B-GATA factors are required to repress high-light stress responses in Marchantia polymorpha and Arabidopsis thaliana

GATAs are evolutionarily conserved zinc-finger transcription factors from eukaryotes. In plants, GATAs can be subdivided into four classes, A-D, based on their DNA-binding domain, and into further subclasses based on additional protein motifs. B-GATAs with a so-called leucine-leucine-methionine (LLM)-domain can already be found in algae. In angiosperms, the B-GATA family is expanded and can be subdivided in to LLM- or HAN-domain B-GATAs. Both, the LLM- and the HAN-domain are conserved domains of unknown biochemical function. Interestingly, the B-GATA family in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha and the moss Physcomitrium patens is restricted to one and four family members, respectively. And, in contrast to vascular plants, the bryophyte B-GATAs contain a HAN- as well as an LLM-domain. Here, we characterise mutants of the single B-GATA from Marchantia polymorpha. We reveal that this mutant has defects in thallus growth and in gemma formation. Transcriptomic studies uncover that the B-GATA mutant displays a constitutive high-light (HL) stress response, a phenotype that we then also confirm in mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana LLM-domain B-GATAs, suggesting that the B-GATAs have a protective role towards HL stress.

Aberrant mRNA splicing associated with coding region mutations in children with carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency

This report describes three infants with genetic defects of carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase (CACT), an inner mitochondrial membrane carrier that is essential for long-chain fatty acid oxidation. Two of the patients were of European and Chinese origin; the third was from consanguineous Turkish parents. CACT activity was totally deficient in cultured skin fibroblasts from all three patients. Patient 1 was heterozygous for a paternal frameshift mutation (120 del T in exon 1) and a maternal lariat branch point mutation (-10 T --> G in intron 2). Patient 2 was heterozygous for the same lariat branch point (-10T --> G intron 2) mutation, derived from the father, and a maternal frameshift mutation (362 del G in exon 3). Patient 3 was homozygous for a frameshift mutation (306 del C in exon 3). All of the three frameshift mutations give rise to the same stop codon at amino acid residue 127 which is predicted to cause premature protein truncation. In addition, cDNA transcript analysis showed that these coding sequence mutations also increase the amount of aberrant mRNA splicing and exon skipping at distances up to 7.7 kb nucleotides from mutation sites. The data suggest that the stability of mRNA transcripts is decreased or the frequency of aberrant splicing is increased in the presence of CACT coding sequence mutations. These results confirm that CACT is the genetic locus of the recessive mutations responsible for the fatal defects of fatty acid metabolism previously associated with deficiency of translocase activity in these three cases.

Hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome in children with regulatory mutations in the inhibitory guanosine triphosphate-binding domain of glutamate dehydrogenase

The hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome is a form of congenital hyperinsulinism in which affected children have recurrent symptomatic hypoglycemia together with asymptomatic, persistent elevations of plasma ammonium levels. We have shown that the disorder is caused by dominant mutations of the mitochondrial enzyme, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), that impair sensitivity to the allosteric inhibitor, GTP. In 65 HI/HA probands screened for GDH mutations, we identified 19 (29%) who had mutations in a new domain, encoded by exons 6 and 7. Six new mutations were found: Ser(217)Cys, Arg(221)Cys, Arg(265)Thr, Tyr(266)Cys, Arg(269)Cys, and Arg(269)HIS: In all five mutations tested, lymphoblast GDH showed reduced sensitivity to allosteric inhibition by GTP (IC(50), 60--250 vs. 20--50 nmol/L in normal subjects), consistent with a gain of enzyme function. Studies of ATP allosteric effects on GDH showed a triphasic response with a decrease in high affinity inhibition of enzyme activity in HI/HA lymphoblasts. All of the residues altered by exons 6 and 7 HI/HA mutations lie in the GTP-binding domain of the enzyme. These data confirm the importance of allosteric regulation of GDH as a control site for amino acid-stimulated insulin secretion and indicate that the GTP-binding site is essential for regulation of GDH activity by both GTP and ATP.

