Fragmentation of a mollusc haemocyanin with plasmin and immunological identification of the fragments.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Gullick WJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1163051 | biostudies-other | 1981 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Project description:mRNA from two molluscs, the snail Levantina hierosolima and the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis, and one arthropod, the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus, were found to contain species that hybridize with an oligodeoxynucleotide sequence corresponding to the six-amino-acid sequence His-His-Trp-His-Trp-His postulated to carry binuclear copper in arthropod haemocyanins. The duplexes formed between the oligodeoxynucleotide and mRNA from Leiurus and Levantina had similar 'melting' temperatures, namely 46.5 and 44.5 degrees C respectively. The hybridizable mRNA species were identified with mRNA that codes for haemocyanin, Hc mRNA. Electrophoresis under denaturing conditions of Leiurus Hc mRNA gave a single band corresponding to 2.3 kb (kilobases), consistent with the value of 75 000 reported for the Mr of the polypeptide chain of arthropod haemocyanin. Electrophoresis of mollusc Hc mRNA yielded RNA bands corresponding to 9.4, 6.7, 4.0 and 1.7 kb for Levantina and 9.5, 2.8 and 1.7 kb for Sepia. The 9.4 and 9.5 kb species represent authentic Hc mRNA and are consistent with an Mr of 350 000 for molluscan haemocyanin polypeptide chain. The faster-moving RNA bands are attributed to Hc mRNA cleavage by nucleases during isolation of mRNA. Analysis of the electrophoretic band pattern indicates a multi-unit structure for mollusc Hc mRNA.
| S-EPMC1153012 | biostudies-other
Project description:We describe a new method, which identifies protein fragments for soluble expression in Escherichia coli from a randomly fragmented gene library. Inhibition of E. coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) by trimethoprim (TMP) prevents growth, but this can be relieved by murine DHFR (mDHFR). Bacterial strains expressing mDHFR fusions with the soluble proteins green fluroscent protein (GFP) or EphB2 (SAM domain) displayed markedly increased growth rates with TMP compared to strains expressing insoluble EphB2 (TK domain) or ketosteroid isomerase (KSI). Therefore, mDHFR is affected by the solubility of fusion partners and can act as a reporter of soluble protein expression. Random fragment libraries of the transcription factor Fli1 were generated by deoxyuridine incorporation and endonuclease V cleavage. The fragments were cloned upstream of mDHFR and TMP resistant clones expressing soluble protein were identified. These were found to cluster around the DNA binding ETS domain. A selected Fli1 fragment was expressed independently of mDHFR and was judged to be correctly folded by various biophysical methods including NMR. Soluble fragments of the cell-surface receptor Pecam1 were also identified. This genetic selection method was shown to generate expression clones useful for both structural studies and antibody generation and does not require a priori knowledge of domain architecture.
| S-EPMC2396403 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The haemocyanin from the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis was digested with proteolytic enzymes under conditions where it existed as whole (native) molecules (mol.wt. approx. 9 X 10(6)), or as one-tenth molecules. Digestion of whole molecules yielded a fragment of mol.wt. approx. 110,000 believed to correspond to the 'collar' of the molecule, and an aggregate some 20--30 times the size of the original native molecule formed by end-to-end polymerization of the molecule after removal of the collar. Digestion of one-tenth molecules yielded a mixture of products that could be separated into three fractions by gel filtration. Analysis of these by sodium dodecylsulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis revealed that they typically contained two or three components. The collar fragment was present as a component of the intermediate-molecular-weight fraction, and it dissociated on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gels to give two bands corresponding to apparent mol.wts. 65,000 and 60,000. The c.d. spectra of the separated fractions were recorded and fitted with Gaussian curves by a computer procedure. The fractions each possessed distinct c.d. spectra, by which they could be identified: the collar-fragment c.d. and absorption spectra showed the most striking differences compared with those of the other fragments. The results were interpreted in terms of the postulated existence, within the haemocyanin molecule, of multi-domain structures, each comprising a single polypeptide chain of mol.wt. 200,000--300,000.
