The ice-binding site of Atlantic herring antifreeze protein corresponds to the carbohydrate-binding site of C-type lectins

An Update of Lectins from Marine Organisms: Characterization, Extraction Methodology, and Potential Biofunctional Applications

Lectins are a unique group of nonimmune carbohydrate-binding proteins or glycoproteins that exhibit specific and reversible carbohydrate-binding activity in a non-catalytic manner. Lectins have diverse sources and are classified according to their origins, such as plant lectins, animal lectins, and fish lectins. Marine organisms including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks produce a myriad of lectins, including rhamnose binding lectins (RBL), fucose-binding lectins (FTL), mannose-binding lectin, galectins, galactose binding lectins, and C-type lectins. The widely used method of extracting lectins from marine samples is a simple two-step process employing a polar salt solution and purification by column chromatography. Lectins exert several immunomodulatory functions, including pathogen recognition, inflammatory reactions, participating in various hemocyte functions (e.g., agglutination), phagocytic reactions, among others. Lectins can also control cell proliferation, protein folding, RNA splicing, and trafficking of molecules. Due to their reported biological and pharmaceutical activities, lectins have attracted the attention of scientists and industries (i.e., food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries). Therefore, this review aims to update current information on lectins from marine organisms, their characterization, extraction, and biofunctionalities.

How to thrive in unstable environments: Gene expression profile of a riparian earthworm under abiotic stress

Nowadays, extreme weather events caused by climate change are becoming more frequent. This leads to the occurrence of extreme habitats to which species must adapt. This challenge becomes crucial for species living in unstable environments, such as the riparian earthworm Eiseniella tetraedra. Its cosmopolitan distribution exposes it to various environmental changes, such as freezing in subarctic regions or droughts in Mediterranean areas. Transcriptional changes under cold and desiccation conditions could therefore shed light on the adaptive mechanisms of this species. An experiment was performed for each condition. In the cold experiment, the temperature was lowered to -14 °C ± 2 °C (compared to 8 °C for control samples), and in the desiccation treatment, humidity was lowered from 60% to 15%. Comparisons of gene expression levels between earthworms under freezing conditions and control earthworms revealed a total of 84 differentially expressed genes and comparisons between the desiccation experiment and the control yielded 163 differentially expressed genes. However, no common responses were found between the two treatments. The results suggest that E. tetraedra can acclimate to low temperatures due to the upregulation of genes involved in glucose accumulation. However, downregulation of the respiratory chain suggests that this earthworm does not tolerate freezing conditions. Under desiccation conditions, genes involved in cell protection from apoptosis and DNA repair were upregulated. In contrast, lipid metabolism was downregulated, presumably to conserve resources by reducing the rate at which they are consumed.

Structural diversity of marine anti-freezing proteins, properties and potential applications: a review

Cold-adapted organisms, such as fishes, insects, plants and bacteria produce a group of proteins known as antifreeze proteins (AFPs). The specific functions of AFPs, including thermal hysteresis (TH), ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI), dynamic ice shaping (DIS) and interaction with membranes, attracted significant interest for their incorporation into commercial products. AFPs represent their effects by lowering the water freezing point as well as preventing the growth of ice crystals and recrystallization during frozen storage. The potential of AFPs to modify ice growth results in ice crystal stabilizing over a defined temperature range and inhibiting ice recrystallization, which could minimize drip loss during thawing, improve the quality and increase the shelf-life of frozen products. Most cryopreservation studies using marine-derived AFPs have shown that the addition of AFPs can increase post-thaw viability. Nevertheless, the reduced availability of bulk proteins and the need of biotechnological techniques for industrial production, limit the possible usage in foods. Despite all these drawbacks, relatively small concentrations are enough to show activity, which suggests AFPs as potential food additives in the future. The present work aims to review the results of numerous investigations on marine-derived AFPs and discuss their structure, function, physicochemical properties, purification and potential applications.

Surviving in a Frozen Forest: the Physiology of Eastern Spruce Budworm Overwintering

The eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, is one of North America's most destructive forest insects. It survives the harsh winters by deploying both a sophisticated diapause program and a complex suite of cryoprotective molecules. The spruce budworm's cryoprotective biochemistry could revolutionize organ storage and transplants. Here we review the latest in C. fumiferana overwintering physiology and identify emerging theoretical and practical questions that are open for exploration.

Expression analyses of C-type lectins (CTLs) in Manila clam under cold stress provide insights for its potential function in cold resistance of Ruditapes philippinarum

Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is an economically and scientifically important marine bivalve species. C-type lectin acts as a pattern-recognition receptor (PPR), plays a crucial role in the innate immunity of invertebrates, and involves in pathogen recognition, and cell-cell interaction. In this study, six different types of C-type lectin genes, CTL-1, CTL-2, CTL-3, CTL-4, CTL-5, and CTL-6, were identified from the R. philippinarum. CTL amino acid sequence was highly conserved compare to other invertebrate CTL sequences. Also, the temporal expressions of CTLs mRNA were detected in R. philippinarum with higher expression level in hepatopancreas and gill, and with lower expression levels in other tissues. The expression pattern of CTL genes in hepatopancreas were investigated under low-temperature stress using real-time quantitative fluorescence PCR (RT-qPCR) and the results showed that the transcription of CTL mRNAs were induced after low-temperature challenge. Overall, the sequence analysis and the expression patterns of CTLs provide clues for understanding the response of the Manila clam to low-temperature stress.

