Nuclei that lack a lamina accumulate karyophilic proteins and assemble a nuclear matrix

1993 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 275-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Jenkins ◽  
T. Holman ◽  
C. Lyon ◽  
B. Lane ◽  
R. Stick ◽  
...  

Xenopus egg extracts, which support nuclear assembly and DNA replication in vitro, were physically depleted of lamin B3 using monoclonal antibodies linked to magnetic beads. Depleted extracts were still able to support nuclear envelope assembly around demembranated sperm heads but the resulting pronuclei lacked a lamina and were unable to initiate semiconservative DNA replication or to assemble replicases, confirming previous data. Immunoblotting analysis of isolated nuclei and nuclear matrix fractions indicated that lamin-depleted nuclei still accumulated nucleoporins and PCNA. Furthermore, the rate of PCNA uptake was identical in lamin-depleted and control nuclei. However, neither the nucleoporins nor the PCNA was associated with nuclear matrix fractions. The major protein components of sperm pronuclear matrix fractions were characterized by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Of these proteins only three out of 22 species, other than the lamins, were significantly reduced in lamin-depleted nuclei, indicating that these nuclei do assemble a nuclear matrix.

1995 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 3451-3461 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Goldberg ◽  
H. Jenkins ◽  
T. Allen ◽  
W.G. Whitfield ◽  
C.J. Hutchison

Xenopus egg extracts which assemble replication competent nuclei in vitro were depleted of lamin B3 using monoclonal antibody L6 5D5 linked to paramagnetic beads. After depletion, the extracts were still capable of assembling nuclei around demembranated sperm heads. Using field emission in lens scanning electron microscopy (FEISEM) we show that most nuclei assembled in lamin B3-depleted extracts have continuous nuclear envelopes and well formed nuclear pores. However, several consistent differences were observed. Most nuclei were small and only attained diameters which were half the size of controls. In a small number of nuclei, nuclear pore baskets, normally present on the inner aspect of the nuclear envelope, appeared on its outer surface. Finally, the assembly of nuclear pores was slower in lamin B3-depleted extracts, indicating a slower overall rate of nuclear envelope assembly. The results of FEISEM were confirmed using conventional TEM thin sections, where again the majority of nuclei assembled in lamin B3-depleted extracts had well formed double unit membranes containing a high density of nuclear pores. Since nuclear envelope assembly was mostly normal but slow in these nuclei, the lamin content of ‘depleted’ extracts was investigated. While lamin B3 was recovered efficiently from cytosolic and membrane fractions by our procedure, a second minor lamin isoform, which has characteristics similar to those of the somatic lamin B2, remained in the extract. Thus it is likely that this lamin is necessary for nuclear envelope assembly. However, while lamin B2 did not co-precipitate with lamin B3 during immunodepletion experiments, several protein species did specifically associate with lamin B3 on paramagnetic immunobeads. The major protein species associated with lamin B3 migrated with molecular masses of 102 kDa and 57 kDa, respectively, on one-dimensional polyacrylamide gels. On two-dimensional O'Farrell gels the mobility of the 102 kDa protein was identical to the mobility of a major nuclear matrix protein, indicating a specific association between lamin B3 and other nuclear matrix proteins. Nuclei assembled in lamin B3-depleted extracts did not assemble a lamina, judged by indirect immunofluorescence, and failed to initiate semi-conservative DNA replication. However, by reinoculating depleted extracts with purified lamin B3, nuclear lamina assembly and DNA replication could both be rescued. Thus it seems likely that the inability of lamin-depleted extracts to assemble a replication competent nucleus is a direct consequence of a failure to assemble a lamina.


1995 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Murphy ◽  
C.M. Crompton ◽  
S. Hainey ◽  
G.A. Codd ◽  
C.J. Hutchison

Cell-free extracts of Xenopus eggs support nuclear assembly and DNA replication in vitro. Extracts supplemented with the protein phosphatase inhibitor microcystin-LR displayed various inhibitory effects at different concentrations of the toxin. In the presence of cycloheximide, additions of microcystin did not induce histone H1-kinase activity. Nevertheless, increasing concentrations of microcystin did sequentially prevent DNA replication, nuclear lamina assembly and nuclear envelope assembly. DNA replication was prevented when microcystin was added at 250 nM. Furthermore, this effect could be reversed after the addition of the catalytic sub-unit of protein phosphatase 2A to inhibited extracts. At a concentration of 250 nM microcystin, nuclear membrane assembly, nuclear lamina assembly and nuclear transport all occurred in egg extracts. In addition single-stranded M13 DNA replication was also permitted. However, it appeared that replicase assembly was not completed, since nuclei assembled in microcystin-treated extracts displayed an unusual distribution of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Although PCNA was located at sites that resembled pre-replication foci, this nuclear protein was readily solubilised when nuclei were isolated and extracted sequentially with Triton, nucleases and salts. Despite this, nuclei containing pre-assembled replication forks could synthesise DNA when transferred into microcystin-treated extracts.


