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A new split-luciferase complementation assay identifies pentachlorophenol as an inhibitor of apoptosome formation.

ABSTRACT: The expense and time required for in vivo reproductive and developmental toxicity studies have driven the development of in vitro alternatives. Here, we used a new in vitro split luciferase-based assay to screen a library of 177 toxicants for inhibitors of apoptosome formation. The apoptosome contains seven Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor-1 (Apaf-1) molecules and induces cell death by activating caspase-9. Apaf-1-dependent caspase activation also plays an important role in CNS development and spermatogenesis. In the in vitro assay, Apaf-1 fused to an N-terminal fragment of luciferase binds to Apaf-1 fused to a C-terminal fragment of luciferase and reconstitutes luciferase activity. Our assay indicated that pentachlorophenol (PCP) inhibits apoptosome formation, and further investigation revealed that PCP binds to cytochrome c. PCP is a wood preservative that reduces male fertility by ill-defined mechanisms. Although the data show that PCP inhibited apoptosome formation, the concentration required suggests that other mechanisms may be more important for PCP's effects on spermatogenesis. Nonetheless, the data demonstrate the utility of the new assay in identifying apoptosome inhibitors, and we suggest that the assay may be useful in screening for reproductive and developmental toxicants.

SUBMITTER: Tashakor A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6609562 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A new split-luciferase complementation assay identifies pentachlorophenol as an inhibitor of apoptosome formation.

Tashakor Amin A H-Dehkordi Mahshid M O'Connell Enda E Gomez Ganau Sergi S Gozalbes Rafael R Eriksson Leif A LA Hosseinkhani Saman S Fearnhead Howard O HO

FEBS open bio 20190529 7

The expense and time required for in vivo reproductive and developmental toxicity studies have driven the development of in vitro alternatives. Here, we used a new in vitro split luciferase-based assay to screen a library of 177 toxicants for inhibitors of apoptosome formation. The apoptosome contains seven Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor-1 (Apaf-1) molecules and induces cell death by activating caspase-9. Apaf-1-dependent caspase activation also plays an important role in CNS development a ...[more]

PMID: 31033240

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Project description:BackgroundIP3-induced Ca2+ release, mediated by IP3R, is one of the most momentous cellular signaling mechanisms that regulate in a wide variety of essential cellular functions. Involvement of disrupted IP3 signaling pathways in numerous pathophysiology conditions is implicated to find the best methods for its measurement. Hence, several different biosensors have developed to monitor temporal changes of IP3 by using the IP3-binding domain of IP3 receptors.ObjectivesBased on a previous study, we developed and characterized a series of bioluminescent biosensors using the human type-II IP3 receptor ligand binding domain (residues 1-604), named LAIRE (luminescent analyzer for IP3 receptor element) to study the effect of flexible and rigid linkers on the luminescence intensity of split luciferase. The effect of a mutation in IP3 binding residues and suppressor domain in the IP3 binding domain on luciferase complementary assay is also investigated.Materials and methodsIn the present study, first IP3-binding domain (residues 1-604) of IP3-receptor type 2 (LAIRE) was fused between complementary non-functional fragments of firefly luciferase and then the rigid linker sequence (LLRAIEAQQHLL), selected by ProDA database, introduced between Nluc and ligand binding domain and compared with that of the flexible linker ((GGGGS)2) in LAIRE chimera. The IP3-insensitive mutant of the biosensor was constructed using the Stratagene QuikChange® procedure. In order to the analysis of the dynamical movements of selected structures in the large-scale, coarse-graining method of molecular dynamics simulation (1µs) was applied.ResultsAs expected, the flexible linker brings two inactive fragments of luciferase together relative to the rigid linker and leads to complementation of luciferase activity, which is detected using luciferin. However, this conformational flexibility in linker increases background to noise ratio and attenuates fold induction.ConclusionsIt seems that the ligand binding properties of IP3 binding core make it more suitable for the design of biosensor than the ligand binding domain.

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A new split-luciferase complementation assay identifies pentachlorophenol as an inhibitor of apoptosome formation.

Publications

A new split-luciferase complementation assay identifies pentachlorophenol as an inhibitor of apoptosome formation.

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