-
[
Biochim Biophys Acta,
2001]
Apparent Ca2+-binding constant (K-app) of Caenorhabditis elegans troponin C (CeTnC) was determined by a fluorescence titration method. The K-app of the N-domain Ca2+-binding site of CeTnC was 7.9 +/- 1.6 x 10(5) M-1 and that of the C-domain site was 1.2 +/- 0.6 x 10(6) M-1, respectively. Mg2+-dependence of the K-app showed that both Ca2+-binding sites did not bind competitively Mg2+. The Ca2+ dissociation rate constant (k(off)) of CeTnC was determined by the fluorescence stopped-flow method. The k(off) of the N-domain Ca2+-binding site of CeTnC was 703 +/- 208 s(-1) and that of the C-domain site was 286 +/- 33 s(-1), respectively. From these values we could calculate the Ca2+-binding rate constant (k(on)) as to be 5.6 +/- 2.8 x 10(8) M-1 s(-1) for the N-domain site and 3.4 +/- 2.1 x 10(8) M (1) s(-1) for the C-domain site, respectively. These results mean that all Ca2+-binding sites of CeTnC are low affinity, fast dissociating and Ca2+-specific sites. Evolutional function of TnC between vertebrate and invertebrate and biological functions of wild type and mutant CeTnCs are discussed.
-
[
Korean J. Genet,
2000]
Six lethal mutations near the
unc-29 locus on chromosome I of Caenorhabditis elegans have been isolated previously. Among these mutants, one particular mutant (
jh2) showed interesting terminal defect, which suggest that embryos of this mutant suffer specific defects in posterior body parts during early development. As the first step to further characterize the mutation, we have performed genetic outcrossing using three genetic markers of
dpy-5(
e61),
dpy-5(
e61 unc-13(
e1091),
unc-13(
e1091)
lin-11(
n566) in the gene cluster region near the
unc-29 locus. Following outcrosses, three-factor crosses were conducted to place the
jh2 mutation on a precise genetic map near the
unc-29 locus on chromosome I. The results of three-factor crosses have placed the
jh2 mutation to the region between 4.41 and 4.54 map unit right from the center of chromosome I, which corresponds to approximately a 200 kb region in the physical map.
-
[
Mol Cell Biol,
2005]
Myotubularins (MTMs) belong to a large subfamily of phosphatases that dephosphorylate the 3' position of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PI(3)P] and PI(3,5)P(2). MTM1 is mutated in X-linked myotubular myopathy, and MTMR2 and MTMR13 are mutated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. However, little is known about the general mechanism(s) whereby MTMs are regulated or the specific biological processes regulated by the different MTMs. We identified a Ca(2+)-activated K channel, K(Ca)3.1 (also known as KCa4, IKCa1, hIK1, or SK4), that specifically interacts with the MTMR6 subfamily of MTMs via coiled coil (CC) domains on both proteins. Overexpression of MTMR6 inhibited K(Ca)3.1 channel activity, and this inhibition required MTMR6's CC and phosphatase domains. This inhibition is specific; MTM1, a closely related MTM, did not inhibit K(Ca)3.1. However, a chimeric MTM1 in which the MTM1 CC domain was swapped for the MTMR6 CC domain inhibited K(Ca)3.1, indicating that MTM CC domains are sufficient to confer target specificity. K(Ca)3.1 was also inhibited by the PI(3) kinase inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin, and this inhibition was rescued by the addition of PI(3)P, but not other phosphoinositides, to the patch pipette solution. PI(3)P also rescued the inhibition of K(Ca)3.1 by MTMR6 overexpression. These data, when taken together, indicate that K(Ca)3.1 is regulated by PI(3)P and that MTMR6 inhibits K(Ca)3.1 by dephosphorylating the 3' position of PI(3)P, possibly leading to decreased PI(3)P in lipid microdomains adjacent to K(Ca)3.1. K(Ca)3.1 plays important roles in controlling proliferation by T cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and some cancer cell lines. Thus, our findings not only provide unique insights into the regulation of K(Ca)3.1 channel activity but also raise the possibility that MTMs play important roles in the negative regulation of T cells and in conditions associated with pathological cell proliferation, such as cancer and atherosclerosis.