Protein-sensitive and fasting hypoglycemia in children with the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Because the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome is associated with gain of function mutations in the leucine-stimulated insulin secretion pathway, we examined whether protein feeding or fasting was responsible for hypoglycemia in affected patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients with HI/HA (8 children and 6 adults) were studied. All had dominantly expressed mutations of glutamate dehydrogenase and plasma concentrations of ammonium that were 2 to 5 times normal. The responses to a 24-hour fasting test were determined in 7 patients. Responses to a 1.5 gm/kg oral protein tolerance test in 12 patients were compared with responses of 5 control subjects.

RESULTS

The median age at onset of hypoglycemia in the 14 patients was 9 months; diagnosis was delayed beyond age 2 years in 6 patients, and 4 were not given a diagnosis until adulthood. Fasting tests revealed unequivocal evidence of hyperinsulinism in only 1 of 7 patients. Three did not develop hypoglycemia until 12 to 24 hours of fasting; however, all 7 demonstrated inappropriate glycemic responses to glucagon that were characteristic of hyperinsulinism. In response to oral protein, all 12 patients with HI/HA showed a fall in blood glucose compared with none of 5 control subjects. Insulin responses to protein loading were similar in the patients with HI/HA and control subjects.

CONCLUSION

The postprandial blood glucose response to a protein meal is more sensitive than prolonged fasting for detecting hypoglycemia in the HI/HA syndrome.

Mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase deficiency: clinical course and description of causal mutations in two patients

Hereditary deficiency of mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase (mHS, OMIM 600234) is a poorly defined, treatable, probably underdiagnosed condition that can cause episodes of severe hypoketotic hypoglycemia. We present clinical follow-up and molecular analysis of the two known mHS-deficient patients. The diagnosis of mHS deficiency is challenging because the symptoms and metabolite pattern are not specific. Moreover, enzyme analysis is technically difficult and requires sampling of an expressing organ such as liver. The patients, now aged 16 and 6 y, have normal development and have had no further decompensations since diagnosis. Patient 1 is homozygous for a phenylalanine-to-leucine substitution at codon 174 (F174L). Interestingly, although the F174 residue is conserved in vertebrate mHS and cytoplasmic HS isozymes, a Leu residue is predicted in the corresponding position of HS-like sequences from Caenorhabditis elegans, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Brassica juncea. Bacterial expression of human F174L-mHS produces a low level of mHS polypeptide with no detectable activity. Similarly, in purified cytoplasmic HS, which in contrast to purified human mHS is stable and can be studied in detail, the corresponding F-->L substitution causes a 10,000-fold decrease in V(max) and a 5-fold reduction in thermal stability. Patient 2 is a genetic compound of a premature termination mutation, R424X, and an as-yet uncharacterized mutant allele that is distinguishable by intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms that we describe. Molecular studies of mHS are useful in patients with a suggestive clinical presentation.

Molecular basis and characterization of the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome: predominance of mutations in exons 11 and 12 of the glutamate dehydrogenase gene. HI/HA Contributing Investigators

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is allosterically activated by the amino acid leucine to mediate protein stimulation of insulin secretion. Children with the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome have symptomatic hypoglycemia plus persistent elevations of plasma ammonium. We have reported that HI/HA may be caused by dominant mutations of GDH that lie in a unique allosteric domain that is encoded within GDH exons 11 and 12. To examine the frequency of mutations in this domain, we screened genomic DNA from 48 unrelated cases with the HI/HA syndrome for exon 11 and 12 mutations in GDH. Twenty-five (52%) had mutations in these exons; 74% of the mutations were sporadic. Clinical manifestations included normal birth weight, late onset of hypoglycemia, diazoxide responsiveness, and protein-sensitive hypoglycemia. Enzymatic studies of lymphoblast GDH in seven of the mutations showed that all had reduced sensitivity to inhibition with GTP, consistent with an increase in enzyme activity. Mutations had little or no effect on enzyme responses to positive allosteric effectors, such as ADP or leucine. Based on the three-dimensional structure of GDH, the mutations may function by impairing the binding of an inhibitory GTP to a domain responsible for the allosteric and cooperativity properties of GDH.

