scholarly journals Analysis of Small Critical Regions of Swi1 Conferring Prion Formation, Maintenance, and Transmission

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Valtierra ◽  
Zhiqiang Du ◽  
Liming Li
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Nonsense Suppression ◽  
Protein Conformations ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Partial Loss ◽  
Poor Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
A Subunit ◽  
Critical Regions

ABSTRACT Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains several prion elements, which are epigenetically transmitted as self-perpetuating protein conformations. One such prion is [SWI + ], whose protein determinant is Swi1, a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex. We previously reported that [SWI + ] formation results in a partial loss-of-function phenotype of poor growth in nonglucose medium and abolishment of multicellular features. We also showed that the first 38 amino acids of Swi1 propagated [SWI +]. We show here that a region as small as the first 32 amino acids of Swi1 (Swi11–32) can decorate [SWI +] aggregation and stably maintain and transmit [SWI +] independently of full-length Swi1. Regions smaller than Swi11–32 are either incapable of aggregation or unstably propagate [SWI +]. When fused to Sup35MC, the [PSI + ] determinant lacking its PrD, Swi11–31 and Swi11–32 can act as transferable prion domains (PrDs). The resulting fusions give rise to a novel chimeric prion, [SPS +], exhibiting [PSI +]-like nonsense suppression. Thus, an NH2-terminal region of ∼30 amino acids of Swi1 contains all the necessary information for in vivo prion formation, maintenance, and transmission. This PrD is unique in size and composition: glutamine free, asparagine rich, and the smallest defined to date. Our findings broaden our understanding of what features allow a protein region to serve as a PrD.

Genetic analysis of laminin A reveals diverse functions during morphogenesis in Drosophila

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Henchcliffe ◽  
L. Garcia-Alonso ◽  
J. Tang ◽  
C.S. Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Genetic Characterization ◽  
Complete Loss ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Partial Loss ◽  
Multidomain Structure ◽  
A Subunit ◽  
Wing Structure

In order to dissect the functions of laminin A in vivo, we have undertaken a molecular and genetic characterization of the laminin A subunit (lamA) gene in Drosophila. Sequence analysis predicts a multidomain structure similar to mammalian homologs. We generated a series of complete and partial loss-of-function mutant alleles of the lamA gene; complete loss-of-function mutations lead to late embryonic lethality. Certain combinations of partial loss-of-function lamA alleles give rise to escaper adults, which have rough eyes associated with changes in cell fate and pattern, misshapen legs and defects in wing structure. These phenotypes suggest that laminin A has diverse functions during morphogenesis in Drosophila.

scholarly journals Roles for RNA export factor, Nxt1, in ensuring muscle integrity and normal RNA expression in Drosophila

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin van der Graaf ◽  
Katia Jindrich ◽  
Robert Mitchell ◽  
Helen White-Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Mrna Export ◽  
Rna Stability ◽  
Muscle Degeneration ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Partial Loss ◽  
Export Pathway ◽  
Pathway Gene ◽  
Rna Export

Abstract The mRNA export pathway is responsible for the transport of mRNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and thus is essential for protein production and normal cellular functions. A partial loss of function allele of the mRNA export factor Nxt1 in Drosophila shows reduced viability and sterility. A previous study has shown that the male fertility defect is due to a defect in transcription and RNA stability, indicating the potential for this pathway to be implicated in processes beyond the known mRNA transport function. Here we investigate the reduced viability of Nxt1 partial loss of function mutants, and describe a defect in growth and maintenance of the larval muscles, leading to muscle degeneration. RNA-seq revealed reduced expression of a set of mRNAs, particularly from genes with long introns in Nxt1 mutant carcass. We detected differential expression of circRNA, and significantly fewer distinct circRNAs expressed in the mutants. Despite the widespread defects in gene expression, muscle degeneration was rescued by increased expression of the costamere component tn (abba) in muscles. This is the first report of a role for the RNA export pathway gene Nxt1 in the maintenance of muscle integrity. Our data also links the mRNA export pathway to a specific role in the expression of mRNA and circRNA from common precursor genes, in vivo.

