Ion dependence of the discoidin I lectin from Dictyostelium discoideum

Conformational study reveals amino acid residues essential for hemagglutinating and anti-proliferative activities of Clematis montana lectin

Clematis montana lectin (CML), a novel mannose-binding lectin purified from C. montana Buch.-Ham stem (Ranunculaceae), has been proved to have hemagglutinating activity in rabbit erythrocytes and apoptosis-inducing activity in tumor cells. However, the biochemical properties of CML have not revealed and its structural information still needs to be elucidated. In this study, it was found that CML possessed quite good thermostability and alkaline resistance, and its hemagglutinating activity was bivalent metal cation dependent. In addition, hemagglutination test and fluorescence spectroscopy proved that GuHCl, urea, and sodium dodecyl sulfate could change the conformation of CML and further caused the loss of hemagglutination activity. Moreover, the changes of fluorescence spectrum indicated that the tryptophan (Trp) microenvironment conversion might be related to the conformation and bioactivities of CML. In addition, it was also found that Trp residues, arginine (Arg) residues, and sulfhydryl were important for the hemagglutinating activity of CML, but only Trp was proved to be crucial for the CML conformation. Furthermore, the Trp, Arg, and sulfhydryl-modified CML exhibited 97.17%, 76.99%, and 49.64% loss of its anti-proliferative activity, respectively, which was consistent with the alterations of its hemagglutinating activity. Given these findings, Trp residues on the surface of CML are essential for the active center to form substrate-accessible conformation and suitable environment for carbohydrate binding.

Discoidin I from Dictyostelium discoideum and Interactions with oligosaccharides: specificity, affinity, crystal structures, and comparison with discoidin II

Discoidin I (DiscI) and discoidin II (DiscII) are N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-binding proteins from Dictyostelium discoideum. They consist of two domains: an N-terminal discoidin domain and a C-terminal H-type lectin domain. They were cloned and expressed in high yield in recombinant form in Escherichia coli. Although both lectins bind galactose (Gal) and GalNAc, glycan array experiments performed on the recombinant proteins displayed strong differences in their specificity for oligosaccharides. DiscI and DiscII bind preferentially to Gal/GalNAcbeta1-3Gal/GalNAc-containing and Gal/GalNAcbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-6Gal/GalNAc-containing glycans, respectively. The affinity of the interaction of DiscI with monosaccharides and disaccharides was evaluated using isothermal titration calorimetry experiments. The three-dimensional structures of native DiscI and its complexes with GalNAc, GalNAcbeta1-3Gal, and Galbeta1-3GalNAc were solved by X-ray crystallography. DiscI forms trimers with involvement of calcium at the monomer interface. The N-terminal discoidin domain presents a structural similarity to F-type lectins such as the eel agglutinin, where an amphiphilic binding pocket suggests possible carbohydrate-binding activity. In the C-terminal H-type lectin domain, the GalNAc residue establishes specific hydrogen bonds that explain the observed affinity (K(d)=3x10(-4) M). The different specificities of DiscI and DiscII for oligosaccharides were rationalized from the different structures obtained by either X-ray crystallography or molecular modeling.

A novel developmental stage-specific lectin of the basidiomycete Pleurotus cornucopiae

A novel lectin was isolated from mycelia of the basidiomycete Pleurotus cornucopiae grown on solid medium. The lectin was purified to homogeneity by mucin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The molecular mass of the lectin was 40 kDa under reducing conditions, but the subunits were polymerized through disulfide bridges under physiological conditions. Hemagglutinating activity of this lectin was completely inhibited by 2-mercaptoethanol, indicating that the multimer is active. The activity was also inhibited by EDTA, and restored by CaCl2. N-Acetyl-D-galactosamine was the most potent hapten inhibitor. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the mycelial lectin was different from the fruit body lectin of this organism. The mycelial lectin appeared prior to fruit body formation and disappeared during the formation of fruit bodies. The lectin was localized on the surface of solid-medium-grown mycelia, and only dikaryotic, and not monokaryotic, mycelia produced the lectin. These results suggest that the appearance of this lectin is associated with fruit body formation.

PsB multiprotein complex of Dictyostelium discoideum. Demonstration of cellulose binding activity and order of protein subunit assembly

The differentiated spores of Dictyostelium are surrounded by an extracellular matrix, the spore coat, which protects them from environmental factors allowing them to remain viable for extended periods of time. This presumably is a major evolutionary advantage. This unique extracellular matrix is composed of cellulose and glycoproteins. Previous work has shown that some of these spore coat glycoproteins exist as a preassembled multiprotein complex (the PsB multiprotein complex) which is stored in the prespore vesicles (Watson, N., McGuire, V., and Alexander, S (1994) J. Cell Sci. 107, 2567-2579). Later in development, the complex is synchronously secreted from the prespore vesicles and incorporated into the spore coat. We now have shown that the PsB complex has a specific in vitro cellulose binding activity. The analysis of mutants lacking individual subunits of the PsB complex revealed the relative order of assembly of the subunit proteins and demonstrated that the protein subunits must be assembled for cellulose binding activity. These results provide a biochemical explanation for the localization of this multiprotein complex in the spore coat.