Calcium-Binding Generates the Semi-Clathrate Waters on a Type II Antifreeze Protein to Adsorb onto an Ice Crystal Surface

Hydration is crucial for a function and a ligand recognition of a protein. The hydration shell constructed on an antifreeze protein (AFP) contains many organized waters, through which AFP is thought to bind to specific ice crystal planes. For a Ca²⁺-dependent species of AFP, however, it has not been clarified how 1 mol of Ca²⁺-binding is related with the hydration and the ice-binding ability. Here we determined the X-ray crystal structure of a Ca²⁺-dependent AFP (jsAFP) from Japanese smelt, Hypomesus nipponensis, in both Ca²⁺-bound and -free states. Their overall structures were closely similar (Root mean square deviation (RMSD) of Cα = 0.31 Å), while they exhibited a significant difference around their Ca²⁺-binding site. Firstly, the side-chains of four of the five Ca²⁺-binding residues (Q92, D94 E99, D113, and D114) were oriented to be suitable for ice binding only in the Ca²⁺-bound state. Second, a Ca²⁺-binding loop consisting of a segment D94–E99 becomes less flexible by the Ca²⁺-binding. Third, the Ca²⁺-binding induces a generation of ice-like clathrate waters around the Ca²⁺-binding site, which show a perfect position-match to the waters constructing the first prism plane of a single ice crystal. These results suggest that generation of ice-like clathrate waters induced by Ca²⁺-binding enables the ice-binding of this protein.

Exposure to Aeromonas hydrophila induces inflammation and increases expression of the gene encoding for a putative dual CTLD-containing lectin in milkfish liver

Milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal) is an important aquaculture product and is the sole extant species of the family Chanidae (order Gonorynchiformes). While there are already several reports regarding milkfish aquaculture, studies on milkfish immunity and gene expression are very limited. In this study, we showed that Aeromonas hydrophila induces inflammation in milkfish liver. We identified a milkfish C-type lectin-like domain containing proteins (CTLDcps) gene, designated as CcClec, which was upregulated in respond to A. hydrophila. Full-length sequencing was performed using Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE PCR) to produce a complete Coding DNA Sequence (CDS) of the gene. The CcClec gene encoded a predicted protein of 340 amino acids containing two CTLDs that may potentially bind carbohydrates, especially sucrose and cellobiose. The CcClec mRNA transcript was expressed highest in the liver, followed by head kidney, brain, heart, gills, spleen, and midgut. CcClec transcripts were upregulated in damaged liver upon exposure to A. hydrophila. Overall, these findings demonstrated that CcClec is implicated in milkfish innate immunity, and is most highly expressed in the liver, suggesting a role of the liver in the milkfish immune system.

The D5 region of the intelectin domain is a new type of carbohydrate recognition domain in the intelectin gene family

Intelectin is a recently characterized soluble galactofuranose-binding lectin that exists in species ranging from amphioxus to human. Interestingly, intelectin does not contain a canonical carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD). Therefore, we designed serial deletions of intelectin in the Chinese amphioxus (Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense, AmphiITLN71469) in order to identify functional regions required for carbohydrate binding. Our results revealed that Domain 5 (aa 203-302) was able to bind lipopolysaccarides (LPS) or peptidoglycan (PGN) and agglutinate bacteria as efficiently as the full-length protein. Three dimensional (3D) atomic models of Domain 5 were generated by ab initio based program QUARK and by Iterative Threading Assembly Refinement (I-TASSER) programs, in which four amino acids mediating calcium-binding (G54-G55-G56-E91) were identified by hemagglutination assay. Furthermore, a striking functional conservation of Domain 5 was detected in zebrafish intelectin 1. Taken together, our findings identified for the first time a new CRD domain in intelectin, thereby providing new knowledge leading to a better understanding of pathogen-host interactions.

Effects of a recombinant complement component C3b functional fragment α2MR (α2-macroglobulin receptor) additive on the immune response of juvenile orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) after the exposure to cold shock challenge

The effects of Ec-α2MR (Epinephelus coiodes-α2-macroglobulin receptor) on growth performance, enzymatic activity, respiratory burst, MDA level, total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging percentage and immune-related gene expressions of the juvenile orange-spotted grouper were evaluated. The commercial diet supplemented with α2MR additive was used to feed the orange-spotted grouper for six weeks. Although a slight increase was observed in the specific growth rate, survival rate and weight gain, no significance was observed among different group. After the feeding trial, the groupers were exposed to cold stress. Respiratory burst activity and MDA level decreased significantly in α2MR additive group by comparing with the control and additive control group, while a sharp increase of ACP activity, ALP activity, total antioxidant capacity and DPPH radial scavenging percentage was observed in α2MR additive group. qRT-PCR analyses confirmed that the up-regulated mRNA expressions of C3, TNF1, TNF2, IL-6, CTL, LysC, SOD1 and SOD2 were observed in α2MR additive group at 20 °C. These results showed that α2MR additive may moderate the immune response in grouper following cold shock challenge.

Animal ice-binding (antifreeze) proteins and glycolipids: an overview with emphasis on physiological function

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) assist in subzero tolerance of multiple cold-tolerant organisms: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria etc. IBPs include: (1) antifreeze proteins (AFPs) with high thermal hysteresis antifreeze activity; (2) low thermal hysteresis IBPs; and (3) ice-nucleating proteins (INPs). Several structurally different IBPs have evolved, even within related taxa. Proteins that produce thermal hysteresis inhibit freezing by a non-colligative mechanism, whereby they adsorb onto ice crystals or ice-nucleating surfaces and prevent further growth. This lowers the so-called hysteretic freezing point below the normal equilibrium freezing/melting point, producing a difference between the two, termed thermal hysteresis. True AFPs with high thermal hysteresis are found in freeze-avoiding animals (those that must prevent freezing, as they die if frozen) especially marine fish, insects and other terrestrial arthropods where they function to prevent freezing at temperatures below those commonly experienced by the organism. Low thermal hysteresis IBPs are found in freeze-tolerant organisms (those able to survive extracellular freezing), and function to inhibit recrystallization – a potentially damaging process whereby larger ice crystals grow at the expense of smaller ones – and in some cases, prevent lethal propagation of extracellular ice into the cytoplasm. Ice-nucleator proteins inhibit supercooling and induce freezing in the extracellular fluid at high subzero temperatures in many freeze-tolerant species, thereby allowing them to control the location and temperature of ice nucleation, and the rate of ice growth. Numerous nuances to these functions have evolved. Antifreeze glycolipids with significant thermal hysteresis activity were recently identified in insects, frogs and plants.

