Postfertilization poly(A) . protein complex formation on sea urchin maternal messenger RNA

Identification and characterization of the poly(A)-binding proteins from the sea urchin: a quantitative analysis

Poly(A)-binding proteins (PABPs) are the best characterized messenger RNA-binding proteins of eucaryotic cells and have been identified in diverse organisms such as mammals and yeasts. The in vitro poly(A)-binding properties of these proteins have been studied intensively; however, little is known about their function in cells. In this report, we show that sea urchin eggs have two molecular weight forms of PABP (molecular weights of 66,000 and 80,000). Each of these has at least five posttranslationally modified forms. Both sea urchin PABPs are found in approximately 1:1 ratios in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions of embryonic cells. Quantification in eggs and embryos revealed that sea urchin PABPs are surprisingly abundant, composing about 0.6% of total cellular protein. This is 50 times more than required to bind all the poly(A) in the egg based on the binding stoichiometry of 1 PABP per 27 adenosine residues. We found that density gradient centrifugation strips PABP from poly(A) and therefore underestimates the amount of PABP complexed to poly(A)+ RNA in cell homogenates. However, large-pore gel filtration chromatography could be used to separate intact poly(A)-PABP complexes from free PABP. Using the gel filtration method, we found that the threefold increase in poly(A) content of the egg after fertilization is paralleled by an approximate fivefold increase in the amount of bound PABP. Furthermore, both translated and nontranslated poly(A)+ RNAs appear to be complexed to PABP. As expected from the observation that PABPs are so abundant, greater than 95% of the PABP of the cell is uncomplexed protein.

Identification and characterization of the poly(A)-binding proteins from the sea urchin: a quantitative analysis

Poly(A)-binding proteins (PABPs) are the best characterized messenger RNA-binding proteins of eucaryotic cells and have been identified in diverse organisms such as mammals and yeasts. The in vitro poly(A)-binding properties of these proteins have been studied intensively; however, little is known about their function in cells. In this report, we show that sea urchin eggs have two molecular weight forms of PABP (molecular weights of 66,000 and 80,000). Each of these has at least five posttranslationally modified forms. Both sea urchin PABPs are found in approximately 1:1 ratios in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions of embryonic cells. Quantification in eggs and embryos revealed that sea urchin PABPs are surprisingly abundant, composing about 0.6% of total cellular protein. This is 50 times more than required to bind all the poly(A) in the egg based on the binding stoichiometry of 1 PABP per 27 adenosine residues. We found that density gradient centrifugation strips PABP from poly(A) and therefore underestimates the amount of PABP complexed to poly(A)+ RNA in cell homogenates. However, large-pore gel filtration chromatography could be used to separate intact poly(A)-PABP complexes from free PABP. Using the gel filtration method, we found that the threefold increase in poly(A) content of the egg after fertilization is paralleled by an approximate fivefold increase in the amount of bound PABP. Furthermore, both translated and nontranslated poly(A)+ RNAs appear to be complexed to PABP. As expected from the observation that PABPs are so abundant, greater than 95% of the PABP of the cell is uncomplexed protein.

Isolation and characterization of cytoplasmic poly(A) polymerase from cryptobiotic gastrulae of Artemia salina

Poly(A) polymerase has been purified to near homogeneity from the cytoplasm of Artemia salina cryptobiotic gastrulae by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B and phosphocellulose P11, gel filtration on CL-Sepharose 6B, affinity chromatography on poly(A)-Sepharose 4B and ATP-agarose. The enzyme is fully dependent on exogeneous oligo(riboadenylic acid) and is free of any nuclease or other enzyme activities. In standard assay conditions the enzyme preparation has a specific activity of 5.6 mumol AMP . h-1 . (mg protein)-1. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals the presence of only two proteins with Mr 94 000 and 70 000. The Mr-70 000 protein has been identified as poly(A) polymerase. The enzyme is exclusively activated by Mn2+. Addition of Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, NH4+, K+ or Na+ inhibits the enzymatic reaction. The activity is specific for ATP and competitive inhibition is observed in the presence of other ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates. AMP incorporation is time-dependent and is increased non-linearly with protein and primer concentration.

Identification and properties of the 38 000-Mr poly(A)-binding protein of non-polysomal messenger ribonucleoproteins of cryptobiotic gastrulae of Artemia salina

The Mr-38 000 poly(A)-binding protein interacts with synthetic and natural RNA. A sequence-independent stoichiometry of one protein per 8 - 12 nucleotides is measured by filter binding and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Specificity for the poly(A) sequence is demonstrated from poly(A)/RNA mixing experiments. The poly(A)-binding protein has been identified as the helix-destabilizing protein HD40[Marvil, D. K., Nowak, L. and Szer, W. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 6466 - 6472] and is characterized by the existence of at least seven ionic species with a pI ranging from 9.2 to 6.6. Acidic ionic species are generated by phosphorylation with mRNP-associated protein kinase. Different ionic species are present on free mRNP and ribosomes-mRNP preinitiation complexes. The poly(A)-binding protein affects mRNA translation and (A)4 polyadenylation. The multifunctionality of the protein is discussed.

