Domain-interface dynamics of CFTR revealed by stabilizing nanobodies

The leading cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) is the deletion of phenylalanine 508 (F508del) in the first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1) of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The mutation affects the thermodynamic stability of the domain and the integrity of the interface between NBD1 and the transmembrane domain leading to its clearance by the quality control system. Here, we develop nanobodies targeting NBD1 of human CFTR and demonstrate their ability to stabilize both isolated NBD1 and full-length protein. Crystal structures of NBD1-nanobody complexes provide an atomic description of the epitopes and reveal the molecular basis for stabilization. Furthermore, our data uncover a conformation of CFTR, involving detachment of NBD1 from the transmembrane domain, which contrast with the compact assembly observed in cryo-EM structures. This unexpected interface rearrangement is likely to have major relevance for CF pathogenesis but also for the normal function of CFTR and other ABC proteins.

Adsorption of phospholipids at oil/water interfaces during emulsification is controlled by stress relaxation and diffusion

Adsorption of phosphatidylcholines at oil/water interfaces strongly deviates from spread monolayers at air/water surfaces. Understanding its nature and consequences could vastly improve applications in medical nanoemulsions and biotechnologies. Adsorption kinetics at interfaces of water with different oil phases were measured by profile analysis tensiometry. Adsorption kinetics for 2 different phospholipids, DPPC and POPC, as well as 2 organic phases, squalene and squalane, show that formation of interfacial monolayers is initially dominated by stress-relaxation in the first minutes. Diffusion only gradually contributes to a decrease in interfacial tension at later stages of time and higher film pressures. The results can be applied for the optimization of emulsification protocols using mechanical treatments. Emulsions using phospholipids with unsaturated fatty acids are dominated much more strongly by stress-relaxation and cover interfaces very fast compared to those with saturated fatty acids. In contrast, phospholipid layers consisting of saturated fatty acids converge faster towards the equilibrium than those with unsaturated fatty acids.

Quantitative analysis of receptor-mediated uptake and pro-apoptotic activity of mistletoe lectin-1 by high content imaging

Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are highly potent cytotoxins that have potential as anticancer therapeutics. Mistletoe lectin 1 (ML1) is a heterodimeric cytotoxic protein isolated from European Mistletoe and belongs to RIP class II. The aim of this project was to systematically study ML1 cell binding, endocytosis pathway(s), subcellular processing and apoptosis activation. For this purpose, state of the art cell imaging equipment and automated image analysis algorithms were used. ML1 displayed very fast binding to sugar residues on the membrane and energy-dependent uptake in CT26 cells. The co-staining with specific antibodies and uptake blocking experiments revealed involvement of both clathrin-dependent and -independent pathways in ML1 endocytosis. Co-localization studies demonstrated the toxin transport from early endocytic vesicles to Golgi network; a retrograde road to the endoplasmic reticulum. The pro-apoptotic and antiproliferative activity of ML1 were shown in time lapse movies and subsequently quantified. ML1 cytotoxicity was less affected in multidrug resistant tumor cell line 4T1 in contrast to commonly used chemotherapeutic drug (ML1 resistance index 6.9 vs 13.4 for doxorubicin; IC₅₀: ML1 1.4 ng/ml vs doxorubicin 24000 ng/ml). This opens new opportunities for the use of ML1 as an alternative treatment in multidrug resistant cancers.

Structural stability of purified human CFTR is systematically improved by mutations in nucleotide binding domain 1

The Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is an ABC transporter containing two transmembrane domains forming a chloride ion channel, and two nucleotide binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2). CFTR has presented a formidable challenge to obtain monodisperse, biophysically stable protein. Here we report a comprehensive study comparing effects of single and multiple NBD1 mutations on stability of both the NBD1 domain alone and on purified full length human CFTR. Single mutations S492P, A534P, I539T acted additively, and when combined with M470V, S495P, and R555K cumulatively yielded an NBD1 with highly improved structural stability. Strategic combinations of these mutations strongly stabilized the domain to attain a calorimetric T_m > 70 °C. Replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations on the most stable 6SS-NBD1 variant implicated fluctuations, electrostatic interactions and side chain packing as potential contributors to improved stability. Progressive stabilization of NBD1 directly correlated with enhanced structural stability of full-length CFTR protein. Thermal unfolding of the stabilized CFTR mutants, monitored by changes in intrinsic fluorescence, demonstrated that Tm could be shifted as high as 67.4 °C in 6SS-CFTR, more than 20 °C higher than wild-type. H1402S, an NBD2 mutation, conferred CFTR with additional thermal stability, possibly by stabilizing an NBD-dimerized conformation. CFTR variants with NBD1-stabilizing mutations were expressed at the cell surface in mammalian cells, exhibited ATPase and channel activity, and retained these functions to higher temperatures. The capability to produce enzymatically active CFTR with improved structural stability amenable to biophysical and structural studies will advance mechanistic investigations and future cystic fibrosis drug development.

