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N D Denslow

Publications and source records attributed to N D Denslow.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

A comparison of the reproductive physiology of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, collected from the Escambia and Blackwater Rivers in Florida.

Largemouth bass (LMB), Micropterus salmoides, were taken from the Escambia River (contaminated site) and the Blackwater River (reference site) near Pensacola, Florida. The Escambia River collection occurred downstream of the effluent from two identified point sources of pollution. These point sources included a coal-fired electric power plant and a chemical company. Conversely, the Blackwater River's headwaters and most of its length flow within a state park. Although there is some development on the lower part of the Blackwater River, fish were collected in the more pristine upper regions. Fish were captured by electroshocking and were maintained in aerated coolers. Physical measurements were obtained, blood was taken, and liver and gonads were removed. LMB plasma was assayed for the concentration of 17ss-estradiol (E2) and testosterone using validated radioimmunoassays. The presence of vitellogenin was determined by gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting using a monoclonal antibody validated for largemouth bass vitellogenin. No differences in plasma concentrations of E2 or testosterone were observed in females from the two sites. Similarly, males exhibited no difference in plasma E2. However, plasma testosterone was lower in the males from the contaminated site, as compared to the reference site. Vitellogenic males occurred only at the contaminated site. Additionally, liver mass was proportionately higher in males from the contaminated site, as compared to males from the reference site. These data suggest that reproductive steroid levels may have been altered by increased hepatic enzyme activity, and the presence of vitellogenic males indicates that an exogenous source of estrogen was present in the Escambia River.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1998

Molecular approach to find target(s) for oligoclonal bands in multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: Oligoclonal bands are a characteristic finding in the CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis, yet their target antigen(s) remain unknown. The objective was to determine whether a filamentous phage peptide library could be employed to allow the oligoclonal bands to select their own target epitopes. METHODS: CSF IgG antibody from 14 patients with multiple sclerosis and 14 controls was used to select individual phage clones from a bacteriophage library containing approximately 4 x 10(7) different hexamers expressed on its surface pIII protein. The amino acid sequence selected was deduced by sequencing the DNA of the genetically engineered insert. RESULTS: In general, after three rounds of selection, CSF from both patients with multiple sclerosis and controls selected one to two consistent peptide motifs. Five out of 14 patients with multiple sclerosis, and one control, selected the amino acid sequence motif, RRPFF. Given 20 possible amino acids per position, the likelihood of five patients selecting the same linear five amino acid sequence is at most 1.6 x 10(-3), corrected for the number of clones sequenced. A GenBank computer search showed that this sequence is found in the Epstein-Barr Virus nuclear antigen (EBNA-1), and a heat shock protein alphaB crystallin. Human serum antibodies to a synthetic peptide containing RRPFF were virtually exclusively found in patients with prior infection by Epstein-Barr virus. Other studies have suggested a relation between Epstein-Barr virus infection and multiple sclerosis, including nearly 100% Epstein-Barr virus seropositivity among patients with multiple sclerosis and increased concentrations of antibody to EBNA in CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis. By antigen specific immunoblotting, antibodies to the RRPFF motif in the CSF were shown to correspond to a subset of oligoclonal bands in the CSF from the same patient. CONCLUSION: This study shows that phage epitope display libraries may be used to select amino acid motifs which are potentially relevant to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

The interaction of rabbit reticulocyte guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF-2B with chain initiation factor 2: studies with N-ethylmaleimide and trypsin.

Treatment of eIF-2B and eIF-2 with NEM abolishes nucleotide exchange and GTP-binding activities of the proteins. Incubation of eIF-2B with [14C]NEM results in strong labeling of the 82- and 55-kDa subunits and with less labeling of the other subunits. Preincubation of eIF-2B with eIF-2 interferes with [14C]NEM labeling of the 82- and 55-kDa subunits. All three (alpha, beta, and gamma) subunits of eIF-2 are labeled strongly by [14C]NEM. Limited digestion of eIF-2B with trypsin inhibits nucleotide exchange activity but does not interfere with GTP binding. Under these conditions, the 65-kDa subunit is degraded completely while the other subunits remain intact. Treatment of eIF-2 with trypsin results in the generation of eIF-2 lacking the beta-subunit (eIF-2 alpha gamma). eIF-2(alpha gamma) binds [3H]GDP equally well as intact elf-2. In the presence of elf-2B, the exchange of [3H]GDP for GTP from elf-2. [3H]GDP prepared with eIF-2(alpha gamma) is diminished considerably. [3H]GTP binding to eIF-2(alpha gamma) is also four- to five-fold less than to intact eIF-2. In addition, the association of eIF-2B with intact eIF-2, but not with eIF-2(alpha gamma), reduces by two-fold the rate and extent of removal of 32P by alkaline phosphatase from CK-2-phosphorylated 82-kDa subunit.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Modulation of rabbit reticulocyte guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity by casein kinases 1 and 2 and glycogen synthase kinase 3.

