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P J DiMario

Publications and source records attributed to P J DiMario.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Structural changes in oocyte nucleoli of Xenopus laevis during oogenesis and meiotic maturation.

Immunoelectron microscopy with anti-nucleolin defined substructures within the multiple nucleoli of biosynthetically active stage II-III oocytes and within the nucleoli of relatively quiescent stage VI oocytes of Xenopus laevis. Dense fibrillar components (DFCs) of nucleoli from stage II-III oocytes consisted of nucleolonemas that radiated from a continuous DFC sheath surrounding fibrillar centers (FCs). Discernible granular regions (GRs) were absent in these same nucleoli. Conversely, stage VI oocyte nucleoli displayed compacted DFCs and prominent GRs. Immunofluorescence microscopy then tracked fibrillarin, nucleolin, and condensed DNA through oogenesis and into progesterone-induced meiotic maturation and nuclear breakdown. In stage II-III oocyte nucleoli, fibrillarin was enriched near the FC-DFC boundaries, while nucleolin was distributed throughout these same DFCs. Both proteins were enriched within the compacted DFCs of stage VI oocyte nucleoli. Staining with (DAPI) 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole showed condensed DNA within nucleolar FCs of both stage II-III and stage VI oocyte. Upon nuclear breakdown, we found fibrillarin and nucleolin in small particles and in the surrounding cytoplasm. Although we saw no trace of fibrillarin or nucleolin in nuclear remnants prepared just minutes later, DAPI-stained particles remained within these preparations, thus suggesting that FCs were at least slow to disassemble.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Helix formation in model peptides based on nucleolin TPAKK motifs.

The structures formed by peptide models of the N-terminal domain of the nucleolar protein nucleolin were studied by CD and nmr. The sequences of the peptides are based on the putative nucleic acid binding sequence motif TPAKK. The peptides TP1 and TP2 have the sequence acetyl-G(ATPAKKAA)nG-amide, with n = 1 and 2, respectively. CD measurements indicate structural changes in both peptides when the lysine side chains are uncharged by increasing the pH or acetylation of the side-chain amines. When trifluoroethanol (TFE) is added, more extensive structural changes are observed, resembling helical structure based on nmr nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) and C alpha proton chemical shift changes, and CD spectra. The structure formed in 0.5M NaClO4 as observed by nmr is similar to that when the lysine side chains are acetylated, due presumably to interactions of perchlorate ion with side-chain charges on lysines. The helical structure observed in TPAKK motifs may be stabilized via N-capping interactions involving threonine. The structures observed in TFE suggest that the Thr-Pro sequence initiates short helical segments in TPAKK motifs, and these helical structures might interact with nucleic acids, presumably via interactions between lysines and threonines of nucleolin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

The Gly/Arg-rich (GAR) domain of Xenopus nucleolin facilitates in vitro nucleic acid binding and in vivo nucleolar localization.

Epitope-tagged Xenopus nucleolin was expressed in Escherichia coli cells and in Xenopus oocytes either as a full-length wild-type protein or as a truncation that lacked the distinctive carboxy glycine/arginine-rich (GAR) domain. Both full-length and truncated versions of nucleolin were tagged at their amino termini with five tandem human c-myc epitopes. Whether produced in E. coli or in Xenopus, epitope-tagged full-length nucleolin bound nucleic acid probes in in vitro filter binding assays. Conversely, the E. coli-expressed GAR truncation failed to bind the nucleic acid probes, whereas the Xenopus-expressed truncation maintained slight binding activity. Indirect immunofluorescence staining showed that myc-tagged full-length nucleolin properly localized to the dense fibrillar regions within the multiple nucleoli of Xenopus oocyte nuclei. The epitope-tagged GAR truncation also translocated to the oocyte nuclei, but it failed to efficiently localize to the nucleoli. Our results show that the carboxy GAR domain must be present for nucleolin to efficiently bind nucleic acids in vitro and to associate with nucleoli in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Nucleolin from the multiple nucleoli of amphibian oocyte nuclei.

