scholarly journals Proteolysis of vimentin and desmin by the Ca2+-activated proteinase specific for these intermediate filament proteins.

1983 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 1146-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Nelson ◽  
P Traub
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Limited Proteolysis ◽  
Complete Removal ◽  
Product Inhibition ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins

The degradation of vimentin and desmin by the Ca2+-activated proteinase specific for these intermediate filament proteins proceeds in two stages in the form of a limited proteolysis. At first, the reaction is very rapid, with the stepwise and complete removal of a peptide (ca. 9,000 daltons) from the N-terminal of vimentin and desmin. This results in the production of a characteristic "staircase" of degradation products, as seen in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The second stage of proteolysis is characterized by the accumulation of peptides which are resistant to further proteolysis; this is due not to product inhibition but to the fact that these peptides are not substrates for the proteinase and therefore do not protect the latter from inactivation (autodigestion). In vitro phosphorylation of the substrates does not affect proteinase activity, probably because the phosphorylation site is located towards the C-terminal of the molecules. The specific and limited proteolysis of vimentin and desmin results in the deletion of the nucleic acid binding and filament assembly site of these proteins, indicating that the Ca2+-activated proteinase plays a role in regulating the function(s) of these intermediate filament proteins, rather than their simple turnover during the cell cycle.

Proteolysis of vimentin and desmin by the Ca2+-activated proteinase specific for these intermediate filament proteins

1983 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 1146-1156
Author(s):  
W J Nelson ◽  
P Traub
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Limited Proteolysis ◽  
Complete Removal ◽  
Product Inhibition ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins

The degradation of vimentin and desmin by the Ca2+-activated proteinase specific for these intermediate filament proteins proceeds in two stages in the form of a limited proteolysis. At first, the reaction is very rapid, with the stepwise and complete removal of a peptide (ca. 9,000 daltons) from the N-terminal of vimentin and desmin. This results in the production of a characteristic "staircase" of degradation products, as seen in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The second stage of proteolysis is characterized by the accumulation of peptides which are resistant to further proteolysis; this is due not to product inhibition but to the fact that these peptides are not substrates for the proteinase and therefore do not protect the latter from inactivation (autodigestion). In vitro phosphorylation of the substrates does not affect proteinase activity, probably because the phosphorylation site is located towards the C-terminal of the molecules. The specific and limited proteolysis of vimentin and desmin results in the deletion of the nucleic acid binding and filament assembly site of these proteins, indicating that the Ca2+-activated proteinase plays a role in regulating the function(s) of these intermediate filament proteins, rather than their simple turnover during the cell cycle.

scholarly journals Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic screening of mammalian cells cultured in vitro for the presence of the intermediate filament protein vimentin

1983 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-147
Author(s):  
U.E. Traub ◽  
W.J. Nelson ◽  
P. Traub
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins

A total of 53 different cell lines originating from a variety of mammalian species were cultured in vitro and analysed for the presence of vimentin, employing polyacrylamide gradient slab gel electrophoresis in urea/acetic acid as buffer system. Irrespective of the cell culture conditions, and the growth potential and morphology of the cells, vimentin was expressed in all cell lines examined, with two exceptions: MPC-11 mouse myeloma and MOPC-31C mouse plasmacytoma cells. Immunoblotting with the monoclonal antibody alpha-IFA, which is directed against an antigenic determinant shared by all classes of intermediate filaments, did not detect any other of the known intermediate filament proteins in MPC-11 and MOPC-31C cells. Vimentin synthesized by various cell lines was characterized by four different criteria: (1) its extractability with Triton X-100 under various ionic conditions; (2) its behaviour in (NH4)2SO4 fractionation of cellular extracts; (3) its electrophoretic mobility in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in urea/acetic acid; and (4) the co-isolation of polypeptides of higher electrophoretic mobility, which, by comparison with degradation products of vimentin obtained with the Ca2+-activated proteinase specific for intermediate filament proteins in vitro, were identified as products of Ca2+-dependent proteolysis of vimentin. Although the degradation products occurred in different ratios in extracts of different cell lines, they constituted the same characteristic set of proteins whenever degradation of vimentin was observed. The formation of proteolytic breakdown products could be partially to totally suppressed when the cells were harvested, washed and processed in the presence of EGTA and proteinase inhibitors. The experimental data show that: (1) vimentin, as well as the Ca2+-activated proteinase specific for intermediate filament proteins, is highly conserved during the evolution of mammalian species; (2) the proteolytic breakdown products of vimentin, which give rise to a characteristic ‘staircase’ in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, are probably artefacts of isolation; (3) the expression of vimentin is neither a prerequisite for nor necessarily indicative of rapid cell proliferation in vitro; and (4) the techniques described can be used for the routine identification of vimentin in cells and tissues in case vimentin-specific antibodies are not available.

scholarly journals Bovine filensin possesses primary and secondary structure similarity to intermediate filament proteins.

