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Biomedical subjects

T F Kumosinski

Publications and source records attributed to T F Kumosinski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

alpha-Crystallin quaternary structure: molecular basis for its chaperone activity.

alpha-Crystallin, the major protein in all vertebrate lenses, functions as a chaperone. In the present analysis, an 'open' micellar structure composed of alpha A subunits is used to simulate chaperoning of partially heat denatured soluble gamma-crystallin. The interaction is both electrostatic and hydrophobic and satisfies experimental evidence for a 1:1 alpha/gamma molar ratio, a doubling of molecular mass and a minimal increase in the dimensions of the complex [J. Biol. Chem. (1994) 269, 13601-13608; Invest. Opthalmol. Vis. Sci. (1995) 36, 311-21]. These data are also in accord with Farahbaksh et al. [Biochemistry (1995) 34, 509-16]; i.e. the bound gamma-crystallin monomers are not in a central cavity, but are separated by alpha A subunits.

Amino Acid Sequence

Identification of the active-site residues of the L proteinase of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) leader (L) protein is involved in autocatalytic cleavage at the L/P1 junction and in the cleavage of translation initiation factor p220, a subunit of the cap-binding protein complex. It has been suggested that this proteinase has homology to the papain-like family of cysteine proteinases, and from this information, we have investigated the active-site residues by introducing specific mutations into the L gene. Mutations of Cys-23 to Ala or His-120 to Leu resulted in enzymes that lacked cis activity at the L/VP4 cleavage site, trans activity on a truncated L-P1 substrate, and p220 cleavage activity. Mutations of Cys-23 to ser or His-110 to Leu resulted in enzymes that retained some or all cis activity and had reduced p220 cleavage. These mutations were introduced separately into a full-length FMDV cDNA, and RNA transcripts derived from these cDNAs were translated in a cell-free system and transfected into cells. The C23S mutant inefficiently cleaved at the L/P1 junction and within P1, and virus obtained from transfected cells reverted to wild type. The H110L mutant cleaved the L/P1 junction almost as well as the wild-type enzyme, and virus recovered from transfected cells retained the mutation and displayed wild-type viral protein synthesis and host shut-off kinetics.

Animals

Molecular dynamics of water in foods and related model systems: multinuclear spin relaxation studies and comparison with theoretical calculations.

A review of recent studies of molecular dynamics of water in foods and model systems is presented, and the theoretical results are compared with experimental data obtained by several techniques. Both theoretical and experimental approaches are discussed for electrolytes, carbohydrates, and food proteins in solution. Theoretical results from Monte Carlo simulations are compared with experimental NMR relaxation data for quadrupolar nuclei such as those of deuterium and oxygen-17. Hydration studies of wheat, soybean, corn, and myofibrillar proteins by multinuclear spin relaxation techniques are discussed, and several new approaches to the analysis of the experimental data are considered. Correlation times of water motions in hydrated food systems are determined from NMR and dielectric relaxation data. The values of the correlation times for dilute solutions of electrolytes and carbohydrates estimated by NMR are in good agreement with those calculated from dielectric relaxation data, but seem to differ significantly from those proposed from Monte Carlo simulations. Several new and important results concerning the hydration of potato and cereal starches are presented, showing the very different hydration behaviors of these two major groups of starches. The combination of molecular dynamics computations with NMR relaxation techniques will hopefully stimulate novel technological developments in food engineering based on such fundamental studies.

Carbohydrates

Protein-water interactions from 2H NMR relaxation studies: influence of hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions.

The importance of water interactions with proteins in food systems is well documented. A controversy exists, however, as to the nature of these interactions and the effect of protein structural changes on them. To clarify these questions, a method has been developed for determining hydration from the protein concentration-dependence of deuteron resonance relaxation rates. Measurements were made in D2O on beta-lactoglobulin A to study effects of hydrophilic interactions, and on both casein micelles and submicelles to study hydrophobic and electrostatic effects. From the protein concentration-dependent relaxation rates, the second viral coefficients of the proteins were obtained by nonlinear regression analysis. Using either an isotropic tumbling or an intermediate asymmetry model, hydrations, upsilon, and correlation times, tau c, were calculated for the protein-associated water; from tau c, the Stokes radius, R, was obtained. Variations in upsilon and R were in accord with known structural changes in molecular states of the proteins. The NMR results are compared with hydrations and structural information derived independently from small-angle X-ray scattering.

