Estradiol-induced synthesis of vitellogenin. IV. The isolation of non-degraded polysomes from avian liver using an endogenous ribonuclease inhibitor

Evolution and Function of Leukocyte RNase A Ribonucleases of the Avian Species, Gallus gallus

In this study, we explore the evolution and function of two closely related RNase A ribonucleases from the chicken, Gallus gallus. Separated by approximately 10 kb on chromosome 6, the coding sequences of RNases A-1 and A-2 are diverging under positive selection pressure (dN > dS) but remain similar to one another (81% amino acid identity) and to the mammalian angiogenins. Immunoreactive RNases A-1 and A-2 (both approximately 16 kDa) were detected in peripheral blood granulocytes and bone marrow. Recombinant proteins are ribonucleolytically active (kcat = 2.6 and 0.056 s(-1), respectively), and surprisingly, both interact with human placental ribonuclease inhibitor. RNase A-2, the more cationic (pI 11.0), is both angiogenic and bactericidal; RNase A-1 (pI 10.2) has neither activity. We demonstrated via point mutation of the catalytic His110 that ablation of ribonuclease activity has no impact on the bactericidal activity of RNase A-2. We determined that the divergent domains II (amino acids 71-76) and III (amino acids 89-104) of RNase A-2 are both important for bactericidal activity. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these cationic domains can function as independent bactericidal peptides without the tertiary structure imposed by the RNase A backbone. These results suggest that ribonucleolytic activity may not be a crucial constraint limiting the ongoing evolution of this gene family and that the ribonuclease backbone may be merely serving as a scaffold to support the evolution of novel, nonribonucleolytic proteins.

Mapping of the human ribonuclease inhibitor gene (RNH) to chromosome 11p15 by in situ hybridization

Ribonuclease inhibitor (RNH) is a protein that binds tightly to ribonucleases in cells and may be essential in the control of mRNA degradation and gene expression. The human RNH gene has been regionally localized to chromosome band 11p15 by in situ hybridization. A human placental cDNA was used to construct a 600-bp probe, which was then radiolabeled with tritium for in situ hybridization to human metaphase chromosomes. Localization of the RNH gene to 11p15, and possibly to 11p15.5, adds to a large number of genes assigned to this band, including 10 structural genes. This chromosomal region also represents an evolutionarily conserved syntenic group in the owl monkey, mouse, rat, and cow. Thus, regional assignment of RNH could facilitate the understanding of this gene and its association with ribonucleases, and perhaps extend a conserved syntenic region in mammalian genomes.

Ribosomal ribonucleases in avian liver during estrogen-induced vitellogenin synthesis

The ribonuclease activity associated with rooster liver ribosomes decreases and the endogenous ribosomal RNAase inhibitor becomes undetectable during estrogen-induced vitellogenin synthesis. The RNAase-catalyzed autodegradation of ribosomes in vitro is inhibited by Mg2+ and spermidine, while EDTA in low concentrations has an activating effect. Single-stranded, uridylic acid containing ribonucleotide polymers are the best substrates for the enzyme. Of the four homopolyribonucleotides, ribosomal RNAase catalyzes the degradation of poly(U), poly(A), and poly(C) in decreasing order of reactivity, while poly(G) is not degraded. Ribosomal RNAases from control and estrogen-stimulated roosters show differences in response to Mg2+, spermidine and EDTA. In addition, the reactivities of poly(U) and poly(C) as substrates using RNAases from stimulated roosters are markedly different from those obtained with the enzymes from control roosters.

A method for isolation of undegraded free and membrane-bound ribosomes from rat lactating mammary gland

Mammary gland polysomes are difficult to isolate from the lactating rat using methods developed for other species and tissues, most likely due to high calcium-stimulated ribonuclease activity in that tissue. A new method, utilizing ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethylether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) to bind calcium, yields highly aggregated polysomes from lactating rat mammary gland. Fresh mammary tissue is pulverized under liquid nitrogen. Free and membrane-bound polysomes are isolated by differential centrifugation in solutions containing 100 mM KCl, 100 mM MgCl2, 75 mM EGTA, 500 micrograms/ml heparin and 50 mM Tris buffer, pH 8.2 at 5 degrees C. Bound polysomes are released from the endoplasmic reticulum using Triton X-100 and deoxycholate. Polysome profiles are obtained on linear sucrose gradients and scanned at 254 nm. The method gives quantitative recovery of homogenate total RNA. To demonstrate that the method can be used to study nutritional effects on mammary gland polysome aggregation, lactating rats were fasted 22-66 h and then refed a stock diet for 71-95 h. Refeeding increased the percentage of polysomes (trimers or larger) in the bound fraction from 84 +/- 1 to 93 +/- 1% (P less than 0.001) and in the free fraction from 42 +/- 2 to 55 +/- 3% (P less than 0.001).

