Crystal structure of the catalytic subunit of Cdc25B required for G2/M phase transition of the cell cycle.

Cdc25B is a dual specificity phosphatase involved in the control of cyclin-dependent kinases and the progression of cells through the cell cycle. A series of minimal domain Cdc25B constructs maintaining catalytic activity have been expressed. The structure of a minimum domain construct binding sulfate was determined at 1.9 A resolution and a temperature of 100 K. Other forms of the same co?nstruct were determined at lower resolution and room temperature. The overall folding and structure of the domain is similar to that found for Cdc25A. An important difference between the two is that the Cdc25B domain binds oxyanions in the catalytic site while that of Cdc25A appears unable to bind oxyanions. There are also important conformational differences in the C-terminal region. In Cdc25B, both sulfate and tungstate anions are shown to bind in the catalytic site containing the signature motif (HCxxxxxR) in a conformation similar to that of other protein tyrosine phosphatases and dual specificity phosphatases, with the exception of the Cdc25A. The Cdc25B constructs, with various truncations of the C-terminal residues, are shown to have potent catalytic activity. When cut back to the site at which the Cdc25A structure begins to deviate from the Cdc25B structure, the activity is considerably less. There is a pocket extending from the catalytic site to an anion-binding site containing a chloride about 14 A away. The catalytic cysteine residue, Cys473, can be oxidized to form a disulfide linkage to Cys426. A readily modifiable cysteine residue, Cys484, resides in another pocket that binds a sulfate but not in the signature motif conformation. This region of the structure is highly conserved between the Cdc25 molecules and could serve some unknown function.

The hsp56 immunophilin component of untransformed steroid receptor complexes is localized both to microtubules in the cytoplasm and to the same nonrandom regions within the nucleus as the steroid receptor.

In their unliganded state, mouse glucocorticoid receptors (GR) that are overexpressed in the WCL2 line of Chinese hamster ovary cells are distributed in a nonrandom manner throughout all planes of the nucleus. These untransformed nuclear receptors exist in a heterocomplex containing three heat shock proteins, hsp90, hsp70, and hsp56, the latter being an immunophilin of the FK506 binding type whose cellular function is unknown. Because a knowledge of the cellular distribution of hsp56 could provide important clues to its function in steroid-receptor heterocomplexes, we have examined hsp56 localization in intact cells by indirect immunofluorescence using the UPJ56 antibody. The majority of hsp56 is located in the nucleus, with substantial amounts also visualized in the cytoplasm of intact cells. The cytoplasmic hsp56 was examined in rat pulmonary endothelial cells where the protein was found to colocalize with microtubules. The nuclear hsp56 was examined in the WCL2 cells, where the protein was found by confocal imaging to colocalize throughout all planes of the nucleus in the same mottled pattern as the overexpressed GR. Like the GR, the nuclear hsp56 is recovered largely in the cytosolic fraction after hypotonic rupture of WCL2 cells. An observation potentially related to the microtubule-associated fraction of hsp56 is that immunoadsorption of hsp56 from WCL2 cytosol is accompanied by coadsorption of the microtubule-associated protein-1C complex. These observations are discussed with respect to the possible biological functions of hsp56 in the folding and/or cytoplasmic-nuclear trafficking of the receptor.

Solution structure of human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) is a naturally occurring inhibitor of the interleukin-1 receptor. In contrast to IL-1 beta, IRAP binds to the IL-1 receptor but does not elicit a physiological response. We have determined the solution structure of IRAP using NMR spectroscopy. While the overall topology of the two 153-residue proteins is quite similar, functionally critical differences exist concerning the residues of the linear amino acid sequence that constitute structurally homologous regions in the two proteins. Structurally homologous residues important for IL-1 receptor binding are conserved between IRAP and IL-1 beta. By contrast, structurally homologous residues critical for receptor activation are not conserved between the two proteins.

Escherichia coli expression and processing of human interleukin-1 beta fused to signal peptides.

Escherichia coli expression, processing, and secretion of human interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) fused to the signal peptide of E. coli OmpA or PhoA protein were studied. With fusion to either signal sequence, high-level expression was observed and the products accumulated to about 20% of total cell protein. In the fusion to OmpA leader sequence, more than 50% of the product has the OmpA signal peptide removed precisely. The majority of the processed material is not released by osmotic shock. On the other hand, very little of the material from the fusion to PhoA has the PhoA signal peptide removed. Use of the host with a mutation in prlA or prlF, variation of temperature for cell growth, and alteration of the amino acid residues around the cleavage site do not facilitate processing of the PhoA signal peptide. These results suggest that some component in the PhoA signal peptide, interacting with the Il-1 beta sequence, is interfering with the processing of the signal peptide.

