Xenopus annexin II (calpactin I) heavy chain has a distinct amino terminus

A novel annexin A2 protein with platelet aggregation-inhibiting activity from amphibian Bombina maxima skin

Annexin A2 is a unique member of annexin family with multi-functions in membrane physiology, implicated in inflammation and cancer progression. mRNA of Annexin A2 is abundant in the skin of some amphibians. However, no annexin A2 protein has been isolated and characterized from amphibian skin. In this report, a novel annexin A2 protein with apparent molecular weight of 33 kDa and named Bm-ANXA2, was purified from frog Bombina maxima skin, which is highly toxic to mammals, by a combination of ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. A full-length cDNA encoding the protein was obtained from the cDNA library constructed from the frog skin. Sequence analysis indicates that Bm-ANXA2 shares 89% and 80% amino acid sequence identities with those of Xenopus and human annexin A2, respectively. Different from other annexin A2 proteins, the N-terminal 26 amino acids of Bm-ANXA2 were truncated. Bm-ANXA2 dose-dependently inhibited human platelet aggregation stimulated by various agonists in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. It bound to activated platelets and significantly inhibited alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation and alpha-granular secretion. This is the first report that an annexin A2 protein possesses platelet aggregation-inhibiting activity, providing novel clues in the illustration of pathophysiological roles of annexin A2 proteins.

Profile and regulation of annexin II expression during early embryogenesis in cattle

The presence of annexin II (Ann-II) during the initial stages of bovine embryo development and the regulation of Ann-II expression by retinol and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were studied. Bovine embryos at different stages of development were produced in vitro on Synthetic Oviductal Fluid (SOF) medium (control group), SOF supplemented with retinol (retinol group; 0.1ng/ml), or IGF-I (IGF-I group; 10ng/ml). The embryos were processed for mRNA extraction, cDNA production and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using Ann-II-specific oligonucleotides. Ann-II was detected in all stages of early embryo development, except for the 16-cell stage. The blastocyst rates were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the group supplemented with retinol (37.8%, 45/119) during in vitro embryo culture (IVC) than in those cultured in SOF (20.5%, 24/117) or SOF with IGF-I (25.8%, 24/93). Semiquantitative analysis of Ann-II expression in embryos produced in medium supplemented with IGF-I or retinol revealed a lower expression of this gene when compared with embryos cultured in SOF (P<0.05). The Ann-II expression was not different in embryos cultured in the presence of retinol and IGF-I. The presence of retinol increased the production of embryos in vitro by decreasing the expression of Ann-II in early-stage of bovine embryo.

Identification and functional analysis of salmon annexin 1 induced by a virus infection in a fish cell line

In this study, we investigated changes in protein expression of fish cells induced by infection of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) using two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption-time of flight proton motive force analysis and identified a novel type of salmon annexin 1 that is induced in fish cells by infection with IPNV. Northern blotting showed that this annexin is overexpressed in IPNV-infected cells compared to control cells, and further analysis revealed that it has a 1,509-bp full-length cDNA sequence with an open reading frame encoding 339 amino acids (GenBank accession no. AY944135). Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that this protein belongs to the annexin 1 subfamily. By applying RNA interference, the mRNA levels of salmon annexin 1 were suppressed and, under these conditions, apoptosis of IPNV-infected cells was significantly increased. While small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment did not affect the levels of the viral proteins significantly until 10 h postinfection, it reduced the titer of extracellular virus to 25% of that of a scrambled siRNA-treated control. These data provide evidence of an antiapoptotic function for salmon annexin 1 that is important for IPNV growth in cultured cells.

Expression of annexin A2 in GABAergic interneurons in the normal rat brain

Expression of the Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipids binding protein annexin A2 (ANX2) in the brain is thought to be largely associated with brain pathological conditions such as tumor, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. The recent findings that ANX2 heterotetramer is involved in learning and neuronal activities necessitates a systematic investigation of the physiological expression of ANX2 in the brain. With combination of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, ANX2 mRNA and protein were specifically detected in a group of GABAergic interneurons throughout the brain. Although ANX2 was absent from the interior of pyramidal neurons, it was found on the membrane and seemly the extracellular space of those neurons, where they closely co-localized with glutamate decarboxylase terminals. In cultured developing neurons, ANX2 was present at high concentrations in the growth cones co-distributing with several growth-associated proteins such as growth associated protein 43 (GAP43), turned on after division/Ulip/CRMP (TUC-4), tubulin, and tissue-plasminogen activator. It then became predominantly distributed on the membrane and mostly in axonal branches as neurons grew and extended synaptic networks. ANX2 was also secreted from cultured neurons, in a membrane-bound form that was Ca(2+)-dependent, which was significantly increased by neuronal depolarization. These results may have implications in the function and regulatory mechanism of ANX2 in the normal brain.