Epithelial dominant expression of antifreeze proteins in cunner suggests recent entry into a high freeze-risk ecozone

Most marine teleost fishes residing in a high freeze-risk ecozone, such as the coastal waters of Newfoundland during winter, avoid freezing by secreting high concentrations of antifreeze proteins (AFP) into their blood plasma where they can bind to and prevent the growth of ice that enter the fish. Cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), which overwinter in such shallow waters are the only known exception. Although this species does produce type I AFP, the plasma levels are too low to be of value as a freeze protectant. Southern and Northern blot analyses carried out in this study establish that the cunner AFP genes belong to a multigene family that is predominantly expressed in external epithelia (skin and gill filaments). These results support the hypothesis that the survival of cunner in icy waters is attributable in part to epithelial AFP that help block ice propagation into their interior milieu. In contrast to the cunner, heterospecifics occupying the same habitat have greater freeze protection because they produce AFP in the liver for export to the plasma as well as in external epithelia. Since the external epithelia would be the first tissue to come into contact with ice it is possible that one of the earliest steps involved in the evolution of freeze resistant fish could have been the expression of AFP in tissues such as the skin. We suggest that this epithelial-dominant AFP expression represents a primitive stage in AFP evolution and propose that cunner began to inhabit "freeze-risk ecozones" more recently than heterospecifics.

Antifreeze protein gene amplification facilitated niche exploitation and speciation in wolffish

During winter, the coastal waters of Newfoundland can be considered a 'freeze risk ecozone' for teleost fishes, where the shallower habitats pose a high (and the deeper habitats a low) risk of freezing. Atlantic (Anarhichas lupus) and spotted (Anarhichas minor) wolffish, which inhabit these waters, reside at opposite ends of this ecozone, with the Atlantic wolffish being the species facing the greatest risk, because of its shallower niche. In order to resist freezing, this species secretes five times the level of antifreeze protein (AFP) activity into the plasma than does the spotted wolffish. The main basis for this interspecific difference in AFP levels is gene dosage, as the Atlantic wolffish has approximately three times as many AFP gene copies as the spotted wolffish. In addition, AFP transcript levels in liver (the primary source of circulating AFPs) are several times higher in the Atlantic wolffish. One explanation for the difference in gene dosage and transcript levels is the presence of tandemly arrayed repeats in the latter, which make up two-thirds of its AFP gene pool. Such repeats are not present in the spotted wolffish. The available evidence indicates that the two species diverged from a common ancestor at a time when the ebb and flow of northern glaciations would have resulted in the emergence of shallow water 'freeze risk ecozones'. The results of this study suggest that the duplication/amplification of AFP genes in a subpopulation of ancestral wolffish would have facilitated the exploitation of this high-risk habitat, resulting in the divergence and evolution of modern-day Atlantic and spotted wolffish species.

Identification of (L)-fucose-binding proteins from the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) serum

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins with many biological functions including cellular recognition and innate immunity. In this study, a major l-fucose-binding lectin from the serum of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.), designated as TFBP, was isolated by l-fucose-BSA Sepharose CL6B affinity chromatography. The SDS-PAGE (10%) analysis of TFBP revealed a major band of approximately 23 kDa with an N-terminal amino acid sequence of DQTETAGQQSXPQDIHAVLREL which did not give significant similarities to the protein databases using BLASTp searches. Ruthenium red staining indicate positive calcium-binding property of TFBP. The purified TFBP agglutinated human type O erythrocytes but not the type A and B fresh erythrocytes. Live Aeromonas hydrophila and Enterococcus faecalis cells were also agglutinated by the lectin. The fucose-binding proteins were detected in the soluble protein extracts from the gills, gut, head kidneys, liver, serum and spleen using a fucose-binding protein probe (l-fucose-BSA-horseradish peroxidase). The binding of TFBP with the l-fucose-BSA probe was inhibited by l-fucose but not by alpha-methyl-d-mannose.

Crystal structure and mutational analysis of Ca2+-independent type II antifreeze protein from longsnout poacher, Brachyopsis rostratus

We recently found that longsnout poacher (Brachyosis rostratus) produces a Ca(2+)-independent type II antifreeze protein (lpAFP) and succeeded in expressing recombinant lpAFP using Phichia pastoris. Here, we report, for the first time, the X-ray crystal structure of lpAFP at 1.34 A resolution. The lpAFP structure displayed a relatively planar surface, which encompasses two loop regions (Cys86-Lys89 and Asn91-Cys97) and a short beta-strand (Trp109-Leu112) with three unstructured segments (Gly57-Ile58, Ala103-Ala104, and Pro113-His118). Electrostatic calculation of the protein surface showed that the relatively planar surface was divided roughly into a hydrophobic area (composed of the three unstructured segments lacking secondary structure) and a hydrophilic area (composed of the loops and beta-strand). Site-directed mutation of Ile58 with Phe at the center of the hydrophobic area decreased activity significantly, whereas mutation of Leu112 with Phe at an intermediate area between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas retained complete activity. In the hydrophilic area, a peptide-swap mutant in the loops retained 60% activity despite simultaneous mutations of eight residues. We conclude that the epicenter of the ice-binding site of lpAFP is the hydrophobic region, which is centered by Ile58, in the relatively planar surface. We built an ice-binding model for lpAFP on the basis of a lattice match of ice and constrained water oxygen atoms surrounding the hydrophobic area in the lpAFP structure. The model in which lpAFP has been docked to a secondary prism (2-1-10) plane, which is different from the one determined for Ca(2+)-independent type II AFP from sea raven (11-21), appears to explain the results of the mutagenesis analysis.

Recombinant production and characterization of the carbohydrate recognition domain from Atlantic salmon C-type lectin receptor C (SCLRC)

The Atlantic salmon C-type lectin receptor C (SCLRC) locus encodes a potential oligomeric type II receptor. C-type lectins recognize carbohydrates in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner through structurally conserved, yet functionally diverse, C-type lectin-like domains (CTLDs). Many conserved amino acids in animal CTLDs are present in SCLRC, with the notable exception of an asparagine crucially involved in Ca(2+)- and carbohydrate-binding, which is tyrosine in SCLRC. SCLRC also contains six cysteines that form three disulfide bonds. Although SCLRC was originally identified as an up-regulated transcript responding to Aeromonas salmonicida infection, the biological role of this protein is still unknown. To study the structure and ligand binding properties of SCLRC, we created a homology model of the 17kDa CTLD and produced it as an affinity-tagged protein in the periplasm of Escherichia coli by co-expression of proteins that facilitate disulfide bond formation. The recombinant form of SCLRC was characterized by a protease protection assay, a solid-phase carbohydrate-binding assay, and frontal affinity chromatography. On the basis of this characterization, we classify SCLRC as a C-type lectin that binds to mannose and its derivatives.