1994 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 705-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Kornbluth ◽  
M Dasso ◽  
J Newport

TC4, a ras-like G protein, has been implicated in the feedback pathway linking the onset of mitosis to the completion of DNA replication. In this report we find distinct roles for TC4 in both nuclear assembly and cell cycle progression. Mutant and wild-type forms of TC4 were added to Xenopus egg extracts capable of assembling nuclei around chromatin templates in vitro. We found that a mutant TC4 protein defective in GTP binding (GDP-bound form) suppressed nuclear growth and prevented DNA replication. Nuclear transport under these conditions approximated normal levels. In a separate set of experiments using a cell-free extract of Xenopus eggs that cycles between S and M phases, the GDP-bound form of TC4 had dramatic effects, blocking entry into mitosis even in the complete absence of nuclei. The effect of this mutant TC4 protein on cell cycle progression is mediated by phosphorylation of p34cdc2 on tyrosine and threonine residues, negatively regulating cdc2 kinase activity. Therefore, we provide direct biochemical evidence for a role of TC4 in both maintaining nuclear structure and in the signaling pathways that regulate entry into mitosis.


1997 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1955-1970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T. Pu ◽  
Mary Dasso

Ran is a small GTPase that is essential for nuclear transport, mRNA processing, maintenance of structural integrity of nuclei, and cell cycle control. RanBP1 is a highly conserved Ran guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor. We sought to use Xenopus egg extracts for the development of an in vitro assay for RanBP1 activity in nuclear assembly, protein import, and DNA replication. Surprisingly, when we used anti-RanBP1 antibodies to immunodeplete RanBP1 fromXenopus egg extracts, we found that the extracts were also depleted of RCC1, Ran’s guanine nucleotide exchange factor, suggesting that these proteins form a stable complex. In contrast to previous observations using extracts that had been depleted of RCC1 only, extracts lacking both RanBP1 and RCC1 (codepleted extracts) did not exhibit defects in assays of nuclear assembly, nuclear transport, or DNA replication. Addition of either recombinant RanBP1 or RCC1 to codepleted extracts to restore only one of the depleted proteins caused abnormal nuclear assembly and inhibited nuclear transport and DNA replication in a manner that could be rescued by further addition of RCC1 or RanBP1, respectively. Exogenous mutant Ran proteins could partially rescue nuclear function in extracts without RanBP1 or without RCC1, in a manner that was correlated with their nucleotide binding state. These results suggest that little RanBP1 or RCC1 is required for nuclear assembly, nuclear import, or DNA replication in the absence of the other protein. The results further suggest that the balance of GTP- and GDP-Ran is critical for proper nuclear assembly and function in vitro.


1995 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Jenkins ◽  
W G Whitfield ◽  
M W Goldberg ◽  
T D Allen ◽  
C J Hutchison

Monoclonal antibodies linked to paramagnetic immunobeads (Dynabeads) have been used to investigate the distribution of lamin B3 in fractions of Xenopus egg extracts. Lamin B3 behaved as if it were completely soluble and did not co-precipitate with membrane fractions. Sperm pronuclei assembled in lamin depleted egg extracts were compared to pronuclei assembled in mock depleted extracts by field emission in-lens electron scanning microscopy (FEISEM). This technique revealed that the surface structures of the nuclear envelopes, including nuclear pores, appeared to be identical, indicating that lamin depletion does not affect nuclear envelope assembly. One-dimensional and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to analyze soluble proteins co-precipitated with lamin B3 on Dynabeads. Our results indicate that two major species (molecular mass: 105 kDa and 57 kDa) specifically co-precipitate with lamin B3 as well as several minor species. At least three proteins which co-precipitate with lamin B3 were identified as nuclear matrix proteins. Lamin B3 was separated from these proteins and re-inoculated into lamin depleted extracts. This resulted in partial rescue of both lamina assembly and DNA replication. These results imply that lamin B3 is directly involved in the assembly of structures required for the initiation of DNA replication.


