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Biomedical subjects

C Jansson

Publications and source records attributed to C Jansson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Stable expression of recombinant human alpha 2-adrenoceptor subtypes in two mammalian cell lines: characterization with [3H]rauwolscine binding, inhibition of adenylate cyclase and RNase protection assay.

Cloning of the genes encoding distinct subtypes of human alpha 2-adrenergic receptors (alpha 2-AR) allows the separate recombinant expression of each individual subtype in heterologous systems. We report here the transfection, selection and preliminary pharmacological characterization of two mammalian cell lines, adherent Shionogi S115 mouse mammary tumour cells and human B-lymphoblastoid IBW4 cells growing in suspension, expressing the human alpha 2-AR subtypes alpha 2-C4 and alpha 2-C10 at densities of approx. 2 x 10(5) receptors/cell. Transfection of the subtype genes was verified using a specific RNase protection assay. Pharmacological characterization was carried out with [3H]rauwolscine binding, which was inhibited by oxymetazoline and prazosin in a subtype-selective manner. The sensitivity of (-)-noradrenaline binding to the GTP-analogue 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate suggested that the receptors are coupled to G-proteins. This was verified in S115 cells by efficient inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production by the alpha 2-AR agonists, (-)-noradrenaline and clonidine. These cell lines thus appear to be suitable for pharmacological studies on receptor function and ligand binding.

Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors↗

Ultrastructural and biochemical characterization of a Synechocystis 6803 mutant with inactivated psbA genes.

A constructed Synechocystis 6803 mutant with a deletion of the three psbA genes was subjected to ultrastructural and biochemical characterization. This D1-depleted mutant also lacks the D2 protein and the chlorophyll a-binding protein CP-47. A general ultrastructural comparison between the wild type and the mutant did not reveal any major changes in cell appearance. We found by freeze-fracture analysis that approximately 60% of the endoplasmic face particles found in the wild-type thylakoids were missing in the mutant. A corresponding increase in protoplasmic face particles in the mutant thylakoids may represent a subcomplex of those photosystem II (PS II) polypeptides which accumulate in the absence of the D1 protein. Correlation of the PS I:PS II ratio with freeze-fracture data indicates that there is only one reaction center in each PS II freeze-fracture particle. Fluorescence measurements show that the CP-43 polypeptide in the mutant binds chlorophyll and that it may be connected to the phycobilisomes. Excitation energy can be transferred from the phycobilisomes to photosystem I in the absence of the photosystem II reaction center heterodimer and CP-47. This suggests that exciton transfer to photosystem I is mediated either directly by a terminal phycobilisome transmitter or via CP-43.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Spread of a newly found trimethoprim resistance gene, dhfrIX, among porcine isolates and human pathogens.

A plasmid-borne gene mediating trimethoprim resistance, dhfrIX, newly found among porcine strains of Escherichia coli, was observed at a frequency of 11% among trimethoprim-resistant veterinary isolates. This rather high frequency of dhfrIX could be due to the extensive use of trimethoprim in veterinary practice in Sweden. After searching several hundred clinical isolates, one human E. coli strain was also found to harbor the dhfrIX gene. Thus, the dhfrIX gene seems to have spread from porcine bacteria to human pathogens. Furthermore, the occurrence of other genes coding for resistant dihydrofolate reductase enzymes (dhfrI, dhfrII, dhfrV, dhfrVII, and dhfrVIII) among the porcine isolates was investigated. In addition, association of dhfr genes with the integraselike open reading frames of transposons Tn7 and Tn21 was studied. In colony hybridization experiments, both dhfrI and dhfrII were found associated with these integrase genes. The most common combination was dhfrI and int-Tn7, indicating a high prevalence of Tn7.

Animals↗

Differential coupling of muscarinic receptors to Ca2+ mobilization and cyclic AMP in SH-SY5Y and IMR 32 neuroblastoma cells.

