scholarly journals The Activity of the Stress Modulated Arabidopsis Ubiquitin Ligases PUB46 and PUB48 is Partially Redundant

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gal Zizelski-Valenci ◽  
Dina Raveh ◽  
Dudy Bar-Zvi

AbstractThe Arabidopsis ubiquitin ligases PUB46, PUB47 and PUB48 are encoded by paralogus genes; pub46 and pub48 mutants display increased drought sensitivity compared to wild type (WT). Although the phenotype displayed in the single gene mutants, suggest that each has specific biological activity, PUB46 and PUB48 activity may be also redundant. To test functional redundancy between two gene products requires a double mutant. Unfortunately, the close proximity of the PUB46 and PUB48 gene loci precludes obtaining a double mutant by crossing the available single mutants. We thus applied microRNA technology to reduce the activity of all three gene products of the PUB46-48 subfamily by constructing an artificial microRNA (aMIR) targeted to this subfamily. Expressing aMIR46-48 in WT plants resulted in increased drought-sensitivity, a phenotype resembling that of the single pub46 and pub48 mutants, and enhanced sensitivity to methyl viologen, similar to that observed for the pub46 mutant. Furthermore, the WT plants expressing aMIR46-48 also revealed reduced inhibition by ABA at seed germination, a phenotype not evident in the single mutants. Expressing aMIR46-48 in pub46 and pub48 mutants further enhanced the drought sensitivity of each parental single mutant and of WT expressing aMIR46-48. Thus, whereas the gene-specific activity of the PUB46 and PUB48 E3s is partially redundant in that absence of either E3 leads to drought sensitivity, our ability to eliminate the activity of both PUB46 and PUB48 in the same plant reveals additional gene specific facets of their activity in the reaction to abiotic stress.

1984 ◽  
Vol 223 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
B E Smith

The inactive MoFe protein (NifB-Kp1) of nitrogenase from nifB mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae may be activated by addition of the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) extracted from active MoFe protein (Kp1). However, when apparently saturated with FeMoco, our preparations of NifB-Kp1 yielded activated protein, Kp1-asm, with a specific activity that was at best only 40% of that expected. This was not due to degradation of Kp1-asm, NifB-Kp1 or FeMoco during the activation reaction. Nor could activation be enhanced by addition of other nif-gene products or other proteins. Whereas fully active Kp1 contains 2 FeMoco/molecule, apparent saturation of our NifB-Kp1 preparations required the binding of only 0.4-0.65 FeMoco/molecule. By using chromatography Kp1-asm could be largely resolved from NifB-Kp1 that had not been activated. However, we were unable to isolate fully active MoFe protein (i.e. Kp1-asm containing 2 FeMoco/molecule) from solutions of NifB-Kp1 activated with FeMoco. The maximum activity/ng-atom of total Mo obtained for our purified Kp1-asm was approximately half the maximum activity for FeMoco. Since all NifB-Kp1 preparations contained some Mo, we suggest that FeMoco activated only those NifB-Kp1 molecules already containing one atom of (non-FeMoco) Mo, thus forming Kp1-asm with 2 Mo but only 1 FeMoco/molecule. Kp1-asm was identical with normal Kp1 in terms of its Mr, stability, e.p.r. signals, pattern of substrate reductions, CO inhibition and ATP/2e ratio. In addition, for preparations of differing specific activity, there was a constant and identical relationship between the e.p.r. signal intensity (from FeMoco) and the activity of both Kp1 and Kp1-asm. Assuming the above hypothesis on the structure of Kp1-asm, these data demonstrate that the two FeMoco sites in wild-type Kp1 operate independently.


1983 ◽  
Vol 209 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
T R Hawkes ◽  
B E Smith

The inactive MoFe protein of nitrogenase, NifB-Kp1, from two distinct nifB mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Kp5058 (a nifB point mutant) and UNF1718 (a nifB, nifJ double mutant) has been purified and characterized. NifB-Kp1 can be activated by reaction with the iron-molybdenum cofactor, FeMoco, extracted from active MoFe protein. NifB-Kp1 purified from either source had similar properties and was contaminated with an approximately equimolar amount of protein of mol.wt. 21 000. Like active wild-type Kp1, it was an alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer, but it was far less stable than Kp1, deteriorating rapidly at temperatures above 8 degrees C or on mild oxidation. NifB-Kp1 preparations contained 0.4-0.9 Mo and 9.0 +/- 0.9 Fe atoms . mol-1 and, when activated by FeMoco, had a specific activity of approx. 500 units . mg-1. The Mo in our preparations was not associated with the e.p.r. signal normally observed from FeMoco. All preparations exhibited a weak gav. = 1.95 e.p.r. signal which was probably not associated with activatable protein.


Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 150 (4) ◽  
pp. 1467-1476
Author(s):  
Sharon E Bickel ◽  
Daniel P Moore ◽  
Cary Lai ◽  
Terry L Orr-Weaver

Abstract The Drosophila mei-S332 and ord gene products are essential for proper sister-chromatid cohesion during meiosis in both males and females. We have constructed flies that contain null mutations for both genes. Double-mutant flies are viable and fertile. Therefore, the lack of an essential role for either gene in mitotic cohesion cannot be explained by compensatory activity of the two proteins during mitotic divisions. Analysis of sex chromosome segregation in the double mutant indicates that ord is epistatic to mei-S332. We demonstrate that ord is not required for MEI-S332 protein to localize to meiotic centromeres. Although overexpression of either protein in a wild-type background does not interfere with normal meiotic chromosome segregation, extra ORD+ protein in mei-S332 mutant males enhances nondisjunction at meiosis II. Our results suggest that a balance between the activity of mei-S332 and ord is required for proper regulation of meiotic cohesion and demonstrate that additional proteins must be functioning to ensure mitotic sister-chromatid cohesion.


Author(s):  
James M. Slavicek ◽  
Melissa J. Mercer ◽  
Mary Ellen Kelly

Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPV, family Baculoviridae) produce two morphological forms, a budded virus form and a viral form that is occluded into a paracrystalline protein matrix. This structure is termed a polyhedron and is composed primarily of the protein polyhedrin. Insects are infected by NPVs after ingestion of the polyhedron and release of the occluded virions through dissolution of the polyhedron in the alkaline environment of the insect midgut. Early after infection the budded virus form is produced. It buds through the plasma membrane and then infects other cells. Later in the infection cycle the occluded form of the virus is generated (reviewed by Blissard and Rohrmann, 1990).The processes of polyhedron formation and virion occlusion are likely to involve a number of viral gene products. However, only two genes, the polyhedrin gene and 25K FP gene, have been identified to date that are necessary for the wild type number of polyhedra to be formed and viral particles occluded.


Genetics ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-417
Author(s):  
C W H Partridge ◽  
Mary E Case ◽  
Norman H Giles

ABSTRACT A color test has been developed for the selection and identification of mutants in Neurospora crassa, constitutive for the three normally inducible enzymes which convert quinate to protocatechuate. By this means seven such mutants have been recovered after ultra violet irradiation of wild type and have been shown to be allelic (or very closely linked) to the qa-1C mutants previously obtained by other means. Thus, the regulation of the synthesis of these three catabolic enzymes is indicated to be under the control of a single gene, qa-1+.


Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (3) ◽  
pp. 1105-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
W John Haynes ◽  
Kit-Yin Ling ◽  
Robin R Preston ◽  
Yoshiro Saimi ◽  
Ching Kung

Abstract Pawn mutants of Paramecium tetraurelia lack a depolarization-activated Ca2+ current and do not swim backward. Using the method of microinjection and sorting a genomic library, we have cloned a DNA fragment that complements pawn-B (pwB/pwB). The minimal complementing fragment is a 798-bp open reading frame (ORF) that restores the Ca2+ current and the backward swimming when expressed. This ORF contains a 29-bp intron and is transcribed and translated. The translated product has two putative transmembrane domains but no clear matches in current databases. Mutations in the available pwB alleles were found within this ORF. The d4-95 and d4-96 alleles are single base substitutions, while d4-662 (previously pawn-D) harbors a 44-bp insertion that matches an internal eliminated sequence (IES) found in the wild-type germline DNA except for a single C-to-T transition. Northern hybridizations and RT-PCR indicate that d4-662 transcripts are rapidly degraded or not produced. A second 155-bp IES in the wild-type germline ORF excises at two alternative sites spanning three asparagine codons. The pwB ORF appears to be separated from a 5′ neighboring ORF by only 36 bp. The close proximity of the two ORFs and the location of the pwB protein as indicated by GFP-fusion constructs are discussed.


