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Acid proteases from species of Mucor. III. Interaction with concanavalin A and concanavalin A Sepharose.

The reaction of Mucor miehei protease with concanavalin A was followed by a turbidimetric assay in the pH range 5-8. At pH 4.0, no turbidity developed but binding of the enzyme to concanavalin A could be demonstrated by gel filtration. Two fractions of apparent molecular weight 65000 and 52000 were isolated, the 65000 molecular weight species apparently representing a protomer of concanavalin A (24000) bound to the enzyme. An analysis of the circular dichroism spectrum of this complex suggested that protomer binding results in a conformational change in the enzyme which is associated with a 30% increase in proteolytic activity. At pH 6.0, the enzyme was strongly bound to columns of concanavalin A Sepharose but could be removed by including alpha-methyl D-glucoside and NaC1 in the elution buffer. Some column degradation occurred at room temperature but was not detectable at 4 degrees C where rapid elution of the enzyme resulted in a greater than 90% yield of highly active protein. Periodate-oxidized Mucor miehei protease and Mucor renin did not react with concanavalin A and were not bound to the affinity column.

Binding Sites

A quantitative assay for concanavalin A- and Ricinus communis agglutinin-mediated agglutinations of rat ascites hepatoma cells. Relationship between concanavalin A binding and cell agglutination.

A simple quantitative assay method was developed for the agglutination of rat ascites hepatoma cells mediated by Concanavalin A or Ricinus communis agglutinin. This method was based on the principle that the turbidity of a cell suspension is proportional to the sum of the cross-sectional area of cells and aggregatesmas predicted by the theoretical consideration, the turbidity decreased when cells were aggregated and the decrease was a function of the average number of the cells in aggregates. The agglutinability of the cells, judged by this method, showed a maximum value at a certain concentration of the agglutinin. By further addition of the agglutinin, the agglutinability slightly decreased from the maximum. These phenomena were observed both for Concanavalin A and Ricinus communis agglutinin. The binding and the agglutination experiments using [3-H]concanavalin A revealed that the binding to approx;0% of the total receptors caused a maximal agglutination. This suggested that the receptors responsible for the agglutination constitute only a small part of the total receptors on the surface.

Agglutination Tests

Inhibition of intercellular adhesion by concanavalin A is associated with concanavalin A-mediated redistribution of surface receptors.

The inhibition of adhesion between aggregates and layers of embryonic retinal cells by concanavalin A (Con A) and Con A-mediated rearrangements of Con A receptors on retinal cells were studied. A short incubation of aggregates and layers with 10 micrograms/ml Con A substantially reduced aggregate-to-layer adhesion in a subsequent assay without soluble lectin present. This effect of Con A was dose-dependent, temperature-sensitive, involved events subsequent to Con A binding, and was reduced by cytochalasin B. The inhibition produced by succinylated Con A was substantially increased by incubation with antibody to Con A. Visualization of ConA- receptor complexes by fluorescence microscopy revealed that binding of Con A induced clearing of Con A receptors from filopodia, flattened regions of growth cones, and the edges of axons. This clearing reaction was prevented by the same agents that reduced Con A's inhibition of cell adhesion: low temperature, succinylation of Con A, or cytochalasin B. Aggregate-layer adhesion was restored by releasing Con A at 37 degrees C. Inhibitors of protein and ATP synthesis did not prevent recovery of ability to make adhesions. However, release of Con A at lowered temperatures did not prevent recovery. The results suggest that intercellular adhesion is inhibited by events associated with redistribution of Con A-receptor complexes on retinal cells.

Azides

Photoaffinity labeling of concanavalin A. Preparation of a concanavalin A derivative with reduced valence.

Concanavalin A (Con A) was labeled with p-azidophenyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside under ultraviolet irradiation and the reaction products were separated by affinity chromatography on Sephadex G-100 at pH 5. One of the Con A derivatives thus obtained was characterized as a monovalent dimer at pH 5 and a divalent tetramer at pH 7 by sedimentation equilibrium and equilibrium dialysis, indicating that this photoaffinity labeling did not alter the quaternary structure of Con A. In agreement with these results, the labeled Con A did not show the capacity to precipitate glycogen at pH 5, but it formed precipitates with glycogen at pH 7. Although its hemagglutinating activity was found to be weaker than that of the native Con A, the dose-response cure of the labeled Con A in the mitogenic stimulation of human peripheral lymphocytes was almost identical to that of the native con A.

Affinity Labels

Effects of concanavalin A-induced cells on the proliferative response of T cells. Concanavalin A-induced suppressor and amplifier cells to the proliferative response of human T cells to trinitrophenyl-modified autologous lymphocytes.