1993 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 847-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Gounari ◽  
A Merdes ◽  
R Quinlan ◽  
J Hess ◽  
P G FitzGerald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Secondary Structure ◽  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Tandem Repeats ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Structure Similarity

The cDNA coding for calf filensin, a membrane-associated protein of the lens fiber cells, has been cloned and sequenced. The predicted 755-amino acid-long open reading frame shows primary and secondary structure similarity to intermediate filament (IF) proteins. Filensin can be divided into an NH2-terminal domain (head) of 38 amino acids, a middle domain (rod) of 279 amino acids, and a COOH-terminal domain (tail) of 438 amino acids. The head domain contains a di-arginine/aromatic amino acid motif which is also found in the head domains of various intermediate filament proteins and includes a potential protein kinase A phosphorylation site. By multiple alignment to all known IF protein sequences, the filensin rod, which is the shortest among IF proteins, can be subdivided into three subdomains (coils 1a, 1b, and 2). A 29 amino acid truncation in the coil 2 region accounts for the smaller size of this domain. The filensin tail contains 6 1/2 tandem repeats which match analogous motifs of mammalian neurofilament M and H proteins. We suggest that filensin is a novel IF protein which does not conform to any of the previously described classes. Purified filensin fails to form regular filaments in vitro (Merdes, A., M. Brunkener, H. Horstmann, and S. D. Georgatos. 1991. J. Cell Biol. 115:397-410), probably due to the missing segment in the coil 2 region. Participation of filensin in a filamentous network in vivo may be facilitated by an assembly partner.

scholarly journals Tissue type-specific expression of intermediate filament proteins in a cultured epithelial cell line from bovine mammary gland

1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Schmid ◽  
DL Schiller ◽  
C Grund ◽  
J Stadler ◽  
WW Franke
Keyword(s):  
Mammary Gland ◽  
Epithelial Cell ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Striking Difference ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins ◽  
Cell Clones ◽  
Vimentin Filaments

Different clonal cell lines have been isolated from cultures of mammary gland epithelium of lactating cow's udder and have been grown in culture media containing high concentrations of hydrocortisone, insulin, and prolactin. These cell (BMGE+H), which grow in monolayers of typical epithelial appearance, are not tightly packed, but leave intercellular spaces spanned by desmosomal bridges. The cells contain extended arrays of cytokeratin fibrils, arranged in bundles attached to desmosomes. Gel electophoresis show that they synthesize cytokeratins similar, if not identical, to those found in bovine epidermis and udder, including two large (mol wt 58,500 and 59,000) and basic (pH range: 7-8) and two small (mol wt 45,500 and 50,000) and acidic (pH 5.32 and 5.36) components that also occur in phosphorylated forms. Two further cytokeratins of mol wts 44,000 (approximately pH 5.7) and 53,000 (pH 6.3) are detected as minor cytokeratins in some cell clones. BMGE+H cells do not produce vimentin filaments as determined by immunofluorescence microscopy and gel electrophoresis. By contrast, BMGE-H cells, which have emerged from the same original culture but have been grown without hormones added, are not only morphologically different, but also contain vimentin filaments and a different set of cytokeratins, the most striking difference being the absence of the two acidic cytokeratins of mol wt 50,000 and 45,500. Cells of the BMGE+H line are characterized by an unusual epithelial morphology and represent the first example of a nonmalignant permanent cell line in vitro that produces cytokeratin but not vimentin filaments. The results show that (a) tissue-specific patterns of intermediate filament expression can be maintained in permanent epithelial cell lines in culture, at least under certain growth conditions; (b) loss of expression of relatively large, basic cytokeratins is not an inevitable consequence of growth of epithelial cells in vitro. Our results further show that, during culturing, different cell clones with different cytoskeletal composition can emerge from the same cell population and suggest that the presence of certain hormones may have an influence on the expression of intermediate filament proteins.

Interaction of plakophilins with desmoplakin and intermediate filament proteins: an in vitro analysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 113 (13) ◽  
pp. 2471-2483 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Hofmann ◽  
C. Mertens ◽  
M. Brettel ◽  
V. Nimmrich ◽  
M. Schnolzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Specific Interaction ◽  
Binding Assays ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins ◽  
Amino Terminal ◽  
Vitro Analysis

