scholarly journals An ancient glaucophyte c6-like cytochrome related to higher plant cytochrome c6A is imported into muroplasts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich Hans Kleiner ◽  
Matej Vesteg ◽  
Jürgen Michael Steiner
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Genome ◽  
Land Plant ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Cytochrome C6 ◽  
Green Algal ◽  
Basal Branch ◽  
Targeting Peptide ◽  
Cytochrome C6a ◽  
Import System

Cytochrome c6 is a redox carrier in the thylakoid lumen of cyanobacteria and some eukaryotic algae. Although the isofunctional plastocyanin is present in land plants and the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, these organisms also possess a cytochrome c6-like protein designated as cytochrome c6A. Two other cytochrome c6-like groups, c6B and c6C, have been identified in cyanobacteria. In this study, we have identified a novel c6-like cytochrome PetJ2 which is encoded in the nuclear genome of Cyanophora paradoxa belonging to glaucophytes – the basal branch of the Archaeplastida. We propose that glaucophyte PetJ2 protein is related to cyanobacterial c6B and c6C cytochromes, and that cryptic green algal and land plant cytochromes c6A evolved from an ancestral archaeplastidial PetJ2 protein. In vitro import experiments with isolated muroplasts revealed that PetJ2 is imported into plastids. Although it harbors a twin-arginine motif in its thylakoid targeting peptide which is generally indicative of thylakoid import via Tat import pathway, our import experiments with isolated muroplasts and the heterologous pea thylakoid import system revealed that PetJ2 uses the Sec instead of the Tat import pathway.

Crystal structures of plant inorganic pyrophosphatase, an enzyme with a moonlighting autoproteolytic activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 476 (16) ◽  
pp. 2297-2319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Grzechowiak ◽  
Milosz Ruszkowski ◽  
Joanna Sliwiak ◽  
Kamil Szpotkowski ◽  
Michal Sikorski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Inorganic Pyrophosphatase ◽  
Prolonged Storage ◽  
Mitochondrial Targeting ◽  
Cleavage Rate ◽  
Inorganic Pyrophosphate ◽  
Putative Signal Peptide ◽  
Targeting Peptide

Abstract Inorganic pyrophosphatases (PPases, EC 3.6.1.1), which hydrolyze inorganic pyrophosphate to phosphate in the presence of divalent metal cations, play a key role in maintaining phosphorus homeostasis in cells. DNA coding inorganic pyrophosphatases from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPPA1) and Medicago truncatula (MtPPA1) were cloned into a bacterial expression vector and the proteins were produced in Escherichia coli cells and crystallized. In terms of their subunit fold, AtPPA1 and MtPPA1 are reminiscent of other members of Family I soluble pyrophosphatases from bacteria and yeast. Like their bacterial orthologs, both plant PPases form hexamers, as confirmed in solution by multi-angle light scattering and size-exclusion chromatography. This is in contrast with the fungal counterparts, which are dimeric. Unexpectedly, the crystallized AtPPA1 and MtPPA1 proteins lack ∼30 amino acid residues at their N-termini, as independently confirmed by chemical sequencing. In vitro, self-cleavage of the recombinant proteins is observed after prolonged storage or during crystallization. The cleaved fragment corresponds to a putative signal peptide of mitochondrial targeting, with a predicted cleavage site at Val31–Ala32. Site-directed mutagenesis shows that mutations of the key active site Asp residues dramatically reduce the cleavage rate, which suggests a moonlighting proteolytic activity. Moreover, the discovery of autoproteolytic cleavage of a mitochondrial targeting peptide would change our perception of this signaling process.

scholarly journals Controllable Drug Delivery by Na+/K+ ATPase α1 Targeting Peptide Conjugated DSPE-PEG Nanocarriers for Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 153303382110278
Author(s):  
Yayan Yang ◽  
Qian Feng ◽  
Chuanfeng Ding ◽  
Wei Kang ◽  
Xiufeng Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Click Reaction ◽  
Chemotherapy Drugs ◽  
Targeting Peptide ◽  
And Migration

