Camelid reporter gene imaging: a generic method for in vivo cell tracking

Background

To combine the sensitivity of bioluminescent imaging (BLI) with the 3D and quantitative properties of pinhole single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/micro-computed tomography (CT) (phSPECT/micro-CT), we generated stable cell lines that express a yellow-fluorescent protein (YFP) and Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) fusion protein (YFP/GLuc). For in vivo phSPECT detection of this YFP/GLuc protein, a nanobody, targeted against yellow and green fluorescent proteins (anti-YFP-Nb), was site specifically labelled with ^99mTc.

Methods

Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293T) were cultured and passaged every 3 days. 10E5 cells were transduced with YFP/GLuc-containing vector: both membrane-targeted (MT-YFP/GLuc) and non-targeted (YFP/GLuc) fusion proteins were developed. These vectors were compared against a SKOV-3 cell line stably expressing green fluorescent-firefly luciferase (GFP/Fluc) and HEK293T cells expressing red fluorescent protein in combination with a Gaussia luciferase (Red/GLuc). Transduction efficiencies were scored by fluorescence microscopy, and transduced cells were enriched by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). GLuc and FLuc functionality was tested in vitro by list-mode BLI. Subsequently, cells were transplanted subcutaneously in athymic (nu/nu) mice (MT-YFP/GLuc: n = 4, YFP/GLuc: n = 6, GFP/FLuc: n = 6, Red/GLuc: n = 4). Labelling efficiency of anti-YFP-Nb was measured using instant thin layer chromatography. One week after transplantation, ^99mTc-labelled anti-YFP-Nb was injected intravenously and pinhole (ph) SPECT/micro-CT was performed, followed by in vivo BLI.

Results

Cells showed high levels of fluorescence after transduction. The cells containing the MT-YFP/GLuc were positive on fluorescence microscopy, with the fluorescent signal confined to the cell membrane. After cell sorting, transduced cells were assayed by BLI and showed a significantly higher light output both in vitro and in vivo compared with non-transduced HEK293T cells. The anti-YFP-Nb labelling efficiency was 98%, and subsequent phSPECT/micro-CT demonstrated visible cell binding and significantly higher transplant-to-muscle ratio for both the MT-YFP/GLuc and YFP/GLuc transplanted cells, compared with the GFP/FLuc and Red/GLuc group.

Conclusion

This study provides a proof of principle for a nanobody-based cell tracking method, using a YFP/GLuc fusion protein and anti-YFP-Nb in a model of subcutaneously transplanted transduced HEK293T cells.

Inhibition of firefly luciferase by general anesthetics: effect on in vitro and in vivo bioluminescence imaging

Bioluminescence imaging is routinely performed in anesthetized mice. Often isoflurane anesthesia is used because of its ease of use and fast induction/recovery. However, general anesthetics have been described as important inhibitors of the luciferase enzyme reaction.

Aim

To investigate frequently used mouse anesthetics for their direct effect on the luciferase reaction, both in vitro and in vivo.

Materials and Methods

isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane, ketamine, xylazine, medetomidine, pentobarbital and avertin were tested in vitro on luciferase-expressing intact cells, and for non-volatile anesthetics on intact cells and cell lysates. In vivo, isoflurane was compared to unanesthetized animals and different anesthetics. Differences in maximal photon emission and time-to-peak photon emission were analyzed.

Results

All volatile anesthetics showed a clear inhibitory effect on the luciferase activity of 50% at physiological concentrations. Avertin had a stronger inhibitory effect of 80%. For ketamine and xylazine, increased photon emission was observed in intact cells, but this was not present in cell lysate assays, and was most likely due to cell toxicity and increased cell membrane permeability. In vivo, the highest signal intensities were measured in unanesthetized mice and pentobarbital anesthetized mice, followed by avertin. Isoflurane and ketamine/medetomidine anesthetized mice showed the lowest photon emission (40% of unanesthetized), with significantly longer time-to-peak than unanesthetized, pentobarbital or avertin-anesthetized mice. We conclude that, although strong inhibitory effects of anesthetics are present in vitro, their effect on in vivo BLI quantification is mainly due to their hemodynamic effects on mice and only to a lesser extent due to the direct inhibitory effect.

