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[Functional and evolutionary aspects of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases].

A main event in protein bioshynthesis is the esterification of the correct aminoacid to cognate tRNA catalized by the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The central role of this family of enzymes in metabolism is an evidence of their ancient origin. As it is the case in many others molecules involved in protein synthesis, the emergence of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases appears to be a problem that is not yet solved in order to understand the origin of the genetic translation. To obtain a comprehensive view of the evolution of the relationship between each one of the twenty aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from one organism as well as from different sources (eubacteria, archaebacteria and eukaryotes) we review the information collected from the structural and catalytic properties of these enzyme. The results allow us to establish the following relationship between aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. On one side there is a monofiletic origin for glutamyl, glutamynil and argynil-tRNA synthetases from Escherichia coli and for valyl, leucyl, metionyl, isoleucyl and phenylalanil-tRNA synthetases from eubacterias, archaebacterias and eukaryotes. On the other side there is an evolutionary relationship between aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases of eubacteria and organelles (plastids and mitochondria) and among eukaryotes and archaebacteria.

Amino Acid Sequence

The primary structure of a halorhodopsin from Natronobacterium pharaonis. Structural, functional and evolutionary implications for bacterial rhodopsins and halorhodopsins.

We cloned and sequenced the gene coding for the polypeptide of a halorhodopsin in Natronobacterium pharaonis (named here pharaonis halorhodopsin). Peptide sequencing of cyanogen bromide fragments, and immunoreactions of the protein and synthetic peptides derived from the COOH-terminal gene sequence, confirmed that the open reading frame is the structural gene for the pharaonis halorhodopsin polypeptide. The flanking DNA sequences, as well as those for other bacterial rhodopsins, were compared to previously proposed archaebacterial consensus sequences. In pairwise comparisons of the open reading frame with DNA sequences for bacterio-opsin and halo-opsin from Halobacterium halobium, silent divergences (mutations/nucleotide at codon positions which do not result in amino acid changes) were calculated. These indicate very considerable evolutionary distance between each pair of genes. In spite of this, the three protein sequences show extensive similarities, indicating strong selective pressures. Conserved and conservatively replaced amino acid residues in all three proteins identify general features essential for ion-motive bacterial rhodopsins, responsible for overall structure and chromophore properties. Comparison of the bacteriorhodopsin sequence with those of the two halorhodopsins, on the other hand, identifies features involved in their specific (proton and chloride ion) transport functions.

Amino Acid Sequence

Thyroid hormones regulate rat thyrotropin beta gene promoter activity expressed in GH3 cells.

Thyroid hormones suppress the synthesis of TSH in part by decreasing the rate of alpha and TSH beta gene transcription. Cis-acting DNA sequences present in the rat TSH beta subunit gene that are induced in transcriptional regulation by thyroid hormone have been identified by deletion-mutation and transient expression studies. Plasmid expression vectors were constructed including 2900, 900, 204, 77, 17 base pairs (bp) of 5'-flanking sequence and exon (5'-untranslated sequence, transcriptional start sites) fused to the coding region of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. The transfected chimaeric plasmids demonstrated expression (with TSH beta DNA sequences in the 5'- to -3'-but not 3'- to -5'-orientation) in both a clonal pituitary cell line, GH3, and primary pituitary cell cultures, both of which are responsive to thyroid hormones. T3 (10(-11) M to 10(-7) M) treatment of transfected cells produced a dose-dependent decrease in CAT expression with a maximal 70% decrease at 10(-8) M. While a decrease in the basal level of expression was noted with progressive removal of both 5'-flanking and intronic sequences adjacent to exon 1, the fold-decrease in response to T3 was equivalent even in the 57 bp construct. In contrast, T3 had no effect on CAT expression directed by the promoter of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. Thus, the rat TSH beta gene 5'-flanking region can direct heterologous gene expression in GH3 cells and contains sequences which have properties of a putative cis-active T3 responsive regulatory element(s).2+he

Animals

Cloning and structure of the gene for the subunits of aspartokinase II from Bacillus subtilis.