Expression and purification of sea raven type II antifreeze protein from Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells

We present a system for the expression and purification of recombinant sea raven type II antifreeze protein, a cysteine-rich, C-type lectin-like globular protein that has proved to be a difficult target for recombinant expression and purification. The cDNAs encoding the pro- and mature forms of the sea raven protein were cloned into a modified pMT Drosophila expression vector. These constructs produced N-terminally His(6)-tagged pro- and mature forms of the type II antifreeze protein under the control of a metallothionein promoter when transfected into Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells. Upon induction of stable cell lines the two proteins were expressed at high levels and secreted into the medium. The proteins were then purified from the cell medium in a simple and rapid protocol using immobilized metal affinity chromatography and specific protease cleavage by tobacco etch virus protease. The proteins demonstrated antifreeze activity indistinguishable from that of wild-type sea raven antifreeze protein purified from serum as illustrated by ice affinity purification, ice crystal morphology, and their ability to inhibit ice crystal growth. This expression and purification system gave yields of 95 mg/L of fully active mature sea raven type II AFP and 9.6 mg/L of the proprotein. This surpasses all previous attempts to express this protein in Escherichia coli, baculovirus-infected fall armyworm cells and Pichia pastoris and will provide sufficient protein for structural analysis.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of Ca2+-independent and Ca2+-dependent species of the type II antifreeze protein

Ca2+-independent and Ca2+-dependent species of the type II antifreeze protein (AFP) were both crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. It appeared that the crystal of the Ca2+-independent species from Brachyosis rostratus belongs to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 43.3, b = 48.4, c = 59.7 A, and diffraction data were collected to 1.34 A resolution. For the Ca2+-dependent type II AFP species from Hypomesus nipponensis, crystallization was carried out for its Ca2+-free and Ca2+-bound states. 1.25 A resolution data were collected from the crystal in the Ca(2+)-free state, which exhibited P3(1)21 (or P3(2)21) symmetry, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 66.0, c = 50.3 A. Data collection could be extended to 1.06 A resolution for the crystal in the Ca2+ -bound state, which appeared to be isomorphous to the crystal in the Ca2+-free state (unit-cell parameters a = b = 66.0, c = 49.8 A). These data will allow us to determine the high-resolution structures of the two species of type II AFP.

The C-type lectin-like domain superfamily

The superfamily of proteins containing C-type lectin-like domains (CTLDs) is a large group of extracellular Metazoan proteins with diverse functions. The CTLD structure has a characteristic double-loop ('loop-in-a-loop') stabilized by two highly conserved disulfide bridges located at the bases of the loops, as well as a set of conserved hydrophobic and polar interactions. The second loop, called the long loop region, is structurally and evolutionarily flexible, and is involved in Ca2+-dependent carbohydrate binding and interaction with other ligands. This loop is completely absent in a subset of CTLDs, which we refer to as compact CTLDs; these include the Link/PTR domain and bacterial CTLDs. CTLD-containing proteins (CTLDcps) were originally classified into seven groups based on their overall domain structure. Analyses of the superfamily representation in several completely sequenced genomes have added 10 new groups to the classification, and shown that it is applicable only to vertebrate CTLDcps; despite the abundance of CTLDcps in the invertebrate genomes studied, the domain architectures of these proteins do not match those of the vertebrate groups. Ca2+-dependent carbohydrate binding is the most common CTLD function in vertebrates, and apparently the ancestral one, as suggested by the many humoral defense CTLDcps characterized in insects and other invertebrates. However, many CTLDs have evolved to specifically recognize protein, lipid and inorganic ligands, including the vertebrate clade-specific snake venoms, and fish antifreeze and bird egg-shell proteins. Recent studies highlight the functional versatility of this protein superfamily and the CTLD scaffold, and suggest further interesting discoveries have yet to be made.

The mechanism by which fish antifreeze proteins cause thermal hysteresis

Antifreeze proteins are characterised by their ability to prevent ice from growing upon cooling below the bulk melting point. This displacement of the freezing temperature of ice is limited and at a sufficiently low temperature a rapid ice growth takes place. The separation of the melting and freezing temperature is usually referred to as thermal hysteresis, and the temperature of ice growth is referred to as the hysteresis freezing point. The hysteresis is supposed to be the result of an adsorption of antifreeze proteins to the crystal surface. This causes the ice to grow as convex surface regions between adjacent adsorbed antifreeze proteins, thus lowering the temperature at which the crystal can visibly expand. The model requires that the antifreeze proteins are irreversibly adsorbed onto the ice surface within the hysteresis gap. This presupposition is apparently in conflict with several characteristic features of the phenomenon; the absence of superheating of ice in the presence of antifreeze proteins, the dependence of the hysteresis activity on the concentration of antifreeze proteins and the different capacities of different types of antifreeze proteins to cause thermal hysteresis at equimolar concentrations. In addition, there are structural obstacles that apparently would preclude irreversible adsorption of the antifreeze proteins to the ice surface; the bond strength necessary for irreversible adsorption and the absence of a clearly defined surface to which the antifreeze proteins may adsorb. This article deals with these apparent conflicts between the prevailing theory and the empirical observations. We first review the mechanism of thermal hysteresis with some modifications: we explain the hysteresis as a result of vapour pressure equilibrium between the ice surface and the ambient fluid fraction within the hysteresis gap due to a pressure build-up within the convex growth zones, and the ice growth as the result of an ice surface nucleation event at the hysteresis freezing point. We then go on to summarise the empirical data to show that the dependence of the hysteresis on the concentration of antifreeze proteins arises from an equilibrium exchange of antifreeze proteins between ice and solution at the melting point. This reversible association between antifreeze proteins and the ice is followed by an irreversible adsorption of the antifreeze proteins onto a newly formed crystal plane when the temperature is lowered below the melting point. The formation of the crystal plane is due to a solidification of the interfacial region, and the necessary bond strength is provided by the protein "freezing" to the surface. In essence: the antifreeze proteins are "melted off" the ice at the bulk melting point and "freeze" to the ice as the temperature is reduced to subfreezing temperatures. We explain the different hysteresis activities caused by different types of antifreeze proteins at equimolar concentrations as a consequence of their solubility features during the phase of reversible association between the proteins and the ice, i.e., at the melting point; a low water solubility results in a large fraction of the proteins being associated with the ice at the melting point. This leads to a greater density of irreversibly adsorbed antifreeze proteins at the ice surface when the temperature drops, and thus to a greater hysteresis activity. Reference is also made to observations on insect antifreeze proteins to emphasise the general validity of this approach.

