Neurofilament deficiency in quail caused by nonsense mutation in neurofilament-L gene.

The existence of a neurofilament-deficient mutant of Japanese quail was recently documented (Yamasaki, H., C. Itakura, and M. Mizutani. 1991. Acta Neuropathol. 82:427-434), but the genetic events leading to the neurofilament deficiency have yet to be determined. Our molecular biological analyses revealed that the expression of neurofilament-L (NF-L) gene was specifically repressed in neurons of this mutant. To search for mutation(s) responsible for the shutdown of this gene expression, we cloned and sequenced the NF-L genes in the wild-type and mutant quails. It is eventually found that the NF-L gene in the mutant includes a nonsense mutation at the deduced amino acid residue 114, indicating that the mutant is incapable of producing even a trace amount of polymerization-competent NF-L protein at any situation. The identification of this nonsense mutation provides us with a solid basis on which molecular mechanisms underlying the alteration in the neuronal cytoskeletal architecture in the mutant should be interpreted.

Erythromycin-resistant mutant of Escherichia coli with altered ribosomal protein component.

Erythromycin combines with 50S ribosomal subunit of an erythromycin-sensitive Escherichia coli (strain Q13), while ribosomes from an erythromycin-resistant mutant from this strain have little affinity for the antibiotic. A protein component of the 50S subunit of the mutant strain is distinct from that of the parent Q13 strain.

Development of noradrenergic neurons in the zebrafish hindbrain requires BMP, FGF8, and the homeodomain protein soulless/Phox2a.

We report that the zebrafish mutation soulless, in which the development of locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic (NA) neurons failed to occur, disrupts the homeodomain protein Phox2a. Phox2a is not only necessary but also sufficient to induce Phox2b+ dopamine-beta-hydroxylase+ and tyrosine hydroxylase+ NA neurons in ectopic locations. Phox2a is first detected in LC progenitors in the dorsal anterior hindbrain, and its expression there is dependent on FGF8 from the mid/hindbrain boundary and on optimal concentrations of BMP signal from the epidermal ectoderm/future dorsal neural plate junction. These findings suggest that Phox2a coordinates the specification of LC in part through the induction of Phox2b and in response to cooperating signals that operate along the mediolateral and anteroposterior axes of the neural plate.

Autoantibodies to DNA-dependent protein kinase. Probes for the catalytic subunit.

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is an important nuclear enzyme which consists of a catalytic subunit known as DNA-PKcs and a regulatory component identified as the Ku autoantigen. In the present study, we surveyed 312 patients in a search for this specificity. 10 sera immunoprecipitated a large polypeptide which exactly comigrated with DNA-PKcs in SDS-PAGE. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that this polypeptide was recognizable by a rabbit antiserum specific for DNA-PKcs. Although the patient sera did not bind to biochemically purified DNA-PKcs in immunoblots or ELISA, they were able to deplete DNA-PK catalytic activity from extracts of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that these antibodies should be useful probes for studies which aim to define the role of DNA-PK in cells. Since six sera simultaneously contained antibodies to the Ku protein, these studies suggest that relatively intact forms of DNA-PK complex act as autoantigenic particles in selected patients.

Human cord blood cells transplanted into chronically damaged liver exhibit similar characteristics to functional hepatocytes.

