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J A Roe

Publications and source records attributed to J A Roe.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Mutations in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis alter the zinc binding site and the redox behavior of the protein.

A series of mutant human and yeast copper-zinc superoxide dismutases has been prepared, with mutations corresponding to those found in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's disease). These proteins have been characterized with respect to their metal-binding characteristics and their redox reactivities. Replacement of Zn2+ ion in the zinc sites of several of these proteins with either Cu2+ or Co2+ gave metal-substituted derivatives with spectroscopic properties different from those of the analogous derivative of the wild-type proteins, indicating that the geometries of binding of these metal ions to the zinc site were affected by the mutations. Several of the ALS-associated mutant copper-zinc superoxide dismutases were also found to be reduced by ascorbate at significantly greater rate than the wild-type proteins. We conclude that similar alterations in the properties of the zinc binding site can be caused by mutations scattered throughout the protein structure. This finding may help to explain what is perhaps the most perplexing question in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase-associated familial ALS-i.e., how such a diverse set of mutations can result in the same gain of function that causes the disease.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1996

Unusual trigonal-planar copper configuration revealed in the atomic structure of yeast copper-zinc superoxide dismutase.

The three-dimensional structure of yeast copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) has been determined in a new crystal form in space group R32 and refined against X-ray diffraction data using difference Fourier and restrained crystallographic refinement techniques. The unexpected result is that the copper ion has moved approximately 1 angstrom from its position in previously reported CuZnSOD models, the copper-imidazolate bridge is broken, and a roughly trigonal planar ligand geometry characteristic of Cu(I) rather than Cu(II) is revealed. Final R values for the two nearly identical room temperature structures are 18.6% for all 19 149 reflections in the 10.0-1.7 angstrom resolution range and 18. 2% for 17 682 reflections (F > 2 sigma) in the 10.0-1.73 angstrom resolution range. A third structure has been determined using X-ray data collected at -180 degrees C. The final R value for this structure is 19.0% (R(free) = 22.9%) for all 24 356 reflections in the 10.0-1.55 angstrom resolution range. Virtually no change in the positions of the ligands to the zinc center is observed in these models. The origin of the broken bridge and altered Cu-ligand geometry is discussed.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗
PubMed1996

Altered reactivity of superoxide dismutase in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A subset of individuals with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) possesses dominantly inherited mutations in the gene that encodes copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD). A4V and G93A, two of the mutant enzymes associated with FALS, were shown to catalyze the oxidation of a model substrate (spin trap 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide) by hydrogen peroxide at a higher rate than that seen with the wild-type enzyme. Catalysis of this reaction by A4V and G93A was more sensitive to inhibition by the copper chelators diethyldithiocarbamate and penicillamine than was catalysis by wild-type CuZnSOD. The same two chelators reversed the apoptosis-inducing effect of mutant enzymes expressed in a neural cell line. These results suggest that oxidative reactions catalyzed by mutant CuZnSOD enzymes initiate the neuropathologic changes in FALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1996

Cell death mechanisms in ALS.

Mutations in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) that are associated with familial ALS (FALS) are dominant, gain-of-function mutations, but the nature of the function gained has not been identified. In addition to catalyzing the dismutation of superoxide, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase also displays peroxidase activity. Whereas mutants A4V and G93A retained superoxide dismutase activity, they demonstrated a markedly enhanced copper-dependent peroxidase activity in comparison with that of the wild type enzyme as detected by the spin trap 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) in electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. Two copper chelators, diethyldithiocarbamate and penicillamine, inhibited the mutants' peroxidase activity, but not that of the wild type enzyme, at stoichiometric concentrations; furthermore, these copper chelators enhanced neural survival in a cell-culture model of ALS but did not alter survival of cells expressing only wild type copper-zinc superoxide dismutase. These observations suggest that oxidative reactions catalyzed by mutant copper-zinc superoxide dismutases may initiate the neuropathologic changes of FALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1995

Effects of growth factors and gut regulatory peptides on nutrient uptake in ovine muscle cell cultures.

Effects of gut regulatory peptides and growth factors on the uptake of 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG) were examined in differentiated ovine satellite cell cultures. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gave maximal increases of 160-180% of controls for AIB and over 190% for 2-DOG. IGF-I showed half-maximal effects at 0.1-1 nM, and insulin at 1-10 nM. Bovine growth hormone (0.01-100 nM) had no effect. Gastrin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), bombesin and somatostatin had no action in either the absence or presence of insulin. In primary cultures epidermal growth factor (EGF) increased the uptake of AIB (133-137%) and 2-DOG (171-176%). In clonal lines, EGF had little effect on nutrient uptake but still simulated protein synthesis.

Aminoisobutyric Acids↗
PubMed1993

Enhanced oxidation of aniline derivatives by two mutants of cytochrome c peroxidase at tryptophan 51.

Two hyperactive mutants of cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP), W51F and W51A, catalyze the enhanced oxidation of a number of substituted anilines. The reaction of CCP compound ES with mesidine is biphasic, while similar reactions using compound II give monophasic kinetics. These data, in addition to the ratio of the Fe4+ = O and free-radical species observed during steady-state turnover, indicate that reduction of the Trp-191 free radical of compound ES is more rapid than the reduction of the Fe4+ = O species. Transient kinetics were examined for the oxidation of eight mono-substituted anilines by CCP, W51F, and W51A. Each of the aniline derivatives were oxidized by the mutants at rates that exceeded that of the wild-type enzyme, and the rate constant for m-chloroaniline was 400-fold faster for W51F than for wild-type CCP. Variations in the rate constants for the different substrates follow a linear free-energy relationship using the Hammet substituent effect parameter sigma +, implicating electron transfer from the aniline ring in the transition state. For aniline oxidation, the free energy of activation is 3 kcal/mol lower for the mutants than for wild-type CCP, and this is due primarily to an increase in the activation entropy. These results indicate that the enhanced kinetics of W51F and W51A result from a generalized increase in enzyme reactivity characterized by an exo-entropic transition state such as dissociation of bound H2O from the Fe4+ = O center.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Thrombin-binding DNA aptamer forms a unimolecular quadruplex structure in solution.

We have used two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy to study the conformation of the thrombin-binding aptamer d(GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG) in solution. This is one of a series of thrombin-binding DNA aptamers with a consensus 15-base sequence that was recently isolated and shown to inhibit thrombin-catalyzed fibrin clot formation in vitro [Bock, L. C., Griffin, L. C., Latham, J. A., Vermaas, E. H. & Toole, J. J. (1992) Nature (London) 355, 564-566]. The oligonucleotide forms a unimolecular DNA quadruplex consisting of two G-quartets connected by two TT loops and one TGT loop. A potential T.T bp is formed between the two TT loops across the diagonal of the top G-quartet. Thus, all of the invariant bases in the consensus sequence are base-paired. This aptamer structure was determined by NMR and illustrates that this molecule forms a specific folded structure. Knowledge of this structure may be used in the further development of oligonucleotide-based thrombin inhibitors.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Amino acid substitutions at tryptophan-51 of cytochrome c peroxidase: effects on coordination, species preference for cytochrome c, and electron transfer.

Amino acid replacements of an aromatic residue, Trp-51, which is in contact with the heme of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase have a number of significant effects on the kinetics and coordination state of the enzyme. Six mutants at this site (W51F, W51M, W51T, W51C, W51A, and W51G) were examined. Optical and EPR spectra show that each of these mutations introduces a shift from the 5-coordinate to 6-coordinate form, and slightly increases the asymmetry of the heme ligand field. Conversion from a 6-coordinate high-spin form at pH 5 to a 6-coordinate low-spin form at pH 7 is observed for several of the variants (W51F, W51T, and W51A), while W51G and W51C appear as predominantly low-spin species between pH 5 and 7. Addition of 50% glycerol prevents the facile conversion to the low-spin conformation for W51F, W51T, and W51A, and only W51F can be stabilized in a 5-coordinate configuration by glycerol. For the oxidation of cytochrome c by H2O2, three of the variants (W51F, W51M, and W51T) exhibit values of kcat(app) that are greater than for the wild-type enzyme, while the other mutations give decreased rates of enzyme turnover. Unlike the wild-type enzyme, which functions more efficiently with cytochrome c from yeast than with the horse heart protein, the mutant W51F does not show a preference for substrate from its native organism. The three mutants which exhibit increased values of kcat(app) show a pH optimum at 6.8 compared with that of 5.25 for the wild-type enzyme when measured with horse heart cytochrome c. This shift in pH optimum is not observed with yeast cytochrome c. Construction of single and multiple mutations at Trp-51, Ile-53, and Gly-152 shows that these kinetic properties are not due to natural amino acid variations observed at these sites. Pre-steady-state kinetics show that the bimolecular rate constant for the fast phase of the reaction of the enzyme with H2O2 is only slightly decreased from 3.03 (0.09) X 10(7) to 2.2 (0.1) X 10(7) M-1 s-1 for W51F and to 1.5 (0.1) X 10(7) M-1 s-1 for W51A. The slow phase of the reaction (4.9 s-1) which contributes approximately 30% to the amplitude of the change for the wild-type enzyme is not observed for W51F or W51A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Beta-adrenoceptors and the effect of beta-agonists on protein metabolism in ovine primary muscle cultures.