Instability Mechanisms of Water-in-Oil Nanoemulsions with Phospholipids: Temporal and Morphological Structures

Many food preparations, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics use water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions stabilized by phospholipids. Moreover, recent technological developments try to produce liposomes or lipid coated capsules from W/O emulsions, but are faced with colloidal instabilities. To explore these instability mechanisms, emulsification by sonication was applied in three cycles, and the sample stability was studied for 3 h after each cycle. Clearly identifiable temporal structures of instability provide evidence about the emulsion morphology: an initial regime of about 10 min is shown to be governed by coalescence after which Ostwald ripening dominates. Transport via molecular diffusion in Ostwald ripening is commonly based on the mutual solubility of the two phases and is therefore prohibited in emulsions composed of immiscible phases. However, in the case of water in oil emulsified by phospholipids, these form water-loaded reverse micelles in oil, which enable Ostwald ripening despite the low solubility of water in oil, as is shown for squalene. As is proved for the phospholipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), concentrations below the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) form monolayers at the interfaces and smaller droplet sizes. In contrast, phospholipid concentrations above the CAC create complex multilayers at the interface with larger droplet sizes. The key factors for stable W/O emulsions in classical or innovative applications are first, the minimization of the phospholipids' capacity to form reversed micelles, and second, the adaption of the initial phospholipid concentration to the water content to enable an optimized coverage of phospholipids at the interfaces for the intended drop size.

Substitution of Yor1p NBD1 residues improves the thermal stability of Human Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator

The Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) is a plasma membrane chloride channel protein that regulates vertebrate fluid homeostasis. The inefficiency of wild type human CFTR protein folding/trafficking is exacerbated by genetic mutations that can cause protein misfolding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequent degradation. This project investigates small changes in protein sequence that can alter the thermal stability of the large multi-domain CFTR protein. We target a conserved 70-residue α-subdomain located in the first nucleotide-binding domain that hosts the common misfolding mutation ∆F508. To investigate substitutions that can stabilize this domain, we constructed chimeras between human CFTR and its closest yeast homolog Yor1p. The α-subdomain of Yor1p was replaced with that of CFTR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cellular localization of green fluorescence protein-tagged Yor1p-CFTR chimeras was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy and quantitative multispectral imaging flow cytometry, steady-state protein levels were compared by SDS-PAGE and protein function probed by a phenotypic oligomycin resistance assay. The chimeras exhibited ER retention in yeast characteristic of defective protein folding/processing. Substitution of seven CFTR α-subdomain residues that are highly conserved in Yor1p and other transporters but differ in CFTR (S495P/R516K/F533L/A534P/K536G/I539T/R553K) improved Yor1p-CFTR chimera localization to the yeast plasma membrane. When introduced into human CFTR expressed in mammalian cells, the same substitutions improve the purified protein thermal stability. This stabilized human CFTR protein will be directly useful for structural and biophysical studies that have been limited by the thermal sensitivity of wild type CFTR. The insights into critical structural residues within CFTR could facilitate development of effective therapeutics for CF-causing mutations.

Electron holography on HfO2/HfO2-x bilayer structures with multilevel resistive switching properties

Unveiling the physical nature of the oxygen-deficient conductive filaments (CFs) that are responsible for the resistive switching of the HfO₂-based resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices represents a challenging task due to the oxygen vacancy related defect nature and nanometer size of the CFs. As a first important step to this goal, we demonstrate in this work direct visualization and a study of physico-chemical properties of oxygen-deficient amorphous HfO_2-x by carrying out transmission electron microscopy electron holography as well as energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy on HfO₂/HfO_2-x bilayer heterostructures, which are realized by reactive molecular beam epitaxy. Furthermore, compared to single layer devices, Pt/HfO₂/HfO_2-x /TiN bilayer devices show enhanced resistive switching characteristics with multilevel behavior, indicating their potential as electronic synapses in future neuromorphic computing applications.

FIB based fabrication of an operative Pt/HfO2/TiN device for resistive switching inside a transmission electron microscope

Recent advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based chips for in situ transmission electron microscopy are opening exciting new avenues in nanoscale research. The capability to perform current-voltage measurements while simultaneously analyzing the corresponding structural, chemical or even electronic structure changes during device operation would be a major breakthrough in the field of nanoelectronics. In this work we demonstrate for the first time how to electrically contact and operate a lamella cut from a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device based on a Pt/HfO₂/TiN metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure. The device was fabricated using a focused ion beam (FIB) instrument and an in situ lift-out system. The electrical switching characteristics of the electron-transparent lamella were comparable to a conventional reference device. The lamella structure was initially found to be in a low resistance state and could be reset progressively to higher resistance states by increasing the positive bias applied to the Pt anode. This could be followed up with unipolar set/reset operations where the current compliance during set was limited to 400 µA. FIB structures allowing to operate and at the same time characterize electronic devices will be an important tool to improve RRAM device performance based on a microstructural understanding of the switching mechanism.

Specific stabilization of CFTR by phosphatidylserine

The Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR, ABCC7) is a plasma membrane chloride ion channel in the ABC transporter superfamily. CFTR is a key target for cystic fibrosis drug development, and its structural elucidation would advance those efforts. However, the limited in vivo and in vitro stability of the protein, particularly its nucleotide binding domains, has made structural studies challenging. Here we demonstrate that phosphatidylserine uniquely stimulates and thermally stabilizes the ATP hydrolysis function of purified human CFTR. Among several lipids tested, the greatest stabilization was observed with brain phosphatidylserine, which shifted the Tm for ATPase activity from 22.7±0.8°C to 35.0±0.2°C in wild-type CFTR, and from 26.6±0.7°C to 42.1±0.2°C in a more stable mutant CFTR having deleted regulatory insertion and S492P/A534P/I539T mutations. When ATPase activity was measured at 37°C in the presence of brain phosphatidylserine, Vmax for wild-type CFTR was 240±60nmol/min/mg, a rate higher than previously reported and consistent with rates for other purified ABC transporters. The significant thermal stabilization of CFTR by phosphatidylserine may be advantageous in future structural and biophysical studies of CFTR.