Although Epirubicin (EPI) is a commonly used anthracycline for the treatment of breast cancer in clinic, the serious side effects limit its long-term administration including myelosuppression and cardiomyopathy. Nanomedicines have been widely utilized as drug delivery vehicles to achieve precise targeting of breast cancer cells. Herein, we prepared a DSPE-PEG nanocarrier conjugated a peptide, which targeted the breast cancer overexpression protein Na+/K+ ATPase α1 (NKA-α1). The nanocarrier encapsulated the EPI and grafted with the NKA-α1 targeting peptide through the click reaction between maleimide and thiol groups. The EPI was slowly released from the nanocarrier after entering the breast cancer cells with the guidance of the targeting NKA-α1 peptide. The precise and controllable delivery and release of the EPI into the breast cancer cells dramatically inhibited the cells proliferation and migration in vitro and suppressed the tumor volume in vivo. These results demonstrate significant prospects for this nanocarrier as a promising platform for numerous chemotherapy drugs.

scholarly journals Point-Substitution of Phenylalanine Residues of 26RFa Neuropeptide: A Structure-Activity Relationship Study

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4312
Author(s):  
Benjamin Lefranc ◽  
Karima Alim ◽  
Cindy Neveu ◽  
Olivier Le Marec ◽  
Christophe Dubessy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Pharmacological Profile ◽  
Acid Moiety ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Structure Activity ◽  
Peptide Derivatives ◽  
Targeting Peptide ◽  
G Protein Coupled

26RFa is a neuropeptide that activates the rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor QRFPR/GPR103. This peptidergic system is involved in the regulation of a wide array of physiological processes including feeding behavior and glucose homeostasis. Herein, the pharmacological profile of a homogenous library of QRFPR-targeting peptide derivatives was investigated in vitro on human QRFPR-transfected cells with the aim to provide possible insights into the structural determinants of the Phe residues to govern receptor activation. Our work advocates to include in next generations of 26RFa(20–26)-based QRFPR agonists effective substitutions for each Phe unit, i.e., replacement of the Phe22 residue by a constrained 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid moiety, and substitution of both Phe24 and Phe26 by their para-chloro counterpart. Taken as a whole, this study emphasizes that optimized modifications in the C-terminal part of 26RFa are mandatory to design selective and potent peptide agonists for human QRFPR.

Isolation of polypeptides with microtubule-translocating activity from phragmoplasts of tobacco BY-2 cells

1994 ◽  
Vol 107 (8) ◽  
pp. 2249-2257 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Asada ◽  
H. Shibaoka
Keyword(s):  
Motor Activity ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Plant Cells ◽  
Cell Plate ◽  
Gtpase Activity ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Brain Tubulin

As part of our efforts to understand the molecular basis of the microtubule-associated motility that is involved in cytokinesis in higher plant cells, an attempt was made to identify proteins with the ability to translocate microtubules in an extract from isolated phragmoplasts. Homogenization of isolated phragmoplasts in a solution that contained MgATP, MgGTP and a high concentration of NaCl resulted in the release from phragmoplasts of factors with ATPase and GTPase activity that were stimulated by microtubules. A protein fraction with microtubule-dependent ATPase and GTPase activity caused minus-end-headed gliding of microtubules in the presence of ATP or GTP. Polypeptides with microtubule-translocating activity cosedimented with microtubules that had been assembled in vitro from brain tubulin and were dissociated from sedimented microtubules by addition of ATP or GTP. After cosedimentation and dissociation procedures, a 125 kDa polypeptide and a 120 kDa polypeptide were recovered in a fraction that supported minus-end-headed gliding of microtubules. The rate of microtubule gliding that was caused by the fraction that contained the 125 kDa and 120 kDa polypeptides as main components was 1.28 microns/minute in the presence of ATP and 0.50 microns/minute in the presence of GTP. This fraction contained some microtubule-associated polypeptides in addition to the 125 kDa and 120 kDa polypeptides, but a fraction that contained only these additional polypeptides did not cause any translocation of microtubules. Thus, it appeared that the 125 kDa and 120 kDa polypeptides were responsible for translocation of microtubules. These polypeptides with plus-end-directed motor activity may play an important role in formation of the cell plate and in the organization of the phragmoplast.

