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M Michalak

Publications and source records attributed to M Michalak.

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Isolation and characterization of different C-terminal fragments of dystrophin expressed in Escherichia coli.

Dystrophin, the protein product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene, is thought to belong to a family of membrane cytoskeletal proteins. Based on its deduced amino-acid sequence, it is postulated to have several distinct structural domains; an N-terminal region; a central, rod-shaped, domain; and a C-terminal domain [Koenig, Monaco & Kunkel (1988) Cell 53, 219-228]. The C-terminal domain is further divided into two regions; the first has some sequence similarity to slime mould alpha-actinin, and is rich in cysteine residues; this is followed by the C-terminal amino-acid sequence that is unique to dystrophin. Dystrophin is very difficult to purify in quantities sufficient for detailed studies of the structure/function relationships within the molecule. Therefore, in this study, we have expressed selected fragments of the C-terminal region of dystrophin, as fusion proteins, in Escherichia coli. Importantly, we describe the first successful purification, from E. coli lysates, of large quantities of fragments of dystrophin in a soluble form. The first fragment, termed CT-1, encodes the C-terminal 201 amino acids of the protein; the second, termed CT-2, spans the cysteine-rich region of the C-terminal domain. These fusion proteins were identified by their mobility in SDS/PAGE, by their interaction with appropriate affinity columns and by their reactivity with anti-dystrophin antibodies. The fragment CT-2, which spans a region containing putative EF-hand-like sequences, was found to bind Ca2+ in 45Ca2+ overlay experiments. In addition, we have discovered that the fragment CT-1, but not fragment CT-2, interacts specifically with the E. coli DnaK gene product [analogue of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70)]. This interaction is disrupted, in vitro, by the addition of ATP. Our results indicate that the two C-terminal fragments of dystrophin have differing biophysical properties, indicating that they may play distinct roles in the function of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence

Solubilization and purification of the prostaglandin E2 receptor from cardiac sarcolemma.

A prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptor was solubilized and isolated from cardiac sarcolemma membranes. Its binding characteristics are almost identical to those of the membrane bound receptor. [3H]PGE2 binding to solubilized and membrane bound receptor was sensitive to elevated temperature and no binding was observed in the absence of NaCl. No significant effects of DTT, ATP, Mg2+, Ca2+ or of changes in buffer pH were observed on [3H]PGE2 binding to either solubilized or membrane-bound receptor. Unlabelled PGE1 displaced over 90% of [3H]PGE2 from the CHAPS-solubilized receptor. PGD2, PGI2, PGF2 alpha and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha were not effective in displacing [3H]PGE2 from the receptor. Scatchard analysis of [3H]PGE2 binding to CHAPS-solubilized receptor revealed the presence of two types of PGE2 binding sites with Kd of 0.33 +/- 0.05 nM and 3.00 +/- 0.27 nM and Bmax of 0.5 +/- 0.04 and 2.0 +/- 0.1 pmol/mg of protein. The functional PGE2 receptor was isolated from CHAPS-solubilized SL membrane using two independent methods: first by a WGA-Sepharose chromatography and second by sucrose gradient density centrifugation. Receptor isolated by these two methods bound [3H]PGE2. Unlabelled PGE1 and PGE2 displaced [3H]PGE2 from the purified receptor. Scatchard analysis of [3H]PGE2 binding to purified receptor revealed the presence of the two binding sites as observed for the membrane bound and CHAPS-solubilized receptor. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified receptor fractions revealed the presence of a protein band of M(r) of approx. 100,000. This 100-kDa was photolabelled with [3H]azido-PGE2, a photoactive derivative of PGE2. We propose that this 100-kDa protein is a cardiac PGE2 receptor.

Affinity Labels

Calreticulin in T-lymphocytes. Identification of calreticulin in T-lymphocytes and demonstration that activation of T cells correlates with increased levels of calreticulin mRNA and protein.