Large double copy vectors are functional but show a size-dependent decline in transduction efficiency

The development of SIN-lentivectors has paved the way for the double copy vectors (DCV), which substitute the deletion in the 3'LTR with either transgenic or insulator sequences. However, the limits of this approach remain unclear. Previous results have demonstrated that transduction efficiencies of DCV carrying large insulator inserts in their 3'LTRs were impaired in a size-dependent manner. We wondered if this was also true for promoter-transgene inserts and whether they remained functional upon integration into the genome. Therefore, we designed a series of DCV with increasing 3'LTR sizes containing different promoter-transgene combinations. Transduced cells were scored for both transduction efficiency and insert functionality. We found that the transduction efficiencies indeed were impaired in a size-dependent way. Efficiency with inserts below 1 kb linearly decreased with size, while sizes between 1 and 2 kb showed a further decrease to a minimum of 5% of an original "empty" SIN-vector. However, we did not find an LTR size that completely abolished transduction. Moreover, we demonstrated that all inserts remained functional regardless the promoter-transgene combination used. Therefore, we conclude from our data that DCV indeed remain functional, but transduction efficiencies drop radically when inserts larger than 1 kb are being used.

IGF-1 suppresses Bim expression in multiple myeloma via epigenetic and posttranslational mechanisms

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is an important growth and survival factor in multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we demonstrate that IGF-1 induces significant down-regulation of the proapoptotic BH3-only protein Bim in MM cells. Reduced Bim levels by RNA interference (RNAi) protected cells from drug-induced cell death. The IGF-1-mediated down-regulation of Bim was the result of (1) reduced transcription by activation of the Akt pathway and inactivation of the transcription factor FoxO3a, (2) increased proteasome-mediated degradation of the Bim extra-long protein by activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, and (3) epigenetic regulation of both the Bim and the FoxO3a promoter. Treatment of cells with the histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 resulted in a clear up-regulation in the expression of Bim. Furthermore, the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'deoxycytidine (decitabine) significantly increased the effects of LBH589. On IGF-1 treatment, the Bim promoter region was found to be unmethylated, whereas chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of the IGF-1-treated cells showed both a reduced histone H3 tail Lys9 (H3K9) acetylation and an increased H3K9 dimethylation, which contributed actively to its silencing. These data identify a new mechanism in the IGF-1-dependent survival of MM cells and emphasize the need for IGF-1-targeted drug therapy.

Dynamic bioluminescence imaging for quantitative tumour burden assessment using IV or IP administration of D: -luciferin: effect on intensity, time kinetics and repeatability of photon emission

INTRODUCTION

In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a promising technique for non-invasive tumour imaging. D: -luciferin can be administrated intraperitonealy or intravenously. This will influence its availability and, therefore, the bioluminescent signal. The aim of this study is to compare the repeatability of BLI measurement after IV versus IP administration of D: -luciferin and assess the correlation between photon emission and histological cell count both in vitro and in vivo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fluc-positive R1M cells were subcutaneously inoculated in nu/nu mice. Dynamic BLI was performed after IV or IP administration of D: -luciferin. Maximal photon emission (PE(max)) was calculated. For repeatability assessment, every acquisition was repeated after 4 h and analysed using Bland-Altman method. A second group of animals was serially imaged, alternating IV and IP administration up to 21 days. When mice were killed, PE(max) after IV administration was correlated with histological cell number.

RESULTS

The coefficients of repeatability were 80.2% (IV) versus 95.0% (IP). Time-to-peak is shorter, and its variance lower for IV (p < 0.0001). PE(max) was 5.6 times higher for IV. A trend was observed towards lower photon emission per cell in larger tumours.

CONCLUSION

IV administration offers better repeatability and better sensitivity when compared to IP. In larger tumours, multiple factors may contribute to underestimation of tumour burden. It might, therefore, be beneficial to test novel therapeutics on small tumours to enable an accurate evaluation of tumour burden.

The chicken c-Jun 5' untranslated region directs translation by internal initiation

The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of the chicken c-jun message is exceptionally GC rich and has the potential to form a complex and extremely stable secondary structure. Because stable RNA secondary structures can serve as obstacles to scanning ribosomes, their presence suggests inefficient translation or initiation through alternate mechanisms. We have examined the role of the c-jun 5' UTR with respect to its ability to influence translation both in vitro and in vivo. We find, using rabbit reticulocyte lysates, that the presence of the c-jun 5' UTR severely inhibits translation of both homologous and heterologous genes in vitro. Furthermore, translational inhibition correlates with the degree of secondary structure exhibited by the 5' UTR. Thus, in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system, the c-jun 5' UTR likely impedes ribosome scanning resulting in inefficient translation. In contrast to our results in vitro, the c-jun 5' UTR does not inhibit translation in a variety of different cell lines suggesting that it may direct an alternate mechanism of translational initiation in vivo. To distinguish among the alternate mechanisms, we generated a series of bicistronic expression plasmids. Our results demonstrate that the downstream cistron, in the bicistronic gene, is expressed to a much higher level when directly preceded by the c-jun 5' UTR. In addition, inhibition of ribosome scanning on the bicistronic message, through insertion of a synthetic stable hairpin, inhibits translation of the first cistron but does not inhibit translation of the cistron downstream of the c-jun 5' UTR. These results are consistent with a model by which the c-jun message is translated through cap independent internal initiation. Oncogene (2000) 19, 2836 - 2845