Hyperinsulinism and hyperammonemia in infants with regulatory mutations of the glutamate dehydrogenase gene

BACKGROUND

A new form of congenital hyperinsulinism characterized by hypoglycemia and hyperammonemia was described recently. We hypothesized that this syndrome of hyperinsulinism and hyperammonemia was caused by excessive activity of glutamate dehydrogenase, which oxidizes glutamate to alpha-ketoglutarate and which is a potential regulator of insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells and of ureagenesis in the liver.

METHODS

We measured glutamate dehydrogenase activity in lymphoblasts from eight unrelated children with the hyperinsulinism-hyperammonemia syndrome: six with sporadic cases and two with familial cases. We identified mutations in the glutamate dehydrogenase gene by sequencing glutamate dehydrogenase complementary DNA prepared from lymphoblast messenger RNA. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to express the mutations in COS-7 cells.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of glutamate dehydrogenase to inhibition by guanosine 5'-triphosphate was a quarter of the normal level in the patients with sporadic hyperinsulinism-hyperammonemia syndrome and half the normal level in patients with familial cases and their affected relatives, findings consistent with overactivity of the enzyme. These differences in enzyme insensitivity correlated with differences in the severity of hypoglycemia in the two groups. All eight children were heterozygous for the wild-type allele and had a mutation in the proposed allosteric domain of the enzyme. Four different mutations were identified in the six patients with sporadic cases; the two patients with familial cases shared a fifth mutation. In two clones of COS-7 cells transfected with the mutant sequence from one patient, the sensitivity of the enzyme to guanosine 5'-triphosphate was reduced, findings similar to those in the child's lymphoblasts.

CONCLUSIONS

The hyperinsulinism-hyperammonemia syndrome is caused by mutations in the glutamate dehydrogenase gene that impair the control of enzyme activity.

Sudden neonatal death in carnitine transporter deficiency

A newborn infant died suddenly and unexpectedly on day 5 of life. Postmortem investigations led to a suspicion of carnitine transporter deficiency, a diagnosis supported by the finding that both parents are heterozygotes for this disorder. The fasting stress caused by poor breast-feeding with no formula supplements and, possibly, the vegetarian diet of the mother were likely the critical factors leading to neonatal death, an outcome previously not described in this disorder.

Carnitine effects on coenzyme A profiles in rat liver with hypoglycin inhibition of multiple dehydrogenases

To examine the changes in coenzyme A profile and the possible corrective effects of carnitine supplementation in the genetic disorders of mitochondrial beta-oxidation, we carried out experiments using an inhibitor of multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase enzymes, methylenecyclopropaneacetic acid (MCPA), in rat hepatocytes. MCPA irreversibly inhibited ketone synthesis from straight-chain fatty acids (butyrate, octanoate, palmitate) and branched-chain fatty acids (alpha-ketoisocaproate) with a parallel 70-90% reduction of hepatocyte acetyl-CoA levels. Alone, MCPA or substrates halved free CoA levels to 15% of total CoA and doubled short- and medium-chain acyl-CoA levels to 30% of total CoA. With MCPA plus substrates combined, free CoA levels were 10% of total CoA, and short- and medium-chain acyl-CoA levels were 45% of total CoA. Comparable changes in CoA profiles were found in a patient with a severe genetic defect in beta-oxidation. Neither the suppression of ketogenesis nor the alterations in CoA profiles induced by MCPA inhibition could be corrected by carnitine supplementation.

