p-Butyroxybenzenediazonium fluoroborate, substrate of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, discriminates between the two enzymes by a specific affinity labelling.

p-Butyroxybenzenediazonium fluoroborate 1 was shown to be a substrate of both acetylcholinesterase (AcChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) with Michaelis constants of 6.10(-5) M and 1.3. 10(-4)M, respectively. Upon incubation in the dark, 1 was able to discriminate between the two enzymes AcChE was efficiently inactivated in a time-dependent manner while BuChE remained unaffected. Kinetic analysis of the inactivation of AcChE (i) by various concentrations of 1 indicated that it behaves as an affinity label, (ii) at three different pH levels suggested that the pKa of the labelled residue was higher than 7 and (iii) in the presence of different selective ligands for either the active site (edrophonium) or the peripheral site (propidium) indicated that 1 alkylated the active site rather than the peripheral one. Differences of reactivity between AcChE and BuChE suggest a different positioning and/or a different chemical environment of the substrate within two active sites.

Immunopeptides in the defense reactions of Glossina morsitans to bacterial and Trypanosoma brucei brucei infections.

Several dipteran insects are vectors of parasites causing major human infectious diseases. Among these, the tsetse fly, Glossina spp., is responsible for the transmission of trypanosomes, the pathogens responsible for sleeping sickness in Africa. A better understanding of insect-parasite interactions will help establish new strategies to fight this important often fatal disease. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the humoral immune response in insects during bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections. Here, we studied the immune response of Glossina morsitans to bacteria and to Trypanosoma brucei brucei by analyzing the synthesis of AMPs as markers of the humoral immune response. By reversed-phase chromatography, mass spectrometry analysis, Edman degradation and in vitro antimicrobial assays of the hemolymph of immune-challenged adults of G. morsitans, we identified three AMPs: a cecropin, an attacin and a defensin. These three AMPs were found to be induced upon systemic bacterial infection and also after per os infections by bacteria and parasites.

Immune response of Drosophila melanogaster to infection with the flagellate parasite Crithidia spp.

Insects are able to recognize invading microorganisms and to mount an immune response to bacterial and fungal infections. Recently, the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as a promising invertebrate model to investigate innate immunity because of its well-characterized genetics. Insects are also vectors of numerous parasites which can trigger an immune response. We have investigated the interaction of Drosophila melanogaster with the flagellate protozoan Crithidia spp. We show that a per os parasitic infection triggers the synthesis of several antimicrobial peptides. By reverse phase HPLC and mass spectrometry, peptides were shown to be present in the hemolymph and not in the gut tissue, suggesting the presence of immune messengers between the site of the infection, namely the gut, and the fat body, the main site of synthesis for antimicrobial peptides. Interestingly, we have identified one molecule which is specifically induced in the hemolymph after infection with Crithidia, but not with bacteria, suggesting that Drosophila can discriminate between pathogens. When flagellates were injected into the hemolymph, a low synthesis of antimicrobial peptides was observed together with phagocytosis of parasites by circulating hemocytes. The data presented here suggest that Drosophila-Crithidia spp. represents an interesting model to study host defense against protozoan parasites.

Photoaffinity labelling of cholinesterases. Discrimination between active and peripheral sites.

Two para-dialkylaminobenzenediazonium salts, the dimethylamino (A) and dibutylamino (B) derivatives, are presented as structural probes for acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. While being reversible competitive inhibitors in the dark, A and B behave, upon irradiation and through the formation of arylcation species, as irreversible labels of ammonium-binding sites of both enzymes. The observed variations of the different inactivation rate constants point to a different structural environment for acetylcholinesterase-binding and butyrylcholinesterase-binding sites. Moreover, in the case of acetylcholinesterase, protection experiments with specific ligands (edrophonium and propidium) showed that the dimethylamino salt A exclusively labels the hydrolytic anionic site, whereas the dibutylamino salt B also labels the peripheral site. Specificities and stoechiometries of the incorporations were determined and, in the case of acetylcholinesterase, the irradiated protein was submitted to chemical degradation. Peptide maps were obtained by gel-permeation chromatography and HPLC, giving access to labelled peptides which belong either to the active or to the peripheral site.

6-Coumarin diazonium salt: a specific affinity label of the Torpedo acetylcholinesterase peripheral site.

