AZG1 is a cytokinin transporter that interacts with auxin transporter PIN1 and regulates the root stress response.

An environmentally responsive root system is crucial for plant growth and crop yield, especially in suboptimal soil conditions. This responsiveness enables the plant to exploit regions of high nutrient density while simultaneously minimizing abiotic stress. Despite the vital importance of root systems in regulating plant growth, significant gaps of knowledge exist in the mechanisms that regulate their architecture. Auxin defines both the frequency of lateral root (LR) initiation and the rate of LR outgrowth. Here, we describe a search for proteins that regulate root system architecture (RSA) by interacting directly with a key auxin transporter, PIN1. The native separation of Arabidopsis plasma membrane protein complexes identified several PIN1 co-purifying proteins. Among them, AZG1 was subsequently confirmed as a PIN1 interactor. Here, we show that, in Arabidopsis, AZG1 is a cytokinin (CK) import protein that co-localizes with and stabilizes PIN1, linking auxin and CK transport streams. AZG1 expression in LR primordia is sensitive to NaCl, and the frequency of LRs is AZG1-dependent under salt stress. This report therefore identifies a potential point for auxin:cytokinin crosstalk, which shapes RSA in response to NaCl.

[Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence and dependency on country of origin of refugees in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany in 2015]. / Hepatitis-C-Virus Seroprävalenz und Abhängigkeit vom Herkunftsland bei Flüchtlingen in Rheinland-Pfalz/Deutschland im Jahr 2015.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C, a liver disease transmitted by the hepatitis C virus (HCV), can result in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). According to WHO estimates for 2015, approximately 71 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HCV, representing 1% of the world population. Worldwide migration movements lead to immigration from HCV high- to low-prevalence countries. There are, however, no published data available on HCV seroprevalence and its correlation with the country of origin in current unselected larger refugee populations (>1000 people) having entered Europe/Germany. OBJECTIVES: Documentation and evaluation of hepatitis C seroprevalence and its correlation with the country of origin of refugees in Rhineland-Palatinate/Germany in 2015. METHODS: As part of routine diagnostics during the initial medical examination, 12,880 refugees in Rhineland-Palatinate were screened for HCV antibodies in 2015. The data have been analyzed retrospectively and anonymously. RESULTS: The collective comprising 12,880 refugees showed a HCV seroprevalence of 1.5%. This is higher than the HCV prevalence of the general German population (0.5%). In particular, a correlation between HCV seroprevalence and the country of origin could be demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: To reach the 2030 HCV-elimination target of the WHO, national and international recommendations to screen refugees/migrants from HCV high-prevalence countries for HCV should be emphasized. The chronically infected should be treated in accordance with HCV-guidelines. National, easily accessible information on HCV high-prevalence countries is required by attending physicians.

Extending the dynamic range of label-free mass spectrometric quantification of affinity purifications.

Affinity purification (AP) of protein complexes combined with LC-MS/MS analysis is the current method of choice for identification of protein-protein interactions. Their interpretation with respect to significance, specificity, and selectivity requires quantification methods coping with enrichment factors of more than 1000-fold, variable amounts of total protein, and low abundant, unlabeled samples. We used standardized samples (0.1-1000 fmol) measured on high resolution hybrid linear ion trap instruments (LTQ-FT/Orbitrap) to characterize and improve linearity and dynamic range of label-free approaches. Quantification based on spectral counts was limited by saturation and ion suppression effects with samples exceeding 100 ng of protein, depending on the instrument setup. In contrast, signal intensities of peptides (peak volumes) selected by a novel correlation-based method (TopCorr-PV) were linear over at least 4 orders of magnitude and allowed for accurate relative quantification of standard proteins spiked into a complex protein background. Application of this procedure to APs of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.1 as a model membrane protein complex unambiguously identified the whole set of known interaction partners together with novel candidates. In addition to discriminating these proteins from background, we could determine efficiency, cross-reactivities, and selection biases of the used purification antibodies. The enhanced dynamic range of the developed quantification procedure appears well suited for sensitive identification of specific protein-protein interactions, detection of antibody-related artifacts, and optimization of AP conditions.

The epilepsy-linked Lgi1 protein assembles into presynaptic Kv1 channels and inhibits inactivation by Kvbeta1.

The voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel subunit Kv1.1 is a major constituent of presynaptic A-type channels that modulate synaptic transmission in CNS neurons. Here, we show that Kv1.1-containing channels are complexed with Lgi1, the functionally unassigned product of the leucine-rich glioma inactivated gene 1 (LGI1), which is causative for an autosomal dominant form of lateral temporal lobe epilepsy (ADLTE). In the hippocampal formation, both Kv1.1 and Lgi1 are coassembled with Kv1.4 and Kvbeta1 in axonal terminals. In A-type channels composed of these subunits, Lgi1 selectively prevents N-type inactivation mediated by the Kvbeta1 subunit. In contrast, defective Lgi1 molecules identified in ADLTE patients fail to exert this effect resulting in channels with rapid inactivation kinetics. The results establish Lgi1 as a novel subunit of Kv1.1-associated protein complexes and suggest that changes in inactivation gating of presynaptic A-type channels may promote epileptic activity.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for detection and identification of albumin phosphylation by organophosphorus pesticides and G- and V-type nerve agents.

Toxic organophosphorus compounds (OPC), e.g., pesticides and nerve agents (NA), are known to phosphylate distinct endogenous proteins in vivo and in vitro. OPC adducts of butyrylcholinesterase and albumin are considered to be valuable biomarkers for retrospective verification of OPC exposure. Therefore, we have detected and identified novel adducts of human serum albumin (HSA) by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Pure albumin and plasma were incubated with numerous pesticides and NA of the V- and G-type in different molar ratios. Samples were prepared either by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by in-gel enzymatic cleavage using endoproteinase Glu-C (Glu-C) or by combining highly albumin-selective affinity extraction with ultrafiltration followed by reduction, carbamidomethylation, and enzymatic cleavage (Glu-C) prior to MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Characteristic mass shifts for phosphylation revealed tyrosine adducts at Y(411) (Y(401)KFQNALLVRY(411)TKKVPQVSTPTLVE(425)), Y(148) and Y(150) (I(142)ARRHPY(148)FY(150)APE(153), single and double labeled), and Y(161) (L(154)LFFAKRY(161)KAAFTE(167)) produced by original NA (tabun, sarin, soman, cyclosarin, VX, Chinese VX, and Russian VX) as well as by chlorpyrifos-oxon, diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), paraoxon-ethyl (POE), and profenofos. MALDI-MS/MS of the single-labeled I(142)-E(153) peptide demonstrated that Y(150) was phosphylated with preference to Y(148). Aged albumin adducts were not detected. The procedure described was reproducible and feasible for detection of adducts at the most reactive Y(411)-residue (S/N ≥ 3) when at least 1% of total albumin was labeled. This was achieved by incubating plasma with molar HSA/OPC ratios ranging from approximately 1:0.03 (all G-type NA, DFP, and POE) to 1:3 (V-type NA, profenofos). Relative signal intensity of the Y(411) adduct correlated well with the spotted relative molar amount underlining the usefulness for quantitative adduct determination. In conclusion, the current analytical design exhibits potential as a verification tool for high-dose exposure.

Multi-step assembly pathway of the cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase complex.

The cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidases as members of the heme-copper oxidase superfamily are involved in microaerobic respiration in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic proteobacteria. The biogenesis of these multisubunit enzymes, encoded by the ccoNOQP operon, depends on the ccoGHIS gene products, which are proposed to be specifically required for co-factor insertion and maturation of cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidases. Here, the assembly of the cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase from the facultative photosynthetic model organism Rhodobacter capsulatus was investigated using blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This process involves the formation of a stable but inactive 210 kDa sub-complex consisting of the subunits CcoNOQ and the assembly proteins CcoH and CcoS. By recruiting monomeric CcoP, this sub-complex is converted into an active 230 kDa CcoNOQP complex. Formation of these complexes and the stability of the monomeric CcoP are impaired drastically upon deletion of ccoGHIS. In a ccoI deletion strain, the 230 kDa complex was absent, although monomeric CcoP was still detectable. In contrast, neither of the complexes nor the monomeric CcoP was found in a ccoH deletion strain. In the absence of CcoS, the 230 kDa complex was assembled. However, it exhibited no enzymatic activity, suggesting that CcoS might be involved in a late step of biogenesis. Based on these data, we propose that CcoN, CcoO and CcoQ assemble first into an inactive 210 kDa sub-complex, which is stabilized via its interactions with CcoH and CcoS. Binding of CcoP, and probably subsequent dissociation of CcoH and CcoS, then generates the active 230 kDa complex. The insertion of the heme cofactors into the c-type cytochromes CcoP and CcoO precedes sub-complex formation, while the cofactor insertion into CcoN could occur either before or after the 210 kDa sub-complex formation during the assembly of the cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase.

