Phosphorylation of chick lens proteins

Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Comparison of Lens Proteins in Highly Myopic Cataract and Age-Related Cataract

Purpose

To investigate and compare the lens phosphoproteomes in patients with highly myopic cataract (HMC) or age-related cataract (ARC).

Methods

In this study, we undertook a comparative phosphoproteome analysis of the lenses from patients with HMC or ARC. Intact lenses from ARC and HMC patients were separated into the cortex and nucleus. After protein digestion, the phosphopeptides were quantitatively analyzed with TiO₂ enrichment and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The potential functions of different phosphopeptides were assessed by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis.

Results

In total, 522 phosphorylation sites in 164 phosphoproteins were identified. The number of phosphorylation sites was significantly higher in the cortex than in the nucleus, in both ARC and HMC lenses. The differentially phosphorylated peptides in the lens cortex and nucleus in HMC eyes were significantly involved in the glutathione metabolism pathway. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the differences in phosphosignaling mediators between the ARC and HMC lenses were associated with glycolysis and the level of phosphorylated phosphoglycerate kinase 1 was lower in HMC lenses than in ARC lenses.

Conclusions

We provide an overview of the differential phosphoproteomes of HMC and ARC lenses that can be used to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying their different phenotypes.

A novel terminal web-like structure in cortical lens fibers: architecture and functional assessment

This study describes a novel cytoskeletal array in fiber cells of the ocular lens of the rat and shows its relationship to the classical terminal web of other epithelial tissues. Naive adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 28) were utilized. F-actin, fodrin, myosin IIA, and CP49 distribution was assessed in anterior and posterior polar sections. For functional analysis, lenses were cultured with or without cytochalasin-D for 3 hr, then processed for confocal microscopy or assessed by laser scan analysis along sutures. Phalloidin labeling demonstrated a dense mesh of F-actin adjacent to posterior sutural domains to a subcapsular depth of 400 μm. Anterior polar sections revealed a comparable actin structure adjacent to anterior suture branches however, it was not developed in superficial fibers. Fodrin and myosin were localized within the web-like actin apparatus. The data was used to construct a model showing that the cytoskeletal array is located within the blunt, variable-width fiber ends that abut at sutures such that the "terminal web" flanks the suture on either side. Treatment with cytochalasin-D resulted in partial disassembly of the "terminal web" and perturbed cellular organization. Laser scan analysis revealed that cytochalasin-D treated lenses had significantly greater focal variability than control lenses (P = 0.020). We conclude that cortical fibers of rat lenses contain a bipolar structure that is structurally and compositionally analogous to classical terminal webs. The results indicate that the lens "terminal web" functions to stabilize lens fiber ends at sutures thus minimizing structural disorder, which in turn, promotes the establishment and maintenance of lens transparency.

Posttranslational modifications of the bovine lens beaded filament proteins filensin and CP49

PURPOSE

The lens beaded filament proteins filensin and CP49 are phosphorylated proteins that undergo proteolytic degradation with fiber cell age; however, the specific sites of modifications remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in bovine lens beaded filament proteins.

METHODS

Filensin and CP49 were enriched by urea extraction of lens fiber cell homogenates after the water-soluble fraction was removed. The urea-soluble fraction was separated by SDS-PAGE, and the corresponding filensin and CP49 bands were digested by trypsin, Lys C, or Glu C. The enzymatic digests were analyzed by HPLC mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

The sequences of lens beaded filament proteins were systematically mapped, and putative database sequence errors of filensin were identified. The data also indicated that Met-1 of CP49 was removed and Ser2 was acetylated. Nine phosphorylation sites on filensin and seven phosphorylation sites on CP49 were identified. Filensin was found to be truncated at D431 and L39, and the resulting new N termini were N-myristoylated and N-acetylated, respectively. Truncation of CP49 occurred at D37. Aspartic acid isomerization to isoaspartic acid occurs at the major truncation sites of filensin (D431) and of CP49 (D37).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified sites of phosphorylation and truncation in filensin and CP49 and revealed two unusual PTMs: postproteolytic N-acetylation and N-myristoylation of filensin. The detailed knowledge about these PTMs provides important information for further study of their functional consequences-for example protein redistribution during lens fiber cell differentiation and aging.

