Biomedical subjects

T J Chilcote

Publications and source records attributed to T J Chilcote.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1995

rbSec1A and B colocalize with syntaxin 1 and SNAP-25 throughout the axon, but are not in a stable complex with syntaxin.

rbSec1 is a mammalian neuronal protein homologous to the yeast SEC1 gene product which is required for exocytosis. Mutations in Sec1 homologues in the nervous systems of C. elegans and D. melanogaster lead to defective neurotransmitter secretion. Biochemical studies have shown that recombinant rbSec1 binds syntaxin 1 but not SNAP-25 or synaptobrevin/VAMP, the two proteins which together with syntaxin 1 form the synaptic SNARE complex. In this study we have examined the subcellular localization of rbSec1 and the degree of interaction between rbSec1 and syntaxin 1 in situ. rbSec1, which we show here to be represented by two alternatively spliced isoforms, rbSec1A and B, has a widespread distribution in the axon and is not restricted to the nerve terminal. This distribution parallels the localization of syntaxin 1 and SNAP-25 along the entire axonal plasmalemma. rbSec1 is found in a soluble and a membrane-associated form. Although a pool of rbSec1 is present on the plasmalemma, the majority of membrane-bound rbSec1 is not associated with syntaxin 1. We also show that rbSec1 is not part of the synaptic SNARE complex or of the syntaxin 1/SNAP-25 complex we show to be present in non-synaptic regions of the axon. Thus, in spite of biochemical studies demonstrating the high affinity interaction of rbSec1 and syntaxin 1, our results indicate that rbSec1 and syntaxin 1 are not stably associated. They also suggest that the function of rbSec1, syntaxin 1, and SNAP-25 is not restricted to synaptic vesicle exocytosis at the synapse.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1995

Cellubrevin and synaptobrevins: similar subcellular localization and biochemical properties in PC12 cells.

There is strong evidence to indicate that proteins of the synaptobrevin family play a key role in exocytosis. Synaptobrevin 1 and 2 are expressed at high concentration in brain where they are localized on synaptic vesicles. Cellubrevin, a very similar protein, has a widespread tissue distribution and in fibroblasts is localized on endosome-derived, transferin receptor-positive vesicles. Since brain cellubrevin is not detectable in synaptic vesicles, we investigated whether cellubrevin and the synaptobrevins are differentially targeted when co-expressed in the same cell. We report that in the nervous system cellubrevin is expressed at significant levels only by glia and vascular cells. However, cellubrevin is coexpressed with the two synaptobrevins in PC12 cells, a neuroendocrine cell line which contains synaptic vesicle-like microvesicles. In PC12 cells, cellubrevin has a distribution very similar to that of synaptobrevin 1 and 2. The three proteins are targeted to neurites which exclude the transferrin receptor and are enriched in synaptic-like microvesicles and dense-core granules. They are recovered in the synaptic-like microvesicle peak of glycerol velocity gradients, have a similar distribution in isopycnic fractionation and are coprecipitated by anti-synaptobrevin 2 immunobeads. Finally, cellubrevin, like the synaptobrevins, interact with the neuronal t-SNAREs syntaxin 1 and SNAP-25. These results suggest that cellubrevin and the synaptobrevins have similar function and do not play a specialized role in constitutive and regulated exocytosis, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Interaction of Grb2 via its Src homology 3 domains with synaptic proteins including synapsin I.

Grb2 is a 25-kDa adaptor protein composed of a Src homology 2 (SH2) domain and two flanking Src homology 3 (SH3) domains. One function of Grb2 is to couple tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins (through its SH2 domain) to downstream effectors (through its SH3 domains). Using an overlay assay, we have identified four major Grb2-binding proteins in synaptic fractions. These proteins interact with wild-type Grb2 but not with Grb2 containing point mutations in each of its two SH3 domains corresponding to the loss of function mutants in the Caenorhabditis elegans Grb2 homologue sem-5. Two of the proteins, mSos and dynamin, were previously shown to bind Grb2. The third protein of 145 kDa is brain specific and to our knowledge has not been previously described. The fourth protein is synapsin I. Dynamin is required for synaptic vesicle endocytosis and synapsin I is thought to mediate the interaction of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic cytomatrix. These data suggest that Grb2, or other proteins containing SH3 domains, may play a role in the regulation of the exo/endocytotic cycle of synaptic vesicles and therefore of neurotransmitter release.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed1994

Synapsin IIa bundles actin filaments.

