scholarly journals Protein Targeting to the Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane of Plasmodium falciparum

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 744-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saliha Eksi ◽  
Kim C. Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole ◽  
Reporter Protein ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gfp Reporter

ABSTRACTRed blood cell (RBC) invasion and parasitophorous vacuole (PV) formation byPlasmodium falciparumare critical for the development and pathogenesis of malaria, a continuing global health problem. Expansion of the PV membrane (PVM) during growth is orchestrated by the parasite. This is particularly important in mature RBCs, which lack internal organelles and no longer actively synthesize membranes. Pfs16, a 16-kDa integral PVM protein expressed by gametocytes, was chosen as a model for studying the trafficking of material from the parasite across the PV space to the PVM. The locations of Pfs16-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter proteins containing distinct regions of Pfs16 were tracked from RBC invasion to emergence. Inclusion of the 53 C-terminal amino acids (aa) of Pfs16 to a GFP reporter construct already containing the N-terminal secretory signal sequence was sufficient for targeting to and retention on the PVM. An amino acid motif identified in this region was also found in seven other known PVM proteins. Removal of the 11 C-terminal aa did not affect PVM targeting, but membrane retention was decreased. Additionally, during emergence from the PVM and RBC, native Pfs16 and the full-length Pfs16-GFP reporter protein were found to concentrate on the ends of the gametocyte. Capping was not observed in constructs lacking the amino acids between the N-terminal secretory signal sequence and the transmembrane domain, suggesting that this region, which is not required for PVM targeting, is involved in capping. This is the first report to define the amino acid domains required for targeting to theP. falciparumPVM.

scholarly journals Multiple Functionally Redundant Signals Mediate Targeting to the Apicoplast in the Apicomplexan Parasite Toxoplasma gondii

2004 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 663-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar S. Harb ◽  
Bithi Chatterjee ◽  
Martin J. Fraunholz ◽  
Michael J. Crawford ◽  
Manami Nishi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Secretory Pathway ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole ◽  
Transit Peptide ◽  
Functional Domains ◽  
Transit Peptides ◽  
Endosymbiotic Organelle

ABSTRACT Most species of the protozoan phylum Apicomplexa harbor an endosymbiotic organelle—the apicoplast—acquired when an ancestral parasite engulfed a eukaryotic plastid-containing alga. Several hundred proteins are encoded in the parasite nucleus and are posttranslationally targeted to the apicoplast by a distinctive bipartite signal. The N-terminal 20 to 30 amino acids of nucleus-encoded apicoplast targeted proteins function as a classical signal sequence, mediating entry into the secretory pathway. Cleavage of the signal sequence exposes a transit peptide of variable length (50 to 200 amino acids) that is required for directing proteins to the apicoplast. Although these peptides are enriched in basic amino acids, their structural and functional characteristics are not well understood, which hampers the identification of apicoplast proteins that may constitute novel chemotherapeutic targets. To identify functional domains for a model apicoplast transit peptide, we generated more than 80 deletions and mutations throughout the transit peptide of Toxoplasma gondii ferredoxin NADP+ reductase (TgFNR) and examined the ability of these altered transit peptides to mediate proper targeting and processing of a fluorescent protein reporter. These studies revealed the presence of numerous functional domains. Processing can take place at multiple sites in the protein sequence and may occur outside of the apicoplast lumen. The TgFNR transit peptide contains at least two independent and functionally redundant targeting signals, each of which contains a subdomain that is required for release from or proper sorting within the endoplasmic reticulum. Certain deletion constructs traffic to multiple locations, including the apicoplast periphery, the rhoptries, and the parasitophorous vacuole, suggesting a common thread for targeting to these specialized compartments.

scholarly journals YjeH Is a Novel Exporter of l-Methionine and Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Escherichia coli

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (22) ◽  
pp. 7753-7766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Liu ◽  
Yong Liang ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
Xiuling Shang ◽  
Shuwen Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Branched Chain Amino Acids ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Overexpression Strain ◽  
Branched Chain ◽  
Amino Acid Efflux