Ca2+ is an essential second messenger for T cell activation, but the exact mechanisms of its action are poorly understood. The cytosolic Ca2+ concentration is significantly increased upon the stimulation of T cells with either mitogen, cross-linking antibodies, or their cognate ligands. In this study, expression of calreticulin, a major Ca(2+)-binding (storage), KDEL protein of the endoplasmic reticulum was examined in resting and concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated mouse and human T-lymphocytes. Both resting, mouse and human lymphocytes contain very low levels of calreticulin mRNA and protein. Mouse splenocytes stimulated with ConA exhibited an induction in calreticulin mRNA which peaked by Day 4. A 5-fold increase in the immunoreactive calreticulin protein band was also observed in the cells during this period of stimulation. Similarly when human lymphocytes were cultured with ConA a significant increase in the levels of the calreticulin mRNA and protein was observed. The peak of calreticulin mRNA was observed at Day 1 rather than Day 4 as seen for the mouse. These results clearly demonstrate the presence of calreticulin, a Ca(2+)-binding protein originally characterized in muscle tissue, in activated T-lymphocytes. Furthermore, we show that expression of calreticulin correlates with T-lymphocyte activation. Our results suggest that calreticulin may be involved in the signaling pathway for the induction of Ca(2+)-dependent processes and may represent one regulatory mechanism operating in activation of T-lymphocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence

Calreticulin.

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Amino Acid Sequence

Calcium binding proteins in the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum of muscle and nonmuscle cells.

In this paper we review some of the large quantities of information currently available concerning the identification, structure and function of Ca(2+)-binding proteins of endoplasmic and sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. The review places particular emphasis on identification and discussion of Ca2+ 'storage' proteins in these membranes. We believe that the evidence reviewed here supports the contention that the Ca(2+)-binding capacity of both calsequestrin and calreticulin favor their contribution as the major Ca(2+)-binding proteins of muscle and nonmuscle cells, respectively. Other Ca(2+)-binding proteins discovered in both endoplasmic reticulum and sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes probably contribute to the overall Ca2+ storage capacity of these membrane organelles, and they also play other important functional role such as posttranslational modification of newly synthesized proteins, a cytoskeletal (structural) function, or movement of Ca2+ within the lumen of the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum towards the storage sites.

Calcium

Widespread tissue distribution of rabbit calreticulin, a non-muscle functional analogue of calsequestrin.

Calreticulin was identified in a variety of rabbit tissues by Western blot analysis. Indirect immunofluorescence studies on cultured cells or frozen sections from the corresponding tissues revealed that the protein was distributed to the endoplasmic reticulum or sarcoplasmic reticulum. Calreticulin was found to be an abundant calcium-binding protein in non-muscle and smooth muscle cells and a constituent calcium-binding protein in cardiac and skeletal muscle. From the immunoblot data, calreticulin may exist as an isoform in rabbit neural retina. The present study establishes the ubiquity of calreticulin in intracellular calcium binding.

Animals

Expression and purification of recombinant and native calreticulin.

Calreticulin is a 60-kDa Ca(2+)-binding protein of the endo(sarco)plasmic reticulum membranes of a variety of cellular systems. The protein binds approximately 25 mol of Ca2+ with low affinity and approximately 1 mol of Ca2+ with high affinity and is believed to be a site for Ca2+ binding/storage in the lumen of the endo(sarco)plasmic reticulum. In the present study, we describe purification procedures for the isolation of recombinant and native calreticulin. Recombinant calreticulin was expressed in Escherichia coli, using the glutathione S-transferase fusion protein system, and was purified to homogeneity on glutathione-Sepharose followed by Mono Q FPLC chromatography. A selective ammonium sulfate precipitation method was developed for the purification of native calreticulin. The protein was purified from ammonium sulfate precipitates by diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex and hydroxylapatite chromatography procedures, which eliminates the need to prepare membrane fractions. The purification procedures reported here for recombinant and native calreticulin yield homogeneous preparations of the proteins, as judged by the HPLC reverse-phase chromatography and by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Purified native and recombinant calreticulin were identified by their NH2-terminal amino acid sequences, by their Ca2+ binding properties, and by their reactivity with anticalreticulin antibodies.