Chemical Phenomena

Calcium-induced associations of the caseins: thermodynamic linkage of calcium binding to colloidal stability of casein micelles.

The caseins occur in milk as colloidal complexes of protein aggregates, calcium, and inorganic phosphate. As determined by electron microscopy, these particles are spherical and have approximately a 650 A radius (casein micelles). In the absence of calcium, the protein aggregates themselves (submicelles) have been shown to result from mainly hydrophobic interactions. The fractional concentration of stable colloidal casein micelles can be obtained in a calcium caseinate solution by centrifugation at 1500 g. Thus, the amount of stable colloid present with varying Ca2+ concentrations can be determined and then analyzed by application of equations derived from Wyman's Thermodynamic Linkage Theory. Ca(2+)-induced colloid stability profiles were obtained experimentally for model micelles consisting of only alpha s1- (a calcium insoluble casein) and the stabilizing protein kappa-casein, eliminating the complications arising from beta- and minor casein forms. Two distinct genetic variants alpha s1-A and B were used. Analysis of alpha s1-A colloid stability profiles yielded a precipitation (salting-out) constant k1, as well as colloid stability (salting-in) parameter k2. No variations of k1 or k2 were found with increasing amounts of kappa-casein. From the variation of the amount of colloidal casein capable of being stabilized vs. amount of added kappa-casein an association constant of 4 L/g could be calculated for the complexation of alpha s1-A and kappa-casein. For the alpha s1-B and kappa-casein micelles, an additional Ca(2+)-dependent colloidal destabilization parameter, k3, was added to the existing k1 and k2 parameters in order to fully describe this more complex system. Furthermore, the value of k3 decreased with increasing concentration of kappa-casein. These results were analyzed with respect to the specific deletion which occurs in alpha s1-casein A in order to determine the sites responsible for these Ca(2+)-induced quaternary structural effects.

Amino Acid Sequence

Tertiary and quaternary structural differences between two genetic variants of bovine casein by small-angle X-ray scattering.

The casein complexes of bovine milk consist of four major protein fractions, alpha s1, alpha s2, beta, and kappa. Colloidal particles of casein (termed micelles) contain inorganic calcium and phosphate; they are very roughly spherical with an average radius of 650 A. Removal of Ca2+ leads to the formation of smaller protein aggregates (submicelles) with an average radius of 94 A. Two genetic variants, A and B, of the predominant fraction, alpha s1-casein, result in milks with markedly different physical properties, such as solubility and heat stability. To investigate the molecular basis for these differences, small-angle X-ray scattering was performed on the respective colloidal micelles and submicelles. Scattering curves for submicelles of both variants showed multiple Gaussian character; data for the B variant were previously interpreted in terms of two concentric regions of different electron density, i.e., a "compact" core and a relatively "loose" shell. For the submicelle of A, there was a third Gaussian, reflecting a negative contribution due to interparticle interference. Molecular parameters for submicelles of both A and B are in agreement with hydrodynamic data in the literature. Data for the micelles, for which scattering yields cross-sectional information, were fitted by a sum of three Gaussians for both variants; for these, the corresponding two lower radii of gyration represent the two concentric regions of the submicelles, while the third reflects the average packing of submicelles within the micellar cross section. Most of the molecular parameters obtained showed small but consistent differences between A and B, but for submicelles within the micelle several differences were particularly notable: A has a greater molecular weight for the "compact" region of the constituent submicelle (82,000 vs 60,000) and a much greater submicellar packing number (6:1 vs 3:1). Reasons for these and other differences are to be sought in sequence differences and in differences in calcium-binding sites and charge distribution.

Animals

Three-dimensional molecular modeling of bovine caseins: kappa-casein.

Three-dimensional structures derived from X-ray crystallography are extremely important in elucidating relationships between structure and function for many proteins. However, not all proteins can be crystallized. The caseins of bovine milk are one class of noncrystallizable proteins. The complete primary and partial secondary structures of these proteins are known, but homologous proteins with known crystallographic structure are not available. In this report, sequence-based predictions of secondary structure were made and adjusted to conform with global secondary structures derived from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. With this information, a three-dimensional structure for kappa-casein was constructed using molecular modeling computer programs. The constructed model contains two unstranded beta-sheets; both are predominantly hydrophobic and capable of forming quaternary structural interaction sites with alpha s1-casein. This unrefined structure is in good agreement with much of the biochemical information available for kappa-casein.

