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PubMed2005

Critical regions for assembly of vertebrate nonmuscle myosin II.

Myosin II molecules assemble and form filaments through their C-terminal rod region, and the dynamic filament assembly-disassembly process of nonmuscle myosin II molecules is important for cellular activities. To estimate the critical region for filament formation of vertebrate nonmuscle myosin II, we assessed the solubility of a series of truncated recombinant rod fragments of nonmuscle myosin IIB at various concentrations of NaCl. A C-terminal 248-residue rod fragment (Asp 1729-Glu 1976) was shown by its solubility behavior to retain native assembly features, and two regions within it were found to be necessary for assembly: 35 amino acid residues from Asp 1729 to Thr 1763 and 39 amino acid residues from Ala 1875 to Ala 1913, the latter containing a sequence similar to the assembly competence domain (ACD) of skeletal muscle myosin. Fragments lacking either of the two regions were soluble at any NaCl concentration. We referred to these two regions as nonmuscle myosin ACD1 (nACD1) and nACD2, respectively. In addition, we constructed an alpha-helical coiled-coil model of the rod fragment, and found that a remarkable negative charge cluster (termed N1) and a positive charge cluster (termed P2) were present within nACD1 and nACD2, respectively, besides another positive charge cluster (termed P1) in the amino-terminal vicinity of nACD2. From these results, we propose two major electrostatic interactions that are essential for filament formation of nonmuscle myosin II: the antiparallel interaction between P2 and N1 which is essential for the nucleation step and the parallel interaction between P1 and N1 which is important for the elongation step.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Biophysical and transfection studies of an amine-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) for gene delivery.

Novel, multifunctional polymers remain an attractive objective for drug delivery, especially for hydrophilic macromolecular drugs candidates such as peptides, proteins, RNA, and DNA. To facilitate intracellular delivery of DNA, new amine-modified poly(vinyl alcohol)s (PVAs) were synthesized by a two-step process using carbonyl diimidazole activated diamines to produce PVAs with different degrees of amine substitution. The resulting polymers were characterized using NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gelpermation chromatography (GPC). Atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), and zeta-potential were used to investigate polyplexes of DNA with PVA copolymers. These studies suggest an influence of the polycation structure on the morphology of condensed DNA in polyplexes. Significant differences were observed by changing both the degrees of amine substitution and the structure of the PVA backbone, demonstrating that both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions affect DNA condensation. DNA condensation measured by an ethidium bromide intercalation assay showed a higher degree of condensation with pDNA with increasing degrees of amine substitution and more hydrophobic functional groups. These findings are in line with transfection experiments, in which a good uptake of these polymer DNA complexes was noted, unfortunately, with little endosomal escape. Co-administration of chloroquine resulted in increased endosomal escape and higher transfection efficiencies, due to disruption of the endosomal membrane. In this study, the structural requirements for DNA complexation and condensation were characterized to provide a basis for rational design of nonviral gene delivery systems.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1993

Mammalian heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein A1 and its constituent domains. Nucleic acid interaction, structural stability and self-association.