Enhanced cell motility and invasion of chicken embryo fibroblasts in response to Jun over-expression

Malignant tumor cells exhibit a number of distinct properties involved not only with deregulated cell proliferation but also enhanced migration and invasion. The Jun oncogene has been well studied in regard to its role in cell proliferation. Many of the target genes deregulated by Jun encode matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) such as MMP1, MMP3 and MMP9. These targets implicate a prominent role for Jun in tumor cell invasion, in addition to its role in growth transformation. To investigate this possibility, we have examined the effect of over-expression of transforming and non-transforming versions of Jun on motility and invasion of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs). We found that over-expression of either form of Jun results in elevated intrinsic cellular motility as well as increased motility in response to several different chemo-attractants, including 3T3-conditioned media, basic fibroblast growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor and Matrigel. The capacity of these cells to invade through Matrigel is also elevated as a result of Jun over-expression. In addition to these effects, CEFs expressing Jun secrete factors that stimulate the motility of a human tongue carcinoma cell line. Our results suggest that Jun plays an important role in the potentiation of cell motility and invasion through multiple mechanisms.

Apolipoprotein A-1 is a negative target of v-Jun overexpression

The product of the Jun oncogene influences a variety of processes including cell proliferation and differentiation. Jun exerts its influence by binding to the promoter and enhancer regions of a number of different target genes resulting in their activation or repression. We describe here the isolation and characterization of a gene differentially downregulated upon overexpression of v-Jun but not c-Jun. DNA and amino acid homology search analysis revealed this gene to be identical to chicken apolipoprotein A-1, the major component of high density lipoprotein (HDL). The half life of apolipoprotein A-1 RNA remains constant in the presence or absence of v-Jun overexpression suggesting downregulation by v-Jun is at the level of promoter activity. Consistent with this hypothesis, apolipoprotein A-1 upstream promoter fragments active in normal and c-Jun expressing CEF are inactive in v-Jun transformed CEF. Analysis of expression of apolipoprotein A-1 in CEF overexpressing other oncogenes revealed a similar downregulation by Myc and v-Src but not c-Fos, v-Ha-Ras, c-Src or c-Ski. Our findings point to a potential regulatory affect on cholesterol metabolism by v-Jun, as a result of altered levels of apolipoprotein A-1 message expression.

Isolation and cloning of JTAP-1: a cathepsin like gene upregulated in response to V-Jun induced cell transformation

The oncogenic potential of Jun in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) varies depending on its structure. V-Jun, which has a number of structural differences from c-Jun is highly transforming and tumorigenic. C-Jun however, is only weakly transforming and is not tumorigenic. We have used this difference in oncogenic potential between v-Jun and c-Jun to screen for downstream target genes associated with the v-Jun induced transformed phenotype. We describe here the identification, cloning and characterization of one of these genes, JTAP-1. JTAP-1 is consistently overexpressed 7 to 10-fold in CEF transformed by v-Jun compared with c-Jun overexpressing or normal CEF. This pattern of expression suggests that JTAP-1 is associated with the transformed phenotype. DNA and amino acid homology search analysis revealed that JTAP-1 shares a high degree of similarity with over 100 cysteine proteases from a variety of species and is likely the chicken homolog of cathepsin O. Analysis of expression of JTAP-1 in CEF overexpressing other oncogenes including v-Ha-ras, v-Src, c-Fos, and Myc revealed that it's overexpression is unique to v-Jun transformed cells. Thus, JTAP-1 is likely a specific target of v-Jun overexpression and not simply a consequence of cell transformation.

