Association of methionyl-tRNA synthetase with detergent-insoluble components of the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Using fluorescent antibody staining, we have established the association of methionyl-tRNA synthetase with the endoplasmic reticulum in PtK2 cells. After Triton X-100 extraction, 70% of the recovered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activity was found in the detergent-insoluble fraction. This fraction of the enzyme remained localized with insoluble endoplasmic reticulum antigens and with ribosomes, which were stained with acridine orange. By both fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy the organization of the detergent-insoluble residue was found to depend on the composition of the extracting solution. After extraction with a microtubule-stabilizing buffer containing EGTA, Triton X-100, and polyethylene glycol (Osburn, M., and K. Weber, 1977, Cell, 12:561-571) the ribosomes were aggregated in large clusters with remnants of membranes. After extraction with a buffer containing Triton X-100, sucrose, and CaCl2 (Fulton, A. B., K. M. Wang, and S. Penman, 1980, Cell, 20:849-857), the ribosomes were in small clusters and there were few morphologically recognizable membranes. In both cases the methionyl-tRNA synthetase and some endoplasmic reticulum antigens retained approximately their normal distribution in the cell. Double fluorochrome staining showed no morphological association of methionyl-tRNA synthetase with the microtubule, actin, or cytokeratin fiber systems of PtK2 cells. These observations demonstrate that detergent-insoluble cellular components, sometimes referred to as "cytoskeletal" preparations, contain significant amounts of nonfilamentous material including ribosomes, and membrane residue. Caution is required in speculating about intermolecular associations in such a complex cell fraction.

Efficacy of Glucocorticoids and Calcineurin Inhibitors for Anti-aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase Antibody-positive Polymyositis/dermatomyositis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease: A Propensity Score-matched Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal treatment strategy for anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibody-positive polymyositis/dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease (anti-ARS-PM/DM-ILD) is yet to be established. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) in patients with ARS-PM/DM-ILD. METHODS: Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates were retrospectively evaluated in 32 consecutive patients with ARS-PM/DM-ILD. Disease progression was defined as deterioration in PM/DM-ILD (including recurrence). Predictive factors associated with PFS were analyzed by Cox hazards analysis. The efficacy of first-line prednisolone (PSL) plus CNI therapy was compared with that of PSL monotherapy using propensity score-matched analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 20 (62.5%) and 12 (37.5%) patients received first-line therapy with PSL + CNI and PSL, respectively. The 2-year PFS and 5-year survival rates in the overall cohort were 68.8% and 96.9%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, arterial oxygen pressure (HR 0.86) and PSL monotherapy (vs PSL + CNI; HR 7.29) showed an independent association with PFS. Baseline characteristics of propensity score-matched PSL + CNI and PSL groups were similar. The 2-year PFS rate was significantly higher in the matched PSL + CNI group than in the matched PSL group. All patients who experienced disease progression during first-line therapy were subsequently treated with second-line therapies. The 5-year survival rates of both the matched PSL + CNI and PSL groups were favorable. CONCLUSION: Propensity score-matched analysis demonstrated that first-line PSL + CNI therapy for patients with ARS-PM/DM-ILD significantly improved the PFS compared with PSL monotherapy, although there was no significant difference regarding longterm survival.

The multienzyme complex containing nine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is ubiquitous from Drosophila to mammals.

In all mammalian cells studied so far, a multienzyme complex containing the nine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases specific for the amino acids Glu, Pro, Ile, Leu, Met, Gln, Lys, Arg and Asp was characterized. The complexes purified from various sources display very similar polypeptide compositions; they are composed of 11 polypeptides with molecular masses ranging from 18 to 150 kDa. By contrast, the corresponding enzymes from prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes behave as free enzymes. In order to test for the ubiquity of the multisynthetase complex in all metazoan species, we have searched for a similar complex in Drosophila. We have purified to homogeneity, from Schneider cells, a high molecular weight complex comprising the same nine synthetase activities. Its polypeptide composition resembles that of the complexes isolated from mammalian sources. By using the Western blotting procedure, some of the constituent polypeptides of the Drosophila complex were assigned to specific aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. These findings support the proposal according to which the multisynthetase complex is an idiosyncratic feature of all higher eukaryotic cells.

Histidyl-tRNA synthetase of Chinese hamster ovary cells contains phosphoserine.