With a view toward further understanding the structure-function relationships of the eukaryotic heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1, and in particular its multiplicity of nucleic acid-interactive domains, we have studied the nucleic acid binding properties of the globular N-domain (UP1) and sequence-repetitive, flexible C-domain, the thermal denaturation of UP1 and the concomitant effects of binding polynucleotide, and the self-associative properties of the full-length protein. Utilizing protein tryptophan fluorescence as a probe, polynucleotide binding was shown to stabilize UP1 against thermal unfolding. The denaturation profile of UP1-poly(thymidylic acid) complexes was biphasic, suggesting that unfolding of the two subdomains of UP1 can occur independently. This is in agreement with a previously proposed structure in which only one of the two UP1 subdomains binds the nucleic acid. The subdomains of UP1 can be prepared by controlled proteolysis of A1, further indicating that these two globular segments within A1 are connected by an exposed, flexible linkage. Circular dichroism measurements on UP1 confirm previous data that this portion of A1 binds single-stranded nucleic acids non-co-operatively. UP1 clearly shows a preference for single-stranded nucleic acids with a 2'-OH, since its affinity for poly(U) is three times higher than for poly(dU), and five times higher than its affinity for poly(2'-OCH3U). The nucleic acid-interactive properties of the C-domain were further examined by preparing a synthetic peptide polymer (M(r) approximately 12,000) containing about seven repeats of a 16-residue sequence, GNFGGGRGGNYGGSRG, which in turn comprises two copies of the C-terminal consensus, GN(F/Y)GG(G/S)RG. The polymer of this sequence exhibited significant affinity for the fluorescent polyribonucleotide, poly(ethenoadenylic acid), binding stoichiometrically at < or = 0.2 M-Na+. Complex formation was accompanied by an increase in aggregate formation, as indicated by the appearance of scattering. For purposes of comparison, the data were analyzed via the linear co-operative model of McGhee and von Hippel, though this model may not be fully descriptive of the protein-nucleic acid complex(es) formed in this case. In contrast to the non-co-operative binding mode of the UP1 domain, the C-polymer exhibited moderate co-operativity, comparable to that seen with full-length A1. Although addition of sufficient NaCl reversed the interaction, a sigmoidal binding isotherm could still be observed (with sufficient added polymer) at 0.8 M-NaCl. This suggests that non-electrostatic interactions contribute significantly to the free energy of binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1984

Rotational dynamics of transfer ribonucleic acid: effect of ionic strength and concentration.

We have investigated the influence of ionic strength and nucleic acid concentration on the rotational Brownian motion of Escherichia coli tRNA1Val by studying the decay of the fluorescence polarization anisotropy (FPA) of intercalated ethidium on a nanosecond time scale. The rotational relaxation time tau R remains essentially constant as the ionic strength is varied from 2 to 100 mM at a tRNA concentration of 54 mg/mL. tau R also remains practically unchanged as the tRNA concentration is varied from 0.3 to 54 mg/mL at an ionic strength of 130 mM. Present hydrodynamic theories generally predict a more pronounced concentration dependence for rotational diffusion than we observe. This disagreement may result from a nonrandom distribution of the tRNA molecules in solution due to electrostatic interactions. By combining independent data from time-resolved nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) cross-relaxation experiments and FPA experiments on the same tRNA, we are able to estimate the interproton spacing for the guanine N1-H and the uracil N3-H of the GU-50 base pair in E. coli tRNA1Val. This distance is 0.272 nm.

Escherichia coli↗

PubMed2005

Crystal structure of THEP1 from the hyperthermophile Aquifex aeolicus: a variation of the RecA fold.

BACKGROUND: aaTHEP1, the gene product of aq_1292 from Aquifex aeolicus, shows sequence homology to proteins from most thermophiles, hyperthermophiles, and higher organisms such as man, mouse, and fly. In contrast, there are almost no homologous proteins in mesophilic unicellular microorganisms. aaTHEP1 is a thermophilic enzyme exhibiting both ATPase and GTPase activity in vitro. Although annotated as a nucleotide kinase, such an activity could not be confirmed for aaTHEP1 experimentally and the in vivo function of aaTHEP1 is still unknown. RESULTS: Here we report the crystal structure of selenomethionine substituted nucleotide-free aaTHEP1 at 1.4 A resolution using a multiple anomalous dispersion phasing protocol. The protein is composed of a single domain that belongs to the family of 3-layer (alpha/beta/alpha)-structures consisting of nine central strands flanked by six helices. The closest structural homologue as determined by DALI is the RecA family. In contrast to the latter proteins, aaTHEP1 possesses an extension of the beta-sheet consisting of four additional beta-strands. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the structure of aaTHEP1 represents a variation of the RecA fold. Although the catalytic function of aaTHEP1 remains unclear, structural details indicate that it does not belong to the group of GTPases, kinases or adenosyltransferases. A mainly positive electrostatic surface indicates that aaTHEP1 might be a DNA/RNA modifying enzyme. The resolved structure of aaTHEP1 can serve as paradigm for the complete THEP1 family.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2006

Putative fasciclin-like arabinogalactan-proteins (FLA) in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa): identification and bioinformatic analyses.

