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P Boquet

Publications and source records attributed to P Boquet.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Dissection of pathways implicated in integrin-mediated actin cytoskeleton assembly. Involvement of protein kinase C, Rho GTPase, and tyrosine phosphorylation.

A panel of antibodies to the alphaIIbbeta3 integrin was used to promote adhesion of Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with the alphaIIbbeta3 fibrinogen receptor. While some alphaIIbbeta3 antibodies were not able to induce p125 focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) tyrosine phosphorylation, all the antibodies equally support cell adhesion but not spreading and assembly of actin stress fibers. Absence of stress fibers was also obtained by plating on antibodies directed to the hamster beta1 integrin. In contrast, cells plated on matrix proteins spread organizing actin stress fibers. Treatment with phorbol esters phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induced cells to spread on antibodies-coated dishes but not to organize actin in stress fibers. The combination of PMA and cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), a specific Rho activator, induced cell spreading and organization of stress fibers. PMA or the combination of PMA and CNF1 also increases tyrosine phosphorylation of p125FAK in response to antibodies that were otherwise unable to trigger this response. These data show that: 1) matrix proteins and antibodies differ in their ability to induce integrin-dependent actin cytoskeleton organization (while matrix induced stress fibers formation, antibodies did not); 2) p125FAK tyrosine phosphorylation is insufficient per se to trigger actin stress fibers formation since antibodies that activate p125FAK tyrosine phosphorylation did not lead to actin stress fibers assembly; and 3) the inability of anti-integrin antibodies to trigger stress fibers organization is overcome by concomitant activation of the protein kinase C (PKC) and Rho pathways; PKC activation leads to cell spreading and Rho activation is required to organize actin stress fibers.

Actins↗
PubMed1997

Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), a toxin that activates the Rho GTPase.

Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), a 110-kDa protein toxin from pathogenic Escherichia coli induces actin reorganization into stress fibers and retraction fibers in human epithelial cultured cells allowing them to spread. CNF1 is acting in the cytosol since microinjection of the toxin into HEp-2 cells mimics the effects of the externally applied CNF1. Incubation in vitro of CNF1 with recombinant small GTPases induces a modification of Rho (but not of Rac, Cdc42, Ras, or Rab6) as demonstrated by a discrete increase in the apparent molecular weight of the molecule. Preincubation of cells with CNF1 impairs the cytotoxic effects of Clostridium difficile toxin B, which inactivates Rho but not those of Clostridium sordellii LT toxin, which inhibits Ras and Rac. As shown for Rho-GTP, CNF1 activates, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, a cytoskeleton-associated phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase. However, neither the phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) nor the phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate (PI 3,4-P2) or 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) cellular content were found increased in CNF1 treated HEp-2 cells. Cellular effects of CNF1 were not blocked by LY294002, a stable inhibitor of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Incubation of HEp-2 cells with CNF1 induces relocalization of myosin 2 in stress fibers but not in retraction fibers. Altogether, our data indicate that CNF1 is a toxin that selectively activates the Rho GTP-binding protein, thus inducing contractility and cell spreading.

Actins↗
PubMed1997

Toxin-induced activation of the G protein p21 Rho by deamidation of glutamine.

Pathogenic Escherichia coli are responsible for a variety of diseases, including diarrhoea, haemolytic uraemic syndrome, kidney infection, septicaemia, pneumonia and meningitis. Toxins called cytotoxic necrotizing factors (CNFs) are among the virulence factors produced by uropathogenic (CNF1) or enteropathogenic (CNF2) E. coli strains that cause diseases in humans and animals, respectively. CNFs induce an increase in the content of actin stress fibres and focal contacts in cultured cells. Effects of CNFs on the actin cytoskeleton correlated with a decrease in the electrophoretic mobility of the GTP-binding protein Rho and indirect evidence indicates that CNF1 might constitutively activate Rho. Here we show that CNF1 catalyses the deamidation of a glutamine residue at position 63 of Rho, turning it into glutamic acid, which inhibits both intrinsic GTP hydrolysis and that stimulated by its GTPase-activating protein (GAP). Thus, this deamidation of glutamine 63 by CNF1 leads to the constitutive activation of Rho, and induces the reorganization of actin stress fibres. To our knowledge, CNF1 is the first example of a bacterial toxin acting by deamidation of a specific target protein.