The Chinese hamster ovary cell line 2H2-5, which expresses elevated levels of histidyl-tRNA synthetase, was used to demonstrate that histidyl-tRNA synthetase contains phosphoserine. After growth of the cells in medium containing [32P]orthophosphate, histidyl-tRNA synthetase was isolated by partial purification and immunoprecipitation and shown to be a phosphoprotein. Phosphoamino acid analysis showed that histidyl-tRNA synthetase is phosphorylated on serine, as has previously been shown for threonyl-tRNA synthetase of CHO cells.

Structural studies on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. A tentative correlation between the subunit size and the occurrence of repeated sequences.

Recent studies have shown that those synthetases with subunits greater than 85,000 daltons contain extensive repeated sequences, whilst those with small subunits (40,000 daltons) do not. We have undertaken a comparative study of four aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (glutamyl-, arginyl-, valyl-, and phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases) with subunit sizes ranging from 56,000 to 130,000 daltons in an attempt to correlate the occurrence and extent of the repeats with the length of the polypeptide chain. Our results show that monomeric glutamyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli (56,000 daltons) contains few repeated sequences, whereas both subunits of yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (alpha, 73,000 daltons; beta, 62,000 daltons) and yeast arginyl-tRNA synthetase (74,000 daltons) do have a significant amount of repeats. Thus 56,000 dalton appears to be the minimum size compatible with the existence of such repeats.

Levels of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, tRNA nucleotidyltransferase and ATP in germinating lupin seeds.

Transfer RNAs in dry lupin seeds are aminoacylated to a low extent (Kedzierski, W. and Pawelkiewicz, J. (1977) Phytochemistry 16, 503-504) and are partly degraded at the acceptor terminus (Dziegielewski, T. and Pawelkiewicz, J. (1977) Bull. Acad. Polon. Sci. Ser. Biol. 7, 4oo-435). Increase in the levels of tRNA aminoacylation and disappearance of defective tRNA molecules during seed germination are not accompanied by significant changes in the levels of phenylalanyl-, arginyl-, valyl-tRNA synthetases and tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. Additionally, no inhibitor of aminoacylation of valine tRNA has been detected in dry seeds. However, dry seeds contain very low ATP amounts, which increase dramatically during germination. The above results suggest that a very low ATP level is a factor limiting the aminoacylation and reparation of tRNA molecules at early stages of seed germination.

Dual Organellar Targeting of Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases in Diatoms and Cryptophytes.

The internal compartmentation of eukaryotic cells not only allows separation of biochemical processes but it also creates the requirement for systems that can selectively transport proteins across the membrane boundaries. Although most proteins function in a single subcellular compartment, many are able to enter two or more compartments, a phenomenon known as dual or multiple targeting. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), which catalyze the ligation of tRNAs to their cognate amino acids, are particularly prone to functioning in multiple subcellular compartments. They are essential for translation, so they are required in every compartment where translation takes place. In diatoms, there are three such compartments, the plastid, the mitochondrion, and the cytosol. In cryptophytes, translation also takes place in the periplastid compartment (PPC), which is the reduced cytoplasm of the plastid's red algal ancestor and which retains a reduced red algal nucleus. We searched the organelle and nuclear genomes of the cryptophyte Guillardia theta and the diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Thalassiosira pseudonana for aaRS genes and found an insufficient number of genes to provide each compartment with a complete set of aaRSs. We therefore inferred, with support from localization predictions, that many aaRSs are dual targeted. We tested four of the predicted dual targeted aaRSs with green fluorescent protein fusion localizations in P. tricornutum and found evidence for dual targeting to the mitochondrion and plastid in P. tricornutum and G. theta, and indications for dual targeting to the PPC and cytosol in G. theta. This is the first report of dual targeting in diatoms or cryptophytes.

On the recovery of Cys-containing peptides during peptide mapping by HPLC. Tryptic peptides of Trp-tRNA synthetase of E.coli.

Conditions are presented for separating the major tryptic peptides of E.coli tryptophanyl-transfer RNA synthetase by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using a water-methanol gradient in the presence of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Three of the peptides contain cysteine and are recovered in good yields if alkylated, but otherwise cannot be detected. A convenient post-digestion alkylation procedure is appropriate for use with small samples of protein which can be digested under reducing conditions. These results will be of interest for studies of the labeling of sulfhydryl groups in other proteins.

Isoelectric focusing and isoelectric points of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Isoelectric points and isoelectric focusing behaviour of 10 highly purified eukaryotic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from 3 sources, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Euglena gracilis and Phaseolus vulgaris were examined. The pI-values measured on polyacrylamide gels under native conditions are situated between pH 5.0-7.5. A microheterogeneity was observed for 9 enzymes appearing otherwise homogeneous on gel electrophoresis. A compilation of the isoelectric points of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is given and literature data are compared with our experimental results.