Amino Acid Sequence

Three-dimensional molecular modeling of bovine caseins: alpha s1-casein.

Structures derived from X-ray crystallography are extremely important in elucidating functional relationships for many proteins. However, the caseins of bovine milk are one class of noncrystallizable proteins. The complete primary and partial secondary structures of these proteins are known, but homologous proteins of known crystallographic structure cannot be found. Therefore, sequence-based predictions of secondary structure were made and adjusted to conform with global secondary structures determined by Raman spectroscopy. With this information, a three-dimensional structure for alpha s1-casein was constructed using molecular modeling programs. The predicted structure of alpha s1-casein contains a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic domain, which are connected by a segment of alpha-helix. This unrefined structure shows good agreement with global biochemical and chemical information concerning alpha s1-caseins A, B, and C.

Amino Acid Sequence

Quantification of alpha s1-casein in goat milk from French-Alpine and Anglo-Nubian breeds using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography.

Samples of isoelectrically precipitated goat casein from the milks of French-Alpine and Anglo-Nubian breeds were separated into four components in a single run by reversed-phase HPLC. The proportion of alpha s1-casein thus resolved was determined quantitatively. The method uses a reversed-phase C-4 column and a linear gradient from 30 to 50% acetonitrile in 30 min with trifluoroacetic acid constant at .1%. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE was carried out to establish the identity of the isolated components. By a comparison with previously published results for caprine and bovine milk caseins, the four peaks were identified as kappa-, alpha s2-, alpha s1-, and beta-casein. Quantitative variations in the chromatographically resolved alpha s1-casein fraction of goat milk were evident. Some individual goat milks contained high levels of alpha s1-casein (2.70 g/L), but others contained significantly low levels (.12 g/L). There was no statistical difference in the overall means between breeds in alpha s1-casein composition, but cluster analysis statistics showed three distinct categories of alpha s1-producers: high, medium, and low. Interestingly, 6 of 15 French-Alpine goats and only one Anglo-Nubian goat fell into the "low" producer category (.38 +/- .2 g/L). Thus, expression of the alpha s1-component may be genetically regulated but may not be a breed-specific trait.

Animals

Stopped flow and steady state kinetic studies of the effects of metabolites on the soluble form of NADP+:isocitrate dehydrogenase.

The cytosolic form of NADP+:isocitrate dehydrogenase, a primary source of the NADPH required for de novo fatty acid synthesis in lactating bovine mammary gland, was studied to determine possible mechanisms of regulation by metabolites. Stopped flow kinetics showed a distinct lag time, followed by attainment of an apparently linear final velocity. Direct nonlinear regression analyses of the reaction progress curves allowed for the calculation of the rate constant (kappa) for the transition of the enzyme from an inactive to an active form; this transition is best catalyzed by its metal-substrate complex. Preincubation with metal-substrate or metal-citrate nearly abolished the lag by increasing kappa 10-fold. In steady state experiments, analyses of velocity versus metal-citrate complex as a binding isotherm, following the assumptions of Wyman's theory of thermodynamic linkage, showed that binding of metal-citrate complex could both activate and inhibit the enzyme. This analysis suggested: (a) activation by binding to sites with an average dissociation constant of 0.25 mM; (b) inhibition by binding to sites with an average dissociation constant of 3.83 mM; and (c) modulation (reactivation) by binding to sites with an average dissociation constant of 1.54 mM. Concentration ranges observed for these transitions are compatible with physiological conditions, suggesting that complexes of metal-citrate and metal-isocitrate serve to modulate the activity of NADP+:isocitrate dehydrogenase.

Animals

In vivo 133Cs-NMR a probe for studying subcellular compartmentation and ion uptake in maize root tissue.

Three 133Cs-NMR signals were observed in the spectra of CsCl-perfused and CsCl-grown maize seedling root tips. Two relatively broad lower field resonances were assigned to the subcellular, compartmented Cs+ in the cytoplasm and vacuole, respectively. The rate of area increase of the broader cytoplasmic Cs resonance was about 9-times faster than that of the vacuolar signal during the first 300 min of tissue perfusion with CsCl. In addition, the spin lattice relaxation time of the cytoplasmic Cs resonance was approx. 3-times shorter than that of the extracellular resonance, while the Cs+ signal associated with the metabolically less active vacuolar compartment exhibited a relaxation time comparable to that of the extracellular signal. 133Cs spectra of excised, maize root tips and excised top sections of the root adjacent to the kernel, each grown in 10 mM CsCl showed a difference in the relative areas of the Cs resonance corresponding to the distinct cytoplasm/vacuole volume ratio of these well differentiated sections of the root. The high correlation of counterion concentration with 133Cs chemical shifts suggested that the larger downfield shift exhibited by the cytoplasmic confined Cs+ was due principally to the higher ionic strength and protein content in this compartment. Such observations indicate that 133Cs-NMR might be employed for studying ionic strength, and osmotic pressure associated chemical shifts and the transport properties of Cs+ (perhaps as an analogue for K+) in subcellular compartments of plant tissues.