Human umbilical cord blood (CB) cells have many advantages as a source for stem cell transplantation because of immaturity and availability. It has been reported that CB cells transplanted into an injured liver displayed hepatocyte-like phenotypes. However, there have been few studies to characterize CB-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs). In this study, CB cells were transplanted into mice with 2 types of liver damage: transient and chronic damage. We analyzed the expression of hepatic differentiation markers in CB-derived HLCs. In the liver of NOD/SCID mice with transient damage, CB-derived HLCs were detected infrequently at 3 weeks after transplantation. In contrast, in the liver of SCID mice damaged chronically by a urokinase-type plasminogen activator transgene under the control of albumin promotor/enhancer (ALB-uPA/SCID mice), more human HLCs colonized the host liver compared with hosts with transiently damaged livers. The CB-derived HLCs in both the transiently and the chronically damaged liver expressed a few markers of human hepatocytes, whereas the transcripts related to mature hepatic functions, including cytochrome P450s, were detected only in the ALB-uPA/SCID mice. These data indicated that CB cells were able to display a similar phenotype to functional hepatocytes in the recipient liver with chronic damage. CB cells may represent a transplantable source for chronic decompensated liver disease.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) inhibits spontaneous contraction of the mouse atrium by possible activation of the NPY1 receptor.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) causes various central and peripheral actions through activation of G-protein-coupled NPY receptors. Although a species-dependent difference in cardiac actions of NPY has been reported, the responses to NPY have not been examined in mice, widely used experimental animals. This study aimed to clarify the responses to NPY and the receptor subtype involved in the responses in mouse atrium. Neuropeptide Y caused negative inotropic and negative chronotropic actions in spontaneous beating right atria. Negative inotropic actions were more marked than negative chronotropic actions. Therefore, negative inotropic actions were studied in detail for evaluation of the NPY-induced cardiac actions in mouse atrium. Neuropeptide Y-induced negative inotropic actions were not affected by atropine but were abolished in the atria from pertussis toxin-treated mice. In isolated atrial preparations from reserpine-treated mice, NPY-induced negative inotropic actions were significantly attenuated. [Leu31, Pro34]-NPY, but not peptide YY, was effective in decreasing spontaneous contraction in atrial preparations. Although Y1 , Y2 , Y4 and Y5 receptor mRNAs were expressed almost equally in the brain, NPY1 receptor mRNA was dominantly expressed in the atrium. In conclusion, NPY caused negative inotropic and chronotropic actions through activation of the Y1 receptor in the mouse atrium. A high expression level of Y1 mRNA in the atrium suggests a functional role of NPY in the regulation of mouse cardiac contraction.

Cloning and tissue-specific expression of cDNAs for the human and mouse homologues of rat pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP).

The nucleotide sequences of cDNAs encoding human and mouse homologous for rat pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) (J. Iovanna et al. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 24664-24669) were determined. The expression level of PAP mRNA was very low in healthy pancreas, but an unexpectedly high level was found in normal small intestine.

Immunochemical analysis of molecular forms of mammalian DNA ligases I and II.

Using specific antibodies against calf thymus DNA ligases I and II (EC 6.5.1.1), we have investigated the polypeptide structures of DNA ligases I and II present in the impure enzyme preparations, and estimated the polypeptides of DNA ligases I and II present in vivo. Immunoblot analysis of DNA ligase I after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a 130-kDa polypeptide as a major one in the enzyme preparations from calf thymus throughout the purification. In addition to the 130-kDa polypeptide, a 200-kDa polypeptide was detected in the enzyme preparations at the earlier steps of the purification, and a 90-kDa polypeptide was observed as a minor one in the enzyme preparations at the later steps of the purification. The polypeptides with molecular weight of 130 000 and 90 000 were detected by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of DNA ligase I-[3H]AMP complex. These results suggest that a 200-kDa polypeptide of DNA ligase I present in vivo is degraded to a 130-kDa polypeptide and then to a 90-kDa polypeptide during the isolation and purification procedures. On the other hand, the monospecific antibody against calf thymus DNA ligase II cross-reacted with only a 68 kDa polypeptide in the enzyme preparations throughout the purification, suggesting that the 68-kDa polypeptide is a single form of calf thymus DNA ligase II present in vivo as well as in vitro.

Characterization of alkaline nuclease from rat liver mitochondria.

The alkaline nuclease (pH optimum 9.0) has been purified about 500-fold in 25% yield from the extract of rat liver mitochondria. The enzyme cleaves yeast RNA, poly(U), poly(U), poly(C) and denatured DNA to yield oligonucleotides with 5'-phosphoryl and 3'-hydroxyl ends. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 60 000, a sedimentation coefficient of 4 S and an isoelectric point of 9.0. The behaviors of RNAase activity of the nuclease are identical with those of DNAase activity in column chromatography as well as in catalytic nature. The affinities of RNAase activity for substrate, Mg2+, spermidine and polyvinyl sulfate are lower than those of DNAase activity. The alkaline nuclease activity measured in the homogenate of regenerating rat liver is not significantly changed.