The primary structures of three yeast mitochondrial serine tRNA isoacceptors.

Yeast mitochondria contain several isoaccepting species of serine-tRNA. The relative amount of these isoacceptors varies according to the conditions used to grow the yeast cells. In order to gain insight into the structural differences among these isoacceptors, the three mitochondrial tRNAsSer, which are present in derepressed yeast cells, have been sequenced. The primary structure of tRNASer1 differs considerably from that of tRNASer2; these two isoacceptors have only 39 nucleotides in common. In contrast, tRNASer3 differs from tRNASer2 by only one post-transcriptional modification: the psi residue in position 28 of tRNASer2 is replaced by a normal U in tRNASer3. Unlike tRNASer2 and tRNASer3, the primary sequence of tRNASer1 shows two unusual structural features: it has a D in position 14 instead of the "universal" A14 of the standard tRNA cloverleaf and it contains two G residues between the D-stem and the anticodon-stem. Considering their respective anticodons, tRNASer1 should recognize the two serine codons A-G-C and A-G-U, whereas both tRNASer2 and tRNASer3 should recognize all four serine codons of the U-C-N series.

Leucine-tRNA ligase complexes.

The methodologies described in this chapter allow the reproducible preparation of native high-molecular-weight synthetase complexes of leuRL. These complexes have the ability to preferentially utilize extracellular leucine immediately upon transport and are likely the forms of the enzyme most important in the utilization of leucine for protein synthesis.

Expression, localization and alternative function of cytoplasmic asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase in Brugia malayi.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARS) are a family of enzymes that exhibit primary and various secondary functions in different species. In Brugia malayi, the gene for asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS), a class II AARS, previously has been identified as a multicopy gene encoding an immunodominant antigen in the serum of humans with lymphatic filariasis. However, the relative level of expression and alternative functions of AARS in nematode parasites is not well understood. We searched the Filarial Genome Project database to identify the number and amino acid specificity of B. malayi AARS cDNAs to gain insight into the role of different AARS in filaria. These data showed that cytoplasmic AsnRS was present in five gene clusters, and is the most frequently represented member of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family in adult B. malayi. The relative level of AsnRS transcribed in adult female B. malayi was compared to the levels of a low abundance and medium abundance AARS by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. By this method, AsnRS cDNA was 11 times greater than arginyl-tRNA synthetase and methionyl-tRNA synthetase cDNA. In situ hybridization using a B. malayi AsnRS-specific oligonucleotide probe identified abundant cytoplasmic mRNA, particularly in the hypodermis of adult B. malayi. In the absence of tRNA, AsnRS synthesizes diadenosine triphosphate, a potent regulator of cell growth in other eukaryotes. These data support the hypothesis that all AARS are not equally expressed in B. malayi and that these enzymes may demonstrate important alternative functions in filaria.

The activities of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase phosphatase and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in MPC-11 and Krebs II ascites cells.

The activity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase phosphatase as well as the activities of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in Krebs II ascites cells and MPC-11 cells have been investigated. The activity of the phosphatase was greater in the tumor cells than in normal tissues. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities were 100-300 times higher than the activities found in the uterus of ovariectomized mice, but not very different from the activities found in the liver. The influence of cyclic AMP. 2-deoxyadenosine 3-phosphate and 2-deoxyguanosine 3-phosphate on the growth of MPC-11 cells, grown in suspension culture, was also investigated.

Electron microscopy proves Jo-1 antigen to be predominantly cytoplasmic but also nuclear.

The Jo-1 antigen is a specific marker for autoimmune myositis with an excellent correlation with associated interstitial lung disease. Using an electron microscopy immunogold technique, we were able to show that the antigen was predominantly cytoplasmic.

[Multivariate analysis of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities of liver and hepatomas (author's transl)]. / Analisi multivariata delle attività aminoacil-tRNA sintetasiche del fegato e degli epatomi

Data on the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities in normal liver and in three transplantable rat hepatomas, viz Yoshida's AH 130 and Morris's 5123C and 7793, were studied by means of factor analysis, a powerful technique of multivariate analysis particularly suitable foridentifying factors which theoretically may account for the pattern of interrelations between several variables. The analysis has been performed on 51 patterns of enzyme activities, covering 17 out of the 20 aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases; 80% on average of the total variability of the 17 enzyme activities may be accounted for by the first 4 factors extracted. The enzymes seem to fall into different groups, depending on their relationship with the factors thus identified. The results suggest that enzymes belonging to the same group share a common control mechanism, and are independent of the enzymes belonging to different groups, both in normal liver and in hepatomas.