A library of Bacillus subtilis DNA in lambda Charon 4A (Ferrari, E., Henner, D.J., and Hoch, J.A. (1981) J. Bacteriol. 146, 430-432) was screened by an immunological procedure for DNA sequences encoding aspartokinase II of B. subtilis, an enzyme composed of two nonidentical subunits arranged in an alpha 2 beta 2 structure (Moir, D., and Paulus, H. (1977a) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 4648-4654). A recombinant bacteriophage was identified that harbored an 18-kilobase B. subtilis DNA fragment containing the coding sequences for both aspartokinase subunits. The coding sequence for aspartokinase II was subcloned into bacterial plasmids. In response to transformation with the recombinant plasmids, Escherichia coli produced two polypeptides immunologically related to B. subtilis aspartokinase II with molecular weights (43,000 and 17,000) indistinguishable from those found in enzyme produced in B. subtilis. Peptide mapping by partial proteolysis confirmed the identity of the polypeptides produced by the transformed E. coli cells with the B. subtilis aspartokinase II subunits. The size of the cloned B. subtilis DNA fragment could be reduced to 2.9 kilobases by cleavage with PstI restriction endonuclease without affecting its ability to direct the synthesis of complete aspartokinase II subunits, irrespective of its orientation in the plasmid vector. Further subdivision by cleavage with BamHI restriction endonuclease resulted in the production of truncated aspartokinase subunits, each shortened by the same extent. This suggested that a single DNA sequence encoded both aspartokinase subunits and provided an explanation for the earlier observation that the smaller beta subunit of aspartokinase II was highly homologous or identical with the carboxyl-terminal portion of the alpha subunit (Moir, D., and Paulus, H. (1977b) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 4655-4661). A map of the gene for B. subtilis aspartokinase II is proposed in which the coding sequence for the smaller beta subunit overlaps in the same reading frame the promoter-distal portion of the coding sequence for the alpha subunit.

Antigen-Antibody Complex

Cloning of the Vibrio harveyi luciferase genes: use of a synthetic oligonucleotide probe.

A mixed-sequence synthetic oligonucleotide probe was used to isolate a clone containing the gene encoding the alpha subunit of bacterial luciferase from Vibrio harveyi and part of the gene coding for the beta subunit. DNA sequence analysis has allowed us to determine that the genes are closely linked on the bacterial chromosome and transcribed in the same direction. Comparison of the sequences in the regions preceding the two structural genes has revealed considerable homology and has identified sites that may be involved in the expression of the genes. Identification of a clone from a clone bank of total genomic DNA from this organism shows that mixed probes can be successfully used to isolate a gene of interest from any bacterium provided some protein sequence for the gene product is available.

Amino Acid Sequence

Introduction and expression of the bacterial genes cysE and cysK in eukaryotic cells.

The coding sequences of the cysE and cysK genes from Escherichia coli, which encode the enzymes of the cysteine biosynthetic pathway, namely, serine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.30) and O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase (or cysteine synthase [EC 4.2.99.8]), were modified for expression in eukaryotic cells and introduced into murine L cells. A number of fusion genes comprising the cysE or cysK coding sequences joined to the promoter of the ovine metallothionein-Ia (MT-Ia) gene and various portions of the ovine growth hormone (GH) gene were prepared. Significant differences in the level of transcription were observed, depending on the amount and arrangement of the GH gene sequences used, the highest levels being obtained with the constructs MTCE10 and MTCK7, which contained only the GH 3' untranslated gene sequences. These two constructs were fused to produce the gene MTCEK1. In this single DNA sequence, each bacterial gene is under independent MT-Ia promoter control. Expression of the cysK sequence in this construct (MT-Ia promoter-cysE-3' GH sequence-MT-Ia promoter-cysK-3' GH sequence) was elevated compared with expression of the cysK gene in MTCK7. However, expression of the cysE sequence in MTCEK1 was only 40% of that of the cysE gene cloned into MTCE10. The double-promoter configuration, which enhances the expression of the second gene in MTCEK1, is proposed as a model for the modification of bacterial genes in general.