Modulation of Ia-like antigen expression and antigen-presenting activity of human monocytes by endotoxin and zymosan A.

The environmental agents E. coli endotoxin and zymosan A modulated antigen-specific T cell proliferation in vitro, assessed by 3H-TdR uptake. In the continual presence of these agents, human mononuclear leukocyte responses to the antigens tuberculin PPD, Candida albicans, and mumps were significantly reduced. Treatment of adherent cell-depleted T cells with the agents did not affect their subsequent reactivity to soluble antigens in the presence of normal M phi. However, cultures consisting of pretreated M phi, normal T cells, and soluble antigen gave responses that were only 7 to 38% of control values, indicating that the function of the antigen-presenting cell, not the T cell, was inhibited. This effect was observed only when treatment with endotoxin or zymosan A preceded antigen stimulation by at least 24 hr, suggesting that a gradual inhibition of antigen presentation had occurred. When various ratios of normal antigen-pulsed and agent-treated M phi were cultured with normal T cells, antigen-specific responses were not significantly different from control cultures; this indicated that M phi-mediated suppression was not involved. It did not appear that the inhibition was due to enhanced antigen degradation by the treated M phi because responses were not reconstituted in the presence of excess antigen. After endotoxin or zymosan A treatment of the M phi population the proportion of Ia+ cells was reduced significantly, and surface expression of Ia antigen correlated with the ability of the cell population to present antigens to immune T cells. This suggested that endotoxin and zymosan A induce a loss of surface Ia antigen on antigen-presenting cells that inhibits immune T cell activation.

On-resin biotinylation of chemically synthesized proteins for one-step purification.

A general, convenient, one-step purification procedure for chemically synthesized proteins present in low yields using on-resin biotinylation is reported. The protein, terminally deprotected and neutralized on-resin, is stirred in dimethylformamide and then biotinylated with N-hydroxysuccinimidobiotin (2 mg/mg protein on-resin) for 24 h at 45 degrees C. Following low/high hydrogen fluoride cleavage (J. P. Tam, W. F. Heath, and R. B. Merrifield (1983) J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 105, 6442-6455) the crude cleavage product was applied to an avidin agarose column. The column was washed with phosphate-buffered saline until all unbound materials had been eluted off. Then the biotinylated protein was eluted with 0.1 M glycine HCl, pH 2.0. A pilot experiment with two unrelated peptides on-resin established the experimental conditions for biotinylation. We then demonstrated that the chemically synthesized 153 residue [Asp205]-interleukin-1 beta (117-269), present in less than 1% yield in the crude HF cleavage mixture, could be purified to homogeneity in one step. In addition 70 and 114 residue synthetic fragments, (200-269) and (156-269), were also purified in this manner. Biotinylation on-resin appears to be an attractive method of purifying low yield chemically synthesized proteins and for preparing proteins with biotinyl moieties at specific locations such as the amino terminus.

A technique for rapid purification of low yield products: biotinylation of chemically synthesized proteins on-resin.

We report here straightforward methodology for the purification of chemically synthesized proteins which are produced in low yield. The methodology is generally applicable to all proteins still on-resin and fully protected except for the terminal amino group. The protein is treated in order with the following steps: Biotinylation with NHS-biotin, HF cleavage, and avidin-agarose affinity chromatography. No special skills or automated equipment are needed to take advantage of this procedure.

Characterization of the tryptophan environments of interleukins 1 alpha and 1 beta by fluorescence quenching and lifetime measurements.

The tryptophan environments of interleukins 1 alpha and 1 beta, immunomodulatory proteins with similar biological activities but only 25% sequence homology, were characterized by steady-state and dynamic fluorescence measurements. Both proteins exhibited similar emission maxima, but the emission intensity of IL-1 beta was greatly enhanced by increasing the ionic strength of the medium, whereas that of IL-1 alpha was unaffected. The two cytokines were also similarly quenched by the polar quencher acrylamide, but differences were observed for the ionic quenchers iodide and cesium. The fluorescence intensity decays of both cytokines were characterized by two (long and short) component lifetimes. However, the average lifetime of IL-1 beta (4.4 ns) was much longer than that of IL-1 alpha (1.93 ns). Taken together with the results of steady-state measurements, we suggest that the single tryptophan of IL-1 beta is statically quenched by neighboring charged residues, whereas the tryptophan fluorescence of IL-1 alpha is unaffected by ionic strength, and that the tryptophans of the two proteins have different accessibilities to ionic quenchers. The results are discussed in terms of similarities and differences in the tryptophan environments of the two proteins.

