scholarly journals The A/B Domain of the Teleost Glucocorticoid Receptors Influences Partial Nuclear Localization in the Absence of Hormone

Endocrinology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 149 (9) ◽  
pp. 4567-4576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Becker ◽  
Armin Sturm ◽  
James E. Bron ◽  
Kristin Schirmer ◽  
Nicolas R. Bury
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Distribution Pattern ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Cellular Distribution ◽  
Lower Vertebrate ◽  
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Corticosteroid Receptor ◽  
Green Fluorescent

The glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) of extant jawed vertebrates emerged after duplication of an ancestral corticosteroid receptor. The ancestral corticosteroid receptor resembled extant MRs in hormone selectivity, and the different ligand specificity of extant GRs is a secondary derived characteristic. An additional characteristic that distinguishes the mammalian GR from the MR is the cellular distribution pattern in the absence of hormone: the naïve GR resides in the cytoplasm, whereas the naïve MR is found in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Our results show, by the use of green fluorescent protein-tagged fusion proteins, that the GRs [rainbow trout (rt) GR1 and rtGR2] from a lower vertebrate, the teleost fish, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) resemble mammalian MR rather than GR in their subcellular localization pattern. The addition of cortisol caused the remaining cytoplasmic rtGR1 and rtGR2 to migrate to the nucleus. The speed of nuclear localization was cortisol concentration dependent, with rtGR2 being more sensitive than rtGR1, mimicking the transactivational properties of the receptors in which the cortisol EC50 value is an order of magnitude lower for rtGR2. By the use of chimera constructs between the trout GRs and the rat GR C656G, we show that the E domain of the trout receptors are not involved in the nucleocytoplasmic localization of naïve trout GRs, but the A/B domain, especially if linked to the corresponding trout CD region, plays a pivotal role in the cellular distribution pattern. This is unrelated to the difference in the trout GRs transactivation sensitivity, which is determined by the receptor’s E-domains.

Differential expression of corticosteroid receptor genes in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) immune system in response to acute stress

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (10) ◽  
pp. 1382-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Yada ◽  
Teruo Azuma ◽  
Susumu Hyodo ◽  
Tetsuya Hirano ◽  
E Gordon Grau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus Mykiss ◽  
Corticosteroid Receptor ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Peripheral Blood Leucocytes

Expression of distinct corticosteroid receptor genes, glucocorticoid receptors 1 and 2 (GR-1 and GR-2, respectively) and mineralcorticoid receptor (MR), was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL), spleen, and gill of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after an acute netting stress. Plasma cortisol levels were significantly increased 2 h after stress and returned to prestress levels within 24 h. Consistent with changes in plasma cortisol, GR-2 mRNA levels in PBL increased significantly at 2 h after stress, returning to initial levels by 8 h. In contrast, GR-1 and MR levels in PBL decreased significantly at 24 h after stress, and these reduced levels were maintained for 7 days. Splenic mRNA levels of GR-1 and GR-2 also decreased at 8 h and 24 h after stress, returning to control levels by 7 days, whereas no significant change was observed in MR. In gill, there was no obvious change in corticosteroid receptor mRNA levels after stress, except for a transient decrease at 8 h in MR. These results suggest a variety of roles for the three corticosteroid receptors during immunosuppression in response to acute stress in trout.

scholarly journals Nuclear localization of the Epstein–Barr virus EBNA3B protein

2006 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 789-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Burgess ◽  
Marion Buck ◽  
Kenia Krauer ◽  
Tom Sculley
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Epstein Barr Virus ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Nuclear Antigen ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signals ◽  
Barr Virus ◽  
Computer Analyses ◽  
Epstein Barr ◽  
Green Fluorescent

The Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) 3B is a hydrophilic, proline-rich, charged protein that is thought to be involved in transcriptional regulation and is targeted exclusively to the cell nucleus, where it localizes to discrete subnuclear granules. Co-localization studies utilizing a fusion protein between enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and EBNA3B with FLAG-tagged EBNA3A and EBNA3C proteins demonstrated that EBNA3B co-localized with both EBNA3A and EBNA3C in the nuclei of cells when overexpressed. Computer analyses identified four potential nuclear-localization signals (NLSs) in the EBNA3B amino acid sequence. By utilizing fusion proteins with EGFP, deletion constructs of EBNA3B and site-directed mutagenesis, three of the four NLSs (aa 160–166, 430–434 and 867–873) were shown to be functional in truncated forms of EBNA3B, whilst an additional NLS (aa 243–246) was identified within the N-terminal region of EBNA3B. Only two of the NLSs were found to be functional in the context of the full-length EBNA3B protein.

scholarly journals Live-Cell Fluorescence Imaging Reveals the Dynamics of Protein Kinase CK2 Individual Subunits

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 975-987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Odile Filhol ◽  
Arsenio Nueda ◽  
Véronique Martel ◽  
Delphine Gerber-Scokaert ◽  
Maria José Benitez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Protein Kinase Ck2 ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Nuclear Accumulation ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Distribution ◽  
Kinase Ck2

ABSTRACT Protein kinase CK2 is a multifunctional enzyme which has long been described as a stable heterotetrameric complex resulting from the association of two catalytic (α or α′) and two regulatory (β) subunits. To track the spatiotemporal dynamics of CK2 in living cells, we fused its catalytic α and regulatory β subunits with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Both CK2 subunits contain nuclear localization domains that target them independently to the nucleus. Imaging of stable cell lines expressing low levels of GFP-CK2α or GFP-CK2β revealed the existence of CK2 subunit subpopulations exhibiting differential dynamics. Once in the nucleus, they diffuse randomly at different rates. Unlike CK2β, CK2α can shuttle, showing the dynamic nature of the nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of the kinase. When microinjected in the cytoplasm, the isolated CK2 subunits are rapidly translocated into the nucleus, whereas the holoenzyme complex remains in this cell compartment, suggesting an intramolecular masking of the nuclear localization sequences that suppresses nuclear accumulation. However, binding of FGF-2 to the holoenzyme triggers its nuclear translocation. Since the substrate specificity of CK2α is dramatically changed by its association with CK2β, the control of the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of each subunit may represent a unique potential regulatory mechanism for CK2 activity.

Na+-dependent phosphate transporters in the murine osteoclast: cellular distribution and protein interactions

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (6) ◽  
pp. C1633-C1644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed A. Khadeer ◽  
Zhihui Tang ◽  
Harriet S. Tenenhouse ◽  
Maribeth V. Eiden ◽  
Heini Murer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Bone Resorption ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Cellular Localization ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Basolateral Membrane ◽  
Atp Synthesis ◽  
Cellular Distribution ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Carboxy Terminal

We previously demonstrated that inhibition of Na-dependent phosphate (Pi) transport in osteoclasts led to reduced ATP levels and diminished bone resorption. These findings suggested that Na/Picotransporters in the osteoclast plasma membrane provide Pifor ATP synthesis and that the osteoclast may utilize part of the Pireleased from bone resorption for this purpose. The present study was undertaken to define the cellular localization of Na/Picotransporters in the mouse osteoclast and to identify the proteins with which they interact. Using glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion constructs, we demonstrate that the type IIa Na/Picotransporter (Npt2a) in osteoclast lysates interacts with the Na/H exchanger regulatory factor, NHERF-1, a PDZ protein that is essential for the regulation of various membrane transporters. In addition, NHERF-1 in osteoclast lysates interacts with Npt2a in spite of deletion of a putative PDZ-binding domain within the carboxy terminus of Npt2a. In contrast, deletion of the carboxy-terminal TRL amino acid motif of Npt2a significantly reduced its interaction with NHERF-1 in kidney lysates. Studies in osteoclasts transfected with green fluorescent protein-Npt2a constructs indicated that Npt2a colocalizes with NHERF-1 and actin at or near the plasma membrane of the osteoclast and associates with ezrin, a linker protein associated with the actin cytoskeleton, likely via NHERF-1. Furthermore, we demonstrate by RT/PCR of osteoclast RNA and in situ hybridization that the type III Na/Picotransporter, PiT-1, is also expressed in mouse osteoclasts. To examine the cellular distribution of PiT-1, we infected mouse osteoclasts with a retroviral vector encoding PiT-1 fused to an epitope tag. PiT-1 colocalizes with actin and is present on the basolateral membrane of the polarized osteoclast, similar to that previously reported for Npt2a. Taken together, our data suggest that association of Npt2a with NHERF-1, ezrin, and actin, and of PiT-1 with actin, may be responsible for membrane sorting and regulation of these Na/Picotransporters in the osteoclast.