ABSTRACTAmino acid efflux transport systems have important physiological functions and play vital roles in the fermentative production of amino acids. However, no methionine exporter has yet been identified inEscherichia coli. In this study, we identified a novel amino acid exporter, YjeH, inE. coli. TheyjeHoverexpression strain exhibited high tolerance to the structural analogues ofl-methionine and branched-chain amino acids, decreased intracellular amino acid levels, and enhanced export rates in the presence of a Met-Met, Leu-Leu, Ile-Ile, or Val-Val dipeptide, suggesting that YjeH functions as an exporter ofl-methionine and the three branched-chain amino acids. The export of the four amino acids in theyjeHoverexpression strain was competitively inhibited in relation to each other. The expression ofyjeHwas strongly induced by increasing cytoplasmic concentrations of substrate amino acids. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged YjeH was visualized by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to confirm the plasma membrane localization of YjeH. Phylogenetic analysis of transporters indicated that YjeH belongs to the amino acid efflux family of the amino acid/polyamine/organocation (APC) superfamily. Structural modeling revealed that YjeH has the typical “5 + 5” transmembrane α-helical segment (TMS) inverted-repeat fold of APC superfamily transporters, and its binding sites are strictly conserved. The enhanced capacity ofl-methionine export by the overexpression ofyjeHin anl-methionine-producing strain resulted in a 70% improvement in titer. This study supplements the transporter classification and provides a substantial basis for the application of the methionine exporter in metabolic engineering.

scholarly journals Genesis of and Trafficking to the Maurer's Clefts of Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 4074-4085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Spycher ◽  
Melanie Rug ◽  
Nectarios Klonis ◽  
David J. P. Ferguson ◽  
Alan F. Cowman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Cell Periphery ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole Membrane ◽  
Vacuole Membrane ◽  
Maurer's Clefts

ABSTRACT Malaria parasites export proteins beyond their own plasma membrane to locations in the red blood cells in which they reside. Maurer's clefts are parasite-derived structures within the host cell cytoplasm that are thought to function as a sorting compartment between the parasite and the erythrocyte membrane. However, the genesis of this compartment and the signals directing proteins to the Maurer's clefts are not known. We have generated Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeras of a Maurer's cleft resident protein, the membrane-associated histidine-rich protein 1 (MAHRP1). Chimeras of full-length MAHRP1 or fragments containing part of the N-terminal domain and the transmembrane domain are successfully delivered to Maurer's clefts. Other fragments remain trapped within the parasite. Fluorescence photobleaching and time-lapse imaging techniques indicate that MAHRP1-GFP is initially trafficked to isolated subdomains in the parasitophorous vacuole membrane that appear to represent nascent Maurer's clefts. The data suggest that the Maurer's clefts bud from the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and diffuse within the erythrocyte cytoplasm before taking up residence at the cell periphery.

scholarly journals Relative Rates of Amino Acid Import via the ABC Transporter GlnPQ Determine the Growth Performance of Lactococcus lactis

2015 ◽  
Vol 198 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faizah Fulyani ◽  
Gea K. Schuurman-Wolters ◽  
Dirk-Jan Slotboom ◽  
Bert Poolman
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Glutamic Acid ◽  
Lactococcus Lactis ◽  
Abc Transporter ◽  
Essential Amino Acid ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Affinity Constant ◽  
Remarkable Feature ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTThe GlnPQ transporter fromLactococcus lactishas the remarkable feature of having two substrate-binding domains (SBDs) fused to the N terminus of the transmembrane domain (TMD), and thus four SBDs are present in the homodimeric complex. Although X-ray structures and ligand binding data are available for both SBDs, little is known of how different amino acids compete with each other for transport via GlnPQ. Here we show GlnPQ has a broader substrate specificity than previously thought, with the ability to take up asparagine, glutamine, and glutamic acid, albeit via different routes and with different affinities. Asparagine and glutamine compete with each other at the level of binding to SBD1 and SBD2 (with differences in dissociation constant), but at the same time SBD1 and SBD2 compete with each other at the level of interaction with the translocator domain (with differences in affinity constant and rate of transport). Although glutamine transport via SBD1 is outcompeted by physiological concentrations of asparagine, SBD2 ensures high rates of import of the essential amino acid glutamine. Taken together, this study demonstrates that even in the presence of competing asparagine concentrations, GlnPQ has a high capacity to transport glutamine, which matches the high needs of the cell for glutamine and glutamate.IMPORTANCEGlnPQ is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter for glutamine, glutamic acid, and asparagine. The system is essential in various Gram-positive bacteria, includingL. lactisand several pathogens. Here we show how the amino acids compete with each other for binding to the multiple SBDs of GlnPQ and how these SBDs compete with each other for substrate delivery to the transporter. Overall, our results show that GlnPQ has evolved to transport diverse substrates via different paths and to optimally acquire the abundant and essential amino acid glutamine.