In vivo viral and cellular Jun complexes exhibit differential interaction with a number of in vitro generated 'AP-1- and CREB-like' target sequences

A direct comparison of the relative DNA-binding capabilities of in vivo Jun-containing complexes derived from overexpression of the highly transforming viral Jun (VJ-1 CEF), the weakly transforming chicken cellular Jun (CJ-3 CEF) or background endogenous Jun (RCAS CEF) was assessed by gel mobility-shift assays using a synthetic oligonucleotide containing the consensus sequence TGACTCA (consensus AP-1). Chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) expressing background c-Jun levels (RCAS CEF) contain almost undetectable levels of c-Jun but retain significant DNA-binding activity with two distinct complexes capable of binding specifically to the consensus AP-1 site. CEFs overexpressing either v-Jun or c-Jun contain these same two complexes and, while showing marked increases in Jun protein levels, do not exhibit any increase in DNA binding or transcriptional activation activity, suggesting that much of the overexpressed protein is inactive. Gel-shift assays performed in the presence of a Jun-specific antibody revealed a reduction in binding by both complexes, suggesting that each contains Jun or a Jun cross-reactive protein. Antibodies specific for Jun B, c-Fos, Fos B and CREB failed to interact with either complex. However, antibody specific for Fra-2 caused a slight supershift, suggesting that one or both complexes may contain Fra-2. Gel-shift competition assays with 16 'AP-1- and CREB-like' target sequences revealed that, within each cell type, the two protein complexes varied in their ability to recognize the mutant target sequences. These results clearly indicate differences in potential target recognition by each specific in vivo complex, and suggest that each may preferentially bind its own subset of target DNAs. In addition, a comparison of binding by individual complexes derived from CEFs overexpressing v-Jun and c-Jun also revealed differences in target recognition. Thus, in vivo complexes formed by overexpression of v-Jun and c-Jun vary in their ability to recognize and bind to a number of 'AP-1- and CREB-like' target sequences. This has important implications with regard to the mechanisms involved in cell transformation by v-Jun.

Transformation by Jun: requirement for leucine zipper, basic region and transactivation domain and enhancement by Fos

Mutants in the leucine zipper and basic regions of mouse c-jun were tested for transformation in chicken embryo fibroblast cultures. Reduction or elimination of the ability of Jun to dimerize or to bind to DNA severely decreased transformation. A chicken v-jun gene from which the major transactivation domain was deleted also failed to transform. We conclude that an intact leucine zipper, basic region and transactivation domain are required for Jun-induced oncogenic transformation. Coexpression of chicken c-Fos increased formation of transformed foci by Jun proteins of moderate to low oncogenic potency but had no effect on highly transforming Jun. Chicken c-Fos could also transform chicken embryo fibroblasts on its own, albeit after prolonged culture and at a low efficiency.

Oncogenes and cell growth

In this short overview of oncogenes and cell growth, the protein products have been divided into two classes, proto-oncogenes and oncogenes. Proto-oncogenes can be activated by point mutations and deletions. Two classes exist: the dominant, which leads to cell growth and the suppressor, which by definition suppresses growth. The mechanism of action is multiplex--duplication of hormone action, resemblance to receptors, or kinases and DNA binding proteins. It is clear that the regulation of cell growth and differentiation is very complex and that the products of proto-oncogenes play important roles in this regulation. Their functions appear to be at two levels. The first level is that of transduction of signals to the nucleus where the signals can be acted upon. The second is at the level of specific gene regulation, where incoming signals are turned into a response by the cell through activation of specific genetic programs. Nuclear proto-oncogene products play intimate roles in activation of these programs. The nature of the specific target genes regulated in response to these oncogene and proto-oncogene products however, remains a critical area of intensive research.

Jun inhibits myogenic differentiation

Myoblasts from skeletal muscle of chicken or Japanese quail embryos were infected with avian sarcoma virus 17 (ASV-17), a retrovirus carrying the jun oncogene. At high multiplicities of infection ASV-17-induced morphologic transformation inhibited fusion of myoblasts into myotubes and stimulated extended replication. The expression of the muscle-specific proteins desmin, myosin and creatine phosphokinase was inhibited in ASV-17-infected cultures. Immunofluorescent staining detected strong expression of the ASV-17 Gag-Jun fusion protein in the nuclei of infected mononuclear myoblasts, but Gag-Jun was not detectable in multinucleated myotubes that occurred in clonal populations of ASV-17-infected quail myoblasts. This result suggests that the nuclear expression of viral jun and myogenic differentiation are mutually exclusive events. A mutant of ASV-17, ts jun-1, is partly temperature-sensitive in its ability to transform chicken embryo fibroblasts. At the non-permissive temperature of 41.5 degrees C, multinucleated myotubes readily formed in ts jun-1-infected myoblast cultures and expressed muscle-specific proteins detectable by immunofluorescent staining. These myotubes also showed strong immunofluorescent staining for Gag-Jun in the cell nuclei. The nuclear expression of a Jun protein that is defective in its transforming function appears therefore to be compatible with myogenesis. Several retroviral constructs carrying various viral and cellular jun inserts, as well as jun deletion mutants and recombinants between c-jun and v-jun, were tested for their effect on myogenic differentiation. There was an approximate correlation between the ability of a construct to transform chicken embryo fibroblasts and its effectiveness in interfering with myogenic differentiation. We conclude that the expression of an oncogenic jun gene in myoblasts strongly inhibits myogenic differentiation, and that a highly transforming Jun protein cannot be expressed in the nuclei of differentiating myotubes, while the presence of transformation-defective variants of Jun is compatible with differentiation.

