PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

V I Martynov

Publications and source records attributed to V I Martynov.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

GFP-like chromoproteins as a source of far-red fluorescent proteins.

We have employed a new approach to generate novel fluorescent proteins (FPs) from red absorbing chromoproteins. An identical single amino acid substitution converted novel chromoproteins from the species Anthozoa (Heteractis crispa, Condylactis gigantea, and Goniopora tenuidens) into far-red FPs (emission lambda(max)=615-640 nm). Moreover, coupled site-directed and random mutagenesis of the chromoprotein from H. crispa resulted in a unique far-red FP (HcRed) that exhibited bright emission at 645 nm. A clear red shift in fluorescence of HcRed, compared to drFP583 (by more than 60 nm), makes it an ideal additional color for multi-color labeling. Importantly, HcRed is excitable by 600 nm dye laser, thus promoting new detection channels for multi-color flow cytometry applications. In addition, we generated a dimeric mutant with similar maturation and spectral properties to tetrameric HcRed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Alternative cyclization in GFP-like proteins family. The formation and structure of the chromophore of a purple chromoprotein from Anemonia sulcata.

Anemonia sulcata purple protein (asFP595) belongs to a family of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like proteins from the Anthozoa species. Similar to GFP, asFP595 apparently forms its chromophore by modifying amino acids within its polypeptide chain. Until now, the GFP-like proteins from Anthozoa were thought to contain chromophores with the same imidazolidinone core as GFP. Mass spectral analysis of a chromophore-containing tryptic pentapeptide from asFP595 demonstrates that chromophore formation in asFP595 is stoichiometrically the same as that in GFP: one H(2)O and two H(+) are released while a Schiff base and dehydrotyrosine are formed. However, structural studies of this asFP595 chromopeptide show that in contrast to GFP, the other peptide bond nitrogen and carbonyl carbon are required for chromophore cyclization, a reaction that yields the six-membered heterocycle 2-(4-hydroxybenzylidene)-6-hydroxy-2,5-dihydropyrazine. Spectrophotometric titration reveals three pH-dependent forms of the asFP595 chromopeptide: yellow (absorption maximum = 430 nm) at pH 3.0; red (absorption maximum = 535 nm) at pH 8.0; and colorless (absorption maximum = 380 nm) at pH 14.0. The pK(a) values for these spectral transitions (6.8 and 10.9) are consistent with the ionization of the phenolic group of dehydrotyrosine and deprotonation of the amidinium cation in the chromophore heterocycle, respectively. The amidinium group in asFP595 accounts for the unique absorption spectrum of the protein, which is substantially red-shifted relative to that of GFP. When the asFP595 chromophore cyclizes, the Cys-Met bond adjacent to the chromophore hydrolyzes, splitting the chromoprotein into 8- and 20-kDa fragments. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of a tryptic digest of denatured asFP595 shows that a pentapeptide with the cleaved Cys-Met bond is the only fragment associated with the red-shifted absorbance. These results imply that fragmentation of asFP595 is a critical step in protein maturation.

Animals↗

Isolation of rapidly evolving genomic sequences: construction of a differential library and identification of a human DNA fragment that does not hybridize to chimpanzee DNA.

A differential library enriched in rapidly evolving human genomic sequences was obtained by phenol-enhanced hybridization of human genomic DNA with an excess of chimpanzee DNA. A DNA fragment 110 bp in length that did not hybridize to either chimpanzee or other primate DNA was identified in this library. It was shown to be a substantially diverged member of the human beta satellite family of tandem repeats. The genomic sequences homologous to the fragment were located on the short arms of human acrocentric chromosomes by in situ hybridization. The human-specific fragment failed to hybridize with RNA from different human tissues. The human-specific fragment exhibits a remarkable level of DNA polymorphism in humans and may be used in the identification of human tissue samples, in the selection of human/rodent somatic cell hybrids containing human acrocentric chromosomes, and in the mapping of these chromosomes.