Plakophilin 1 and 2 (PKP1, PKP2) are members of the arm-repeat protein family. They are both constitutively expressed in most vertebrate cells, in two splice forms named a and b, and display a remarkable dual location: they occur in the nuclei of cells and, in epithelial cells, at the plasma membrane within the desmosomal plaques. We have shown by solid phase-binding assays that both PKP1a and PKP2a bind to intermediate filament (IF) proteins, in particular to cytokeratins (CKs) from epidermal as well as simple epithelial cells and, to some extent, to vimentin. In line with this we show that recombinant PKP1a binds strongly to IFs assembled in vitro from CKs 8/18, 5/14, vimentin or desmin and integrates them into thick (up to 120 nm in diameter) IF bundles extending for several microm. The basic amino-terminal, non-arm-repeat domain of PKP1a is necessary and sufficient for this specific interaction as shown by blot overlay and centrifugation experiments. In particular, the binding of PKP1a to IF proteins is saturable at an approximately equimolar ratio. In extracts from HaCaT cells, distinct soluble complexes containing PKP1a and desmoplakin I (DPI) have been identified by co-immunoprecipitation and sucrose density fractionation. The significance of these interactions of PKP1a with IF proteins on the one hand and desmoplakin on the other is discussed in relation to the fact that PKP1a is not bound - and does not bind - to extended IFs in vivo. We postulate that (1) effective cellular regulatory mechanisms exist that prevent plakophilins from unscheduled IF-binding, and (2) specific desmoplakin interactions with either PKP1, PKP2 or PKP3, or combinations thereof, are involved in the selective recruitment of plakophilins to the desmosomal plaques.

A comprehensive study on the isolation and characterization of the HeLa S3 nuclear matrix

1991 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-291
Author(s):  
P. Belgrader ◽  
A.J. Siegel ◽  
R. Berezney
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Matrix ◽  
Intermediate Filament ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Rnase A ◽  
Matrix Proteins ◽  
Intermediate Filament Proteins ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Hela S3

Different agents have been employed to extract the histones and other soluble components from isolated HeLa S3 nuclei during nuclear matrix isolation. We report that 0.2M (NH4)2SO4 is a milder extracting agent than NaCl and LIS (lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylate), on the basis of the apparent preservation of the elaborate fibrogranular network and the residual nucleolus that resemble the in situ structures in whole cells and nuclei, minimal aggregation, and sufficient solubilization of DNA and histones. The importance of intermolecular disulfide bonds, RNA and 37 degrees C stabilization on the structural integrity of the nuclear matrix was examined in detail using sulfydryl alkylating, reducing and oxidizing agents, and RNase A. The data suggest that any disulfides formed during the isolation are not essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the in vitro matrix. However, structural integrity of the matrix is dependent upon RNA and to some degree on disulfides that presumably existed in situ. Sodium tetrathionate and 37 degrees C stabilization of isolated nuclei resulted in nuclear matrices containing an approximately twofold greater amount of protein, RNA and DNA than control preparations. The 37 degrees C incubation, unlike the sodium tetrathionate stabilization, does not appear to induce intermolecular disulfide bond formation. Neither stabilizations resulted in significant differences of the major matrix polypeptide pattern on two-dimensional (2-D) gels stained with Coomassie Blue as compared to that of unstabilized matrix. The major nuclear matrix proteins, other than the lamins, did not react to the Pruss murine monoclonal antibody (IFA) that recognizes all known intermediate filament proteins, suggesting that the internal matrix proteins are not related to the lamins in intermediate filament-like quality.

Identification of D-Dimer-E Complex in Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

1979 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.N. Whitaker ◽  
E.A. Rowe ◽  
P.P. Masci ◽  
P.J. Gaffney
Keyword(s):  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Degradation Products ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Stable Complex ◽  
Fibrin Degradation Products ◽  
Pneumococcal Sepsis ◽  
D Antigen ◽  
D Dimer

D-dimer (D2), a product of the plasmin lysis of cross-linked (XL) fibrin, but not of non-XL fibrin or fibrinogen, has been identified in the plasma of patients with DIC due to amniotic fluid embolism. In vitro, D is involved with fragment E as a stable complex (D2-E) but D2 -E has not been identified in vivo before. Fibrin degradation products (FDP) were studied in a patient having fulminant postsplenectomy pneumococcal sepsis and DIC, by immunoprecipitation with anti-fibrinogen (f) and anti-fragment E and characterization by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). With both antisera soluble HMW fibrin complexes, D2 and E but no X, Y or D were obtained from serum. D2 and E were identified in the supernatant after removing partially XL HMW complexes and fibrinogen from plasma with 2.5 M β-alanine. The presence D antigen in the D2-E complex precipitated by monospecific anti-E was confirmed by crossed Ag-Ab electrophoresis. Crossed Ag-Ab electrophoresis of serum in agarose gave E peaks of slow mobility and no fast-moving free E was found. Thus, D2-E complex exists in vivo and its easy identification, proving the lysis of XL fibrin, would be of value in studying thrombosis. D2-E complex has been identified in other patients with sepsis but at lower concentrations than described above.

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