scholarly journals Doripenem MICs andompK36Porin Genotypes of Sequence Type 258, KPC-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae May Predict Responses to Carbapenem-Colistin Combination Therapy among Patients with Bacteremia

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1797-1801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan K. Shields ◽  
M. Hong Nguyen ◽  
Brian A. Potoski ◽  
Ellen G. Press ◽  
Liang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Combination Therapy ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Sequence Type ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTTreatment failures of a carbapenem-colistin regimen among patients with bacteremia due to sequence type 258 (ST258), KPC-2-producingKlebsiella pneumoniaewere significantly more likely if both agents were inactivein vitro, as defined by a colistin MIC of >2 μg/ml and the presence of either a majorompK36porin mutation (guanine and alanine insertions at amino acids 134 and 135 [ins aa 134–135 GD], IS5promoter insertion [P= 0.007]) or a doripenem MIC of >8 μg/ml (P= 0.01). MajorompK36mutations among KPC-K. pneumoniaestrains are important determinants of carbapenem-colistin responsesin vitroandin vivo.

scholarly journals Lantibiotic Reductase LtnJ Substrate Selectivity Assessed with a Collection of Nisin Derivatives as Substrates

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
pp. 3679-3687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongdong Mu ◽  
Manuel Montalbán-López ◽  
Jingjing Deng ◽  
Oscar P. Kuipers
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Posttranslational Modifications ◽  
Substrate Selectivity ◽  
Biosynthesis Gene Cluster ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hydrophobic Residues ◽  
Lacticin 3147 ◽  
Biosynthesis Gene ◽  
Biosynthetic Machinery

ABSTRACTLantibiotics are potent antimicrobial peptides characterized by the presence of dehydrated amino acids, dehydroalanine and dehydrobutyrine, and (methyl)lanthionine rings. In addition to these posttranslational modifications, some lantibiotics exhibit additional modifications that usually confer increased biological activity or stability on the peptide. LtnJ is a reductase responsible for the introduction ofd-alanine in the lantibiotic lacticin 3147. The conversion ofl-serine intod-alanine requires dehydroalanine as the substrate, which is producedin vivoby the dehydration of serine by a lantibiotic dehydratase, i.e., LanB or LanM. In this work, we probe the substrate specificity of LtnJ using a system that combines the nisin modification machinery (dehydratase, cyclase, and transporter) and the stereospecific reductase LtnJ inLactococcus lactis. We also describe an improvement in the production yield of this system by inserting a putative attenuator from the nisin biosynthesis gene cluster in front of theltnJgene. In order to clarify the sequence selectivity of LtnJ, peptides composed of truncated nisin and different mutated C-terminal tails were designed and coexpressed with LtnJ and the nisin biosynthetic machinery. In these tails, serine was flanked by diverse amino acids to determine the influence of the surrounding residues in the reaction. LtnJ successfully hydrogenated peptides when hydrophobic residues (Leu, Ile, Phe, and Ala) were flanking the intermediate dehydroalanine, while those in which dehydroalanine was flanked by one or two polar residues (Ser, Thr, Glu, Lys, and Asn) or Gly were either less prone to be modified by LtnJ or not modified at all. Moreover, our results showed that dehydrobutyrine cannot serve as a substrate for LtnJ.

scholarly journals Asp1 Bifunctional Activity Modulates Spindle Function via Controlling Cellular Inositol Pyrophosphate Levels inSchizosaccharomyces pombe

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. e00047-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Pascual-Ortiz ◽  
Adolfo Saiardi ◽  
Eva Walla ◽  
Visnja Jakopec ◽  
Natascha A. Künzel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inositol Pyrophosphate ◽  
Daughter Cells ◽  
Chromosome Transmission ◽  
Microtubule Stability ◽  
Mitochondrial Distribution ◽  
Spindle Function