Multiple signal transduction pathways regulate discoidin I gene expression in Dictyostelium discoideum

The expression of the discoidin I genes in Dictyostelium discoideum is regulated by the concerted action of the extracellular factors cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), folate, prestarvation factor (PSF) and conditioned media factor (CMF). However, the pathways by which these signals are transduced and the interactions between the pathways have been unexplored so far. We have analysed wild-type and mutant cells with defined lesions in signal transduction to elucidate these regulatory processes, and shown that different pathways are used for the down-regulation and induction of these genes. The cAMP receptor cARI is required for the cAMP-mediated down-regulation of discoidin I gene expression but not for the induction of discoidin I expression during development. Surprisingly, induction of the discoidin I genes requires G alpha 2, the G-protein subunit which is generally believed to couple to cARI, to control the expression of cAMP-inducible genes. Thus, our data suggest that G alpha 2 interacts with different receptors to regulate gene expression in early development. Furthermore, the analysis shows that discoidin induction in bacterially grown cells occurs in two sequential steps. The first is a low basal induction which occurs in late log-phase growth prior to starvation. PSF can induce the basal level, and the induction is independent of G alpha 2. The developmental induction following starvation is much stronger, dependent on G alpha 2 and probably signaled by CMF, which is secreted at that time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Translational control of discoidin lectin expression in drsA suppressor mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum

Genetic analysis in Dictyostelium discoideum has identified regulatory genes which control the developmental expression of the discoidin lectin multigene family. Among these, the drsA mutation is a dominant second-site suppressor of another mutation, disB, which has the discoidinless phenotype. We now demonstrate a novel mechanism by which the drsA allele exerts its suppressive effect on the disB mutation. Interestingly, drsA does not merely bypass the disB mutation and restore the wild-type pattern of lectin expression. Rather, drsA mutant cells have high levels of discoidin lectin synthesis during growth but do not express lectins during aggregation. In contrast, wild-type cells only express lectin protein during the aggregation period of development. Phenocopies of the drsA mutation show a pattern of discoidin expression similar to that seen in the bona fide mutant. These data suggest that there may be a mechanism of negative feedback, resulting from the high levels of discoidin lectin made during growth, which inhibits further discoidin lectin expression during development. Northern (RNA) analysis of developing drsA mutant cells shows that these cells contain high levels of discoidin mRNA, although no discoidin lectin protein is being translated from these messages. Therefore, expression of the discoidin gene family can be controlled at the level of translation as well as transcription.

Translational control of discoidin lectin expression in drsA suppressor mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum

Genetic analysis in Dictyostelium discoideum has identified regulatory genes which control the developmental expression of the discoidin lectin multigene family. Among these, the drsA mutation is a dominant second-site suppressor of another mutation, disB, which has the discoidinless phenotype. We now demonstrate a novel mechanism by which the drsA allele exerts its suppressive effect on the disB mutation. Interestingly, drsA does not merely bypass the disB mutation and restore the wild-type pattern of lectin expression. Rather, drsA mutant cells have high levels of discoidin lectin synthesis during growth but do not express lectins during aggregation. In contrast, wild-type cells only express lectin protein during the aggregation period of development. Phenocopies of the drsA mutation show a pattern of discoidin expression similar to that seen in the bona fide mutant. These data suggest that there may be a mechanism of negative feedback, resulting from the high levels of discoidin lectin made during growth, which inhibits further discoidin lectin expression during development. Northern (RNA) analysis of developing drsA mutant cells shows that these cells contain high levels of discoidin mRNA, although no discoidin lectin protein is being translated from these messages. Therefore, expression of the discoidin gene family can be controlled at the level of translation as well as transcription.

Mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum blocked in expression of all members of the developmentally regulated discoidin multigene family

Mutant strains of D. discoideum are described that can complete morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation but which express vastly reduced levels of the galactose-binding lectins discoidin I and II (less than 1% and 1%-2% respectively) compared to the wild-type control. Mutant cells proceeding through development lack lectin activity, lectin protein, and specific lectin mRNA. In contrast, the genes encoding these proteins are present in their wild-type configurations in the genome. Since these proteins are encoded by four to five discrete genes, the mutations in these strains are most likely in genes involved in the regulation of the expression of members of this multigene family. The results also indicate that the discoidin lectins may not be required for fruiting body construction in this organism. Finally, coupled with the recent ability to transform D. discoideum, these mutants open the way to identification and isolation of regulatory genes and their products.