Acetyltransferases

The meta cleavage operon of TOL degradative plasmid pWW0 comprises 13 genes.

The meta-cleavage operon of TOL plasmid pWW0 of Pseudomonas putida encodes a set of enzymes which transform benzoate/toluates to Krebs cycle intermediates via extradiol (meta-) cleavage of (methyl)catechol. The genetic organization of the operon was characterized by cloning of the meta-cleavage genes into an expression vector and identification of their products in Escherichia coli maxicells. This analysis showed that the meta-cleavage operon contains 13 genes whose order and products (in kilodaltons) are xylX(57)-xylY(20)-xylZ(39)-xylL(28)-xylT(1 2)-xylE(36)-xylG(60)-xylF(34)- xylJ(28)-xylQ(42)-xylK(39)-xylI(29)-xylH(4 ). The xylXYZ genes encode three subunits of toluate 1,2-dioxygenase. The xylL, xylE, xylG, xylF, xylJ, xylK, xylI, and xylH genes encode 1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1-carboxylate dehydrogenase, catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase, 2-oxopent-4-enoate hydratase, 4-hydroxy-2-oxovalerate aldolase, 4-oxalocrotonate decarboxylase and 4-oxaloccotonate tautomerase, respectively. The functions of xylT and xylQ are not known at present. The comparison of the coding capacity and the sizes of the products of the meta-cleavage operon genes indicated that most of the DNA between xylX and xylH consists of coding sequences.

Bacterial Proteins

Molecular characterization of the extracellular poly(3-hydroxyoctanoic acid) [P(3HO)] depolymerase gene of Pseudomonas fluorescens GK13 and of its gene product.

phaZPfi, the gene encoding the extracellular poly(3-hydroxyoctanoic acid) depolymerase of Pseudomonas fluorescens GK13, was cloned, sequenced, and characterized. It comprises 837 bp and is transcribed as a monocistronic message of about 950 bp from a putative sigma 70-like promoter 32 bp upstream of the ATG start codon. The deduced protein of 278 amino acids reveals a typical leader peptide at its N terminus. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the mature depolymerase started with Ala-23, whereas the mature enzyme purified from P. fluorescens GK13 started with both Leu-34 and Arg-35 determining proteins of 26,687 and 26,573 Da, respectively. The depolymerase is a strongly hydrophobic protein and includes the lipase consensus sequence Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly, which is known for serine hydrolases. Replacement of the central residue, Ser-172, in the corresponding sequence (Gly-Ile-Ser-Ser-Gly) of PhaZPfl with alanine resulted in complete loss of enzyme activity, indicating that the poly(3-hydroxyoctanoic acid) depolymerase belongs to the family of serine hydrolases.

Amino Acid Sequence

Yolk polypeptide gene expression in cultured Drosophila cells.

The transfer of chimaeric plasmids to Drosophila melanogaster cell lines has been examined as a system for investigation of the hormonal regulation of the genes coding for D. melanogaster yolk polypeptide 1 (YP1) and Locusta migratoria vitellogenin B (VgB). Constructs containing promoters and putative 5'-regulatory sequences from these genes, ligated to bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) coding DNA, were transfected into Drosophila Kc (Kc-H) and S3 cells, and transient expression of CAT was assayed. Activity was expressed both from the homologous promoter of pYP1CAT and from the heterologous locust promoter of pVgCAT at comparable levels. In S3 cells, with calcium phosphate-mediated transfer of pYP1CAT there was a twofold induction of CAT activity after the addition of 10(-6) M ecdysterone, but no hormonal stimulation was noted when the polycation polybrene was used to achieve transfection. For Kc cells, calcium phosphate was ineffective for transfection, and after transfection with polybrene neither pYP1CAT nor pVgCAT was induced by the juvenile hormone (JH) analog methoprene. It is concluded that S3 cells may be useful for investigating the molecular basis of gene regulation by ecdysteroids, but conditions suitable for the analysis of JH action have not yet been established.

