A multi-laboratory evaluation of a common in vitro pepsin digestion assay protocol used in assessing the safety of novel proteins.

Rationale. Evaluation of the potential allergenicity of proteins derived from genetically modified foods has involved a weight of evidence approach that incorporates an evaluation of protein digestibility in pepsin. Currently, there is no standardized protocol to assess the digestibility of proteins using simulated gastric fluid. Potential variations in assay parameters include: pH, pepsin purity, pepsin to target protein ratio, target protein purity, and method of detection. The objective was to assess the digestibility of a common set of proteins in nine independent laboratories to determine the reproducibility of the assay when performed using a common protocol. Methods. A single lot of each test protein and pepsin was obtained and distributed to each laboratory. The test proteins consisted of Ara h 2 (a peanut conglutin-like protein), beta-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin, concanavalin A, horseradish peroxidase, ovalbumin, ovomucoid, phosphinothricin acetyltransferase, ribulose diphosphate carboxylase, and soybean trypsin inhibitor. A ratio of 10U of pepsin activity/microg test protein was selected for all tests (3:1 pepsin to protein, w:w). Digestions were performed at pH 1.2 and 2.0, with sampling at 0.5, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60min. Protein digestibility was assessed from stained gels following SDS-PAGE of digestion samples and controls. Results. Results were relatively consistent across laboratories for the full-length proteins. The identification of proteolytic fragments was less consistent, being affected by different fixation and staining methods. Overall, assay pH did not influence the time to disappearance of the full-length protein or protein fragments, however, results across laboratories were more consistent at pH 1.2 (91% agreement) than pH 2.0 (77%). Conclusions. These data demonstrate that this common protocol for evaluating the in vitro digestibility of proteins is reproducible and yields consistent results when performed using the same proteins at different laboratories.

The Arabidopsis NIM1 protein shows homology to the mammalian transcription factor inhibitor I kappa B.

The NIM1 (for noninducible immunity) gene product is involved in the signal transduction cascade leading to both systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and gene-for-gene disease resistance in Arabidopsis. We have isolated and characterized five new alleles of nim1 that show a range of phenotypes from weakly impaired in chemically induced pathogenesis-related protein-1 gene expression and fungal resistance to very strongly blocked. We have isolated the NIM1 gene by using a map-based cloning procedure. Interestingly, the NIM1 protein shows sequence homology to the mammalian signal transduction factor I kappa B subclass alpha. NF-kappa B/I kappa B signaling pathways are implicated in disease resistance responses in a range of organisms from Drosophila to mammals, suggesting that the SAR signaling pathway in plants is representative of an ancient and ubiquitous defense mechanism in higher organisms.

Recent advances in systemic acquired resistance research--a review.

Little is known about the signal transduction events that lead to the establishment of the broad-spectrum, inducible plant immunity called systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Salicylic acid (SA) accumulation has been shown to be essential for the expression of SAR and plays a key role in SAR signaling. Hydrogen peroxide has been proposed to serve as a second messenger of SA. However, our results do not support such a role in the establishment of SAR. Further elucidation of SAR signal transduction has been facilitated by the identification and characterization of mutants. The lesions simulating disease (lsd). resistance response mutant class exhibits spontaneous lesions similar to those that occur during the hypersensitive response. Interestingly, some lsd mutants lose their lesioned phenotype when SA accumulation is prevented by expression of the nahG gene (encoding salicylate hydroxylase), thereby providing evidence for a feedback loop in SAR signal transduction. Characterization of a mutant non-responsive to SAR activator treatments has provided additional evidence for common signaling components between SAR and gene-for-gene resistance.

Cloning of a second Arabidopsis peptide transport gene.

Previously, we reported the isolation of a peptide transport gene designated AtPTR2 from Arabidopsis thaliana by functional complementation of a yeast peptide transport mutant. We now report the isolation of a second peptide transport gene (AtPTR2-B) from Arabidopsis using the same approach. Similar to the effects of transferring AtPTR2-A (previously called AtPTR2), transfer of AtPTR2-B to yeast peptide transport mutants restored the ability to grow on di- and tripeptides but not peptides four residues or longer. However, unlike yeast mutants complemented with either the yeast PTR2 gene or the AtPTR2-A gene, transformants expressing AtPTR2-B were only partially sensitive to toxic peptides. Northern analysis showed that AtPTR2-B was constitutively expressed in all plant organs. Studies of the kinetics indicated that AtPTR2-A and AtPTR2-B have Km values of 47 and 14 microM, respectively, with Vmax values of 0.061 and 0.013 nmol mg-1 cell dry weight s-1, respectively, when dileucine was used as a substrate. AtPTR2-B is encoded on a 2.0-kb cDNA corresponding to a 585-amino acid protein (64.4 kD). Hydropathy analysis indicates that the protein is highly hydrophobic and suggests that there are 12 putative transmembrane segments. AtPTR2-B, like AtPTR2-A, shares significant similarity to a number of other proteins involved in transport of peptides into cells.

Suppression and Restoration of Lesion Formation in Arabidopsis lsd Mutants.

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a broad-spectrum, systemic defense response that is activated in many plant species after pathogen infection. We have previously described Arabidopsis mutants that constitutively express SAR and concomitantly develop lesions simulating disease (lsd). Here, we describe two new mutants, lsd6 and lsd7, that develop spontaneous necrotic lesions and possess elevated levels of salicylic acid (SA) as well as heightened disease resistance, similar to the previously characterized lsd and accelerated cell death (acd2) mutants. Genetic analysis of lsd6 and lsd7 showed that the mutant phenotypes segregated as simple dominant traits. When crossed with transgenic Arabidopsis plants containing the SA-degrading enzyme salicylate hydroxylase, the F1 progeny showed suppression of both SAR gene expression and resistance. In addition, salicylate hydroxylase suppressed lesion formation in the F1 progeny, suggesting that SA or some SA-dependent process may have a role in pathogen-associated cell death. Surprisingly, lesions were restored in the lsd6 F1 progeny after the application of either 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid or SA. Lesions were not restored by treatment with either compound in the lsd7 F1 plants. Our findings demonstrate that steps early in the signal transduction pathway leading to SAR and disease resistance are potentiated by later events, suggesting feedback control of lesion formation.