Specific binding of chloroplast proteins in vitro to the 3' untranslated region of spinach chloroplast petD mRNA

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4380-4388
Author(s):  
H C Chen ◽  
D B Stern
Keyword(s):  
Untranslated Region ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Rna Stability ◽  
Repeat Sequence ◽  
Hairpin Structure ◽  
Sequence Motif ◽  
Spinach Chloroplast ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Chloroplast Proteins

A detailed analysis of RNA-protein complex formation in the 3' untranslated region of spinach chloroplast petD mRNA has been carried out. Five chloroplast proteins that interact with petD RNA in this region, which contains an inverted repeat sequence capable of forming a hairpin structure, have been identified. A 33-kDa protein recognizes specifically the double-stranded stem of the hairpin structure; mutations that disrupt base pairing at the base of the stem reduce or eliminate protein binding. A 57-kDa protein recognizes specifically an AU-rich sequence motif that is highly conserved in petD genes of different higher plant species. The 57-kDa protein and possibly the 33-kDa protein form stable complexes with petD RNA in vitro and may interact with each other. In addition, their interaction with petD RNA is highly sensitive to heparin. The three other proteins, of 100, 32, and 28 kDa, display little sequence or structural binding specificity apart from their preference for uridine-rich sequences. They also interact with the 3' untranslated regions of other chloroplast RNAs such as those of psbA and rbcL. The functions of these proteins in the regulation of petD gene expression, including possible roles in transcription termination and RNA stability, are discussed.

X-Ray responsive nanoparticles with triggered release of nitrite, a precursor of reactive nitrogen species, for enhanced cancer radiosensitization

Nanoscale ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (38) ◽  
pp. 14627-14634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Liu ◽  
Junzhe Lou ◽  
Dimitre Hristov
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cell Nucleus ◽  
Reactive Nitrogen Species ◽  
Nitrogen Species ◽  
Triggered Release ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Enhanced Sensitivity ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Targeting Peptide

New strategy to enhance cancer radiotherapy: A novel gold nanosystem with surface-grafted nitroimidazole and cell nucleus-targeting peptide achieves the release of a RNS precursor, nitrite, by ionizing radiation. In vitro radiotherapy shows enhanced sensitivity of hypoxic cancer cells to X-ray radiation, presumably due to the generation of both reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

scholarly journals Recognition of RNA Editing Sites Is Directed by Unique Proteins in Chloroplasts: Biochemical Identification of cis-Acting Elements and trans-Acting Factors Involved in RNA Editing in Tobacco and Pea Chloroplasts

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 6726-6734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuya Miyamoto ◽  
Junichi Obokata ◽  
Masahiro Sugiura
Keyword(s):  
Rna Editing ◽  
Editing Site ◽  
Mrna Editing ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
In Vitro System ◽  
Cis Acting ◽  
Biochemical Identification ◽  
Editing Activity

ABSTRACT RNA editing in higher-plant chloroplasts involves C-to-U conversions at specific sites. Although in vivo analyses have been performed, little is known about the biochemical aspects of chloroplast editing reactions. Here we improved our original in vitro system and devised a procedure for preparing active chloroplast extracts not only from tobacco plants but also from pea plants. Using our tobacco in vitro system, cis-acting elements were defined for psbE and petB mRNAs. Distinct proteins were found to bind specifically to each cis-element, a 56-kDa protein to the psbE site and a 70-kDa species to the petB site. Pea chloroplasts lack the corresponding editing site in psbE since T is already present in the DNA. Parallel in vitro analyses with tobacco and pea extracts revealed that the pea plant has no editing activity for psbE mRNAs and lacks the 56-kDa protein, whereas petB mRNAs are edited and the 70-kDa protein is also present. Therefore, coevolution of an editing site and its cognate trans-factor was demonstrated biochemically in psbE mRNA editing between tobacco and pea plants.

scholarly journals Anticoagulant Properties of a Green Algal Rhamnan-type Sulfated Polysaccharide and Its Low-molecular-weight Fragments Prepared by Mild Acid Degradation

Marine Drugs ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Liu ◽  
Peng Du ◽  
Xiao Liu ◽  
Sujian Cao ◽  
Ling Qin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Anticoagulant Activity ◽  
Sulfated Polysaccharide ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Thrombin Time ◽  
Acid Degradation ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Green Algal