Putative plant adhesion molecules include arabinogalactan-proteins having fasciclin-like domains. In animal, fasciclin proteins participate in cell adhesion and communication. However, the molecular basis of interactions in plants is still unknown and none of these domains have been characterized in cereals. This work reports the characterization of 34 wheat (Triticum aestivum) and 24 rice (Oryza sativa) Fasciclin-Like Arabinogalactan-proteins (FLAs). Bioinformatics analyses show that cereal FLAs share structural characteristics with known Arabidopsis FLAs including arabinogalactan-protein and fasciclin conserved domains. At least 70% of the wheat and rice FLAs are predicted to be glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored to the plasma membranes. Expression analyses determined from the relative abundance of ESTs in the publicly available wheat EST databases and from RNA gel blots indicate that most of these genes are weakly expressed and found mainly in seeds and roots. Furthermore, most wheat genes were down regulated by abiotic stresses except for TaFLA9 and 12 where cold treatment induces their expression in roots. Plant fasciclin-like domains were predicted to have 3-D homology with FAS1 domain of the fasciclin I insect neural cell adhesion molecule with an estimated precision above 70%. The structural analysis shows that negatively charged amino acids are concentrated along the beta1-alpha3-alpha4-beta2 edges, while the positively charged amino acids are concentrated on the back side of the folds. This highly charged surface distribution could provide a way of mediating protein-protein interactions via electrostatic forces similar to many other adhesion molecules. The identification of wheat FLAs will facilitate studying their function in plant growth and development and their role in stress response.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Cloning of novel kinectin splice variants with alternative C-termini: structure, distribution and evolution of mouse kinectin.

The analysis of cDNA clones encoding novel variant forms of mouse kinectin, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-bound receptor for the motor protein kinesin, is reported. Kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein are involved in mediating the anterograde and retrograde movements of intracellular vesicles along the microtubule network. The amino acid sequence deduced from kinectin cDNA isolated from mouse spleen cell and testis libraries revealed a long signal peptide or transmembrane sequence, and a 328 amino acid residue globular N-terminal domain adjacent to a much larger 858-999-residue C-terminal coiled-coil rod domain. The C-terminal domain was composed of 18 coiled-coil regions formed from multiple contiguous heptad repeats which undergo alternative splicing as evidenced by the presence of at least five small (23-33 amino acid residue) insertion sequences scattered throughout. The inserts are present in any one of a number of combinations, generating an array of novel kinectin variants. Insert 5 contains a termination codon, producing a C-terminus that is highly homologous to that of human kinectin. Three out of five mouse kinectin clones lack insert 5, generating a novel eleven amino acid C-terminus encoded by sequence that extends past the insertion site. The existence of alternative C-termini may have functional relevance given that the C-termini are exposed for interaction with kinesin, whereas the globular N-terminus is embedded in the ER membrane. Alternative C-termini represent candidate modifications that could determine specificity of binding to kinesin or cytoplasmic dynein, and the switching of directionality of movement. The cDNA hybridized to 4.5 kb transcripts expressed in all mouse cell lines and tissues examined, which provides the first indication that the kinectins are very widely distributed. Mouse kinectin is 42% similar over a 203 amino acid region to the chicken extracellular cardiac morphogen ES/130, whose canine homologue containing an inserted sequence of 10 amino acids repeated 54 times in tandem, is a ribosome receptor expressed on the ER. Mouse kinectin shares 64 and 83% identity, respectively, with its M(r) 160000 chicken and human kinectin homologues. There is a two-fold molar excess of kinectin over kinesin in unextracted vesicles, suggesting that kinectin might be a dimer. The electrostatic properties of the coiled-coil region of mouse kinectin, together with the relative frequencies of residues in particular positions within the heptad repeats support this notion.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed2002

Polypeptide release at sense and noncognate stop codons by localized charge-exchange alterations in translational release factors.

