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A Helenius

Publications and source records attributed to A Helenius.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Derived protein sequence, oligosaccharides, and membrane insertion of the 120-kDa lysosomal membrane glycoprotein (lgp120): identification of a highly conserved family of lysosomal membrane glycoproteins.

The 120-kDa lysosomal membrane glycoprotein (lgp120) is an acidic, heavily glycosylated membrane protein enriched in the lysosomal membrane. To determine the basis for its selective transport to and stability in lysosomes, we have investigated the structure of lgp120. By using an oligonucleotide probe corresponding to the amino terminus of rat lgp120, we isolated and characterized cDNA clones containing the entire coding region. The deduced amino acid sequence demonstrates that lgp120 contains a putative signal peptide, 18 sites for N-linked glycosylation, a single membrane-spanning segment, and a short (11 amino acid) cytosolic tail. The sequence suggests a distinct domain organization, with two luminal glycosylated regions separated by a nonglycosylated proline-rich region. Proteolysis in detergent showed that the protein was not intrinsically resistant to exogenous or endogenous proteases. The N-linked oligosaccharides on lgp120, tetraantennary structures with two lactosamine repeats on one of the branches, were not different from those of glycoproteins on the plasma membrane. lgp120 was similar in its domain organization and portions of its amino acid sequence to the avian 100-kDa lysosomal membrane protein LEP100 [Fambrough, D. M., Takeyasu, K., Lippincott-Schwartz, J., Siegel, N. R. & Somerville, D. (1988) J. Cell Biol. 106, 61-67], and to a distinct 110-kDa lysosomal membrane protein (lgp110) that colocalizes with lgp120. The similarities between lysosomal membrane glycoproteins from diverse species, coupled with the fact that at least two distinct lysosomal membrane glycoproteins are expressed in a single species, indicate the existence of a conserved family of glycoproteins enriched in the lysosomal membrane.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Posttranslational oligomerization and cooperative acid activation of mixed influenza hemagglutinin trimers.

The influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is a well-characterized integral membrane glycoprotein composed of three identical subunits. We have analyzed the formation of mixed trimers in cells expressing two different HA gene products. The results show efficient and essentially random assembly of functional hybrid trimers provided that the HAs are from the same HA subtype. Trimerization is thus a posttranslational event, and subunits are recruited randomly from a common pool of monomers in the endoplasmic reticulum. Mixed trimers were not observed between HAs derived from different subtypes, indicating that the trimerization event is sequence specific. Mixed trimers containing mutant subunits were, moreover, used to establish that the acid-induced conformational change involved in the membrane fusion activity of HA is a highly cooperative event.

Animals↗

Differential effects of mutations in three domains on folding, quaternary structure, and intracellular transport of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein.

The vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (G protein) is an integral membrane protein which assembles into noncovalently associated trimers before transport from the endoplasmic reticulum. In this study we have examined the folding and oligomeric assembly of twelve mutant G proteins with alterations in the cytoplasmic, transmembrane, or ectodomains. Through the use of conformation-specific antibodies, we found that newly synthesized G protein folded into a conformation similar to the mature form within 1-3 min of synthesis and before trimer formation. Mutant proteins not capable of undergoing correct initial folding did not trimerize, were not transported, and were found in large aggregates. They had, as a rule, mutations in the ectodomain, including several with altered glycosylation patterns. In contrast, mutations in the cytoplasmic domain generally had little effect on folding and trimerization. These mutant proteins, whose ectodomains were identical to the wild-type by several assays, were either transported to the cell surface slowly or not at all. We concluded that while correct ectodomain folding and trimer formation are prerequisites for transport, they alone are not sufficient. The results suggest that the cytoplasmic domain of the wild-type protein may facilitate rapid, efficient transport from the ER, which can be easily affected or eliminated by tail mutations that do not detectably affect the ectodomain.

Animals↗

Alphavirus RNA replicase is located on the cytoplasmic surface of endosomes and lysosomes.

Using morphological and cell biological techniques, we have shown that the RNA replicase of Semliki Forest and Sindbis virus (two closely related alphaviruses) is located in complex ribonucleoprotein structures associated with the cytoplasmic surface of modified secondary lysosomes and endosomes. These nucleoprotein complexes often form a bridge between the membrane of the endocytic vacuole and the rough endoplasmic reticulum where the synthesis of the structural proteins of these viruses occurs. The results suggest that these cytopathic vacuoles constitute sites not only for viral RNA synthesis, but also for translation of structural proteins, and for the assembly of nucleocapsids.

