scholarly journals In vitro processing and secretion of mutant insulin proteins that cause permanent neonatal diabetes

2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (3) ◽  
pp. E403-E410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sindhu Rajan ◽  
Stefani C. Eames ◽  
Soo-Young Park ◽  
Christine Labno ◽  
Graeme I. Bell ◽  
...  

Permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus is a rare form of insulin-requiring diabetes presenting within the first few weeks or months of life. Mutations in the insulin gene are the second most common cause of this form of diabetes. These mutations are located in critical regions of preproinsulin and are likely to prevent normal processing or folding of the preproinsulin/proinsulin molecule. To characterize these mutations, we transiently expressed proinsulin-GFP fusion proteins in MIN6 mouse insulinoma cells. Our study revealed three groups of mutant proteins: 1) mutations that result in retention of proinsulin in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and attenuation of secretion of cotransfected wild-type insulin: C43G, F48C, and C96Y; 2) mutations with partial ER retention, partial recruitment to granules, and attenuation of secretion of wild-type insulin: G32R, G32S, G47V, G90C, and Y108C; and 3) similar to ( 2) but with no significant attenuation of wild-type insulin secretion: A24D and R89C. The mutant insulin proteins do not prevent targeting of wild-type insulin to secretory granules, but most appear to lead to decreased secretion of wild-type insulin. Each of the mutants triggers the expression of the proapoptotic gene Chop, indicating the presence of ER stress.

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 7009-7019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rekha C. Patel ◽  
Ganes C. Sen

ABSTRACT The roles of protein dimerization and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) binding in the biochemical and cellular activities of PKR, the dsRNA-dependent protein kinase, were investigated. We have previously shown that both properties of the protein are mediated by the same domain. Here we show that dimerization is mediated by hydrophobic residues present on one side of an amphipathic α-helical structure within this domain. Appropriate substitution mutations of residues on that side produced mutants with increased or decreased dimerization activities. Using these mutants, we demonstrated that dimerization is not essential for dsRNA binding. However, enhancing dimerization artificially, by providing an extraneous dimerization domain, increased dsRNA binding of both wild-type and mutant proteins. In vitro, the dimerization-defective mutants could not be activated by dsRNA but were activated normally by heparin. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, unlike wild-type PKR, these mutants could not inhibit cell growth and the dsRNA-binding domain of the dimerization-defective mutants could not prevent the antigrowth effect of wild-type PKR. These results demonstrate the biological importance of the dimerization properties of PKR.


1999 ◽  
Vol 144 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Hellman ◽  
Marc Vanhove ◽  
Annabelle Lejeune ◽  
Fred J. Stevens ◽  
Linda M. Hendershot

Immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein (BiP) is a member of the hsp70 family of chaperones and one of the most abundant proteins in the ER lumen. It is known to interact transiently with many nascent proteins as they enter the ER and more stably with protein subunits produced in stoichiometric excess or with mutant proteins. However, there also exists a large number of secretory pathway proteins that do not apparently interact with BiP. To begin to understand what controls the likelihood that a nascent protein entering the ER will associate with BiP, we have examined the in vivo folding of a murine λI immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain (LC). This LC is composed of two Ig domains that can fold independent of the other and that each possess multiple potential BiP-binding sequences. To detect BiP binding to the LC during folding, we used BiP ATPase mutants, which bind irreversibly to proteins, as “kinetic traps.” Although both the wild-type and mutant BiP clearly associated with the unoxidized variable region domain, we were unable to detect binding of either BiP protein to the constant region domain. A combination of in vivo and in vitro folding studies revealed that the constant domain folds rapidly and stably even in the absence of an intradomain disulfide bond. Thus, the simple presence of a BiP-binding site on a nascent chain does not ensure that BiP will bind and play a role in its folding. Instead, it appears that the rate and stability of protein folding determines whether or not a particular site is recognized, with BiP preferentially binding to proteins that fold slowly or somewhat unstably.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2801-2808 ◽  
Author(s):  
D T Mooney ◽  
D B Pilgrim ◽  
E T Young

