These results are in accordance with prior studies indicating that binding of EGF leads to a fast and temperature-dependent microclustering of EGFR, but suggest in addition that the high affinity functional subclass of receptors on quiescent A431 cells are present in a predimerized or oligomerized state. We propose that the transmission of the external ligand-binding signal to the cytoplasmic domain is effected by a concerted relative rotational rearrangement of the monomeric units comprising the dimeric receptor, thereby potentiating a mutual activation of the tyrosine kinase domains.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document