Repressible extracellular phosphodiesterases showing cyclic 2',3'- and cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities in Neurospora crassa

2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 2'-phosphodiesterase from Fusarium culmorum

We describe the properties of a 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 2'-phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.16), found in Fusarium culmorum, which hydrolyzes nucleoside 2',3'-cyclic monophosphates to nucleoside 3'-phosphates. In contrast with a similar enzyme found in bacteria, the Fusarium enzyme does not exhibit nucleotidase activity and does not show a requirement for metal ions, but is inhibited by micromolar concentrations of Cu++ and Zn++, and is very stable to heat. This cyclic phosphodiesterase hydrolyzes the four major nucleoside 2',3'-cyclic monophosphates and has greater affinity for purine (Kms for Ado-2',3'-P = 0.3 mM and for Guo-2',3'-P = 0.1 mM) than for pyrimidine nucleotides (Kms for Cyd-2',3'-P = 0.6 mM and for Urd-2',3'-P = 2 mM). The respective Vmax for Urd-2',3'-P; Cyd-2',3'-P; Ado-2',3'-P; and Guo-2',3' are 100:45:16:5. The efficacy of the phosphodiesterase to hydrolyze the four major 2',3' cyclic nucleotides (based on the relative values of Vmax/Km) is not significantly different. The Fusarium enzyme differs from a previously described 2',3' cyclic phosphodiesterase from Neurospora, in that it is inactive on 3',5'-nucleoside monophosphates and nucleoside 2' or 3' phosphates.

Positive regulation of adenylyl cyclase activity by a galphai homolog in Neurospora crassa

GNA-1 and GNA-2 are two G protein alpha subunits from the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. Loss of gna-1 leads to multiple phenotypes, while Deltagna-2 strains do not exhibit visible defects. However, Deltagna-1Deltagna-2 mutants are more affected in Deltagna-1 phenotypes. Here we report a biochemical investigation of the roles of GNA-1 and GNA-2 in cAMP metabolism. Assays of Mg2+ ATP-dependent adenylyl cyclase activity (+/-GppNHp) in extracts from submerged cultures indicated that Deltagna-2 strains were normal, whereas Deltagna-1 and Deltagna-1Deltagna-2 strains had only 10-15% the activity of the wild-type control. Levels of the Gbeta protein, GNB-1, were normal in Deltagna-1 strains, excluding altered GNB-1 production as a factor in loss of adenylyl cyclase activity. Steady-state cAMP levels in Deltagna-1 and Deltagna-1Deltagna-2 mutants were reduced relative to wild-type under conditions that result in morphological abnormalities (solid medium), while levels in submerged culture were normal. cAMP phosphodiesterase activities in submerged cultures of Deltagna-1 and/or Deltagna-2 strains were lower than in wild-type; the individual deletions were additive in decreasing activity. These results suggest that in submerged culture, N. crassa, like mammalian systems, possesses compensatory mechanisms that maintain cAMP at relatively constant levels. Furthermore, the finding that Mg2+ATP-dependent adenylyl cyclase activity in wild-type cell extracts could be inhibited using anti-GNA-1 IgG suggests that GNA-1 directly interacts with adenylyl cyclase in N. crassa.

Blue light induced ADP ribosylation of 38 and 56 kDa proteins in the soluble fraction of mycelia of Neurospora crassa

Soluble fractions prepared from the mycelia of wild type (74-OR23-1A) and band (bd) exhibited an increase in the rate of the ADP ribosylation of a 38 kDa protein from nicotinamide adenine [32P]dinucleotide ([32P]NAD) in the presence of 10(-7) M riboflavin caused by blue light irradiation in vitro. The soluble fraction was mixed with a reaction mixture containing 5 microCi [32P]NAD at 0 degree C for 20 s and then it was irradiated with blue light (420 nm, 42 mumol m-2 s-1) for 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 or 400 s at 0 degree C or for 100 s with photon irradiance of 0.42, 4.2, 6.4 or 42 mumol m-2 s-1. Immediately after irradiation, the reaction was stopped and analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An increase in the ADP ribosylation of the 38 kDa protein could be detected within 100 s of irradiation, and the enhancement in the rate of ADP ribosylation of the 38 kDa protein was proportional to the increase in the photon irradiance. By the irradiation with blue light for 200 or 400 s, the ADP ribosylation of a 56 kDa protein could also be detected. Analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of proteins after ADP ribosylation of them revealed that the 38 kDa proteins displayed at least four radioactive protein spots and the 56 kDa protein a single radioactive protein spot. Soluble fractions of mycelia prepared from blind mutants wc-1, wc-2, delta ps15-1, lis-1, lis-2 and lis-3 exhibited also the enhancement of the ADP ribosylation of the 38 kDa protein by blue light irradiation, and at least wc-1, delta ps15-1, lis-1 and lis-2 displayed a similar blue light response in the 56 kDa protein.