First prenatal diagnosis of the carnitine transporter defect

We report the first attempt at prenatal diagnosis of the carnitine transporter defect in a fetus at high risk of having the disorder. Analysis of cultured CVS after prolonged culture predicted that the fetus was not affected but might be heterozygous for the carnitine transporter defect, but chromosome 15 satellite DNA markers showed no paternal contribution, suggesting that the CVS cells assayed were of predominantly maternal origin. Subsequent assay of cultured amniocytes predicted that the fetus would be affected, and this was confirmed in the newborn period. We conclude that prenatal diagnosis of the carnitine transporter defect is possible, but where results depend on extended culture of CVS, molecular studies should be performed to confirm genetic contributions from both parents.

Renal brush border membrane lipid composition in Basenji dogs with spontaneous idiopathic Fanconi syndrome

To comprehend the renal defect underlying idiopathic Fanconi syndrome in the Basenji dog, we have focused on delineating the lipid profiles of renal brush border membranes isolated from affected and normal Basenji dogs to establish any physical or compositional changes underlying previously observed transport and membrane-fluidity changes. The lipid composition was studied with respect to total lipid, cholesterol, and phospholipid content, cholesterol to phospholipid ratio, distribution of the major phospholipid classes, and fatty acid composition. Total phospholipid of the isolated renal brush border membranes from Fanconi syndrome dogs analyzed by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance showed no difference compared with that of normal dogs. Examination of total fatty acids in both membranes using gas-liquid chromatography analysis of fatty acid methyl esters showed no difference in the mole percents of the major fatty acids. Our data suggest that changes in bulk membrane fluidity of the Fanconi syndrome dog renal brush border as measured by 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene cannot be attributed to phospholipid and fatty acid compositional change. In the membranes isolated from affected dog kidney, the cholesterol content determined by gas-liquid chromatography analysis was 66 mol% higher than in membranes isolated from normal dog kidney. This correlates with the higher cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio of 0.82 +/- 0.08 in the affected animal as compared with 0.58 +/- 0.04 in the normal. Cholesterol content and its microdomain in the membrane bilayer may be important in modulating transport functions. Increased membrane cholesterol content may affect the conformational motility of membrane transport proteins and thus affect their function.

Membrane fluidity and sodium transport by renal membranes from dogs with spontaneous idiopathic Fanconi syndrome

To comprehend the renal defect underlying the idiopathic Fanconi syndrome in the Basenji dog, we have used isolated renal brush border membrane vesicles to examine two factors that influence membrane nonelectrolyte transport processes, sodium flux and membrane fluidity. We have found that there is no significant difference in the rate of uptake of 100 mmol/L 22Na+ and conclude that the previously observed defects in the sodium gradient-stimulated overshoot of glucose and of proline are not related to an alteration in the flux of sodium at physiological concentrations. Since carrier proteins exist in a lipid milieu, alteration in the physical state of the lipid membrane can determine transport function. Renal brush border preparations from normal and affected animals were studied by measuring fluorescence polarization to assess differences in the physical state of the membranes using the fluorescent probe, DPH, which quantitates inner core membrane fluidity. Membranes from affected dogs consistently showed a higher fluidity as measured by eta, a parameter of DPH fluorescence polarization. Since membrane fluidity is related to lipid composition, the data suggest that there may be an important alteration in the lipids in renal membranes of affected animals.

Characteristics of L-proline and sodium transport in renal brush border membranes isolated from 7-day-old and adult rats

To explore the nature of differences in uptake by renal brush border vesicles from animals of different ages, vesicles were isolated from 7-day old and adult rats by a Mg-aggregation method. A number of criteria were compared in vesicles from the young and mature animals. The vesicles isolated from animals of both ages appear similar on electron microscopy, in response to osmotic changes, and in uptake kinetics for L-glucose. Despite these parameters which indicate no basic differences between the membranes of young and mature kidney, differences in proline and sodium handling are seen. When compared to the uptake pattern seen in vesicles from adult animals, the height of the sodium gradient-stimulated proline overshoot is diminished and sodium entry is faster in vesicles of the 7-day old rats. These are the same differences which were found in vesicles prepared by differential centrifugation from 7-day old animals. In addition, although sodium efflux was faster from vesicles of immature kidney and mirrored the faster sodium entry, proline efflux was slower. The data indicate a dissociation of proline and sodium fluxes in brush borders of the young rat kidney.