The Retention Factor p11 Confers an Endoplasmic Reticulum-Localization Signal to the Potassium Channel TASK-1

The interaction of the adaptor protein p11, also denoted S100A10, with the C-terminus of the two-pore-domain K+ channel TASK-1 was studied using yeast two-hybrid analysis, glutathione S-transferase pull-down, and co-immunoprecipitation. We found that p11 interacts with a 40 amino-acid region in the proximal C-terminus of the channel. In heterologous expression systems, deletion of the p11-interacting domain enhanced surface expression of TASK-1. Attachment of the p11-interacting domain to the cytosolic tail of the reporter protein CD8 caused retention/retrieval of the construct in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Attachment of the last 36 amino acids of p11 to CD8 also caused ER localization, which was abolished by removal or mutation of a putative retention motif (H/K)xKxxx, at the C-terminal end of p11. Imaging of EGFP-tagged TASK-1 channels in COS cells suggested that wild-type TASK-1 was largely retained in the ER. Knockdown of p11 with siRNA enhanced trafficking of TASK-1 to the surface membrane. Our results suggest that binding of p11 to TASK-1 retards the surface expression of the channel, most likely by virtue of a di-lysine retention signal at the C-terminus of p11. Thus, the cytosolic protein p11 may represent a 'retention factor' that causes localization of the channel to the ER.

Long-chain saturated fatty acids induce annexin II translocation to detergent-resistant membranes

DRM (detergent-resistant membranes), which are resistant to solublization by non-ionic detergents, have been demonstrated to be involved in many key cell functions such as signal transduction, endocytosis and cholesterol trafficking. Covalent modification of proteins by fatty acylation has been proposed to be an important protein-targeting mechanism for DRM association. However, little is known concerning the effects of LCSFA (long-chain saturated fatty acids) on protein composition of DRM in human cancer cells. In the present study, we found that, in Hs578T human breast cancer cells, the major protein increased in DRM in response to the LCSFA stearate (C18:0) was annexin II. Our results demonstrated that annexin II accumulated in DRM specifically in response to physiological concentrations of stearate and palmitate (C16:0), but not long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. This process was reversible and dependent on cholesterol and intracellular calcium. Although calcium was necessary for this translocation, it was not sufficient to induce the annexin II translocation to DRM. We also demonstrate that stearate induced the acylation of caveolin but not that of annexin II. Association of annexin II with caveolin, although not necessarily direct, specifically occurs in DRM in response to stearate. Finally, bromostearate, a stearate analogue that effectively blocks protein acylation, does not induce annexin II translocation to DRM. We conclude that exogenously added LCSFA strongly induces the translocation of annexin II to DRM in Hs578T human breast cancer cells at least partially by association with acylated caveolin.

Isolation and characterization of annexin 2 pseudogene in Rattus norvegicus

Annexin 2 is a calcium-regulated, phospholipid-binding protein present in endothelial cells, macrophages and some tumor cells. Annexin 2 is a substrate for a variety of protein kinases, and plays roles in the regulation of endocytosis, exocytosis and thrombolysis. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of a rat genomic DNA fragment that hybridized to a rat annexin 2 DNA complementary to RNA (cDNA) probe. Sequence analysis revealed that it was an intronless rat annexin 2, consisting of a start-to-stop-codon-length copy of the processed transcript. This pseudogene contained 33 point mutations and two deletion sites in the coding region as compared with the cDNA, and thus displayed typical features of a retroposon. Transitions were more frequent than transversions, and the most frequent type of mutation was G to A transition. We isolated a phage clone that contained a functional rat annexin 2 genomic fragment including coding exons 3 and 4. Polymerase chain reaction and subsequent sequence analysis revealed an intron of approximately 4 kbp at the same site as in humans and mice. Whereas the annexin 2 gene or its cDNA homologues have been detected in various species from Xenopus to humans, its pseudogene has been reported only in humans. In the present study, we demonstrated the presence of an annexin 2 pseudogene in rats.

Annexin IV (Xanx-4) has a functional role in the formation of pronephric tubules

Vertebrate kidney organogenesis is characterised by the successive formation of the pronephros, the mesonephros and the metanephros. The pronephros is the first to form and is the functional embryonic kidney of lower vertebrates; although it is vestigial in higher vertebrates, it is a necessary precursor for the other kidney types. The Xenopus pronephros is a simple paired organ; each nephron consists of a single large glomus, one set of tubules and a single duct. The simple organisation of the pronephros and the amenability of Xenopus laevis embryos to manipulation make the Xenopus pronephros an attractive system in which to study organogenesis. It has been shown that pronephric tubules can be induced to form in presumptive ectodermal tissue by treatment with RA and activin. We have used this system in a subtractive hybridisation screen that resulted in the cloning of Xenopus laevis annexin IV (Xanx-4). Xanx-4 transcripts are specifically located to the developing pronephric tubules, and the protein to the luminal surface of these tubules. Temporal expression shows zygotic transcription is upregulated at the time of pronephric tubule specification and persists throughout pronephric development. The temporal and spatial expression pattern of Xanx-4 suggests it may have a role in pronephric tubule development. Overexpression of Xanx-4 yields no apparent phenotype, but Xanx-4 depletion, using morpholinos, produces a shortened, enlarged tubule phenotype. The phenotype observed can be rescued by co-injection of Xanx-4 mRNA. Although the function of annexins is not yet clear, studies have suggested a role for annexins in a number of cellular processes. Annexin IV has been shown to have an inhibitory role in the regulation of epithelial calcium-activated chloride ion conductance. The enlarged pronephric tubule phenotype observed may be attributed to incorrect modulation of exocytosis, membrane plasticity or ion channels and/or water homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrate an in vivo role for annexin IV in the development of the pronephric tubules in Xenopus laevis.