Parasitology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. CARMENA ◽  
J. MARTÍNEZ ◽  
A. BENITO ◽  
J. A. GUISANTES

This study describes, for the first time, the characterization of excretory–secretory antigens (ES-Ag) from Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces, evaluating their usefulness in the immunodiagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis. ES-Ag were obtained from the first 50 h maintenance of protoscoleces in vitro. This preparation contained over 20 major protein components which could be distinguished by 1-dimensional SDS–PAGE with apparent masses between 9 and 300 kDa. The culture of of protoscoleces from liver produced a greater variety of excretory–secretory protein components than those from lung. Determination of enzymatic activities of secreted proteins revealed the presence of phosphatases, lipases and glucosidases, but no proteases. These findings were compared to those obtained from somatic extracts of protoscoleces and hydatid cyst fluid products. Immunochemical characterization was performed by immunoblotting with sera from individuals infected by cystic echinococcosis (n=15), non-hydatidic parasitoses (n=19), various liver diseases (n=24), lung neoplasia (n=16), and healthy donors (n=18). Antigens with apparent masses of 89, 74, 47/50, 32, and 20 kDa showed specificity for immunodiagnosis of human hydatidosis. The 89 and 74 kDa components corresponded to antigens not yet described in E. granulosus, whereas proteins of 41–43 kDa and 91–95 kDa were recognized by the majority of the non-hydatid sera studied.


1986 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-122
Author(s):  
R. Verheijen ◽  
H. Kuijpers ◽  
P. Vooijs ◽  
W. van Venrooij ◽  
F. Ramaekers

Procedures for the isolation of HeLa S3 nuclear matrices were re-examined with special emphasis on the use of various nucleases and detergents as well as on the ionic strength of the final salt extraction. The protein composition of the resulting nuclear matrix preparations was analysed by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and found to be extremely reproducible. By means of co-electrophoresis several typical cytoskeletal proteins (actin, vimentin and cytokeratins) and heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA)-associated core proteins (hnRNP) were shown to be present in such nuclear matrix preparations. The nature of some other protein components was elucidated using two-dimensional immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. For this purpose mouse monoclonal antibodies to cytoskeletal components (vimentin, cytokeratins), small nuclear RNP (70 X 10(3) Mr protein of U1-RNP), hnRNP (C1/C2) and the pore-complex lamina (lamins A, B and C) were used next to human autoimmune sera obtained from patients with connective tissue diseases and directed against the residual nucleoli and the internal fibrillar mass. These antibodies enabled us to identify a number of proteins present specifically in the nuclear matrix and to show that part of the cytoskeletal proteins are still present in the isolated structures.


1991 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
J. Meier ◽  
K.H. Campbell ◽  
C.C. Ford ◽  
R. Stick ◽  
C.J. Hutchison

Xenopus egg extracts, which support nuclear assembly and DNA replication, were functionally depleted of lamin LIII by inoculating them with monoclonal anti-lamin antibodies. Phase-contrast microscopy and electron-microscopy studies indicated that lamin-depleted extracts supported efficient chromatin decondensation, and assembly of double membrane structures and nuclear pores on demembranated sperm heads. Immunofluorescence microscopy suggests that lamin-antibody complexes are transported across the nuclear membrane but do not assemble into a lamina. These findings were confirmed by immunoblotting analysis of isolated nuclei. Metabolic labelling studies with either biotin-11-dUTP or [32P]dCTP, revealed that nuclei lacking a lamina were unable to initiate DNA replication and that, although such nuclei could import proteins required for DNA replication (e.g. PCNA), these proteins were apparently not organized into replicon clusters.


2000 ◽  
Vol 350 (2) ◽  
pp. 495-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panayiota KAFASLA ◽  
Meropi PATRINOU-GEORGOULA ◽  
Apostolia GUIALIS

Pre-mRNA processing in eukaryotes is thought to take place on a multitude of nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, the most abundant of them being the heterogeneous nuclear (hn) RNP complexes. The identification in mammalian nuclear extracts of a novel, less-abundant 70–110S heterogeneous RNP, named large heterogeneous nuclear RNP (LH-nRNP), has previously been reported by Aidinis, Sekeris and Guialis (1995) Nucleic Acids Res. 23, 2742–2753. The structural composition of the LH-nRNP complex has been determined following the production of polyclonal antibodies against the major protein constituents of the complex, the pair of the 72/74-kDa polypeptides. In the present study evidence is shown to prove that the 72/74-kDa proteins are members of the hnRNP M protein family, hereafter referred to as 72/74(M) polypeptides. The extensive application of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, combined with specific immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting assays, has allowed the assignment of the 72/74(M) proteins to a subset of the hnRNP M family, characteristic of the presence of the LH-nRNP complex and distinct from the hnRNP-associated M1–M4 components. Moreover, the immunoselection of the LH-nRNP complex from [32P]orthophosphate-labelled HeLa cells, with the parallel application of UV irradiation, has permitted the identification of the 72/74(M) polypeptides as the sole protein constituents of the complex in direct contact with the RNA. It is proposed that LH-nRNP constitutes a discrete subset of hnRNP complexes, having a possible role in establishing specific interactions between hnRNP and nuclear-matrix protein components.


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