Effects of Con A-induced human mononuclear cells on the proliferative response of peripheral T cells were examined by using TNP-modified autologous lymphocytes as stimulator cells. Cells induced by incubation with Con A contained both suppressor cells and amplifier cells. The former were induced from nylon wool-nonadherent T cells and these precursor cells were sensitive to mitomycin treatment. On the other hand, amplifier precursor cells were nylon wool-nonadherent T cells and were resistant to mitomycin treatment. Cell proliferation was required for the induction of suppressor cells but not for the induction of amplifier cells. Con A-induced suppressor effector cells were both nylon wool-adherent and nonadherent cells, on the contrary, Con A-induced amplifier effector cells were nonadherent cells. A small number of macrophages enhanced the suppressive activity of nonadherent T cells when added at the induction phase of suppressor T cells.

Cell Adhesion

Relationship of prolactin receptors to concanavalin A binding.

Concanavalin A, which binds to specific carbohydrate determinants on the cell surface, was used to investigate the binding of prolactin to its receptors in liver membranes from female rats. The binding of 125I-labeled ovine prolactin to receptors was sharply inhibited by concanavalin A. This effect was reversed by the competitive sugar alpha-methyl-D-mannopyranoside and thus required the presence of specifically bound lectin. Concentrations of concanavalin A of up to 50 mu/ml caused a progressive decrease in the apparent affinity of the prolactin receptor for hormone. When higher concentrations were used, the number of available binding sites decreased. Concanavalin A-resistant receptors, about 30% of the total, had the same dissociation constant (Kd) as the controls. The binding of 125I-labeled concanavalin A in the same membrane preparations showed the presence of two distinct types of concanavalin A binding. At low concentrations, the lectin bound with high affinity (Kd approximately equal to 6.6 . 10(-8) M. At high lectin concentrations, low affinity (Kd approximately equal to 6.7 . 10(-5) M) binding predominated. Since high affinity concanavalin A binding was saturated at 50 microgram/ml, this class of binding most likely alters the affinity of the prolactin receptor for hormone; low affinity concanavalin A binding may mask prolactin receptors, making them inaccessible to the hormone. Binding sites for concanavalin A and prolactin appear to be independent but closely related since (i) concanavalin A did not displace bound prolactin from its receptor, and (ii) detergent-solubilized 125I-labeled prolactin-receptor complexes bound to concanavalin A-Sepharose and were eluted by alpha-methyl-D-mannopyranoside.

Animals

Effect of concanavalin A on tyrosine aminotransferase in rat hepatoma tissue culture cells. Rapid reversible inactivation of soluble enzyme.

Concanavalin A added to intact cells at 37 degrees caused rapid and reversible inactivation of a soluble enzyme, tyrosine aminotransferase, in two lines of rat hepatoma tissue culture cells grown in monolayer culture. This temperature-dependent process was independent of de novo protein and RNA synthesis and independent of increased uptake of Ca2+ and Mg2+ or glucose. The inactivation could be reversed by adding alpha-methyl-D-mannopyranoside a competing sugar for concanavalin A binding. Other lectins known to bind to different sugars did not bring about the inactivation of tyrosine aminotransferase. Addition of concanavalin A did not result in the inactivation of another soluble enzyme, lactic dehydrogenase. The maintenance of tyrosine aminotransferase in an inactive form after the binding of concanavalin A to the cells required the continued presence of concanavalin A. This effect of concanavalin A could not be mimicked either by dibutyryl cyclic adenosine or guanosine monophosphoric acid. Incubation of cell extracts with concanavalin A did not result in inactivation nor did mixing of extracts from concanavalin A-treated cells with extracts from untreated cells. On the basis of these results we conclude that the following are the essential requirements for concanavalin A to bring about the inactivation of tyrosine aminotransferase: (a) the binding of native concanavalin A to the cells; (b) integrity of certain structural elements of the cells.

Alanine Transaminase

The luminescence properties of concanavalin A.

1. The luminescence properties of native concanavalin A, both at room temperature and at 77 degrees K, are similar to those of other proteins containing tyrosine and tryptophan. 2. Binding of methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside to concanavalin A causes a slight reduction of its fluorescence at room temperature. 3. Removal of Mn2+ and Ca2+ ions from concanavalin A causes a small increase in its fluoresence. The fluorescence: phosphorescence ratio and phosphorescence lifetime of apo-concanavalin A are similar to those of tryptophan. 4. Denaturation of concanavalin A by urea and by guanidine hydrochloride apparently takes place in two stages. Apo-concanavalin A is more easily denatured than the native molecule, but concavalin A combined with methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside is more resistant to denaturation. 5. The luminescence properties of concanavalin A are pH-dependent. 6. The results have been interpreted in terms of the known structure and properties of concanavalin A.