Efficient transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts by c-Jun requires structural modification in coding and noncoding sequences

To assess the transforming capability of the c-Jun protein, we introduced the chicken c-jun proto-oncogene into a replication competent avian retroviral expression vector (RCAS). Viral Jun efficiently transformed chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) when expressed from this vector. Overexpression of c-Jun leads to transformation of CEFs with an efficiency that is 15- to 25-fold less than that seen for v-Jun, suggesting that v-Jun contains structural features that increase its oncogenic potential relative to c-Jun. There are four structural differences between v-Jun and c-Jun. To determine the relative contribution that each of these structural differences between v-Jun and c-Jun has on oncogenic activity, several deletion and substitution mutants were constructed. Each of these mutants was expressed in CEF and assayed for transformation by focus formation. Analysis of the results reveals that deletion of a region of 27 amino acids near the amino terminus of c-Jun and deletion of 3'-untranslated sequences are critical in activating the full oncogenic potential of Jun.

The oncogene jun and nuclear signalling

Jun is a transcription factor that can also induce oncogenic transformation. Its DNA-binding domain is conserved from yeast to man and shows homology to several other transcriptional regulators. Jun dimerizes with the fos protein through an alpha-helical domain termed the leucine zipper, and the jun-fos heterodimers bind to DNA and regulate transcription of numerous specific unlinked genes.

Enhanced jun gene expression is an early genomic response to transforming growth factor beta stimulation

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) is a multifunctional polypeptide that regulates proliferation, differentiation, and other functions of many cell types. The pathway of TGF beta signal transduction in cells is unknown. We report here that an early effect of TGF beta is an enhancement of the expression of two genes encoding serum- and phorbol ester tumor promoter-regulated transcription factors: the junB gene and the c-jun proto-oncogene, respectively. This stimulation was observed in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells which were growth inhibited by TGF beta, AKR-2B mouse embryo fibroblasts which were growth stimulated by TGF beta, and K562 human erythroleukemia cells, which were not appreciably affected in their growth by TGF beta. The increase in jun mRNA occurred with picomolar TGF beta concentrations within 1 h of TGF beta stimulation, reached a peak between 1 and 5 h in different cells, and declined gradually to base-line levels. This mRNA response was followed by a large increase in the biosynthesis of the c-jun protein (AP-1), as shown by metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation analysis. However, differential and cell type-specific regulation appeared to determine the timing and magnitude of the response of each jun gene in a given cell. In AKR-2B and NIH 3T3 cells, only junB was induced by TGF beta, evidently in a protein synthesis-independent fashion. The junB response to TGF beta was maintained in c-Ha-ras and neu oncogene-transformed cells. Thus, one of the earliest genomic responses to TGF beta may involve nuclear signal transduction and amplification by the junB and c-jun transcription factors in concert with c-fos, which is also induced. The differential activation of the jun genes may explain some of the pleiotropic effects of TGF beta.

The carboxy terminus of the viral Jun oncoprotein is required for complex formation with the cellular Fos protein

The products of the proto-oncogenes c-jun and c-fos are known to form a complex in vivo. Complex formation appears to stabilize protein-DNA interactions and is thought to play an important functional role in transcriptional regulation. Here we show that the viral Jun oncoprotein, which differs structurally from cellular Jun, is also capable of complex formation with Fos. Thus the oncogenic potency of viral Jun is unlikely to be due to an altered affinity for Fos. We have also defined, by deletion analysis, the domain of v-Jun responsible for complex formation to reside in the carboxy terminus encompassing the leucine zipper motif. We find that complex formation with c-Fos does not occur with v-Jun deletions affecting one or more leucine residues in the zipper domain. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the leucine zipper mediates Jun-Fos interaction.