Interactions between Phospholipids and Organic Phases: Insights into Lipoproteins and Nanoemulsions

The adsorption of phosphatidylcholines (PCs), dissolved in squalene or squalane as an organic phase, was studied at the interface with water. Using profile analysis tensiometry, the equilibrium adsorption isotherms, minimum molecular interfacial areas, and solubility limits were derived. For squalene, differences in PC solubility and interfacial adsorption were found, depending on PC saturation. Compared to saturated PCs, unsaturated PCs showed a 3-fold-lower interfacial density but up to a 28-fold-higher critical aggregation concentration (CAC). In addition, the solubility limit of unsaturated PC in squalene and in its saturated form squalane diverged by a factor of 739. These findings provided evidence for steric repulsion or π-π interactions of π bonds in both solvent and solute or both effects acting complementarily. In squalane, low solubilities but high interfacial densities were found for all investigated PCs. Changes in fatty acid chain lengths showed that the influence of the increases in entropy and enthalpy on solubility is much smaller than solvent/solute interactions. Oxidation products of squalene lowered the interfacial tension, but increasing concentrations of PC expelled them from the interface. The CAC of saturated PC was increased by oxidation products of squalene whereas that of unsaturated PCs was not. Our findings indicate that the oxidation of triglycerides in lipoprotein cores can lead to increased solubility of saturated phospholipids covering the lipoproteins, contributing to destabilization, coalescence, and terminally the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. The consideration of solvent/solute interactions in molecular modeling may contribute to the interfacial tension and the corresponding kinetic or thermodynamic stability of lipoproteins. Measured areas per molecule prove that PCs form monolayers of different interfacial densities at the squalene/water interface but multilayers at the squalane/water interface. These findings showed that combinations of solvent or solute saturation affect the outcome for nanoemulsions forming either expanded or condensed monolayers or multilayers.

A stable human-cell system overexpressing cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator recombinant protein at the cell surface

Recent human clinical trials results demonstrated successful treatment for certain genetic forms of cystic fibrosis (CF). To extend treatment opportunities to those afflicted with other genetic forms of CF disease, structural and biophysical characterization of CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is urgently needed. In this study, CFTR was modified with various tags, including a His10 purification tag, the SUMOstar (SUMO*) domain, an extracellular FLAG epitope, and an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), each alone or in various combinations. Expressed in HEK293 cells, recombinant CFTR proteins underwent complex glycosylation, compartmentalized with the plasma membrane, and exhibited regulated chloride-channel activity with only modest alterations in channel conductance and gating kinetics. Surface CFTR expression level was enhanced by the presence of SUMO* on the N-terminus. Quantitative mass-spectrometric analysis indicated approximately 10% of the total recombinant CFTR (SUMO*-CFTR(FLAG)-EGFP) localized to the plasma membrane. Trial purification using dodecylmaltoside for membrane protein extraction reproducibly recovered 178 ± 56 μg SUMO*-CFTR(FLAG)-EGFP per billion cells at 80% purity. Fluorescence size-exclusion chromatography indicated purified CFTR was monodisperse. These findings demonstrate a stable mammalian cell expression system capable of producing human CFTR of sufficient quality and quantity to augment future CF drug discovery efforts, including biophysical and structural studies.

A survey of detergents for the purification of stable, active human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)

Structural knowledge of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) requires developing methods to purify and stabilize this aggregation-prone membrane protein above 1mg/ml. Starting with green fluorescent protein- and epitope-tagged human CFTR produced in mammalian cells known to properly fold and process CFTR, we devised a rapid tandem affinity purification scheme to minimize CFTR exposure to detergent in order to preserve its ATPase function. We compared a panel of detergents, including widely used detergents (maltosides, neopentyl glycols (MNG), C12E8, lysolipids, Chaps) and innovative detergents (branched alkylmaltosides, facial amphiphiles) for CFTR purification, function, monodispersity and stability. ATPase activity after reconstitution into proteoliposomes was 2-3 times higher when CFTR was purified using facial amphiphiles. ATPase activity was also demonstrated in purified CFTR samples without detergent removal using a novel lipid supplementation assay. By electron microscopy, negatively stained CFTR samples were monodisperse at low concentration, and size exclusion chromatography showed a predominance of monomer even after CFTR concentration above 1mg/ml. Rates of CFTR aggregation quantified in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that detergents which best preserved reconstituted ATPase activity also supported the greatest stability, with CFTR monomer half-lives of 6-9days in MNG or Chaps, and 12-17days in facial amphiphile. Cryoelectron microscopy of concentrated CFTR in MNG or facial amphiphile confirmed mostly monomeric protein, producing low resolution reconstructions in conformity with similar proteins. These protocols can be used to generate samples of pure, functional, stable CFTR at concentrations amenable to biophysical characterization.