Apoproteins

Colchicine affects kinetics of concanavalin a-mediated agglutination of hepatoma cells and plasma membranes from liver and hepatoma cells.

Concanavalin A-mediated agglutination reactions of hepatoma cells [AH-130F(N)] and isolated liver cells, as well as of plasma membranes prepared from the liver and hepatoma, were investigated kinetically together with the effect of colchicine upon them. Concanavalin A-mediated agglutination of hepatoma cells at 25 degrees proceeded with biphasic kinetics (first and second stages of agglutination), while no appreciable agglutination of liver cells was observed in the presence of concanavalin A. The plasma membranes from the liver and hepatoma cells were similarly agglutinated with concanavalin A at 25 degrees but not at 0 degrees. The concanavalin A-mediated membrane agglutination proceeded with monophasic kinetics and was incomplete. Colchicine inhibited preferentially the second stage of concanavalin A-mediated agglutination of hepatoma cells, but it did not affect the concanavalin A-mediated agglutination of plasma membranes of both types of cells.

Agglutination

Markers to distinguish normal and neoplastic mammary epithelial cells in vitro: comparison of saturation density, morphology and concanavalin A reactivity.

Normal and premalignant mouse mammary epithelial cells can be prepared in high yields by collagenase dissociation of minced glands followed by a brief, differential centrifugation to remove contaminating fibroblasts and fat cells. The major difficulties in preparing pure cultures in quantity are 1) incomplete dissociation of gland material, and 2) cell death during enzymatic digestion. These problems are eliminated by careful selection of collagenases for dissociation. Normal and premalignant mammary epithelial cells are morphologically indistinguishable from malignant mouse mammary epithelial cells in primary monolayer cultures. In addition, the growth rates and saturation densities achieved by normal mammary epithelial cells are indistinguishable from those of malignant mammary epithelial cells in primary culture. In both cases, a monolayer of cells is preserved with no evidence of focal overgrowth. Malignant adenocarcinoma mammary cells can however be distinguished from normal mammary epithelial cells by virtue of differences in their surface interactions with concanavalin A. A hemadsorption assay using Con-A-coated erythrocytes was the most sensitive indicator for these differences. In hemadsorption assays malignant mammary epithelial cells were half-maximally reactive with 2.5 mug/ml concanavalin A, while normal cells were completely unreactive even at concanavalin A concentrations five-times higher. Premalignant mammary epithelial cells were as reactive as malignant mammary epithelial cells in the hemadsorption assays. Hemadsorption of malignant cells was observed in primary and secondary cultures of epithelium as well as in cell lines. Malignant cells forming mammary adenocarcinomas were as highly reactive as malignant cells forming scirrhous carcinomas. Malignant cells not releasing mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) were as reactive as cells releasing that virus. Adsorption of concanavalin-A-coated erythrocytes to normal mammary epithelial cells could be induced by brief treatment of cell monolayers with hyaluronidase. Exposure of active sites was not affected with either trypsin or collagenase. Our results show that while the growth of malignant cells does not serve to distinguish them from normal cells in monolayer culture, surface changes do exist which can be identified by differences in concanavalin A reactivity. Since the earliest transformants identifiable in vivo (premalignant) have undergone conversion of the surface marker, concanavalin-A-mediated hemadsorption provides a sensitive measure for mammary epithelial cell transformants in vitro.

Animals

An analysis of concanavalin A-mediated agglutination in two Chinese hamster ovary subclones whose surface phenotypes respond to maintenance in medium supplemented with dibutyryl cyclic AMP. V. Biochemical composition of the plasma membrane.

We have used two Chinese hamster ovary subclones whose surface phenotype has been extensively investigated with regard concanavalin A-mediated cell-cell agglutination and concanavalin A-induced receptor site clustering to investigate what changes in membrane composition, if any, can be correlated with the concanavalin A-detected changes in surface phenotype. These cell clones are uniquely disposed for this purpose since maintenance of the cells under different growth conditions produces changes in agglutinability and receptor site mobility in one cell clone (H-7W) but not the other (K-1). After extensive characterization of the surface membranes of these two subclones we have been unable to identify any change in the membrane peptides, glycopeptide, cholesterol, or fatty acid composition which can be directly correlated with the concanavalin A-detected surface phenotypes. It is of particular interest to note that we have been unable to correlate the presence or absence of the large external transformation-sensitive glycoprotein with the relative mobility of the lectin receptors or with the degree of concanavalin A-mediated cell agglutination. Furthermore we have been unable, in this system, to corroborate earlier data suggesting a role for cholesterol in determining the relative mobility of the lectin receptors. Thus using a cell system consisting of genetically matched cell clones, we have been unable to identify any changes in the biochemical composition of the plasma membrane which might be associated with the surface phenotypes detected by concanavalin A.