Annexin II: a mediator of the plasmin/plasminogen activator system

The annexins constitute a family of calcium-dependent membrane binding proteins. Recently, annexin II has been shown to accelerate the activation of the clot-dissolving protease plasmin by complexing with the plasmin precursor plasminogen and with tissue plasminogen activator. Binding of plasminogen to annexin II is inhibited by the atherogenic lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), while binding of tissue plasminogen activator to annexin II is blocked by the thiol amino acid homocysteine. Formation of the plasminogen/tissue plasminogen activator/annexin II complex may represent a key regulatory mechanism in fibrinolytic surveillance.

Complete structure of the murine p36 (annexin II) gene. Identification of mRNAs for both the murine and the human gene with alternatively spliced 5' noncoding exons

p36 (also termed annexin II) is a 39 kDa Ca2+/phospholipid-binding, membrane-associated protein that is a protein-tyrosine kinase substrate. We report here studies of the noncoding exons of p36, which combined with our earlier studies of the coding exons, allow us to conclude that the murine p36 gene is 34 kb in length with 14 exons. Comparison of the genes coding for mouse and human p36 (annexin II) and mouse, rat and human p35 (annexin I) and pigeon cp35 (an annexin I-related protein) shows strong genomic structural conservation supporting the hypothesis that these genes had a common ancestor. Both human and murine p36 mRNAs were found to be alternatively spliced in their 5' noncoding region. In both cases exon 2 is a cassette exon, which is present in a small fraction of p36 mRNAs. In type 1 mouse p36 mRNA the first noncoding 44 base exon 1 is joined to exon 3, the first of the 12 coding exons. In type 2 mRNA a 70 base noncoding exon (exon 2) is inserted between exon 1 and exon 3. Type 1 mRNA was present in all cell types studied as revealed by Northern analysis and primer extension, whereas type 2 mRNA could only be detected by RACE or PCR, indicating that it is of very low abundance. The major transcription start site of the mouse p36 gene was mapped by primer extension to be 61 bp upstream of the AUG initiation codon, which corresponds to type 1 mRNA, The murine p36 gene enhancer/promoter region contains a putative TATA box and several other potential regulatory sequences. The two alternatively-spliced human p36 mRNAs differ by the presence or absence of a noncoding 81 base exon (exon 2) inserted after exon 1, with exon 2-containing mRNAs representing approximately 10% of total p36 mRNA. The 300 bp spanning the promoter and exons 1-3 of the human and murine p36 genes show strong sequence homology immediately before and after the major transcription start site except in the region corresponding to exon 2, where homology is more limited.

The expression of different annexins in the fish embryo is developmentally regulated

The expression of annexins, a family of Ca2+/phospholipid-binding proteins, was analyzed by biochemical and immunological criteria in the fish Misgurnus fossilis (loach), which is a good model system to study embryonic events. Five different annexins (loach annexins A to E) are present as a maternal pool in the unfertilized eggs. Only annexin E is newly synthesized in the early embryo. Its synthesis, already apparent at mid-blastula, decreases in later stages when two additional annexins (F and G) appear. They are present among the newly synthesized polypeptides of mid-gastrula and later embryonic stages and are also found in loach larvae. The developmentally controlled expression of several annexins indicates a specific role of these proteins at certain embryonic stages.

Structural evolution of the annexin supergene family

The annexin family of calcium-binding proteins is comprised of at least ten mammalian genes, with additional representatives in lower eukaryotes. Recent structural analyses of several annexin genes have provided insights into the relationship between exon organization and functional domains. We discuss the implications of these findings and speculate on the evolutionary origins of the annexin supergene family.

Involvement of annexin II in DNA replication: evidence from cell-free extracts of Xenopus eggs

Cell-free extracts of Xenopus eggs efficiently initiate and complete semiconservative DNA replication of exogenously added plasmid DNA. DNA replication in such extracts can be neutralized by a monoclonal antibody (D1/274.5) against human annexin II. Specific immunodepletion of Xenopus annexin II from the egg extracts results in loss of DNA replicative ability. Immunodepletion of annexin II does not prevent nuclear assembly, a stringent requirement for DNA synthesis on exogenous DNA in this system. Replicative ability can be restored to the immunodepleted extracts by the addition of purified human annexin II. These results demonstrate that annexin II is involved in chromosomal DNA replication and has a role in the cell cycle of higher eukaryotes.