Animals

Regulated expression of foreign genes in mammalian cells under the control of coliphage T3 RNA polymerase and lac repressor.

Systems that stringently regulate the expression of individual genes within a complex genetic background have contributed greatly to the analysis of gene function. In this report the development of a highly regulated expression system in mammalian cells is described in which transcription of a foreign gene is mediated by the bacteriophage T3 RNA polymerase under the control of the Escherichia coli lac repressor. Rabbit kidney cell lines have been established that constitutively express the phage RNA polymerase and lac repressor. The two bacterial proteins regulate the transcription of the coding sequence of the firefly luciferase, which has been placed under the control of a T3 promoter/lac operator fusion. In the presence of the inducer isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactoside, efficient T3 polymerase-dependent transcription is observed, which is tightly repressed in the absence of inducer. Translation of the T3 transcripts can be mediated by vaccinia virus functions. The demonstration that a specific transcription activity can be regulated over a range of several orders of magnitude in higher eukaryotic cells by using a highly specific and nontoxic inducer has broad implications for a variety of studies.

Animals

Specific truncations of an acetolactate synthase gene from Brassica napus efficiently complement ilvB/ilvG mutants of Salmonella typhimurium.

The expression of an acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene isolated from the cruciferous plant Brassica napus was investigated in Salmonella typhimurium. Using an expression plasmid containing the highly active trc (trp-lac) promoter, several plant ALS constructs were made containing successive in-frame truncations from the 5' end of the coding region. Functional complementation by these plant ALS constructs of a S. typhimurium mutant devoid of ALS enzymic activity was assayed on minimal medium. Truncations which eliminated a large portion of the transit peptide coding sequence proved to act as efficient ALS genes in the bacterial host. Truncations close to the putative processing site of the plant protein were inactive in the complementation test. A full length copy of the gene, including the entire transit peptide coding region, was also inactive. The efficiency of the complementation, estimated by comparison to the growth rate of wild-type S. typhimurium, was found to correlate with levels of ALS activity in the transformed bacteria. Specific mutations, known to produce herbicide resistance in plants, were introduced into the truncated ALS coding sequence by site-directed mutagenesis. When expressed in bacteria these constructs conferred a herbicide resistance phenotype on the host. The potential of this system for mutagenesis and enzymological studies of plant proteins is discussed.

Acetolactate Synthase

Exploring the microtubule-binding region of bovine microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2): cDNA sequencing, bacterial expression, and site-directed mutagenesis.

A 1.1 kilobase fragment of bovine microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) cDNA coding for bovine MAP-2 microtubule-binding region (MTBR) was sequenced. Relative to mouse, rat, and human MAP-2, we observed striking preservation of primary structure, even beyond the sequence and spacing of the three nonidentical peptide repeats responsible for microtubule-binding interactions. For further analysis of microtubule-MAP interactions using site-directed mutagenesis, we developed a bacterial expression system coding for the MT-binding fragment of MAP-2 starting at the thrombin cleavage site (position 1629) and continuing to the C-terminus. This MT-binding fragment was purified to homogeneity by taking advantage of the unusual heat-stability and isoelectric properties of this cytomatrix component. We found that the MT-binding domain readily promoted tubulin polymerization, and the critical tubulin concentration was reduced in the presence of this recombinant protein. Because a second repeated sequence analogue can promote tubulin polymerization as well as displace the MT-binding region of MAP-2, this study was designed to learn more about the importance of each repeated sequence in MT binding. Accordingly, we mutated the first and third sequences to resemble the second repeated sequence, thereby generating the mutants designed m12-m2-m3, m1-m32, and m12-m2-m32. These recombinant proteins bound with an affinity comparable to or slightly better than equal concentrations of wild-type MT-binding fragment. Likewise, when the first or third sequence was replaced by an exact copy of the second octadecapeptide repeat, there was little, if any, increase in binding affinity, as reflected in the ability of mutant MT-binding fragments to promote tubulin polymerization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence

Selenocysteine: the 21st amino acid.