Purification, characterization, cDNA cloning, and expression of asialofetuin-binding C-type lectin from eggs of shishamo smelt (Osmerus [Spirinchus] lanceolatus)

A novel C-type lectin (OLABL) was isolated from the eggs of shishamo smelt [Osmerus (Spirinchus) lanceolatus] by affinity chromatography on asialofetuin-Sepharose. OLABL had a molecular mass of 29 kDa on SDS-PAGE under nonreducing conditions and two subunits with masses of 15 kDa (OLABL-H) and 14 kDa (OLABL-L) under reducing conditions. Thus, OLABL is a heterodimeric protein. cDNA sequence analysis revealed that the H- and L-subunits of OLABL were composed of 137 and 136 amino acid residues, respectively, and showed almost identical (95%) sequences, with slight differences in the N-terminal and C-terminal regions. Since each subunit contained only the characteristic motif of C-type lectin-like domain (CTLD), EPN-E-WND, OLABL is a member of group VII of the CTLD-containing protein family. Although OLABL had an EPN sequence that is known as a mannose-specific motif found in the collectin family, OLABL agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes without the addition of Ca(2+) ion, and this activity was inhibited by l-rhamnose and d-galactose derivatives, but not by d-mannose and d-glucose. These results indicate that OLABL has similar characteristics to AJL-2, a calcium-independent lactose specific lectin isolated from Japanese eel skin mucus. Recombinant OLABLs (rHisOLABLs), His-tagged homodimers of the H- and L-subunits, were refolded from inclusion bodies expressed by Escherichia coli. rHisOLABL-L was recovered as a soluble form, but rHisOLABL-H was hardly dissolved in a renaturing buffer. The specific activities of rHisOLABL-L, rHisOLABL-H, and native OLABL were 500, 36, and 20, respectively. These findings suggest that the combination of subunits may affect the solubility and activity of these dimeric form lectins.

Type I Antifreeze Proteins: Possible Origins from Chorion and Keratin Genes in Atlantic Snailfish

Type I antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are alanine-rich alpha-helical polypeptides found in some species of right-eye flounders, sculpin, and snailfish. In this study, a shorthorn sculpin skin type I cDNA clone was used to probe an Atlantic snailfish liver cDNA library in order to locate expressed genes corresponding to snailfish plasma AFPs. Clones isolated from the cDNA library had sections with substantial amino acid and nucleotide sequence similarity to snailfish type I AFPs. However, further analysis revealed that the positives were actually three different liver-expressed proteins-two were eggshell proteins, while the third was a type II keratin. We propose that a shift in reading frame could produce alanine-rich candidate AFPs with possible antifreeze activity or ice crystal modification properties. Furthermore, it is plausible that one or more of the liver-expressed proteins represent the progenitors of snailfish type I AFPs.

A hyperactive, Ca2+-dependent antifreeze protein in an Antarctic bacterium

In cold climates, some plants and bacteria that cannot avoid freezing use antifreeze proteins (AFPs) to lessen the destructive effects of ice recrystallization. These AFPs have weak freezing point depression activity, perhaps to avoid sudden, uncontrolled growth of ice. Here, we report on an uncharacteristically powerful bacterial AFP found in an Antarctic strain of the bacterium, Marinomonas primoryensis. It is Ca(2+)-dependent, shows evidence of cooperativity, and can produce over 2 degrees C of freezing point depression. Unlike most AFPs, it does not produce obvious crystal faceting during thermal hysteresis. This AFP might be capable of imparting freezing avoidance to M. primoryensis in ice-covered Antarctic lakes. A hyperactive bacterial AFP has not previously been reported.

Molecular and Sugar-Binding Heterogeneity of C-Type Lectins from Osmerus (Spirinchus) lanceolatus Eggs

Two C-type lectins (OLLafs and OLLafl) were isolated from Osmerus (Spirinchus) lanceolatus eggs using asialofetuin-Sepharose column. OLLafs and OLLafl were eluted with 0.2 M sucrose and 0.2 M lactose from the same column, respectively. OLLafl has been estimated to be a heterodimeric protein composed of H- and L-subunit and involved C-type lectin like domain (CTLD). In this study we revealed that OLLafs was a homodimeric protein composed of L-subunit of OLLafl. Although adding EDTA diminished the hemagglutinating activity of OLLafs, the activity of OLLafl was not influenced. Recombinant lectins (rOLLafl-H and -L) and mutant lectins replaced Cys(123, 131 and 136) with Ala (mOLLafl-L(123, 131 and 136)) were established. The activity of mOLLafl-L(136) was comparable to rOLLafl-L, and rOLLafl-H was 15 times lower than rOLLafl-L. On the other hand, the activity of mOLLafl-L(123) and mOLLafl-L(131) were lower than that of rOLLafl-H. Therefore, Cys(136) may not participate in hemagglutinating activity of rOLLafl-L. In contrast, Cys(123) and Cys(131) may partially contribute this activity. Although hemagglutination inhibition profiles of rOLLafl-L, rOLLafl-H and mOLLafl-L(136) were similar, m-OLLafl-L(131)-induced hemagglutination was not inhibited by any sugars tested even at a concentration of 150 mM. Then, Cys(131) may directly contribute to the sugar-binding capacity of OLLafl. Affinities of mOLLafl-L(123) for these sugars were lower than the others. These results suggest that Cys(136) might contribute to the intermolecular disulfide bond in the rOLLafl-L dimer, and that the intramolecular disulfide bond concerning Cys(131) might important for lectin activity.