Resolution and biological properties of three N-terminal analogues of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta.

Recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (rhuIL-1 beta) was purified to apparent homogeneity using standard procedures. The protein was characterized by N-terminal sequence analysis and found to consist of three forms: Met (20%), Ala (75%), and des-Ala (5%). Utilizing TSK SP 5PW HPLC, each form was resolved and analyzed by 2-D acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The analogues were identical in molecular mass (17,500 d) but differed in pI (Met, pI = 6.7; Ala, pI = 6.8; des-Ala, pI = 6.8). Bioactivity measurements, using the C3H/HeJ thymocyte proliferation assay, showed that native Ala rhuIL-1 beta was 300-400% more active than des-Ala rhuIL-1 beta, and was 400-600% more active than Met rhuIL-1 beta protein.

A two step purification of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta expressed in E. coli.

Recombinant human interleukin-1 beta has been expressed in high yield using E. coli with a cDNA clone obtained from SKhep1RNA. The rIL-1 beta is purified to apparent homogeneity using freeze-thaw extractions followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography over phenyl Sepharose. The procedure can provide pure rIL-1 beta (up to 15 mg per liter of E. coli culture) without the use of denaturants and if desired, in the absence of column chromatographic steps. Purity is defined by the presence of a single band on 1-D polyacrylamide gels and a single spot on 2-D polyacrylamide gels. The purified protein exhibits a biological activity of 1 x 10(7) units/mg in a fibroblast proliferation assay and is shown to cross-react with rabbit anti-human IL-1 beta sera.

A soluble binding assay for measuring 3H-FK506 binding to the hsp56 immunophilin.

Heat shock protein 56 (hsp56) was previously identified as an immunophilin based on its ability to specifically bind to FK506-Affi-Gel 10. In this report, we have quantitated human Jurkat T cell hsp56 binding to 3H-FK506, as well as to the immunosuppressant rapamycin. Binding was measured utilizing immunoadsorbed hsp56, and, in addition, we demonstrate that 3H-FK506 binds to hsp56 in solution. Hsp56 bound to an antibody-Sepharose column binds 3H-FK506 with an affinity of 19.4 +/- 4.6 nM, as compared to 23.2 +/- 6.8 nM for soluble hsp56. In competition experiments, the apparent affinity constant for rapamycin was 11.6 +/- 2.8 nM, using immobilized hsp56, and 17.3 +/- 7.7 nM, using the soluble hsp56 preparation. These results demonstrate that hsp56 binds FK506 and rapamycin with similar affinities, and suggest that hsp56 may play a role in mediating the cellular function of both of these drugs.

Isolation and bioactivities of three IL-1 beta N-terminal variants.

Three distinct N-terminal variants of rhIL-1 beta can be generated by expression of the IL-1 beta gene in E. coli; the naturally occurring Ala1 species, Met0-Ala1 and des-Ala1 proteins. Since most studies with rhIL-1 beta have used a mixture of two or more variants, we have evaluated their individual bioactivities. The variants were resolved by cation exchange HPLC. Bioactivity measurement on murine thymocytes gave a potency order of Ala1 greater than des-Ala1 greater than Met0-IL-1 beta. Analysis using human T-cells co-stimulated with PMA showed a potency order of Ala1 greater than des-Ala1 greater than Met0-IL-1 beta. Thus changes in the N-terminal amino acid of IL-1 beta changes the activity of the protein. Since murine and human T-cells respond similarly, the interactions between the N-terminus of rhIL-1 beta and their receptors probably occur through comparable mechanisms.

Spectral characterization of environment-sensitive adducts of interleukin-1 beta.

We have determined the fluorescence properties of two covalently attached acrylodan derivatives of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta, namely the Cys-8 and Lys-103 adducts. The emission and excitation maxima indicated the presence of two operationally distinct conformers for each probe. The iodide quenching and the kinetics of fluorescence changes associated with guanidinium chloride-induced denaturation show that each covalent adduct exists both in hydrated and dehydrated environments. Furthermore, fluorescence changes associated with the binding of the adducts to a recombinant soluble murine receptor indicated that only the conformers with the label in the hydrophobic environment are competent toward the soluble murine interleukin receptor and that the hydrated and dehydrated conformers are in a dynamic equilibrium on the time scale of the binding experiments.