The in vitro phosphorylation of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (eIF-2B) by casein kinase 2 (CK-2) was previously shown to stimulate the binding of GTP to eIF-2B and increase nucleotide exchange [Singh, L. P., Aroor, A. R., & Wahba, A. J. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 9152-9157]. The present study examines the in vitro phosphorylation of the 82-kDa subunit of eIF-2B by CK-1 and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and the effects of this covalent modification on nucleotide exchange. Phosphorylation with CK-1 adds approximately 0.27 mol of phosphate/mol of eIF-2B and doubles guanine nucleotide exchange activity. Treatment of the phosphorylated eIF-2B with alkaline phosphatase reduces its activity by a factor of 4, and rephosphorylation with CK-1 (0.49 mol of phosphate/mol of eIF-2B) restores its specific activity to that of the phosphorylated protein. GSK-3 phosphorylates the 82-kDa subunit of both isolated and alkaline phosphatase-treated eIF-2B; however, the stoichiometry of phosphorylation is much less (approximately 0. 12 mol/mol of eIF-2B in both preparations) than that obtained with CK-1 or CK-2. Phosphorylation of eIF-2B with GSK-3 neither stimulates nor inhibits GDP/GTP exchange. The results of this study indicate that phosphorylation of eIF-2B with CK-1 and/or CK-2 is required for GTP binding to the protein. Evidence is also presented for a mechanism of regulation of eIF-2B activity whereby phosphorylation by GSK-3 influences the activity of the protein and partially suppresses phosphorylation by CK-1 or CK-2.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Vitellogenin induction and reduced serum testosterone concentrations in feral male carp (Cyprinus carpio) captured near a major metropolitan sewage treatment plant.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals can potentially alter the reproductive physiology of fishes. To test this hypothesis, serum was collected from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) at five riverine locations in Minnesota. Male fish collected from an effluent channel below the St. Paul metropolitan sewage treatment plant had significantly elevated serum egg protein (vitellogenin) concentrations and significantly decreased serum testosterone concentrations compared to male carp collected from the St. Croix River, classified as a National Wild and Scenic River. Carp collected from the Minnesota River, which receives significant agricultural runoff, also exhibited depressed serum testosterone concentrations, but no serum vitellogenin was apparent. These data suggest that North American rivers are receiving estrogenic chemicals that are biologically active, as has been reported in Great Britain.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Universal assay of vitellogenin as a biomarker for environmental estrogens.

Vitellogenin (VTG), the serum phospholipoglycoprotein precursor to egg yolk, is potentially an ideal biomarker for environmental estrogens. This study was undertaken to develop antibodies against conserved regions on the VTG molecule that could form the basis for establishing bioassays to detect estrogen exposure in any oviparous vertebrate. We developed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generated against purified rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) VTG and selected for the property of specifically recognizing VTG purified from two phylogenetically distant vertebrates, trout and striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting indicated that these mAbs specifically recognize purified VTG and VTG or other estrogen-inducible proteins in plasma or serum from representative species of four vertebrate classes (fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds). All of the mAbs generated were IgM class. A polyclonal antiserum was raised against a synthetic consensus peptide representing the conserved N-terminal amino acid sequence of VTG. The results of Western blotting indicate that this antiserum specifically recognizes VTG in plasma or serum from teleost fish of diverse families. It was used to detect VTG in Western blots of serum from brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) with cancer (hepatocellular and cholangio-carcinoma) collected from a contaminated industrial site outside of their normal vitellogenic season. Our results indicate that it is feasible to generate antibodies capable of recognizing VTG without regard to species and that development of a universal VTG assay is an achievable goal.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Guinea pig membrane-bound aminopeptidase P is a member of the proline peptidase family.

Members of the newly recognized proline peptidase family share the ability to hydrolyze imide bonds and share six blocks of highly homologous amino acid sequences. We have found that guinea pig lung and kidney forms of aminopeptidase P, both forms bound to membranes via glycosyl phosphatidylinositol lipid anchors, share at least three of the six conserved blocks of amino acid sequences. In addition, aminopeptidase P acts as an aminoacylproline hydrolase and thus appears to be a member of the proline peptidase family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Immunoaffinity purifications of aminopeptidase P from guinea pig lungs, kidney and serum.