scholarly journals Binding of Aldolase and Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase to the Cytoplasmic Tails of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite Duffy Binding-Like and Reticulocyte Homology Ligands

mBio ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ipsita Pal-Bhowmick ◽  
John Andersen ◽  
Prakash Srinivasan ◽  
David L. Narum ◽  
Jürgen Bosch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Aromatic Amino Acid ◽  
Cytoplasmic Tail ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aromatic Residues ◽  
Charged Amino Acids ◽  
Cytoplasmic Tails ◽  
Erythrocyte Binding

ABSTRACTInvasion of erythrocytes byPlasmodium falciparumrequires a connection between the cytoplasmic tail of the parasite’s ligands for its erythrocyte receptors and the actin-myosin motor of the parasite. For the thromobospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) ligand onPlasmodiumsporozoites, aldolase forms this connection and requires tryptophan and negatively charged amino acids in the ligand’s cytoplasmic tail. Because of the importance of the Duffy binding-like (DBL) and the reticulocyte homology (RH) ligand families in erythrocyte binding and merozoite invasion, we characterized the ability of their cytoplasmic tails to bind aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), both of which bind actin. We tested the binding of the cytoplasmic peptides of the two ligand families to aldolase and GAPDH. Only the cytoplasmic peptides of some RH ligands showed strong binding to aldolase, and the binding depended on the presence of an aromatic amino acid (phenylalanine or tyrosine), rather than tryptophan, in the context of negatively charged amino acids. The binding was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance analysis and was found to represent affinity similar to that seen with TRAP. An X-ray crystal structure of aldolase at 2.5 Å in the presence of RH2b peptide suggested that the binding site location was near the TRAP-binding site. GAPDH bound to some of the cytoplasmic tails of certain RH and DBL ligands in an aromatic amino acid-dependent manner. Thus, the connection betweenPlasmodiummerozoite ligands and erythrocyte receptors and the actin motor can be achieved through the activity of either aldolase or GAPDH by mechanisms that do not require tryptophan but, rather, other aromatic amino acids.IMPORTANCEThe invasion of thePlasmodiummerozoite into erythrocytes is a critical element in malaria pathogenesis. It is important to understand the molecular details of this process, as this machinery can be a target for both vaccine and drug development. InPlasmodiumsporozoites andToxoplasmatachyzoites, invasion involves a glycolytic enzyme aldolase, linking the cytoplasmic tail domains of the parasite ligands to the actin-myosin motor that drives invasion. This binding requires a tryptophan that cannot be replaced by other aromatic residues. Here we show that aldolase binds the cytoplasmic tails of someP. falciparummerozoite erythrocyte-binding ligands but that the binding involves aromatic residues other than tryptophan. The biological relevance of aldolase binding to cytoplasmic tails of parasite ligands in invasion is demonstrated by our observation that RH2b but not RH2a binds to aldolase and, as previously shown, that RH2b but not RH2a is required forP. falciparuminvasion of erythrocytes.

scholarly journals Erythrocyte Lysis and Xenopus laevis Oocyte Rupture by Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum Hemolysin III

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1337-1345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Moonah ◽  
Natalie G. Sanders ◽  
Jason K. Persichetti ◽  
David J. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole ◽  
Xenopus Laevis Oocyte ◽  
Digestive Vacuole ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Dose Time ◽  
Erythrocyte Lysis ◽  
Green Fluorescent

ABSTRACTMalaria kills more than 1 million people per year worldwide, with severe malaria anemia accounting for the majority of the deaths. Malaria anemia is multifactorial in etiology, including infected erythrocyte destruction and decrease in erythrocyte production, as well as destruction or clearance of noninfected erythrocytes. We identified a panspeciesPlasmodiumhemolysin type III related to bacterial hemolysins. The identification of a hemolysin III homologue inPlasmodiumsuggests a potential role in host erythrocyte lysis. Here, we report the first characterization ofPlasmodium falciparumhemolysin III, showing that the soluble recombinantP. falciparumhemolysin III is a pore-forming protein capable of lysing human erythrocytes in a dose-, time-, and temperature-dependent fashion. The recombinantP. falciparumhemolysin III-induced hemolysis was partially inhibited by glibenclamide, a known channel antagonist. Studies with polyethylene glycol molecules of different molecular weights indicated a pore size of approximately 3.2 nm. Heterologous expression of recombinantP. falciparumhemolysin III inXenopusoocytes demonstrated early hypotonic lysis similar to that of the pore-forming aquaporin control. Live fluorescence microscopy localized transfected recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP)-taggedP. falciparumhemolysin III to the essential digestive vacuole of theP. falciparumparasite. These transfected trophozoites also possessed a swollen digestive vacuole phenotype. NativePlasmodiumhemolysin III in the digestive vacuole may contribute to lysis of the parasitophorous vacuole membrane derived from the host erythrocyte. After merozoite egress from infected erythrocytes, remnantP. falciparumhemolysin III released from digestive vacuoles could potentially contribute to lysis of uninfected erythrocytes to contribute to severe life-threatening anemia.