Amino Acid Sequence

The role of ion antiporters in the maintenance of intracellular pH in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Vascular smooth muscle intracellular pH is maintained by the Na+/H+ and Cl-/HCO3- antiporters. The Na+/H+ exchanger is a major route of H+ extrusion in most eukaryotic cells and is present in vascular smooth muscle cells in a similar capacity. It extrudes H+ into the extracellular space in exchange for Na+. The Cl-/HCO3- exchanger plays an analogous role to lower the pH of vascular smooth muscle cells when increases in intracellular pH occur. Its activity has also been demonstrated in A7r5 and A10 vascular smooth muscle cells. The Na+/H+ exchanger is regulated by a number of agents which act through inositol trisphosphate/diacylglycerol, to stimulate the antiporter. Calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase may also activate the antiporter in vivo. Phosphorylation of the Cl-/HCO3- exchanger has also been observed but its physiological role is not known. Both these antiporters exist in the plasma membrane as integral proteins with free acidic cytoplasmic termini. These regions may be important in 'sensing' changes in intracellular pH, to which these antiporters respond.

Animals

Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding a 55-kDa multifunctional thyroid hormone binding protein of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

A cDNA clone encoding 55-kDa multifunctional, thyroid hormone binding protein of rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum was isolated and sequenced. The cDNA encoded a protein of 509 amino acids, and a comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein indicates that an 18-residue NH2-terminal signal sequence was removed during synthesis. The deduced amino acid sequence of the rabbit muscle clone suggested that this protein is related to human liver thyroid hormone binding protein, rat liver protein disulfide isomerase, human hepatoma beta-subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase and hen oviduct glycosylation site binding protein. The protein contains two repeated sequences Trp-Cys-Gly-His-Cys-Lys proposed to be in the active sites of protein disulfide isomerase. Northern blot analysis showed that the mRNA encoding rabbit skeletal muscle form of the protein is present in liver, kidney, brain, fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle, and in the myocardium. In all tissues the cDNA reacts with mRNA of 2.7 kilobases in length. The 55-kDa multifunctional thyroid hormone binding protein was identified in isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles using a monoclonal antibody specific to the 55-kDa thyroid hormone binding protein from rat liver endoplasmic reticulum. The mature protein of Mr 56,681 contains 95 acidic and 61 basic amino acids. The COOH-terminal amino acid sequence of the protein is highly enriched in acidic residues with 17 of the last 29 amino acids being negatively charged. Analysis of hydropathy of the mature protein suggests that there are no potential transmembrane segments. The COOH-terminal sequence of the protein, Arg-Asp-Glu-Leu (RDEL), is similar to but different from that proposed to be an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal; Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu (KDEL) (Munro, S., and Pelham, H.R.B. (1987) Cell 48, 899-907). This variant of the retention signal may function in a similar manner to the KDEL sequence, to localize the protein to the sarcoplasmic or endoplasmic reticulum. The positively charged amino acids Lys and Arg may thus interchange in this retention signal.

Amino Acid Sequence

Studies on the heterogeneity of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from rabbit white muscle were separated into a light (15--20% of total microsomes) and a heavy (80--85%) fraction by density gradient centifugation. The ultrastructure, chemical composition, enzymic activities and localization of membrane components in the vesicles of both fractions were investigated. From the following results it was concluded that both fractions are derived from the membranes of the sarcoplasmic reticulum system of the muscle: (i) The protein pattern of both fractions is essentially the same, except for different ratios of acidic, Ca2+-binding proteins. (ii) The 105000 dalton protein of the light fraction cross-reacts immunologically with the Ca2+-dependent ATPase of the heavy fraction. (iii) Ca2+-dependent ATPase, although of different specific activity, is found in both fractions. After rendering the vesicles leaky, specific activities in both fractions reach the same value. The light fraction was found to consist of "inside-out" vesicles by the following criteria: (i) No Ca2+ accumulation can be measured and the Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity is low and variable. (ii) The rate of trypsin digestion is lower and, compared to the heavy microsomes, a different ratio of degradation products is obtained. (iii) The sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane has a highly asymmetrical lipid distribution. This distribution of aminophospholipids is opposite to that in vesicles of heavy fraction. The light sarcoplasmic reticulum fraction has a higher phospholipid to protein ratio than the heavy one. This is consistent with the possibility that the two fractions derive from different parts of the sarcoplasmic reticulum system.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles and glycogen-protein particles in microsomal fraction of skeletal muscle.