A 6-coumarin diazonium salt was synthesized and tested on Torpedo acetylcholinesterase as a site-directed irreversible probe for quaternary ammonium binding. The rate of the inactivation was examined as a function of time, inhibitor concentration, and pH, which allowed the determination of the dissociation and the rate constants of this efficient affinity labeling process. Protection experiments using tetramethylammonium, edrophonium, and propidium demonstrated that the labeling reaction occurred exclusively at the peripheral quaternary ammonium binding site of the enzyme. This result was confirmed by the modification of propidium binding at the peripheral site after inactivation reaction, as directly determined by fluorescence. Mutations of the likely labeled amino acid residues, Tyr70 and Tyr121, by histidine and phenylalanine indicated a predominant involvement of Tyr70 over Tyr121 in the coupling reaction.

Photoaffinity labeling of Torpedo nicotinic receptor with the agonist [3H]DCTA: identification of amino acid residues which contribute to the binding of the ester moiety of acetylcholine.

Torpedo marmorata acetylcholine binding sites were photolabeled using 360 nm light, at equilibrium in the desensitized state, with the agonist [3H]DCTA utilizing the CeIV/glutathione procedure described previously (Grutter, et al. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 7476-7484). Photoincorporation of [3H]DCTA was concentration-dependent with a maximum of 7.5% specific labeling on the alpha-subunit and 1.2% on the gamma-subunit. The apparent dissociation constants for labeling of the alpha- and gamma-subunits were 2.2 +/- 1.1 and 3.6 +/- 2.8 microM, respectively. The alpha-chains isolated from receptor-rich membranes photolabeled in the absence or in the presence of carbamylcholine were cleaved with CNBr using an efficient "in gel" procedure. The resulting peptide fragments were purified by HPLC and further submitted to trypsinolysis. The digest was analyzed by HPLC leading to a single radioactive peak which, by microsequencing, revealed two sequences extending from alpha Lys-179 and from alpha His-186, respectively. Radioactive signals could be unambiguously attributed to positions corresponding to residues alpha Tyr-190, alpha Cys-192, alpha Cys-193, and alpha Tyr-198. These four identified [3H]DCTA-labeled residues, which have been also labeled with other affinity and photoaffinity probes including the agonist [3H]nicotine, belong to loop C of the ACh binding site. The chemical structure of [3H]DCTA, together with its well-defined and powerful photochemical reactivity, provides convincing evidence that loop C-labeled residues are primarily involved in the interaction with the ester moiety of acetylcholine.

Trp82 and Tyr332 are involved in two quaternary ammonium binding domains of human butyrylcholinesterase as revealed by photoaffinity labeling with [3H]DDF.

Purified butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) was photolabeled by [3H]-p-N, N-dimethylamino benzene diazonium ([3H]DDF) to identify the quaternary ammonium binding sites on this protein [Ehret-Sabatier, L. , Schalk, I., Goeldner, M., and Hirth, C. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 203, 475-481]. The covalent photoincorporation occurs with a stoichiometry of one mole of probe per mole of inactivated site and could be fully prevented by several cholinergic inhibitors such as tacrine or tetramethylammonium. After complete deglycosylation of the enzyme using N-glycosidase F, the alkylated protein was trypsinolyzed and the digests were analyzed by HPLC coupled to ES-MS. A direct comparison of tryptic fragments from labeled and unlabeled BuChE allowed us to identify the tryptic peptide Tyr61-Lys103 as carrying the probe. Purification of the labeled peptides by anion-exchange chromatography gave a major radioactive peak which was further fractionated by reversed-phase HPLC leading to three, well-resolved, radioactive peaks. Microsequencing revealed that two of these peaks contained an overlapping sequence starting at Tyr61, while the third peak contained a sequence extending from Thr315. Radioactive signals could be unambiguously attributed to positions corresponding to residues Trp82 and Tyr332. This labeling study establishes the existence of two different binding domains for quaternary ammonium in BuChE and exemplifies additional cation/pi interactions in cholinergic proteins. This work strongly supports the existence of a peripheral anionic site in BuChE, implying residue Tyr332 as a key element.

Trp279 is involved in the binding of quaternary ammonium at the peripheral site of Torpedo marmorata acetylcholinesterase.