Lens intermediate filaments

The ocular lens assembles two separate intermediate filament systems sequentially with differentiation. Canonical 8-11 nm IFs composed of Vimentin are assembled in lens epithelial cells and younger fiber cells, while the fiber cell-specific beaded filaments are switched on as fiber cell elongation initiates. Some of the key features of both filament systems are reviewed.

Filensin and phakinin form a novel type of beaded intermediate filaments and coassemble de novo in cultured cells

The fiber cells of the eye lens possess a unique cytoskeletal system known as the "beaded-chain filaments" (BFs). BFs consist of filensin and phakinin, two recently characterized intermediate filament (IF) proteins. To examine the organization and the assembly of these heteropolymeric IFs, we have performed a series of in vitro polymerization studies and transfection experiments. Filaments assembled from purified filensin and phakinin exhibit the characteristic 19-21-nm periodicity seen in many types of IFs upon low angle rotary shadowing. However, quantitative mass-per-length (MPL) measurements indicate that filensin/phakinin filaments comprise two distinct and dissociable components: a core filament and a peripheral filament moiety. Consistent with a nonuniform organization, visualization of unfixed and unstained specimens by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveals the the existence of a central filament which is decorated by regularly spaced 12-15-nm-diam beads. Our data suggest that the filamentous core is composed of phakinin, which exhibits a tendency to self-assemble into filament bundles, whereas the beads contain filensin/phakinin hetero-oligomers. Filensin and phakinin copolymerize and form filamentous structures when expressed transiently in cultured cells. Experiments in IF-free SW13 cells reveal that coassembly of the lens-specific proteins in vivo does not require a preexisting IF system. In epithelial MCF-7 cells de novo forming filaments appear to grow from distinct foci and organize as thick, fibrous laminae which line the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope. However, filament assembly in CHO and SV40-transformed lens-epithelial cells (both of which are fibroblast-like) yields radial networks which codistribute with the endogenous vimentin IFs. These observations document that the filaments formed by lens-specific IF proteins are structurally distinct from ordinary cytoplasmic IFs. Furthermore, the results suggest that the spatial arrangement of filensin/phakinin filaments in vivo is subject to regulation by host-specific factors. These factors may involve cytoskeletal networks (e.g., vimentin IFs) and/or specific sites associated with the cellular membranes.

alpha-Crystallin polypeptides in developing chicken lens cells

We provide evidence that the different cells that form the chicken lens have isoelectric variants of alpha-crystallins at early and late developmental stages. We separated the alpha A and alpha B-crystallin subclasses by sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then further resolved each by isoelectric focusing and assays with specific anti alpha-crystallin antibodies. We found that the annular pad, cortical and nuclear fibers, as well as the epithelial cells, contain alpha A and alpha B native chains and their respective isoelectric variants. These results on adult and embryonic lenses obtained a short time after the onset of alpha-crystallin expression suggest that lens cells, having different phenotypes, are able to produce post-translational modifications of the alpha A and alpha B chains as a part of their developmental program.

In vitro studies on the assembly properties of the lens proteins CP49, CP115: coassembly with alpha-crystallin but not with vimentin

A rapid one-step purification procedure for CP49, an intermediate filament protein found in the lens, is described using reverse-phase HPLC. This protein is one of the major intermediate filament proteins of the lens fibre cells and is found in both the water insoluble fraction (WIF) and the water soluble fraction (WSF) of the lens. In order to better understand the physiological role of CP49 in lens transparency we have purified CP49 from both compartments and compared the in vitro assembly characteristics of both by electron microscopy and sedimentation assays. Our studies showed that CP49, when mixed with another lens intermediate filament protein, CP115, forms 10 nm intermediate filaments. Vimentin, another intermediate filament protein found in the lens, was unable to coassemble with CP115, thus demonstrating the specificity of the interaction of CP49 with CP115. CP49 isolated from either the WIF or the WSF formed 10-nm filaments with CP115 and indicated that CP49 from both these lens cell compartments had similar in vitro assembly characteristics. This also suggested that the post-translational modifications observed for CP49 from the different compartments was of little apparent consequence to filament formation. The inability to reconstitute beaded filaments from CP49 and CP115 suggested that other lens proteins may be needed in the reconstitution assay before these lens specific cytoskeletal elements could be repolymerised from their purified protein components. CP49 and CP115 were therefore assembled in the presence of alpha-crystallins and a beaded filament structure was observed as has been seen with type III intermediate filament proteins assembled with alpha-crystallins.