Animals↗

Proteinase-treated photoreceptor discs. Photoelectric activity of the partially-digested rhodopsin and membrane orientation.

Photoreceptor discs from rod outer segments of cattle retina were treated with (a) papain, (b) thermolysin or (c) trypsin, the procedures resulting in the cleavage of the rhodopsin polypeptide chain between (a) 323 and 324, 236 and 237, 241 and 242, (b) 327 and 328, 240 and 241, or (c) 339 and 340 amino acid residues, respectively. In all the cases, partially digested rhodopsins proved to be competent in generating photoelectric potential and increasing membrane conductance of the discs adsorbed onto phospholipid-impregnated collodion film. The kinetics of generation and dissipation of photopotential as well as of formation of metarhodopsin II and of the light-induced rhodopsin protonation were found to be the same in the partially digested preparations and in the intact one. Incubation of papain-treated or thermolysin-treated discs at pH 6.0 induced formation of inside-out vesicles which, when incorporated into the collodion film, generated an oppositely directed photopotential. Treatment of such vesicles with papain gave rise to further cleavages of the polypeptide localized between 30 and 31, 186 and 187 amino acid residues. One more proteinase-sensitive site, localized between 104 and 105 residues, has been discovered in the inside-out vesicles treated with thermolysin. This fact consistent with the scheme of the 'seven column' arrangement of the visual rhodopsin [Ovchinnikov, Yu. A. (1982) FEBS Lett. 148, 179-191]. Rhodopsin, when treated with papain on both sides, was deprived of sixty amino acid residues being split in two sites in the middle part of the polypeptide, but was still active as a photoelectric energy transducer. The main specific feature inherent in the photoelectric response of the papain-treated or thermolysin-treated rhodopsin and absent from the native protein is that the former survives addition of long trains of saturating flashes when the response of the intact preparation becomes negligible. This effect was shown to be due to conversion of partially digested rhodopsin to a photolytic product that at room temperature lived for minutes even in the presence of NH2OH. A 532-nm laser flash effectively converted this product back to rhodopsin.

Animals↗

[Study of the molecular organization of visual rhodopsin in photoreceptor membranes by limited proteolysis].

Proteolysis of rhodopsin in disc membranes of right-side out orientation by thermolysin, papain and St. aureus V8 protease allowed to identify two highly exposed regions of polypeptide chain located on the cytoplasmic membrane surface: carboxyl terminal sequence 321-348 and the fragment 236-241. Incubation with chymotrypsin reveals the third site on the cytoplasmic surface, 146-147, accessible to proteolytic enzymes. Frozen-thawed membranes comprise a mixture of vesicles with normal and inverted orientation. Both thermolytic and chymotryptic digests of rhodopsin in these membranes contain the polypeptide which represents the amino terminal sequence lacking the first 30 amino acid residues. Thus at least 30 amino acids from the N-terminus must protrude into the intradiscal space. One additional site was located on the intradiscal surface: papain digests rhodopsin in the inverted membranes at the position 186-187. Localization of the proteolytic cleavage sites allowed to propose a model for rhodopsin topography in disc membrane: the polypeptide chain traverses the bilayer thickness seven times; each of seven transmembrane segments containing approximately 40 amino acid residues includes a sequence of approximately 30 hydrophobic amino acids; which are probably in close contact with hydrocarbon matrix of the membrane. Hydrophobic sequences are terminated with fragments containing clusters of hydrophilic amino acids, possibly interacting with lipid polar head groups and orienting each segment in the bilayer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Histamine-liberating action of MCD-peptide from bee venom].

Histamine release (HR) from the isolated rat mast cells induced by MCD-peptide, mellitin (from the Apis mellifica venom) and compound 48/80 was studied. The dose-response curve, the latent period and temperature dependence of HR induced by MCD-peptide were similar to those of HR induced by compound 48/80. The HR induced by MCD-peptide proved to be an energy-dependent process that was independent of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate.

Animals↗