MS-based monitoring of proteolytic decay of synthetic reporter peptides for quality control of plasma and serum specimens.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the preanalytical quality of serum and plasma by monitoring the time-dependent ex vivo decay of a synthetic reporter peptide (RP) with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). METHODS: Serum and plasma specimens were spiked with the RP and proteolytic fragments were monitored with LC/MS at different preanalytical time points ranging from 2 to 24 hours after blood withdrawal. RESULTS: The concentration of fragments changed in a time-dependent manner, and respective peptide profiles were used to classify specimens according to their preanalytical time span. Classification accuracy was high, with values always above 0.89 for areas under receiver operating characteristic curves. CONCLUSIONS: This "proteomics degradation clock" can be used to estimate the preanalytical quality of serum and plasma and might have impact on quality control procedures of biobanking repositories.

Transglutaminase-mediated transamidation of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline to fibronectin: evidence for a general mechanism of monoaminylation.

The activity of some small GTPases is regulated by covalent transamidation of serotonin (5-hydropxytryptamien) to glutamine residues of the enzymes. This process is mediated by transglutaminase (TGase) and is termed "serotonylation". In addition, serotonylation of neural proteins and proteins of the extracellular matrix such as fibronectin has been demonstrated. Here we show that the catecholamines dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) inhibit serotonylation of fibronectin and that DA and NA themselves can be selectively transamidated into fibronectin by TGase. All three biogenic monoamines also block TGase-mediated transamidation of another monoamine, monodansylacadaverine, into fibronectin, suggesting a general mechanism of TGase-mediated "monoaminylation".

Two cooperating helices constitute the lipid-binding domain of the bacterial SRP receptor.

Protein targeting by the bacterial signal recognition particle requires the specific interaction of the signal recognition particle (SRP)-ribosome-nascent chain complex with FtsY, the bacterial SRP receptor. Although FtsY in Escherichia coli lacks a transmembrane domain, the membrane-bound FtsY displays many features of an integral membrane protein. Our data reveal that it is the cooperative action of two lipid-binding helices that allows this unusually strong membrane contact. Helix I comprises the first 14 amino acids of FtsY and the second is located at the interface between the A- and the N-domain of FtsY. We show by site-directed cross-linking and binding assays that both helices bind to negatively charged phospholipids, with a preference for phosphatidyl glycerol. Despite the strong lipid binding, helix I does not seem to be completely inserted into the lipid phase, but appears to be oriented parallel with the membrane surface. The two helices together with the connecting linker constitute an independently folded domain, which maintains its lipid binding even in the absence of the conserved NG-core of FtsY. In summary, our data reveal that the two consecutive lipid-binding helices of FtsY can provide a membrane contact that does not differ significantly in stability from that provided by a transmembrane domain. This explains why the bacterial SRP receptor does not require an integral beta-subunit for membrane binding.

Association with the auxiliary subunit PEX5R/Trip8b controls responsiveness of HCN channels to cAMP and adrenergic stimulation.

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are key modulators of neuronal activity by providing the depolarizing cation current I(h) involved in rhythmogenesis, dendritic integration, and synaptic transmission. These tasks critically depend on the availability of HCN channels, which is dynamically regulated by intracellular cAMP; the range of this regulation, however, largely differs among neurons in the mammalian brain. Using affinity purification and high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identify the PEX5R/Trip8b protein as the beta subunit of HCN channels in the mammalian brain. Coassembly of PEX5R/Trip8b affects HCN channel gating in a subtype-dependent and mode-specific way: activation of HCN2 and HCN4 by cAMP is largely impaired, while gating by phosphoinositides and basal voltage-dependence remain unaffected. De novo expression of PEX5R/Trip8b in cardiomyocytes abolishes beta-adrenergic stimulation of HCN channels. These results demonstrate that PEX5R/Trip8b is an intrinsic auxiliary subunit of brain HCN channels and establish HCN-PEX5R/Trip8b coassembly as a mechanism to control the channels' responsiveness to cyclic nucleotide signaling.