Synapsins are neuron-specific phosphoproteins associated with small synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic nerve terminal. Synapsin I, which has been demonstrated to bundle F-actin in vitro, has been postulated to regulate neurotransmitter release by cross-linking synaptic vesicles to the actin cytoskeleton. To investigate the possible interaction of synapsin II with actin filaments, we expressed synapsin II in Spodoptera frugiperda and High Five insect cells using a recombinant baculovirus. Purified recombinant synapsin IIa was incubated with F-actin, and bundle formation was evaluated by light scattering and electron microscopy. Synapsin IIa was found to bundle actin filaments. Dose-response curves indicated that synapsin IIa was more potent than synapsin I in bundling actin filaments. These data suggest that synapsin IIa may cross-link synaptic vesicles and actin filaments in the nerve terminal.

Actins↗

PubMed1992

Synapsin IIa: expression in insect cells, purification, and characterization.

Synapsin IIa belongs to a family of neuron-specific phosphoproteins called synapsins, which are associated with synaptic vesicles in presynaptic nerve terminals. In order to examine the biochemical properties of synapsin IIa, and ultimately its physiological function, purified protein is required. Since attempts to purify significant quantities of synapsin IIa, an isoform of the synapsins, from mammalian brain have proven difficult, we undertook the production of recombinant synapsin IIa by utilizing the baculovirus expression system. Rat synapsin IIa cDNA was introduced into the baculovirus genome via homologous recombination, and the recombinant baculovirus was purified. Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells infected with this virus expressed synapsin IIa as 5% of the total cellular protein. The recombinant protein was extracted from the particulate fraction of the infected Sf9 cells with salt and a nonionic detergent and purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. The purified synapsin IIa was phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase to a stoichiometry of 0.8 mol of phosphate/mol of protein. Metabolic labeling with [32P]Pi demonstrated synapsin IIa phosphorylation in infected Sf9 cells. Using a homogenate of uninfected Sf9 cells, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity which can phosphorylate synapsin IIa was detected. Limited proteolysis of recombinant synapsin IIa phosphorylated in vitro and in vivo resulted in identical phosphopeptide maps. Further, synapsin IIa, like synapsin I, binds with high affinity in a saturable manner to synaptic vesicles purified from rat cortex.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Synapsin I regulates glutamate release from rat brain synaptosomes.

Introduction of the dephosphorylated from of synapsin I into rat brain synaptosomes using freeze-thaw (transient) permeabilization significantly decreased the K(+)-induced release of glutamate. In contrast, introduction of synapsin I that had been phosphorylated by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II was without effect on glutamate release. Addition of dephosphosynapsin I after freeze-thaw treatment also had no effect. Thus, the action of synapsin I was dependent on the phosphorylation state of synapsin I and on its entry into the synaptosomes. Our results implicate synapsin I as an important component in the regulation of neurotransmitter release in the mammalian nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Phosphorylation of Tetrahymena 22 S dynein.

Studies involving 32P labeling and wet ashing of isolated dynein reveal that isolated dynein contains approximately 6 mol of phosphate predominantly distributed over four polypeptides of molecular masses of 78, 76, 47, and 23 kDa. Dynein must, therefore, be phosphorylated to at least this extent in vivo. The catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and an axonemal cAMP-dependent protein kinase contaminating the dynein preparation can further phosphorylate dynein in vitro. Each kinase can place up to 0.5 mol of phosphate on native dynein polypeptides of molecular masses of 78 and 34 kDa. Removal of two of the phosphates on isolated dynein by either acid or alkaline phosphatase results in a 28% decrease in the specific activity of dynein in the presence or absence of microtubules. Selective attenuation of the microtubule-activated ATPase, but not the uncoupled free dynein ATPase, would be indicative of a regulatory function of the phosphates. The in vivo regulation of the dynein ATPase by the two phosphates accessible to acid or alkaline phosphatase is therefore subject to question. Other phosphates on dynein must be examined for their effect on the microtubule-dynein cross-bridge cycle and motility before phosphorylation can definitively be established as a mode of dynein regulation.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Dynein structure and function.

The structure of dynein isolated from several sources follows the pattern first observed with Tetrahymena 22S dynein, which has three globular heads attached by three flexible strands to a root-like base. Recent biochemical data indicate that there is one ATPase site on each dynein head and that all three heads interact with microtubules in an ATP-sensitive manner. Accordingly, images of dynein in situ can be interpreted in terms of a model for crossbridge action where the roots of the bouquet anchor the dynein to the A-tubule and all three heads reach out to interact with the B-tubule in an ATP-dependent reaction to produce a force for sliding.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