Membrane protein stability can be compromised by detergent interactions with the extramembranous soluble domains

Detergent interaction with extramembranous soluble domains (ESDs) is not commonly considered an important determinant of integral membrane protein (IMP) behavior during purification and crystallization, even though ESDs contribute to the stability of many IMPs. Here we demonstrate that some generally nondenaturing detergents critically destabilize a model ESD, the first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1) from the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a model IMP. Notably, the detergents show equivalent trends in their influence on the stability of isolated NBD1 and full-length CFTR. We used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to monitor changes in NBD1 stability and secondary structure, respectively, during titration with a series of detergents. Their effective harshness in these assays mirrors that widely accepted for their interaction with IMPs, i.e., anionic > zwitterionic > nonionic. It is noteworthy that including lipids or nonionic detergents is shown to mitigate detergent harshness, as will limiting contact time. We infer three thermodynamic mechanisms from the observed thermal destabilization by monomer or micelle: (i) binding to the unfolded state with no change in the native structure (all detergent classes); (ii) native state binding that alters thermodynamic properties and perhaps conformation (nonionic detergents); and (iii) detergent binding that directly leads to denaturation of the native state (anionic and zwitterionic). These results demonstrate that the accepted model for the harshness of detergents applies to their interaction with an ESD. It is concluded that destabilization of extramembranous soluble domains by specific detergents will influence the stability of some IMPs during purification.

Justice and impoverished women: the ethical implications of work-based welfare

Current U.S. welfare policy, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, requires impoverished people to work in order to receive welfare, and it limits cash support to 5 years. Most of the people who have used this program are single-parent women, and a disturbing number have been terminated at 5 years, not having made a successful transition to work. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to explore the barriers to success and the social justice of the program from the perspective of single-parent women who were terminated. In all, 41 women were recruited through community-based purposive sampling, and the primary research methods were a qualitative, narrative interview approach and narrative analysis. Data from the semistructured interview guide are reported here. Findings describe health and socioeconomic burdens, and barriers that lie within the social policy. The study has ethical implications for nursing advocacy, and it informs nursing interventions for impoverished women and their families.

Untersuchungen von Sammelproben zur Diagnose der Mykoplasmenmastitis

Gegenstand und Ziel: Vergleich zwischen den Ergebnissen von Poolproben (kulturell und mittels Polymerasekettenreaktion [PCR]) mit denen von Viertelgemelksproben (kulturell) bei Milchkühen mit Mastitisproblemen aufgrund von Mykoplasmen, um festzustellen, ob sich mittels Poolproben ein sicheres Mykoplasmenscreening durchführen lässt. Material und Methoden: In einem Milchviehbetrieb (169 laktierende Kühe) mit erhöhten Zellzahlen, wurden bei zwei Gesamtherdenuntersuchungen von Viertelgemelksproben insgesamt 49 Mykoplasmen-positive Tiere festgestellt. Um eine kostengünstigere Untersuchungsmöglichkeit zu finden, wurden in einer nachfolgenden Untersu chung der negativen Herde die Ergebnisse von Viertelgemelksproben mit denen von Poolproben (jeweils 16 Tiere in ein Sammelgefäß) verglichen (kulturelle bakteriologische Untersuchung und PCR). Alle darauf folgenden Herdenuntersuchungen wurden nur noch mittels Poolproben (immer acht Tiere) durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Zwei positive Poolproben (kulturell und mittels PCR) enthielten Milch von je einer positiven Kuh (Viertel - gemelksproben). Zwei weitere Poolproben waren mittels PCR schwach positiv, in der kulturellen und der Einzeltieruntersuchung jedoch negativ. Bei der letzten Untersuchung wurden zwei Poolproben mittels PCR positiv befundet, kulturell waren sie jedoch negativ. Schlussfolgerung und klinische Relevanz: Aufgrund der erhaltenen Ergebnisse erscheint eine Kombination von Real-Time-PCR mit kultureller Anzüchtung für die Untersuchung von Sammelproben als Herden-Screeningmethode zur Entdeckung von Mykoplasmeninfektionen geeignet. Weitergehende vergleichende Untersuchungen an einem größeren Probenmaterial sollten jedoch durchgeführt werden, um diese Resultate zu bestätigen.

Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide modification, Lewis antigen expression, and gastric colonization are cholesterol-dependent

Background

Helicobacter pylori specifically takes up cholesterol and incorporates it into the bacterial membrane, yet little is currently known about cholesterol's physiological roles. We compared phenotypes and in vivo colonization ability of H. pylori grown in a defined, serum-free growth medium, F12 with 1 mg/ml albumin containing 0 to 50 μg/ml cholesterol.

Results

While doubling times were largely unaffected by cholesterol, other overt phenotypic changes were observed. H. pylori strain SS1 grown in defined medium with cholesterol successfully colonized the stomach of gerbils, whereas SS1 grown without cholesterol failed to colonize. H. pylori lipopolysaccharide often displays Lewis X and/or Y antigens. Expression of these antigens measured by whole-cell ELISA was markedly enhanced in response to growth of strain SS1, 26695, or G27 in cholesterol. In addition, electrophoretic analysis of lipopolysaccharide in wild type G27 and in mutants lacking the O-chain revealed structural changes within the oligosaccharide core/lipid A moieties. These responses in Lewis antigen levels and in lipopolysaccharide profiles to cholesterol availability were highly specific, because no changes took place when cholesterol was substituted by β-sitosterol or bile salts. Disruption of the genes encoding cholesterol α-glucosyltransferase or lipid A phosphoethanolamine transferase had no effect on Lewis expression, nor on lipopolysaccharide profiles, nor on the cholesterol responsiveness of these properties. Disruption of the lipid A 1-phosphatase gene eliminated the effect of cholesterol on lipopolysaccharide profiles but not its effect on Lewis expression.

