Molecular dynamics of point mutated I-A(k) molecules expressed on lymphocytes

We have recently reported the lateral and rotational diffusion parameters for I-A(k) molecules expressing various cytoplasmic truncations (Int. Immunol. 12 (2000) 1319). We now describe the membrane dynamics of I-A(k) with various mutations in the presumed contact region between alphabeta-heterodimers in an (alphabeta)2 dimer of dimers structure. Such mutations are known to strongly affect the antigen presentation ability of these molecules (Int. Immunol. 10 (1998) 1237-1249) but cause relatively small changes in the molecular dynamics of I-A(k). Lateral diffusion coefficients of I-A(k) wild-type molecules and mutants obtained via fringe fluorescence photobleaching recovery (FPR) ranged from 1.1 to 2.3x10(-10)cm2/s at room temperature while fractional mobilities averaged 75+/-6%. For all cell types examined, treatment with either hen egg lysozyme 46-61 peptide or db-cAMP reduced the I-A(k) mobile fraction by about 10% relative to untreated cells, suggesting that these treatments may increase lateral confinement of class II in lipid rafts or cytoskeletal interactions of the molecules. Wild-type I-A(k) and mutants capable of normal or partial antigen presentation exhibited, as a group, slightly longer rotational correlation times (RCT) at 4 degrees C than did mutants inactive in antigen presentation, 14+/-4 versus 10+/-1 micros, respectively. Moreover, peptide, cAMP and anti-CD40 mAb treatment all increased rotational correlation times for fully- and partially-functional I-A(k) but not for non-functional molecules. For example, 16 h peptide treatment yielded average RCTs of 28+/-12 and 10+/-1 micros for the groups of functional and non-functional molecules, respectively. Such modulation of the dynamics of functional class II molecules is consistent with these treatments' stabilization of class II or induction of new gene expression. Measurements of fluorescence resonant energy transfer between I-A(k), though complicated by cellular autofluorescence, averaged 6+/-7% over 15 cells or treatments, a result consistent with the presence of a small fraction of I-A(k) as a dimer of dimers species. In summary, our results suggest subtle changes in the molecular motions of class II molecules correlate with a significant impact on class II function. Molecules active in antigen presentation exhibit more restricted motion in the membrane, and thus presumably more extensive intermolecular interactions, than non-functional molecules. Further, treatments, such as db-cAMP and anti-CD40, which rescue antigen presentation by partially defective mutants, appear to increase such interactions, several types of which have already been reported for class II. A more detailed understanding of these phenomena will require both more sensitive biophysical tools and a more refined model of the role of class II intermolecular interactions in antigen presentation.

Rotational and lateral dynamics of I-A(k) molecules expressing cytoplasmic truncations

Rotational and lateral diffusion of I-A(k) molecules with various alpha and beta chain cytoplasmic truncations known to affect class II function were measured to assess the role of cytoplasmic domains in regulating I-A(k) molecular motions. Deletion of all 12 alpha chain C-terminal residues and all 18 corresponding beta chain residues (alpha-12/beta-18) is known to abrogate translocation of protein kinase C to the nucleus upon class II cross-linking. Similarly, truncation of the entire cytoplasmic alpha chain domain and the 10 C-terminal residues of the beta chain impairs presentation of antigenic peptides to T cells. The rotational correlation time of the wild-type molecule, 11.9 +/- 2.6 micros as measured by time-resolved phosphorescence anisotropy, decreased to 7. 2 +/- 3.7 micros in the fully truncated alpha-12/beta-18 protein. Other truncated class II molecules exhibited only small changes in molecular rotation rates relative to the wild-type. The rate of lateral diffusion of the fully truncated molecule, measured with two independent methods, 2.3 x 10(-10) cm(2)/s, was comparable with that of the wild-type molecule. Thus, it appears that the alpha and beta chain cytoplasmic domains regulate the molecular motions of unperturbed I-A(k) molecules only modestly, despite the known involvement of these regions in class II signaling. Various explanations for this behavior are discussed, e.g. the possibility that class II membrane complexes are sufficiently large that association and dissociation of specific signaling proteins during antigen presentation do not significantly perturb the apparent molecular motions of the complex.