Point mutations in the presequence of the mitochondrial alcohol dehydrogerase isoenzyme (ADH III) have been shown to affect either the import of the precursor protein into yeast mitochondria in vivo or its processing within the organelle. In the present work, the behavior of these mutants during in vitro import into isolated mitochondria was investigated. All point mutants tested were imported with a slower initial rate than that of the wild-type precursor. This defect was corrected when the precursors were treated with urea prior to import. Once imported, the extent of processing to the mature form of mutant precursors varied greatly and correlated well with the defects observed in vivo. This result was not affected by prior urea treatment. When matrix extracts enriched for the processing protease were used, this defect was shown to be due to failure of the protease to efficiently recognize or cleave the presequence, rather than to a lack of access to the precursor. The rate of import of two ADH III precursors bearing internal deletions in the leader sequence was similar to those of the point mutants, whereas a deletion leading to the removal of the 15 amino-terminal amino acids was poorly imported. The mature amino terminus of wild-type ADH III was determined to be Gln-25. Mutant m01 (Ser-26 to Phe), which reduced the efficiency of cleavage in vitro by 80%, was cleaved at the correct site.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 700-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenyan Wang ◽  
Frederick C. Lahser ◽  
MinKyung Yi ◽  
Jacquelyn Wright-Minogue ◽  
Ellen Xia ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Inspection of over 250 hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome sequences shows that a threonine is strictly conserved at the P1 position in the NS3-NS4A (NS3-4A) autoproteolysis junction, while a cysteine is maintained as the P1 residue in all of the putative trans cleavage sites (NS4A-4B, NS4B-5A, and NS5A-5B). To understand why T631 is conserved at the NS3-4A junction of HCV, a series of in vitro transcription-translation studies were carried out using wild-type and mutant (T631C) NS3-4A constructs bearing native, truncated, and mutant NS4A segments. The autocleavage of the wild-type junction was found to be dependent on the presence of the central cofactor domain of NS4A (residues 21 to 34). In contrast, all NS3-4A T631C mutant proteins underwent self-cleavage even in the absence of the cofactor. Subgenomic replicons derived from the Con1 strain of HCV and bearing the T631C mutation showed reduced levels of colony formation in transfection studies. Similarly, replicons derived from a second genotype 1b virus, HCV-N, demonstrated a comparable reduction in replication efficiency in transient-transfection assays. These data suggest that the threonine is conserved at position 631 because it serves two functions: (i) to slow processing at the NS3-4A cleavage site, ensuring proper intercalation of the NS4A cofactor with NS3 prior to polyprotein scission, and (ii) to prevent subsequent product inhibition by the NS3 C terminus.


Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Grinblat ◽  
S. Zusman ◽  
G. Yee ◽  
R.O. Hynes ◽  
F.C. Kafatos

Integrins constitute a family of membrane-spanning, heterodimeric proteins that mediate adhesive interactions between cells and surrounding extracellular matrices (or other cells) and participate in signal transduction. We are interested in assessing integrin functions in the context of developing Drosophila melanogaster. This report, using mutants of the beta PS subunit encoded by the myospheroid (mys) locus, analyzes the relationships between integrin protein structure and developmental functions in an intact organism. As a first step in this analysis, we demonstrated the ability of a fragment of wild-type mys genomic DNA, introduced into the germ line in a P-element vector P[mys+], to rescue phenotypes attributed to lack of (or defects in) the endogenous beta PS during several discrete morphogenetic events. We then produced in vitro a series of modifications of the wild-type P[mys+] transposon, which encode beta PS derivatives with mutations within the small and highly conserved cytoplasmic domain. In vivo analysis of these mutant transposons led to the following conclusions. (1) The cytoplasmic tail of beta PS is essential for all developmental functions of the protein that were assayed. (2) An intron at a conserved position in the DNA sequence encoding the cytoplasmic tail is thought to participate in important alternative splicing events in vertebrate beta integrin subunit genes, but is not required for the developmental functions of the mys gene assayed here. (3) Phosphorylation on two conserved tyrosines found in the C terminus of the beta PS cytoplasmic tail is not necessary for the tested developmental functions. (4) Four highly conserved amino acid residues found in the N-terminal portion of the cytoplasmic tail are important but not critical for the developmental functions of beta PS; furthermore, the efficiencies with which these mutant proteins function during different morphogenetic processes vary greatly, strongly suggesting that the cytoplasmic interactions involving PS integrins are developmentally modulated.