The mechanism of stop codon recognition during translation has long been a puzzle. Only recently has it been established that a tripeptide in the bacterial release factors (RFs) 1 and 2 serves as the "anticodon" in deciphering stop codons in mRNA. However, the molecular basis of the accuracy of stop codon recognition is unknown. Although specific tripeptides in the RFs are primarily responsible for selective reading of cognate stop codons, charge-flip variant RF proteins, altered at conserved Glu residues adjacent to the tripeptide-anticodon, are shown here to be crucial to codon recognition. Changes of these Glu residues are capable of triggering polypeptide release at noncognate stop codons and also at sense codons. These changes also reverse the growth inhibition by RFs containing "harmful" tripeptide-anticodon changes. These findings suggest that electrostatic interactions involving negative charges in domain C of the RFs mediate their accurate docking in the ribosome. Our results also establish that the charge flipping creates a phenotype/translation termination by "codon bypassing" via relaxed positioning of the RF tripeptide-anticodon in the decoding pocket of the ribosome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Structure-activity relationship studies of a bisbenzimidazole-based, Zn(2+)-dependent inhibitor of HCV NS3 serine protease.

A survey of isosteric replacements of the phosphonoalanine side chain coupled with a process of conformational constraint of a bisbenzimidazole-based, Zn(2+)-dependent inhibitor of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 serine protease resulted in the identification of novel series of active compounds with extended side chains. However, Zn(2+)-dependent HCV NS3 inhibition was relatively insensitive to the structural variations examined but dependent on the presence of negatively charged functionality. This result was interpreted in the context of an initial electrostatic interaction between protease and inhibitor that is subsequently consolidated by Zn(2+), with binding facilitated by the featureless active site and proximal regions of the HCV NS3 protein.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed2003

Crystal structures of an archaeal class I CCA-adding enzyme and its nucleotide complexes.

CCA-adding enzymes catalyze the addition of CCA onto the 3' terminus of immature tRNAs without using a nucleic acid template and have been divided into two classes based on their amino acid sequences. We have determined the crystal structures of a class I CCA-adding enzyme from Archeoglobus fulgidus (AfCCA) and its complexes with ATP, CTP, or UTP. Although it and the class II bacterial Bacillus stearothermophilus CCA enzyme (BstCCA) have similar dimensions and domain architectures (head, neck, body, and tail), only the polymerase domain is structurally homologous. Moreover, the relative orientation of the head domain with respect to the body and tail domains, which appear likely to bind tRNA, differs significantly between the two enzyme classes. Unlike the class II BstCCA, this enzyme binds nucleotides nonspecifically in the absence of bound tRNA. The shape and electrostatic charge distribution of the AfCCA enzyme suggests a model for tRNA binding that accounts for the phosphates that are protected from chemical modification by tRNA binding to AfCCA. The structures of the AfCCA enzyme and the eukaryotic poly(A) polymerase are very similar, implying a close evolutionary relationship between them.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2002

Unique molecular architecture of silk fibroin in the waxmoth, Galleria mellonella.

