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Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease. VIII. Mapping of genes for antibodies to different antigenic regions of nuclease.

Antibodies to staphylococcal nuclease have been fractionated into two populations on the basis of their ability to bind to the cyanogen bromide cleavage product of nuclease comprising the C-terminal portion of the molecule from the 99th to the 149th amino acid. The two populations of antibodies, anti-nuclease (1-99)n and anti-nuclease (99-149)N, have been prepared from a variety of strains, and analyzed using anti-idiotypic antisera raised against whole anti-nuclease antibodies from strains A/J, SJL, BALB/c, and B10.A(2R). Anti-nuclease (1-99)n, antibodies had the same pattern of reactivity with the anti-idiotypic antisera as did unfractionated antibodies, whereas a different pattern was found for anti-nuclease (99-149)n preparations. On the basis of these studies, five anti-nuclease idiotypes, designated NASE markers, have been identified and defined on the basis of their antigenic specificity and strain distribution. With these additional markers, it has been possible to provide more detailed maps of variable (V) region genes in the strains BALB/c, CB.20, and the recombinant BAB.14. A recombinational event between V region genes during the development of the BAB.14 strain is suggested by the positioning of these NASE markers.

Animals

Genetic control of the immune response to nuclease. II. Detection of idiotypic determinants by the inhibition of antibody-mediated nuclease inactivation.

The humoral response of mice to staphylococcal nuclease has previously been shown to be controlled genetically by H-2-linked Ir gene(s). In order to examine the possible contributions of variable region immunoglobulin genes to this genetic control, we have developed a system for the detection of idiotypic determinants on anti-nuclease immunoglobulin molecules. Antisera to nuclease were raised in two high responder strains, A/J and SJL. The corresponding antibodies were purified by affinity chromotography on Sepharose-nuclease columns, and were used to immunize groups of Lewis rats. An assay system was developed to assess the inhibition of antibody-mediated inactivation of nuclease activity by the rat antisera thus produced. Despite the presence of many species-specific anti-mouse immunoglobulin antibodies in these sera, inhibition of antibody-mediated enzyme inactivation was found to be specific for anti-nuclease antibodies of the immunizing strain. The inhibition could not be removed by extensive absorption with normal serum proteins from the antibody-producing strain, and was shown to require antibodies directed toward binding sites of the anti-nuclease antibodies. This inhibition thus defines idiotypic determinants of anti-nuclease antibodies.

Absorption

Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease. VII. Role of non-H2-linked genes in the control of the anti-nuclease antibody response.

The role of non-H-2-linked genes in the control of the antibody response to staphylococcal nuclease has been investigated. 3 wk after immunization with nuclease in complete Freund's adjuvant, strain A/J (H-2 a) mice produced significantly higher titers of antibody than strain B10.A (H-2(a)) mice, whereas mice of strains A.BY (H-2(b)) and B10 (H-2(b)) produced barely detectable titers. With hyperimmunization, A/J and A.BY mice reached the same peak levels for antibody titers, both severalfold higher than those reached by B10.A and B10 mice. Analysis of the specificity of antibodies by assessment of binding to two fragments of nuclease showed similarities between strains of the same H-2 haplotype. These results suggest that although H-2-1inked genes determined initial responsiveness at 3 wk and the relative proportions of antibodies directed toward different antigenic determinants on the nuclease molecule, non-H-2-linked genes determined the overall magnitude of the hyperimmuneresponse. Measurement of the affinity of the antibodies to the nuclease fragment (1-126) showed that strains B10 and B10.A produced antibodies with 7- to 10-fold higher affinity than comparable antibodies from strains A.BY and A/J. In a backcross of (B10.A x A/J) x B10.A, the level of antibody segregated independently of the Ig-1(e) C(H) allotype and the A/J anti-nuclease idiotypes. Thus, a gene(s) linked to neither H-2 nor heavy chain structural genes appears to control the aggregate response to antigenic determinants on the nuclease molecule independent of subspecificities of these antibodies or their idiotype.

Animals

Genetic control of the immune response to nuclease. V. Genetic linkage and strain distribution of anti-nuclease idiotypes.