2011 ◽  
Vol 106 (10) ◽  
pp. 693-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Bozzi ◽  
Emanuele Panza ◽  
Serena Barozzi ◽  
Cristian Gruppi ◽  
Marco Seri ◽  
...  

SummaryMYH9-related disease (MYH9-RD) is an autosomal-dominant thrombocytopenia caused by mutations in the gene for the heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin-IIA (NMMHC-IIA). Recent in vitro studies led to the hypothesis that thrombocytopenia of MYH9-RD derives from an ectopic platelet release by megakaryocytes in the osteoblastic areas of bone marrow (BM), which are enriched in type I collagen, rather than in vascular spaces. SDF-1-driven migration of megakaryocytes within BM to reach the vascular spaces is a key mechanism for platelet biogenesis. Since myosin-IIA is implicated in polarised migration of different cell types, we hypothesised that MYH9 mutations could interfere with this mechanism. We therefore investigated the SDF-1-driven migration of a megakaryoblastic cell line, Dami cells, on type I collagen or fibrinogen by a modified transwell assay. Inhibition of myosin-IIA ATPase activity suppressed the SDF-1-driven migration of Dami cells, while over-expression of NMMHC-IIA increased the efficiency of chemotaxis, indicat- ing a role for NMMHC-IIA in this mechanism. Transfection of cells with three MYH9 mutations frequently responsible for MYH9-RD (p.R702C, p.D1424H, or p.R1933X) resulted in a defective SDF-1-driven migration with respect to the wild-type counterpart and in increased cell spreading onto collagen. Analysis of differential localisation of wild-type and mutant proteins suggested that mutant NMMHC-IIAs had an impaired cytoplasmic re-organisation in functional cytoskeletal structures after cell adhesion to collagen. These findings support the hypothesis that a defect of SDF-1-driven migration of megakaryocytes induced by MYH9 mutations contributes to ectopic platelet release in the BM osteoblastic areas, resulting in ineffective platelet production.


2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5169-5178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Prymakowska-Bosak ◽  
Tom Misteli ◽  
Julio E. Herrera ◽  
Hitoshi Shirakawa ◽  
Yehudit Birger ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Condensation of the chromatin fiber and transcriptional inhibition during mitosis is associated with the redistribution of many DNA- and chromatin-binding proteins, including members of the high-mobility-group N (HMGN) family. Here we study the mechanism governing the organization of HMGN proteins in mitosis. Using site-specific antibodies and quantitative gel analysis with proteins extracted from synchronized HeLa cells, we demonstrate that, during mitosis, the conserved serine residues in the nucleosomal binding domain (NBD) of this protein family are highly and specifically phosphorylated. Nucleosome mobility shift assays with both in vitro-phosphorylated proteins and with point mutants bearing negative charges in the NBD demonstrate that the negative charge abolishes the ability of the proteins to bind to nucleosomes. Fluorescence loss of photobleaching demonstrates that, in living cells, the negative charge in the NBD increases the intranuclear mobility of the protein and significantly decreases the relative time that it is bound to chromatin. Expression of wild-type and mutant proteins inHmgN1 −/− cells indicates that the negatively charged protein is not bound to chromosomes. We conclude that during mitosis the NBD of HMGN proteins is highly phosphorylated and that this modification regulates the interaction of the proteins with chromatin.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 6809-6819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Prymakowska-Bosak ◽  
Robert Hock ◽  
Frédéric Catez ◽  
Jae-Hwan Lim ◽  
Yehudit Birger ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Progression through mitosis is associated with reversible phosphorylation of many nuclear proteins including that of the high-mobility group N (HMGN) nucleosomal binding protein family. Here we use immunofluorescence and in vitro nuclear import studies to demonstrate that mitotic phosphorylation of the nucleosomal binding domain (NBD) of the HMGN1 protein prevents its reentry into the newly formed nucleus in late telophase. By microinjecting wild-type and mutant proteins into the cytoplasm of HeLa cells and expressing these proteins in HmgN1 −/− cells, we demonstrate that the inability to enter the nucleus is a consequence of phosphorylation and is not due to the presence of negative charges. Using affinity chromatography with recombinant proteins and nuclear extracts prepared from logarithmically growing or mitotically arrested cells, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of the NBD of HMGN1 promotes interaction with specific 14.3.3 isotypes. We conclude that mitotic phosphorylation of HMGN1 protein promotes interaction with 14.3.3 proteins and suggest that this interaction impedes the reentry of the proteins into the nucleus during telophase. Taken together with the results of previous studies, our results suggest a dual role for mitotic phosphorylation of HMGN1: abolishment of chromatin binding and inhibition of nuclear import.


