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Biomedical subjects

P Wrede

Publications and source records attributed to P Wrede.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

In vitro synthesis of bacterio-opsin: integration into microsomal membranes.

The translation and membrane integration of bacterio-opsin from Halobacterium salinarium were investigated. Plasmids containing the bacterio-opsin-gene with or without its original presequence were transcribed with the T7-RNA-polymerase and translated in vitro in a wheat germ system. The integration of the expressed bacterio-opsin into dog pancreas microsomes was studied. Both precursor bacterio-opsin and mature bacterio-opsin integrate into the eukaryotic membrane.

Animals

Genetic transfer of the pigment bacteriorhodopsin into the eukaryote Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

The gene encoding for bacterio-opsin (bop gene) from Halobacterium halobium has been introduced in a yeast expression vector. After transformation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, bacterio-opsin (BO) is expressed and was detected by antisera. The precursor protein of BO (pre-BO) is processed by cleavage of amino acids at the N-terminal end as in H. halobium. Addition of the chromophore, retinal, to the culture medium results in a slight purple colour of the yeast cells indicating the in vivo regeneration of BO to bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and its incorporation into membranes. Therefore, in contrast to the expression in E. coli, isolation of the membrane protein and reconstitution in lipid vesicles is not necessary for functional analysis. The kinetics of the ground state signal of the photocycle BR in protoplasts is demonstrated by flash spectroscopy and is comparable to that of the natural system. The present investigation shows for the first time the transfer of an energy converting protein from archaebacteria to eukaryotes by genetic techniques. This is a basis for further studies on membrane biogenesis, genetics, and bioenergetics by analysis of in vivo active mutants.

Bacteriorhodopsins

Bacteriorhodopsin precursor is processed in two steps.

Besides the Coomassie-blue-stained band corresponding to mature bacterioopsin two additional bands of slightly higher apparent molecular masses were observed in purple membrane preparations from Halobacterium halobium by SDS-PAGE. The staining intensity within the triple band pattern varied with the age of the cell culture. For cells in the stationary growth phase the lower band, corresponding to mature bacterioopsin, is the predominant one. Immunodetection and site-specific proteolysis with papain identified the upper band as originating from the previously described precursor of bacterioopsin with its 13-amino-acid-long N-terminal presequence. Our results suggest that the intermediate band is due to a modified precursor of bacterioopsin with a truncated presequence of about eight amino acids. A two-step mechanism for the processing of pre-bacterioopsin to the mature protein in this archaebacterium is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence

Stability of the unique anticodon loop conformation of E.coli tRNAfMet.

Initiator tRNAs have an anticodon loop conformation distinct from that of elongation tRNAs as detected by susceptibility to S1 nuclease. We now find the anticodon loop conformation of E. coli tRNAfMet to be stable under different salt conditions as detected by using S1 nuclease as a structural probe. In contrast, a conformational change is observed in the T- and D- loop of this tRNA in the absence of added Mg2+. This change can be suppressed by spermine. Even under those conditions effecting a change in T- and D- loop conformation, the anticodon loop does not change. This suggests that the conformational shift is controlled by Mg2+ and restricted to the D- and T- loop region only without affecting the anticodon domain. The use of S1 nuclease as a conformational probe requires the use of kinetic studies to determine the initial cleavage sites. Thus, the use of a strong inhibitor which immediately stops the action of this nuclease is necessary. ATP is shown to be such an inhibitor.

Anticodon

Conformational changes of yeast tRNAPhe and E. coli tRNA2Glu as indicated by different nuclease digestion patterns.

The susceptibility of yeast tRNAPhe and Escherichia coli tRNA2Glu to digestion by nucleases Tl and Sl are examined in a variety of environments, and the results are interpreted in view of the available three-dimensional structural information. Significant differences are found in the digestion pattern of the two tRNAs using the guanosine-specific Tl nuclease. In particular, differences are seen due to varying the type of salts in the environment. However, the Sl nuclease results on the two tRNAs do not differ greatly. E. coli tRNA2Glu is known to exist in two different conformations. Nuclease digestion results are presented revealing differences which make it possible to draw some inferences about the structural differences in these two conformations. In carrying out these analyses, the tRNA molecules are labeled either by putting 32P at the 5'-end of the molecular or by adding 32P-labeled pCp at the 3'-end. It is found that both yeast tRNAPhe and E. coli tRNA2Glu have modified Tl nuclease digestion patterns when pCp is added at the 3'-end of the molecule.

Alkaline Phosphatase

Initiator tRNAs have a unique anticodon loop conformation.

Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules have been labeled with 32P at the 5' end and subjected to S1 nuclease digestion. The products were analyzed by high-resolution gel electrophoresis. Three initiator tRNAs and six chain-elongating tRNAs were examined. S1 nuclease cleaved Escherichia coli tRNAfMet, yeast tRNAfMet, and mammalian tRNAfMet at the same two positions in the anticodon loop. In contrast, S1 nuclease cleaved the anticodon loop of E. coli tRNAmMet, yeast tRNAmMet, yeast tRNAPhe, Schizosaccharomyces pombe tRNAPhe, E. coli tRNA2Glu, and E. coli tRNATrp (su+) at four positions generally, except where a modified nucleotide in the wobble position inhibited the enzyme. The marked contrast between these cleavage patterns suggests a different conformation for the anticodon loops of these two classes of tRNA molecules. It is suggested that the specialized conformation in the anticodon loop of initiator tRNAs may be due to a special sequence of GC base pairs in the adjoining anticodon stem.

Anticodon

Escherichia coli 5S RNA binding proteins L18 and L25 interact with 5.8S RNA but not with 5S RNA from yeast ribosomes.

Reconstitution experiments showed that the two Escherichia coli 5S RNA binding proteins L18 and L25 form a specific complex with yeast 5.8S RNA and not with yeast 5S RNA. The yeast 5.8S RNA-E. coli protein complex was found to exhibit ATPase and GTPase activities that had previously been observed for the E. coli 5S RNA-protein complex. The tetranucleotide UpUpCpG, which is an analog of the tRNA fragment TpsipCpG, interacted strongly with 5S RNA-protein complexes from E. coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus and weakly with yeast 5.8S RNA. UpUpCpG did not bind to E. coli, B. stearothermophilus, or yeast 5S RNA or to the yeast 5.8S RNA-E. coli protein complex. It is suggested that 5.8S RNA evolved from prokaryotic 5S RNA and that the latter two RNAs are related and have similar functions in protein synthesis.

Adenosine Triphosphatases