Biological function of the LH receptor is associated with slow receptor rotational diffusion

The biological activity of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors can be affected by modifications to the receptor's amino acid sequence or by binding of hormone antagonists such as deglycosylated hCG. Here we have compared rotational diffusion of LH receptors capable of activating adenylate cyclase with that of non-functional hormone-occupied receptors at 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C using time-resolved phosphorescence anisotropy techniques. Binding of hCG to the rat wild-type receptor expressed on 293 cells (LHR-wt cells) or to the LH receptor on MA-10 cells produces functional receptors which exhibit rotational correlation times longer than 1000 micros. However, modification of the LH receptor by substitution of Lys583-->Arg (LHR-K583R) results in a receptor that is non-functional and which has a significantly shorter rotational correlation time of 130+/-12 micros following binding of hCG. When these receptors are treated with deglycosylated hCG, an inactive form of hCG, the rotational correlation times for the LH receptors on LHR-wt and MA-10 cells are also shorter, namely 64+/-8 and 76+/-14 micros, respectively. Finally, a biologically active truncated form of the rat LH receptor expressed in 293 cells (LHR-t631) has slow rotational diffusion, greater than 1000 micros, when occupied by hCG and a significantly shorter rotational correlation time of 103+/-12 micros when occupied by deglycosylated hCG. The effects of rat LH binding to LH receptors on these various cell lines were similar to those of hCG although the magnitude of the changes in receptor rotational diffusion were less pronounced. We suggest that functional LH receptors are present in membrane complexes that exhibit slow rotational diffusion or are rotationally immobile. Shorter rotational correlation times for non-functional hormone-receptor complexes may reflect the absence of essential interactions between these complexes and other membrane proteins.

Luteinizing hormone receptors are associated with non-receptor plasma membrane proteins on bovine luteal cell membranes

Biophysical studies of the bovine luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor on luteal cell membranes suggest that this receptor may be part of a larger molecular weight structure. We have used 5-iodonaphthyl-1-azide (INA) to identify plasma membrane proteins near LH receptors on plasma membranes from bovine corpora lutea. Following binding of eosin isothiocyanate-derivatized ovine LH or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), five proteins with molecular weights of 71, 57, 55, 49 and 36 kDa were selectively derivatized with [125I]-INA following 2 h exposure at 22 degreesC to 514 nm light. However, there was no fluorescence energy transfer between LH receptors occupied by ovine LH or hCG indicating that LH receptors were not self-associated in these membrane preparations. Together these results suggest that, following hormone binding, single copies of the LH receptor may exist in large molecular weight structures that include non-receptor proteins.

Peach (Prunus persica) endopolygalacturonase cDNA isolation and mRNA analysis in melting and nonmelting peach cultivars

Two distinct partial cDNAs, PRF1 and PRF3, similar in sequence to previously described polygalacturonases, were amplified from ripe peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv Flavorcrest) fruit cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction. PRF1-related RNA was present in fruit from early ripening at levels not detected by northern analysis. PRF3-related RNA was readily detectable in ripe fruit by northern analysis. PRF3 was used to isolate a cDNA with a complete open reading frame, PRF5, from a lambda ZAP II cDNA library prepared from poly(A)+ RNA of ripe peach fruit. PRF5 coded for a predicted protein of 393 amino acids with a molecular mass of 41,500 D. The derived amino acid sequence of PRF5 included a putative leader sequence of 23 amino acids, followed by a sequence that matched the N terminus of endopolygalacturonase protein purified from ripe peach fruit. By northern analysis, PRF3-related RNA was undetectable in firm, unripe Flavorcrest fruit. It appeared at low levels as a 1.7-kb transcript in fruit that had begun to ripen and soften and was very abundant in ripe fruit that had undergone the "melting" stage of softening. The marked increase in PRF3-related RNA levels took place over a period of less than 2 d at 20 degrees C and coincided with the climacteric peak in ethylene evolution. Levels of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase-related RNA increased during ripening at a much earlier stage than levels of PRF3-related RNA. Lower levels of 1.7-kb RNA transcript were detected by PRF3 in ripe fruit of the melting cultivar Fragar, which are firmer than Flavorcrest fruit. In ripe fruit of the nonmelting cultivar Carolyn, PRF3 detected a 1.45-kb RNA transcript that was present at low levels. Transcripts of a peach polygalacturonase-related genomic sequence were not detected in ripening fruit.