Assessment of binding of L-cystine and L-lysine by rat renal brush-border membranes

Cystine and lysine bind to isolated rat renal brush-border vesicles. Three methods to determine the extent of amino acid binding to the membranes have been compared, one relying on the osmotic reactivity of the vesicle, a second by trichloroacetic acid precipitation of membrane-bound material and a third by initial rate analysis. For cystine, all methods yield comparable results at early time points, indicating the trichloroacetic acid method is a simple and valuable tool for binding estimation under initial-rate or near initial-rate conditions. For lysine, initial rate analysis and osmotic perturbation are the methods of choice since lysine co-precipitates with trichloroacetic acid.

Developmental aspects of proline transport in rat renal brush border membranes

Proline uptake by rat renal brush border membrane vesicles from animals 7 days of age and older has been examined to delineate developmental changes in membrane function that may underlie the physiological hyperprolinuria of young animals. Although the two proline transport systems normally present in adult membranes were found in membranes from young animals, the proline "overshoot" resulting from a sodium ion gradient is minimal and increases with age of the animal from which the membranes were isolated. This is associated with a severalfold faster entry of 22Na into vesicles of the 7-day-old animal compared to entry into membranes prepared from adult kidneys. The very rapid dissipation of the sodium gradient thus diminishing the driving force for transmembrane proline movement may explain the changes in proline overshoot observed in membranes from young animals. The altered sodium permeability is consistent with the fact that young animals have a generalized inability to reabsorb other amino acids whose transport is known to be sodium gradient stimulated.

L-cystine transport by papain-treated rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles

In papain-treated rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles, cystine uptake was enhanced under sodium gradient conditions. This effect was not observed when sodium was equilibrated across the vesicle membrane or when sodium was completely absent from the incubation medium. The increased rate of cystine uptake occurred within the first two minutes of incubation and coincided with the period of increased flux of sodium known to occur after papain treatment. Under sodium gradient conditions, the Vmax of cystine uptake by treated vesicles was 65% greater while the Km was 25% lower than the value observed in untreated membranes. The increased cystine uptake after papain treatment occurred when medium cystine was in the electroneutral form. In the absence of a sodium gradient, cystine uptake by control membranes was insensitive to changes in membrane potential and this was unaltered after papain treatment. Exposure of the membranes to papain also resulted in a profound decrease in cystine binding which occurs in native membranes incubated with cystine. The fact that cystine uptake is unchanged under sodium equilibration and even enhanced under sodium gradient conditions suggests that the component of cystine binding is not essential for cystine transport and may represent non-specific binding to membrane proteins.

Absence of a role of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in the transport of amino acids by rat renal brushborder membrane vesicles

The role of the enzyme, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase on the uptake of amino acids by the brushborder membrane of the rat proximal tubule was examined by inhibiting it with AT-125 (L-[alpha S, 5S]-alpha-amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid). AT-125 inhibited 98% of the activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase when incubated for 20 min at 37 degrees C with rat brushborder membrane vesicles. AT-125 given to rats in vivo inhibited 90% of the activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in subsequently isolated brushborder membrane vesicles from these animals. AT-125 inhibition of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase both in vivo and in vitro had no effect on the brushborder membrane uptake of cystine. Similarly, there was no effect of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibition by AT-125 on glutamine, proline, glycine, methionine, leucine or lysine uptake by brushborder membrane vesicles. Furthermore, the uptake of cystine by isolated rat renal cortical tubule fragments, in which the complete gamma-glutamyl cycle is present, was unaffected by AT-125 inhibition of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Therefore, in the two model systems studied, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase did not appear to play a role in the transport of amino acids by the renal brushborder membrane.