Specific photoaffinity labelling of purified acetylcholinesterase from Torpedo marmorata by p-N,N-[3H]dimethylamino benzenediazonium and p-N,N-[3H]dibutylamino benzenediazonium derivatives was demonstrated. This occurred at the active site of the enzyme for lower concentrations of the probes and at the peripheral ammonium binding site for higher concentrations. The affinities and the rate constants of alkylation for each probe on both sites have been established. Specific labelling at the peripheral site of the enzyme with both probes allowed the identification of radio-labelled peptides having the common sequence K270PQELIDVEW. The radioactivity was always associated with the residue Trp279 indicating the preferential ammonium complexation with this aromatic residue.

Characterization of novel cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides from scorpion blood.

We have isolated, from the hemolymph of unchallenged scorpions of the species Androctonus australis, three distinct antimicrobial peptides, which we have fully characterized by Edman degradation, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Two are novel molecules: (i) androctonin, a 25-residue peptide with two disulfide bridges, active against both bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) and fungi and showing marked sequence homology to tachyplesins and polyphemusins from horseshoe crabs; and (ii) buthinin, a 34-residue antibacterial (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) peptide with three disulfide bridges. The third peptide contains 37 residues and three disulfide bridges and clearly belongs to the family of anti-Gram-positive insect defensins. We have synthesized androctonin and explored its activity spectrum and mode of action.

[3H](azidophenyl)ureido taxoid photolabels peptide amino acids 281-304 of alpha-tubulin.

The taxoid binding site on porcine brain tubulin was covalently labeled, in the presence or absence of Taxotere, with the photoaffinity reagent [3H]-p-(azidophenyl)ureido taxoid derivative [3H]TaxAPU [Combeau, C., Commercon, A., Mioskowski, C., Rousseau, B., Aubert, F., & Goeldner, M. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 6676-6683]. After disulfide reduction and carboxymethylation, the alkylated tubulin samples were treated with trypsin and the mixtures of peptides were first fractionated by gel filtration over Sephadex G50. Anion exchange chromatography of the radioactive areas showed, for one area, three major radioactive signals which were further analyzed by reversed phase C18 HPLC, leading to well-resolved radioactive peaks. Microsequencing of these different peaks gave a complete sequence of a tryptic fragment on alpha-tubulin (alpha-281-304) and two partial peptide sequences of a tryptic fragment on beta-tubulin (beta-217-229) in addition to sequences of mixture of peptides. The radioactive signals were lost while concentrating the samples for microsequencing, preventing the identification of the modified amino acids. These results identify the first peptide on alpha-tubulin which binds to the taxoids and confirm the involvement of both alpha- and beta-tubulin in the taxoid binding site.

Quaternary ligand binding to aromatic residues in the active-site gorge of acetylcholinesterase.

Binding sites of Torpedo acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) for quaternary ligands were investigated by x-ray crystallography and photoaffinity labeling. Crystal structures of complexes with ligands were determined at 2.8-A resolution. In a complex with edrophonium, and quaternary nitrogen of the ligand interacts with the indole of Trp-84, and its m-hydroxyl displays bifurcated hydrogen bonding to two members of the catalytic triad, Ser-200 and His-440. In a complex with tacrine, the acridine is stacked against the indole of Trp-84. The bisquaternary ligand decamethonium is oriented along the narrow gorge leading to the active site; one quaternary group is apposed to the indole of Trp-84 and the other to that of Trp-279, near the top of the gorge. The only major conformational difference between the three complexes is in the orientation of the phenyl ring of Phe-330. In the decamethonium complex it lies parallel to the surface of the gorge; in the other two complexes it is positioned to make contact with the bound ligand. This close interaction was confirmed by photoaffinity labelling by the photosensitive probe 3H-labeled p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzenediazonium fluoroborate, which labeled, predominantly, Phe-330 within the active site. Labeling of Trp-279 was also observed. One mole of label is incorporated per mole of AcChoEase inactivated, indicating that labeling of Trp-279 and that of Phe-330 are mutually exclusive. The structural and chemical data, together, show the important role of aromatic groups as binding sites for quaternary ligands, and they provide complementary evidence assigning Trp-84 and Phe-330 to the "anionic" subsite of the active site and Trp-279 to the "peripheral" anionic site.