Bovine filensin possesses primary and secondary structure similarity to intermediate filament proteins

The cDNA coding for calf filensin, a membrane-associated protein of the lens fiber cells, has been cloned and sequenced. The predicted 755-amino acid-long open reading frame shows primary and secondary structure similarity to intermediate filament (IF) proteins. Filensin can be divided into an NH2-terminal domain (head) of 38 amino acids, a middle domain (rod) of 279 amino acids, and a COOH-terminal domain (tail) of 438 amino acids. The head domain contains a di-arginine/aromatic amino acid motif which is also found in the head domains of various intermediate filament proteins and includes a potential protein kinase A phosphorylation site. By multiple alignment to all known IF protein sequences, the filensin rod, which is the shortest among IF proteins, can be subdivided into three subdomains (coils 1a, 1b, and 2). A 29 amino acid truncation in the coil 2 region accounts for the smaller size of this domain. The filensin tail contains 6 1/2 tandem repeats which match analogous motifs of mammalian neurofilament M and H proteins. We suggest that filensin is a novel IF protein which does not conform to any of the previously described classes. Purified filensin fails to form regular filaments in vitro (Merdes, A., M. Brunkener, H. Horstmann, and S. D. Georgatos. 1991. J. Cell Biol. 115:397-410), probably due to the missing segment in the coil 2 region. Participation of filensin in a filamentous network in vivo may be facilitated by an assembly partner.

Reconstitution of the filamentous backbone of lens beaded-chain filaments from a purified 49kD polypeptide

The beaded-chain filaments unique to the fiber cells of the crystalline lens are composed of a linear array of spheroidal particles which appear to be connected by a filamentous backbone. In order to determine the existence of the putative backbone and to characterize its constituents, one of the major proteins associated with beaded-chains in the chicken lens was investigated. 49kD was isolated in an enriched fraction derived from the 8M urea extract of the lens cell water-insoluble residue. The polypeptide (which exists in several charge isoforms, the major at pI 5.2) was purified sequentially by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200, hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, and anionic exchange chromatography on Mono Q, all under denaturing conditions. Immunoblot analyses established that 49kD was immunologically distinct from vimentin, actin, and tubulin/MAPs (representing the three classes of cytoplasmic filaments), as well as from the crystallins. Amino acid analyses demonstrated compositional differences for 49kD compared with lens actin and vimentin, and one- and two-dimensional peptide mapping of 49kD and vimentin revealed no homology. Electron microscopy demonstrated that short, contorted filaments were produced upon removal of purified 49kD from urea to low-salt buffers. In the presence of physiological salt concentrations 49kD assembled into extensive 4-6nm diameter, straight filaments similar to the backbone seen in native beaded-chain filaments, but morphologically distinct from the other cytoplasmic filament classes.

Methods for the circumvention of problems associated with the study of the ocular lens plasma membrane-cytoskeleton complex

Two alternative methods for the study of the lens cytoskeleton are described which serve to overcome some of the difficulties imparted by the unique biology of the lens. The first technique involves rapid freezing, thick sectioning, and selective extraction and/or fixation of the lens section. This approach offers several advantages: 1) enhanced visualization of the cytoskeleton, 2) avoidance of fixation gradients, 3) free access for immunocytochemical probes, 4) retention of tissue-wide spatial relationships, with a sharp increase in the resolution of regional analysis, and 5) the capacity for correlative morphological and biochemical comparisons. The second method involves the covalent immobilization of the plasma membrane-cytoskeleton complex (PMCC) to acrylamide beads. This approach permits: 1) avoidance of fixation in the immunocytochemical analysis of lens cytoskeleton and plasma membranes 2) rapid processing of multiple, small-quantity samples for immunocytochemistry/biochemical analysis 3) cleaner and more rapid analysis of cytoskeletal extraction conditions. Both approaches, while particularly suited to the study of the lens PMCC, may also be of value to the study of the PMCC of other tissues, particularly where preservation/analysis of regional relationships is essential.

