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W S Lane

Publications and source records attributed to W S Lane.

141 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Cloning and characterization of Rrp1, the gene encoding Drosophila strand transferase: carboxy-terminal homology to DNA repair endo/exonucleases.

We previously reported the purification of a protein from Drosophila embryo extracts that carries out the strand transfer step in homologous recombination (Lowenhaupt, K., Sander, M., Hauser, C. and A. Rich, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264, 20568). We report here the isolation of the gene encoding this protein. Partial amino acid sequence from a tryptic digest of gel purified strand transfer protein was used to design a pair of degenerate oligonucleotide primers which amplified a 635 bp region of Drosophila genomic DNA. Recombinant bacteriophage were isolated from genomic and embryo cDNA libraries by screening with the amplified DNA fragment. These bacteriophage clones identify a single copy gene that expresses a single mRNA transcript in early embryos and in embryo-derived tissue culture cells. The cDNA nucleotide sequence contains an open reading frame of 679 amino acids within which are found 5 tryptic peptides from the strand transfer protein. Expression of this cDNA in E. coli produces a polypeptide with the same electrophoretic mobility as the purified protein. The deduced protein sequence has two distinct regions. The first 427 residues are basic, rich in glutamic acid and lysine residues and unrelated to known proteins. The carboxy-terminal 252 residues are average in amino acid composition and are homologous to the DNA repair proteins, Escherichia coli exonuclease III and Streptococcus pneumoniae exonuclease A. This protein, which we name Rrp1 (Recombination Repair Protein 1), may facilitate recombinational repair of DNA damage.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Calcineurin is a common target of cyclophilin-cyclosporin A and FKBP-FK506 complexes.

Although the immediate receptors (immunophilins) of the immunosuppressants cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506 are distinct, their similar mechanisms of inhibition of cell signaling suggest that their associated immunophilin complexes interact with a common target. We report here that the complexes cyclophilin-CsA and FKBP-FK506 (but not cyclophilin, FKBP, FKBP-rapamycin, or FKBP-506BD) competitively bind to and inhibit the Ca(2+)- and calmodulin-dependent phosphatase calcineurin, although the binding and inhibition of calcineurin do not require calmodulin. These results suggest that calcineurin is involved in a common step associated with T cell receptor and IgE receptor signaling pathways and that cyclophilin and FKBP mediate the actions of CsA and FK506, respectively, by forming drug-dependent complexes with and altering the activity of calcineurin-calmodulin.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

Cloning of a human gene encoding the general transcription initiation factor IIB.

Transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) has a central role in transcription of class II genes. The purification of the human TFIIB protein and isolation of a complementary DNA encoding TFIIB activity is reported here. The sequence of TFIIB, which seems to be encoded by a single gene, contains a repeated motif, in addition to a motif with similarity to the prokaryotic sigma-factors. The recombinant protein expressed in bacteria substituted for all the functions attributed to the human TFIIB protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning of a membrane-associated human FK506- and rapamycin-binding protein, FKBP-13.

The 12-kDa FK506-binding protein (FKBP-12) is a cytosolic receptor for the immunosuppressants FK506 and rapamycin. Here we report the molecular cloning and subcellular localization of a 13-kDa FKBP (FKBP-13), which has a 21-amino acid signal peptide and appears to be membrane-associated. Although no internal hydrophobic region, and thus no transmembrane domain, is apparent within the 120 amino acids of mature FKBP-13, a potential endoplasmic reticulum retention sequence (Arg-Thr-Glu-Leu) is found at its C terminus. FKBP-13 has 51% nucleotide sequence identity and 43% amino acid sequence identity to FKBP-12; the N-terminal sequences are divergent, but the 92-amino acid C-terminal sequence of FKBP-13 has 46 identical and 20 related residues when compared with FKBP-12. The conserved residues that comprise the drug binding site and rotamase active site of FKBP-12 are completely conserved in FKBP-13. Therefore, the three-dimensional structures of FKBP-12 and the FKBP-12/FK506 complex are likely to be excellent models of the corresponding FKBP-13 structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and partial sequence analysis of pp185, the major cellular substrate of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase.