Effects of light on protein secretion in Neurospora crassa

The relative concentrations of secreted proteins in liquid cultures of Neurospora crassa differ in constant darkness compared to constant light (2500 lx). Light reduces the concentrations of some polypeptides markedly and increases the concentrations of protein species of 67, 40, 18 and 13 kDa. The "blind" wc-2 mutant of Neurospora does not show light dependent differences in amounts of secreted proteins. One of the light-sensitive extracellular proteins is shown to be a protease of 17.5 kDa.

Characterization of Pi-repressible enzymes secreted in culture media by Neurospora crassa wild-type cells and null-type mutants

In wild-type mycelial cultures of Neurospora crassa under Pi-limited conditions, alkaline phosphatase, cyclic phosphodiesterases I, II, III, and IV, 5'-nucleotidase, acid and alkaline nucleases, RNase N1, and a newly detected endonuclease were secreted into the culture media. These enzymes were either not produced or were produced in very reduced levels in mutants nuc-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, and -7 and cpd-4. The proteins were examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in a manner which allowed the identification of each of them.

Intracellular and Extracellular Cyclic Nucleotides in Wild-Type and White Collar Mutant Strains of Neurospora crassa: Temperature Dependent Efflux of Cyclic AMP from Mycelia

Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP were released into the growth medium of mycelia of Neurospora crassa wild-type strains St.L.74A and Em5297a and by white collar-1 and white collar-2 mutant strains. After growth for 6 days at 18 degrees C, there were 2.19 (St.L.74A), 5.83 (Em5297a), 1.38 (white collar-1), and 1.10 (white collar-2) nanomoles of cyclic AMP per gram dry weight of mycelia in the growth medium. These values corresponded to concentrations of cyclic AMP of between approximately 10 and 50 nanomolar. The corresponding values for extracellular cyclic GMP were typically less than 6% of the values for cyclic AMP. Following transfer to fresh medium, cyclic AMP efflux was demonstrated for each of the strains, and the amount of cyclic AMP exported into the fresh medium was greater at 25 degrees C than 6 degrees C. Intracellular cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP were also measured in each of the strains. The values for cyclic AMP were in the same range as those in the literature (approximately 0.5 to 1.5 nanomoles per gram dry weight of mycelia). However, the corresponding intracellular cyclic GMP values were less than 1% of the cyclic AMP values, i.e. more than 50 times lower than the value previously reported for the St.L.74A wild-type. Transfer of mycelia after 6 days at 18 degrees C to fresh media and incubation for 2 hours at 25 degrees C or 6 degrees C did not consistently affect the intracellular level of cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP in the strains examined. We could detect no change in intracellular cyclic AMP when mycelia of the St.L.74A wild-type strain were irradiated with blue light for periods of up to 3.0 hours at 18 degrees C, or in cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP for irradiation times of up to 1 minute at 6 degrees C. We propose that the plasma membrane of Neurospora crassa is permeable to cyclic nucleotides, and the export of cyclic nucleotides into the growth medium may be a means of regulating intracellular levels. We conclude that three factors that affect carotenogenesis in Neurospora crassa (blue light, temperature, and the white collar mutations) have no appreciable effect on the total measurable intracellular cyclic nucleotides in this organism. There was no extracellular or intracellular cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP in the crisp-1 mutant strain, which suggested either that adenylate cyclase (which is absent in crisp-1) catalyzes the synthesis of both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP or that the crisp-1 mutation somehow results in a deficiency of two enzymes (adenylate and guanylate cyclase).

Mutations affecting cyclic phosphodiesterases and adenylate cyclase in Neurospora

Two regulatory mutants in orthophosphate-regulated cyclic phosphodiesterase (cPDase), cpd-3 and cpd-4, were isolated and mapped proximal to arg-1 on L.G. IC and distal to arg-12 on L.G. IIR, respectively. cpd-3 showed short aerial hyphae with dense formation of conidia. The morphology was very similar to that of cr-1, cpd-3 and cr-1 had reduced levels of cyclic 3',5'-AMP, adenylate cyclase and cPDases (CPDase I, II and III in low phosphate condition) but had elevated levels of cyclic 3',5'-GMP. Although cr-1 showed an enhanced level and enhanced activation of heat activated cyclic phosphodiesterase (ha-PDE), this enzyme was not activated in cpd-3. cpd-4, nuc-1 and nuc-2 produced neither cPDase I, II, III, alkaline phosphatase nor ribonuclease N1 in low phosphate media. These mutants did not produce aerial hyphae or conidia when grown in low phosphate liquid medium. Activation of ha-PDE occurred in cpd-4, but not in nuc-1 and nuc-2.