scholarly journals Tailoring a Global Iron Regulon to a Uropathogen

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajdeep Banerjee ◽  
Erin Weisenhorn ◽  
Kevin J. Schwartz ◽  
Kevin S. Myers ◽  
Jeremy D. Glasner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Iron Limitation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
General Stress ◽  
K 12

ABSTRACT Pathogenicity islands and plasmids bear genes for pathogenesis of various Escherichia coli pathotypes. Although there is a basic understanding of the contribution of these virulence factors to disease, less is known about variation in regulatory networks in determining disease phenotypes. Here, we dissected a regulatory network directed by the conserved iron homeostasis regulator, ferric uptake regulator (Fur), in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain CFT073. Comparing anaerobic genome-scale Fur DNA binding with Fur-dependent transcript expression and protein levels of the uropathogen to that of commensal E. coli K-12 strain MG1655 showed that the Fur regulon of the core genome is conserved but also includes genes within the pathogenicity/genetic islands. Unexpectedly, regulons indicative of amino acid limitation and the general stress response were also indirectly activated in the uropathogen fur mutant, suggesting that induction of the Fur regulon increases amino acid demand. Using RpoS levels as a proxy, addition of amino acids mitigated the stress. In addition, iron chelation increased RpoS to the same levels as in the fur mutant. The increased amino acid demand of the fur mutant or iron chelated cells was exacerbated by aerobic conditions, which could be partly explained by the O2-dependent synthesis of the siderophore aerobactin, encoded by an operon within a pathogenicity island. Taken together, these data suggest that in the iron-poor environment of the urinary tract, amino acid availability could play a role in the proliferation of this uropathogen, particularly if there is sufficient O2 to produce aerobactin. IMPORTANCE Host iron restriction is a common mechanism for limiting the growth of pathogens. We compared the regulatory network controlled by Fur in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) to that of nonpathogenic E. coli K-12 to uncover strategies that pathogenic bacteria use to overcome iron limitation. Although iron homeostasis functions were regulated by Fur in the uropathogen as expected, a surprising finding was the activation of the stringent and general stress responses in the uropathogen fur mutant, which was rescued by amino acid addition. This coordinated global response could be important in controlling growth and survival under nutrient-limiting conditions and during transitions from the nutrient-rich environment of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract to the more restrictive environment of the urinary tract. The coupling of the response of iron limitation to increased demand for amino acids could be a critical attribute that sets UPEC apart from other E. coli pathotypes.

scholarly journals The Carboxy-Terminal Region ofFlavobacterium johnsoniaeSprB Facilitates Its Secretion by the Type IX Secretion System and Propulsion by the Gliding Motility Machinery

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surashree S. Kulkarni ◽  
Joseph J. Johnston ◽  
Yongtao Zhu ◽  
Zachary T. Hying ◽  
Mark J. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Cell Surface ◽  
Type A ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Foreign Protein ◽  
Type B ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