| S-EPMC1186668 | biostudies-other
Project description:Purpose:Sipunculus nudus is a marine organism with high application value, and the fibrinolytic enzyme (SNFE) extracted from the visceral homogenate has been proved to have an antithrombotic effect by experiments. MicroRNAs(MiRNAs) play an important role in the molecular mechanisms related to plasmin. However, the research on plasmin-related miRNA of Sipunculus nudus is relatively rare. Methods:In this paper, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence and analyze the small RNA and transcriptome of Sipunculus nudus. Conclusion:After data analysis, 198 known miRNAs were identified and 46 new miRNAs were predicted, followed by statistical analysis of miRNA base preference. At the same time, 76 miRNAs differentially expressed in different tissues were found, and a total of 76 known and new miRNAs were predicted for target genes, from which 7,161 candidate target genes were obtained. In addition, we found that six plasmin-related target genes were significantly annotated with 28 GO terms, and three plasmin-related target genes were rich in eight KEGG biological pathways. Finally, four joint regulatory networks including four candidate target genes, 32 differentially expressed miRNA and related proteins were constructed according to the four related species, and it was found that there existed interactions between the candidate target genes Cluster-15745.8440 and Cluster-3821.0 with unclear mechanisms.This study will provide a reference for in-depth exploration of the regulatory relationship between the plasmin-related genes and miRNA in Sipunculus nudus and understanding the molecular mechanisms related to plasmin in Sipunculus nudus.
2022-06-30 | GSE179287 | GEO
Project description:RationaleCurrent thrombolytic agents activate plasminogen to plasmin which triggers fibrinolysis to dissolve thrombi. Since plasmin is a nonspecific proteolytic enzyme, all of the current plasmin-dependent thrombolytics lead to serious hemorrhagic complications, demanding a new class of fibrinolytic enzymes independent from plasmin activation and undesirable side effects. We speculated that the mammalian version of bacterial heat-shock proteins could selectively degrade intravascular thrombi, a typical example of a highly aggregated protein mixture.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to identify enzymes that can dissolve intravascular thrombi specifically without affecting fibrinogen and fibronectin so that the wound healing processes remain uninterrupted and tissues are not damaged. In this study, HtrA (high-temperature requirement A) proteins were tested for its specific proteolytic activity on intravascular thrombi independently from plasmin activation.Methods and resultsHtrA1 and HtrA2/Omi proteins, collectively called as HtrAs, lysed ex vivo blood thrombi by degrading fibrin polymers. The thrombolysis by HtrAs was plasmin-independent and specific to vascular thrombi without causing the systemic activation of plasminogen and preventing nonspecific proteolysis of other proteins including fibrinogen and fibronectin. As expected, HtrAs did not disturb clotting and wound healing of excised wounds from mouse skin. It was further confirmed in a tail bleeding and a rebleeding assay that HtrAs allowed normal clotting and maintenance of clot stability in wounds, unlike other thrombolytics. Most importantly, HtrAs completely dissolved blood thrombi in tail thrombosis mice, and the intravenous injection of HtrAs to mice with pulmonary embolism completely dissolved intravascular thrombi and thus rescued thromboembolism.ConclusionsHere, we identified HtrA1 and HtrA2/Omi as plasmin-independent and highly specific thrombolytics that can dissolve intravascular thrombi specifically without bleeding risk. This work is the first report of a plasmin-independent thrombolytic pathway, providing HtrA1 and HtrA2/Omi as ideal therapeutic candidates for various thrombotic diseases without hemorrhagic complications.
| S-EPMC7861503 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Neuropeptides, as pervasive intercellular signaling molecules in the CNS, modulate a variety of behavioral systems in both protostomes and deuterostomes. Allatostatins are neuropeptides in arthropods that inhibit the biosynthesis of juvenile hormones. Based on amino acid sequences, they are divided into three different types in arthropods: allatostatin A, allatostatin B, allatostatin C. Allatostatin C (AstC) was first isolated from Manduca sexta, and it has an important conserved feature of a disulfide bridge formed by two cysteine residues. Moreover, AstC appears to be the ortholog of mammalian somatostatin, and it has functions in common with somatostatin, such as modulating feeding behaviors. The AstC signaling system has been widely studied in arthropods, but minimally studied in molluscs. In this study, we seek to identify the AstC signaling system in the marine mollusc Aplysia californica. We cloned the AstC precursor from the cDNA of Aplysia. We predicted a 15-amino acid peptide with a disulfide bridge, i.e., AstC, using NeuroPred. We then cloned two putative allatostatin C-like receptors and through NCBI Conserved Domain Search we found that they belonged to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. In addition, using an inositol monophosphate 1 (IP1) accumulation assay, we showed that Aplysia AstC could activate one of the putative receptors, i.e., the AstC-R, at the lowest EC50, and AstC without the disulfide bridge (AstC') activated AstC-R with the highest EC50. Moreover, four molluscan AstCs with variations of sequences from Aplysia AstC but with the disulfide bridge activated AstC-R at intermediate EC50. In summary, our successful identification of the Aplysia AstC precursor and its receptor (AstC-R) represents the first example in molluscs, and provides an important basis for further studies of the AstC signaling system in Aplysia and other molluscs.