When fixed preparations of newt germinal vesicle (GV) contents are treated with RNase and are then probed with radiolabeled single-stranded DNA in 0.1-2.0 X SSC, the extrachromosomal nucleoli bind the probe non-specifically. DNA/protein blot analysis of proteins from newt GVs shows that gv95, an acidic protein (pI = 5.0) of Mr = 95,000, is the most prominent non-specific DNA-binding protein. Immunocytochemical analysis with affinity purified antibody directed against gv95 shows that it is located in the multiple nucleoli. We used an antibody directed against rat nucleolin to show that newt gv95 and two similar Xenopus GV proteins are the amphibian versions of nucleolin, a nucleolar ribonucleoprotein originally identified in mammalian cells. We show that mAb 3A10, directed against newt histones H1 and H5, labels gv95 on protein immunoblots and the multiple nucleoli in cytological preparations. These results suggest that histone H1 and nucleolin share a cross-reacting epitope.

Amphibians↗
PubMed1989

DNA-binding proteins on lampbrush chromosome loops.

When fixed newt lampbrush chromosomes are treated with RNase to remove nascent transcripts and are then probed with radiolabeled single-stranded DNA in 0.1 x SSC, proteins associated with the majority of the lateral loops bind the probe nonspecifically. One or more common hnRNP proteins, several of which are known to bind single-stranded DNA, could be responsible for this generalized binding. In 1.0 x SSC only a relatively small subset of loops continues to bind the probe. In order to characterize this subset of loops, we prepared polyclonal antibodies against DNA-binding proteins initially identified by "Southwestern" analysis. We show by an in situ double labeling experiment that a polyclonal serum raised against gel-eluted histone H1 recognizes the same lateral loops that bind DNA in 1.0 x SSC.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Female sterile (1) yolkless: a recessive female sterile mutation in Drosophila melanogaster with depressed numbers of coated pits and coated vesicles within the developing oocytes.

Ultrastructural analysis of developing oocytes produced by the recessive female sterile mutant, yolkless (yl), in Drosophila melanogaster shows that yl+ gene activity is necessary for coated pit and coated vesicle formation within these oocytes. 29 alleles of the mutation are known to exist, and they fall either within a strongly affected class or a weakly affected class. Analysis of oocytes produced by females homozygous for the strongly affected class of alleles shows a greater than 90% reduction in the numbers of coated pits and coated vesicles. These oocytes have very little proteinaceous yolk, and the females accumulate vitellogenin (the yolk protein precursor) within their hemolymph. Moreover, females homozygous or hemizygous for a given strong allele produce mature oocytes that are flaccid. Alternatively, females homozygous or hemizygous for weak alleles produce yolk-filled oocytes, but the number of coated pits and coated vesicles within these oocytes is 50% of that found in the oocytes of wild-type females. Despite the presence of yolk within these oocytes, females homozygous for weak yl- alleles remain sterile, and their mature oviposited eggs collapse with time.

Alleles↗
PubMed1986

The effects of pH and weak bases on the in vitro endocytosis of vitellogenin by oocytes of Drosophila melanogaster.

The endocytosis of labeled vitellogenin by the developing oocytes of Drosophila melanogaster is pH dependent and inhibited in the presence of primary amines as determined by culturing whole ovaries in vitro. When the pH of the culture medium is adjusted to 6.8 or above, the vitellogenic oocytes sequester labeled vitellogenin synthesized by the follicle cells. The endocytosis of vitellogenin is shown autoradiographically by the accumulation of labeled yolk spheres within the oocytes. When the pH of the medium is reduced to 6.6 or below, the oocytes fail to sequester labeled vitellogenin, as demonstrated by an increase in immunoprecipitable vitellogenin in the culture medium and a concomitant reduction in the number of labeled yolk spheres within the oocytes. Vitellogenin endocytosis is also impaired by the addition of the primary amines methylamine or chloroquine to the culture medium. Monensin, a carboxylic ionophore, is shown to inhibit completely the secretion of labeled vitellogenin from the follicle cells.

Animals↗