Actins↗
PubMed1997

Molecular localization of the Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor CNF1 cell-binding and catalytic domains.

Cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1 (CNF1) induces, in epithelial cells, the development of stress fibres via the GTPase Rho pathway. We showed that CNF1 is able to modify Rho both in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant N-terminal 33kDa (CNF1Nter) and C-terminal 14.8-31.5 kDa (CNF1Cter) regions of the CNF1 protein allowed us to demonstrate that the N-terminal region contains the cell-binding domain of the toxin and that the C-terminal region is responsible for its catalytic activity. CNF1Nter lowered the activity of CNF1 when provided to cells before the toxin whereas CNF1Cter had no effect on CNF1 cell toxicity. CNF1Cter was sufficient to induce a typical CNF1 phenotype when microinjected into African green monkey kidney cells (Vero cells), and was able to modify Rho as previously reported for CNF1. The C-terminal domain lost its catalytic activity when deleted of various subdomains, suggesting a scattered distribution of catalytic-site amino acids. Elucidation of the CNF1 functional organization and analysis of amino acid homologies between CNFs (CNF1, CNF2), Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) and dermonecrotic toxin of Bordetella pertussis (DNT) allowed us to postulate that CNFs and DNT act on Rho via the same enzymatic activity located in their C-terminus, and that CNFs and PMT probably bind to analogous cell receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Membrane translocation of diphtheria toxin fragment A exploits early to late endosome trafficking machinery.

After reaching early endosomes by receptor-mediated endocytosis, diphtheria toxin (DT) molecules have two possible fates. A large pool enters the degradative pathway whereas a few molecules become cytotoxic by translocating their catalytic fragment A (DTA) into the cytosol. Impairment of DT degradation by microtubule depolymerization does not block DT cytotoxicity. Therefore, DTA membrane translocation into the cytosol occurs from an endocytic compartment located upstream of late endosomes. Comparisons between early endosomes and endocytic carrier vesicles in a cell-free translocation assay have demonstrated that early endosomes are the earliest endocytic compartment from which DTA translocates. DTA translocation is ATP-dependent, requires early endosomal acidification, and is increased by the addition of cytosol. Cytosol-dependent DTA translocation is GTP gamma S-insensitive but is blocked by anti-beta COP antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Rho-dependent membrane folding causes Shigella entry into epithelial cells.

The small GTPase rho is functionally involved in the formation of cytoskeletal structures like stress fibers or focal adhesion plaques. Shigella entry into HeLa cells induces a blossom-like membrane structure at the bacterial entry site. We show here that this membrane-folding process is rho-dependent. The three rho isoforms were recruited into bacterial entry sites with differential localization relative to the membrane structure. A rho-specific inhibitor abolished Shigella-induced membrane folding and impaired bacterial entry accordingly. S1-myosin labeling indicated that rho was involved in Shigella-induced actin polymerization but not actin nucleation in the bacterial invasion site. This provides a major link in the signalization cascade allowing entry of a bacterial pathogen into a eukaryotic cell.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Ras, Rap, and Rac small GTP-binding proteins are targets for Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin glucosylation.

Lethal toxin (LT) from Clostridium sordellii is one of the high molecular mass clostridial cytotoxins. On cultured cells, it causes a rounding of cell bodies and a disruption of actin stress fibers. We demonstrate that LT is a glucosyltransferase that uses UDP-Glc as a cofactor to covalently modify 21-kDa proteins both in vitro and in vivo. LT glucosylates Ras, Rap, and Rac. In Ras, threonine at position 35 was identified as the target amino acid glucosylated by LT. Other related members of the Ras GTPase superfamily, including RhoA, Cdc42, and Rab6, were not modified by LT. Incubation of serum-starved Swiss 3T3 cells with LT prevents the epidermal growth factor-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2, indicating that the toxin blocks Ras function in vivo. We also demonstrate that LT acts inside the cell and that the glucosylation reaction is required to observe its dramatic effect on cell morphology. LT is thus a powerful tool to inhibit Ras function in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

UDP-glucose deficiency in a mutant cell line protects against glucosyltransferase toxins from Clostridium difficile and Clostridium sordellii.