ABSTRACTFlavobacterium johnsoniaeSprB moves rapidly along the cell surface, resulting in gliding motility. SprB secretion requires the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Proteins secreted by the T9SS typically have conserved C-terminal domains (CTDs) belonging to the type A CTD or type B CTD family. Attachment of 70- to 100-amino-acid type A CTDs to a foreign protein allows its secretion. Type B CTDs are common but have received little attention. Secretion of the foreign protein superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) fused to regions spanning the SprB type B CTD (sfGFP-CTDSprB) was analyzed. CTDs of 218 amino acids or longer resulted in secretion of sfGFP, whereas a 149-amino-acid region did not. Some sfGFP was secreted in soluble form, whereas the rest was attached on the cell surface. Surface-attached sfGFP was rapidly propelled along the cell, suggesting productive interaction with the motility machinery. This did not result in rapid cell movement, which apparently requires additional regions of SprB. Secretion of sfGFP-CTDSprBrequired coexpression withsprF, which lies downstream ofsprB. SprF is similar in sequence toPorphyromonas gingivalisPorP. MostF. johnsoniaegenes encoding proteins with type B CTDs lie immediately upstream ofporP/sprF-like genes. sfGFP was fused to the type B CTD from one such protein (Fjoh_3952). This resulted in secretion of sfGFP only when it was coexpressed with its cognate PorP/SprF-like protein. These results highlight the need for extended regions of type B CTDs and for coexpression with the appropriate PorP/SprF-like protein for efficient secretion and cell surface localization of cargo proteins.IMPORTANCETheF. johnsoniaegliding motility adhesin SprB is delivered to the cell surface by the type IX secretion system (T9SS) and is rapidly propelled along the cell by the motility machinery. How this 6,497-amino-acid protein interacts with the secretion and motility machines is not known. Fusion of the C-terminal 218 amino acids of SprB to a foreign cargo protein resulted in its secretion, attachment to the cell surface, and rapid movement by the motility machinery. Efficient secretion of SprB required coexpression with the outer membrane protein SprF. Secreted proteins that have sequence similarity to SprB in their C-terminal regions are common in the phylumBacteroidetesand may have roles in adhesion, motility, and virulence.

scholarly journals Sequence and structure of mtr, an amino acid transport gene of Neurospora crassa

Genome ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 644-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Koo ◽  
W. Dorsey Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Neurospora Crassa ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Open Reading Frame ◽  
Mrna Transcript ◽  
S1 Nuclease ◽  
Reading Frame

The gene product of the mtr locus of Neurospora crassa is required for the transport of neutral aliphatic and aromatic amino acids via the N system. We have previously cloned three cosmids containing Neurospora DNA that complement the mtr-6(r) mutant allele. The cloned DNAs were tightly linked to restriction fragment length polymorphisms that flank the mtr locus. A 2.9-kbp fragment from one cosmid was subcloned and found to complement the mtr-6(r) allele. Here we report the sequence of the fragment that hybridized to a poly(A)+ mRNA transcript of about 2300 nucleotides. We have identified an 845-bp open reading frame (ORF) having a 59-bp intron as the potential mtr ORF. S1 nuclease analysis of the transcript confirmed the transcript size and the presence of the intron. A second open reading frame was found upstream in the same reading frame as the mtr ORF and appears to be present in the mRNA transcript. The mtr ORF is predicted to encode a 261 amino acid polypeptide with a molecular mass of 28 613 Da. The proposed polypeptide exhibits six potential α-helical transmembrane domains with an average length of 23 amino acids, does not have a signal sequence, and contains amino acid sequence homologous to an RNA binding motif.Key words: sequence, membranes, ribonucleoprotein.

scholarly journals SEN1, a positive effector of tRNA-splicing endonuclease in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 2154-2164 ◽  
Author(s):  
D J DeMarini ◽  
M Winey ◽  
D Ursic ◽  
F Webb ◽  
M R Culbertson
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Gene Product ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Null Alleles ◽  
Nucleoside Triphosphate ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Amino Terminal

The SEN1 gene, which is essential for growth in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is required for endonucleolytic cleavage of introns from all 10 families of precursor tRNAs. A mutation in SEN1 conferring temperature-sensitive lethality also causes in vivo accumulation of pre-tRNAs and a deficiency of in vitro endonuclease activity. Biochemical evidence suggests that the gene product may be one of several components of a nuclear-localized splicing complex. We have cloned the SEN1 gene and characterized the SEN1 mRNA, the SEN1 gene product, the temperature-sensitive sen1-1 mutation, and three SEN1 null alleles. The SEN1 gene corresponds to a 6,336-bp open reading frame coding for a 2,112-amino-acid protein (molecular mass, 239 kDa). Using antisera directed against the C-terminal end of SEN1, we detect a protein corresponding to the predicted molecular weight of SEN1. The SEN1 protein contains a leucine zipper motif, consensus elements for nucleoside triphosphate binding, and a potential nuclear localization signal sequence. The carboxy-terminal 1,214 amino acids of the SEN1 protein are essential for growth, whereas the amino-terminal 898 amino acids are dispensable. A sequence of approximately 500 amino acids located in the essential region of SEN1 has significant similarity to the yeast UPF1 gene product, which is involved in mRNA turnover, and the mouse Mov-10 gene product, whose function is unknown. The mutation that creates the temperature-sensitive sen1-1 allele is located within this 500-amino-acid region, and it causes a substitution for an amino acid that is conserved in all three proteins.

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