Alphavirus↗

Inhibition of endocytosis by anti-clathrin antibodies.

We examined the function of clathrin, a cytoplasmic protein associated with coated pits and vesicles, by introducing monoclonal antibodies into living cells and determining their effects on membrane transport. When anti-clathrin heavy chain antibodies were used, the following effects were observed: clathrin became aggregated in the cytoplasm, the number of coated pits on the plasma membrane was reduced, and adsorbtive endocytosis of Semliki Forest virus and fluid-phase endocytosis were decreased by 40%-50%. No change in transport of newly synthesized influenza hemagglutinin to the plasma membrane was observed. The results indicated that clathrin in CV-1 cells is involved in fluid-phase uptake and receptor-mediated endocytosis, but not in constitutive transport within the secretory pathway.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

The influenza hemagglutinin precursor as an acid-sensitive probe of the biosynthetic pathway.

The hemagglutinin of influenza virus (HA), an acid-activated membrane fusion protein, is synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum and transported through the Golgi complex to the cell surface of infected cells as an uncleaved, fusion-incompetent precursor, HA0. The mature, proteolytically activated HA is known to undergo a rapid, irreversible, acid-induced conformational change which mediates membrane fusion and virus penetration. On the basis of antigenic modifications and the acquisition of trypsin susceptibility, we demonstrate here that HA0, while unable to cause fusion, is acid sensitive. It undergoes irreversible conformational changes quite similar to those of HA at mildly acidic pH (pH less than 6.0). The ectodomain of HA0 does not, however, acquire hydrophobic properties and the changes occur in a less concerted manner (the pH dependence is much broader and the rate of conversion slower). These differences are likely to account for the inability of acid-treated HA0 to trigger membrane fusion. It was shown, moreover, that HA0 acquired its acid-sensitive properties immediately following trimerization in the endoplasmic reticulum. Since HA0 did not convert to the acid form at any point during its intracellular transport, we concluded that the trans-Golgi compartment, known to be more acidic than the cytosol and involved in constitutive membrane transport, is not likely to have a pH less than 6.0.

Animals↗

Rapid analytical and preparative isolation of functional endosomes by free flow electrophoresis.

Endosomes are prelysosomal organelles that serve as an intracellular site for the sorting, distribution, and processing of receptors, ligands, fluid phase components, and membrane proteins internalized by endocytosis. Whereas the overall functions of endosomes are increasingly understood, little is known about endosome structure, composition, or biogenesis. In this paper, we describe a rapid procedure that permits analytical and preparative isolation of endosomes from a variety of tissue culture cells. The procedure relies on a combination of density gradient centrifugation and free flow electrophoresis. It yields a fraction of highly purified, functionally intact organelles. As markers for endosomes in Chinese hamster ovary cells, we used endocytosed horseradish peroxidase, FITC-conjugated dextran, and [35S]methionine-labeled Semliki Forest virus. Total postnuclear supernatants, crude microsomal pellets, or partially purified Golgi fractions were subjected to free flow electrophoresis. Endosomes and lysosomes migrated together as a single anodally deflected peak separated from most other organelles (plasma membrane, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi). The endosomes and lysosomes were then resolved by centrifugation in Percoll density gradients. Endosomes prepared in this way were enriched up to 70-fold relative to the initial homogenate and were still capable of ATP-dependent acidification. By electron microscopy, the isolated organelles were found to consist of electron lucent vacuoles and tubules, many of which could be shown to contain an endocytic tracer (e.g., horseradish peroxidase). SDS PAGE analysis of integral and peripheral membrane proteins (separated from each other by condensation in Triton X-114) revealed a unique and restricted subset of proteins when compared with lysosomes, the unshifted free flow electrophoresis peak, and total cell protein. Altogether, the purification procedure takes 5-6 h and yields amounts of endosomes (150-200 micrograms protein) sufficient for biochemical, immunological, and functional analysis.

Animals↗

Role for adenosine triphosphate in regulating the assembly and transport of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein trimers.

