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Biomedical subjects

C H Wheeler

Publications and source records attributed to C H Wheeler.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Characterization of a diuretic peptide from Locusta migratoria.

A diuretic peptide Locusta-DP, identified by its ability to increase cyclic AMP production in locust Malpighian tubules in vitro, has been isolated and characterized from whole heads of Locusta migratoria. The purified peptide stimulates fluid secretion by Malpighian tubules maximally in vitro. The primary structure of Locusta-DP was established as a 46 residue amidated peptide: MGMGPSLSIVNPMDVLRQRLLLEIARRRLRDAEEQIKANKDFLQQI-NH2. Locusta-DP has 48% sequence identity with Acheta-DP and 49% identity with Manduca-DH, and provides further evidence for the presence of a family of diuretic peptides in insects.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

CL-proteins and the regulation of lipoprotein lipase activity in locust flight muscle.

Lipoprotein lipases in the flight muscles of Locusta migratoria show a marked substrate specificity: diacylglycerols associated with the adipokinetic hormone (AKH)-induced lipoprotein, A+, are hydrolysed at 4 to 5 times the rate of those associated with the lipoprotein in resting (non-hormone-stimulated) locusts, Ayellow. To determine the basis for this discrimination, the effect on the activity of flight muscle lipoprotein lipase of CL-proteins, a major constituent of lipoprotein A+, but not of Ayellow, has been investigated; they inhibit the flight muscle enzyme in a competitive manner whether activity is measured with a natural lipoprotein substrate, a lipid emulsion or a water soluble substrate. Experiments in vivo suggest that the flight muscle enzyme is normally inhibited in resting (non-AKH-stimulated) locusts but, interestingly, injection of synthetic AKH-I relieves the inhibition and increases the activity by 30 to 40%. This is not a direct effect of the hormone on the enzyme, but appears to be related to the hormone-induced formation of lipoprotein A+, so that the majority of CL-proteins in the haemolymph become bound to this lipoprotein and the concentration of free CL-proteins is markedly reduced. We suggest that CL-proteins play a major role in the regulation of lipoprotein lipase in locust flight muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Specificity and localisation of lipoprotein lipase in the flight muscles of Locusta migratoria.

Using natural lipoproteins as substrates, lipase activity has been measured in leg muscle, fat body, midgut and flight muscles of Locusta migratoria. The enzymic activity in the flight muscles is higher than in those other tissues tested, confirming the potential of the flight muscles to utilise lipids at high rates. In addition, a membrane-bound lipoprotein lipase can be extracted from flight muscle. The flight muscle enzyme activity shows a marked substrate specificity; at lipoprotein concentrations equivalent to those found normally in flown or resting locusts respectively, the enzyme hydrolyses diacylglycerols associated with lipoprotein A+ (present in the haemolymph of flown or adipokinetic hormone-injected locusts) at about 4 times the rate of those associated with lipoprotein Ayellow (which is the major lipoprotein in resting locusts). In addition, the hydrolysis of lipids carried by lipoprotein Ayellow is dramatically reduced in the presence of lipoprotein A+. These observations indicate that the enzyme plays a specific role in the uptake of lipids at the flight muscles to ensure a smooth transition from carbohydrate to lipid based metabolism during flight.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bovine dilated cardiomyopathy: proteomic analysis of an animal model of human dilated cardiomyopathy.

Bovine hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy (bCMP) is endemic in Switzerland and hearts from diseased animals display important clinical and biochemical similarities to human DCM. Recent research has identified at least one protein (myoglobin) to be significantly reduced in bovine DCM. Using a proteomic approach, we have separated over 1125 protein species from bovine ventricular tissue. Gel analysis and protein characterisation have identified a number of proteins whose abundance is significantly altered in bovine DCM. Twenty-four proteins are of decreased abundance in diseased tissue, whilst 11 proteins are of increased abundance in the diseased state. A combination of amino acid compositional analysis, peptide mass profiling, N-terminal microsequencing and MultiIdent (http://www.expasy.ch/sprot/multiident. html) has been employed in order to elucidate the identities of the differentially expressed proteins. Using these techniques we have currently determined the identity of 12 of the 35 altered proteins. We have also detected three proteins that are differentially expressed in genotypically diseased but phenotypically normal animals, identifying a possible mechanism for the onset of the disease. The possibility that inappropriate ubiquination of proteins plays an important role in the disease is discussed. A database of bovine proteins is currently being established. The identity of the proteins affected, together with a comparison of the human and bovine expression patterns, is displayed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The analysis of myocardial proteins by infrared and ultraviolet laser desorption mass spectrometry.

The use of infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI) mass spectrometry to analyse myocardial proteins separated by two-dimensional (2-D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is discussed. Proteins were electroblotted onto a FluoroTrans polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane in order to facilitate analysis by MALDI, which represented the most efficient means of extracting large numbers of proteins simultaneously. Once on a FluoroTrans membrane, IR-MALDI was used to obtain spectra from selected protein spots, but no useful signals were obtained with UV MALDI. Spectra were generated from 46 of 50 spots analysed with protein masses from 13 to 82 kDa and isoelectric points (pI) 4.7-7.8. For those protein spots that had previously been characterised, and for which both sequence and post-translational modification data were known, IR-MALDI data was within plus or minus 0.5% of the expected mass. Some spots contained more than one protein signal, illustrating the increased information obtainable from MALDI, but also suggesting the limit of resolution of 2-D gels for separating large numbers of proteins. Attempts to digest proteins with specific proteases and generate peptide mass fingerprints by MALDI analysis on the membrane were unsuccessful with either IR or UV lasers. The peptides were extracted from the membrane and readily analysed by UV MALDI for peptide spectra. Poor data was obtained for peptide digests with IR-MALDI, probably because of matrix suppression by digest buffer. In order to obtain the maximum amount of information from blotted proteins, both IR and UV MALDI were required.

Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Construction of HSC-2DPAGE: a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis database of heart proteins.

The dissemination of information relating to the characterisation of proteins from two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gel databases is essential for their effective utilisation in the study of protein expression in cell biology. Since the inception of the World Wide Web and the pioneering development of SWISS-2DPAGE as a tool for retrieving information on proteins separated by 2-DE, the Internet has become the method of choice for disseminating and accessing information on 2-DE protein databases. At Harefield we have established HSC-2DPAGE which is an advanced interface for accessing protein database relating to heart disease. The Web site currently includes databases of proteins from human, dog and rat ventricular tissue and a human endothelial cell line. The databases are searchable individually or as a whole by remote keyword searches. Each database is represented by both synthetic (computer generated) and real (scanned gel) clickable images upon which characterised protein spots are highlighted by hyperlinked symbols. The database conforms to all the rules proposed for federated 2-DE protein databases and individual protein entries are linked to other protein databases such as SWISS-PROT by active cross-references. This paper describes the construction of HSC-2DPAGE, its maintenance, and access via the Internet.

Animals↗