In vitro translation of cytoskeletal beaded-chain filament proteins from chicken lens mRNA

The beaded-chain filament is a unique cytoskeletal structure that appears in the elongating fiber cells during the differentiation of lens epithelial cells to form the mature fiber cells. This beaded-chain structure is made up of two proteins of molecular weight 95 kDa and 49 kDa. As a prerequisite for cloning the cDNAs of these proteins, newborn chicken lens total poly(A+) mRNA was translated in vitro, using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system and [35S]-L-methionine. The labelled translation products were analyzed by one-and two dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Immunoprobing of the translation products on Western blots using specific polyclonal antibodies identified the above proteins, and demonstrated the presence and expression of specific mRNAs in the neonatal chick lens, that code for the in vitro synthesis of these two cytoskeletal proteins. These mRNAs are low abundant mRNAs as compared to the crystallin mRNAs.

In vitro and in vivo phosphorylation of chicken beta B3-crystallin

Incubations of chicken lens homogenates with [32P]-ATP revealed the phosphorylation of a 28 kDa protein, and phosphoamino acid analysis of the phosphorylated protein showed the presence of phosphoserine. The protein is present in the beta-crystallin fraction and after purification and partial sequence determination, by way of peptide mapping and subsequent amino acid analyses and Edman degradation, this 28 kDa protein was identified as the beta B3-crystallin subunit, based on its homology with the bovine and rat orthologue. From phosphate content determination it could be concluded that this chicken beta B3 subunit contains in vivo 2 mol phosphate/mol polypeptide.

Adrenergic stimulation of lens cytoskeletal phosphorylation

Stimulation of lens fiber cytoskeletal phosphorylation by adrenergic drugs is described. The effect of isoproterenol on phosphorylation of the 47 Kd beaded filament protein is dose-dependent, detectable as soon as one minute after treatment and blocked by propranolol. Epinephrine increases the phosphorylation of both 47 Kd and the intermediate filament protein, vimentin. 47 Kd phosphorylation is also increased by norepinephrine, dibutyryl-cAMP or forskolin. The results indicate that lens fiber cytoskeletal phosphorylation is regulated, at least in part, via a beta-adrenergic receptor coupled to cyclic AMP production.

Cytoskeleton abnormalities in human senile cataract

The cytoskeletal pattern of the most superficial layers (cortex and epithelium) of senile cataractous lenses has been analyzed by PAGE-SDS. While the nuclear type of cataract and age-matched transparent human lenses have superimposable protein patterns, lenses with cortical cataract demonstrate appreciable modifications of their cytoskeletal composition. The most evident change is the decrease of fodrin and the marked reduction or even the absence of the 98 Kd band. Fodrin may be completely removed from the water insoluble fraction (WIF) of cortical cataract by extraction in low ionic strength buffer, a treatment which only partially solubilizes this protein in transparent control lenses.

Some aspects of the phosphorylation of alpha-crystallin A

The cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of alpha-crystallin was investigated. The major products of in vitro phosphorylation of total bovine lens homogenate are the alpha A1 and alpha B1 polypeptides, but in addition a minor labeled spot is present which might correspond with a double phosphorylated alpha B chain. It is demonstrated that the A1 and B1 subunits of alpha-crystallin from bovine eye lenses are solely the result of phosphorylation of the primary gene products alpha A2 and alpha B2, respectively, as judged from the stoichiometry of the phosphate content of these polypeptides. Both the in vitro and in vivo phosphorylation sites of the A chain of bovine alpha-crystallin were determined and found to be the same. After in vitro incubation the majority of the 32P label was found in the tryptic peptides T17a and T16-17a, the latter being the result of incomplete tryptic cleavage between T16 and T17a. The in vivo phosphorylation site is also located in T17a, as could be concluded from the retention times on reversed-phase HPLC of T16-17a and T17a from alpha A1 as compared to those from alpha A2, and from the differences in their mobilities on high-voltage paper electrophoresis at pH 6.5. Furthermore, both T17a and T16-17a of alpha A1 contain approximately 1 mol phosphate/mol peptide. Thermolytic digestion of T16-17a of both alpha A2 and alpha A1, followed by separation on RP-HPLC, demonstrated that Ser-122 is the phosphorylation site of the A chain of bovine lens alpha-crystallin. The replacement of this phosphorylation site or the lack of basic amino acids at the N-terminal side of Ser-122 in some vertebrate species apparently results in the absence of phosphorylation of alpha-crystallin A both in vitro and in vivo.