A cleavable N-terminal membrane anchor is involved in membrane binding of the Escherichia coli SRP receptor.

Different from eukaryotes, the bacterial signal recognition particle (SRP) receptor lacks a membrane-tethering SRP receptor (SR) beta subunit and is composed of only the SR alpha homologue FtsY. FtsY is a modular protein composed of three domains. The N- and G-domains of FtsY are highly similar to the corresponding domains of Ffh/SRP54 and SR alpha and constitute the essential core of FtsY. In contrast, the weakly conserved N-terminal A-domain does not seem to be essential, and its exact function is unknown. Our data show that a 14-amino-acid-long positively charged region at the N-terminus of the A-domain is involved in stabilizing the FtsY-SecYEG interaction. Mutant analyses reveal that the positively charged residues are crucial for this function, and we propose that the 14-amino-acid region serves as a transient lipid anchor. In its absence, the activity of FtsY to support cotranslational integration is reduced to about 50%. Strikingly, in vivo, a truncated isoform of FtsY that lacks exactly these first 14 amino acids exists. Different from full-length FtsY, which primarily cofractionates with the membrane, the N-terminally truncated isoform is primarily present in the soluble fraction. Mutating the conserved glycine residue at position 14 prevents the formation of the truncated isoform and impairs the activity of FtsY in cotranslational targeting. These data suggest that membrane binding and function of FtsY are in part regulated by proteolytic cleavage of the conserved 14-amino-acid motif.

BKCa-Cav channel complexes mediate rapid and localized Ca2+-activated K+ signaling.

Large-conductance calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channels (BKCa) are dually activated by membrane depolarization and elevation of cytosolic calcium ions (Ca2+). Under normal cellular conditions, BKCa channel activation requires Ca2+ concentrations that typically occur in close proximity to Ca2+ sources. We show that BKCa channels affinity-purified from rat brain are assembled into macromolecular complexes with the voltage-gated calcium channels Cav1.2 (L-type), Cav2.1 (P/Q-type), and Cav2.2 (N-type). Heterologously expressed BKCa-Cav complexes reconstitute a functional "Ca2+ nanodomain" where Ca2+ influx through the Cav channel activates BKCa in the physiological voltage range with submillisecond kinetics. Complex formation with distinct Cav channels enables BKCa-mediated membrane hyperpolarization that controls neuronal firing pattern and release of hormones and transmitters in the central nervous system.

Feline calicivirus: recovery of wild-type and recombinant viruses after transfection of cRNA or cDNA constructs.

The RNA genome of the vaccine strain 2024 of feline calicivirus was cloned as cDNA and analyzed by nucleotide sequencing. A full-length DNA copy of the viral genome was established and proved to be a source of infectious cRNA after in vitro transcription and RNA transfection. Virus could also be recovered when the DNA construct was introduced into cells containing phage T7 RNA polymerase that was provided by vaccinia virus MVA-T7. After insertion of the sequence encoding the green fluorescent protein into the structural protein-encoding region of the infectious cDNA clone, a defective replicon was recovered that was able to replicate autonomously and was packaged into virus particles when the structural proteins were provided in trans.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus: identification of a cleavage site in the viral polyprotein that is not processed by the known calicivirus protease.

The positive-strand RNA genome of the calicivirus rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) contains one long open reading frame (ORF) covering almost 95% of the genomic RNA. Translation of this ORF leads to a polyprotein that is proteolytically processed at eight sites. Site nos. 4 and 5 from the amino-terminus are located within the protein p41 and obviously belong to alternative cleavage pathways leading to p23/2 and p18 or p29 and p13. Seven of the eight cleavage sites were identified before and the flanking sequences fulfill the requirements of the known RHDV protease, so that it is very likely that all theses sites are cleaved by this enzyme. The last unknown cleavage site was no. 4, one of the two alternative sites within p41 that separates the nonstructural proteins p23/2 and the VPg precursor p18. Mutagenesis studies identified aspartic acid at position 936 and arginine at position 937 as the residues that flank the cleavage site. The sequence at the processing site is unusual for the RHDV 3C-like protease since other sites display glutamic acid or glutamine at the P1 site and glycine, aspartic acid, or threonine at the P1' site. Expression of a polyprotein fragment lacking the viral protease revealed that the newly identified site is not cleaved by the RHDV protease but by an unknown proteolytic activity.