Biomedical subjects

J Camonis

Publications and source records attributed to J Camonis.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

RhoGDI-3 is a new GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI). Identification of a non-cytosolic GDI protein interacting with the small GTP-binding proteins RhoB and RhoG.

RhoB is a small GTP-binding protein highly homologous to the RhoA protein. While RhoA is known to regulate the assembly of focal adhesions and stress fibers in response to growth factors, the function of RhoB remains unknown. We have reported that the transient expression of the endogenous RhoB protein is regulated during the cell cycle, contrasting with the permanent RhoA protein expression (). Using the yeast two-hybrid system to characterize proteins interacting with RhoB, we identified a new mouse Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor, referenced as RhoGDI-3. The NH2-terminal alpha helix of RhoGDI-3 is strongly amphipatic and differs thus from that found in previously described bovine, human, and yeast RhoGDI proteins and mouse and human D4/Ly-GDIs. Contrary to the cytosolic localization of all known GDI proteins, acting on Rab or Rho, RhoGDI-3 is associated to a Triton X-100-insoluble membranous or cytoskeletal subcellular fraction. In the two-hybrid system, RhoGDI-3 interacts specifically with GDP- and GTP-bound forms of post-translationally processed RhoB and RhoG proteins, both of which show a growth-regulated expression in mammalian cells. No interaction is found with RhoA, RhoC, or Rac1 proteins. We show that GDI-3 is able to inhibit GDP/GTP exchange of RhoB and to release GDP-bound but not GTP-bound RhoB from cell membranes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

The Rac target NADPH oxidase p67phox interacts preferentially with Rac2 rather than Rac1.

NADPH oxidase is a plasma membrane enzyme of phagocytes generating superoxide anions which serve as bactericidal agents. Activation of this multimolecular enzyme minimally requires assembly at the membrane with flavocytochrome b558 of cytosolic components p47phox, p67phox, and Rac proteins. Rac1 and Rac2 are 92% homologous cytosolic small GTPase proteins. Both Rac1 and Rac2 have been implicated with NADPH oxidase activation in vitro; however, Rac2 is largely predominant in human phagocytes. Here, using the yeast two-hybrid system, we provide data demonstrating in vivo interactions between human p47phox, p67phox, and Rac proteins. Rac proteins interact with p67phox in a GTP-dependent manner, but do not interact with p47phox. Moreover, Rac effector site mutants, which are known to be inactive in NADPH oxidase, lose their interaction with p67phox; Rac2L61 mutant, which has an increased NADPH oxidase affinity, shows an increased affinity for p67phox. Finally, we observe that p67phox interacts 6-fold better with Rac2 than with Rac1. We also show a strong intracellular interaction between p47phox and p67phox. These results indicate that activated Rac can regulate NADPH oxidase by interacting with p67phox and that Rac2 is the main p67phox-interacting GTPase in human cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vpr protein binds to the uracil DNA glycosylase DNA repair enzyme.

The role of the accessory gene product Vpr during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection remains unclear. We have used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify cellular proteins that interact with Vpr and could be involved in its function. A cDNA clone which encodes the human uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG), a DNA repair enzyme involved in removal of uracil in DNA, has been isolated. Interaction between Vpr and UNG has been demonstrated by in vitro protein-protein binding assays using translated, radiolabeled Vpr and UNG recombinant proteins expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. Conversely, purified UNG has been demonstrated to interact with Vpr recombinant protein expressed as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that Vpr and UNG are associated within cells expressing Vpr. By using a panel of C- and N-terminally deleted Vpr mutants, we have determined that the core protein of Vpr, spanning amino acids 15 to 77, is involved in the interaction with UNG. We also demonstrate by in vitro experiments that the enzymatic activity of UNG is retained upon interaction with Vpr.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

p95vav associates with the nuclear protein Ku-70.