Biological Transport

Multinuclear spin relaxation and high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance studies of food proteins, agriculturally important materials and related systems.

An overview of the applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques in Agriculture and Food Chemistry, covering high-resolution, solid-state, pulsed gradient and two-dimensional techniques is presented. The systems investigated by such techniques range from purified proteins to mixtures, starch granules and wheat grains. Both hydration and structural/composition approaches that employ NMR techniques are discussed from the point of view of applications rather than technique development. Hydration models derived from multinuclear studies are discussed for food proteins and enzymes. The role of protein-protein interactions in the analysis of the NMR results on hydration is also discussed. Amongst the food proteins considered are: wheat gliadins, glutenins, corn zeins, soy glycinins and conglycinins, as well as muscle proteins. Several new applications and new directions of development of NMR in Agriculture and Food Chemistry are suggested, and potential practical applications are pointed out.

Agriculture

A multinuclear, high-resolution NMR study of bovine casein micelles and submicelles.

High-resolution, natural abundance 13C[1H] (100.5 MHz), 31P[1H] (161.8 MHz) and 1H (400.0 MHz) NMR spectroscopy was used to identify the calcium-binding sites of bovine casein and to ascertain the dynamic state of amino acid residues within the casein submicelles (in 125 mM KCl, pD = 7.4) and micelles (in 15 mM CaCl2/80 mM KCl, pD = 7.2). The presence of numerous, well-resolved peaks in the tentatively assigned 13C-NMR spectra of submicelles (90 A radius) and micelles (500 A radius) suggests considerable segmental motion of both side chain and backbone carbons. The partly resolved 31P-NMR spectra concur with this. Upon Ca2+ addition, the phosphoserine beta CH2 resonance (65.8 ppm vs DSS) shifts upfield by 0.2 ppm and is broadened almost beyond detection; a general upfield shift (up to 0.3 ppm) is also observed for the 31P-NMR peaks. The T1 values of the alpha CH envelope for submicelles and micelles are essentially identical corresponding to a correlation time of 8 ns for isotropic rotation of the caseins. Significant changes in the 31P T1 values accompany micelle formation. Data are consistent with a loose and mobile casein structure, with phosphoserines being the predominant calcium-binding sites.

Animals

Determination of the quaternary structural states of bovine casein by small-angle X-ray scattering: submicellar and micellar forms.

Whole casein occurs in milk as a spherical colloidal complex of protein and salts called the casein micelle, with approximate average radii of 650 A as determined by electron microscopy. Removal of Ca2+ is thought to result in dissociation into smaller noncolloidal protein complexes called submicelles. Hydrodynamic and light scattering studies on whole casein submicelles suggest that they are predominantly spherical particles with a hydrophobic core. To investigate whether the integrity of a hydrophobically stabilized submicellar structure is preserved in the electrostatically stabilized colloidal micellar structure, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments were undertaken on whole casein from bovine milk under submicellar (without Ca2+) and micellar (with added 10 mM CaCl2) conditions. All SAXS results showed multiple Gaussian character and could be analyzed best by nonlinear regression in place of the customary Guinier plot. Analysis of the SAXS data for submicellar casein showed two Gaussian components which could be interpreted in terms of a particle with two concentric regions of different electron density, designated as a "compact" (subscript C) core and a "loose" (subscript L) shell, respectively. The submicelle was found to have an average molecular weight of 285,000 +/- 14,600 and a mass fraction of higher electron density core, k, of 0.212 +/- 0.028. The radius of gyration of the core, RC, was 37.98 +/- 0.01 A with an electron density difference, delta rho C, of 0.0148 +/- 0.0014 e-/A3, while the loose region had values of RL = 88.2 +/- 0.8 A with delta rho L = 0.0091 +/- 0.0003 e-/A3. Calculated distance distribution functions and normalized scattering curves also were consistent with an overall spherical particle with a concentric spherical inner core of higher electron density. These results, and in particular the remarkably low electron densities of the shells, can be interpreted in terms of a loosely packed spherical aggregate stabilized by a hydrophobic inner core and surrounded by an even more loosely packed hydrophilic region, in agreement with the results of other studies. The SAXS data for the colloidal micellar casein, which yield only cross-sectional information related to a window of scattered intensity, were analyzed by a sum of three Gaussians with no residual function. The two Gaussians with the lower values of the radius of gyration were interpreted again as an indication of an inhomogeneous spherical particle of two electron densities with the same centroid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals

Calcium-induced associations of the caseins: a thermodynamic linkage approach to precipitation and resolubilization.

Calcium-induced changes in protein solubility play a role in a variety of important biological processes including the deposition of bone and dentin and the secretion of milk. The phenomena of salt-induced (calcium) precipitation of proteins (salting-out), and the resolubilization of these proteins at higher salt concentrations (salting-in) have been studied and quantitated using an approach based on the concepts of Wyman's thermodynamic linkage. Salting-out has been described by a salt-binding constant, k1, the number of moles of salt bound per mole of protein, n, and S1, the fraction soluble at saturation of n; salting-in has been described by corresponding constants k2, m, and S2. Analysis of salt-induced solubility profiles was performed using nonlinear regression analysis. Results of calcium-induced solubility profiles of two genetic variants of alpha s1-casein (alpha s1-A), (alpha s1-B), and beta-casein C (beta-C) at 37 degrees C, where hydrophobic interactions are maximized, showed no salting-in behavior and for salting-out, yielded k1 values of 157, 186, and 156 liters.mol-1 and n values of 8, 8, and 4, respectively. The values of k1 can be correlated with the apparent association constant for calcium binding to casein, while the values of n can be correlated with the number of calcium binding sites of the respective caseins. At 1 degree C, where hydrophobic interactions are minimized, nominally only hydrophilic and electrostatic interactions can be linked to the salt-induced solubility profiles; here beta-C is totally soluble at all calcium concentrations and alpha s1-B and alpha s1-A were now found to have salting-in parameters, k2 and m, of 2.5 liters.mol-1 and 4, and 11 liters.mol-1 and 8, respectively. alpha s1-A is more readily salted-in and studies on the variation of S1 with added KCl for this protein at 1 degree C indicated that salting-in is also mainly electrostatic in nature and may result from competition between K+ and Ca2+ for binding sites rather than from solute-solvent interactions as previously proposed. Comparison of k1 and k2 values between the two genetic variants, coupled with the known sequence differences (the A variant is a linear deletion of 13 amino acids) suggest the existence of a hydrophobically stabilized ion pair in alpha s1-B which is deleted in alpha s1-A; it is speculated that such bonds may play a role in other calcium-induced changes in protein solubility.

Calcium

Accessibility and mobility of lysine residues in beta-lactoglobulin.

N epsilon-[2H6]Isopropyllysyl-beta-lactoglobulin was prepared by reductive alkylation of beta-lactoglobulin with [2H6]acetone and NaBH4 to provide a 2H (NMR) probe for the study of lysine involvement in lipid-protein interactions. Amino acid analysis showed 80% of the protein's 15 lysine residues to be labeled. Unmodified lysine residues were located through peptide maps produced from CNBr, tryptic, and chymotryptic digests of the labeled protein. Lys47 was not modified; Lys135,138,141, located along an amphipathic helical rod, were each partially unmodified. All other lysine residues were at least 90% modified. Average correlation times calculated from 2H NMR spectra were 20 and 320 ps for 8.7 and 3.3 residues, respectively, in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride; in nondenaturing solution, values of 70 and 320 ps were obtained for 6.5 and 3.2 residues, respectively, with the remaining 2.3 modified residues not observed, suggesting that side chains of lysine residues in unordered or flexible regions were more mobile than those in stable periodic structures. 2H NMR spectra of the protein complexed with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine confirmed the extrinsic membrane protein type behavior of beta-lactoglobulin previously reported from 31P NMR studies of the phospholipids complexed with beta-lactoglobulin. Although no physiological function has yet been identified, comparison of these results with the X-ray structure [Papiz et al. (1986) Nature (London) 324, 383-385] supports the hypothesis that residues not accessible for modification may help to stabilize the cone-shaped beta-barrel thought to contain binding sites for small lipid-soluble molecules.

Amino Acid Sequence