[Study of the possibility of identifying the structural elements of the phenylalanyl-tRNA-synthetase active center by affinity labeling]. / Issledovanie vozmozhnosti lokalizatsii strukturnykh élementov aktivnykh tsentrov fenilalanil-tRNK-sintetazy metodom affinnoi modifikatsii.

The possibility of localization of active sites structural components by affinity labelling was investigated. The modification of E. coli MRE-600 phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (E.C.6.1.1.20) (alpha 2 beta 2-type) by the phosphorylating analog of ATP-- [14C]adenosine-5'-trimetaphosphate results in the labelling of both heavy (beta) and light (alpha) enzyme subunits. Analysis of the peptide maps of the tryptic enzyme hydrolysate reveals a great number of peptides containing [14C]radioactivity. The decrease of covalent binding at low concentration of the analog did not abolish the plural labelling. The data permit to consider this kind of analogs as unperspective for localization of specific peptides. Modification of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase by tRNAPhe containing the photoreactive group (--CH2CONHC6H5N3) at eighth position of molecule (S8U) results in the labelling of only heavy beta-subunits. These data correspond to the previous results which testify to the disposition of tRNA binding sites on beta-subunits of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. After hydrolysis of the modified phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase by trypsin six peptides covalently bound with tRNAPhe were revealed. This quantity of modified peptides is higher than the number of tRNA binding sites. Hence the method of affinity labelling has definite limitations for localization of peptides of enzyme active sites.

[Immune electron microscope determination of the localization of tryptophanyl-tRNA-synthetase in bacteria and higher eukaryotes]. / Immuno-élektronno-mikroskopicheskoe opredelenie lokalizatsii triptofanil-tRNK-sintetazy v kletkakh bakterii i vysshikh éukariot.

Localization of tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (TRS) was studied on ultrathin (UT) sections of Escherichia coli cells and of rat fibroblasts fixed with glutaraldehyde and embedded in "Lowicryl K4M" resin at -35 degrees C. The UT sections were treated with the complexes of monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibodies against TRS with colloidal gold 15 and 8 nm in size. In both types of the cells cytoplasm was the most intensely labelled. In fibroblast cytoplasm, zones with a greater amount of ribosomes were mainly labelled, the gold particles being found over both the cysternae of granular endoplasmic reticulum and the areas of localization of free ribosomes. In the zones of microfilament localization TRS was not detected. A great amount of TRS was found in mitochondria and in the fibroblast nuclei. In the latter case, the label was concentrated over the diffuse chromatin localization regions, a minimal binding being observed over compact chromatin. The number of particles observed over diffuse chromatin equals to 50-80% against the label in fibroblast cytoplasm. In contrast, the label used to be absent over the E. coli nucleoid. The presence of TRS in the fibroblast nucleus may evidence in favour of a possible regulatory role of TRS in eukaryots.

Limited tryptic digestion of leucyl-tRNA synthetase and characterization of its active fragment.

Leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS, EC 6.1.1.4) from E. coli underwent limited proteolysis by trypsin which cut off 6K peptide and converted the intact LeuRS into a 96K fragment. The truncated enzyme retained the PPi exchange activity with the same kinetic parameters as those of native LeuRS but lost the tRNALeu charging, binding and other tRNALeu-related activities. N-terminus analysis showed that the 6K peptide was located at the C-terminus of Leu-RS. This small part played a crucial role in tRNALeu binding. Our results suggest that the two activities, PPi exchange and tRNA charging are independent of each other and correspond to different structural regions of LeuRS. The C-terminal region might be the tRNALeu binding site of LeuRS.

[Physico-chemical properties of lysyl-tRNA-synthetase from the rat liver]. / Fiziko-khimicheskie svoistva lizil-tRNK-sintetazy pecheni krys.

Two lysyl-tRNA-synthetase forms are obtained from the rat liver. Their molecular masses are determined by electrophoresis and gel-filtration on Sephadex G-150: form I-122, form II-64 kDalton. Gel-electrophoresis in the presence of 0.1% SDS indicates that form I of lysyl-tRNA-synthetase consists of two subunits with a molecular mass of 64 kDalton each, i. e. it is a dimer. Optimal conditions and kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) of aminoacylation for the both enzyme forms are similar. Amino acid composition, fluorescence parameters and thermal inactivation conditions are determined.