No abstract

We report the purification of a presynaptic "particle web" consisting of approximately 50 nm pyramidally shaped particles interconnected by approximately 100 nm spaced fibrils. This is the "presynaptic grid" described in early EM studies. It is completely soluble above pH 8, but reconstitutes after dialysis against pH 6. Interestingly, reconstituted particles orient and bind PSDs asymmetrically. Mass spectrometry of purified web components reveals major proteins involved in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in membrane retrieval. Our data support the idea that the CNS synaptic junction is organized by transmembrane adhesion molecules interlinked in the synaptic cleft, connected via their intracytoplasmic domains to the presynaptic web on one side and to the postsynaptic density on the other. The CNS synaptic junction may therefore be conceptualized as a complicated macromolecular scaffold that isostatically bridges two closely aligned plasma membranes.

Myosin filaments from many muscles are activated by phosphorylation of their regulatory light chains (RLCs). To elucidate the structural mechanism of activation, we have studied RLC phosphorylation in tarantula thick filaments, whose high resolution structure is known. In the relaxed state, tarantula RLCs are ~50% non- and 50% mono-phosphorylated, while on activation mono-phosphorylation increases and some RLCs become bi-phosphorylated. Mass spectrometry shows that relaxed-state mono-phosphorylation occurs on Ser35 while Ca2+-activated phosphorylation is on Ser45, both located near the RLC N-terminus. The sequences around these serines suggest they are the targets for protein kinase C (PKC) and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) respectively. The atomic model of the tarantula filament shows that the two myosin heads (“free” and “blocked”) are in different environments, with only the free head serines readily accessible to kinases. Thus PKC Ser35 mono-phosphorylation in relaxed filaments would occur only on the free heads. Structural considerations suggest these heads are less strongly bound to the filament backbone, and may oscillate occasionally between attached and detached states (“swaying” heads). These heads would be available for immediate actin interaction upon Ca2+-activation of the thin filaments. Once MLCK becomes activated, it phosphorylates free heads on Ser45. These heads become fully mobile, exposing blocked-head Ser45 to MLCK. This would release the blocked-heads, allowing their interaction with actin. On this model, twitch force would be produced by rapid interaction of swaying free heads with activated thin filaments, while prolonged exposure to Ca2+ on tetanus would recruit new, MLCK-activated heads, resulting in force potentiation.

Summary To explore how gene products, required for the initiation of synaptic growth, move from the cell body of the sensory neurons to its presynaptic terminals, and from the cell body of the motor neuron to its postsynaptic dendritic spines, we have searched for anterograde transport machinery in both the sensory and motor neurons of the gill-withdrawal reflex of Aplysia. We found that the induction of long-term facilitation (LTF) by repeated applications of serotonin, a modulatory transmitter released during learning in Aplysia, requires upregulation of kinesin heavy chain (KHC) in both pre- and postsynaptic neurons. Indeed, upregulation of KHC in the presynaptic neurons alone is sufficient for the induction of LTF. However, KHC is not required for the persistence of LTF. Thus, in addition to transcriptional activation in the nucleus and local protein synthesis at the synapse, our studies have identified a third component critical for long-term learning-related plasticity: the coordinated upregulation of kinesin-mediated transport.

We present the development of new affinity probes for protein labeling based on an epoxide reactive group. Systematic screening revealed that an epoxide functionality possesses the special combination of stability and reactivity which renders it stable toward proteins in solution but reactive on the protein surface outside the active site (proximity-induced reactivity). Highly efficient and selective labeling of purified HCA II (human carbonic anhydrase II) was achieved. For instance, 2 equiv of epoxide probe 9 was sufficient for nearly quantitative labeling of HCA II (>90% yield, 20 h reaction time). MS analysis of the labeled protein revealed that 1 equiv of the probe was attached and that labeling occurred at a single residue (His 64) outside the active site. Importantly, epoxide probe 9 selectively labeled HCA II both in simple protein mixtures and in cellular extracts. In addition to the chemical insight and its relevance to many epoxide-containing natural products, this study generated a promising lead in the development of new affinity probes for protein labeling.

Catalytic antibodies are potential therapeutic agents for drug overdose and addiction, and we previously reported the first such artificial enzymes to degrade cocaine. However, as described herein, these catalytic monoclonal antibodies (Mab's) were found to have nearly identical complementarity-determining regions (CDR's). Such limited diversity among catalytic antibodies of similar specificity has been reported previously and poses a problem since the capacity of any single group of homologous catalytic antibodies to yield one of high activity, whether through repetitive screening of hybridomas or through antibody mutagenesis, is unpredictable. One strategy to increase the diversity of the immune response to an analog would be to vary the tether site of the immunogenic conjugate thereby exposing unique epitopes for immunorecognition. We now report the syntheses of three immunogenic conjugates of a transition-state analog (TSA) of cocaine benzoyl ester hydrolysis which have identical phosphonate monoester core structures but varying tether sites for attachment to carrier protein:  TSA 1 at the methyl ester, TSA 2 at the 4‘-phenyl position, and TSA 3 at the tropane nitrogen. Mixed phosphonate diester precursors were obtained from phosphonic dichlorides and ecgonine alkyl esters through our 1H-tetrazole catalysis method. We found that all three analogs provided catalytic antibodies that hydrolyze cocaine at the benzoyl ester; the most active catalytic antibody, Mab 15A10, displayed a rate acceleration (k cat/k uncat = 2.3 × 104) sufficient to commence preclinical studies. On competitive ELISA, all nine catalytic antibodies, regardless of the eliciting antigen, bound TSA 1 with high affinity but four bound TSA 3 poorly and five failed to bind TSA 2 despite the inhibition of all antibodies by free TSA (TSA 4). A comparison of heavy and of light chain CDR's showed four discrete groups with TSA 1 and 3 each yielding two non-overlapping families of catalytic antibodies; TSA 2 yielded one antibody with CDR's nearly identical to those of the largest group of catalytic antibodies elicited by TSA 1. The failure of TSA 2 and TSA 3 to bind to catalytic antibodies derived from alternative immunogenic conjugates demonstrates that the tether site does limit the catalytic antibodies produced and supports the general strategy of varying the attachment to carrier protein.

Background: Tumor differentiation factor (TDF) is a newly identified pituitary protein with no known receptor. Results: Heat shock 70-kDa proteins are potential TDF receptor candidates. Conclusion: TDF acts on breast cells through a novel pathway. Significance: These data may help to elucidate the role of TDF.

We reported previously the antiviral activity named HRF (HIV-1 Resistance Factor) secreted by HIV-1 resistant cells. This work describes the identification of HRF from cell culture supernatant of HRF producing cells (HRF(+) cells). Employing the proteomics and cell based activity assay we recovered ten peptides sharing 80-93% sequence homology with other eukaryotic DING proteins; discrete amino acid characteristics found in our material suggested that HRF is a new member of DING proteins family and consequently we designated it as X-DING-CD4 (extracellular DING from CD4 + T cells). The presence of X-DING-CD4 in the extracellular compartment of HRF(+) but not control HRF(-) cells was confirmed by specific anti-X-DING-CD4 antibody. Similar as the unfractionated HRF(+) cell culture supernatant, the purified X-DING-CD4 blocked transcription of HIV-1 LTR promoted expression of luciferase gene and replication of HIV-1 in MAGI cells. The X-DING-CD4 -mediated antiviral activity in MAGI cells could be blocked by specific antibody.