Poly(A)-containing messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes from sea urchin eggs and embryos: polypeptides associated with native and UV-crosslinked mRNPs

Fertilization of sea urchin eggs results in the rapid recruitment of stored messages into polyribosomes. Whether translational control in sea urchin eggs is mediated by macromolecules associated with the stored messages remains unknown, since preparations of messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes (mRNPs) were active in protein synthesis in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate. To facilitate the study of mRNPs, chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose was used to purify poly(A)-containing mRNPs from eggs and embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Nonpolyribosomal mRNPs purified from eggs had a similar sedimentation in sucrose to unpurified mRNPs, a peak buoyant density in metrizamide of 1.22 g/cm3, and peak buoyant densities in Cs2SO4 in 1.42 g/cm3 after fixation with glutaraldehyde and 1.46 g/cm3 without fixation. Nonpolyribosomal mRNPs from eggs and zygotes contained 5-10 major proteins on sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gels, and numerous minor bands. UV-irradiation of living eggs of the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata produced cross-linked mRNPs which contained a similar pattern of polypeptides to noncross-linked mRNPs. The polypeptides associated with embryonic polyribosomal mRNPs were also qualitatively similar to those present in nonpolyribosomal mRNPs, although stoichiometric differences may exist.

The 38,000-Mr poly(A)-binding protein of non-polysomal messenger ribonucleoproteins of cryptobiotic gastrulae of Artemia salina

The 38,000-Mr poly(A)-binding protein has been purified to near homogeneity from non-polysomal messenger ribonucleoprotein of Artemia salina [Slegers, H., De Herdt, E., and Kondo, M. (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 117, 111-120]. The protein consists of approximately 357 amino acids and is characterized by a high glycine content of 22.5% and the presence of dimethylarginine. From polynucleotide-protein binding experiments a stoichiometry of 9-11 adenylate and 10-12 uridylate residues per protein molecule is calculated. The polypeptide is devoid of poly(A) polymerase and RNase activities. The poly(A)-binding protein and the helix-destabilizing protein HD40 [Marvil, D. K., Nowak, L., and Szer, W. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 6466-6472] have the same mobility in polyacrylamide/dodecylsulphate gel electrophoresis and exhibit a comparable amino acid composition and protein-polynucleotide stoichiometry. Based on the length of poly(A) sequences of mRNA and from protein-poly(A) binding experiments, a repetitive binding of the 38,000-Mr protein on the poly(A) sequence is demonstrated. The 38,000-Mr protein of cytoplasmic and membrane-bound non-polysomal messenger ribonucleoproteins is also compared.

Non-polysomal poly(A)-containing messenger ribonucleoproteins of cryptobiotic gastrulae of Artemia salina

Non-polysomal poly(A)-containing messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) of Artemia salina has been isolated by thermal chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose in moderate (250 mM) and low (50 mM NaCl and 5 mM MgCl2) ionic strength. The purified particles sedimented between 5 S and 30 S and banded at a density of 1.38-1.40 g/cm3 and 1.26-1.27 g/cm3 in CsCl and sucrose isopycnic centrifugation, respectively. The translatability of the mRNP in a cell-free system depended on the conditions of isolation. The protein composition of the free mRNP is independent of the conditions used in oligo(dT)-cellulose chromatography. The proteins have Mr of 87,000, 76,000, 65,000, 50,000, 45,000, 38,000 and 23,500. A specific set of proteins is associated wtih different ribonucleoproteins, although some proteins are present on multiple particles. The main 17 +/- 2-S particle is composed of proteins with Mr of 87,000, 76,000, 45,000 and 38,000. Approximately the same proteins were present on free mRNP and mRNP isolated from non-polysomal mRNP-ribosome complexes. Poly(A)-binding proteins have Mr of 38,000 and 23,500. The 38,000-Mr protein comprised at least 60% of the total mRNP protein. Poly(A)-binding proteins with Mr of 38,000 and 76,000 are also present in a free state in the cytoplasm. A relation between the main poly(A)-binding mRNP protein and the helix-destabilizing protein HD40 [Marvil, D. K., Nowak, L., and Szer, W. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 6466-6472] is discussed.

The poly(adenylic acid)-protein complex is restricted to the nonpolysomal messenger ribonucleoprotein of Physarum polycephalum

The distribution of poly(adenylic acid) [poly(A)]-protein complexes in the polysomal and nonpolysomal messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) fractions of Physarum polycephalum was examined in the present study. Poly-(A)-containing components released from the nonpolysomal mRNP by ribonuclease (RNase) digestion were quantitatively adsorbed to nitrocellulose filters at low ionic strength, were highly resistant to micrococcal nuclease under conditions in which free poly(A) was completely degraded, and sedimented as a 10-15S particle which was disrupted by sodium dodecyl sulfate and protease treatment. These are characteristics of the poly(A)-protein complex. In contrast,poly(A)-containing molecules released from the polysomes by RNase were refractive to nitrocellulose, were completely sensitive to micrococcal nuclease, and sedimented at 2-4 S, identical with the sedimentation exhibited by protein-free poly(A). Examination of the poly(A) sequences present in polysomal and nonpolysomal mRNP by polyacylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the former contained only very short sequences, averaging approximately 15 nucleotides, while the latter exhibited only much longer segments, averaging approximately 65 nucleotides. It is concluded that poly(A)-protein complexes are restricted to the nonpolysomal mRNP of Physarum and that the limiting factor in complex formation may be the length of the available poly(A) binding site.