Conclusions

Together these results suggest that cholesterol depletion leads to aberrant forms of LPS that are dependent upon dephosphorylation of lipid A at the 1-position. A tentative model for the observed effects of cholesterol is discussed in which sequential steps of lipopolysaccharide biogenesis and, independently, presentation of Lewis antigen at the cell surface, depend upon membrane composition. These new findings demonstrate that cholesterol availability permits H. pylori to modify its cell envelope in ways that can impact colonization of host tissue in vivo.

Large-scale analysis of protein expression changes in human keratinocytes immortalized by human papilloma virus type 16 E6 and E7 oncogenes

Background

Infection with high-risk type human papilloma viruses (HPVs) is associated with cervical carcinomas and with a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Viral E6 and E7 oncogenes cooperate to achieve cell immortalization by a mechanism that is not yet fully understood. Here, human keratinocytes were immortalized by long-term expression of HPV type 16 E6 or E7 oncoproteins, or both. Proteomic profiling was used to compare expression levels for 741 discrete protein features.

Results

Six replicate measurements were performed for each group using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). The median within-group coefficient of variation was 19–21%. Significance of between-group differences was tested based on Significance Analysis of Microarray and fold change. Expression of 170 (23%) of the protein features changed significantly in immortalized cells compared to primary keratinocytes. Most of these changes were qualitatively similar in cells immortalized by E6, E7, or E6/7 expression, indicating convergence on a common phenotype, but fifteen proteins (~2%) were outliers in this regulatory pattern. Ten demonstrated opposite regulation in E6- and E7-expressing cells, including the cell cycle regulator p16^INK4a; the carbohydrate binding protein Galectin-7; two differentially migrating forms of the intermediate filament protein Cytokeratin-7; HSPA1A (Hsp70-1); and five unidentified proteins. Five others had a pattern of expression that suggested cooperativity between the co-expressed oncoproteins. Two of these were identified as forms of the small heat shock protein HSPB1 (Hsp27).

Conclusion

This large-scale analysis provides a framework for understanding the cooperation between E6 and E7 oncoproteins in HPV-driven carcinogenesis.

Characterization of Bacillus anthracis arginase: effects of pH, temperature, and cell viability on metal preference

Background

Arginase (RocF) hydrolyzes L-arginine to L-ornithine and urea. While previously characterized arginases have an alkaline pH optimum and require activation with manganese, arginase from Helicobacter pylori is optimally active with cobalt at pH 6. The arginase from Bacillus anthracis is not well characterized; therefore, this arginase was investigated by a variety of strategies and the enzyme was purified.

Results

The rocF gene from B. anthracis was cloned and expressed in E. coli and compared with E. coli expressing H. pylori rocF. In the native organisms B. anthracis arginase was up to 1,000 times more active than H. pylori arginase and displayed remarkable activity in the absence of exogenous metals, although manganese, cobalt, and nickel all improved activity. Optimal B. anthracis arginase activity occurred with nickel at an alkaline pH. Either B. anthracis arginase expressed in E. coli or purified B. anthracis RocF showed similar findings. The B. anthracis arginase expressed in E. coli shifted its metal preference from Ni > Co > Mn when assayed at pH 6 to Ni > Mn > Co at pH 9. Using a viable cell arginase assay, B. anthracis arginase increased dramatically when the cells were grown with manganese, even at final concentrations of <1 μM, whereas B. anthracis grown with cobalt or nickel (≥500 μM) showed no such increase, suggesting existence of a high affinity and specificity manganese transporter.

Conclusion

Unlike other eubacterial arginases, B. anthracis arginase displays unusual metal promiscuity. The unique properties of B. anthracis arginase may allow utilization of a specific metal, depending on the in vivo niches occupied by this organism.

Preceptors: a perspective of what works

This article provides a perspective of clinical preceptor contributions to advanced practice nurse education. It supports quality clinical education in the face of the proliferation of academic programs, and the economics of the resulting competition. The strategies of 2 universities are used as examples of how nurse practitioner programs respond to issues such as who precepts students, how preceptors are identified, what draws preceptors to the role, and the effects of students on clinic productivity.

Focus groups and vulnerable populations. Insight into client strengths and needs in complex community health care environments

Focus groups are a useful qualitative research technique to assist in interpreting quantitative community assessment data. Data obtained from focus groups can provide sociological and psychological insights into the perceptions of population subgroups and suggest answers to the "why" questions raised by descriptive data about such issues as teen pregnancy, poverty, immunization levels, or lifestyle-related morbidity and mortality. Application of these insights can lead to the better use of community strengths and the creation of community-specific responses to barriers to health care. Focus groups work well for involving hard-to-reach members of a community in program development, planning, and evaluation. They may be more effective than face-to-face interviews and questionnaires because people often have not thought about how they feel and tend not to form opinions in isolation (1). The information sought through the use of focus groups is not randomly distributed in the population. Thus, groups are not randomly selected, and data are not gathered with the intent to generalize to all populations.