Agglutination

Binding of Concanavalin A and its effect on the differentiation of Dictyostelium Discoideum.

Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae have two classes of binding sites for concanavalin A, one accessible to a competitive inhibitor of concanavalin A binding and one inaccessible. Uptake of concanavalin A occurs and is associated with a transfer from accessible to inaccessible binding sites. Low amounts of concanavalin A bound to cells produce a slight stimulation of differentiation, and this is associated with an increase in production of phosphodiesterase. Above a critical amount of concanavalin A bound, cell differentiation and phosphodiesterase production are inhibited. The relationship of concanavalin A-induced membrane changes to cell differentation is discussed.

Acetylglucosaminidase

Histochemical differentiation of complex carbohydrates with variants of the concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase method.

Various treatments carried out prior to the concanavalin A-horseradish perioxidase (HRP) method have been found to affect the staining and have permitted differentiation of three main classes of complex carbohydrates in the rat alimentary tract. Class I mucosubstances lose and class II and III paradoxically gain concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase reactivity after periodate oxidation. Class II mucosubstances lose whereas class III retain or increase their reactivity with a reduction step interposed between oxidation and concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase staining. Mucous neck cells, pyloric glands, Brunner's glands and mast cells exhibit strong class III staining, whereas other sites such as intestinal goblet and salivary gland acini differ widely in their type of staining. Liver glycogen stains like mucosubstances in an unstable subgroup of class III. The paradoxical increase in concanavalin A binding during oxidation correlates with the appearance of Schiff reactivity implicating oxidation of vicinal hydroxyls as the basis for the effect. The periodate-induced staining is therefore, thought to result from an oxidative disruption of linkages between vicinal hydroxyls of neighboring sugars and hydroxyls of mannose required for concanavalin A binding. Staining with the described concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase variants appears to afford information concerning cytochemical distribution of mannose-rich glycoproteins as well as differences among these substances in the relation of mannose to neighboring sugars.

Animals

Glycophorin and the concanavalin A receptor of human erythrocytes: their receptor function in lipid bilayers.

Two integral glycoproteins from the human erythrocyte have been studied after their incorporation into lipid bilayer systems. Glycophorin (which is the M/N blood group determinant) and the concanavalin A receptor were isolated and purified prior to incorporation into model membranes by dialytic removal of detergent from lipid/protein solutions. Under the conditions described, glycoprotein receptors maintain their function in that they bind external agents specific for them, such as concanavalin A and immunoglobulins. So-called intramembranous particles are a feature of freeze-fractured preparations of lipid bilayers containing either (or both) glycoprotein(s), and to some extent each has a characteristic particle appearance. Liposomes containing the concanavalin A receptor (with or without glycophorin) are agglutinable by concanavalin A, whereas human erythrocytes are normally considered to be nonagglutinable by this lectin. Liposomes containing glycophorin alone are readily agglutinable by the appropriate glycophorin-directed M/N antiserum, as are human erythrocytes. The added presence of concanavalin A receptor in the liposomes can markedly inhibit agglutination by M/N antiserum without preventing immunoglobulin binding.

Antigen-Antibody Reactions

Studies on the glycoprotein component of (Na+ +K+)-ATPase from dog fish salt gland. Binding to concanavalin A and removal of sialic acid by neuraminidase.

1. The presence of concanavalin A binding sugars in the glycoprotein component of a partially purified (Na++K+) ATPase preparation from dog fish salt gland was demonstrated by binding of a Triton X-100 extract of the enzyme and isolated glycoprotein to concanavalin A-Sepharose, and by binding of membrane-associated enzyme to free concanavalin A. 2. The binding of concanavalin A to the glycoprotein in both membrane-associated enzyme and a Lubrol extract of the enzyme had no effect on (Na++K+)-ATPase activity. Binding was completely inhibited by methyl-alpha-mannoside. Also, enzyme activity was not affected by removal of 50% of glycoprotein sialic acid by neuraminidase. These results suggest that the carbohydrate moiety of the glycoprotein does not play a catalytic role in the (Na++K+)-ATPase. 3. When a Triton X-100 extract of (Na++K+)-ATPase was chromatographed on concanavalin A-Sepharose, 37% of total protein was bound to the column and eluted by methyl-alpha-mannoside. The bound fraction was free of lipid, and contained not only the glycoprotein but also the large protein which is the catalytic subunit of the enzyme, and small amounts of other membrane derived proteins. The ratio of large protein to glycoprotein, as measured by the relative Coomassie blue absorbance of the two proteins separated by gel electrophoresis, was the same in the bound fraction as in the membrane. These results suggest that the glycoprotein and lareg protein are either associated together in the membrane or become associated during lipid replacement by Triton.

Adenosine Triphosphatases