Respiration and protein synthesis in nongrowing cultured pear fruit cells in response to ethylene and modified atmospheres: a model system for fruits postharvest

The respiration of pear fruit (Pyrus communis L. Passe Crassane) cells was monitored after subculture into an auxin-free, mannitol-enriched medium in which the cells remained viable but did not grow. Respiration rates were affected by the presence or absence of sucrose in the medium even though the cells retained reserves of sucrose and starch. Provided the medium contained respirable carbohydrate, exposure to ethylene (1-10 microliters per liter) increased the respiration rate with some acceleration of cell death. In the range from 10 to 2% oxygen by volume, the respiration rate of the cells decreased with oxygen concentration resulting in some prolongation of cell life. Thus, in their responses to ethylene and modified atmospheres, the cells reflected the behavior of harvested fruits. Having defined conditions under which respiration rate could be varied without apparent influence on the quiescent state of the cells, we sought a connection between maintenance respiration and protein turnover. Relative rates of protein synthesis were assessed by measuring ribosome distribution between monosomes and polysomes. In general, the higher the respiration rate the higher the proportion of polysomes supporting the thesis that protein turnover is a variable component of maintenance metabolism. Protein turnover in cells incubated in the presence or absence of sucrose was measured as retained alpha-amino-(3)H following a pulse of (3)H(2)O. Turnover was shown to be a quantitatively important component of the maintenance budget and to be more rapid in cells in media supplemented with sucrose through the chase period. The experiments illustrate that cultured cells may be used to explore aspects of the maintenance metabolism of resting or senescent cells that are not amenable to study in bulky fruit tissues.

Energy balance and hypothalamic self-stimulation

The effects of negative energy balance on self-stimulation are a matter of considerable disagreement. This disagreement undoubtedly reflects the inadequacies of the continuous reinforcement self-stimulation procedures used in this type of experimentation. The present experiment uses a new fixed-interval reinforcement shuttle-box procedure which provides indices of reward and stimulation escape that are free from the numerous performance altering effects that confound continuous reinforcement performance. Whereas 24 h of food deprivation had no effect on stimulation initiation or escape rates, 48 h of food deprivation selectively increased initiation rates. The enhancement of reward was seen over virtually the entire anterior-posterior extent of the lateral hypothalamus and occurred irrespective of the occurrence of any stimulus-bound behaviors. Thus negative energy balance appears to selectively increase the excitability of reward-related neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. The self-stimulating rats became clearly hyperphagic, yet their weight gains were not significantly different from those of controls. The self-stimulation must, therefore, have greatly increased energy expenditure. Thus, not only does energy balance affect self-stimulation, but self-stimulation appears to affect energy balance.

The response of plant mitochondria to media of high solute content

The state-3 rate of respiration of potato tuber mitochondria is inhibited by concentrations of KCl or NaCl above 125 mM, and by concentrations of sucrose, lactose, or maltose above 500 mM, but not at all by mannitol, glucose, glycine, or proline up to a concentration of 1500 mM in the medium. Mitochondria from cauliflower, beetroot, cucumber, rock melon, and watermelon behave very similarly to those from potato tuber. The variable response to different solutes proves that the reduction in respiration is not a simple function of the chemical potential of water in the medium. Disruption of potato mitochondria by ultrasonic vibration does not relieve the inhibition of succinate oxidation caused by KCl or sucrose. However, treatment with detergent abolishes completely the inhibition of respiration by sucrose. Inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase [Succinate:PMS, oxidoreductase (EC.1.3.99.1)] and malate dehydrogenase [L-Malate:NAD oxidoreductase (EC.1.1.1.37)] activities by sucrose is less than the inhibition of succinate- and malate-dependent oxygen uptake by the potato mitochondria. Limited substrate uptake and, alternatively, reduced electron flow as a consequence of a direct effect of solute on the mitochondrial membrane are considered as possible mechanisms of inhibition.

Metabolic Studies with Banana Fruit Slices I. Changes in the Incorporation of 14c Labelled Compounds in Response to Cutting

Transverse slices of green banana fruit were vacuum-infiltrated with aqueous solutions of 14C-labelled metabolites and the non-metabolite a-methyl-D-glucoside immediately after cutting, and at 17 hr after cutting-i.e. near the peak of "induced" respiration.