scholarly journals Combined Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of a Cationic Disubstituted Dexamethasone-Spermine Conjugate

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 2525-2533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bucki ◽  
Katarzyna Leszczyńska ◽  
Fitzroy J. Byfield ◽  
David E. Fein ◽  
Esther Won ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Lipoteichoic Acid ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Bacterial Killing ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
Green Fluorescent

ABSTRACT The rising number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains represents an emerging health problem that has motivated efforts to develop new antibacterial agents. Endogenous cationic antibacterial peptides (CAPs) that are produced in tissues exposed to the external environment are one model for the design of novel antibacterial compounds. Here, we report evidence that disubstituted dexamethasone-spermine (D2S), a cationic corticosteroid derivative initially identified as a by-product of synthesis of dexamethasone-spermine (DS) for the purpose of improving cellular gene delivery, functions as an antibacterial peptide-mimicking molecule. This moiety exhibits bacterial killing activity against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa present in cystic fibrosis (CF) sputa, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm. Although compromised in the presence of plasma, D2S antibacterial activity resists the proteolytic activity of pepsin and is maintained in ascites, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. D2S also enhances S. aureus susceptibility to antibiotics, such as amoxicillin (AMC), tetracycline (T), and amikacin (AN). Inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 release from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-treated neutrophils in the presence of D2S suggests that this molecule might also prevent systemic inflammation caused by bacterial wall products. D2S-mediated translocation of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in bovine aorta endothelial cells (BAECs) suggests that some of its anti-inflammatory activities involve engagement of glucocorticoid receptors. The combined antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of D2S suggest its potential as an alternative to natural CAPs in the prevention and treatment of some bacterial infections.

scholarly journals Nuclear targeting of the β isoform of Type II phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase (phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase) by its α-helix 7

2000 ◽  
Vol 346 (3) ◽  
pp. 587-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio CIRUELA ◽  
Katherine A. HINCHLIFFE ◽  
Nullin DIVECHA ◽  
Robin F. IRVINE
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Nuclear Localization Sequence ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Nuclear Targeting ◽  
Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate ◽  
Localization Sequence ◽  
Α Helix ◽  
Green Fluorescent

Type II phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases (PIPkins) have recently been found to be primarily phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases, and their physiological role remains unclear. We have previously shown that a Type II PIPkin [isoform(s) unknown], is localized partly in the nucleus [Divecha, Rhee, Letcher and Irvine (1993) Biochem. J. 289, 617-620], and here we show, by transfection of HeLa cells with green-fluorescent-protein-tagged Type II PIPkins, that this is likely to be the Type IIβ isoform. Type IIβ PIPkin has no obvious nuclear localization sequence, and a detailed analysis of the localization of chimaeras and mutants of the α (cytosolic) and β PIPkins shows that the nuclear localization requires the presence of a 17-amino-acid length of α-helix (α-helix 7) that is specific to the β isoform, and that this helix must be present in its entirety, with a precise orientation. This resembles the nuclear targeting of the HIV protein Vpr, and Type IIβ PIPkin is apparently therefore the first example of a eukaryotic protein that uses the same mechanism.