The proto-oncogene vav is expressed solely in hematopoietic cells and plays an important role in cell signaling, although little is known about the proteins involved in these pathways. To gain further information, the Src homology 2 (SH2) and 3 (SH3) domains of Vav were used to screen a lymphoid cell cDNA library by the yeast two-hybrid system. Among the positive clones, we detected a nuclear protein, Ku-70, which is the DNA-binding element of the DNA-dependent protein kinase. In Jurkat and UT7 cells, Vav is partially localized in the nuclei, as judged from immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy studies. By using glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins derived from Ku-70 and coimmunoprecipitation experiments with lysates prepared from human thymocytes and Jurkat and UT7 cells, we show that Vav associates with Ku-70. The interaction of Vav with Ku-70 requires only the 150-residue carboxy-terminal portion of Ku-70, which binds to the 25 carboxy-terminal residues of the carboxy SH3 domain of Vav. A proline-to-leucine mutation in the carboxy SH3 of Vav that blocks interaction with proline-rich sequences does not modify the binding of Ku-70, which lacks this motif. Therefore, the interaction of Vav with Ku-70 may be a novel form of protein-protein interaction. The potential role of Vav/Ku-70 complexes is discussed.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1995

The proline-rich region of Vav binds to Grb2 and Grb3-3.

Vav has structural features found in signaling proteins and is expressed only in hematopoietic cells. The recent development of mice Vav -/- has confirmed a major role of Vav in early blood cell development. We previously showed that Vav constitutively interacts with glutathione-S-transferase-Grb2. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments supported the idea of a complex formed by Vav-Grb2 in vivo. This complex is of potential interest in signaling of hematopoietic cells. In this work we localize the domains of Vav and Grb2 involved in this interaction. By the use of an in vivo genetic approach (the double hybrid system) and through in vitro experiments (glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins) we furnish evidence that the interaction between Vav and Grb2 involves the C-SH3 domain of Grb2 and the proline-rich region located in the N-SH3 of Vav. Furthermore this was confirmed by the use of both Vav and Sos derived proline-rich peptides which blocked the binding. In addition we show that Vav also interacts with Grb3-3, a naturally occurring Grb2 isoform wich lacks functional SH2 domain.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed1995

Two-hybrid system screen with the small GTP-binding protein Rab6. Identification of a novel mouse GDP dissociation inhibitor isoform and two other potential partners of Rab6.

Rab6 is a small GTP-binding protein that belongs to the Ras superfamily and is involved in intra-Golgi transport. Using a two-hybrid system screen of a mouse brain cDNA library, we have isolated several clones encoding proteins that interact with Rab6. Approximately 60% of the clones identified encoded a new mouse Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI) isoform. This GDI isoform is distinct from mouse mGDI-1 and mGDI-2, which have been characterized previously, and most likely represents the mouse counterpart of the rat Rab GDI beta isoform. In the two-hybrid system, GDI beta interacts with wild-type Rab6 and Rab5, but not with a GTP-bound Rab6 mutant, or a Rab6 mutant that cannot be post-translationally processed. We further examined whether mouse GDI beta is functional; we show that recombinant mouse GDI beta is able to remove several Rab proteins, including Rab1, Rab2, Rab4, and Rab6, from membranes. The identification of a third GDI isoform in mouse raised the question whether GDI genes belong to a larger multigenic family. We have shown, by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA, that at least five GDI gene copies exist in both the mouse and rat genomes. In our two-hybrid screen, we have also characterized another clone that specifically interacts with Rab6. This clone was partially sequenced but shows no homology to known sequences. Finally, a third clone, interacting with both Rab5 and Rab6, also appears to encode a novel protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Physical interaction of the HIV-1 Nef protein with beta-COP, a component of non-clathrin-coated vesicles essential for membrane traffic.

Nef is a 27-kDa myristylated protein conserved in most human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus isolates. Simian immunodeficiency virus Nef is required in macaques for both high viral load and full pathological effects. Nef down-regulates the cell surface expression of CD4 by a post-translational mechanism that is not yet fully elucidated. We have used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify cellular proteins that interact with Nef. A cDNA was isolated which encodes a COOH-terminal fragment of human beta-COP, a major coat component of non-clathrin-coated vesicles. Nef and beta-COP interacted in vitro and were found to be physically associated in HIV-1-infected cells by co-immunoprecipitation. These observations suggest that beta-COP might be one of the cellular mediators of Nef function in HIV-1-infected cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Two types of RAS mutants that dominantly interfere with activators of RAS.

