Immunochemistry of the glycopeptide derived from avian riboflavin-binding protein

Cloning and expression of a chick liver glutathione S-transferase CL 3 subunit with the use of a baculovirus expression system

Glutathione S-transferase CL 3 subunits purified from 1-day-old-chick livers were digested with Achromobacter proteinase I and the resulting fragments were isolated for amino acid sequence analysis. An oligonucleotide probe was constructed accordingly for cDNA library screening. A cDNA clone of 1342 bases, pGCL301, encoding a protein of 26209 Da was isolated and sequenced. Including conservative substitutions, this protein has 75-79% sequence similarity to other Alpha family glutathione S-transferases. The coding sequence of pGCL301 was inserted into a baculovirus vector for infection of Spodoptera frugiperda (SF9) cells. The expressed protein has a high relative activity with ethacrynic acid (47% of the specific activity with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene). The enzyme has a subunit molecular mass of 25.2 +/- 1.2 kDa (by SDS/PAGE), a pI of 9.45 and an absorption coefficient A1%1cm of 13.0 +/- 0.5 at 280 nm.

Immunochemistry of O-glycosidically-linked Gal(beta 1 leads to 3) GalNAc on fragments of human glycophorin A

N-terminal and internal fragments of human glycophorin A with chemically defined carbohydrate moieties have been used as immunogens after conjugation to BSA or polymerization to produce carbohydrate-directed antibodies with the desired specificity against O-glycosidically linked D-galactopyranosyl-beta-(1 leads to 3)-N-acetyl-D-galactopyranosamine, a possible marker on transformed T-lymphocytes and mammary tissue of humans. Antisera from rabbits have been characterized by inhibition studies using 125I-labelled peptides in radioimmunoassay and by haemagglutination inhibition. The inhibition caused by natural and synthetic glycoconjugates, which have no structural correspondence with the antigen except its carbohydrates, clearly indicated the formation of antibodies specific for Gal-beta(1 leads to 3)-GalNAc in serum A3.

Cloning and sequence analysis of a cDNA plasmid for one of the rat liver glutathione S-transferase subunits

We describe the construction and characterization of a cDNA plasmid for one of the rat liver glutathione S-transferase subunits. Poly(A)-RNA isolated from rat livers was enriched for glutathione S-transferase mRNA activity and used as templates to synthesize double stranded cDNA. The double stranded cDNAs were annealed to pBR322 through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase generated GC-tails followed by transformation into E. coli. Several candidate clones were selected by colony hybridization using polynucleotide kinase labeled liver and testis poly(A)-RNA probes. These candidate clones were further characterized by hybrid-selected translation of mRNA followed by immunoprecipitation and SDS gel electrophoresis. The positive clone, pGTR112 was mapped with restriction endonuclease analysis and sequenced by the chemical method of Maxam and Gilbert. The largest upen reading frame contains 142 amino acids very rich in Arg and Lys residues. The C-terminal residue phenylalanine of this open reading frame is consistent with what was reported for one of the ligandin subunits by Bhargava et al., (J. Biol. Chem. 253, 4116-4119, 1978). Among the 352 nucleotides covered by both pGTR112 and pGST94 described by Kalinyak and Taylor (J. Biol. Chem. 257, 523-530, 1982), there are only 9 nucleotide differences resulting in four changes of amino acid sequences.

The role of oligosaccharide in transport of egg yolk riboflavin-binding protein to the egg

The carbohydrate portion of chicken egg yolk riboflavin-binding protein was examined to determine its role in the biological activity of the protein. Yolk RBP was found to contain 5--6 mannose, five galactose, 12 N-acetylglucosamine and four sialic acid residues. Specific modifications of the oligosaccharide moiety were performed which included removal of sialic acid by mild acid hydrolysis, oxidation of galactose by galactose oxidase, and removal of N-acetylglucosamine and galactose residues by a mixture of glycosidases from Aspergillus niger. All of the modified proteins retained the ability to bind riboflavin although their capacities were lower than that of native yolk RBP. Circular dichroism of the modified yolk RBP samples showed changes in the near ultraviolet, but molar ellipticities in the far ultraviolet displayed only minor variations indicating no gross structural changes. All samples cross-reacted with RBP-specific antiserum. The plasma half-life of 125I-labeled yolk RBP was 62 min. Each of the modified samples was cleared more rapidly from the blood than native yolk RBP. Removal of sialic acid decreased the half-life of yolk RBP by 31%, while the other modifications decreased the half-life by as much as 60%. During a 10-day period following injection of 125I-labeled yolk RBP, 5.9% of the labeled protein was recovered from egg yolk. Relative to native yolk RBP, the transport of asialo-yolk RBP was decreased by 82%. The other modifications resulted in even less transport to the egg, the lowest being glycosidase-treated asialo-yolk RBP which was decreased by over 99%. By comparison of samples with similar clearance times, a positive correlation was made between sialic acid and ovarian transport.

Avian riboflavinuria--XI. Immunological quantitation of cross-reacting liver proteins from normal, heterozygous, and mutant hens

A genetic defect, avian riboflavinuria, was discovered in a strain of Single Comb White Leghorn chickens and has been attributed to the absence of functional riboflavin-binding protein (RBP). The ratio of functional RBP in blood, egg yolk, and egg white was 2 (RdRd) : 1 (Rdrd) : 0 (rdrd). The present study on non-riboflavin-binding, cross-reacting proteins (CRPs) from RdRd, Rdrd, and rdrd hens involved partial purification and immunochemical quantitation using antiserum to RBP. Immunoreactivities (microgram/g liver) of CRPs were found to be 2.6 (RdRd) : 1.3 (Rdrd) : 0.02 (rdrd). Reciprocal cross-reactions were observed with rabbit sera directed toward both RdRd CRP and RBP. Reaction of the CRPs with antiglycopeptide serum (specific for beta-linked galactose) showed that they were glycosylated. CRPs from RdRd and Rdrd hens had relative antigenicities similar to that of RBP (Krel approximately or equal to 1), while rdrd CRP had a significantly lower antigenicity (Krel = 0.003). The molecular weights of the CRPs as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were as follows: RdRd = 31,6000, Rdrd = 30,900, and rdrd = 27,500. The molecular weight of egg yolk RBP was 34,7000 by the same method. The conclusion is drawn that the rd gene codes for a nonfunctional mutant protein, possibly an "altered precursor", that is different from RBP.