C-type lectin-like domains in Fugu rubripes

Background

Members of the C-type lectin domain (CTLD) superfamily are metazoan proteins functionally important in glycoprotein metabolism, mechanisms of multicellular integration and immunity. Three genome-level studies on human, C. elegans and D. melanogaster reported previously demonstrated almost complete divergence among invertebrate and mammalian families of CTLD-containing proteins (CTLDcps).

Results

We have performed an analysis of CTLD family composition in Fugu rubripes using the draft genome sequence. The results show that all but two groups of CTLDcps identified in mammals are also found in fish, and that most of the groups have the same members as in mammals. We failed to detect representatives for CTLD groups V (NK cell receptors) and VII (lithostathine), while the DC-SIGN subgroup of group II is overrepresented in Fugu. Several new CTLD-containing genes, highly conserved between Fugu and human, were discovered using the Fugu genome sequence as a reference, including a CSPG family member and an SCP-domain-containing soluble protein. A distinct group of soluble dual-CTLD proteins has been identified, which may be the first reported CTLDcp group shared by invertebrates and vertebrates. We show that CTLDcp-encoding genes are selectively duplicated in Fugu, in a manner that suggests an ancient large-scale duplication event. We have verified 32 gene structures and predicted 63 new ones, and make our annotations available through a distributed annotation system (DAS) server and their sequences as additional files with this paper.

Conclusions

The vertebrate CTLDcp family was essentially formed early in vertebrate evolution and is completely different from the invertebrate families. Comparison of fish and mammalian genomes revealed three groups of CTLDcps and several new members of the known groups, which are highly conserved between fish and mammals, but were not identified in the study using only mammalian genomes. Despite limitations of the draft sequence, the Fugu rubripes genome is a powerful instrument for gene discovery and vertebrate evolutionary analysis. The composition of the CTLDcp superfamily in fish and mammals suggests that large-scale duplication events played an important role in the evolution of vertebrates.

Calcium interacts with antifreeze proteins and chitinase from cold-acclimated winter rye

During cold acclimation, winter rye (Secale cereale) plants accumulate pathogenesis-related proteins that are also antifreeze proteins (AFPs) because they adsorb onto ice and inhibit its growth. Although they promote winter survival in planta, these dual-function AFPs proteins lose activity when stored at subzero temperatures in vitro, so we examined their stability in solutions containing CaCl2, MgCl2, or NaCl. Antifreeze activity was unaffected by salts before freezing, but decreased after freezing and thawing in CaCl2 and was recovered by adding a chelator. Ca2+ enhanced chitinase activity 3- to 5-fold in unfrozen samples, although hydrolytic activity also decreased after freezing and thawing in CaCl2. Native PAGE, circular dichroism, and Trp fluorescence experiments showed that the AFPs partially unfold after freezing and thawing, but they fold more compactly or aggregate in CaCl2. Ruthenium red, which binds to Ca(2+)-binding sites, readily stained AFPs in the absence of Ca2+, but less stain was visible after freezing and thawing AFPs in CaCl2. We conclude that the structure of AFPs changes during freezing and thawing, creating new Ca(2+)-binding sites. Once Ca2+ binds to those sites, antifreeze activity, chitinase activity and ruthenium red binding are all inhibited. Because free Ca2+ concentrations are typically low in the apoplast, antifreeze activity is probably stable to freezing and thawing in planta. Ca2+ may regulate chitinase activity if concentrations are increased locally by release from pectin or interaction with Ca(2+)-binding proteins. Furthermore, antifreeze activity can be easily maintained in vitro by including a chelator during frozen storage.

Comparative analysis of structural properties of the C-type-lectin-like domain (CTLD)

The superfamily of proteins containing the C-type-lectin-like domain (CTLD) is a group of abundant extracellular metazoan proteins characterized by evolutionary flexibility and functional versatility. Several CTLDs are also found in parasitic prokaryotes and viruses. The 37 distinct currently available CTLD structures demonstrate significant structural conservation despite low or undetectable sequence similarity. Our aim in this study was to perform an extensive comparative analysis of all available CTLD structures to establish the most conserved structural features of the fold, and to test and extend the early analysis of Drickamer. By implication, these features should be those critical for maintenance of integrity of the fold. By analyzing CTLD structures superimposed by several methods, we have established groups of conserved structural positions involved in fold maintenance but not in ligand binding; these are consistent with the fold's known functional flexibility. In addition to the well-recognized disulfide bridges, groups of conserved residues are involved in hydrophobic interactions stabilizing the core of the fold and the long loop region, and in an alpha2-beta1-beta5 polar interaction. Evaluation of the conclusions of the structure comparison study compared with alignments of all available human, mouse and Caenorhabditis elegans CTLD sequences showed that conservation patterns are preserved throughout the whole CTLD sequence space. Our observations provide an improved understanding of CTLD structure, and will help in identification of new CTLDs and the mechanisms that drive and constrain the coevolution of the structure and function of the fold.

Nucleation of ice and its management in ecosystems

In addition to the gas and liquid phases, water can exist in many different solid states. Some of these are the well-studied crystalline ice polymorphs and the clathrate hydrates, but at least two distinguishable amorphous solid forms have also been shown to exist. This diversity of possible condensed states implies a multiplicity of transitions, each of them presumably associated with a nucleation step. Disagreement still exists as to whether the amorphous states can be regarded as metastable phases, and whether the phenomenon of polyamorphism can be treated in terms of phase transitions. In the Earth's hydrosphere, several of the crystalline and amorphous water phases can be formed from vapour, under given conditions of temperature, pressure and supersaturation, and classical nucleation theory is believed to account reasonably well for the observed growth of condensed forms of water in the upper atmosphere. Many terrestrial organisms are able to activate mechanisms to control the nucleation and growth of ice when exposed to sub-zero temperatures, thus enabling them to minimize the lethal effects of extreme freeze desiccation. The substances involved in these mechanisms include carbohydrates, amino acids and so-called cold-shock proteins, but the actual mechanisms of interfering with ice nucleation, although quite well documented, are as yet imperfectly understood. This is particularly true for the genetic control associated with biochemical processes that produce freeze resistance and freeze tolerance. The molecular biology of cold stress is currently a subject of intensive study.