-
[
J Biol Chem,
2007]
The biological methyl donor, S adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), can exist in two diastereoisomeric states with respect to its sulfonium ion. The "S" configuration, (S,S)AdoMet, is the only form that is produced enzymatically as well as the only form used in almost all biological methylation reactions. Under physiological conditions, however, the sulfonium ion can spontaneously racemize to the "R" form, producing (R,S)AdoMet. As of yet, (R,S)AdoMet has no known physiological function and may inhibit cellular reactions. In this study, two enzymes have been found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are capable of recognizing (R,S)AdoMet and using it to methylate homocysteine to form methionine. These enzymes are the products of the SAM4 and MHT1 genes, previously identified as homocysteine methyltransferases dependent upon AdoMet and S-methylmethionine respectively. We find here that Sam4 recognizes both (S,S) and (R,S)AdoMet, but its activity is much higher with the R,S form. Mht1 reacts with only the R,S form of AdoMet while no activity is seen with the S,S form. R,S-specific homocysteine methyltransferase activity is also shown here to occur in extracts of Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans, but has not been detected in several tissue extracts of Mus musculus. Such activity may function to prevent the accumulation of (R,S)AdoMet in these organisms.
-
[
Bioorg Med Chem Lett,
2009]
A sulfonamide derivative of the antihelmintic drug thiabendazole was prepared and investigated for inhibition of the zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase CA (EC 4.2.1.1). Mammalian isoforms CA I-XIV and the nematode enzyme of Caenorhabditis elegans CAH-4b were included in this study. Thiabendazole-5-sulfonamide was a very effective inhibitor of CAH-4b and CA IX (K(I)s of 6.4-9.5nm) and also inhibited effectively isozymes CA I, II, IV-VII, and XII, with K(I)s in the range of 17.8-73.2nM. The high resolution X-ray crystal structure of its adduct with isozyme II evidenced the structural elements responsible for this potent inhibitory activity.
-
Baru V, Newby G, Lou Y, Dettmer U, Lindquist S, Imberdis T, Walther TC, Soldner F, Termine D, Ho GPH, Kim TE, Fanning S, Terry-Kantor E, Farese RV, Srinivasan S, Landgraf D, Barrasa MI, Pincus D, Kohlwein SD, Welte MA, Haque A, Nuber S, Hofbauer HF, Jaenisch R, Clish CB, Sandoe J, Ramalingam N, Noble T, Freyzon Y, Selkoe D, Becuwe M
[
Mol Cell,
2018]
In Parkinson's disease (PD), -synuclein (S) pathologically impacts the brain, a highly lipid-rich organ. We investigated how alterations in S or lipid/fattyacid homeostasis affect each other. Lipidomic profiling of human S-expressing yeast revealed increases in oleic acid (OA, 18:1), diglycerides, and triglycerides. These findings were recapitulated in rodent and human neuronal models of S dyshomeostasis (overexpression; patient-derived triplication or E46K mutation; E46K mice). Preventing lipid droplet formation or augmenting OA increased S yeast toxicity; suppressing the OA-generating enzyme stearoyl-CoA-desaturase (SCD) was protective. Genetic or pharmacological SCD inhibition ameliorated toxicity in S-overexpressing rat neurons. In a C.elegans model, SCD knockout prevented S-induced dopaminergic degeneration. Conversely, we observed detrimental effects of OA on S homeostasis: in human neural cells, excess OA caused S inclusion formation, which was reversed by SCD inhibition. Thus, monounsaturated fatty acid metabolism is pivotal for S-induced neurotoxicity, and inhibiting SCD represents a novel PD therapeutic approach.