Rat antisera raised against anti-nuclease antibodies from mouse strains A/J and SJL detect strain-specific idiotypic determinants related to the antigen-combining site. These antisera have been used to investigate the genetic linkage and strain distribution of the anti-nuclease idiotypes. Despite the existence of an H-2-linked immune response gene controlling the humoral response to nuclease, expression of the A/J anti-nuclease idiotype has been shown to be independent of genes in the H-2 region: the A/J idiotype was present in immune sera from strains A/J (H-2a) and A.BY (H-2b) but absent in sera from strains B10 (H-2b) and B10.A (H-2a). An analysis of the segregation of the A/J idiotype in offspring of the backcross (A/J x B10.A) x B10.A demonstrated linkage to the Ig-1e heavy chain allotype markers. In a small sample of backcross animals a very high apparent recombination frequency was observed, but further backcross analyses and progeny testing of putative recombinant animals will be required to substantiate this observation. Analysis of the A/J and SJL anti-nuclease idiotype markers in the BALB/c, CB.20, and BAB.14 strains indicate that these idiotypic markers may permit mapping of distinct variable region genes.

Animals

Staphylococcal nuclease reviewed: a prototypic study in contemporary enzymology. IV. The nuclease as a model for protein folding.

This is the last in a series of four articles in which the chemical, enzymological and crystallographic work on Ribonucleate (deoxyribonucleate)-3'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.4 (staphylococcal nuclease, micrococcal nuclease) will be reviewed and correlated. This article discusses the use of the nuclease as a model system for the study of the mechanisms and energetics of the folding-unfolding reaction in proteins and for the study of the interrelationships between amino acid sequence and three-dimensional structure.

Epitopes

Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease. IV. H-2-linked control of the relative proportions of antibodies produced to different determinants of native nuclease.

The relative proportions of antibodies of different specificities within antisera raised to native staphylococcal nuclease have been studied in several strains of mice in which the antibody response has been shown to be under H-2-linked Ir-gene control. A method was developed in which binding to different radiolabeled fragments of nuclease was titrated against increasing fragment concentration until the binding capacity of the antiserum for that fragment was saturated. In comparing the low responder (H-2b) strain C57BL/10 with its congenic high responder counterpart B10.A (H-2a), it was found that the two strains made markedly and reproducibly different proportions of antibodies to different determinants on native nuclease. Since these two strains differ only at H-2, and therefore have identical immunoglobulin structural gene repertoires, we conclude that H-2-linked Ir genes can control the response to different determinants on the same antigen molecule independently of one another. This result suggests a possible role of H-2-linked genes in the selection of specific B cells.

Animals

The genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease VI. Recombination between genes determining the A/J anti-nuclease idiotypes and the heavy chain allotype locus.

Rat antisera detecting binding site-specific idiotypic determinants on anti-nuclease antibodies from A/J mice have been used to define the A/J anti-nuclease idiotype and to investigate its genetic linkage as a variable region marker. Analysis of the segregation of the A/J idiotype in progeny of the backcross (B10.A X A/J) X B10.A showed linkage of the idiotype to the Ig-1e heavy chain allotype locus. There was, however, a very high apparent frequency of recombination, with 7 of 101 backcross animals having a recombinant phenotype. All of these putative recombinants were accounted for by Ig-1b/Ig-1b homozygotes which bore the A/J idiotype, and none by Ig-1b/Ig-1e heterozygotes lacking the idiotype. On progeny testing of these animals in another backcross to B10.A the recombinant trait bred true. If this idiotype is indeed a marker for variable region structural genes, then the germ line gene pool must be very large or there must be special genetic mechanism to account for the increased recombinational frequency observed.

Animals

Extracellular nuclease produced by a marine bacterium. II. Purification and properties of extracellular nuclease from a marine Vibrio sp.

Extracellular nuclease produced by a marine Vibrio sp., strain No. 2, was purified by salting out with ammonium sulfate and by chromatography on a DEAE-cellulose column and twice on a Sephadex G-200 column. The nuclease was eluted as a single peak in which the deoxyribonuclease (DNase) activity and ribonuclease (RNase) activity appeared together. Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis showed a single band of stained protein which had both DNase and RNase activity. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 100 000 daltons. When using partially purified enzyme from the DEAE-cellulose column, the optimum pH for activity was 8.0, and the enzyme was activated strongly by 0.05 M Mg2+ ions and stabilized by 0.01 M Ca2+ ion. These concentrations of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions are similar to those of the two cations in seawater. Indeed, the enzyme revealed high activity and strong stability when kept in seawater. The presence of particulate matter, such as cellulose powder, chitin powder. Hyflosupercel, Kaolin, and marine mud increased the stability of the enzyme. When the hydrostatic pressure was increased from 1 to 1000 atmospheres, the decrements of the enzyme activity were more pronounced at 30 and 40 degrees C than at 25 or 50 degrees C. The enzyme activity was restored after decompression to 1 atm at 30 degrees C.