A regulatory protein for orthophosphate-regulated cyclic phosphodiesterase in Neurospora crassa

A regulatory protein for orthophosphate-regulated cyclic phosphodiesterase (cPDase) was detected in mycelial extracts of Neurospora crassa. The protein, designated neucrassin, was precipitated by ammonium sulfate between 60 to 100% saturation, and fractionated by gel filtration through a TSK-gel column. The molecular weight was estimated to be 65,000. Neucrassin inhibited the hydrolyzing activity of cPDase for cyclic 3',5'-AMP in the presence of MnCl2 in a noncompetitive manner, whereas it stimulated the activity for cyclic 2',3'-AMP over a wide ranges of pH's, between 2.8 to 6.8.

Elevated rate of DNA synthesis and its correlation to cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity during induction of polydactyly in mouse embryos heterozygous for Hemimelia-extra toe (Hmx)

The induction of polydactyly in mouse embryos heterozygous for Hemimelia-extra toe (Hmx) is associated with aberrant outgrowth of the developing autopod on day 12 of gestation. We have quantitated the rate of DNA synthesis and the activity of cAMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) that is characteristic of the prospective polydactylous region. Mid-stage 18 hind-limb buds were labeled with [3H]dThd either in situ using whole embryo culture, or as isolated preaxial autopod fragments cultured on a membrane substratum. The mean specific activities of incorporation were compared for normal (+/+) and mutant (Hmx/+) genotypes. A significant (P less than or equal to 0.01) 19% increase, peculiar to the prospective polydactylous region, was measured after 4 hours in embryo culture. The same increment was detected after 4 hours in organ culture, but was amplified linearly to 55% when incubation was extended to 20 hours. During this period, continuous exposure to 1.0 mM IBMX (3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine), an inhibitor of cAMP-PDE activity, "slowed down" the rate of DNA synthesis to untreated +/+ proportions. When cAMP-PDE activity was assayed in uncultured autopods, a significant (P less than or equal to 0.01) 18% increase was detected within the prospective polydactylous region specifically on stage 18 of gestation. This is the developmental phase during which polydactylous outgrowth is induced in situ. Thus, uncontrolled cAMP-PDE activity may, in part, provoke the enhanced rate of cell proliferation.

Characterization of cpd-1 and cpd-2 mutants which affect the activity of orthophosphate regulated cyclic phosphodiesterase in Neurospora

Enzymatic and genetic characterization of cpd-1 and cpd-2, which exhibit rhythmic conidiation in liquid media and on solid media, were described with band (bd) strain as a reference. Cpd-1 and cpd-2 showed reduced growth in orthophosphate-free cyclic 3',5'-AMP media, while bd showed wild-type level of growth in the media. In low-phosphate media, cpd-1 and cpd-2 produced 19.2% and 9.8% of orthophosphate-regulated cyclic phosphodiesterase (cPDase) in culture media, while bd produced 123%. The intracellular levels of cPDase with Km of 1 x 10(-5) M in high-phosphate media in cpd-1, cpd-2 and bd were about 20%, 15%, and 10% of that in wild-type, respectively. In low-phosphate media roughly equal levels of cPDase with Km of 1 x 10(-5) M were produced in all strains, whereas the production of cPDase with Km of 2 x 10(-3) M was reduced in cpd-2, and that of cPDase with Km of 1 x 10(-2) was reduced in cpd-1 and cpd-2. The levels of intracellular cyclic 3',5'-AMP in cpd-1, cpd-2, and bd in high-phosphate media were 13.1%, 10.1%, and 69.6% of that in wild-type. Adenylate cyclase activity in cpd-1, cpd-2, bd, and cr-1 was 69.3%, 34.0%, 63.2%, and 20.3% of that of wild-type (74A). The levels of Mg++-stimulated cyclic phosphodiesterase in cpd-1, cpd-2, bd, and cr-1 at 0.2 microM cyclic 3',5'-AMP were 199%, 137%, 329%, and 293% of that of wild-type.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)