The effect of papain upon proline and sodium transport of rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles

Treatment of renal brush-border membrane vesicles with papain resulted in the removal of the activity of maltase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase by 85, 50 and 75%, respectively. Stripping of these membrane enzyme activities constituted about 2% of the total membrane proteins and resulted in a widespread diminution in the ability of a variety of amino acids and sugars to be taken up by the membrane vesicles which remained osmotically responsive. Kinetic analysis of the uptake of proline, which was shown previously to be transported by both sodium-dependent and sodium-independent systems, revealed that the Vmax for the sodium-dependent system and Km for the sodium-independent system were halved, but other parameters were not affected indicating that the papain treatment altered sodium-gradient-stimulated entry and the affinity of the sodium-gradient-independent system for proline. Experiments on sodium entry and efflux demonstrate a marked enhancement of flux, so that equilibration of the sodium gradient occurred about 5-times more rapidly than in untreated vesicles. This occurred without any change in the osmotic properties of the vesicle with regard to sodium or amino acid uptake. Studies of fluorescence polarization suggest that incubation with papain does not alter the lipid domains of the membrane.

The effect of azaserine upon the proline and methyl alpha-D-glucoside transport systems of rat renal brush-border membranes

An inhibitory effect of azaserine on Na+ dependent proline and methyl alpha-D-glucoside transport of the rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles has been demonstrated. The inhibitory effects of azaserine were not the results of the drug disrupting the membrane vesicles as shown in osmolarity studies, nor did it affect the transport systems' affinities for Na+. Azaserine acts as a non-competitive inhibitor for the proline transport system in renal brush-border membranes by lowering 37% and 27% in the Vmax1 and Vmax2, respectively, when compared to that of control proline transport system. Azaserine had no effect upon the two Km values for proline uptake. Azaserine inhibition of methyl alpha-D-glucoside uptake by vesicles in the presence of 7.2 mM azaserine at 22 degrees C resulted in 66% increase in Km1 value and 44% decrease in Vmax1 as compared to that of control vesicles. There was no detectable effect upon the Km2 and Vmax2 of the methyl alpha-D-glucoside transport system. No effect of the drug was observed when sodium was equilibrated across the membrane, indicating that azaserine altered the driving force exerted by a sodium gradient. Azaserine only slightly affected the relative contribution of the two Km systems to total proline uptake. Contrary to the observed effect of azaserine upon the proline transport system, azaserine exerted a distinct effect upon the relative contribution to total uptake by the two Km systems in the low methyl alpha-D-glucoside concentration range. In the presence of 7.2 mM azaserine, the low-affinity, high-Km transport system becomes the major contributor to total methyl alpha-D-glucoside uptake by isolated renal brush-border vesicles.

The effect on amino acid transport of trypsin treatment of rat renal brush border membranes

Trypsin treatment of isolated rat renal brush border membrane vesicles which preferentially releases L-leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.2) decreases their ability to take up a variety of amino acids under Na+ -gradient conditions. Such treatment did not alter the osmotic properties of the vesicles nor affect their fragility. A linear correlation could be demonstrated between the L-leucine aminopeptidase activity of the membranes and the initial rate of uptake of L-leucine and L-proline. Velocity of uptake-concentration dependence studies with these substrates indicate that the major effect of trypsinization is to decrease the maximum velocity (Vmax1) of the low-Km high-affinity system with little effect on the Vmax2 of the high-Km low-affinity transport process and no effect on the apparent Michaelis constants of either. Although the data indicate that L-leucine aminopeptidase activity and uptake of l-leucine and L-proline are affected in parallel, they should not be construed to imply a role of the enzyme in the transport process, especially in view of the global decrease in the uptake of various amino acids and sugars.

The effect of azaserine on glutamine uptake by rat renal brush-border membranes

Azaserine added directly to isolated rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles inhibits uptake of L-glutamine. Azaserine acts as a non-competitive inhibitor of the low-Km system for glutamine transport, but has no effect on the high-Km system. Preincubation of the vesicles with azaserine at 37 degrees C min is not required for transport inhibition to occur, although it is a requirement for gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibition. Removal of azaserine from the vesicle preparation by repeated resuspensions in buffer results in a reversal of the transport inhibition but not in reversal of enzyme inhibition. Azaserine also inhibits vesicle uptake of L-proline and alpha-methyl D-glucoside, indicating a generalized effect on membrane transport systems. The data cast doubt on the postulate that gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase might act as the carrier mechanism for glutamine reabsorption by renal cortical cells.