Identification and characterization of an endo/exonuclease in Pneumocystis carinii that is inhibited by dicationic diarylfurans with efficacy against Pneumocystis pneumonia

Dicationic diarylfurans and dicationic carbazoles are under development as therapeutic agents against opportunistic infections. While their ability to bind to the minor groove of DNA has been established, the complete mechanism of action has not. We demonstrate here that an effective diarylfuran, 2,5-bis[4-(N-isopropylguanyl)phenyl]furan, inhibits an endo/exonuclease activity present in Pneumocystis carinii, Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This activity was purified from the particulate fraction of P. carinii. The enzyme requires Mg++ or Mn++, and shows preferences for single-over double stranded DNA and for AT-rich over GC-rich domains. A panel of 12 dicationic diarylfurans and eight dicationic carbazoles, previously synthesized, were evaluated for inhibition of the purified nuclease and for efficacy against Pneumocystis pneumonia in rats. Among the diarylfurans, potency of nuclease inhibition, in vivo antimicrobial activity, and DNA binding strength were all strongly correlated (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that one target for antimicrobial action of the diarylfurans may be a nucleolytic or other event requiring unpairing of DNA strands. Dicationic carbazoles which were strong nuclease inhibitors all displayed anti-Pneumocystis activity in vivo, but there were also noninhibitory carbazoles with in vivo efficacy.

Building community participation in health care: a model and example from South Africa

A conceptual model was developed for a community-based intervention study in a Black township in South Africa. The model shows a useful way to structure the complex role public health nurses play as they meet community health needs using a community's priorities and building toward community involvement in health and self-care. The model was applied over a 2-year period in an under-developed community of 100,00 people where the unemployment rate was over 50%, fewer than 10% of the homes had electricity, and only one-third had access to the sewage removal system. Over half of older adults interviewed were illiterate. The residents, in collaboration with the nurse researcher, gathered data, prioritized needs, and chose projects to produce solutions. The model guided activities for community empowerment through a deliberate transfer of information and expertise from the nurse to members of the community. Conceptual models or paradigms are useful to focus nursing strategies, to guide professional nursing practice, and to support interdisciplinary goals for cooperative efforts. The principles are also applicable in the United States and other developed countries as more effective ways to achieve health goals are sought.

Survey data collection: operationalizing the research design

This article describes how indigenous interviewers were used to collect data about the health needs and resources in a black South African township. The survey was done during the dismantling of the apartheid political system of South Africa. The political unrest, distrust, and tension were barriers to carrying out a survey and threatened the quality of the data collection. A vulnerability of survey research is the difficulty in controlling the variables of the community and the interviewer during the process of data collection. How this survey was carried out, in this unstable setting, influenced the quality of the data and the validity and reliability of the research. The data-collection requirements were carried out in a way that was functional in the real-world setting while maintaining research standards. The criteria used for hiring interviewers and the content and delivery of training were effective in this tense, educationally disadvantaged community setting. Methods that were used to motivate and supervise interviewers were successful and are recommended for use in similar survey research.

Regulation of calcium influx and catecholamine secretion in chromaffin cells by a cytochrome P450 metabolite of arachidonic acid

These studies were designed to determine the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in catecholamine secretion from adrenal chromaffin cells. Inhibitors of the cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism of arachidonic acid were shown to interfere with stimulus-secretion coupling in cultured chromaffin cells. Ketoconazole (10 microM), clotrimazole (20 microM), and piperonyl butoxide (50 microM) inhibited carbachol-dependent catecholamine secretion by 44%, 83%, and 100%, respectively; histamine-dependent secretion by 25%, 60%, and 81%, and secretion induced by 59 mM KCl depolarization by 25%, 55%, and 89%. Uptake of 45Ca2+ into the cells in response to carbachol was inhibited 63% by ketoconazole, 86% by clotrimazole, and 95% by piperonyl butoxide; KCl-dependent uptake was inhibited 7%, 56%, and 85%, respectively. However, cytochrome P450 inhibitors did not inhibit catecholamine secretion when cells were stimulated with the calcium ionophores ionomycin or lasalocid. These results indicated the involvement of a cytochrome P450 product in controlling Ca2+ influx in response to membrane depolarization. Cells prelabeled with [3H]arachidonic acid formed a 3H-labeled metabolite which comigrated with authentic 5,6-epoxyeicosatrienoic (5,6-EET) acid on reverse phase and normal phase HPLC. Pretreatment with clotrimazole inhibited the production of this 3H-labeled metabolite. Addition of synthetic 5,6-EET (1 nM) to cells pretreated with piperonyl butoxide resulted in catecholamine secretion. These data suggest a role for a cytochrome P450 metabolite of arachidonic acid in agonist-stimulated catecholamine secretion.

[Lipid island (xanthelasma) of the duodenal mucosa--a rarely found diagnosis and differential diagnosis]

A case report ist given on a 54-year-old patient with the so called lipid island (xanthelasma) in the duodenal mucosa. Xanthelasmas are very rarely located in the duodenal mucosa. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of this entity are reported. The relevance of histochemistry and immunohistochemistry for differentiation of signet ring carcinoma cells in the mucosa is discussed.