-
[
J Biol Chem,
2003]
The contributions to substrate binding and catalysis of 13 amino acid residues of the Caenorhabditis elegans diadenosine tetraphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase (Ap(4)A hydrolase) predicted from the crystal structure of an enzyme-inhibitor complex have been investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Sixteen glutathione S-transferase-Ap(4)A hydrolase fusion proteins were expressed and their k(cat) and K-m values determined after removal of the glutathione S-transferase domain. As expected for a Nudix hydrolase, the wild type k(cat) of 23 s(-1) was reduced by 10(5)-, 10(3)-, and 30-fold, respectively, by replacement of the conserved P-phosphate-binding catalytic residues Glu(56), Glu(52), and Glu(103) by Gln. K-m values were not affected, indicating a lack of importance for substrate binding. In contrast, mutating His(31) to Val or Ala and Lys(83) to Met produced 10- and 16-fold increases in K. compared with the wild type value of 8.8 muM. These residues stabilize the P-1-phosphate. H31V and H31A had a normal kcat but K83M showed a 37-fold reduction in k(cat). Lys(36) also stabilizes the P-1-phosphate and a K36M mutant had a 10-fold reduced kcat but a relatively normal K-m. Thus both Lys(36) and Lys(83) may play a role in catalysis. The previously suggested roles of Tyr(27), His(38), Lys(79), and Lys(81) in stabilizing the P-2 and P-3-phosphates were not confirmed by mutagenesis, indicating the absence of phosphate-specific binding contacts in this region. Also, mutating both Tyr(76) and Tyr(121), which clamp one substrate adenosine moiety between them in the crystal structure, to Ala only increased K-m 4-fold. It is concluded that interactions with the P-1- and P-4-phosphates are minimum and sufficient requirements for substrate binding by this class of enzyme, indicating that
-
[
PLoS One,
2017]
In this paper, the metabolic activity in single and dual species biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus isolates was investigated. Our results demonstrated that there was less metabolic activity in dual species biofilms compared to S. aureus biofilms. However, this was not observed if S. aureus and S. epidermidis were obtained from the same sample. The largest effect on metabolic activity was observed in biofilms of S. aureus Mu50 and S. epidermidis ET-024. A transcriptomic analysis of these dual species biofilms showed that urease genes and genes encoding proteins involved in metabolism were downregulated in comparison to monospecies biofilms. These results were subsequently confirmed by phenotypic assays. As metabolic activity is related to acid production, the pH in dual species biofilms was slightly higher compared to S. aureus Mu50 biofilms. Our results showed that S. epidermidis ET-024 in dual species biofilms inhibits metabolic activity of S. aureus Mu50, leading to less acid production. As a consequence, less urease activity is required to compensate for low pH. Importantly, this effect was biofilm-specific. Also S. aureus Mu50 genes encoding virulence-associated proteins (Spa, SplF and Dps) were upregulated in dual species biofilms compared to monospecies biofilms and using Caenorhabditis elegans infection assays, we demonstrated that more nematodes survived when co-infected with S. epidermidis ET-024 and S. aureus mutants lacking functional spa, splF or dps genes, compared to nematodes infected with S. epidermidis ET-024 and wild- type S. aureus. Finally, S. epidermidis ET-024 genes encoding resistance to oxacillin, erythromycin and tobramycin were upregulated in dual species biofilms and increased resistance was subsequently confirmed. Our data indicate that both species in dual species biofilms of S. epidermidis and S. aureus influence each other's behavior, but additional studies are required necessary to elucidate the exact mechanism(s) involved.
-
[
Pathog Dis,
2014]
Due to the resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to several antibiotics, treatment of S. aureus infections is often difficult. As an alternative to conventional antibiotics, the field of bacterial interference is investigated. Staphylococcus epidermidis produces a serine protease (Esp) which inhibits S. aureus biofilm formation and which degrades S. aureus biofilms. In this study, we investigated the protease production of 114 S. epidermidis isolates, obtained from biofilms on endotracheal tubes (ET). Most of the S. epidermidis isolates secreted a mixture of serine, cysteine and metalloproteases. We found a link between high protease production by S. epidermidis and the absence of S. aureus in ET biofilms obtained from the same patient. Treating S. aureus biofilms with the supernatant (SN) of the most active protease producing S. epidermidis isolates resulted in a significant biomass decrease compared to untreated controls, while the number of metabolically active cells was not affected. The effect on the biofilm biomass was mainly due to serine proteases. Staphylococcus aureus biofilms treated with the SN of protease producing S. epidermidis were thinner with almost no extracellular matrix. An increased survival of Caenorhabditis elegans, infected with S. aureus Mu50, was observed when the SN of protease positive S. epidermidis was added.
-
[
Arch Biochem Biophys,
2005]
Methionine (Met) residues in proteins are susceptible to oxidation. The resulting methionine sulfoxide can be reduced back to methionine by methionine sulfoxide-S-reductase (MsrA). The MsrA gene, isolated from Caenorhabditis elegans, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The resultant enzyme was able to revert both free Met and Met in proteins in the presence of either NADPH or dithiothreitol (DTT). However, approximately seven times higher enzyme activity was observed in the presence of DTT than of NADPH. The enzyme had an absolute specificity for the reduction of l-methionine-S-sulfoxide but no specificity for the R isomer. K(m) and k(cat) values for the enzyme were approximately 1.18mM and 3.64min(-1), respectively. Other kinetics properties of the enzyme were also evaluated.