Interaction of cellular factors related to the Jun oncoprotein with the promoter of a replication-dependent hamster histone H3.2 gene

The promoter region of a replication-dependent histone H3.2 gene contains a putative DNA binding site for the Jun oncoprotein within a 32-nucleotide regulatory domain. The hamster sequence differs by one nucleotide from the AP-1 consensus sequence found in several promoters responsive to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. We have identified the factors interacting with this region as 42- and 45-kDa proteins by DNA affinity chromatography, immunoblotting, and UV crosslinking. These proteins, which are candidates for conferring high-level expression to the histone promoter, share an antigenic epitope with the DNA-binding domain of Jun but diverge from it at the amino terminus. The interaction of these proteins with the promoter of a replication-dependent cellular gene provides evidence that members of the Jun oncoprotein family may play specific roles in the expression of genes essential for progression of the cell cycle.

Fos-associated protein p39 is the product of the jun proto-oncogene

The Fos protein complex and several Fos-related antigens (FRA) bind specifically to a sequence element referred to as the HeLa cell activator protein 1 (AP-1) binding site. A combination of structural and immunological comparisons has identified the Fos-associated protein (p39) as the protein product of the jun proto-oncogene (c-Jun). The p39/Jun protein is one of the major polypeptides identified in AP-1 oligonucleotide affinity chromatography extracts of cellular proteins. These preparations of AP-1 also contain Fos and several FRA's. Some of these proteins bind to the AP-1 site directly whereas others, like Fos, appear to bind indirectly via protein-protein interactions. Cell-surface stimulation results in an increase in c-fos and c-jun products. Thus, the products of two protooncogenes (and several related proteins), induced by extracellular stimuli, form a complex that associates with transcriptional control elements containing AP-1 sites, thereby potentially mediating the long-term responses to signals that regulate growth control and development.

v-jun encodes a nuclear protein with enhancer binding properties of AP-1

The jun oncogene of ASV17 is expressed as a 65 kd protein (p65gag-jun) that contains partial gag sequences at its amino terminus fused to jun sequences that make up the carboxy terminal two-thirds of the molecule. As a first step toward evaluating potential functional differences between the activated oncogene, v-jun, and its cellular counterpart, c-jun, we have characterized the biochemical properties of the gag-jun product of ASV17. Immunofluorescence studies revealed that the v-jun protein is localized in the nucleus of CEF transfected with ASV17 DNA. DNAase I foot-printing analysis indicates that p65gag-jun synthesized in bacteria binds to enhancer elements in SV40 that are recognition sites for the human transcription factor AP-1. Analysis of point mutants confirmed that v-jun protein binds with DNA sequence specificity of the mammalian enhancer factor AP-1 and the yeast transcription factor GCN4. These findings suggest that activation of the jun oncogene may not exclusively be the result of alterations in the DNA binding properties of the normal cellular protein.

Human proto-oncogene c-jun encodes a DNA binding protein with structural and functional properties of transcription factor AP-1

Nuclear oncogene products have the potential to induce alterations in gene regulation leading to the genesis of cancer. The biochemical mechanisms by which nuclear oncoproteins act remain unknown. Recently, an oncogene, v-jun, was found to share homology with the DNA binding domain of a yeast transcription factor, GCN4. Furthermore, GCN4 and the phorbol ester-inducible enhancer binding protein, AP-1, recognize very similar DNA sequences. The human proto-oncogene c-jun has now been isolated, and the deduced amino acid sequence indicates more than 80 percent identity with v-jun. Expression of cloned c-jun in bacteria produced a protein with sequence-specific DNA binding properties identical to AP-1. Antibodies raised against two distinct peptides derived from v-jun reacted specifically with human AP-1. In addition, partial amino acid sequence of purified AP-1 revealed tryptic peptides in common with the c-jun protein. The structural and functional similarities between the c-jun product and the enhancer binding protein suggest that AP-1 may be encoded by c-jun. These findings demonstrate that the proto-oncogene product of c-jun interacts directly with specific target DNA sequences to regulate gene expression, and therefore it may now be possible to identify genes under the control of c-jun that affect cell growth and neoplasia.