Insulin stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 185-kDa putative cytosolic substrate protein (pp185) in diverse cell types. After intravenous insulin infusion into the live intact rat, pp185 and the 95-kDa insulin receptor beta-subunit were the major proteins that tyrosine phosphorylated in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. Both proteins were maximally phosphorylated within 30 s, and both increased in phosphotyrosine content in parallel with increasing insulin dose. However, pp185 tyrosine phosphorylation was transient, with almost complete dephosphorylation within 2-3 min despite continued insulin stimulation. To identify pp185 directly, we purified pp185 from insulin-stimulated rat liver, using a denaturation-based extraction procedure that blocks endogenous protein phosphatases and thus allows a high yield, single step isolation of phosphotyrosyl proteins by anti-phosphotyrosine antibody immunoaffinity absorption. From 50 rat livers, 50-100 pmol of pp185 was isolated. Edman degradation of seven internal tryptic peptide fragments of pp185 yielded novel amino acid sequences, indicating that pp185 is a new protein. Antipeptide antibodies were raised which specifically recognize a single, 185-kDa insulin-stimulated phosphotyrosyl protein in liver, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and several cultured cell lines. These results indicate that pp185 is expressed in a variety of insulin-responsive tissues, is the major protein rapidly tyrosine phosphorylated under physiological conditions in the intact animal, and also provide a route for cloning the pp185 gene and elucidating the function of pp185 in insulin signal transduction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Partial sequencing and characterization of the tumor cell-derived collagenase stimulatory factor.

A tumor cell-derived, collagenase stimulatory factor (TCSF), previously isolated and purified from LX-1 human lung carcinoma cells and judged by immunoblotting and SDS-PAGE to contain a single protein of approximately 58 kDa, has been further analyzed for its biological activity and composition. Three significant new findings have been made. First, the biological activity of TCSF preparations was shown definitively to reside in the 58-kDa protein. This was achieved in two ways: (a) a polyclonal antibody was raised against the 58-kDa protein, after excision from an SDS-PAGE gel, and shown to inhibit the stimulation of fibroblast collagenase production by TCSF preparations; (b) the 58-kDa protein was eluted from a transblot of purified TCSF and shown to stimulate fibroblast collagenase production. Second, partial sequencing of the 58-kDa protein revealed no significant homologies with other known collagenase stimulatory factors. Third, purified TCSF was found, on transblotting to Immobilon, to contain a doublet of 58 kDa (TCSF1) and 54 kDa (TCSF2) proteins; the former was present in higher concentration than the latter. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the two intact proteins and of four corresponding pairs of tryptic peptides derived from the two proteins showed identity in each case, indicating that TCSF1 and TCSF2 are very similar in composition. However, TCSF1 but not TCSF2 stimulated fibroblast collagenase production, confirming that the 58-kDa protein is the major active component of TCSF preparations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Complete amino acid sequence of the FK506 and rapamycin binding protein, FKBP, isolated from calf thymus.

FKBP, an 11.8 kD intracellular protein that binds the immunosuppressants FK506 (Kd = 0.4 nM) and rapamycin (Kd = 0.2 nM) with high affinity, was purified to homogeneity from calf thymus. The complete amino acid sequence has been determined by automated Edman degradation of the intact molecule and overlapping fragments generated by proteolytic and chemical cleavage. The analysis revealed a 107 amino acid peptide chain with the following sequence: GVQVETISPGDGRTFPKRGQTCVVHYTGMLEDGKKFDSSRDRNKPFKFV- LGKQEVIRGWEEGVAQMSVGQRAKLTISPDYAYGATGHPGIIPPNATLIFDVELLKLE. The molecular weight, calculated from the amino acid sequence to be 11,778 D, was confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Thus, naturally isolated bovine FKBP does not appear to have any residues modified by glycosylation, phosphorylation, or other posttranslational derivatization processes. Bovine FKBP has only three amino acid residues that differ from human FKBP, whose sequence was elucidated by cloning and sequencing complementary DNA (Standaert et al., 1990). The protein has a substantial number of hydrophilic peptide segments with prevalent beta-strand type of chain fold. Understanding the biological function of FKBP and other members of the immunophilin class and their respective complexes with immunosuppressive drugs may provide insights into cytoplasmic signalling mechanisms, protein folding and translocation, and other cellular processes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification and molecular cloning of a novel mouse mucosal mast cell serine protease.

A novel 28,000 Mr serine protease, designated mouse mast cell protease-2 (MMCP-2), that is stored in the secretory granules of Kirsten sarcoma virus-immortalized mouse mast cells (KiSV-MC) has been identified and its NH2-terminal amino acid sequence has been determined. Analysis of a 953-base pair cDNA that encodes MMCP-2 revealed that this serine protease is a basically charged protein, possessing the histidine-aspartic acid-serine charge relay system that is characteristic of other serine proteases. DNA blot analysis using the full-length MMCP-2 cDNA indicated the existence of a family of highly related serine protease genes in the mouse genome. When the same DNA blot was probed with the 149-base pair KpnI----3' fragment of the cDNA, the probe hybridized to a single DNA fragment, thereby demonstrating that this 3' fragment could be used as a gene-specific probe. The presence of high levels of the MMCP-2 mRNA transcript in the intestines of nematode-infected mice, and its absence in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells and peritoneal cavity-derived connective tissue mast cells, suggest that this member of the mouse mast cell protease family is preferentially expressed late in the differentiation of mucosal mast cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Complete amino acid sequence of bovine glia maturation factor beta.