Previously, aminopeptidase P (AmP) has been purified from mammalian tissues by highly laborious multistep chromatography procedures. To simplify purifications, we raised a monoclonal antibody to guinea pig serum AmP and used the antibody to prepare an immunoaffinity matrix. The immunoaffinity matrix was used to obtain highly purified forms of AmP from guinea pig lungs, kidney and serum. The antibody is reactive with rat and human forms of AmP and may simplify procedures needed for their purifications.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Phosphorylation of rabbit reticulocyte guanine nucleotide exchange factor in vivo. Identification of putative casein kinase II phosphorylation sites.

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) is a multi-subunit protein which catalyzes the exchange of GDP for GTP in eukaryotic chain initiation factor 2. Phosphorylation of the 82-kDa subunit of GEF in vitro by casein kinase II (CK-II) is associated with a 5-fold increase in nucleotide exchange activity. However, phosphorylation of GEF in vivo has not been studied, and the kinase(s) that phosphorylate GEF have not been identified. The 82-kDa subunit of GEF was partially sequenced, and a synthetic peptide was used to generate polyclonal anti-peptide antibodies that react specifically with this subunit. To examine the phosphorylation of GEF in intact cells, the protein was isolated and purified extensively from metabolically 32P-labeled rabbit reticulocytes. Only the 82-kDa subunit was found to be phosphorylated, and on Western blots the anti-peptide antisera reacted specifically with the labeled subunit. Phosphoamino acid analysis indicated that phosphorylation occurred exclusively on Ser residues. Digestion with cyanogen bromide of in vivo labeled protein and GEF phosphorylated in vitro by CK-II produced comparable phosphopeptide maps. However, additional phosphopeptide bands were also observed with GEF derived from intact cells. Sequence analysis obtained by Edman degradation of the phosphopeptides was compared with the deduced amino acid sequence of a cloned 82-kDa subunit of GEF [Bushman, J. L., Asuru, A. I., Matts, R. L., & Hinnenbusch, A. G. (1993) Mol. Cell. Biol. 13, 1920-1932]. Putative sites of phosphorylation were identified at Ser 703 and/or 704, which contain the sequence S(P)XXD, a CK-II consensus recognition motif.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Hypoxia induces the synthesis of tropomyosin in cultured porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

The present study examined the effect of hypoxia on protein synthesis by porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). Hypoxia decreased protein synthesis in PAEC, but two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of [35S]methionine-labeled PAEC proteins demonstrated the increased synthesis of a set of proteins having molecular masses (M(r)) of 35, 36.5, 45, 116, and 205 kDa. The synthesis of the 35-, 36.5-, and 45-kDa proteins was increased in preconfluent and postconfluent cells. The 35- and 45-kDa proteins were not induced by hyperthermia, whereas the 36.5-kDa protein was induced slightly by hyperthermia. Induction of the 36.5- and 45-kDa proteins required a minimum of 8 h of hypoxia, whereas induction of the 35-kDa protein required only 4 h of exposure to hypoxia. The upregulated synthesis of the 35-, 36.5-, and 45-kDa proteins was reversible with return to normoxia. Actinomycin D, an inhibitor of transcription, did not block the hypoxic induction of the 35- and 36.5-kDa proteins but did block induction of the 45-kDa protein. The partial amino acid sequence of the 35-kDa protein obtained from cyanogen bromide cleavage of the molecule was Asp-Ala-Ile-Lys-Lys-Lys-Met-Gln-Met-Leu-Lys-Leu-Asp-Lys-Glu. This partial sequence of the 35-kDa protein identically matches the sequence of tropomyosin. Amino acid composition data and the isoelectric point (4.8) were also typical of tropomyosin. Finally, specific cross-reactivity was detected between the 35-kDa protein and a monoclonal antibody to chicken gizzard tropomyosin on immunoblot. Thus hypoxia induces the synthesis of tropomyosin, a major microfilament-associated protein, in porcine PAEC in monolayer culture.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Cloning and characterization of complementary DNA encoding the eukaryotic initiation factor 2-associated 67-kDa protein (p67).

The eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2)-associated 67-kDa glycoprotein (p67) protects eIF-2 alpha-subunit from inhibitory phosphorylation by eIF-2 kinases, such as heme-regulated inhibitor and double-stranded RNA-activated inhibitor. This promotes protein synthesis in the presence of eIF-2 kinases present in animal cells (Ray, M. K., Datta, B., Chakraborty, A., Chattopadhyay, A., Meza-Keuthen, S., and Gupta, N. K. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 539-543). In this study, the primary structure of rat p67 is determined by cDNA cloning. Based on the partial amino acid sequences of overlapping tryptic and cyanogen bromide cleaved fragments, degenerate oligonucleotides were synthesized and used as primers for the polymerase chain reaction to amplify the corresponding p67 cDNA fragment from rat liver first strand cDNA. The amplified DNA was then used as a probe to screen a rat tumor hepatoma (KRC-7) cDNA library, and a positive clone covering the entire coding region was obtained. From the cDNA sequence, an open reading frame that encodes p67 as a 480-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 53 kilodaltons was predicted for the unglycosylated protein. The cloned cDNA was further characterized by in vitro transcription-coupled translation in micrococcal nuclease-treated reticulocyte lysate. The translated product migrated similarly to p67 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and was precipitated with antibodies against p67. Northern blot analysis of rat liver poly(A)+ RNA showed a single size class (approximately 2 kilobases) of mRNA. The deduced amino acid sequence of the protein showed a highly charged N-terminal region composed of two basic polylysine blocks and an acidic aspartic acid block. The protein also exhibits significant sequence identity in the N-terminal region with human eIF-2 beta-subunit.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Bovine mitochondrial ribosomes possess a high affinity binding site for guanine nucleotides.

Mammalian mitochondrial ribosomes possess a binding site for guanine nucleotides. GTP binds in unit stoichiometry and with high affinity (Kd = 15.3 +/- 2.8 nM) to the small subunit of bovine mitochondrial ribosomes. This binding activity survives high salt washes, indicating that the nucleotide binds to an integral site within this subunit. GDP also binds to the small subunit with high affinity (Kd = 17 +/- 5.8 nm) and in unit stoichiometry. The GTP binding activity can be competed with GDP but not appreciably by other nucleotides, indicating that both GTP and GDP bind specifically and to the same site. The non-hydrolyzable analogs of GTP, guanylyl-5'-imidophosphate, and guanylyl-(beta,gamma-methylene)- diphosphonate also bind to the small subunit, but with reduced affinity. These results indicate that mammalian mitochondrial ribosomes, unlike other ribosomes, are able to interact directly with guanosine triphosphate, suggesting that the bound GTP may be involved in a novel regulatory mechanism in mitochondrial protein synthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Proteins of mammalian mitochondrial ribosomes.

The bovine mitochondrial system is being developed as a model system for studies on mammalian mitochondrial ribosomes. Information is emerging on the structural organization and RNA binding properties of proteins in these mitochondrial ribosomes. Unexpectedly, these ribosomes appear to interact directly with GTP, via a high affinity binding site on the small subunit. Despite major differences in their RNA content and physical properties, mammalian mitochondrial and cytoplasmic ribosomes contain about the same number of proteins. The proteins in each kind of ribosome have a similar size distribution, and both sets are entirely coded by nuclear genes, raising the possibility that these different ribosomes may contain the same set of proteins. Comparison of bovine mitochondrial and cytoplasmic r-proteins by co-electrophoresis in two-dimensional gels reveals that most of the cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins are more basic than the mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, and that none are co-migratory with mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, suggesting that the proteins in the two ribosomes are different. To exclude the possibility that the electrophoretic differences result only from post-translational modification of otherwise identical proteins, antibodies against several proteins from the large subunit of bovine mitochondrial ribosomes were tested against cytoplasmic ribosomes by solid phase radioimmunoassay and against cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins on Western blots. The lack of cross-reaction of these antibodies with cytoplasmic r-proteins suggests that mitochondrial ribosomal proteins have different primary structures and thus are most likely encoded by a separate set of nuclear genes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The translation system of mammalian mitochondria.

Oligoribonucleotides and mRNA were used to define properties of the bovine mitoribosomal mRNA binding site. The RNA binding domain on the 28 S subunit spans approx. 80 nucleotides of the template, based on ribosome protection experiments, but the major interaction with the ribosome occurs over a 30 nucleotide stretch. The binding site for E. coli IF3 is conserved in bovine mitoribosomes, but mitochondrial factors appear essential for proper interaction of mRNA with mitoribosomes. The small subunit of bovine mitoribosomes contains a high-affinity binding site for guanyl nucleotides, further indication of specialized mechanisms for initiation complex formation and function of mammalian mitochondrial ribosomes.

Animals↗