Avian sarcoma virus 17 carries the jun oncogene

Biologically active molecular clones of avian sarcoma virus 17 (ASV 17) contain a replication-defective proviral genome of 3.5 kilobases (kb). The genome retains partial gag and env sequences, which flank a cell-derived putative oncogene of 0.93 kb, termed jun. The jun gene lacks preserved coding domains of tyrosine-specific protein kinases. It also shows no significant nucleic acid homology with other known oncogenes. The probable transformation-specific protein in ASV 17-transformed cells is a 55-kDa gag-jun fusion product.

Homology between the DNA-binding domain of the GCN4 regulatory protein of yeast and the carboxyl-terminal region of a protein coded for by the oncogene jun

The product of the recently described oncogene jun shows significant amino acid sequence homology with the GCN4 yeast transcriptional activator protein. The similarity is restricted to the 66 carboxyl-terminal amino acids, thought to be the DNA-binding domain of the GCN4 protein. In these alpha-helix-permissive regions of the jun and GCN4 products there is also a lesser but still significant amino acid resemblance to the fos protein and a marginal degree of similarity to myc proteins. The amino acid sequence homology between GCN4 and jun gene products suggests that the jun protein may bind to DNA in a sequence-specific way and exert a regulatory function.

Identification of defects in the neuraminidase gene of four temperature-sensitive mutants of A/WSN/33 influenza virus

Four influenza (A/WSN/33) mutants, temperature sensitive (ts) for neuraminidase (NA) (Sugiura et al., 1972, 1975) were analyzed. All four ts mutants were found to be defective at the nonpermissive temperature (39.5 degrees) both in enzymatic activity and in transport to the cell surface. Upon shift down to the permissive temperature (33 degrees), enzymatic activity and transport to the cell surface were both restored suggesting that the mutational defect is reversible. Comparative sequence analysis of the NA gene from ts mutants, their revertants and wild type WSN viruses revealed that in each case single point mutations causing amino acid substitutions were associated with the ts defect. The positions of each point mutation when mapped in the three-dimensional structure of NA varied. However, all four amino acid substitutions were located in beta-sheet strands of the head region. Several other amino acid changes not essential for the ts phenotype were found in each mutant NA. The nonessential changes were localized either in the stalk region or in the loop structures of the head, but none in the beta-sheet strands. Because both enzymatic activity and transport of NA were affected in all four mutants, we propose that the mutational phenotype is caused by a change in overall conformation rather than a localized change in the sialic acid binding site.

Biological and immunological properties of haemagglutinin and neuraminidase expressed from cloned cDNAs in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

To study the biological and immunological properties of influenza virus surface glycoproteins, cDNA copies of the haemagglutinin (HA) and the neuraminidase (NA) genes of A/WSN/33 influenza virus were cloned and expressed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In Escherichia coli, maximum expression of HA is obtained only as a fusion protein in which the NH2-terminal portion is provided by a bacterial protein (i.e. beta gal or trpLE'). The HA expressed in bacteria (bacterial HA) is recognized by polyclonal anti-WSN antibodies but not by neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The antibodies made against the bacterial HA bind to the detergent-treated viral HA, intact virus and live influenza infected cells, but fail to show either haemagglutination inhibition (HI) or virus neutralization. These results suggest that the three-dimensional structure as well as the antigenic epitopes of the bacterial HA are different from that of native viral HA. HA, expressed from cDNA in cultured animal cells, is shown to possess the structural features of the native viral HA. It is glycosylated, transported to the apical domain of the plasma membrane of polarized cells, causes haemadsorption and can induce cell to cell fusion at low pH after proteolytic cleavage. An attempt was made to define the structural features of HA required for sorting and directional transport by making chimeras with vesicular stomatitis virus G (VSV G) proteins either by switching the amino terminus or the carboxy terminus of HA with that of VSV G. These chimeric proteins were translocated across the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) but were blocked in transport between the RER and cell membrane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Surface expression of influenza virus neuraminidase, an amino-terminally anchored viral membrane glycoprotein, in polarized epithelial cells

We have investigated the site of surface expression of the neuraminidase (NA) glycoprotein of influenza A virus, which, in contrast to the hemagglutinin, is bound to membranes by hydrophobic residues near the NH2-terminus. Madin-Darby canine kidney or primary African green monkey kidney cells infected with influenza A/WSN/33 virus and subsequently labeled with monoclonal antibody to the NA and then with a colloidal gold- or ferritin-conjugated second antibody exhibited specific labeling of apical surfaces. Using simian virus 40 late expression vectors, we also studied the surface expression of the complete NA gene (SNC) and a truncated NA gene (SN10) in either primary or a polarized continuous line (MA104) of African green monkey kidney cells. The polypeptides encoded by the cloned NA cDNAs were expressed on the surface of both cell types. Analysis of [3H]mannose-labeled polypeptides from recombinant virus-infected MA104 cells showed that the products of cloned NA cDNA comigrated with glycosylated NA from influenza virus-infected cells. Both the complete and the truncated glycoproteins were found to be preferentially expressed on apical plasma membranes, as detected by immunogold labeling. These results indicate that the NA polypeptide contains structural features capable of directing the transport of the protein to apical cell surfaces and the first 10 amino-terminal residues of the NA polypeptide are not involved in this process.