A lens intercellular junction protein, MP26, is a phosphoprotein

The major protein present in the plasma membrane of the bovine lens fiber cell (MP26), thought to be a component of intercellular junctions, was phosphorylated in an in vivo labeling procedure. After fragments of decapsulated fetal bovine lenses were incubated with [32P]orthophosphate, membranes were isolated and analyzed by SDS PAGE and autoradiography. A number of lens membrane proteins were routinely phosphorylated under these conditions. These proteins included species at Mr 17,000 and 26,000 as well as a series at both 34,000 and 55,000. The label at Mr 26,000 appeared to be associated with MP26, since (a) boiling the membrane sample in SDS led to both an aggregation of MP26 and a loss of label at Mr 26,000, (b) the label at 26,000 was resistant to both urea and nonionic detergents, and (c) two-dimensional gels showed that a phosphorylated Mr 24,000 fragment was derived from MP26 with V8 protease. Studies with proteases also provided for a localization of most label within approximately 20 to 40 residues from the COOH-terminus of MP26. Published work indicates that the phosphorylated portion of MP26 resides on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, and that this region of MP26 contains a number of serine residues. The same region of MP26 was labeled when isolated lens membranes were reacted with a cAMP-dependent protein kinase prepared from the bovine lens. After the in vivo labeling of lens fragments, phosphoamino acid analysis of MP26 demonstrated primarily labeled serines, with 5-10% threonines and no tyrosines. Treatments that lowered the intracellular calcium levels in the in vivo system led to a selective reduction of MP26 phosphorylation. In addition, forskolin and cAMP stimulated the phosphorylation of MP26 and other proteins in concentrated lens homogenates. These findings are of interest because MP26 appears to serve as a protein of cell-to-cell channels in the lens, perhaps as a lens gap junction protein.

cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of bovine lens alpha-crystallin

This communication reports that the A1 and B1 chains of bovine lens alpha-crystallin are phosphorylated. The conclusion is based on the following evidence: (i) When soluble preparations from lens cortex are incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP, a cAMP-dependent labeling of a high molecular weight protein is obtained. (ii) After NaDodSO4/PAGE, the label is found in two bands with Mr 22,000 and 20,000, corresponding to the B and A chains of alpha-crystallin, respectively. (iii) Isoelectric focusing indicates that the radioactivity is almost exclusively in bands with pI values of 5.58 and 6.70, corresponding to the A1 and B1 chains, respectively. (iv) Similar results are obtained in experiments of [32P]orthophosphate incorporation in lens organ culture. (v) Analyses of the digested protein indicate the label is exclusively in phosphoserine. (vi) 31P NMR analyses of native, proteolytically digested, and urea-treated alpha-crystallin gives a chemical shift of 4.6 ppm relative to 85% H3PO4 at pH 7.4, suggesting that the phosphate is covalently bound to a serine in the protein. An abundance of approximately one phosphate per four or five monomer units was found. (vii) Similar results were obtained by chemical analyses of independently prepared alpha-crystallin samples. The results are consistent with the view that the A1 and B1 chains arise as result of the phosphorylation of directly synthesized A2 and B2 polypeptides. It is suggested that this metabolically controlled phosphorylation may be associated with the terminal differentiation of the lens epithelial cell and the intracellular organization of the lens fiber cell.

Phosphorylation of the band 4.1-like proteins of the bovine lens

Crude membrane fractions prepared from the superficial cortical fiber cells of bovine lenses were incubated with [gamma-32P]-ATP. Membrane-associated 4.1-like proteins were then immunoprecipitated and analyzed for 32P-incorporation. Band 4.1-like proteins of 150 kd, 80 kd, and 78 kd were found to be labeled in a time-dependent fashion, with the 150 kd protein incorporating label at an 8-fold greater rate than the 80 kd and 78 kd proteins. Addition of cAMP or Ca2+ to the membrane preparations stimulated the phosphorylation of all three of these proteins. Our results indicate that the 4.1-like proteins of the lens fiber cell share with band 4.1 of the RBC the characteristic of being substrates for cAMP-independent and cAMP-dependent protein kinases.

Lens fodrin binds actin and calmodulin

Fodrin was isolated from the chick lens and shown to bind to actin and calmodulin. Its localization to the cytoplasmic side of lens plasma membranes was demonstrated immunologically.