Surveillance of parapoxvirus among ruminants in Virginia and Connecticut

In 2008, two deer hunters in Virginia and Connecticut were infected with a unique strain of pseudocowpox virus, a parapoxvirus. To estimate the prevalence of this virus, and in an attempt to define the reservoir, Parapoxvirus surveillance was undertaken between November 2009 and January 2010. 125 samples from four ruminant species (cows, goat, sheep and white-tailed deer) were collected in Virginia, and nine samples from white-tailed deer were collected in Connecticut. We found no evidence that the parapoxvirus species that infected the deer hunters is circulating among domesticated ruminants or white-tailed deer. However, parapoxvirus DNA of a different parapoxvirus species, bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV), was detected in 31 samples obtained from asymptomatic cattle in Virginia. Parapoxvirus DNA-positive cattle originated from the same counties indicating probable transmission among animals. Molecular analysis identified BPSV as the parapoxvirus affecting animals. Asymptomatic parapoxvirus infections in livestock, particularly young animals, may be common, and further investigation will inform our knowledge of virus transmission.

Stage-specific assays to study biosynthetic cargo selection and role of SNAREs in export from the endoplasmic reticulum and delivery to the Golgi

To analyze the role of coat protein type II (COPII) coat components and targeting and fusion factors in selective export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and transport to the Golgi, we have developed three novel, stage-specific assays. Cargo selection can be measured using a "stage 1 cargo capture assay," in which ER microsomes are incubated in the presence of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-tagged Sar1 GTPase and purified Sec23/24 components to follow recruitment of biosynthetic cargo to prebudding complexes. This cargo recruitment assay can be followed by two sequential assays that measure separately the budding of COPII-coated vesicles from ER microsomes (stage 2) and, finally, delivery of cargo-containing vesicles to the Golgi (stage 3). We show how these assays provide a means to identify the snap receptor (SNARE) protein rBet1 as an essential component that is not required for vesicle formation, but is required for vesicle targeting and fusion during ER-to-Golgi transport. In general, these assays provide an approach to characterize the biochemical basis for the recruitment of a wide variety of biosynthetic cargo proteins to COPII vesicles and the role of different transport components in the early secretory pathway of mammalian cells.

A new functional domain of guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (alpha-GDI) involved in Rab recycling

Guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) is a 55-kDa protein that functions in vesicular membrane transport to recycle Rab GTPases. We have now determined the crystal structure of bovine alpha-GDI at ultra-high resolution (1.04 A). Refinement at this resolution highlighted a region with high mobility of its main-chain residues. This corresponded to a surface loop in the primarily alpha-helical domain II at the base of alpha-GDI containing the previously uncharacterized sequence-conserved region (SCR) 3A. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that this mobile loop plays a crucial role in binding of GDI to membranes and extraction of membrane-bound Rab. This domain, referred to as the mobile effector loop, in combination with Rab-binding residues found in the multi-sheet domain I at the apex of alpha-GDI may provide flexibility for recycling of diverse Rab GTPases. We propose that conserved residues in domains I and II synergize to form the functional face of GDI, and that domain II mediates a critical step in Rab recycling during vesicle fusion.

CFTR mediates electrogenic chloride secretion in mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD-K2) cells

Previously we demonstrated that the inner medullary collecting duct cell line mIMCD-K2 secretes Cl- by an electrogenic mechanism [N. L. Kizer, B. Lewis, and B. A. Stanton. Am. J. Physiol. 268 (Renal Fluid Electrolyte Physiol. 37): F347-F355, 1995; N. L. Kizer, D. Vandorpe, B. Lewis, B. Bunting, J. Russell, and B. A. Stanton. Am. J. Physiol. 268 (Renal Fluid Electrolyte Physiol. 37): F854-F861, 1995]. The goal of the present study was to characterize the Cl- channel responsible for adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-stimulated Cl- secretion. To this end, using the patch-clamp technique, we measured Cl- currents. In whole cell patch-clamp experiments, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (CPT-cAMP) activated Cl- currents that were time and voltage independent, inhibited by diphenylamine 2-carboxylate (DPC), and had a linear current-voltage (I-V) relation. In cell-attached patches of the apical membrane, we identified 7-pS Cl- channels that were stimulated by CPT-cAMP. In inside-out patches with Cl- in the pipette and bath solutions, Cl- currents had a linear I-V relation. The halide permeability sequence was PCl = PBr > PI. The Cl- channel inhibitors DPC, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid, and glibenclamide blocked the 7-pS Cl- channel, whereas 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid was ineffective. By reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we isolated a partial cDNA clone encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in mIMCD-K2 cells. We conclude that cAMP stimulates electrogenic Cl- secretion in inner medullary collecting duct cells by activating cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator Cl- channels.