1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1751-1758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Ashcroft ◽  
Michael H. G. Kubbutat ◽  
Karen H. Vousden

ABSTRACT The p53 tumor suppressor protein can be phosphorylated at several sites within the N- and C-terminal domains, and several protein kinases have been shown to phosphorylate p53 in vitro. In this study, we examined the activity of p53 proteins with combined mutations at all of the reported N-terminal phosphorylation sites (p53N-term), all of the C-terminal phosphorylation sites (p53C-term), or all of the phosphorylation sites together (p53N/C-term). Each of these mutant proteins retained transcriptional transactivation functions, indicating that phosphorylation is not essential for this activity of p53, although a subtle contribution of the C-terminal phosphorylation sites to the activation of expression of the endogenous p21Waf1/Cip1-encoding gene was detected. Mutation of the phosphorylation sites to alanine did not affect the sensitivity of p53 to binding to or degradation by Mdm2, although alteration of residues 15 and 37 to aspartic acid, which could mimic phosphorylation, resulted in a slight resistance to Mdm2-mediated degradation, consistent with recent reports that phosphorylation at these sites inhibits the p53-Mdm2 interaction. However, expression of the phosphorylation site mutant proteins in both wild-type p53-expressing and p53-null lines showed that all of the mutant proteins retained the ability to be stabilized following DNA damage. This indicates that phosphorylation is not essential for DNA damage-induced stabilization of p53, although phosphorylation could clearly contribute to p53 stabilization under some conditions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinlei Zhao ◽  
Shahista Nisa ◽  
Michael S. Donnenberg

AbstractType IV pili (T4Ps) are multifunctional protein fibers found in many bacteria and archaea. All T4P systems have an extension ATPase, which provides the energy required to push structural subunits out of the membrane. We previously reported that the BfpD T4P ATPase from enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) has the expected hexameric structure and ATPase activity, the latter enhanced by the presence of the N-terminal cytoplasmic domains of its partner proteins BfpC and BfpE. In this study, we further investigated the kinetics of the BfpD ATPase. Despite high purity of the proteins, the reported enhanced ATPase activity was found to be from (an) ATPase(s) contaminating the N-BfpC preparation. Furthermore, although two mutations in highly conserved bfpD sites led to loss of function in vivo, the purified mutant proteins retained some ATPase activity, albeit less than the wild-type protein. Therefore, the observed ATPase activity of BfpD was also affected by (a) contaminating ATPase(s). Expression of the mutant bfpD alleles did not interfere with BfpD function in bacteria that also expressed wild-type BfpD. However, a similar mutation of bfpF, which encodes the retraction ATPase, blocked the function of wild-type BfpF when both were present. These results highlight similarities and differences in function and activity of T4P extension and retraction ATPases in EPEC.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document