Effects of Kinetin on Respiration Ethylene Production and Ripening of Banana Fruit Slices

Thin slices cut from many plant tissues develop an increased respiration rate in the day or days after cutting (Laties 1963; ap Rees 1966). Mter slicing, the metabolism of the tissue changes in a number of respects including the capacity for salt and other solute uptake (Asprey 1937; MacDonald 1967), the relative contri-bution of the pentose phosphate shunt to total hexose catabolism !ap Rees and Beevers 1960; ap Rees 1966), and the induction of a number of enzymes (Edelman and Hall 1965; Willemot and Stumpf 1967). In the case of slices of arti-choke tissue, the presence of either indoleacetic acid or kinetin inhibits the increases, in response to slicing, of respiration, of phosphate uptake, and of invertase activity (Palmer 1966). While aspects of the latter experiments have been criticized (Vaughan and MacDonald 1967) the conclusion that the growth factors affect the response to slicing has not been challenged.

Metabolic Studies with Banana Fruit Slices II. Effects of Inhibitors on Respiration, Ethylene Production, and Ripening

Transverse slices of green banana fruit were vacuum� infiltrated with aqueous solutions of 24 potential inhibitors of protein synthesis, respiration, or ethylene production. The effects of these compounds were examined in the absence or presence of 10 p.p.m. ethylene. Of the compounds which produced marked effects mono� fiuoroacetate, 4�hydroxy�2�oxoglutarate (HKG), KCN, and cycloheximide were examined in more detail.

Permeability, Sugar Accumulation, and Respiration Rate in Ripening Banana Fruits

The permeability of pulp tissue of banana fruits and aseptically prepared transverse slices of bananas increases before the respiratory climacteric begins. The permeability change may be measured as leakage of amino acids from pulp tissue, and is not dependent on the soluble carbohydrate content of pulp cells. During the climacteric, amino acid leakage into water increases further.

The Redistribution of Nitrogen in Silage by Lactic-Acid-Producing Bacteria

Consideration is given to the part played by the lactic-acid-producing bacteria in nitrogen redistribution during ensilage. In suitable media, silage strains of Lactobacillu8 plantarum, Lactobacillu8 brevi8, and Pediococcu8 sp. were shown to have a net uptake of ammonia during growth, but this uptake was considered to have small effect on the net production of ammonia during ensilage. Cell suspensions of Lb_ plantarum produced ammonia from serine, and those of Lb. brevi8 and Pediococcu8 sp. ammonia from arginine. These reactions were studied particularly as regards the influence of pH and the physiological age of cells, and their likely contribution to ammonia production during ensilage is discussed. During growth of the lactic acid bacteria in media of defined amino acid composition, ornithine derived from arginine was the only ninhydrin-positive substance produced in significant amount.

On the Nitrogen Nutrition of Silage Strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Consideration is given to the adequacy of the free amino acids in plant juices at the time of harvest as nitrogen substrate for strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from silage. The requirements of several strains of the bacteria for free amino acids in synthetic media were compared with the concentration of these acids in the liquid phase of plants at the time of harvest; this comparison suggested that several amino acids, and particulady lysine, may at times be rate.limiting. Ethanolic extracts of plants, sampled before and after a period of post-harvest wilting, were assayed as nitrogen substrates for the bacteria. A marked response to additions of lysine, some response to arginine, and evidence of deficiency of other acids were noted. The importance of post-harvest proteolysis to the amino acid nutrition of the bacteria in the silage environment is discussed. Certain fractions of the plant extracts were found to promote early growth of the bacteria in the synthetic medium, and the distribution of this activity in different fractions is described.

Losses during storage of low moisture silage

Laboratory scale investigations have been made of the fermentative and other changes Which occur during the ensiling of heavily wilted lucerne and ryegrass in air-tight containers. Dry matter losses were small but increased with increasing moisture content and ensiling period. Lactic acid production was restricted and little, if any, was produced during four months' storage at the lower moisture content levels. In the ryegrass silage, the breakdown of protein, and the formation of ammonia were no greater than in good quality silage of normal moisture content.