Evidence for a single species of DNA ligase localized in nuclei of rat liver.

DNA ligase activity was distributed mainly in the extract of nuclei rapidly isolated from rat liver and about 20% of the nuclear activity in the cytoplasmic fraction. The DNA ligases of nuclear extract and cytoplasmic fraction showed similar gel-filtration patterns and the same sedimentation coefficient of 5.5 S. The appearance of 4-S enzyme from nuclei or nuclear extract was partly inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. These results suggest that the major activity of DNA ligase in rat liver is due to a single species of the enzyme localized in nuclei and that 4-S nuclear DNA ligase reported previously is an artifact arising from 5.5-S enzyme during the isolation procedure.

Kinetic studies on the reaction catalyzed by DNA ligase from calf thymus.

Kinetic analysis of the reaction catalyzed by calf thymus DNA ligase (EC 6.5.1.1) has been carried out using [5'-32P]nicked DNA as substrate. The results of initial velocity and product inhibition studies indicate that the ligase reaction is likely to proceed through the 'uni-uni uni-bi ping-pong' mechanism. The order of substrate addition and product release is as follows: ATP, PPi, nicked DNA, sealed DNA and 5'-AMP. The true Km values for ATP and for nicked DNA (5'-phosphoryl ends) were 2 microM and 0.11 microM, respectively. The turnover number was estimated to be 7 sealing events per min. dATP was an inhibitor competitive with ATP (Ki = 25 microM). The addition of 0.5 mM spermine or 5 mM spermidine resulted in an increase in the apparent Km for nicked DNA as well as in the apparent V, whereas 0.1 M KCl increased only the apparent Km for nicked DNA. Neither polyamine nor KCl affected the apparent Km for ATP. The ligase reaction was not significantly affected by aphidicolin and various phosphate compounds tested.

Induction of DNA ligase during stimulation of DNA synthesis in intact rat liver by a dietary manipulation.

After a nutritional shift from a protein-free to a diet containing 50% casein, the activity of DNA ligase increases in intact rat liver in correlation with the induction of hepatic DNA replication. The treated rat liver as well as control rat liver contains a single species of DNA ligase having a sedimentation coefficient of about 5.5 S. The administration of cycloheximide in vivo completely inhibits the increase in DNA ligase activity and in DNA synthesis, indicating that DNA ligase is induced in the hepatic cells replicating DNA. In contrast to DNA ligase, DNA kinase is unchanged in the activity level by the dietary manipulation.

Partial purification of a ribosomal ribonucleic acid methylase from rat liver nuclei and methylation of undermethylated nuclear ribonucleic acid from regenerating liver of ethionine-treated rat.

S-Adenosylmethionine-dependent ribosomal RNA (rRNA) methylase has been purified approx. 90-fold from rat liver nuclei. The partially purified methylase catalyzes the methylation of base and ribose in hypomethylated nuclear rRNA prepared from the regenerating rat liver after treatment with ethionine and adenine. The enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of about 3 x 10(4) and a sedimentation coefficient of 3.0 S. The enzyme is optimally active at pH 9.5 and sensitive to p-chloromercuribenzoate. Thiol-protecting reagents, such as dithiothreitol, are necessary for its activity, and the enzyme requires no divalent cations for its full activity. This enzyme did not efficiently transfer the methyl group to nuclear rRNA from normal rat liver, compared with hypomethylated nuclear rRNA. Methyl groups were mainly incorporated into pre-rRNA larger than 28 S, and the extent of 2'-O-methylation of ribose by this enzyme was greater than that of base methylation in the hypomethylated rRNA. No other nucleic acids, including transfer RNA (tRNA) and microsomal RNA from normal as well as ethionine-treated rat livers, tRNA from Escherichia coli, yeast RNA, and DNA from rat liver and calf thymus, were significantly methylated by this methylase. These results suggest that partially purified rRNA methylase from rat liver nuclei incorporates methyl groups into hypomethylated pre-rRNA from S-adenosylmethionine.

Characterization of recombinant human and rat pancreatic phospholipases A2 secreted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: difference in proteolytic processing.

An expression plasmid for human pancreatic phospholipase A2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was constructed by insertion of cDNA encoding its preprophospholipase A2 into a yeast expression vector pAM82. The resulting product secreted in the yeast culture medium was mainly prophospholipase A2, which was the same as the natural proenzyme in all aspects examined, including the higher order structure. However, when the rat preprophospholipase A2 cDNA was manipulated in the same manner, the active phospholipase A2 of the intact mature form was secreted with the proenzyme being hardly detected in the medium. This unexpected favorable result would occur due to cleavage of rat phospholipase A2 pro-peptide by a trypsin-like proteinase in S. cerevisiae. Based on this finding, we constructed a plasmid carrying the sequence coding for the prepro-peptide of rat pancreatic phospholipase A2 behind the PHO5 promoter in the pAM82 vector, which leads to the secretion of heterologous proteins as their mature form. The use of this plasmid led to secretion of biologically active human pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor and a glutamic acid-specific endopeptidase from Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600, which are eukaryote and prokaryote proteins, respectively, in the culture medium of S. cerevisiae.

Molecular properties, substrate specificity and regulation of DNA-dependent protein kinase from Raji Burkitt's lymphoma cells.

A double-stranded DNA-dependent protein serine/threonine kinase (DNA-PK) was purified from a nuclear extract of Raji Burkitt's lymphoma cells by a three-step column-chromatographic procedure. The main silver-stained band visualized after SDS/PAGE corresponded to an autophosphorylated polypeptide of about 350-kDa that represents the catalytic component. The existence of Ku DNA-binding protein as a regulatory component in the purified enzyme was revealed by Western blot/enzyme immunoassay and direct inhibition test with anti-Ku sera from the autoimmune patients. The DNA-PK catalyzed phosphorylation of synthetic peptides corresponding to Myc and RB proteins in a DNA-dependent manner, indicating that DNA-PK may recognize a second core-sequence motif Pro-Ser/Thr- in addition to the putative consensus sequences of -Ser/Thr-Gln. The level of enzyme activity was significantly higher in DMSO-induced G0/G1-arrested Raji cells as well as in the cells after release from DMSO than in the log-phase cells.

Presence of pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 mRNA in rat gastric mucosa and lung.

The content of mRNA for a pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 present in rat gastric mucosa was much greater than that in pancreas. In lung the mRNA for this pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 was also detected, but less than in pancreas. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that these pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 cDNAs derived from rat gastric mucosa and lung were completely identical to that from rat pancreas (Ohara et al. (1986) J. Biochem. 99, 733-739). This demonstrates that the pancreatic-type phospholipase A2 present in gastric mucosa and lung does not originate from pancreas.

Purification, characterization and gene cloning of a novel glutamic acid-specific endopeptidase from Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600.

Twenty strains of Staphylococcus aureus from ATCC type cultures and strains found in clinical studies were cultivated, and their endopeptidase activity specific for glutamic acid was surveyed using benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Leu-Glu-p-nitroanilide (Z-Phe-Leu-Glu-pNA) as a substrate. The activity was found in two of the strains, ATCC 12600 and ATCC 25923. A glutamic acid-specific proteinase, which we propose to call SPase, was purified from the culture filtrate of S. aureus strain ATCC 12600 by a series of column chromatographies on DEAE-Sepharose twice and on Sephacryl S-200. A single band was observed on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the purified SPase. The molecular weight of the proteinase was estimated to be 34000 by SDS-PAGE. When synthetic peptides and oxidized insulin B-chain were used as substrates, SPase showed the same substrate specificity as V8 proteinase, EC 3.4.21.9, which specifically cleaves peptide bonds on the C-terminal side of glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Examination with p-nitroanilides of glutamic acid and aspartic acid as substrates, however, revealed that both proteinases are highly specific for a glutamyl bond in comparison with an aspartyl bond. To elucidate the complete primary structure of SPase, its gene was cloned from genomic DNA of S. aureus ATCC 12600, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. Taking the amino acid sequence of SPase from the NH2-terminus to the 27th residue into consideration, the clones encode a mature peptide of 289 amino acids, which follows a prepropeptide of 68 residues. SPase was confirmed to be a novel endopeptidase specific for glutamic acid, being different from V8 proteinase which consists of 268 amino acids.