We have previously isolated a fibroblast mutant cell with high resistance to the two Rho-modifying glucosyltransferase toxins A and B of Clostridium difficile. We demonstrate here a low level of UDP-glucose in the mutant, which explains its toxin resistance since: (i) to obtain a detectable toxin B-mediated Rho modification in lysates of mutant cells, addition of UDP-glucose was required, and it promoted the Rho modification dose-dependently; (ii) high pressure liquid chromatography analysis of nucleotide extracts of cells indicated that the level of UDP-glucose in the mutant (0.8 nmol/10(6) cells) was lower than in the wild type (3.7 nmol/10(6) cells); and (iii) sensitivity to toxin B was restored upon microinjection of UDP-glucose. Using the mutant as indicator cell we also found that the related Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin is a glucosyltransferase which requires UDP-glucose as a cofactor. Like toxin B it glucosylated 21-23-kDa proteins in cell lysates, but Rho was not a substrate for lethal toxin.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Large clostridial cytotoxins--a family of glycosyltransferases modifying small GTP-binding proteins.

Some Clostridium species produce ABX-type protein cytotoxins of high molecular weight. These toxins constitute the group of large clostridial cytotoxins (LCTs), which have homologous protein sequences, exert glycosyltransferase activity and modify GTP-binding proteins of the Ras-superfamily. These characteristics render the LCTs valuable tools for developmental and cell biologists.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1995

Rho protein regulates tight junctions and perijunctional actin organization in polarized epithelia.

The rho family of GTP-binding proteins regulates actin filament organization. In unpolarized mammalian cells, rho proteins regulate the assembly of actin-containing stress fibers at the cell-matrix interface. Polarized epithelial cells, in contrast, are tall and cylindrical with well developed intercellular tight junctions that permit them to behave as biologic barriers. We report that rho regulates filamentous actin organization preferentially in the apical pole of polarized intestinal epithelial cells and, in so doing, influences the organization and permeability of the associated apical tight junctions. Thus, barrier function, which is an essential characteristic of columnar epithelia, is regulated by rho.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1995

ADP-ribosylation of Rho enhances actin polymerization-coupled shape oscillations in human neutrophils.

Stimulated neutrophils exhibit coordinated sinusoidal oscillations in filamentous actin content and cellular shape. We investigated the effect of inhibition of the small G protein Rho on neutrophil actin polymerization, shape changes and oscillations using a genetically engineered toxin that enters cells and selectively ADP-ribosylates endogenous Rho. This treatment increased the amplitudes and frequencies of shape oscillations and duration of the oscillating transient. However, it had no effect on the initial actin polymerization and shape changes induced by N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe. Regulation of these oscillations may be important for the control of neutrophil motility.

Actins↗
PubMed1995

Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1: evidence for induction of actin assembly by constitutive activation of the p21 Rho GTPase.

Cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1 (CNF1) induces in HEp-2 cells an increase in F-actin structures, which was detectable by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis 24 h after addition of this factor to the culture medium. Increase in F-actin was correlated with the augmentation of both the cell volume and the total cell actin content. Actin assembly-disassembly is controlled by small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho family, which have been reported recently to be modified by CNF1 treatment. Clostridium difficile toxin B and Clostridium botulinum exoenzyme C3, both known to act on the Rho GTPase, were used as biological tools to study the effect of CNF1 on this protein. CNF1 incubated before, during, or after exposure to the chimeric toxin C3B (which is the product of a genetic fusion between the DNA coding for C3 and the one coding for the B fragment of diphtheria toxin) protected HEp-2 cells from the disruption of F-actin structures caused by inactivation of the Rho GTPase through its ADP-ribosylation. On the other hand, C. difficile toxin B cytopathic effect was not observed upon preincubation of cells with CNF1. Toxins acting through a Rho-independent mechanism, such as cytochalasin D and Clostridium spiroforme iota-like toxin, could not be modified in their cellular activities by CNF1 treatment. All of our results suggest that CNF1 modifies the Rho molecule, thus probably protecting this GTPase from further bacterial toxin modification.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1995

Transient expression of RhoA, -B, and -C GTPases in HeLa cells potentiates resistance to Clostridium difficile toxins A and B but not to Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin.