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, ras1 regulates both sexual development (conjugation and sporulation) and cellular morphology. Two types of dominant interfering mutants were isolated in a genetic screen for ras1 mutants that blocked sexual development. The first type of mutation, at Ser-22, analogous to the H-rasAsn-17 mutant (L. A. Feig and G. M. Cooper, Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:3235-3243, 1988), blocked only conjugation, whereas a second type of mutation, at Asp-62, interfered with conjugation, sporulation, and cellular morphology. Analogous mutations at position 64 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAS2 or position 57 of human H-ras also resulted in dominant interfering mutants that interfered specifically and more profoundly than mutants of the first type with RAS-associated pathways in both S. pombe or S. cerevisiae. Genetic evidence indicating that both types of interfering mutants function upstream of RAS is provided. Biochemical evidence showing that the mutants are altered in their interaction with the CDC25 class of exchange factors is presented. We show that both H-rasAsn-17 and H-rasTyr-57, compared with wild-type H-ras, are defective in their guanine nucleotide-dependent release from human cdc25 and that this defect is more severe for the H-rasTyr-57 mutant. Such a defect would allow the interfering mutants to remain bound to, thereby sequestering RAS exchange factors. The more severe interference phenotype of this novel interfering mutant suggests that it functions by titrating out other positive regulators of RAS besides those encoded by ste6 and CDC25.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Cloning and sequence analysis of the cDNA for arginine kinase of lobster muscle.

Arginine kinase belongs to an evolutionary conserved family of ATP:guanidino phosphotransferases, whose members play an important role in energy metabolism. In this work, a lambda gt11 lobster muscle library was constructed and screened by using both polyclonal antibodies and two synthetic oligonucleotides. The complete amino acid sequence of arginine kinase (ATP:L-arginine N-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.3) from lobster muscle was determined by cloning and sequencing the DNA complementary to its mRNA. The identity of the clone was confirmed by comparing the amino acid sequence deduced by nucleotide sequence analysis with previously published partial sequences of amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions of the enzyme and some of its fragments (Regnouf, F., Kassab, R., Debuire, B., Richard, C., and Han K. K. (1981) Int. J. Peptide Protein Res. 17, 143-155). The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was found to contain an open reading frame encoding 355 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 39,830 daltons. This enzyme exhibits a significant sequence identity to those of representative members of the guanidino kinase family, including creatine kinase. This report represents the first molecular cloning and sequencing of an ATP-guanidino phosphotransferase which is not a creatine kinase isoform.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

A conserved alternative splice in the von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis (NF1) gene produces two neurofibromin isoforms, both of which have GTPase-activating protein activity.

Sequence analysis has shown significant homology between the catalytic regions of the mammalian ras GTPase-activating protein (GAP), yeast Ira1p and Ira2p (inhibitory regulators of the RAS-cyclic AMP pathway), and neurofibromin, the protein encoded by the NF1 gene. Yeast expression experiments have confirmed that a 381-amino-acid segment of neurofibromin, dubbed the GAP-related domain (GRD), can function as a GAP. Using the RNA polymerase chain reaction with primers flanking the NF1-GRD, we have identified evidence for alternative splicing in this region of the NF1 gene. In addition to the already published sequence (type I), an alternative RNA carrying a 63-nucleotide insertion (type II) is present in all tissues examined, although the relative amounts of types I and II vary. The insertion is conserved across species but is not present in GAP, IRA1, or IRA2. GenBank searches have failed to identify significant similarity between the inserted sequence and known DNA or protein sequences, although the basic amino acid composition of the insertion shares features with nuclear targeting sequences. Expression studies in yeasts show that despite the partial disruption of the neurofibromin-IRA-GAP homology by this insertion, both forms of the NF1-GRD can complement loss of IRA function. In vivo assays designed to compare the GAP activity of the two alternatively spliced forms of the NF1-GRD show that both can increase the conversion of GTP-bound ras to its GDP-bound form, although the insertion of the 21 amino acids weakens this effect. The strong conservation of this alternative splicing suggests that both type I and II isoforms mediate important biological functions of neurofibromin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

In Xenopus laevis, the product of a developmentally regulated mRNA is structurally and functionally homologous to a Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein involved in translation fidelity.