We have characterized the process by which the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G protein acquires its final oligomeric structure using density-gradient centrifugation in mildly acidic sucrose gradients. The mature wild-type VSV G protein is a noncovalently associated trimer. Trimers are assembled from newly synthesized G monomers with a t1/2 of 6-8 min. To localize the site of trimerization and to correlate trimer formation with steps in transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi complex, we examined the kinetics of assembly of the temperature-sensitive mutant VSV strain, ts045. At the nonpermissive temperature (39 degrees C), ts045 G protein is not transported from the ER. The phenotypic defect that inhibited export from the ER at the nonpermissive temperature was found to be the accumulation of ts045 G protein in an aggregate. After being shifted to the permissive temperature (32 degrees C), the ts045 G protein aggregate rapidly dissociated (t1/2 less than 1 min) to monomeric G protein which subsequently trimerized with the same kinetics as the wild-type G protein. Only trimers were transported to the Golgi complex. Kinetic studies, as well as the finding that trimerization occurred under conditions which block ER to Golgi transport (at both 15 and 4 degrees C), showed that trimers were formed in the ER. Depletion of cellular ATP inhibited both the dissociation of the aggregated intermediate of ts045 G protein as well as the formation of stable trimers. The results indicate that oligomerization of G protein occurs in several steps, is sensitive to cellular ATP, and is required for transport from the ER.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Kinetics of endosome acidification detected by mutant and wild-type Semliki Forest virus.

The fusogenic properties of Semliki Forest virus (SFV) and its mutants were used to follow the kinetics of acidification during the endocytic uptake of virus by BHK-21 cells. It has previously been shown that the low pH of endocytic vacuoles triggers a conformational change in the SFV spike glycoprotein, activating membrane fusion and initiating virus infection. This conformational alteration was here shown to occur in endosomes and to follow the same time course as the intracellular fusion reaction, demonstrating that fusion occurs rapidly after virus exposure to endosome acidity. The kinetics of endosome acidification were monitored using wild type (wt) SFV and fus-1, an SFV mutant with a lower fusion pH threshold. The results presented here demonstrated that wt and mutant virus were internalized with a t1/2 of 10 min, and that endosomes were acidified to the wt threshold of pH 6.2 with a t1/2 of 15 min. In contrast, endosome pH reached the fus-1 threshold of 5.3 with a much longer t1/2 of 45 min. The subsequent degradation of SFV in lysosomes had a t1/2 of 90 min. It was found that after the initial uptake of virus from the plasma membrane, its transit through the endocytic pathway, exposure to endosome acidity and eventual delivery to lysosomes were markedly asynchronous.

Animals↗

Transport of macrophage Fc receptors and Fc receptor-bound ligands to lysosomes.

Mouse macrophage Fc receptors specific for IgG1/IgG2b mediate the binding and pinocytic uptake of soluble IgG-containing antibody-antigen complexes. Internalization of these multivalent IgG complexes is accompanied not only by the intracellular degradation of the ligand, but also by a net decrease in the number of plasma membrane Fc receptors and an accelerated rate of receptor turnover. In contrast, internalized receptors bound to a monovalent ligand, the high affinity Fab fragment of the antireceptor mAb 2.4G2, escape degradation by rapidly recycling to the cell surface. In this paper, we have characterized the intracellular pathway involved in the endocytosis and transport of Fc receptors in the J774 macrophage cell line. The results show that the uptake of multivalent ligands follows the normal pathway of receptor-mediated endocytosis: internalization in clathrin-coated pits and coated vesicles, delivery to endosomes, and finally to acid hydrolase-rich lysosomes. Immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled receptor from Percoll density gradients showed that endocytosis of the IgG complexes also results in the concomitant transport of the receptor to lysosomes. Although uptake of the monovalent Fab fragment had no detectable effect on intracellular receptor distribution, preparations of 2.4G2 Fab rendered multivalent by adsorption to colloidal gold were as effective as the IgG complexes at causing lysosomal accumulation of internalized receptors. Thus, it is likely that the down-regulation and degradation of Fc receptors which occurs during the endocytosis of antibody-antigen complexes is due to the transport of internalized receptors to lysosomes. Moreover, the ability of certain Fc receptor-bound ligands to interfere with receptor recycling and trigger lysosomal transport seems to depend on ligand valency rather than on the presence or absence of Fc domains on intact IgG molecules.

Animals↗

Three-dimensional structure of endosomes in BHK-21 cells.

The organization of the endosome compartment in BHK-21 cells was studied by using horseradish peroxidase as a fluid-phase marker and Semliki Forest virus as an adsorptive marker. Stereo pairs of semithin sections (0.2-0.5 micron) and computer-aided reconstruction and tracing of serial thin sections (CARTOS) were used to obtain three-dimensional images of the labeled compartments. Two types of labeled organelles could be observed: small vesicles and tubules (approximately equal to 50 nm in diameter) and large complex structures consisting of central vesicular elements (with diameters up to 0.5 micron) and associated systems of radiating tubules. The large endosomes were located either in the peripheral cytoplasm or in the perinuclear region, and, importantly, they existed as independent organelles and not as an interconnected reticulum. Each endosomal vacuole had two to seven tubules oriented in random directions from the central vesicle. The tubules were 60-100 nm in diameter and up to 4 micron in length. Morphometric estimates indicated that 60-70% of the endosomal membrane was in the tubules, in contrast to 30-40% of the volume. No structural continuity between endosomes and Golgi cisternae was observed, although elements of the two systems were frequently found in close proximity.