ABSTRACTThe generation of two daughter cells with the same genetic information requires error-free chromosome segregation during mitosis. Chromosome transmission fidelity is dependent on spindle structure/function, which requires Asp1 in the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe. Asp1 belongs to the diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate kinase (PPIP5K)/Vip1 family which generates high-energy inositol pyrophosphate (IPP) molecules. Here, we show that Asp1 is a bifunctional enzymein vivo: Asp1 kinase generates specific IPPs which are the substrates of the Asp1 pyrophosphatase. Intracellular levels of these IPPs directly correlate with microtubule stability: pyrophosphatase loss-of-function mutants raised Asp1-made IPP levels 2-fold, thus increasing microtubule stability, while overexpression of the pyrophosphatase decreased microtubule stability. Absence of Asp1-generated IPPs resulted in an aberrant, increased spindle association of theS. pombekinesin-5 family member Cut7, which led to spindle collapse. Thus, chromosome transmission is controlled via intracellular IPP levels. Intriguingly, identification of the mitochondrion-associated Met10 protein as the first pyrophosphatase inhibitor revealed that IPPs also regulate mitochondrial distribution.

The zebrafish homologs of SET/I2PP2A oncoprotein: expression patterns and insights into their physiological roles during development

2016 ◽  
Vol 473 (24) ◽  
pp. 4609-4627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iliana Serifi ◽  
Eleni Tzima ◽  
Katerina Soupsana ◽  
Zoe Karetsou ◽  
Dimitris Beis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
Gene Networks ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Otic Vesicle ◽  
Lateral Line System ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Line System ◽  
Eye Retina

The oncoprotein SET/I2PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A inhibitor 2) participates in various cellular mechanisms such as transcription, cell cycle regulation and cell migration. SET is also an inhibitor of the serine/threonine phosphatase PP2A, which is involved in the regulation of cell homeostasis. In zebrafish, there are two paralogous set genes that encode Seta (269 amino acids) and Setb (275 amino acids) proteins which share 94% identity. We show here that seta and setb are similarly expressed in the eye, the otic vesicle, the brain and the lateral line system, as indicated by in situ hybridization labeling. Whole-mount immunofluorescence analysis revealed the expression of Seta/b proteins in the eye retina, the olfactory pit and the lateral line neuromasts. Loss-of-function studies using antisense morpholino oligonucleotides targeting both seta and setb genes (MOab) resulted in increased apoptosis, reduced cell proliferation and morphological defects. The morphant phenotypes were partially rescued when MOab was co-injected with human SET mRNA. Knockdown of setb with a transcription-blocking morpholino oligonucleotide (MOb) resulted in phenotypic defects comparable with those induced by setb gRNA (guide RNA)/Cas9 [CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-associated 9] injections. In vivo labeling of hair cells showed a significantly decreased number of neuromasts in MOab-, MOb- and gRNA/Cas9-injected embryos. Microarray analysis of MOab morphant transcriptome revealed differential expression in gene networks controlling transcription in the sensory organs, including the eye retina, the ear and the lateral line. Collectively, our results suggest that seta and setb are required during embryogenesis and play roles in the zebrafish sensory system development.

scholarly journals The C Terminus of Substrates Is Critical but Not Sufficient for Their Degradation by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa CtpA Protease

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sammi Chung ◽  
Andrew J. Darwin
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Content Type ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Outer Membrane Lipoprotein ◽  
Membrane Lipoprotein ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal

ABSTRACT Bacterial carboxyl-terminal processing proteases (CTPs) are widely conserved and have been linked to important processes, including signal transduction, cell wall metabolism, and virulence. However, the features that target proteins for CTP-dependent cleavage are unclear. Studies of the Escherichia coli CTP Prc suggested that it cleaves proteins with nonpolar and/or structurally unconstrained C termini, but it is not clear if this applies broadly. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has a divergent CTP, CtpA, which is required for virulence. CtpA works in complex with the outer membrane lipoprotein LbcA to degrade cell wall hydrolases. In this study, we investigated if the C termini of two nonhomologous CtpA substrates are important for their degradation. We determined that these substrates have extended C termini compared to those of their closest E. coli homologs. Removing 7 amino acids from these extensions was sufficient to reduce their degradation by CtpA both in vivo and in vitro. Degradation of one truncated substrate was restored by adding the C terminus from the other but not by adding an unrelated sequence. However, modification of the C termini of nonsubstrates, by adding the C-terminal amino acids from a substrate, did not cause their degradation by CtpA. Therefore, the C termini of CtpA substrates are required but not sufficient for their efficient degradation. Although C-terminal truncated substrates were protected from degradation, they still associated with the LbcA-CtpA complex in vivo. Therefore, degradation of a protein by CtpA requires a C terminus-independent interaction with the LbcA-CtpA complex, followed by C terminus-dependent degradation, perhaps because CtpA normally initiates cleavage at a C-terminal site. IMPORTANCE Carboxyl-terminal processing proteases (CTPs) are found in all three domains of life, but exactly how they work is poorly understood, including how they recognize substrates. Bacterial CTPs have been associated with virulence, including CtpA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which works in complex with the outer membrane lipoprotein LbcA to degrade potentially dangerous peptidoglycan hydrolases. We report an important advance by revealing that efficient degradation by CtpA requires at least two separable phenomena and that one of them depends on information encoded in the substrate C terminus. A C terminus-independent association with the LbcA-CtpA complex is followed by C terminus-dependent cleavage by CtpA. Increased understanding of how CTPs target proteins is significant, due to their links to virulence, peptidoglycan remodeling, and other important processes.

scholarly journals A Naturally Occurring Deletion in FliE from Salmonella enterica Serovar Dublin Results in an Aflagellate Phenotype and Defective Proinflammatory Properties

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastián Sasías ◽  
Adriana Martínez-Sanguiné ◽  
Laura Betancor ◽  
Arací Martínez ◽  
Bruno D'Alessandro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Salmonella Enterica Serovar Dublin

ABSTRACTSalmonella entericaserovar Dublin is adapted to cattle but is able to infect humans with high invasiveness. An acute inflammatory response at the intestine helps to preventSalmonelladissemination to systemic sites. Flagella contribute to this response by providing motility and FliC-mediated signaling through pattern recognition receptors. In a previous work, we reported a high frequency (11 out of 25) ofS. Dublin isolates lacking flagella in a collection obtained from humans and cattle. The aflagellate strains were impaired in their proinflammatory propertiesin vitroandin vivo. The aim of this work was to elucidate the underlying cause of the absence of flagella inS. Dublin isolates. We report here that class 3 flagellar genes are repressed in the human aflagellate isolates, due to impaired secretion of FliA anti-sigma factor FlgM. This phenotype is due to an in-frame 42-nucleotide deletion in thefliEgene, which codes for a protein located in the flagellar basal body. The deletion is predicted to produce a protein lacking amino acids 18 to 31. The aflagellate phenotype was highly stable; revertants were obtained only whenfliAwas artificially overexpressed combined with several successive passages in motility agar. DNA sequence analysis revealed that motile revertants resulted from duplications of DNA sequences infliEadjacent to the deleted region. These duplications produced a FliE protein of similar length to the wild type and demonstrate that amino acids 18 to 31 of FliE are not essential. The same deletion was detected inS. Dublin isolates obtained from cattle, indicating that this mutation circulates in nature.

scholarly journals Peb1p (Pas7p) is an intraperoxisomal receptor for the NH2-terminal, type 2, peroxisomal targeting sequence of thiolase: Peb1p itself is targeted to peroxisomes by an NH2-terminal peptide.