NH2-terminal hydrophobic region of influenza virus neuraminidase provides the signal function in translocation

Influenza virus neuraminidase (NA), unlike the majority of integral membrane proteins, does not contain a cleavable signal sequence. It contains an NH2-terminal hydrophobic domain that functions as an anchor. We have investigated the signal function for translocation of this NH2-terminal hydrophobic domain of NA by constructing chimeric cDNA clones in which the DNA coding for the first 40 NH2-terminal hydrophobic amino acids of NA was joined to the DNA coding for the signal-minus hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus. The chimeric HA (N4OH) containing the NH2 terminus of NA was expressed in CV1 cells by using a simian virus 40 late-expression vector. The chimeric HA is synthesized, translocated into the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and glycosylated, whereas HA lacking the signal sequence is present only in small amounts and is unglycosylated. These results clearly show that the NH2 terminus of NA, in addition to its anchor function, also provides the signal function in translocation. However, the acquisition of complex oligosaccharides and the transport of N4OH to the cell surface are greatly retarded. To determine if the presence of two anchor sequences, one provided by NA at the NH2 terminus and the other provided by HA at the COOH terminus of N4OH, was responsible for the slow transport, the NH2 terminus of NA was fused to an "anchorless" HA. The resulting chimeric HA (N4OH482) contains the hydrophobic domain of NA at the NH2 terminus but lacks the HA anchor at the COOH terminus. N4OH482 was synthesized and glycosylated; however, as with N4OH, the acquisition of complex oligosaccharides and the migration to the cell surface are greatly retarded. Immunofluorescence data also support that, compared to the native HA, only a small amount of chimeric HA proteins is transported to the cell surface. Thus, the hydrophobic NH2 terminus of NA, although capable of providing the signal function in translocation across the rough endoplasmic reticulum, interferes with the transport of the chimeric HA to the cell surface.

Active influenza virus neuraminidase is expressed in monkey cells from cDNA cloned in simian virus 40 vectors

We have replaced the late genes of simian virus 40 (SV40) with a cloned cDNA copy of the neuraminidase (NA; EC 3.2.1.18) gene of the WSN (H1N1) strain of human influenza virus. When the SV40-NA recombinant virus was complemented in a lytic infection of monkey cells with a helper virus containing an early region deletion mutant, influenza NA was expressed and readily detected by immunofluorescence as well as by immunoprecipitation of in vivo labeled proteins with monoclonal antibodies against NA. In addition, the expressed NA exhibited enzymatic activity by cleaving the sialic acid residue from alpha-2,3-sialyllactitol. The expressed protein was glycosylated and transported to the cell surface, and it possessed the same molecular weight as the NA of WSN virus grown in monkey cells. Because the structure of NA is quite different from that of other integral membrane proteins and includes an anchoring region at the NH2 terminus consisting of hydrophobic amino acids, we also constructed deletion mutants of NA in this region. Replacement of DNA coding for the first 10 NH2-terminal amino acids with SV40 and linker sequences had no apparent effect on NA expression, glycosylation, transport to the cell surface, or enzymatic activity. However, further deletion of NA DNA encoding the first 26 amino acids abolished NA expression. These data suggest that the hydrophobic NH2-terminal region is multifunctional and is important in biosynthesis and translocation of NA across the membrane as well as in anchoring the protein.

Cycloheximide stimulation of cyanide-resistant respiration in suspension cultures of senescent pear fruit cells

Pear fruit cells undergoing a period of senescence in auxin-deprived media develop a substantial cyanide resistant respiration in response to the addition of 0.7 to 3.5 micromolar cycloheximide. The inhibitor does not affect overall cellular repiratory activity and titrations with salicylhydroxamic acid reveal that only a minor portion, about 10%, of the alternate pathway is utilized by the cycloheximide-treated senescent cells. The alternate respiratory pathway appears to be of mitochondrial origin but is not induced by chloramphenicol.