Type II antifreeze protein from a mid-latitude freshwater fish, Japanese smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis)

A lot of reports of antifreeze protein (AFP) from fish have been published, but no report has mentioned of commercialized mid-latitude fresh water fish which producing AFP in its body fluid. We found that the AFP in the body fluid of Japanese smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis) from mid-latitude fresh water was purified and characterized. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the Japanese smelt AFP was 75.0% identical to Type II AFP from herring. Results of EDTA treatment and ruthenium red staining suggested that the Japanese smelt AFP had at least one Ca2+-binding domain. Interestingly, the antifreeze activity of the Japanese smelt AFP did not completely disappear when Ca2+ ions were removed. The molecular mass of the Japanese smelt AFP was calculated to be 16,756.8 by the TOF-mass analysis. The Open reading flame of the gene coding for the Japanese smelt AFP was 444 bp long and was 85.0% identical with the entire herring AFP gene. The cDNA and amino acid sequence of the Japanese smelt AFP were the same length as those of herring AFP.

Analysis of ice-binding sites in fish type II antifreeze protein by quantum mechanics

Many organisms living in cold environments can survive subzero temperatures by producing antifreeze proteins (AFPs) or antifreeze glycoproteins. In this paper we investigate the ice-binding surface of type II AFP by quantum mechanical methods, which, to the best of our knowledge, represents the first time that molecular orbital computational approaches have been applied to AFPs. Molecular mechanical approaches, including molecular docking, energy minimization, and molecular dynamics simulation, were used to obtain optimal systems for subsequent quantum mechanical analysis. We selected 17 surface patches covering the entire surface of the type II AFP and evaluated the interaction energy between each of these patches and two different ice planes using semi-empirical quantum mechanical methods. We have demonstrated the weak orbital overlay phenomenon and the change of bond orders in ice. These results consistently indicate that a surface patch containing 19 residues (K37, L38, Y20, E22, Y21, I19, L57, T56, F53, M127, T128, F129, R17, C7, N6, P5, G10, Q1, and W11) is the most favorable ice-binding site for both a regular ice plane and an ice plane where water O atoms are randomly positioned. Furthermore, for the first time the computation results provide new insights into the weakening of the ice lattice upon AFP binding, which may well be a primary factor leading to AFP-induced ice growth inhibition.

Structural and functional characterization of a C-type lectin-like antifreeze protein from rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are produced by several cold-water fish species. They depress physiological freezing temperatures by inhibiting growth of ice crystals and, in so doing, permit the survival of these fish in seawater cooler than their normal freezing temperatures. The type II AFP from rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), which is a member of the C-type lectin superfamily, was characterized in terms of its Ca2+-binding quaternary structure and the role of its single N-linked oligosaccharide. The protein core of the smelt AFP, shown through sequence homology to be a C-type lectin carbohydrate-recognition domain, was found to be protease resistant. Smelt AFP was also shown to bind Ca2+, as determined by ruthenium red staining and a conformational change on Ca2+ binding detected by intrinsic fluorescence. The N-linked oligosaccharide was found to have no effect on protease resistance, dimerization, or antifreeze activity. Thus its role, if any, in the antifreeze function of this protein remains unknown. Smelt AFP was also shown to be a true intermolecular dimer composed of two separate subunits. This dimerization did not require the presence of N-linked oligosaccharide or bound Ca2+. Smelt AFP dimerization has implications for the effective solution concentration and measurement of its activity. This finding may also lead to new interpretation of the mechanism of ice-growth inhibition by this AFP.

Antifreeze proteins of teleost fishes

Marine teleosts at high latitudes can encounter ice-laden seawater that is approximately 1 degrees C colder than the colligative freezing point of their body fluids. They avoid freezing by producing small antifreeze proteins (AFPs) that adsorb to ice and halt its growth, thereby producing an additional non-colligative lowering of the freezing point. AFPs are typically secreted by the liver into the blood. Recently, however, it has become clear that AFP isoforms are produced in the epidermis (skin, scales, fin, and gills) and may serve as a first line of defense against ice propagation into the fish. The basis for the adsorption of AFPs to ice is something of a mystery and is complicated by the extreme structural diversity of the five antifreeze types. Despite the recent acquisition of several AFP three-dimensional structures and the definition of their ice-binding sites by mutagenesis, no common ice-binding motif or even theme is apparent except that surface-surface complementarity is important for binding. The remarkable diversity of antifreeze types and their seemingly haphazard phylogenetic distribution suggest that these proteins might have evolved recently in response to sea level glaciation occurring just 1-2 million years ago in the northern hemisphere and 10-30 million years ago around Antarctica. Not surprisingly, the expression of AFP genes from different origins can also be quite dissimilar. The most intensively studied system is that of the winter flounder, which has a built-in annual cycle of antifreeze expression controlled by growth hormone (GH) release from the pituitary in tune with seasonal cues. The signal transduction pathway, transcription factors, and promoter elements involved in this process are just beginning to be characterized.

Thermal hysteresis proteins

Extreme environments present a wealth of biochemical adaptations. Thermal hysteresis proteins (THPs) have been found in vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, bacteria and fungi and are able to depress the freezing point of water (in the presence of ice crystals) in a non-colligative manner by binding to the surface of nascent ice crystals. The THPs comprise a disparate group of proteins with a variety of tertiary structures and often no common sequence similarities or structural motifs. Different THPs bind to different faces of the ice crystal, and no single mechanism has been proposed to account for THP ice binding affinity and specificity. Experimentally THPs have been used in the cryopreservation of tissues and cells and to induce cold tolerance in freeze susceptible organisms. THPs represent a remarkable example of parallel and convergent evolution with different proteins being adapted for an anti-freeze role.