Calcium

Accessibility of some regions of DNA in chromatin (chicken erythrocytes) to single strand-specific nucleases.

The susceptibility of the DNA in chromatin to single strand-specific nucleases was examined using nuclease P1, mung bean nuclease, and venom phosphodiesterase. A stage in the reaction exists where the size range of the solubilized products is similar for each of the three nucleases and is nearly independent of incubation time. During this stage, the chromatin fragments sediment in the range of 30 to 100 S and contain duplex DNA ranging from 1 to 10 million daltons. Starting with chromatin depleted of histones H1 and H5 similar fragments are generated. In both cases these nucleoprotein fragments are reduced to nucleosomes and their multimers by micrococcal nuclease. Thus, chromatin contains a limited number of DNA sites which are susceptible to single strand-specific nucleases. These sites occur at intervals of 8 to 80 nucleosomes and are distributed throughout the chromatin. Nucleosome monomers, dimers, or trimers were not observed at any stage of single strand-specific nuclease digestion of nuclei, H1- and H5-depleted chromatin, or micrococcal nuclease-generated oligonucleosomes. Each of the three nucleases converted mononucleosomes (approximately 160 base pairs) to nucleosome cores (approximately 140 base pairs) probably by exonucleolytic action that was facilitated by the prior removal of H1 and H5. The minichromosome of SV40 is highly resistant to digestion by nuclease P1.

Animals

The mechanism of stabilization of the structure of nuclease-T by binding of ligands.

The rate of unfolding of Nuclease-T at pH 8,20 degrees was determined as a function of concentration of the ligands deoxythymidine 3',5'-diphosphate (pdTp) and Ca2+ on the basis of the rate of exchange between free fragment, Nuclease-T(50-149) and labeled fragment, Nuclease-T-(50-149) incorporated in the structure of nuclease-T (Taniuchi, H. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 5164-5174). The rate constant of unfolding of unliganded Nuclease-T' was 4.6 times 10-4s-1. Those of Nuclease-T' bound with pdTp, with Ca2+, and with both pdtp and Ca2+ were 9.0 times 10-5, 1.6 times 10-4, and 2.2 times 10-5s-1, respectively. The association constants of pdTp and Ca2+ with Nuclease-T' were found to be 1.0 times 10-4 and 2.0 times 10-2 m-1, respectively. Those of pdTp with Nuclease-T' plus Ca2+ and of Ca2+ with Nuclease-T' plus pdTp were 4 times 10-5 and 1.4 times 10-4M-1, respectively. The calculation of free energy change on the basis of the association constants shows that the magnitude of negative free energy change involved in the binding of either of the two ligands increases by approximately 2 kcal when the other ligand is already bound. There is a correlation between the free energy change and the specifically coupled with the cooperative interacions operating throught the three-dimensional structure resulting in strengthening of the interactions throughtout the structure, including those with the ligands, without a large change in conformation.

Calcium

Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease in mice.

Genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease in mice is detectable at several levels. At least one H-2-linked Ir gene controls 1) the relative proportions of antibodies to different determinants on nuclease when whole nuclease is the immunogen; 2) the immunogenicity of isolated fragments of nuclease, corresponding to the same regions or determinants; and 3) the T-lymphocyte proliferative response to nuclease and to its fragments. It is concluded that a model in which Ir-gene control is determined by the recognition by T lymphocytes of a single "carrier" determinant for the whole molecule does not adequately explain this system. Evidence is presented for the existence of more than one such H-2-linked Ir gene in the T-cell proliferative response. In addition, a non-H-2-linked gene(s) is described which controls the overall level of antibodies to nuclease, i.e., the aggregate of all the antibodies of different subspecificities which have in common that they bind to some part of the nuclease molecule. Evidence is also presented that T lymphocytes, as well as the receptors involved in Ir-gene function (whether or not these are T-lymphocyte receptors), are less sensitive to conformational differences between native nuclease and its isolated fragments than are the antibodies ultimately made. This insensitivity to conformation may reflect the recognition of determinants which are shorter or more flexible in the native state than those recognized by antibodies.