| S-EPMC8786951 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Total RNA was isolated from cyanoblast-containing tissue taken from behind the compound eye of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus. Poly(A)-containing RNA separated from this by affinity chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose was translated in the rabbit reticulocyte haemolysate system in the presence of L-[35S]methionine. By using an antiserum to Limulus haemocyanin, polypeptides were isolated from the translation products which had a similar mobility to the authentic Limulus haemocyanin polypeptides as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis.
| S-EPMC1163044 | biostudies-other
Project description:Top-down mass spectrometry (TD-MS) of intact proteins results in fragment ions that can be correlated to the protein primary sequence. Fragments generated can either be terminal fragments that contain the N- or C-terminus or internal fragments that contain neither termini. Traditionally in TD-MS experiments, the generation of internal fragments has been avoided because of ambiguity in assigning these fragments. Here, we demonstrate that in TD-MS experiments internal fragments can be formed and assigned in collision-based, electron-based, and photon-based fragmentation methods and are rich with sequence information, allowing for a greater extent of the primary protein sequence to be explained. For the three test proteins cytochrome c, myoglobin, and carbonic anhydrase II, the inclusion of internal fragments in the analysis resulted in approximately 15-20% more sequence coverage, with no less than 85% sequence coverage obtained. Combining terminal fragment and internal fragment assignments results in near complete protein sequence coverage. Hence, by including both terminal and internal fragment assignments in TD-MS analysis, deep protein sequence analysis, allowing for the localization of modification sites more reliably, can be possible.
| S-EPMC9090460 | biostudies-literature
Project description:High-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) separates glycopeptides in the gas phase prior to mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, thus offering the potential to analyze glycopeptides without prior enrichment. Several studies have demonstrated the ability of FAIMS to enhance glycopeptide detection but have primarily focused on N-glycosylation. Here, we evaluated FAIMS for O-glycoprotein and mucin-domain glycoprotein analysis using samples of varying complexity. We demonstrated that FAIMS was useful in increasingly complex samples as it allowed for the identification of more glycosylated species. However, during our analyses, we observed a phenomenon called "in FAIMS fragmentation" (IFF) akin to in source fragmentation but occurring during FAIMS separation. FAIMS experiments showed a 2- to 5-fold increase in spectral matches from IFF compared with control experiments. These results were also replicated in previously published data, indicating that this is likely a systemic occurrence when using FAIMS. Our study highlights that although there are potential benefits to using FAIMS separation, caution must be exercised in data analysis because of prevalent IFF, which may limit its applicability in the broader field of O-glycoproteomics.
| S-EPMC10523363 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundOctopods have successfully colonised the world's oceans from the tropics to the poles. Yet, successful persistence in these habitats has required adaptations of their advanced physiological apparatus to compensate impaired oxygen supply. Their oxygen transporter haemocyanin plays a major role in cold tolerance and accordingly has undergone functional modifications to sustain oxygen release at sub-zero temperatures. However, it remains unknown how molecular properties evolved to explain the observed functional adaptations. We thus aimed to assess whether natural selection affected molecular and structural properties of haemocyanin that explains temperature adaptation in octopods.ResultsAnalysis of 239 partial sequences of the haemocyanin functional units (FU) f and g of 28 octopod species of polar, temperate, subtropical and tropical origin revealed natural selection was acting primarily on charge properties of surface residues. Polar octopods contained haemocyanins with higher net surface charge due to decreased glutamic acid content and higher numbers of basic amino acids. Within the analysed partial sequences, positive selection was present at site 2545, positioned between the active copper binding centre and the FU g surface. At this site, methionine was the dominant amino acid in polar octopods and leucine was dominant in tropical octopods. Sites directly involved in oxygen binding or quaternary interactions were highly conserved within the analysed sequence.ConclusionsThis study has provided the first insight into molecular and structural mechanisms that have enabled octopods to sustain oxygen supply from polar to tropical conditions. Our findings imply modulation of oxygen binding via charge-charge interaction at the protein surface, which stabilize quaternary interactions among functional units to reduce detrimental effects of high pH on venous oxygen release. Of the observed partial haemocyanin sequence, residue 2545 formed a close link between the FU g surface and the active centre, suggesting a role as allosteric binding site. The prevalence of methionine at this site in polar octopods, implies regulation of oxygen affinity via increased sensitivity to allosteric metal binding. High sequence conservation of sites directly involved in oxygen binding indicates that functional modifications of octopod haemocyanin rather occur via more subtle mechanisms, as observed in this study.
| S-EPMC4491423 | biostudies-literature