Proteins of silk fibers are characterized by reiterations of amino acid repeats. Physical properties of the fiber are determined by the amino acid composition, the complexity of repetitive units, and arrangement of these units into higher order arrays. Except for very short motifs of 6-10 residues, the length of repetitive units and the number of these units concatenated in higher order assemblies vary in all spider and lepidopteran silks analyzed so far. This paper describes an exceptional silk protein represented by the 500-kDa heavy chain fibroin (H-fibroin) of the waxmoth, Galleria mellonella. Its non-repetitive N-terminal (175 residues) and C-terminal (60 residues) parts, the overall gene organization, and the nucleotide sequence around the TATA box show that it is homologous to the H-fibroins of other Lepidoptera. However, over 95% of the protein consists of highly ordered repetitive structures that are unmatched in other species. The repetitive region includes 11 assemblies AB(1)AB(1)AB(1)AB(2)(AB(2))AB(2) of remarkably conserved polypeptide repeats A (63 amino acid residues), B(1) (43 residues), and B(2) (18 residues). The repeats contain a high proportion of Gly (31.6%), Ala (23.8%), Ser (18.1%), and of residues with long hydrophobic side chains (16% for Leu, Ile, and Val combined). The presence of the GLGGLG and SSAASAA(AA) motifs suggests formation of pleated beta-sheets and their stacking into crystallites. Conspicuous conservation of the apolar sequence VIVI followed by DD or ED is interpreted as indicating the importance of hydrophobicity and electrostatic charge in H-fibroin cross-linking. The environment of G. mellonella larvae within bee cultures requires continuous production of silk that must be both strong and elastic. The spectacular arrangement of the repetitive H-fibroin region apparently evolved to meet these requirements.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2001

Identification of a putative binding site for [2',5'-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-D-ribofuranosyl]-3'-spiro-5''-(4''-amino-1'',2''-oxathiole-2'',2''-dioxide)thymine (TSAO) derivatives at the p51-p66 interface of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

A binding site for TSAO-m(3)T at the interface between the p66 and p51 subunits of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and distinct from that of "classical" HIV-1 non-nucleoside inhibitors is proposed. The feasibility of the binding mode was assessed by carrying out nanosecond molecular dynamics simulations for the complexes of TSAO-m(3)T with reduced models of both the wild-type enzyme and a more sensitive R172A mutant. The molecular model is in agreement with a previous proposal, with known structure-activity and mutagenesis data for this unique class of inhibitors, and also with recent biochemical evidence indicating that TSAO analogues can affect enzyme dimerization. The relative importance of residues involved in dimer formation and TSAO-RT complex stabilization was assessed by a combination of surface area accessibility, molecular mechanics, and continuum electrostatics calculations. A structure-based modification introduced into the lead compound yielded a new derivative with improved antiviral activity.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

PubMed1990

Overexpression, purification, and characterization of recombinant T4 gene 32 protein22-301 (g32P-B).

Gene 32 protein (g32P), the replication accessory protein from bacteriophage T4, is a zinc metalloprotein which binds with high cooperativity to single-stranded (ss) nucleic acids. The basic N-terminal 21 amino acids (termed the "B" domain) is required for highly cooperative (omega approximately 500) binding of g32P monomers to ss nucleic acids. As part of our studies to systematically evaluate the structural features of the B domain important for cooperative binding, a homogeneous source of g32P which binds noncooperatively to nucleic acids (omega = 1) and is devoid of contamination by native g32P is needed. Herein, we describe large-scale overexpression and purification of recombinant g32P lacking the tryptic N-terminal B domain (residues 1-21), designated g32P-B, as well as its physiochemical and nucleic acid binding properties. G32P-B is readily purified from the soluble fraction of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) transformed with the plasmid pT7g32-B.wt which contains the g32P-B coding sequences under inducible transcriptional control of T7 RNA polymerase. Anion exchange, ssDNA-cellulose and phenyl-Sepharose chromatographies give rise to highly homogeneous g32P-B, free of contaminating nucleic acid. Recombinant g32P-B has the expected N-terminal primary structure and contains stoichiometric Zn(II). It also has the expected globular structure as shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy, hydrodynamic measurements, and the ability to selectively remove the carboxyl-terminal "A" domain to form the trypsin-resistant g32P-(A + B) DNA-binding core fragment. Quantitative ss nucleic acid binding experiments of g32P-B to poly(dT) (0.05 M NaCl, pH 8.1, 20 degrees C) show that all equilibrium binding isotherms can be fit with omega = 1 and Kobs = 5.2 (+/- 1.6) x 10(5) M-1, with a moderate electrostatic component to the binding free energy, delta log Kobs/delta log[NaCl] = -3.0 +/- 0.2. Under identical solution conditions, g32P-(A + B) derived from g32P-B binds to poly(dT) noncooperatively as expected, but with an approximately 80-fold higher apparent affinity, Kobs = 4.0 (+/- 2.0) x 10(7) M-1, and detectable enhanced salt sensitivity, delta log Kobs/delta log[NaCl] = -3.9 +/- 0.3. As the salt concentration is raised, the relative difference in Kobs between the g32P-(A + B) and g32P-B is gradually reduced such that extrapolation of the log-log plots to 1 M Na+ standard state gives similar Kobs within experimental error. Qualitatively similar observations are also found upon binding to the ribohomopolymer, poly(U).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Chromatography, Gel↗