The protein glia maturation factor beta, isolated from bovine brain, has been sequenced by automated Edman degradation and tandem mass spectrometry of overlapped peptide fragments generated by cyanogen bromide cleavage and enzymatic digestion with trypsin, chymotrypsin, and endoproteinases Asp-N and Lys-C. The protein has 141 amino acid residues and possesses no potential N-glycosylation sites. It contains three cysteines (at positions 7, 86, and 95), three methionines (at positions 33, 101, and 102), and one tryptophan (at position 132). The blocked amino terminus as determined by tandem mass spectrometry is an N-acetylated serine. The carboxyl terminus is a histidine. To our knowledge, the sequence shows no significant homology with other sequenced proteins. The molecular weight calculated from the sequence information is 16,582.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Different mouse mast cell populations express various combinations of at least six distinct mast cell serine proteases.

Mouse serosal mast cells (SMCs) and Kirsten sarcoma virus-immortalized mast cells store large amounts of mast cell carboxypeptidase A and serine proteases in their secretory granules. Secretory granule proteins from 2.6 x 10(6) purified SMCs were separated by NaDodSO4/PAGE, trans-blotted to poly(vinylidine difluoride) membranes, and subjected to amino-terminal amino acid sequencing. Four distinct mast cell serine proteases were identified. With mast cell carboxypeptidase A, these serine proteases comprise the major proteins of mouse SMC secretory granules. Each of the four SMC serine proteases was distinct from the two serine proteases present in mucosal mast cells in the intestines of helminth-infected mice. The secretory granules of a Kirsten sarcoma virus-immortalized mast cell line contained three of the SMC-derived serine proteases and one of the mucosal mast cell-derived serine proteases. Thus, the family of mouse mast cell secretory granule serine proteases has at least six distinct members that can be expressed in different combinations in different mast cell populations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and characterization of the constitutive acyl carrier protein from Rhizobium meliloti.

Rhizobium species produce an inducible acyl carrier protein (ACP), encoded by the nodF gene, that somehow functions in an exchange of cell signals between bacteria and specific plant hosts, leading to nodulation of plant roots and symbiotic nitrogen fixation, as well as a constitutive ACP needed for the synthesis of essential cell lipids. The periplasmic cyclic glucans of Rhizobium spp. are also involved in specific rhizobium-plant interaction. These glucans are strongly similar to the periplasmic membrane-derived oligosaccharides (MDO) of Escherichia coli. E. coli ACP is an essential component of a membrane-bound transglucosylase needed for the biosynthesis of MDO, raising the possibility that either or both of the rhizobial ACPs might have a similar function. We have now isolated the constitutive ACP of R. meliloti and determined its primary structure. We have also examined its function, together with those of ACPs from E. coli, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, and spinach, in the MDO transglucosylase system and as substrate for the E. coli ACP acylase enzyme. All four ACPs act as acceptors of acyl residues, but only the E. coli ACP functions in the transglucosylase system.

Acyl Carrier Protein↗

Isolation and molecular cloning of mast cell carboxypeptidase A. A novel member of the carboxypeptidase gene family.