Ease of solubilization of five marker enzymes in three preparations of rat renal brush border membranes

The ability of eight stripping agents to solubilize five marker enzymes from rat renal brush border membranes isolated by three different preparative methods was examined. Protein and enzyme activities - alkaline phosphatase (APase), L-leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTase), gamma-glutamyl hydrolase (GGHase) and maltase - solubilized by the treatments were expressed as percent of total activity recovered in excess of control values. The relative enzyme activity and the solubilization factor were determined for each marker enzyme in every treated sample and the treatments with the eight agents compared. Trypsin treatment released > 80% of LAPase and < 10% of total membrane protein. Papain treatment released only 16--23% of total membrane protein but most of the enzyme activities except APase. Neuraminidase had no solubilizing effect. 4--10% of total membrane protein was solubilized by LiCl treatment but no marker enzyme activities were released. Less total membrane protein was released by treatment with proteolytic enzymes or LiCl than with the detergents Triton X-100, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium deoxycholate, and sodium dodecylsulfate. APase activity was the least readily solubilized. Correlating the degree of solubilization for five marker enzymes with the types of stripping agents used and with the appearance of the membrane surface when examined by electron microscopy led to the suggestion that LAPase, GGTase, GGHase and maltase molecules are part of an interwoven surface layer of membrane proteins which can be disrupted by transamidation and transesterification reactions. APase appears to be more strongly associated with the intact lipid matrix than the bulk of the membrane protein.

Effect of metabolic inhibitors on nuclear pore formation during the HeLa S3 cell cycle

The effect of various antimetabolites on nuclear pore formation was studied in synchronized HeLa S(3) cells. The nuclear size was determined by light microscopy and the pore number per unit area of nuclear surface by the freeze-etching technique and electron microscopy. It was found that the inhibition of DNA replication or ribosomal RNA synthesis has no effect on nuclear size increase or pore formation. However, the inhibition of ATP synthesis effectively stops nuclear pore formation. Cycloheximide blocks nuclear pore formation at the same time during G(1) phase of the cell cycle when nuclear size increase is blocked by high concentrations of actinomycin D. This suggests that certain proteins or other factors leading to pore formation and nuclear size increase are transcribed and synthesized at about 3-4 h after mitosis, i.e., about 1-2 h before S phase begins.

Time sequence of nuclear pore formation in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes and in HeLa cells during the cell cycle

The time sequence of nuclear pore frequency changes was determined for phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human lymphocytes and for HeLa S-3 cells during the cell cycle. The number of nuclear pores/nucleus was calculated from the experimentally determined values of nuclear pores/micro(2) and the nuclear surface. In the lymphocyte system the number of pores/nucleus approximately doubles during the 48 hr after PHA stimulation. The increase in pore frequency is biphasic and the first increase seems to be related to an increase in the rate of protein synthesis. The second increase in pores/nucleus appears to be correlated with the onset of DNA synthesis. In the HeLa cell system, we could also observe a biphasic change in pore formation. Nuclear pores are formed at the highest rate during the first hour after mitosis. A second increase in the rate of pore formation corresponds in time with an increase in the rate of nuclear acidic protein synthesis shortly before S phase. The total number of nuclear pores in HeLa cells doubles from approximately 2000 in G(1) to approximately 4000 at the end of the cell cycle. The doubling of the nuclear volume and the number of nuclear pores might be correlated to the doubling of DNA content. Another correspondence with the nuclear pore number in S phase is found in the number of simultaneously replicating replication sites. This number may be fortuitous but leads to the rather speculative possibility that the nuclear pore might be the site of initiation and/or replication of DNA as well as the site of nucleocytoplasmic exchange. That is, the nuclear pore complex may have multiple functions.