The active sulfated polysaccharide from seaweed possesses important pharmaceutical and biomedical potential. In the study, Monostroma sulfated polysaccharide (MSP) was obtained from Monostroma angicava, and the low-molecular-weight fragments of MSP (MSP-Fs: MSP-F1–MSP-F6) were prepared by controlled acid degradation. The molecular weights of MSP and MSP-F1–MSP-F6 were 335 kDa, 240 kDa, 90 kDa, 40 kDa, 24 kDa, 12 kDa, and 6.8 kDa, respectively. The polysaccharides were sulfated rhamnans that consisted of →3)-α-l-Rhap-(1→ and →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→ units with partial sulfation at C-2 of →3)-α-l-Rhap-(1→ and C-3 of →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→. Anticoagulant properties in vitro of MSP and MSP-F1–MSP-F6 were evaluated by studying the activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and prothrombin time. Anticoagulant activities in vivo of MSP and MSP-F4 were further evaluated; their fibrin(ogen)olytic activities in vivo and thrombolytic properties in vitro were also assessed by D-dimer, fibrin degradation products, plasminogen activator inhibitior-1, and clot lytic rate assays. The results showed that MSP and MSP-F1–MSP-F4 with molecular weights of 24–240 kDa had strong anticoagulant activities. A decrease in the molecular weight of MSP-Fs was accompanied by a decrease in the anticoagulant activity, and higher anticoagulant activity requires a molecular weight of over 12 kDa. MSP and MSP-F4 possessed strong anticoagulant activities in vivo, as well as high fibrin(ogen)olytic and thrombolytic activities. MSP and MSP-F4 have potential as drug or helpful food supplements for human health.

scholarly journals The light-harvesting complexes of higher-plant Photosystem I: Lhca1/4 and Lhca2/3 form two red-emitting heterodimers

2011 ◽  
Vol 433 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie Wientjes ◽  
Roberta Croce
Keyword(s):  
Photosystem I ◽  
Light Harvesting ◽  
Fluorescence Emission ◽  
Light Response ◽  
Native State ◽  
Higher Plant ◽  
Light Harvesting Complexes ◽  
Light Harvesting Complex ◽  
Wavelength Emission

The outer antenna of higher-plant PSI (Photosystem I) is composed of four complexes [Lhc (light-harvesting complex) a1–Lhca4] belonging to the light-harvesting protein family. Difficulties in their purification have so far prevented the determination of their properties and most of the knowledge about Lhcas has been obtained from the study of the in vitro reconstituted antennas. In the present study we were able to purify the native complexes, showing that Lhca2/3 and Lhca1/4 form two functional heterodimers. Both dimers show red-fluorescence emission with maxima around 730 nm, as in the intact PSI complex. This indicates that the dimers are in their native state and that LHCI-680, which was previously assumed to be part of the PSI antenna, does not represent the native state of the system. The data show that the light-harvesting properties of the two dimers are functionally identical, concerning absorption, long-wavelength emission and fluorescence quantum yield, whereas they differ in their high-light response. Implications of the present study for the understanding of the energy transfer process in PSI are discussed. Finally, the comparison of the properties of the native dimers with those of the reconstituted complexes demonstrates that all of the major properties of the Lhcas are reproduced in the in vitro systems.

A synthetic RNA editing factor edits its target site in chloroplasts and bacteria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santana Royan ◽  
Bernard Gutmann ◽  
Catherine Colas des Francs-Small ◽  
Suvi Honkanen ◽  
Jason Schmidberger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Editing ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Rna Binding Proteins ◽  
Cytidine Deaminase ◽  
Land Plant ◽  
Target Sequence ◽  
Pentatricopeptide Repeat

Abstract Targeted cytidine to uridine RNA editing is a widespread phenomenon throughout the land plant lineage. Members of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family act as the specificity factors in this process. These proteins consist of helix-turn-helix domains, each of which recognises a single RNA nucleotide following a well-elucidated code. A cytidine deaminase-like domain (present at the C-terminus of some PPR editing factors or provided in trans via protein-protein interactions) is the catalytic domain in the process. The huge expansion of the PPR superfamily in land plants provides the sequence variation required for design of novel consensus-based RNA-binding proteins. We used this approach to construct a synthetic RNA editing factor designed to target one of the two sites in the Arabidopsis chloroplast transcriptome naturally recognised by the RNA editing factor CHLOROPLAST BIOGENESIS 19 (CLB19). We show that this designed editing factor specifically recognises the target sequence in in vitro binding assays and can partially complement a clb19 mutant. The designed factor is specific for the target rpoA site and does not recognise or edit the other site recognised by CLB19 in the clpP1 transcript. We show that the designed editing factor can function equally specifically in the bacterium E. coli, and shows some activity even in the absence of the editing cofactors that are often required for natural editing factor activity in plants. This study serves as a successful pilot into the design and application of programmable RNA editing factors based on plant PPR proteins.

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