Animals

Synthesis of staphylococcal enterotoxin A and nuclease under controlled fermentor conditions.

The production of enterotoxin A and nuclease by Staphylococcus aureus strain 100 was studied in a 1.0-liter fermentor. The effects of the gas flow rate, pH, and dissolved oxygen were evaluated. Toxin and nuclease secretion occurred under all conditions which permitted growth of the organism. Final yields of toxin and nuclease in cultures grown at constant air flow rates, ranging from 50 to 500 cm3 per min, were higher at successively higher flow rates. An optimum flow rate for either toxin or nuclease production was not observed. When the aeration rate alone or aeration rate and pH were held constant, the dissolved oxygen levels in the culture decreased from the initial 100% level to 0 to 5% 3 to 4 h after inoculation. The O2 demand of the culture then maintained this level for an additional 4 to 5 h. This low dissolved oxygen interval was characterized by rapid growth and extracellular protein production. Controlling the dissolved oxygen at a constant level throughout growth did not increase the final levels of toxin and nuclease above those achieved at the respective constant pH values. Growth under the influence of a constant aeration rate of 500 cm3 per min and a constant pH of 6.5 and 7.0 yielded the highest titers of nuclease (1,550 units/ml) and toxin (10.5 mug/ml) obtained in any of the fermentations conducted in this study. Sparging fermentor cultures with pure oxygen at a rate of 100 cm3 per min yielded growth and extracellular protein levels similar to those achieved at the sparge rate of 500 cm3 of air per min. Controlling the dissolved oxygen at 100% of pure oxygen saturation appeared to inhibit the culture, as the final cultural turbidity as well as the levels of toxin and nuclease were reduced. These data indicate that enterotoxin and nuclease secretions are closely associated with the growth of strain 100. Analyses of the production rates of these components indicated that early log phase was the most efficient production interval in the growth cycle and that this efficiency was increased by pH control at 6.7 to 6.8 and dissolved oxygen control at 10% of air saturation.

Enterotoxins

Comparative analysis of three guinea pig satellite DNA's by restriction nucleases.

The structures of guinea pig satellite DNAs I, II, and III have been analyzed by digestion with seven restriction nucleases. From the cleavage patterns it is obvious that the long-range periodicities in these three satellites differ rather characteristically Satellite I is fairly resistant to six nucleases and gives only a number of weak discrete bands which do not show a simple regularity. By the restriction nuclease from Arthrobacter luteus, however, it is cleaved extensively and yields very heterogeneous breakdown products. This is consistent with the high extent of divergence previously found for this satellite, e. g. by sequence analysis. Satellite II is almost completely resistant to all nucleases, indicative of a high degree of sequence homogeneity of this satellite. Satellite III is completely broken by the restriction nuclease from Bacillus subtilis into fragments which form a novel, highly regular series of bands in gel electrophoresis. The patterns show that the satellite is composed of tandem repeats ofapproximately 215 nucleotide pairs length, each repeat unit containing two cleavage sites for this nuclease. The data are consistent with the assumption that 30--40% of all cleavage sites have been eliminated by a random process. Satellite III DNA yields weak degradation patterns of the same periodicity with a number of other restriction nucleases. Cleavage sites for these nuclease are clustered on separatesmall segments of the satellite DNA. In this respect, the satellite is similar to others, notably the mouse satellite DNA. The three guinea pig satellites are examples of more general types of satellite structures also found in othe organisms. Similarities and differences to other satellites are discussed with special consideration to theories on the evolution of this class of DNA.

Animals

S1 nuclease as a probe of yeast ribosomal 5 S RNA conformation.

5 S RNA was isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in the presence of 32P-phosphate and digested with nuclease S1, a single-strand specific nuclease. Two different procedures were employed to determine the sites of attack on the RNA. First, 5 S RNA was isolated from nuclease S1 digests, digested to completion with ribonuclease T1, and then 'fingerprinted' by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Quantitation of each of the characteristic RNAase T1-derived oligonucleotides was employed to determine the relative susceptibility of various regions of the molecule to nuclease S1. A second procedure to define nuclease S1-susceptible sites in the molecule employed polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic fractionation of nuclease S1 digests followed by identification of the nucleotide sequences of the released RNA fragments. Both procedures showed that the region of the molecule between residues 9 and 60 was most susceptible to nuclease S1, with preferential cleavage occurring between residues 12-25 and 50-60. These results are discussed in relation to a proposed model for the secondary structure of yeast 5 S RNA.