We have performed a differential screen of a Xenopus egg cDNA library and selected two clones (Cl1 and Cl2) corresponding to mRNA which are specifically adenylated and recruited into polysomes after fertilization. Sequence analysis of Cl1 reveals that the corresponding protein is 67.5% identical (83% similar) to the product of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SUP45 (also called SUP1 or SAL4) gene. This gene, when mutated, is an omnipotent suppressor of nonsense codons. When expressed in a sup45 mutant, the Xenopus Cl1 cDNA was able to suppress sup45-related phenotypes, showing that the structural homology reflects a functional homology. Our discovery of a structural and functional homolog in Xenopus cells implies that the function of SUP45 is not restricted to lower eukaryotes and that the SUP45 protein may perform a crucial cellular function in higher eukaryotes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Cloning by differential screening of a Xenopus cDNA coding for a protein highly homologous to cdc2.

Fertilization of Xenopus laevis eggs triggers a period of rapid cell division comprising 12 nearly synchronous mitoses. Protein synthesis is required for these divisions, and new proteins appear after fertilization. Others proteins however, which are synthesized in the unfertilized egg, are no longer made in the early embryo. To identify such proteins, a differential screen of an egg cDNA library gave nine clones corresponding to mRNAs that are deadenylylated soon after fertilization. The sequence of one of these clones (Eg1) revealed a high homology to p34cdc2, the kinase subunit of maturation-promoting factor. Only 12 amino acids in the deduced amino acid sequence were unique to Eg1 when its sequence was compared to all other known examples of cdc2. Despite this strong similarity, however, Eg1 was unable to complement a yeast cdc2- mutant in Schizosaccharomyces pombe or a cdc28 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Four Eg1 transcripts, two major and two minor, were found in Xenopus oocytes and early embryos. These RNAs appeared very early (stage I) in oogenesis and their level remained constant until the midblastula transition, at which time they declined. Eg1 RNA is found in the poly(A)+ fraction of oocytes only between the time of meiotic maturation and fertilization--that is to say, in the unfertilized egg. At fertilization the RNA loses its poly(A) tail and at the same time leaves the polyribosomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

The COOH-domain of the product of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SCD25 gene elicits activation of p21-ras proteins in mammalian cells.

The evidence presented here indicates that the domain containing the COOH-terminal part of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SCD25 gene product (C-domain), which is homologous to the COOH-terminal part of CDC25 protein, can elicit activation of mammalian ras proteins in CHO cells. Transfection of expression vectors carrying the C-domain of SCD25, but not of CDC25, promotes the GTP-bound form of ras proteins as determined by analysis of the guanine nucleotides bound to ras proteins immunoprecipitated by Y13-259 mAb, and enhances transcription of a HIV-LTR-CAT construct. This is the first demonstration of the activation of ras proteins by transfection of a single heterologous gene.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Enhancement of the GDP-GTP exchange of RAS proteins by the carboxyl-terminal domain of SCD25.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the product of the CDC25 gene controls the RAS-mediated production of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP). In vivo the carboxyl-terminal third of the CDC25 gene product is sufficient for the activation of adenylate cyclase. The 3'-terminal part of SCD25, a gene of S. cerevisiae structurally related to CDC25, can suppress the requirement for CDC25. Partially purified preparations of the carboxy-terminal domain of the SCD25 gene product enhanced the exchange rate of guanosine diphosphate (GDP) to guanosine triphosphate (GTP) of pure RAS2 protein by stimulating the release of GDP. This protein fragment had a similar effect on the human c-H-ras-encoded p21 protein. Thus, the SCD25 carboxyl-terminal domain can enhance the regeneration of the active form of RAS proteins.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

PubMed1990

Different kinetic properties of the two mutants, RAS2Ile152 and RAS2Val19, that suppress the CDC25 requirement in RAS/adenylate cyclase pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The properties of RAS2Gly19----Val and RAS2Thr152----Ile, two mutants suppressing the CDC25 requirement for the activation of adenylate cyclase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, were compared with the properties of wild-type RAS2. We examined (a) the guanine nucleotide interaction, (b) the intrinsic GTPase (EC 3.6.1-) activity, and (c) the ability to activate adenylate cyclase in vitro. The low GTPase of RAS2Val19 is associated with an increased stability of the GTP complex. By contrast, RAS2Ile152 shows a strong destabilization of the GDP complex (the dissociation rate constants of the RAS2Ile152.GDP complex is enhanced almost 50 times) and an increased GTPase activity. Remarkably, all the parameters of the interaction with GDP and GTP as well as the catalytic activity are modified by the two mutations in an opposite manner. Our kinetic results show that the functional modifications of RAS2 compensating for the CDC25 inactivation can not only be associated with the presence of a long-lived RAS2.GTP complex, but also with a rapid GDP to GTP exchange reaction. As a striking result, the functional modifications induced by Thr152----Ile activate the adenylate cyclase in vitro much more efficiently than those induced by Gly19----Val. This stresses the importance of a rapid regeneration of the RAS2.GTP complex for the activation of the adenylate cyclase pathway.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1989