Animals↗

Assembly of influenza hemagglutinin trimers and its role in intracellular transport.

The hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus is a homotrimeric integral membrane glycoprotein. It is cotranslationally inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum as a precursor called HA0 and transported to the cell surface via the Golgi complex. We have, in this study, investigated the kinetics and cellular location of the assembly reaction that results in HA0 trimerization. Three independent criteria were used for determining the formation of quaternary structure: the appearance of an epitope recognized by trimer-specific monoclonal antibodies; the acquisition of trypsin resistance, a characteristic of trimers; and the formation of stable complexes which cosedimented with the mature HA0 trimer (9S20,w) in sucrose gradients containing Triton X-100. The results showed that oligomer formation is a posttranslational event, occurring with a half time of approximately 7.5 min after completion of synthesis. Assembly occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum, followed almost immediately by transport to the Golgi complex. A stabilization event in trimer structure occurs when HA0 leaves the Golgi complex or reaches the plasma membrane. Approximately 10% of the newly synthesized HA0 formed aberrant trimers which were not transported from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex or the plasma membrane. Taken together the results suggested that formation of correctly folded quaternary structure constitutes a key event regulating the transport of the protein out of the endoplasmic reticulum. Further changes in subunit interactions occur as the trimers move along the secretory pathway.

Animals↗

Variant influenza virus hemagglutinin that induces fusion at elevated pH.

The hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein of influenza virus performs two critical roles during infection: it binds virus to cell surface sialic acids, and under mildly acidic conditions it induces fusion of the virion with intracellular membranes, liberating the genome into the cytoplasm. The pH dependence of fusion varies for different influenza virus strains. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a naturally occurring variant of the X31 strain that fuses at a pH 0.2 units higher than the parent strain does and that is less sensitive to the effects of ammonium chloride, a compound known to elevate endosomal pH. The bromelain-solubilized ectodomain of the variant HA displayed a corresponding shift in the pH at which it changed conformation and bound to liposomes. Cloning and sequencing of the variant HA gene revealed amino acid substitutions at three positions in the polypeptide. Two substitutions were in antigenic determinants in the globular region of HA1, and the third occurred in HA2 near the base of the molecule. By using chimeric HA molecules expressed in CV-1 cells from simian virus 40-based vectors, we demonstrated that the change in HA2 was solely responsible for the altered fusion phenotype. This substitution, asparagine for aspartic acid at position 132, disrupted a highly conserved interchain salt bridge between adjacent HA2 subunits. The apparent role of this residue in stabilizing the HA trimer is consistent with the idea that the trimer dissociates at low pH. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that influenza virus populations contain fusion variants, raising the possibility that such variants may play a role in the evolution of the virus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Quaternary structure of influenza virus hemagglutinin after acid treatment.

Hemagglutinin (HA), a trimeric spike glycoprotein of influenza virus, mediates fusion between the viral envelope and the membrane of an endosome during virus entry. Fusion is triggered by low pH, which induces an irreversible conformational change in the protein. Several studies have indicated that intersubunit contacts along the trimer interfaces may be broken during this alteration. To determine whether HA dissociates into individual subunits as a consequence of the conformational change, we used velocity gradient sedimentation in the presence of Triton X-100. We also determined the resistance of acid-treated HA to dissociation by sodium dodecyl sulfate, a property of the HA trimer. At pH 7.0, isolated HA sedimented as a 9S trimer and gave the characteristic trimer pattern after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After acidification the HA remained trimeric irrespective of whether it was exposed to acid in intact virus particles or in solubilized form. Only when very low concentrations of HA were acidified did a fraction dissociate to dimers and monomers. In contrast, the water-soluble ectodomain fragment of HA (BHA) readily dissociated under a variety of conditions. Negative-stain electron microscopy supported the notion that HA molecules in virus particles do not dissociate upon acidification and may form larger oligomeric structures in the plane of the viral membrane. Taken together, the results suggested that it is the trimeric HA, or higher-order structures thereof, that are active in the acid-induced fusion reaction. Further, the results emphasized the role of the transmembrane anchors of HA in preventing dissociation of the trimer.

Acids↗