Base Sequence

Transfection of Escherichia coli spheroplasts. V. Activity of recBC nuclease in rec+ and rec minus spheroplasts measured with different forms of bacteriophage DNA.

The in vivo activity of the recBC nuclease was assayed by transfection of isogenic rec+ and rec minus spheroplasts with bacteriophage DNA of various origin and structure. The results indicate that the recBC nuclease can limit transfection at several stages during the production of an infective center; such limitations depend primarily on whether the DNA is in, or assumes, a nuclease-sensitive structure. The first stage of limitation can occur when a nuclease-sensitive transfecting molecule enters the spheroplast. Other potential limitation points occur during replication and maturation of the bacteriophage DNA. The initial stage can be bypassed by using recBC nuclease-resistant molecules such as circular forms. Through analysis of results with other DNA structures, we found that in vivo the effects of the double-strand exonucleolytic activity of the recBC nuclease predominated. The effects of the single-strand nuclease activities seem to be modified from those observed for the purified enzyme in vitro (Karu et al., 1974). Inside the cell, the single-strand exonuclease activity is very weak and the single-strand endonuclease activity is abolished almost completely.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Single-strand nuclease action on heat-denatured spermiogenic chromatin.

The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of chromatin from representative cellular stages of spermiogenesis to a single-strandeded nuclease after heat denaturation. Thermal denaturation of chromatin was assayed in situ in fixed round, elongating and elongated spermatids and in testicular sperm from mice. Production of single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) at elevated temperatures was monitored by digesting chromatin with endonuclease specific for single-stranded DNA (S1 nuclease), staining the residual DNA with gallocyanin-chrome alum (GAC) and measuring the stain content by absorption cytophotometry. Changes in GCA staining were minimal over the temperature range of 22-90 degrees C in each cell type not exposed to nuclease. Staining of undigested cells decreased progressively with advancing cell maturity. Nuclease had no effect on the GCA content of round spermatids below 60 degrees C, but above this temperature there was a progressive decrease in GCA-stainable chromatin. Both round and elongating spermatid stages showed a significantly greater sensitivity to nuclease digestion than did more mature stages; sperm showed no effects of nuclease action below 80 degrees C. Progressive chromatin condensation and a concomitant decrease in the number of available DNA phosphate groups during spermiogenic cell maturation may be responsible for the observed decline in sensitivity to nuclease and decreased GCA staining. Thermal denaturation of round spermatids labeled with 3H-thymidine produced no change in autoradiographic mean nuclear grain counts, indicating no loss of thymidine-labeled DNA from the slides during denaturation. When round spermatids and sperm were hydrolyzed with hot tricholoroacetic acid before staining, both nuclear GCA content and autoradiograph grain count were partially reduced, indicating incomplete DNA removal. Almost complete loss of Feulgen-stainable material occurred in these cells and may be due to depurination and elimination of Feulgren-reactant aldehyde groups.

Animals

Transformation in pneumococcus: nuclease resistance of deoxyribonucleic acid in the eclipse complex.

Donor deoxyribonucleic acid strands in the eclipse phase of genetic transformation of pnuemococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) are purified as a complex with a cf the deoxyribonucleic acid strand in this complex to digestion by nucleases was shown to be 50- to 1,000-fold less than that of uncomplexed single strands of deoxyribonucleic acid. Deoxyribonuclease I, micrococcal nuclease, Neurospora endonuclease, nuclease P1, and the major endogenous nuclease of cell-free extracts were studied. Sensitivity to nuclease attack was not uniform along the deoxyribonucleic acid strand; sequences of strongly protected bases were separated by more sensitive regions. The minimum size of protected fragments was about 70 bases. A complex of protein with the protected deoxyribonucleic acid segments was obtained after partial digestion. The sizes of these complexes, of the protected deoxyribonucleic acid segments, and of the protein subunit released by complete nuclease digestion, are all approximately identical, as determined by gel exclusion chromatography. Deoxyribonucleic acid strands of eclipse complex were also shown to be particularly well protected from attack by the major pneumococcal endonuclease in cell extracts.

Bacterial Proteins