Ribonuclease inhibitors from the livers of five mammalian species

Inhibitors of neutral ribonuclease have been purified to homogeneity from beef, pig, sheep, mouse, and rat liver by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-RNase A with overall yields ranging from 60-80%. Each of the purified inhibitors presents a single band by SDS-gel electrophoresis; molecular weight estimates by SDS-gel electrophoresis and by gel filtration are ca. 50 000. Each of the inhibitors forms a complex with beef pancreatic RNase A with a molecular weight of ca. 64 000, suggestive of 1:1 binding on a molar basis. The inhibitors from liver are very similar in properties and amino acid composition to the previously isolated inhibitor from human placenta (Blackburn et al. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 5904) and beef brain (Burton et al. (1980) Int. J. Peptide Protein Res. 16, 359). Pig liver offers an alternative to human placenta as a source for an RNase inhibitor of this type (yield, ca. 8 mg/kg of tissue). Immunological similarities were examined using antiserum directed against human placental RNase inhibitor. Cross reactivity of the liver RNase inhibitors with the antiserum raised against placental RNase inhibitor ranged from 15% for mouse RNase inhibitor to as low as 2% for pig and sheep RNase inhibitor.

Estradiol-induced vitellogenin synthesis in duck liver

We have studied the induction of vitellogenin by estradiol in duck liver. From the accumulation of vitellogenin in blood plasma we calculated that the rate of vitellogenin synthesis increases linearly with time for about 4 days after estradiol administration. Vitellogenin from chicken and duck cross-react immunologically and their mRNAs show only 7% sequence divergence. We could therefore determine vitellogenin mRNA content of duck liver using chicken vitellogenin cDNA as a hybridization probe. The number of vitellogenin mRNA molecules per hepatocyte increases from less than one in normal duck liver to 18 000 at 4 days after estradiol injection. The rate of vitellogenin synthesis in vivo is roughly proportional to vitellogenin mRNA content, although the data suggest a somewhat enhanced translation of vitellogenin mRNA at later times after hormone administration. Vitellogenin mRNA levels had returned to control values after 4 weeks after hormone administration. In the first 11 h after secondary administration of hormone vitellogenin mRNA accumulates at an only slightly higher rate than is observed after primary hormonal stimulation.

Translation in vivo and in vitro of mRNAs coding for vitellogenin, serum albumin and very-low-density lipoprotein II from chicken liver. A difference in translational efficiency

Characterisation of polysomes from estrogenized chicken liver revealed that very-low-density lipoprotein II (VLDLII), serum albumin and vitellogenin mRNAs are differently packed with ribosomes during translation in vivo. Tne ribosome density per number of nucleotides is high for VLDLII mRNA, intermediate for serum albumin mRNA and low for vitellogenin mRNA. This difference in ribosomal load is maintained throughout the period of hormone effect. The differential utilisation observed for vitellogenin and VLDLII mRNAs partly explains the large difference in molar production rate between these yolk protein precursors. Translation properties and efficiency of the three hepatic mRNAs were also compared in the mRNA-depleted reticulocyte lysate. Elongation of the nascent chains for vitellogenin and serum albumin proceeded in a discontinuous fashion. Initiation in vitro was studied at varying ionic strengths, in the presence of aurintricarboxylic acid, and at suboptimal hemin concentrations. VLDLII mRNA expression is by far the most resistant to 7-methylguanosine 5'-triphosphate (m7GTP) and high salt concentrations, vitellogenin mRNA the least. This behaviour resembles the differential utilisation of the mRNAs in vivo. The putative structural basis of these differences is discussed.

Ribonuclease inhibitor from bovine brain

A ribonuclease inhibitor from bovine brain has been purified 27 000-fold by affinity chromatography on Sepharose-RNase A with an overall yield of 46% (ca. 0.4 mg/kg tissue). The purified inhibitor gives a single band by SDS-gel electrophoresis. By gel filtration the molecular weight is ca. 50 000; the molecular weight of the complex with bovine pancreatic RNase A is ca. 62 000, indicative of 1:1 binding on a molar basis. The inhibition of the action of RNase A on yeast RNA by the inhibitor is noncompetitive with a Ki of 7 x 10(-10) M. The protein is very similar in its properties, including amino acid composition, to the inhibitor previously isolated from human placenta. The amount of inhibitor per g of protein in bovine brain is about one-seventh of the value for human placenta. No difference was found in the distribution of inhibitor between white and gray matter; one-tenth of the inhibitor present is bound to a brain ribonuclease which is released in active form after reaction with p-hydroxymercuribenzoate. Essentially no free neutral ribonuclease activity could be detected in brain homogenates in the absence of p-hydroxymercuribenzoate.

Scanning transmission electron microscopy of biological macromolecules

The practical usefulness of a STEM (Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope) for the study of the structure of biological macromolecules has been investigated using a STEM attachment connected to a TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope), which in one case was equipped with a tungsten hairpin cathode, and in the other case with a field emission gun. The point to point resolution has been determined. Results obtained in STEM dark field from light negatively stained specimens are compared with results obtained in TEM bright field from normal negatively stained specimens. In addition unstained molecules have been visualized. Some remarks are made about preparation methods suitable for STEM.