Great excitement was elicited in the field of selenium biochemistry in 1986 by the parallel discoveries that the genes encoding the selenoproteins glutathione peroxidase and bacterial formate dehydrogenase each contain an in-frame TGA codon within their coding sequence. We now know that this codon directs the incorporation of selenium, in the form of selenocysteine, into these proteins. Working with the bacterial system has led to a rapid increase in our knowledge of selenocysteine biosynthesis and to the exciting discovery that this system can now be regarded as an expansion of the genetic code. The prerequisites for such a definition are co-translational insertion into the polypeptide chain and the occurrence of a tRNA molecule which carries selenocysteine. Both of these criteria are fulfilled and, moreover, tRNASec even has its own special translation factor which delivers it to the translating ribosome. It is the aim of this article to review the events leading to the elucidation of selenocysteine as being the 21st amino acid.

Bacterial Proteins

The Streptomyces coelicolor glnR gene encodes a protein similar to other bacterial response regulators.

The Streptomyces coelicolor glnR gene positively regulates the transcription of the glutamine synthetase-encoding glnA gene. The nucleotide sequence of a 1682-bp DNA segment containing glnR was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the GlnR protein was found to be similar to the sequence of several bacterial response regulators that are known to function as transcriptional activators. Primer extension analysis of glnR mRNA identified three transcriptional start points (tsp) upstream from the glnR coding sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence

The alpha 2 cDNA sequence of human haptoglobin carries a bacterial promoter functional in vivo.

Various constructions of human haptoglobin (Hp) cDNA coding either for the complete alpha 2FS beta precursor protein or only for the beta subunit have been placed under the control of the lambda PR promoter in the bacterial expression vector pCQV2 (Queen, 1983). In addition to the expected 45,000 dalton polypeptide synthesized after induction of the PR promoter, the complete alpha 2FS beta constructions constitutively express a smaller polypeptide of approximately 30,000 dalton corresponding to a truncated Hp protein. Computer analysis of the HpcDNA revealed the presence of two strong potential bacterial promoters (alpha 2 PF and alpha 2 PS) located in the duplicated alpha 2FS sequence. Both Hp promoter signals are followed by potential mRNA start sites and ribosome binding sites at a compatible distance from initiation codons. In addition, the Hp alpha 2 cDNA sequence, when fused upstream to the cDNA coding for alpha 1-antitrypsin, constitutively promotes in vivo the efficient expression of an hybrid protein specifically recognized by antibodies raised against alpha 1-antitrypsin or haptoglobin.

Cloning, Molecular

Enhancement of serine-sensitivity by a gene encoding rhodanese-like protein in Escherichia coli.

When cells of Escherichia coli are grown on lactate (or other carbon sources), an addition of serine to the medium causes growth inhibition. This growth inhibition is caused by inhibition by serine of homoserine dehydrogenase I, which is involved in threonine-isoleucine biosynthesis [Hama, H., Sumita, Y., Kakutani, Y., Tsuda, M., & Tsuchiya, T. (1990) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 168, 1211-1216]. We have cloned and sequenced genes which enhance the serine-sensitivity. Two open reading frames were found and designated as sseA and sseB. Introduction of either sseA or sseB gene, or both, into E. coli cells enhanced the serine-sensitivity. The sseA gene elicited stronger enhancement than sseB. The deduced amino acid sequence of SseA showed considerable similarity with that of bovine liver rhodanese, which catalyzes sulfur transfer from thiosulfate. We observed a twofold increase in rhodanese activity in E. coli cells harboring a plasmid carrying the sseA gene. The position of sseA in the genetic map is around 52'. However, sseA is different from cysM, which codes for O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase-B, an enzyme catalyzing sulfur transfer from thiosulfate to O-acetylserine, the map position of which is also around 52'.

Amino Acid Sequence