FKBP-12 is not an inhibitor of protein kinase C.

It was recently noted that the amino acid sequence of FK506 binding protein (FKBP-12) is nearly identical to that of an endogenous inhibitor of protein kinase C, PKCI-2. To follow up on this observation, we have tested the hypothesis that FKBP-12 is an inhibitor of PKC. The kinase activity of rat brain protein kinase C (PKC) was not inhibited by the presence of up to 700 micrograms recombinant human FKBP-12 per ml, in either the presence or absence of FK506. FKBP-12 also did not affect PMA-induced phosphorylation of an endogenous PKC substrate, an 80 kDa protein, in permeabilized cells. To test whether FKBP-12 could account for endogenous PKC inhibitory activity in cells, Jurkat cell lysate was chromatographed on an anion exchange column. A peak of PKC inhibitory activity was eluted at approximately 200 mM NaCl. As shown by both Western blots and FK506 binding activity, FKBP-12 was eluted only in the flow-through and wash fractions. These results demonstrate that FKBP-12 is clearly distinct from endogenous PKC inhibitory activity.

An active FK506-binding domain of 17,000 daltons is isolated following limited proteolysis of chicken thymus hsp56.

We have previously identified hsp56, a protein component of steroid receptor complexes, as an FK506 binding protein [Yem et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 2868-2871]. We now report that hsp56 is also found to be a major immunophilin in chicken thymus, by virtue of binding to FK506-Affi-Gel-10 as well as positive cross-reactivity with a polyclonal antiserum directed against human hsp56. Limited digests of purified chicken hsp56 with endoproteinase Lys C result in the production of a unique polypeptide having a mass of about 17 kDa (p17), as judged by Western blotting. Peptide mapping provided additional proof that p17 is a fragment which comprises the entire FK506 binding domain I of chicken hsp56, terminating with an Arg-Lys which might represent a processing site. Binding of radiolabeled dihydro FK506 to p17 is saturable with a calculated KD of 42 nM. Since size exclusion chromatography of drug-p17 complexes indicates that the active species is a homodimer with a mass of 30-40 kDa, the stoichiometry calculated for the drug-protein complex is approximately 1:1. Furthermore, unlike FKBP-12, chicken p17 bound to FK506 does not bind to calcineurin-calmodulin complexes. This work demonstrates the excision of a domain from an hsp56 protein that is active in binding FK506 and functionally distinct from FKBP-12, a protein of similar size and structure.

Proton, carbon, and nitrogen chemical shifts accurately delineate differences and similarities in secondary structure between the homologous proteins IRAP and IL-1 beta.

1H alpha, 13C alpha, and 15N alpha secondary shifts, defined as the difference between the observed value and the random coil value, have been calculated for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein and interleukin-1 beta. Averaging of the secondary chemical shifts with those of adjacent residues was used to smooth out local effects and to obtain a correlation dependent on secondary structure. Differences and similarities in the placement of secondary structure elements in the primary sequences of these structurally homologous proteins are manifested in the smoothed secondary chemical shifts of all three types of nuclei. The close correlation observed between the secondary chemical shifts and the previously defined locations of secondary structure, as defined by traditional methods, exemplifies the advantage of chemical shifts to delineate regions of secondary structure.

Secondary structure and topology of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein determined by heteronuclear three-dimensional NMR spectroscopy.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) proteins, such as IL-1 beta, play a key role in immune and inflammatory responses. Interaction of these cytokines with the IL-1 receptor induces a variety of biological changes in neurologic, metabolic, hematologic, and endocrinologic systems. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) is a naturally occurring inhibitor of the interleukin-1 receptor. The 153-residue protein binds to the receptor with an affinity similar to that of IL-1 beta but does not elicit any physiological responses. As a first step toward understanding IRAP's mode of action, we have used multidimensional, heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy to determine the antagonist's solution secondary structure and global fold. Using a combination of 3D 1H-15N NOESY-HMQC and TOCSY-HMQC and 3D 1H-15N-13C HNCA and HN(CO)CA experiments on uniformly 15N- or doubly 13C/15N-enriched IRAP, we have made resonance assignments for more than 90% of the main-chain atoms. Analysis of short- and long-range NOE's indicates that IRAP is predominantly beta-sheet, with the same overall topology as IL-1 beta but with different regions of the primary sequence comprising the beta-strands. Two short helical segments also were identified. The 14% sequence identity between IL-1 beta and IRAP increases to 25% when differences in the locations of secondary structure elements in the primary sequences are taken into account. Still, numerous differences in side chains, which ultimately play a major role in receptor interaction, exist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Site-specific chemical modification of interleukin-1 beta by acrylodan at cysteine 8 and lysine 103.