The PTR family: a new group of peptide transporters.

The transport of peptides into cells is a well-documented biological phenomenon which is accomplished by specific, energy-dependent transporters found in a number of organisms as diverse as bacteria and humans. Until recently, the majority of peptide transporters cloned and characterized were found to be proteins of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family. We report the identification of a new family of peptide transporters, which we call the PTR family. This group of proteins, distinct from the ABC-type peptide transporters, was uncovered by sequence analyses of a number of recently discovered peptide transport proteins. Alignment of these proteins demonstrated a high number of identical and similar residues and identified conserved glycosylation and phosphorylation sites, as well as a structural motif unique to this group of proteins. Cluster analysis among the proteins indicated these sequences were indeed related and could be further divided into two subfamilies. A phylogenetic analysis of these new peptide transport sequences, compared to over 50 other peptide and membrane-bound transporters, showed that these proteins comprise a distinct, separate group of proteins.

An Arabidopsis peptide transporter is a member of a new class of membrane transport proteins.

An Arabidopsis peptide transport gene was cloned from an Arabidopsis cDNA library by functionally complementing a yeast peptide transport mutant. The Arabidopsis plant peptide transporter (AtPTR2) allowed growth of yeast cells on dipeptides and tripeptides but not peptides four residues and higher. The plant peptide transporter also conferred sensitivity to a number of ethionine-containing, toxic peptides of chain length three or less and restored the ability to take up radiolabeled dileucine at levels similar to that of the wild type. Dileucine uptake was reduced by the addition of a variety of growth-promoting peptides. The sequence of a cDNA insert of 2.8 kb indicated an open reading frame encoding a 610-amino acid polypeptide (67.5 kD). Hydropathy analysis predicted a highly hydrophobic protein with a number of potential transmembrane segments. At the amino acid level, the Arabidopsis plant peptide transporter shows 24.6, 28.5, and 45.2% identity to the Arabidopsis nitrate-inducible nitrate transporter (CHL1), the rabbit small intestine oligopeptide transporter (PepT1), and the yeast peptide transporter (Ptr2p), respectively, but little identity to other proteins known to be involved in peptide transport. Root growth of Arabidopsis seedlings exposed to ethionine-containing toxic peptides was inhibited, and growth was restored by the addition of certain peptides shown to compete with dileucine uptake in yeast expressing the Arabidopsis transport gene. Consistent with the observed inhibition of root growth by toxic peptides, the peptide transporter is expressed in the roots of Arabidopsis seedlings. This study represents the characterization of a plant peptide transporter that is a member of a new class of related membrane transport proteins.

Isolation and characterization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae peptide transport gene.

We have cloned and characterized a Saccharomyces cerevisiae peptide transport gene (PTR2) isolated from a genomic DNA library by directly selecting for functional complementation of a peptide transport-deficient mutant. Deletion and frameshift mutageneses were used to localize the complementing activity to a 3.1-kbp region on the transforming plasmid. DNA sequencing of the complementing region identified an open reading frame spanning 1,803 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence predicts a hydrophobic peptide consisting of 601 amino acids, having a molecular mass of 68.1 kDa, composed in part of 12 hydrophobic segments, and sharing significant similarities with a nitrate transport protein encoded by the CHL1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana. Northern (RNA) hybridization experiments demonstrated a single transcript that was 1.8 kb in length and that was transiently induced by the addition of L-leucine to the growth medium. The PTR2 gene was localized to the right arm of chromosome XI by contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel chromosome blotting and by hybridization to known chromosome XI lambda phage clones of S. cerevisiae DNA. PTR2 was tightly linked to the UBI2 gene, with the coding sequences being separated by a 466-bp region and oriented so that the genes were transcribed convergently. A chromosomal disruption of the PTR2 gene in a haploid strain was not lethal under standard growth conditions. The cloning of PTR2 represents the first example of the molecular genetic characterization of a eucaryotic peptide transport gene.

Modulation of calmodulin levels, calmodulin methylation, and calmodulin binding proteins during carrot cell growth and embryogenesis.

Carrot cell cultures were used to study the dynamics of calmodulin protein levels, calmodulin methylation, and calmodulin-binding proteins during plant growth and development. Comparisons of proliferating and nonproliferating wild carrot cells show that, while calmodulin protein levels does not vary significantly, substantial variation in post-translational methylation of calmodulin on lysine-115 is observed. Calmodulin methylation is low during the lag and early exponential stages, but increases substantially as exponential growth proceeds and becomes maximal in the postexponential phase. Unmethylated calmodulin quickly reappears within 12 h of reinoculation of cells into fresh media, suggesting that the process is regulated according to the cell growth state. Calmodulin and calmodulin-binding proteins were also analyzed during the formation and germination of domestic carrot embryos in culture. Neither calmodulin methylation nor calmodulin protein levels varied significantly during somatic embryogenesis. However, upon germination of embryos, the level of calmodulin protein doubled. By calmodulin overlay analysis, we have detected a major 54,000 M(r) calmodulin-binding protein that also increased during embryo germination. This protein was purified from carrot embryo extracts by calmodulin-Sepharose chromatography. Overall, the data suggest that calmodulin methylation is regulated depending upon the state of cell growth and that calmodulin and its target proteins are modulated during early plant development.