The bacterial pathogen Clostridium difficle synthesizes two high-molecular-weight toxins (A and B), which exhibit toxic effects in vivo and in vitro. Here, we present evidence that the major intracellular targets of these two toxins are the Rho GTPases. Overexpression of RhoA, RhoB, or RhoC GTPases in transfected HeLa cells conferred an increased resistance to toxins A and B, indicating that these toxins cause their cytopathic effects primarily by affecting Rho proteins. In addition, toxin A and B treatment appeared to result in modification of Rho, since Rho isolated from toxin-treated cells had a decreased ability to be ADP-ribosylated by Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme. In contrast, the lethal toxin (LT) of Clostridium sordellii, although structurally and immunologically related to C. difficile toxin B, appeared to induce cytopathic effects independently of the Rho GTPases. Overexpression of RhoA in transfected HeLa cells did not protect them from the effect of LT, and Rho isolated from lysates of LT-treated cells was not resistant to modification by C3. Immunofluorescence studies showed that LT treatment caused a cytopathic effect that was very different from those described for C. difficile toxins A and B, resulting in an increase in cortical F-actin, with a concomitant decrease in the number of stress fibers, and in the formation of numerous microvilli containing the actin-bundling protein fimbrin/plastin.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1994

Role of bound GDP in the stability of the rho A-rho GDI complex purified from neutrophil cytosol.

The rho A-rho GDI complex purified from bovine neutrophil cytosol was found to contain GDP as the only bound nucleotide at a ratio of 1 mol of GDP per mol of complex. The rho GDI component of the complex (pI 4.8-5.0, apparent molecular mass 28-29 kDa) and the rho A component (pI scattered between 5.0-6.2, apparent molecular mass 24 kDa) were resolved by 2D gel electrophoresis. Upon dephosphorylation of bound GDP by apyrase, the rho A component of the complex was prone to proteolytic cleavage. The integrity of rho A in the presence of apyrase was preserved by addition of excess GTP. These data suggest that rho A liganded by GDP in the rho A-rho GDI complex is maintained in a conformation that escapes action of proteases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Organization of the botulinum neurotoxin C1 gene and its associated non-toxic protein genes in Clostridium botulinum C 468.

A 12.3 kb DNA fragment encompassing the botulinum neurotoxin C1 (BoNT/C1) gene and an upstream flanking region was sequenced from Clostridium botulinum C 468 phage 1C. The resulting bont/C1 locus includes six genes which are organized into three transcriptional units. Cluster 1 encompasses the bont/C1 gene and an upstream gene encoding a non-toxic protein associated with the toxin (Antp139/C1). Transcriptional analysis revealed that these two genes form an operon; the bont/C1 gene can be transcribed alone or co-transcribed with antp139/C1. Cluster 2 encompasses three genes (antp33/C1, antp17/C1 and antp70/C1), which also form an operon. The corresponding proteins are similar to components of the hemagglutinin complex associated with BoNT/A and BoNT/B of C. botulinum A and B. In addition, Antp33/C1 is identical to HA-33, an hemagglutinin encoded by C. botulinum C-Stockholm phage C-St; Antp70/C1 displays some relatedness to C. perfringens enterotoxin. The third transcriptional unit consists of orf-22, which encodes a basic protein showing 29% identity with the gene product of uviA, a plasmid-encoded protein of 22 kDa which has been identified as a positive regulator of the bacteriocin production in C. perfringens. Orf-22 could be an effector controlling the expression of the bont/C1 and its antp genes in C. botulinum C 468.

Amino Acid Sequence↗