Acrylodan, which normally modifies cysteine residues, was employed to derivatize recombinant interleukin-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) under native conditions, using a reagent:protein ratio of 3:1. Two major covalent protein/acrylodan adducts were generated and subsequently purified by DEAE TSK 5PW ion exchange chromatography. Peptide mapping and mass spectrometry were used to locate the probe on the modified proteins. Both modified proteins carried one molecule of acrylodan each, one at Cys-8 and the other at Lys-103. Neither Cys-71 nor any of the other 13 lysine residues of rIL-1 beta was modified. Cysteine 71 is inaccessible to acrylodan, but the unusual specificity for Lys-103 could be caused by the location of that residue at the bottom of a hydrophobic pocket which might specifically bind the reagent. No double-labeled protein was detected, indicating that the introduction of the label at either site interferes with the labeling at the other. Both acrylodan-modified proteins exhibited bioactivity in the thymocyte proliferation assay at a level equivalent to that of the unmodified control protein (1.7 x 10(7) units/mg), which shows that the modification of either the Cys-8 or Lys-103 position with acrylodan does not interfere with the cellular bioactivities of the respective proteins. Furthermore, receptor binding assays yielded a Kd = 32.0 +/- 4.8 pM for the Lys-103-labeled protein, Kd = 69.5 +/- 12.7 pM for the unmodified protein, and Kd = 75.0 +/- 11.6 pM for the Cys-8-labeled protein. Thus, Cys-8 or Lys-103 modification of rIL-1 beta by acrylodan also does not interfere with the ability of the molecule to bind to its receptor. The slightly higher affinity of the Lys-103-labeled protein for the receptor suggests that the positive charge on this residue in the native molecule may interfere with IL-1 receptor binding. The two fluorescent labeled IL-1 proteins described herein should provide interesting probes for the study of IL-1/IL-1 receptor interactions.

Initial crystallographic analysis of a recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein.

We report the crystallization of samples of a recombinant preparation of human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) and solution of the crystal structure by isomorphous replacement methods. Crystals were obtained by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method at 277 K from solutions of PEG 4000 containing sodium chloride, dithiothreitol and PIPES [sodium piperazione-N,N'-bis(2-ethanesulfonate)] buffer at pH 7.0. Crystals appear within about a week and grow as truncated tetragonal bipyramids to 0.3-0.6 mm on an edge. X-ray diffraction data from these crystals specify space group P4(3)2(1)2 and unit-cell dimensions of a = b = 72.35(26), c = 114.7(8) A and Z = 16 (two molecules per asymmetric unit). Fresh crystals diffract to about 2.3 A resolution. The search for heavy-atom derivatives has produced two, potassium gold cyanide and trimethyl lead chloride, as same-site, single-site derivatives. Inspection of an electron-density map at 4 A resolution calculated with these derivatives confirms that the IRAP molecule is a member of the interleukin-1 structural family.

The Hsp56 component of steroid receptor complexes binds to immobilized FK506 and shows homology to FKBP-12 and FKBP-13.

Extracts from human Jurkat cells or from calf thymus contain a 60-kDa protein that is bound to immobilized FK506. As expected, the NH2-terminal sequences of the 60-kDa protein from these two species were found to be nearly the same. We were surprised to discover, however, that the sequence of the human protein was identical to that of Hsp56, a heat shock protein of unknown function that has been shown to be a component of several steroid receptor complexes. Further analysis of the calf thymus protein revealed a peptide with homology to a region near the COOH terminus of both FKBP-12 and FKBP-13. It would appear, therefore, that this 60-kDa protein, or as we refer to it provisionally, "Hsp56," could have the capacity to bind FK506 directly. These observations lead us to speculate that "Hsp56" may mediate immunosuppression and inhibition of T-cell proliferation by FK506 and may do so via a cytosolic signal transduction pathway separate, but not necessarily exclusive, from that of FKBP-12 and FKBP-13.