1. Heavy microsomal fraction (HM) of rabbit skeletal muscle obtained by differential centrifugation between 8 000-30 000 g and consisting of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles contains variable amounts of glycogen and reveals some activity of phosphorylase b. The monomer of this enzyme of mol. wt. about 100 000 co-migrates in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with the main SR protein--Ca2+,Mg2+--dependent ATPase. 2. The highest specific activity of phosphorylase and the highest content of glycogen is present in the light microsomal (LM) fraction (30 000-100 000 g). 3. Contrary to the ATPase, phosphorylase b is released from the microsomal fraction by treatment with EDTA and is resistant to trypsin. 4. Both HM and LM fractions can be further fractionated on continuous sucrose density gradient at high speed. Main fraction of HM consists of highly purified SR vesicles. The second, small fraction of HM is identical with the main fraction of LM and consists of two populations: vesicles of structure and properties different from those of SR vesicles, and the particles of a complex of glycogen with some glycolytic enzymes.

Animals

Changes in the structure, composition and function of sarcoplasmic-reticulum membrane during development.

The structure, chemical composition and function of the microsomal fraction, isolated by differential centrifugation and purified on sucrose gradients, from muscle of fetal, newborn and young rabbits were characterized and compared with those of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from adult muscle. Negative staining shows that the microsomal vesicles isolated from muscles of embryos and newborn animals are smooth, in contrast to vesicles obtained from adult muscle which contain 4-nm particles on their surface. The particles appear first in the microsomal vesicles from muscles of 5--8-day-old rabbits. Their number increases with the age of the animals. Ca2+-pump protein, with molecular weight about 100000, accounts for 10% of the total protein content in sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, isolated at the earliest stages of development analysed. Its amount increases continuously with the rabbit's age to the adult value of about 70% of total sarcoplasmic reticulum protein. The low amount of 100000-dalton protein and lack of 4-nm surface particles in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles obtained from fetal and newborn rabbits are strictly correlated with the low activity of Ca2+-dependent ATPase and the ability to take up Ca2+. These activities rise in parallel with the age of the rabbits. On the other hand, Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity is very high at the early stages of development and declines continuously to a low value in sarcoplasmic reticulum from adult muscle. The sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane from fetal and newborn rabbits contains a higher amount of lipids as compared with the membrane present in the muscle of adult animals. The ratio of both phospholipid to protein and neutral lipid to protein decreases with the age of the rabbits. The composition of sarcoplasmic reticulum phospholipids also changes during development.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Calcium storage in nonmuscle tissues: is the retina special?

It is now well established that calreticulin is a high capacity Ca(2+)-binding protein which is a major Ca2+ storage protein of the lumen of endoplasmic reticulum membranes in a wide variety of tissues with the exception of skeletal and cardiac muscles. However, in nervous tissue, confusion exists regarding the nature of the intracellular Ca2+ stores, as the organelle responsible for Ca2+ storage has been identified as the endoplasmic reticulum by some investigators and as the specialized organelle, calciosome by others. Calreticulin, calsequestrin, and calsequestrin-like proteins have all been, on different occasions, reported to be present in calciosomes. Cerebral and cerebellar tissues, moreover, have been shown to contain somewhat different systems of Ca(2+)-buffering proteins. In the present paper we discuss evidence that the Ca2+ storage systems of the retina may prove to be more complex than those of other neuronal tissues. Biochemical and immunocytochemical evidence indicates the presence of either an isoform of calreticulin or another protein that is antigenically similar to calreticulin, but of slightly higher molecular weight, in the endoplasmic reticulum of both neurons and Müller glia from rabbit neural retina. However, as retinal neurons express Purkinje cell markers, one may expect to observe the presence of calsequestrin in these cells as well. Secondly, antibodies against the onchocercal RAL-1 antigen recognize a protein sharing 62-65% amino acid sequence identity with calreticulin. The anti-RAL-1 antibodies show specificity for the retina. Whether or not the RAL-1 antigen is an active part of the Ca2+ storage systems of the retina remains to be verified.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence