Generalized inhibition of cell-free translation by the amino-terminal propeptide of chick type I procollagen

Fragments of the amino-terminal propeptide of procollagen have been shown to inhibit the synthesis of procollagen in cultured cells and in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system (for review see Timpl, R. and Glanville, R.W. (1981) Clin. Orth. Rel. Res. 158, 224-242). In this report, we show that the full-length amino-terminal propeptide of chick pro alpha1(I) chains inhibits the translation of chick tendon mRNA and rat brain mRNA in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system. The synthesis of procollagen and non-collagenous proteins was equally affected. Inhibition was dose-dependent up to 10 microM. A similar pattern of inhibition was observed for the collagenase-resistant fragment, col 1(I).

Biochemical and cytochemical evidence indicates that coated vesicles in chick embryo myotubes contain newly synthesized acetylcholinesterase

We have isolated highly purified coated vesicles from 17-d-old chick embryo skeletal muscle. These isolated coated vesicles contain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in a latent, membrane-protected form as demonstrated enzymatically and morphologically using the Karnovsky and Roots histochemical procedure (J. Histochem. Cytochem., 1964, 12:219-221). By the use of appropriate inhibitors the cholinesterase activity can be shown to be specific for acetylcholine. It also can be concluded that most of the AChE represents soluble enzyme since it is rendered soluble by repeated freeze-thaw cycles. To determine the origin of the coated vesicle-associated AChE, we have isolated coated vesicles from cultured chick embryo myotubes which have been treated with diisopropylfluorophosphate, an essentially irreversible inhibitor of both intra- and extracellular AChE, and have been allowed to recover for 3 h. This time is not enough to allow any newly synthesized AChE to be secreted. These coated vesicles also contain predominantly soluble AChE. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that coated vesicles are important intermediates in the intracellular transport of newly synthesized AChE.

Internalization, recycling, and redistribution of vasopressin receptors in rat hepatocytes

Three hours after isolation, cultured hepatocytes have approximately 150,000 surface vasopressin receptors/cell, and these exhibit a Kd for 125I-vasopressin of 6 nM based on calculation of Koff/Kon, or a Kd of 9.5 nM based on Scatchard plot analysis. After the binding of 125I-vasopressin to its receptor on the hepatocyte surface, this complex is internalized with a t1/2 of 3-6 min. Following this internalization, the number of vasopressin receptors on the cell surface is restored both in vitro and in the isolated perfused liver with a t1/2 of 8-10 min. This restoration is blocked in vitro by incubation of the hepatocytes at 18 degrees C, but not by cycloheximide, suggesting that internalized vasopressin receptors recycle back to the cell surface. Prolonged incubation of hepatocytes with vasopressin results in the loss of greater than 75% of the vasopressin surface binding at concentrations of vasopressin approximately equivalent to its Kd. The binding of vasopressin to cultured hepatocytes 3-5 h after isolation resembles binding to the isolated perfused whole liver with respect to receptor dynamics. During culture for 48 h, however, we observe a progressive loss of hepatocyte surface vasopressin receptors. Concomitant with this reduction in surface receptors with time in culture, there appears to be a marked elevation in intracellular receptors.

Coated vesicles contain a phosphatidylinositol kinase

When coated vesicles (CVs) are incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP, radioactivity is rapidly incorporated into a compound identified by thin layer chromatography as phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate. This activity has been identified in CVs isolated from bovine brain as well as from rat liver and chick embryo skeletal muscle. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase is not separated from CVs during agarose electrophoresis, which produces CVs of greater than 95% purity, indicating that the activity present does not derive from contamination. The specific activity of these highly purified CVs was demonstrated to be approximately twice that of synaptic plasma membranes, further ruling out contamination from this source. The PI kinase remains associated with the vesicle upon removal of clathrin and its associated proteins and is solubilized by nonionic detergents, suggesting it is an integral membrane protein. We have been unable to demonstrate the formation of significant amounts of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in any of our CV preparations. In the presence of exogenous PI, activity is stimulated, with maximal phosphorylation occurring at 0.1 mM. The enzyme appears to be maximally stimulated by 200 mM MgCl2 and 1 mM ATP and is most active at pH 7.25. Calculations indicate that, under optimal conditions, approximately 25 molecules of PIP are produced per CV within 60 s, suggesting that these structures may play an important role in cellular PI metabolism.

Coated vesicles purified from chick tendon fibroblasts contain newly synthesized type I procollagen

Coated vesicles were purified from embryonic chick tendon fibroblasts pulsed with [3H]proline. They were morphologically and biochemically similar to coated vesicles purified from other sources. Furthermore, they contained newly synthesized Type I procollagen which was protected from bacterial collagenase digestion unless detergent was present. The procollagen remained associated with coated vesicles during immune precipitation and agarose gel electrophoresis. Data from pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that the specific activity of the coated vesicle preparations was approx. 5-fold higher at the 10 min chase point than at either the 0 or 40 min chase points. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that coated vesicles are intermediates in the intracellular transport of newly synthesized Type I procollagen in chick tendon fibroblasts.

Identification of a protein kinase as an intrinsic component of rat liver coated vesicles

Purified rat liver coated vesicles phosphorylate two peptides, Mr 53 000 and Mr 51 000, in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP. Incorporation of phosphate into these peptides is not stimulated by cAMP, Ca2+, or Ca2+ plus calmodulin and occurs principally on a threonine residue. Mild conditions that result in removal of coat proteins from coated vesicles remove most of the protein kinase activity, suggesting the enzyme(s) is (are) not an integral membrane protein. Photolabeling of coated vesicles with 8-azido-[alpha-32P]ATP results in specific labeling of only the Mr 53 000 and Mr 51 000 peptides. Preincubation with 10 mM N-ethylmaleimide inhibits kinase activity and concomitantly reduces photolabeling of the two peptides. Thus, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that protein kinase activity resides with these two coated vesicle proteins and that they are catalyzing an autophosphorylation reaction.

Chick embryo spinal cord neurons synthesize a transferrin-like myotrophic protein

Highly enriched cultures of chick embryo spinal cord neurons synthesize and secrete a protein which is immunoprecipitable by anti-ovotransferrin. Ovotransferrin, an iron-binding glycoprotein of Mr 80 000, is also shown to stimulate in vitro myogenesis of cultured chick embryo myotubes as measured by saturable dose-dependent increase in acetylcholine receptors. This effect is probably dependent on ovotransferrin's ability to donate iron to the cells. In many respects ovotransferrin is similar to 'sciatin', a myotrophic protein isolated from chicken sciatic nerves.

Coated vesicles from rat liver and calf brain contain cryptic mannose 6-phosphate receptors

Highly purified clathrin-coated vesicles, isolated from rat liver and calf brain, contain mannose 6-phosphate receptors. The coated vesicle receptors appear to have the same subunit molecular weight and similar binding affinity as the receptor previously purified from bovine liver and rat chondrosarcoma microsomes (Sahagian, G. G., Distler, J. J., and Jourdian, G. W. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 78, 4289-4293 and Steiner, A. W., and Rome, L. H. (1982) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 214, 681-687). There is a considerable (greater than 60-fold) enrichment of receptors in liver coated vesicles as compared to liver microsomes. Experiments carried out with intact and detergent-disrupted coated vesicles indicated that the receptors face toward the inside of the coated vesicles. The data suggest that coated vesicles are involved in the intracellular transport of the mannose 6-phosphate receptor.

Coated vesicles participate in the receptor-mediated endocytosis of insulin

We have purified coated vesicles from rat liver by differential ultracentrifugation. Electron micrographs of these preparations reveal only the polyhedral structures typical of coated vesicles. SDS PAGE of the coated vesicle preparation followed by Coomassie Blue staining of proteins reveals a protein composition also typical of coated vesicles. We determined that these rat liver coated vesicles possess a latent insulin binding capability. That is, little if any specific binding of 125I-insulin to coated vesicles is observed in the absence of detergent. However, coated vesicles treated with the detergent octyl glucoside exhibit a substantial specific 125I-insulin binding capacity. We visualized the insulin binding structure of coated vesicles by cross-linking 125I-insulin to detergent-solubilized coated vesicles using the bifunctional reagent disuccinimidyl suberate followed by electrophoresis and autoradiography. The receptor structure thus identified is identical to that of the high-affinity insulin receptor present in a variety of tissues. We isolated liver coated vesicles from rats which had received injections of 125I-insulin in the hepatic portal vein. We found that insulin administered in this fashion was rapidly and specifically taken up by liver coated vesicles. Taken together, these data are compatible with a functional role for coated vesicles in the receptor-mediated endocytosis of insulin.

Purification of coated vesicles by agarose gel electrophoresis

We have applied agarose gel electrophoresis as a novel step in the purification of clathrin-coated vesicles. Preparations of coated vesicles obtained by sedimentation velocity and isopycnic centrifugation are resolved into two distinct fractions upon electrophoresis. The slower migrating fraction contains smooth vesicles, whereas the faster contains only coated vesicles and empty clathrin coats. The faster mobility of the coated vesicles is primarily caused by the acidic nature of clathrin. Coated vesicles from three different cell types have different mobilities. In each case, however, all of the major polypeptides previously attributed to coated vesicles comigrate with the now homogeneous particles, even though a powerful ATPase activity is completely removed.

Subcellular structures involved in internalization and degradation of epidermal growth factor

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), a small polypeptide which acts as a mitogen for many cell types, has previously been shown to bind to a specific plasma membrane receptor on 3T3 cells. If 125I-EGF is bound to 3T3 cells for one hour at 4 degrees C, it remains predominantly associated with the plasma membrane-containing fractions obtained by subjecting cell supernatants to equilibrium sedimentation on sucrose gradients. When binding is followed by a 10-minute incubation at 37 degrees C, over 50% of the 125I-EGF is associated with two internal membrane-containing peaks having higher densities than the plasma membrane. After one hour at 37 degrees C, over 80% of the 125I-EGF is degraded and removed from the cells. The most rapidly labeled internal peak corresponds in density to brain-coated vesicles (CVs). Antiserum prepared against coated vesicles from brain precipitates the 125I-EGF in this peak. In addition, CVs containing 125I-EGF can be co-purified from 3T3 cells exposed to 125I-EGF, using brain as a carrier. Several lines of evidence suggest that the other 125I-EGF-labeled intracellular peak is 125I-EGF in lysosomes. These results provide kinetic and biochemical evidence for a unidirectional pathway for EGF catabolism by 3T3 cells. EGF first binds to the plasma membrane bound receptors, is then moved to the cytoplasm in CVs, and finally appears in lysosomes, where it is degraded and released from the cells. Ten-millimolar NH4Cl blocks lysosomal hydrolysis of EGF almost completely. Subsequently, EGF internalization is inhibited. This finding suggests that the pathway for EGF internalization and degradation is tightly coupled.

Transport of the membrane glycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus to the cell surface in two stages by clathrin-coated vesicles

The G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is transported from its site of synthesis in the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane via the Golgi apparatus. Pulse-chase experiments suggest that G is transported to the cell surface in two successive waves of clathrin-coated vesicles. The oligosaccharides of G protein carried in the early wave are of the "high-mannose" (G1) form, whereas the oligosaccharides in the second, later wave are of the mature "complex" (G2) form. the early wave is therefore proposed to correspond to transport of G in coated vesicles from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus, and the succeeding wave to transport from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane. The G1- and G2-containing coated vesicles appear to be structurally distinct, as judged by their differential precipitation by anticoated vesicle serum.

Coated vesicles transport newly synthesized membrane glycoproteins from endoplasmic reticulum to plasma membrane in two successive stages

The G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is transported from its site of synthesis in the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane via the Golgi apparatus. Clathrin-coated vesicles have been purified from CHO cells infected with vesicular stomatitis virus and shown to contain G protein in amounts nearly stoichiometric with clathrin. Pulse-chase experiments have demonstrated that this G protein is a transit form and have revealed that G is transported to the cell surface in two successive waves of coated vesicles. The oligosaccharides of G1 protein carried in the early wave are of the "high-mannose" variety which can be cleaved by the enzyme endoglycosidase H; the oligosaccharides of G2 protein in the second, later wave are resistant to endoglycosidase H. The early wave is therefore proposed to correspond to transport of G protein in coated vesicles from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus, where the oligosaccharides are processed and resistance to endoglycosidase H is conferred; the succeeding wave would represent transport from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane.

Evidence that coated vesicles isolated from brain are calcium-sequestering organelles resembling sarcoplasmic reticulum

Coated vesicles from the brain have been purified to near morphological homogeneity by a modification of the method of Pearse. These vesicles resemble sarcoplasmic reticulum fragments isolated from skeletal muscle. They contain proteins with 100,000- and 55,000-dalton mol wt which co-migrate on polyacrylamide gels, in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, with the two major proteins of the sarcoplasmic reticulum fragment. These vesicles contain adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity which is stimulated by calcium ions in the presence of Triton X-100 (Rohm & Haas Co., Philadelphia, Pa.), displaying maximal activity at 8 x 10(-7) M Ca ++. They take up calcium ions from the medium, and this uptake is stimulated by ATP and by potassium oxalate, a calcium-trapping agent. The 100,000-dalton protein of the coated vesicles displays immunological reactivity with an antiserum directed against the 100,000-dalton, calcium-stimulated ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. As with the sarcoplasmic reticulum fragment, this protein becomes radiolabeled when coated vesicles are briefly incubated with gamma-labeled [32P]ATP. The possible functions of coated vesicles as calcium-sequestering organelles are discussed.

Muscle-like contractile proteins and tubulin in synaptosomes

Material in major bands with molecular weights corresponding to those of actin, brain tropomyosin, and myosin is present in purified rat synaptosomes dissolved in sodium dodecyl sulfate and subjected to electrophoresis on dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gels. A band corresponding to tubulin appears to be the major constituent of synaptosomes, confirming the work of Feit and his coworkers. We have demonstrated by peptide mapping that the proteins in these bands have strong chemical similarities to actin, brain tropomyosin, myosin, and tubulin. We have prepared synaptic membrane, vesicle, and soluble fractions from synaptosomes. The polypeptide composition of synaptic membranes, as determined by dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis, is similar to that of synaptosomes, with tubulin, actin, and tropomyosin being major constituents. Synaptic vesicles have as their major polypeptide an unidentified protein with a molecular weight of 50,000; they also have many bands in common with synaptosomes. The soluble fraction predominantly contains actin and tubulin. The possibility that the muscle-like contractile proteins and tubulin are membrane-associated in various cell types is discussed, as is their possible role in neurotransmitter release.