Constitutive expression of interleukin-7 mRNA and production of IL-7 by a cloned murine thymic stromal cell line.

Mouse interleukin-7 (IL-7) cDNA was cloned from mouse thymic stromal cell clone MRL 104.8a using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and expressed in COS-7 cells. The resulting recombinant interleukin-7 (rIL-7) supported the proliferation of mouse antigen-specific helper T cell (Th) clone 9-16 in the absence of IL-2 and antigen as well as mouse pre-B cell line DW34. It was also found that high levels of the mRNA for IL-7 were constitutively expressed in the MRL104.8a cells, and a potent amount of IL-7 was produced in its culture supernatant. These results provide the evidence for constitutive expression of IL-7 mRNA and for production of IL-7 by thymic stromal cells that have a critical role in intrathymic T cell development. The results are discussed in the context of the functional and molecular relationship between IL-7 and the previously described cytokines produced by thymic stromal cells.

Thymic stroma-derived T cell growth factor (TSTGF): III. Its ability to promote T cell proliferation without stimulating interleukin 2- or 4-dependent autocrine mechanism.

A thymic stroma-derived cell clone, MRL104.8a produced a T cell growth factor designated as thymic stroma-derived T cell growth factor (TSTGF). This factor that is distinct from previously described T cell growth factors such as interleukin (IL) 2 or 4 was capable of promoting the growth of IL2-dependent, antigen-specific helper T cell clones. While such growth promotion was induced without requirement of the relevant antigen and exogenous IL2, we further investigated whether it depended on activation of an IL2- or IL4-dependent autocrine mechanism. Helper T cell clones, 8-E and 8-5, were able to proliferate in response to stimulation with either antigen or TSTGF. 8-E and 8-5 produced IL2 and IL4, respectively, in cultures following antigenic stimulation, whereas neither IL2 nor IL4 activity was detected in cultures during TSTGF-induced proliferation. The proliferation of these helper T cell clones by antigenic stimulation was almost completely inhibited when anti-IL2 receptor or anti-IL4 antibody was added to the cultures. The addition of cyclosporin A (CsA) to cultures of 8-E and 8-5 clones together with antigen also resulted in the complete inhibition of cellular proliferation in association with the suppression of IL2 and IL4 production. In contrast, TSTGF-induced proliferation was not affected by addition of either type of antibody or CsA. These results indicate that TSTGF is a novel T cell growth factor that can exert its own growth-promoting effect without depending on an IL2- or IL4-operating autocrine mechanism.

Isolation of hepatocyte-like cells from mouse embryoid body cells.

We previously reported that embryoid body (EB) cells derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells are capable of differentiating into functional hepatocyte-like cells both in vitro and in vivo. Because transplantation of EB-derived cells into the liver via the spleen resulted in a low incidence of teratoma formation, purification of hepatocyte-like cells is required to prevent teratoma formation. The aim of this study was to purify hepatocyte-like cells from cultured EBs. For the isolation of hepatocyte-like cells, EBs cultured for 15 days were treated with trypsin-EDTA. The disaggregated cells were plated on a gelatin-coated dish as a monolayer. These cells were separated by Percoll gradient centrifugation, enriched by magnetic cell sorting, and purified by FACS. The purified hepatocyte-like cells in monolayer cultures were positive for immunostaining for albumin and expressed albumin mRNA, but not Oct3/4 mRNA. Transplantation of the purified hepatocyte-like cells derived from mouse ES cells might be an effective treatment for liver failure.