Mutational analysis of affinity and selectivity of kringle-tetranectin interaction. Grafting novel kringle affinity ontp the trtranectin lectin scaffold

C-type lectin-like domains are found in many proteins, where they mediate binding to a wide diversity of compounds, including carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. The binding of a C-type lectin-like domain to a ligand is often influenced by calcium. Recently, we have identified a site in the C-type lectin-like domain of tetranectin, involving Lys-148, Glu-150, and Asp-165, which mediates calcium-sensitive binding to plasminogen kringle 4. Here, we investigate the effect of conservative substitutions of these and a neighboring amino acid residue. Substitution of Thr-149 in tetranectin with a tyrosine residue considerably increases the affinity for plasminogen kringle 4, and, in addition, confers affinity for plasminogen kringle 2. As shown by isothermal titration calorimetry analysis, this new interaction is stronger than the binding of wild-type tetranectin to plasminogen kringle 4. This study provides further insight into molecular determinants of importance for binding selectivity and affinity of C-type lectin kringle interactions.

Chitinase genes responsive to cold encode antifreeze proteins in winter cereals

Antifreeze proteins similar to two different chitinases accumulate during cold acclimation in winter rye (Secale cereale). To determine whether these cold-responsive chitinases require post-translational modification to bind to ice, cDNAs coding for two different full-length chitinases were isolated from a cDNA library produced from cold-acclimated winter rye leaves. CHT9 is a 1,193-bp clone that encodes a 31.7-kD class I chitinase and CHT46 is a 998-bp clone that codes for a 24.8-kD class II chitinase. Chitinase-antifreeze proteins purified from the plant were similar in mass to the predicted mature products of CHT9 and CHT46, thus indicating that there was little chemical modification of the amino acid sequences in planta. To confirm these results, the mature sequences of CHT9 and CHT46 were expressed in Escherichia coli and the products of both cDNAs modified the growth of ice. Transcripts of both genes accumulated late in cold acclimation in winter rye. Southern analysis of winter rye genomic DNA indicated the presence of a small gene family homologous to CHT46. In hexaploid wheat, CHT46 homologs mapped to the homeologous group 1 chromosomes and were expressed in response to cold and drought. We conclude that two novel cold-responsive genes encoding chitinases with ice-binding activity may have arisen in winter rye and other cereals through gene duplication.

A comprehensive evaluation of the effects and mechanisms of antifreeze proteins during low-temperature preservation

During the past 10 years, it has become clear that the effects of antifreeze proteins (AFPs) on cell viability and on thermodynamic properties during low-temperature preservation are complex, even controversial. In this paper, these studies are reviewed systematically and some conclusions are drawn. It is shown that AFPs can display both protective and cytotoxic actions and both nucleation of ice and inhibition of ice crystal growth, depending on several factors; these include the specific storage protocol, the dose and type of AFP, the composition and concentration of cryoprotectant, and the features of the biological material. A novel model, incorporating some recent findings concerning these proteins, is proposed to explain this dual effect of AFPs during cryopreservation. AFP-ice complexes have some affinity interactions with cell membranes and with many other molecules present in cryopreservation solutions. When the intensity of these interactions reaches a certain level, the AFP-ice complexes may be induced to aggregate, thereby inducing ice nucleation and loss of the ability to inhibit recrystallization.

The amino-acid sequence of the abalone (Haliotis laevigata) nacre protein perlucin. Detection of a functional C-type lectin domain with galactose/mannose specificity

Perlucin isolated from abalone nacre consists of 155 amino acids including a glycosylated asparagine. The sequence of the first 130 amino acids shows a high similarity to the C-type carbohydrate-recognition domains of asialoglycoprotein receptors and other members of the group of C-type lectins but also a weaker similarity to related proteins without carbohydrate-binding activity. This C-type module is followed by a short C-terminal domain containing two almost identical sequence repeats with a length of 10 amino acids. Solid phase assays show a divalent metal ion-dependent binding of perlucin to (neo)glycoproteins containing D-galactose or D-mannose/D-glucose indicating that perlucin is a functional C-type lectin with broad carbohydrate-binding specificity. Our results also indicate that it may be difficult to predict carbohydrate-binding specificity and the occurrence of alternative binding configurations by amino-acid sequence comparisons and homology modeling.

C-type lectin-like domains

Carbohydrate-recognition domains of C-type (Ca2+-dependent) animal lectins serve as prototypes for an important family of protein modules. Only some domains in this family bind Ca2+ or sugars. A comparison of recent structures of C-type lectin-like domains reveals diversity in the modular fold, particularly in the region associated with Ca2+ and sugar binding. Some of this diversity reflects the changes that occur during normal physiological functioning of the domains. C-type lectin-like domains associate with each other through several different surfaces to form dimers and trimers, from which ligand-binding sites project in a variety of different orientations.

Evolution of the diverse antifreeze proteins

Different types of ice-growth-inhibiting antifreeze proteins, first recognized in fish, have now been isolated from insects and plants, and the list continues to expand. Their structures are amazingly diverse; how they attain the same function are subjects of intense research. Evolutionary precursors of several members have been identified - divergent proteins of apparently unrelated function. The hybridization of information from structural and molecular evolution studies of these molecules provides a forum in which issues of selection, gene genealogy, adaptive evolution, and invention of a novel function can be coherently addressed.

The plasminogen binding site of the C-type lectin tetranectin is located in the carbohydrate recognition domain, and binding is sensitive to both calcium and lysine

Tetranectin, a homotrimeric protein belonging to the family of C-type lectins and structurally highly related to corresponding regions of the mannose-binding proteins, is known specifically to bind the plasminogen kringle 4 protein domain, an interaction sensitive to lysine. Surface plasmon resonance and isothermal calorimetry binding analyses using single-residue and deletion mutant tetranectin derivatives produced in Escherichia coli showed that the kringle 4 binding site resides in the carbohydrate recognition domain and includes residues of the putative carbohydrate binding site. Furthermore, the binding analysis revealed that the interaction is sensitive to calcium in addition to lysine.