PubMed1989

The adsorption of nucleotides and polynucleotides on montmorillonite clay.

The binding of adenine derivatives to Na(+)-montmorillonite increases in the order 5'AMP, 3'-AMP, 5'ADP < adenosine < purine, adenine. With the exception of cytosine, cytosine derivatives bind less strongly than the corresponding adenine derivatives in the order 5'-CMP < cytidine < cytosine. There is little difference in the binding of uracil derivatives and these compounds bind less strongly than the corresponding adenine analogs. It is concluded that the adenine ring in adenine derivatives is protonated by the acidic montmorillonite surface and binding is a consequence of the electrostatic interaction between the protonated base and the negative charges on the surface of the montmorillonite. Different binding trends were observed with Cu(2+)-montmorillonite with AMP binding more strongly than adenosine and UMP binding more strongly than uridine. It is concluded that ligation to the Cu2+ is a major force in the binding of nucleotides to Cu(2+)-montmorillonite and are not readily washed from the clay. Factors contributing to the binding are discussed. Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding of 5'-AMP to poly(U) and 5'GMP to poly(C) was observed when the homopolymers are bound to the surface of the clay. No association of 5'-UMP to poly(U) bound to clay was detected. The possible role of montmorillonite clays in the prebiotic formation of RNA is discussed.

Adenine↗

PubMed1996

All-atom models for the non-nucleoside binding site of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase complexed with inhibitors: a 3D QSAR approach.

Several molecular modeling techniques were used to generate an all-atom molecular model of a receptor binding site starting only from Ca atom coordinates. The model consists of 48 noncontiguous residues of the non-nucleoside binding site of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and was generated using a congeneric series of nevirapine analogs as structural probes. On the basis of the receptor-ligand atom contacts, the program HINT was used to develop a 3D quantitative structure activity relationship that predicted the rank order of binding affinities for the series of inhibitors. Electronic profiles of the ligands in their docked conformations were characterized using electrostatic potential maps and frontier orbital calculations. These results led to the development of a 3D stereoelectronic pharmacophore which was used to construct 3D queries for database searches. A search of the National Cancer Institute's open database identified a lead compound that exhibited moderate antiviral activity.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed2003

The inhibitory action of pyrrolidine alkaloid, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol, on eukaryotic DNA polymerases.

The pyrrolidine alkaloids mimicking the structures of pentose with nitrogen in the ring are known to be inhibitors of glycosidases. We report here that a compound belonging to this category is an inhibitor of eukaryotic DNA polymerases. Among the eight naturally occurring pyrrolidine alkaloids we tested, only one compound, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol (DRB), which was purified from the mulberry tree (Morus alba), strongly inhibited the activities of eukaryotic DNA polymerases with IC50 values of 21-35 microM, and had almost no effect on the activities of prokaryotic DNA polymerases, nor DNA metabolic enzymes such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase, T7 RNA polymerase, and bovine deoxyribonuclease I. Kinetic studies showed that inhibition of both DNA polymerases alpha and beta by DRB was competitive with respect to dNTP substrate. Whereas DNA polymerase alpha inhibition was noncompetitive with the template-primer, the inhibition of DNA polymerase beta was found to be competitive with the template-primer. The K(i) values of DNA polymerases alpha and beta for the template-primer were smaller than those for dNTP substrate. Therefore, the affinity of DRB was suggested to be higher at the template-primer binding site than at the dNTP substrate-binding site, although DRB is an analogue of deoxyribose consisting of dNTP. Computational analyses of the eight pyrrolidine alkaloids revealed a remarkable difference in the distribution of positive and negative electrostatic charges on the surface of molecules. The relationship between the structure of DRB and the inhibition of eukaryotic DNA polymerases is discussed.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed1991

Application of free-energy decomposition to determine the relative stability of R and S oligodeoxyribonucleotide methylphosphonates.