A model for community involvement in health (CIH) program development

Community involvement in health (CIH), a central concept in health development, is a participatory approach to health care that is organized from the perspective of the recipient. Putting CIH into practice represents a learning experience for the community, the health professionals involved and those responsible for the national climate in which this change takes place. The CIH process was operationalized over a two-year period in a black township in South Africa. A community survey identified the health needs and capacities related to the elderly, their families and their support system. Community groups and individuals, in partnership with the researcher, prioritized the needs that had been identified and then implemented four programs related to those needs. A process model was developed that provided the structure for initiating and maintaining these programs. The model helped people who were new to the community organizing to focus on general principles. It was flexible so that programs could be interpreted and implemented in the context of local culture and resources. The model was functional in guiding community nurses, lay community members and employees in health-related programs through the process of starting new programs. This approach empowered participants to move beyond only hoping for change or being puzzled by its elusiveness.

Identification of a membrane-bound, glycol-stimulated phospholipase A2 located in the secretory granules of the adrenal medulla

Chromaffin granule membranes prepared from bovine adrenal medullae showed Ca2(+)-stimulated phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity when assayed at pH 9.0 with phosphatidylcholine containing an [14C]-arachidonyl group in the 2-position. However, the activity occurred in both soluble and particulate subcellular fractions, and did not codistribute with markers for the secretory granule. PLA2 activity in the granule membrane preparation was stimulated dramatically by addition of glycerol, ethylene glycol, or poly(ethylene glycol). This glycol-stimulated PLA2 activity codistributed with membrane-bound dopamine beta-hydroxylase, a marker for the granule membranes, through the sequence of differential centrifugation steps employed to prepare the granule membrane fraction, as well as on a sucrose density gradient which resolved the granules from mitochondria, lysosomes, and plasma membrane. The glycol-stimulated PLA2 of the chromaffin granule was membrane-bound, exhibited a pH optimum of 7.8, retained activity in the presence of EDTA, and was inactivated by p-bromophenacyl bromide. When different 14C-labeled phospholipids were incorporated into diarachidonylphosphatidylcholine liposomes, 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonylphosphatidylcholine was a better substrate for this enzyme than 1-palmitoyl-2-oleylphosphatidylcholine or 1-acyl-2-arachidonyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, and distearoylphosphatidylcholine was not hydrolyzed.

Novel localization of a G protein, Gz-alpha, in neurons of brain and retina

Recently, a cDNA coding for a novel G protein alpha-subunit, Gz-alpha, was isolated from a human retinal cDNA library and shown by Northern blot analysis to be expressed at high levels in neural tissues. We have prepared affinity-purified antibodies specifically directed against synthetic Gz-alpha peptides and employed immunohistochemical methods to map the localization of Gz-alpha in human, bovine, and murine retina and brain. By light microscopy, Gz-alpha was localized to the cytoplasm of neurons, with predominant reactivity in ganglion cells of the retina, Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, and most neurons of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Reactivity was confined to perikaryon, dendrites, and a very short segment of proximal axons, except for the retinal ganglion cells, in which the axons in the nerve fiber layer showed intense Gz-alpha immunoreactivity proximal to the lamina cribrosa. Pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated the presence of focal Gz-alpha immunoreactivity on the nuclear membranes, endoplasmic reticulum, and plasma membranes of Purkinje cell perikarya and in association with microtubules in their proximal dendrites. Subcellular fractionation studies confirmed the association of Gz-alpha with plasma and intracellular membranes. The localization of Gz-alpha and its unique amino acid sequence suggest that it may have a specialized function in neural tissues.

Phosphoamino acid analysis of protein immobilized on polyvinylidene difluoride membrane

The direct analysis of phosphorylated proteins bound to polyvinylidene difluoride membrane (PVDFm) has been examined. Use of 14C-methylated marker proteins demonstrated that proteins electroblotted on PVDFm were quantitatively retained through a series of test conditions, which included 1 M hydroxylamine (25 degrees C, 30 min), 0.1 M NaOH (37 degrees C, 30 min), 0.1 M HCl (55 degrees C, 2 h), and 6 U/ml alkaline phosphatase (pH 9.5, 37 degrees C, 24 h). Approximately half the protein remained bound following 2-h treatment in 1 M KOH (55 degrees C). The same series of test conditions were employed to assess the stability of phosphorylated residues in 32P-labeled protein immobilized on PVDFm, in order to assign them as carboxyl-,N-, or O-linked groups. The properties of phosphorylated proteins as determined by this method were comparable to the properties that have been reported for soluble proteins. Use of the PVDFm immobilization step affords simplification of the experimental procedures and permits rapid, quantitative sample recovery using submicrogram quantities of protein. Further, the PVDFm-bound phosphoproteins could be subjected to partial acid hydrolysis directly on the membrane and required no further purification for subsequent identification of the labeled phosphohydroxyamino acids. Definitive identification of labeled phosphoserine residues in histone, phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues in myelin basic protein and insulin receptor, and phosphotyrosine residues in autophosphorylated insulin receptor was accomplished with as little as 0.2 nCi in about 50 ng of phosphorylated protein.

Measurement of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase flux rates in perfused heart and liver

The methods described here represent a flexible set of procedures for investigating the metabolism of the branched-chain alpha-keto acids and other substances in perfused organs, notably the rat heart and liver. These procedures have been used to investigate many aspects of the metabolism of the branched-chain alpha-keto acids not discussed here, such as the effects on branched-chain alpha-keto acid metabolism by exposure to alpha-adrenergic agents, by inhibition of the monocarboxylate translocator, and by the coinfusion of other metabolites.

