Differential effect of pH on solubilization of nuclear lamins A/C and lamin B

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1: association with nuclear lamins in rodent liver cells

The distribution of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) over different nuclear compartments was studied by nuclear fractionation procedures and Western analysis revealing a prominent role of the nuclear matrix. This structure is operationally defined by the solubility properties of the A- and B-type lamins under defined experimental conditions. We consistently observed that most of the nuclear matrix-associated PARP-1 partitioned, in an active form, with the insoluble, lamin-enriched protein fractions that were prepared by a variety of established biochemical procedures. These PARP-1-protein interactions resisted salt extraction, disulfide reduction, RNase and DNase digestion. An inherent ability of PARP-1 to reassemble with the lamins became evident after a cycle of solubilization/dialysis using either urea or Triton X-100 and disulfide reduction, indicating that these interactions were dominated by hydrophobic forces. Together with in vivo crosslinking and co-immunoprecipitation experiments our results show that the lamins are prominent PARP-1-binding partners which could contribute to the functional sequestration of the enzyme on the nuclear matrix.

Altering intracellular pH disrupts development and cellular organization in preimplantation hamster embryos

In early cleavage stage hamster embryos, the inability to regulate intracellular pH (pHi) properly is associated with reduced developmental competence in vitro. The disruption of mitochondrial organization is also correlated with reduced development in vitro. To determine the relationship between pHi and the disruption of cytoplasmic organization, we examined the effects of altering pHi on hamster embryo development, mitochondrial distribution, and cytoskeletal organization. The weak base trimethylamine was used to increase pHi and was found to reduce embryo development and disrupt the perinuclear organization of mitochondria. The weak acid 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolinedione was used to decrease pH(i) and was also found to reduce development and disrupt the perinuclear organization of mitochondria. With either treatment, the microfilament organization was perturbed, but the microtubule cytoskeleton was not. However, the temporal progression of the disruption of mitochondrial distribution was more rapid in alkalinized embryos than acidified embryos, as revealed by two-photon imaging of living embryos. Additionally, the disruption of the microfilament network by the two treatments was not identical. The cytoplasmic disruptions observed were not due to acute toxicity of the compounds because embryos recovered developmentally when the treatment compounds were removed. These observations link ionic homeostasis, structural integrity and developmental competence in preimplantation hamster embryos.

Nuclear antigens in Trichinella spiralis infected muscle cells: nuclear extraction, compartmentalization and complex formation

Infection of mammalian skeletal muscle cells by Trichinella spiralis induces a series of changes that include: reentry of the terminally differentiated host cell into the cell cycle; suspension of infected cells in apparent G2/M; and transcriptional inactivation of the differentiated skeletal muscle gene program. Cell cycle repositioning and genetic reprogramming are chronic characteristics of host cells that can remain infected for years. Nuclear antigens (NA, 79, 86 and 97 kDa) that localize to host cell nuclei have been detected with antibodies against T. spiralis proteins. Since NA may play a role in regulating the infected cell phenotype, their origin, nuclear compartmentalization, and biochemical properties were investigated. We show that a monoclonal antibody to a defined epitope of T. spiralis glycans binds these NA, which indicates the parasite origin of these proteins. NA were not extracted under conditions that solubilized chromatin from infected cell nuclei. In contrast, NA were coextracted with B lamins (nuclear envelope) by 4 M urea. Urea extraction was pH dependent (8.0), suggesting ionic interaction of NA in protein complexes. Nevertheless, confocal microscopy demonstrated colocalization of NA with host chromatin, and not B lamins. Nuclear protein complexes containing NA were observed under non-reducing conditions, and NA were readily cross-linked in isolated nuclei by succinimidyl protein conjugating reagents. The results establish methods to extract NA from infected cell nuclei for further biochemical analysis, establish the existence of nuclear protein complexes containing NA and demonstrate colocalization of NA with host chromatin. Collectively, the results provide a foundation from which to investigate the role of NA in regulating the T. spiralis infected skeletal muscle cell phenotype.

High-resolution mapping of mammalian genes by in situ hybridization to free chromatin

Fluorescence in situ hybridization to metaphase chromosomes or chromatin fibers in interphase nuclei is a powerful technique in mapping genes and DNA segments to specific chromosome region. We have been able to release the chromatin fibers from cells arrested at G1 and G2 phases using different drugs and a simple alkaline lysis procedure. We have also demonstrated specific hybridization of fluorescence-labeled probes to single-copy genomic DNA sequences on the free chromatins. Fluorescence in situ hybridization signals have been detected for sequences separated as close as 21 kilobase pairs and as far as 350 kilobase pairs, with excellent correspondence between the observed and expected distances. The resolution of this technique should approach 10 kilobase pairs and its coverage should span millions of base pairs. Therefore, free chromatin mapping can be generally used to study the structure and organization of mammalian genomes.

Differential accessibility of the tail domain of nuclear lamin A in interphase and mitotic cells

Human autoantibodies reactive against the tail domain exclusive to lamin A and absent from lamin C have been used for immunofluorescence studies on human fibroblast and epithelial cells. These autoantibodies were seen to react on mitotic cells where lamin A is present in a soluble depolymerized form and to react against lamin A in assembled interphase nuclear lamina after in situ extraction of chromatin. Taken together, these results support the suggestion that the tail domain of lamin A may be involved in the putative interaction of lamin A with chromatin.