The beta-adrenergic receptors of differentiated ovine muscle cultures derived from either fetal or pre-pubertal lambs were characterized by binding of (+/-)-[3H]CGP-12177, directly to intact cells in monolayer. Fetal muscle cells contained a single class of specific and saturable binding sites which had a dissociation constant (Kd) of 0.38 x 10(-9) M and a binding capacity of 55.2 fmol/micrograms protein. beta-Adrenergic agonists competed for the specific binding sites with a typical beta 2-adrenergic specificity. Satellite muscle cells derived from pre-pubertal lambs contained two classes of binding site. The high affinity site had a Kd of 1.02 x 10(-9) M and a binding capacity of 28.4 fmol/micrograms protein and the low affinity site a Kd of 12.1 x 10(-9) M and a binding capacity of 389 fmol/micrograms protein. beta-Adrenergic agonists competed for the specific binding sites with a typical beta 1-adrenergic specificity. The beta-agonist cimaterol had no effect on either protein synthesis or degradation in fetal muscle cells. In cultures derived from satellite cells cimaterol significantly stimulated protein synthesis at concentrations of 10(-8) - 10(-7) M and at 10(-8) - 10(-6) M in the presence of serum. These effects were maintained if 10(-5) M propranolol was added to the incubation media, but were blocked by 10(-6) M isoproterenol. Propranolol and isoproterenol had no stimulatory effects on protein synthesis. Cimaterol also had no detectable effects on protein degradation or the transport of amino acids or glucose. It is concluded that although beta-adrenergic receptors are present in ovine muscle cultures they may not play a role in the anabolic effect of beta-agonists observed in cultured muscle cells.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1990

Complexometric titrations of protein-bound metal ions: a method for determining binding constants.

A method for quantifying the affinity of proteins for specific metal ions has been developed. Both the stoichiometry and the binding constants of the protein-bound metal ion can be determined by titrating protein-bound metal ions with complexometric reagents and observing electrochemically the change in free metal ion concentration. The technique is limited to cases where the affinity of the macromolecule for the metal ion is less than or similar to the affinity of the complexometric reagent for the metal ion. The method has been employed successfully in the study of both Cu(II) and Ag(I) binding to the apoprotein of bovine cuprozinc superoxide dismutase.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Protein metabolism in ovine primary muscle cultures derived from satellite cells--effects of selected peptide hormones and growth factors.

Methods were developed for the isolation and culture of satellite cells from adult sheep muscle. Differentiated cultures of these cells were used to investigate the effects of four hormones and growth factors on protein synthesis and degradation. Insulin was found to have no effect except at supraphysiological concentrations (100 nmol/l and 1 mumol/l) where it is probably crossreacting with the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) type-I receptor. IGF-I was found to be anabolic at lower concentrations (1-3 nmol/l). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) had a smaller effect on protein synthesis and degradation than insulin or IGF-I. The specific activity of the muscle-specific enzyme creatine phosphokinase (CPK) was increased by treatment with EGF. When both IGF-I and EGF were present in the test media an additive effect on protein synthesis was observed. However, no additive effect of IGF-I and insulin was noted. No effects of bovine GH were seen.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Differential scanning calorimetry of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, the apoprotein, and its zinc-substituted derivatives.

We have employed differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to investigate the thermally induced unfolding of native Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), the apoprotein derived from native SOD, and the zinc-substituted derivatives of the apoprotein. We observe two overlapping melting transitions for native bovine SOD with heat capacity maxima at temperatures (Tm) of 89 and 96 degrees C when a scanning rate of 0.82 deg/min is employed. By contrast, the dithionite-reduced native SOD (which contains Cu+ rather than Cu2+) exhibits only a single transition at 96 degrees C. Significantly, we find that the concentration of O2 present in native SOD samples influences the relative magnitudes of the 89 and 96 degrees C peaks. Specifically, the lower temperature transition becomes less pronounced as the concentration of O2 in the sample decreases. On the basis of these observations, we propose that the lower temperature peak corresponds to the melting of the oxidized native protein, while the higher temperature peak reflects the melting of the reduced native protein, which forms spontaneously during the heating process. Our interpretation profoundly differs from that of Lepock et al. [Lepock, J.R., Arnold, L.D., Torrie, B.H., Andrews, B., & Kruuv, J. (1985) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 241, 243-251], who have proposed that the low-temperature transition corresponds to the reduced form of the protein. We present evidence that suggests that their experiments were complicated by the presence of potassium ferrocyanide, which, in addition to reducing the cupric center, also perturbs the protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