Isolation and molecular cloning of a novel bone phosphoprotein related in sequence to the cystatin family of thiol protease inhibitors

We describe here the isolation of a novel non-collagenous protein from the acid demineralization extract of bovine cortical bone. This 24-kDa protein is multiply phosphorylated at serine residues in Ser-X-Glu/Ser(P) sequences, a recognition motif for phosphorylation by the secretory pathway protein kinase, and we have termed this protein secreted phosphoprotein 24 (spp24). The cDNA structure of spp24 was determined by sequencing cDNA fragments obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends, and screening a lambda gt11 cDNA library. This cDNA sequence predicts a 200-residue initial translation product which consists of a 20-residue signal sequence and the 180-residue mature spp24. Northern blot analysis using the spp24 cDNA showed that spp24 mRNA is in liver and bone but not in heart, lung, kidney, or spleen. A search of existing protein sequences revealed that the N-terminal 107 residues of mature spp24 are related in sequence to the cystatin family of thiol protease inhibitors, which suggests that spp24 could function to modulate the thiol protease activities that are known to be involved in bone turnover. Several of the proteins in the cystatin family that are most closely related to spp24 are not only thiol protease inhibitors but are also precursors to peptides with potent biological activity, peptides such as bradykinin and the neutrophil antibiotic peptides. It is therefore possible that the intact form of spp24 found in bone could also be a precursor to a biologically active peptide, a peptide which could coordinate an aspect of bone turnover.

Effect of culture conditions on IgM antibody structure, pharmacokinetics and activity

Culture conditions affect the binding activity, charge heterogeneity, conformational stability, glycosylation, and pharmacokinetics of human monoclonal IgM HMAB-10058. The 10058 human/human/murine trioma was grown in serum-free airlift suspension culture, hollow fiber perfusion culture, or in nude mouse ascites. The ascites-produced antibody showed reduced conformational stability, greater charge and glycoform heterogeneity, and a lower average degree of sialylation than the in vitro culture-produced material. Mean residence time after IV injection in rats was approximately 80-fold greater for the ascites culture-produced material, but specific binding activity was less than 5% of that for the airlift-produced material. In vitro culture in serum-supplemented media (in a hollow fiber perfusion reactor or in shake-flasks) resulted in antibody with pharmacokinetics intermediate between the serum-free airlift and ascites-produced materials. Incubation of airlift-produced antibody in ascites fluid also resulted in material with intermediate pharmacokinetics. Conclusions regarding the effect of culture conditions on antibody product cannot be generalized, as in vitro-produced antibody derived from two related cell lines (HMAB-10233 and HMAB-10390) had long mean residence times similar to that of ascites-produced HMAB-10058.

Comparison of Clark's presence-absence test and the membrane filter method for coliform detection in potable water samples

A total of 2,601 water samples from six different water systems were tested for coliform bacteria by Clark's presence-absence (P-A) test and by the membrane filter (MF) method. There was no significant difference in the fraction of samples positive for coliform bacteria for any of the systems tested. It was concluded that the two tests are equivalent for monitoring purposes. However, 152 samples were positive for coliform bacteria by the MF method but negative by the P-A test, and 132 samples were positive by the P-A test but negative by the MF method. Many of these differences for individual samples can be explained by random dispersion of bacteria in subsamples when the coliform density is low. However, 15 samples had MF counts greater than 3 and gave negative P-A results. The only apparent explanation for most of these results is that coliform bacteria were present in the P-A test bottles but did not produce acid and gas. Two other studies have reported more samples positive by Clark's P-A test than by the MF method.