The C-terminal part of a gene partially homologous to CDC 25 gene suppresses the cdc25-5 mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the product of the CDC25 gene is required for progression in the cell division cycle. It is necessary for cAMP production. It has been suggested that the CDC25 gene product acts through Ras proteins. We report the cloning of a DNA fragment from a new gene able to suppress the thermosensitive phenotype of the cdc25-5 mutation. It is unable to suppress the defect of a mutant of the adenylate cyclase gene or of the ras1, ras2ts double mutant. This DNA fragment prevents the drop in cAMP level in cdc25-5 mutant cells shifted to restrictive temperature. The complementing part of this fragment contains a truncated open reading frame (ORF) corresponding to the 3' end of a gene we named SCD25. The 584-amino acid sequence deduced from this ORF shares 45% identity with the 592-aa C-terminal part of the CDC25 ORF which is sufficient for complementation of cdc25 mutations. Some of the common sequences between these two genes are also partially homologous with the amino acid sequence of LTE1, another gene of S. cerevisiae. The capacity of the SCD25 fragment to suppress a cdc25 mutation and its homology to the C-terminal part of the CDC25 led us to propose that the CDC25 and the SCD25 C-terminal fragments each encode a protein domain which is capable in itself to support a similar biochemical function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1985

[Control of the cell division cycle and sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the cyclic AMP system].

This paper reviews recent data on the adenylate cyclase system of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Since the discovery of yeast adenylate cyclase mutants and the possibility of molecular biological analysis, adenylate cyclase and the subsequent steps in the cAMP cascade have become subject of intense investigation. CYR1, the structural gene for the adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit is necessary for cell division and in diploid cells is involved in the choice between sporulation and cell division. The cell division cycle in yeast is initiated by a step called START, which has been defined by mutations causing an arrest of the cells in an unbudded state. One class of mutation causes the cell to arrest at the same stage of the cell division cycle as the pheromone implicated in conjugation. A second class causes cells to cease growth in a different manner, but one which is similar to the arrest brought about by nutient deprivation. The adenylate cyclase gene belongs to the second class and has been identified as CDC35. Two genes of the first class have been cloned and sequenced. CDC28 codes for a kinase which has homology with the src proto-oncogene family. CDC36 is partly homologous with the oncogene ets. Two genes related to the ras oncogene family have also been implicated in the control of START. START can be dissociated in two subsequent phases, the first being controlled by the AMPc system and the second including proto-oncogenes. A model in which cAMP is a positive indicator of available nutrients such as nitrogen has been constructed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1984

A DNA sequence from Dictyostelium discoideum complements ura3 and ura5 mutations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A 3.7 kilobase fragment of Dictyostelium discoideum genomic DNA has been cloned by its ability to complement a yeast ura3 mutation affecting the activity of orotidine-5'-phosphate carboxy-lyase (EC 4.1.1.23). This fragment also complements a yeast ura5 mutation that leads to a defect in orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (EC 2.4.2.10). The orotidine-5'-phosphate carboxy-lyase and the orotate phosphoribosyl transferase activities that result from Dictyostelium gene expression in yeast have been detected. The size of the DNA required for both complementations has been localised to a segment of less than 2 kb. A unique Dictyostelium RNA species of 1,600 base pairs hybridizes to this fragment. In vitro deletions in this fragment lead to the simultaneous loss of the two activities. The two enzymatic activities coelute as a protein of 120,000 daltons during gel filtration of a Dictyostelium extract. These results favour the existence, on the cloned Dictyostelium DNA fragment, of a unique structural gene which codes for a bifunctional enzyme carrying the two activities, orotidine-5'-phosphate carboxy-lyase and orotate phosphoribosyl transferase.

Base Sequence↗