scholarly journals Pak1 Protein Kinase Regulates Activation and Nuclear Localization of Snf1-Gal83 Protein Kinase

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (18) ◽  
pp. 8255-8263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Hedbacker ◽  
Seung-Pyo Hong ◽  
Marian Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Protein Kinase Activity ◽  
Activation Loop ◽  
Glucose Limitation ◽  
Subunit Isoforms ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase

ABSTRACT Three kinases, Pak1, Tos3, and Elm1, activate Snf1 protein kinase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This cascade is conserved in mammals, where LKB1 activates AMP-activated protein kinase. We address the specificity of the activating kinases for the three forms of Snf1 protein kinase containing the β-subunit isoforms Gal83, Sip1, and Sip2. Pak1 is the most important kinase for activating Snf1-Gal83 in response to glucose limitation, but Elm1 also has a significant role; moreover, both Pak1 and Elm1 affect Snf1-Sip2. These findings exclude the possibility of a one-to-one correspondence between the activating kinases and the Snf1 complexes. We further identify a second, unexpected role for Pak1 in regulating Snf1-Gal83: the catalytic activity of Pak1 is required for the nuclear enrichment of Snf1-Gal83 in response to carbon stress. The nuclear enrichment of Snf1 fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) depends on both Gal83 and Pak1 and is abolished by a mutation of the activation loop threonine; in contrast, the nuclear enrichment of Gal83-GFP occurs in a snf1Δ mutant and depends on Pak1 only when Snf1 is present. Snf1-Gal83 is the only form of the kinase that localizes to the nucleus. These findings, that Pak1 both activates Snf1-Gal83 and controls its nuclear localization, implicate Pak1 in regulating nuclear Snf1 protein kinase activity.

Nuclear localization of angiotensinogen in astrocytes

2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (2) ◽  
pp. R539-R546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikhiela Sherrod ◽  
Xuebo Liu ◽  
Xiaoji Zhang ◽  
Curt D. Sigmund
Keyword(s):  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Primary Cultures ◽  
Endocrine Function ◽  
Astrocytoma Cell ◽  
Protein Encoding ◽  
Localization Signal ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
The Brain

In the brain, angiotensinogen (AGT) is primarily expressed in astrocytes; brain ANG II derived from locally produced AGT has been shown to influence blood pressure. To better understand the molecular basis of AGT expression in the brain, we identified a human astrocytoma cell line, CCF-STTG1, that expresses endogenous AGT mRNA and produces AGT protein. Studies examining CCF-STTG1 cell AGT after N- and O-glycosidase suggest that AGT may not be posttranslationally modified by glycosylation in these cells as it is in plasma. Small amounts of AGT (5% of HepG2) were detected in the culture medium, suggesting a low rate of AGT secretion. Immunocytochemical examination of AGT in CCF-STTG1 cells revealed mainly nuclear localization. Although this has not been previously reported, it is consistent with nuclear localization of other serpin family members. To examine this further, we generated a fusion protein consisting of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and human AGT and examined subcellular localization by confocal microscopy after confirming expression of the fusion protein by Western blot. In CCF-STTG1 cells, a control GFP construct lacking AGT was mainly localized in the cytoplasm, whereas the GFP-AGT fusion protein was primarily localized in the nucleus. To map the location of a potential nuclear localization signal, overlapping 500-bp fragments of human AGT cDNA were fused in frame downstream of GFP. Although four of the fusion proteins exhibited either perinuclear or cytoplasmic localization, one fusion protein encoding the COOH terminus of AGT was localized in the nucleus. Importantly, nuclear localization of human AGT was confirmed in primary cultures of glial cells isolated from transgenic mice expressing the human AGT under the control of its own endogenous promoter. Our results suggest that AGT may have a novel intracellular role in the brain apart from its predicted endocrine function.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document