Mast cell carboxypeptidase A has been isolated from the secretory granules of mouse peritoneal connective tissue mast cells (CTMC) and from a mouse Kirsten sarcoma virus-immortalized mast cell line (KiSV-MC), and a cDNA that encodes this exopeptidase has been cloned from a KiSV-MC-derived cDNA library. KiSV-MC-derived mast cell carboxypeptidase A was purified with a potato-derived carboxypeptidase-inhibitor affinity column and was found by analytical sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be a Mr 36,000 protein. Secretory granule proteins from KiSV-MC and from mouse peritoneal CTMC were then resolved by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transblotted to polyvinylidine difluoride membranes. Identical aminoterminal amino acid sequences were obtained for the prominent Mr 36,000 protein present in the granules of both cell types. Based on the amino-terminal sequence, an oligonucleotide probe was synthesized and used to isolate a 1,470-base pair cDNA that encodes this mouse exopeptidase. The deduced amino acid sequence revealed that, after cleavage of a 15-amino acid hydrophobic signal peptide and a 94-amino acid activation peptide from a 417-amino acid preproenzyme, the mature mast cell carboxypeptidase A protein core has a predicted Mr of 35,780 and a high positive charge [Lys + Arg) - (Asp + Glu) = 17) at neutral pH. Although critical zinc-binding amino acids (His67, Glu70, His195), substrate-binding amino acids (Arg69, Asn142, Arg143, Tyr197, Asp255, Phe278), and cysteine residues that participate in intrachain disulfide bonds (Cys64-Cys77, Cys136-Cys159) of pancreatic carboxypeptidases were also present in mast cell carboxypeptidase A, the overall amino acid sequence identities for mouse mast cell carboxypeptidase A relative to rat pancreatic carboxypeptidases A1, A2, and B were only 43, 41, and 53%, respectively. RNA and DNA blot analyses revealed that mouse peritoneal CTMC, KiSV-MC, and bone marrow-derived mast cells all express a prominent 1.5-kilobase mast cell carboxypeptidase A mRNA which is transcribed from a single gene. We conclude that mouse mast cell carboxypeptidase A is a prominent secretory granule enzyme of mast cells of the CTMC subclass and represents a novel addition to the carboxypeptidase gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Universality and structure of the N-end rule.

Our previous work has shown that, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, any of the eight stabilizing amino-terminal residues confers a long (greater than 20 h) half-life on a test protein beta-galactosidase (beta gal), whereas 12 destabilizing amino-terminal residues confer on beta gal half-lives from less than 3 min to 30 min. We now show that an analogous single-residue code (the N-end rule) operates in an in vitro system derived from mammalian reticulocytes. We also show that the N-end rule has a hierarchical structure. Specifically, amino-terminal Glu and Asp (and also Cys in reticulocytes) are secondary destabilizing residues in that they are destabilizing through their ability to be conjugated to primary destabilizing residues such as Arg. Amino-terminal Gln and Asn are tertiary destabilizing residues in that they are destabilizing through their ability to be converted, via selective deamidation, into secondary destabilizing residues Glu and Asp. Furthermore, in reticulocytes, distinct types of the N-end-recognizing activity are shown to be specific for three classes of primary destabilizing residues: basic (Arg, Lys, His), bulky hydrophobic (Phe, Leu, Trp, Tyr), and small uncharged (Ala, Ser, Thr). Features of the N-end rule in reticulocytes suggest that the exact form of the N-end rule may depend on the cell's physiological state, thereby providing a mechanism for selective destruction of preexisting proteins upon cell differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and partial characterization of a glial hyaluronate-binding protein.

A glial hyaluronate-binding protein (GHAP) with an isoelectric point of 4.3-4.4 was isolated from human brain white matter. The 60-kDa glycoprotein appeared to be quite resistant to proteolysis, and comparison with GHAP from a viable glioma removed at surgery showed that the protein isolated from autopsy material was not a degradation product resulting from postmortem autolysis. The protein was localized immunohistochemically with mouse monoclonal and rabbit polyclonal antibodies in cerebral white matter. Only small amounts could be found in the gray matter. After enzymatic deglycosylation, an immunoreactive 47-kDa polypeptide was obtained. Two amino acid sequences of GHAP showed a striking similarity (up to 89%) with a highly conserved region of cartilage proteins (bovine nasal cartilage proteoglycan and rat and chicken link protein). However, the amino acid composition and other amino acid sequences suggested that there are also differences between brain-specific GHAP and cartilage proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural similarity of hyaluronate binding proteins in brain and cartilage.

A glial hyaluronate-binding protein (GHAP) was isolated from human brain white matter by affinity chromatography on immobilized hyaluronate. The 60 kDa protein appeared remarkably homogeneous by reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography analysis. Four cyanogen bromide peptides and 10 tryptic peptides were characterized by amino acid sequence, a total of 12 sequences since overlaps were found between 2 cyanogen bromide and 2 tryptic peptide sequences. Two sequences of brain GHAP had similarity with rat link protein, a hyaluronate binding protein in cartilage. The region of similarity was contained in the evolutionary conserved COOH-terminal half of link protein which is involved in the binding of hyaluronate. The remaining 10 amino acid sequences of brain GHAP had no similarity with link protein, nor with previously reported protein sequences. The findings suggest that the hyaluronate binding domains of such diverse proteins as brain GHAP and cartilage link protein are similar, probably due to the fact that hyaluronic acid is highly conserved in evolution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