1996 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
J W Zhang ◽  
P B Lazarow
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Equilibrium Density ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Peroxisomal Targeting ◽  
Digitonin Permeabilization

Peb1 is a peroxisome biogenesis mutant isolated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is selectively defective in the import of thiolase into peroxisomes but has a normal ability to package catalase, luciferase and acyl-CoA oxidase (Zhang, J. W., C. Luckey, and P. B. Lazarow. 1993. Mol. Biol. Cell. 4:1351-1359). Thiolase differs from these other peroxisomal proteins in that it is targeted by an NH2-terminal, 16-amino acid peroxisomal targeting sequence type 2 (PTS 2). This phenotype suggests that the PEB1 protein might function as a receptor for the PTS2. The PEB1 gene has been cloned by functional complementation. It encodes a 42,320-D, hydrophilic protein with no predicted transmembrane segment. It contains six WD repeats that comprise the entire protein except for the first 55 amino acids. Peb1p was tagged with hemagglutinin epitopes and determined to be exclusively within peroxisomes by digitonin permeabilization, immunofluorescence, protease protection and immuno-electron microscopy (Zhang, J. W., and P. B. Lazarow. 1995. J. Cell Biol. 129:65-80). Peb1p is identical to Pas7p (Marzioch, M., R. Erdmann, M. Veenhuis, and W.-H. Kunau. 1994. EMBO J. 13: 4908-4917). We have now tested whether Peb1p interacts with the PTS2 of thiolase. With the two-hybrid assay, we observed a strong interaction between Peb1p and thiolase that was abolished by deleting the first 16 amino acids of thiolase. An oligopeptide consisting of the first 16 amino acids of thiolase was sufficient for the affinity binding of Peb1p. Binding was reduced by the replacement of leucine with arginine at residue five, a change that is known to reduce thiolase targeting in vivo. Finally, a thiolase-Peb1p complex was isolated by immunoprecipitation. To investigate the topogenesis of Peb1p, its first 56-amino acid residues were fused in front of truncated thiolase lacking the NH2-terminal 16-amino acid PTS2. The fusion protein was expressed in a thiolase knockout strain. Equilibrium density centrifugation and immunofluorescence indicated that the fusion protein was located in peroxisomes. Deletion of residues 6-55 from native Peb1p resulted in a cytosolic location and the loss of function. Thus the NH2-terminal 56-amino acid residues of Peb1p are necessary and sufficient for peroxisomal targeting. Peb1p is found in peroxisomes whether thiolase is expressed or not. These results suggest that Peb1p (Pas7p) is an intraperoxisomal receptor for the type 2 peroxisomal targeting signal.

scholarly journals Mechanistic insights into global suppressors of protein folding defects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gopinath Chattopadhyay ◽  
Jayantika Bhowmick ◽  
Kavyashree Manjunath ◽  
Shahbaz Ahmed ◽  
Parveen Goyal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Toxin ◽  
Amino Acid Substitutions ◽  
Receptor Binding Domain ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Partial Loss ◽  
Suppressor Mutations ◽  
Key Drivers

Most amino acid substitutions in a protein either lead to partial loss of function or are near neutral. Several studies have shown the existence of second-site mutations that can rescue defects caused by diverse loss of function mutations. Such global suppressor mutations are key drivers of protein evolution. However, the mechanisms responsible for such suppression remain poorly understood. To address this, we characterized multiple suppressor mutations both in isolation and in combination with inactive mutants. We examined five global suppressors of the bacterial toxin CcdB, the known M182T global suppressor of TEM-1 β-lactamase, the N239Y global suppressor of p53-DBD and three suppressors of the SARS-CoV-2 spike Receptor Binding Domain. The suppressors both alone, and in conjunction with inactive mutants, stabilise the protein both thermodynamically and kinetically in-vitro, predominantly through acceleration of the refolding rate parameters. When coupled to inactive mutants they promote increased in-vivo solubilities as well as regain-of-function phenotypes. Our study also demonstrates that the global suppressor approach can be used to consistently stabilise wild-type proteins, including for downstream translational applications.

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