Role of activation of myocardial branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in the regulation of leucine decarboxylation during cardiac work in vitro

The oxidative decarboxylation of L-[1-14C]leucine was measured in the isolated perfused rat heart under both working and non-working conditions. Stimulation of decarboxylation of the labelled substrate was observed in working hearts as cardiac work was increased, and in Langendorff hearts upon increasing the coronary flow rate. The rate of L-[1-14C]leucine decarboxylation was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in hearts working against moderate afterload pressure when compared to Langendorff hearts perfused at a matching coronary flow rate. The rate of release of 4-methyl-2-oxo[1-14C]pentanoate to the perfusate was high in Langendorff hearts, and was unaffected by changes in coronary flow. In contrast, perfusate levels of 14C-labelled 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate decreased significantly upon the establishment of the working condition (P less than 0.05). These findings suggested an enhancement in the efficiency of the decarboxylation of the 2-oxo acid in response to cardiac work. The amount of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex present in the active form was measured in freeze-clamped hearts. Cardiac work resulted in a rapid activation of the complex (P less than 0.02) within 5 min of work when compared to control Langendorff hearts perfused at matching coronary flow rates. To a lesser extent, increasing the coronary flow rate in Langendorff-perfused hearts also led to activation of the enzyme complex. These studies suggest the following: a) L-leucine oxidation in myocardial tissue can be accelerated by exercise as it is in other tissues; b) this regulatory response can be evoked by the contractile activity of the heart itself, independent of contributions by circulating factors or nervous stimuli; and c) regulation of the activity state of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex is involved in the mechanism by which metabolic flux through this pathway is controlled during cardiac work.

Ubiquitin has intrinsic proteolytic activity: implications for cellular regulation

Ubiquitin is a protein of 76 amino acids found in every eukaryotic cell. Although ubiquitin is implicated in ATP-dependent nonlysosomal protein degradation and is also conjugated to specific cellular proteins, the role played by ubiquitin in cellular events has not been defined. We report that purified ubiquitin has intrinsic proteolytic activity and demonstrate that this activity is comparable to that of other well-characterized proteases. Monoclonal antibodies specific to ubiquitin inhibit proteolysis. Ubiquitin has protease activity over a broad pH range with an optimum at pH 8.0. It is stimulated by Ca2+ and is inhibited by high concentrations of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and diisopropyl fluorophosphate. Ubiquitin will cleave proteins at a limited number of sites. We propose that the ubiquitination of a protein can convert that protein into an ad hoc specific protease and models are presented as to how this can play a role in regulating a variety of cellular events.

Indirect inhibition of vitamin K epoxide reduction by salicylate

Salicylate antagonizes the vitamin K-dependent biosynthesis of clotting factors in the rat and produces an elevation of the ratio of vitamin K epoxide to vitamin K in the liver. Vitamin K epoxide is reduced to vitamin K by a vitamin K epoxide reductase, and 1 mM salicylate was required to cause a 50% inhibition of the dithiothreitol-dependent in-vitro reduction of vitamin K epoxide by this enzyme. This enzyme was, however, inhibited 50% by as little as 70-80 microM salicylate when reducing equivalents for the reaction were furnished by endogenous cytosolic reductants. This effect on the cytosolic reductant supply was shown to be unrelated to a previously demonstrated inhibition of DT-diaphorase by salicylate. The concentrations of salicylate at which significant inhibitory effects are exerted in-vitro (50-100 microM) are below the 200 microM levels observed in the livers of rats given an anticoagulating dose of salicylate.

Formation of hydroxyvitamin K by vitamin K epoxide reductase of warfarin-resistant rats

A new metabolite of vitamin K, 2(3)-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl,3-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (hydroxyvitamin K), has been identified as a product of vitamin K epoxide metabolism in hepatic microsomes from warfarin-resistant rats, but not in those derived from normal rats. The structure was determined by comparison of the high performance liquid chromatography retention times, UV, IR, CD, and mass spectra of the unknown with chemically synthesized standards. Alterations in the formation of hydroxyvitamin K occur in parallel with alterations in total vitamin K epoxide conversion with respect to reaction time, extent of reaction, detergent stimulation, and inhibition by warfarin. Thus, hydroxyvitamin K appears to be a product of the warfarin-resistant vitamin K epoxide reductase. It is neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of epoxide reduction. Hydroxyvitamin K is formed from both enantiomers of racemic vitamin K epoxide with little stereoselectivity for the configuration of either the oxirane ring or the phytyl side chain. The reaction is stereospecific; however, the biologically formed (+)-vitamin K epoxide yields exclusively (+)-3-hydroxyvitamin K. Observation of this product is discussed as a key to understanding the normal reaction mechanism of the enzyme.

[Radioimmunological determination of aldosterone in the serum. New method for the localization of aldosteronism]

It is described a radioimmunologic method for the determination of aldosterone in the plasma and the urine. The method possesses a high specifity, so that a chromatographic prepurification can be given up. The achieved sensitivity allows an analysis in 0.2 ml plasma. This radioimmunoassay can be used for the determination of the aldosterone concentration in the blood after side-separated taking from the adrenal veins by means of the catheter technique. With this a localisation diagnostics of the aldosteronoma is possible.