The stereoselective stability of oligodeoxyribonucleotide methylphosphonates is examined using free-energy computer simulations. These modified phosphate linkages have the potential to be important antisense therapeutics that can be targeted on specific sequences of single- and double-stranded DNA, as well as crucial RNA messages. The stability of hybrid duplexes that contain these modified linkages is known experimentally to depend on the configuration of the chiral phosphonate center. Free-energy decomposition calculations were performed on three DNA oligomers to determine the origin of the structural interactions and physical properties that influence the relative stability of R and S methylphosphonate diastereomers. The strategy applied used free-energy decomposition methods to evaluate the free-energy contributions from selected groups. The results indicated that only three groups have a steric effect on the stability: the C2' and C3' substituents on the S diastereomer (5' side) and the C5' substituents on the R diastereomer (3' side). The balance considerably favors the R configuration in all the isomers studied and is not sequence dependent. The electrostatic effects were much more variable and were shown to be dependent on the conformation of duplex. The solvent interactions, however, were consistent and contributed favorably to the stability of the R over the S diastereomer. This favorable solvation energy for the R diastereomer was surprising (since the methyl group is more solvent exposed in this configuration) and was further supported by ab initio and associated free-energy calculations. This study concludes that oligonucleotides containing R-methylphosphonate linkages will normally form more stable duplexes than the corresponding S diastereomer irrespective of sequence, but also points that conformational changes may allow for a reversal in stability.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Molecular characterization of monoclonal anti-steroid antibodies: primary structures of the variable regions of seven antibodies specific for 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone or 11-deoxycortisol and their pH-reactivity profiles.

The variable region nucleotide sequences of seven monoclonal anti-steroid antibodies that are specific for the closely related progesterone derivative, 11-deoxycortisol or 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), have been determined by genomic cloning and DNA-sequencing or by direct mRNA-sequencing. As for their heavy chain variable regions, the nucleotide sequences of the SCET.M8.1 (SCET) and OHP 4B2.2.1 (4B2) antibodies were classified into the VH-9 family, while OHP 7D7.2.3 (7D7), 1E9.3.1 (1E9), 57.G6.1 (57) and 138.H8.1 (138) used VH-3 family genes. OHP 101.B11.1 (101) used a gene of the VH-1 family. For their light chain variable regions, SCET and 57 used VK-28 group genes, while 4B2, 7D7, 1E9, 101 and 138 antibodies used genes of the VK-21 subgroups (21A, 21B or 21C). All of the antibodies used different combinations of genes in the VH families and VK groups or subgroups. This indicates that the antibody response against the steroid hapten, 17-OHP, is fairly polyclonal, and several VH/VL combinations show high affinity for progesterone-related steroids. Although the primary structures of hypervariable loop regions of the mAbs were relatively diverse, generally, hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids were rich in these regions. Moreover, the length of heavy chain CDR3 was constant in all the antibodies investigated in this paper as well as the previously reported anti-progesterone monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This suggests that the length of VH CDR3 in these mAbs has a considerable influence on the formation of antigen-combining pockets. The pH-reactivity profiles for the anti-17-OHP mAbs indicated that the the steroid-mAb binding was independent of pH between pH 4 and 11 in most of the mAbs. The results suggest that the steroid-mAb interactions are not largely affected by the electrostatic environments near the combining sites of these mAbs. Taken together, these data imply that the shape of hydrophobic depressions in the combining sites is important for the binding of relatively large, hydrophobic and rigid haptens like steroids.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