1991 ◽  
Vol 277 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Jacob ◽  
B Joris ◽  
J M Frère

By using site-directed mutagenesis, the active-site serine residue of the Streptomyces albus G beta-lactamase was substituted by alanine and cysteine. Both mutant enzymes were produced in Streptomyces lividans and purified to homogeneity. The cysteine beta-lactamase exhibited a substrate-specificity profile distinct from that of the wild-type enzyme, and its kcat./Km values at pH 7 were never higher than 0.1% of that of the serine enzyme. Unlike the wild-type enzyme, the activity of the mutant increased at acidic pH values. Surprisingly, the alanine mutant exhibited a weak but specific activity for benzylpenicillin and ampicillin. In addition, a very small production of wild-type enzyme, probably due to mistranslation, was detected, but that activity could be selectively eliminated. Both mutant enzymes were nearly as thermostable as the wild-type.


Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 871-880
Author(s):  
Robin R Preston ◽  
Jocelyn A Hammond

Three mutant strains of Paramecium tetraurelia with an enhanced sensitivity to magnesium have been isolated. These new “Chameleon” mutants result from partial- or codominant mutations at a single locus, Cha. Whereas the wild type responded to 5 mm Mg2+ by swimming backward for 10–15 sec, Cha mutants responded with ∼30 sec backward swimming. Electrophysiological analysis suggested that this behavior may be caused by slowing in the rate at which a Mg2+-specific ion conductance deactivates following membrane excitation. This would be consistent with an observed increase in the sensitivity of Cha mutants to nickel poisoning, since Ni2+ is also able to enter the cell via this pathway. More extensive behavioral analysis showed that Cha cells also overresponded to Na+, but there was no evidence for a defect in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis that might account for a simultaneous enhancement of both the Mg2+ and Na+ conductances. The possibility that the Cha locus may encode a specific regulator of the Mg2+- and Na+-permeabilities is considered.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (5) ◽  
pp. 1304-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeles Zorreguieta ◽  
Christine Finnie ◽  
J. Allan Downie

ABSTRACT Rhizobium leguminosarum secretes two extracellular glycanases, PlyA and PlyB, that can degrade exopolysaccharide (EPS) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), which is used as a model substrate of plant cell wall cellulose polymers. When grown on agar medium, CMC degradation occurred only directly below colonies of R. leguminosarum, suggesting that the enzymes remain attached to the bacteria. Unexpectedly, when a PlyA-PlyB-secreting colony was grown in close proximity to mutants unable to produce or secrete PlyA and PlyB, CMC degradation occurred below that part of the mutant colonies closest to the wild type. There was no CMC degradation in the region between the colonies. By growing PlyB-secreting colonies on a lawn of CMC-nondegrading mutants, we could observe a halo of CMC degradation around the colony. Using various mutant strains, we demonstrate that PlyB diffuses beyond the edge of the colony but does not degrade CMC unless it is in contact with the appropriate colony surface. PlyA appears to remain attached to the cells since no such diffusion of PlyA activity was observed. EPS defective mutants could secrete both PlyA and PlyB, but these enzymes were inactive unless they came into contact with an EPS+ strain, indicating that EPS is required for activation of PlyA and PlyB. However, we were unable to activate CMC degradation with a crude EPS fraction, indicating that activation of CMC degradation may require an intermediate in EPS biosynthesis. Transfer of PlyB to Agrobacterium tumefaciens enabled it to degrade CMC, but this was only observed if it was grown on a lawn ofR. leguminosarum. This indicates that the surface ofA. tumefaciens is inappropriate to activate CMC degradation by PlyB. Analysis of CMC degradation by other rhizobia suggests that activation of secreted glycanases by surface components may occur in other species.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (13) ◽  
pp. 3055-3063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raqual Bower ◽  
Kristyn VanderWaal ◽  
Eileen O'Toole ◽  
Laura Fox ◽  
Catherine Perrone ◽  
...  

To understand the mechanisms that regulate the assembly and activity of flagellar dyneins, we focused on the I1 inner arm dynein (dynein f) and a null allele, bop5-2, defective in the gene encoding the IC138 phosphoprotein subunit. I1 dynein assembles in bop5-2 axonemes but lacks at least four subunits: IC138, IC97, LC7b, and flagellar-associated protein (FAP) 120—defining a new I1 subcomplex. Electron microscopy and image averaging revealed a defect at the base of the I1 dynein, in between radial spoke 1 and the outer dynein arms. Microtubule sliding velocities also are reduced. Transformation with wild-type IC138 restores assembly of the IC138 subcomplex and rescues microtubule sliding. These observations suggest that the IC138 subcomplex is required to coordinate I1 motor activity. To further test this hypothesis, we analyzed microtubule sliding in radial spoke and double mutant strains. The results reveal an essential role for the IC138 subcomplex in the regulation of I1 activity by the radial spoke/phosphorylation pathway.


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