Secretion of a novel class of iFABPs in nematodes: coordinate use of the Ascaris/Caenorhabditis model systems.

A novel fatty acid binding protein, As-p18, is secreted into both the perivitelline and perienteric fluids of the parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, and at least eight potential homologues of As-p18 have been identified in the Caenorhabditis elegans genome. The products of the three most closely related homologues are fatty acid binding proteins (LBP-1, LBP-2 and LBP-3) which contain putative secretory signals. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these secreted fatty acid binding proteins comprise a distinct gene class within the fatty acid binding protein family and are possibly unique to nematodes. To examine the potential sites of As-p18 secretion, the expression of the putative promoters of the C. elegans homologues was examined with GFP reporter constructs. The developmental expression of lbp-1 was identical to that of As-p18 and consistent with the secretion of LBP-1 from the hypodermis to the perivitelline fluid. The expression patterns of lbp-2 and lbp-3 were consistent with the secretion of LBP-2 and LBP-3 from muscle into the perienteric fluid later in development. These studies demonstrate that at least some perivitelline fluid proteins appear to be secreted from the hypodermis prior to the formation of the cuticle and, perhaps more importantly, that this coordinate C. elegans/A. suum approach may be potentially useful for examining a number of key physiological processes in parasitic nematodes.

Secretion of a novel, developmentally regulated fatty acid-binding protein into the perivitelline fluid of the parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum.

Early development of the parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, occurs inside a highly resistant eggshell, and the developing larva is bathed in perivitelline fluid. Two-dimensional gel analysis of perivitelline fluid from infective larvae reveals seven major proteins; a cDNA encoding one of these, As-p18, has been cloned, sequenced, and protein expressed in Escherichia coli. The predicted amino acid sequence of As-p18 exhibits similarities to the intracellular lipid-binding protein (iLBP) family including retinoid- and fatty acid-binding proteins (FABP). As-p18 is unusual in that it possesses a hydrophobic leader that is not present in the mature protein, the developmental regulation of its expression, and in terms of its predicted structure. Recombinant As-p18 is a functional FABP with a high affinity for both a fluorescent fatty acid analog (11(((5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenyl)sulfonyl)amino) undecanoic acid) and oleic acid, but not retinol. Circular dichroism of rAs-p18 reveals a high beta-sheet content (62%), which is consistent with secondary structure for the protein predicted from sequence algorithms, and the structure of iLBPs. Unusual features are apparent in a structural model of As-p18 generated from existing crystal structures of iLBPs. As-p18 is not found in unembryonated eggs, begins to be synthesized at about day 3 of development, reaches a maximal concentration with the formation of the first-stage larva and remains abundant in the perivitelline fluid of the second-stage larva. Since As-p18 is not present in the post-infective third-stage larva or adult worm tissues, it appears to be exclusive to the egg. Surprisingly, however, Northern blot analysis yields mRNA for As-p18 not only in the early larval stages, but also the unembryonated egg, third-stage larvae, and ovaries of adult worms, even though the protein is not detectable from any of those sources. As-p18 may play a role in sequestering potentially toxic fatty acids and their peroxidation products, or it may be involved in the maintenance of the impermeable lipid layer of the eggshell.

Effect of gas phase on carbohydrate metabolism in Ascaris suum larvae.

The in vitro metabolism of [1-13C]glucose by Ascaris suum third and fourth-stage larvae was analyzed under different gas phases using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR). Third-stage larvae (L3) incubated under a gas phase of 85% N2/5% O2/10% CO2 produced trace amounts of [13C]succinate, and molted to fourth-stage larvae (L4) between days 3 and 4 in vitro. However, they appeared to arrest as L3s when incubated under air, or 85% N2/5% O2/10% CO2 in the presence of 2 mM potassium cyanide, or 95% N2/5% CO2. Day 12 L4 (eight days after molting) incubated under 85% N2/5% O2/10% CO2, or 95% N2/5% CO2, or 94% N2/1% O2/5% CO2, produced succinate, acetate, propionate and the branched-chain fatty acids 2-methylvalerate and 2-methylbutyrate by fermentative pathways characteristic of adult body wall muscle. In contrast, when Day 12 L4 were incubated under air, only trace amounts of these acids were detected in the incubation medium. Thus, L4 are capable of synthesizing end-products typical of the adult even in the presence of oxygen, as long as the CO2 tensions are above 5%. As would be predicted, activities of enzymes involved in aerobic metabolism, including citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and cytochrome oxidase, decreased dramatically as L4s underwent the final ecdysis and matured to the adult stage. More importantly, activities of enzymes typical of anaerobic metabolism, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and malic enzyme, were substantially elevated in L3s (over their levels in second-stage larvae), and appeared to have reached their adult levels in L3s prior to the third molt, even though L3s still exhibited cyanide sensitivity. Since L3s and L4s have enzymes involved in both aerobic and anaerobic pathways, it is possible that the L3s contain two populations of mitochondria, one which functions aerobically and a second which functions anaerobically.

Relationships between pyruvate decarboxylation and branched-chain volatile acid synthesis in Ascaris mitochondria.

The rate of 14CO2 evolution from 1-[14C]pyruvate by intact Ascaris mitochondria was very slow, but increased with increasing concentrations of pyruvate. At all concentrations of pyruvate, in an aerobic environment, pyruvate decarboxylation was stimulated greatly by the addition of fumarate, malate, or succinate. However, under anaerobic conditions, only malate and fumarate stimulated pyruvate decarboxylation; succinate had no effect. This implies that the aerobic metabolism of succinate, presumably to other dicarboxylic acids, may be required for the stimulation. Incubation of sonicated mitochondria with pyruvate plus fumarate, under rate-limiting concentrations of NAD+, resulted in approximately equal quantities of pyruvate utilized and succinate formed, suggesting that pyruvate oxidation and fumarate reduction may be linked. Branched-chain, volatile fatty acids were not formed during incubations with either malate or succinate, or succinate plus acetate. However, incubations of intact Ascaris mitochondria with pyruvate plus succinate yielded 2-methylbutyrate and 2-methylvalerate, whereas incubations with pyruvate plus propionate yielded almost exclusively 2-methylvalerate. Oxygen dramatically inhibited the synthesis of the branched-chain acids from succinate plus pyruvate, attesting to the apparent anaerobic nature of Ascaris mitochondrial metabolism. Significantly, the addition of glucose plus ADP stimulated the formation of all volatile fatty acids. Therefore, the synthesis of branched-chain acids may be related directly to increased energy generation. Alternatively, they may function in the regulatory role of maintaining the mitochondrial redox balance.