Muscarinic receptor-linked Ca2+ mobilization and changes in cyclic AMP were studied in SH-SY5Y and IMR 32 human neuroblastoma cell lines. Muscarinic agonists acetylcholine, carbachol, methacholine and muscarine induced an increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ in a pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml)-insensitive manner in both cell lines. The ED50 values in IMR 32 cells (8-98 microM) were one order of magnitude higher than in SH-SY5Y cells (0.3-1.6 microM). Oxotremorine and pilocarpine failed to mobilize Ca2+ in IMR 32 cells. Pirenzepine antagonized carbachol-induced Ca2+ mobilization in SH-SY5Y cells with a Ki value in the range of 150-189 nM whereas the corresponding values in IMR 32 cells were 24-28 nM. Atropine inhibited a carbachol-stimulated increase in cytosolic Ca2+ with an equal potency in both cell lines (Ki 2-3 nM). Carbachol stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation in SH-SY5Y cells in a pertussis toxin-insensitive manner. In IMR 32 cells carbachol inhibited prostaglandin E1-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Treatment of IMR 32 cells with pertussis toxin abolished the inhibition of stimulated cAMP accumulation. These results suggest that in SH-SY5Y cells the M3 muscarinic receptor couples to both Ca2+ mobilization and stimulation of cAMP accumulation. In IMR 32 cells the M1 receptor seems to couple to Ca2+ mobilization whereas the inhibition of stimulated cAMP accumulation is coupled to a non-M1 subtype by an inhibitory G-protein.

Acetylcholine↗

Photosynthetic electron transport controls degradation but not production of psbA transcripts in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803.

Accumulation and stability of psbA and rbcL-S transcripts in Synechocystis 6803 was followed in the presence and absence of the photosynthesis inhibitors DCMU and methylviologen. Our results demonstrate that both transcript production and transcript stability are important regulatory elements for psbA gene expression in Synechocystis 6803. The production of psbA transcripts was stimulated by light in a process that operated independently of the photosynthetic electron transport. However, stability of the psbA transcript increased in the dark and was controlled by photosynthetic electron transport. The psbA transcript was remarkably stable in the dark, with a half-life of approximately 7 hours. By contrast, the regulatory pattern for the rbcL-S genes was quite different. The light-stimulated production of rbcL-S transcripts was dependent on an intact photosynthetic electron transport, and rbcL-S transcript stability was higher under illuminated conditions than in darkness.

Blotting, Northern↗

Appearance of a new trimethoprim resistance gene, dhfrIX, in Escherichia coli from swine.

A new gene, dhfrIX, coding for a trimethoprim-resistant dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), was found in porcine isolates of Escherichia coli. The new enzyme, DHFR IX, containing 178 amino acids, showed an amino acid similarity of about 26% with DHFR I and the chromosomal DHFR of E. coli K-12. The dhfrIX gene was observed to occur on two distinctly different transferable plasmids, although a fragment of about 2.9 kb, including dhfrIX, had an identical restriction enzyme digestion map in each case. The new plasmid-borne dhfrIX gene mediates resistance to a drug level of only about 250 micrograms/ml, as compared with more than 1,000 micrograms/ml for the more frequently encountered dhfrI gene. The new plasmid-borne trimethoprim resistance gene could have been selected and spread as a consequence of the extensive use of trimethoprim in veterinary practice in Sweden. It will be important to try to follow its possible occurrence in human pathogens as well.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rapid turn-over of plasma membrane sphingomyelin and cholesterol in baby hamster kidney cells after exposure to sphingomyelinase.

Plasma membrane sphingomyelin in baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells was hydrolyzed with sphingomyelinase (Staphylococcus aureus) and the effects on membrane cholesterol translocation and the properties of membrane bound adenylate cyclase and Na+/K(+)-ATPase were determined. Exposure of confluent BHK-21 cells to 0.1 U/ml of sphingomyelinase led to the degradation (at 37 degrees C) of about 60% of cell sphingomyelin. No simultaneous hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine occurred. The hydrolysis of sphingomyelin subsequently led to the translocation (within 40 min) of about 50-60% of cell [3H]cholesterol from a cholesterol oxidase susceptible pool to an oxidase resistant compartment. The translocation of [3H]cholesterol from the cell surface to intracellular membranes was accompanied by a paralleled increase in [3H]cholesterol ester formation. When cells were first exposed to sphingomyelinase (to degrade sphingomyelin) and then incubated without the enzyme in serum-free media, the mass of cell sphingomyelin decreased initially (by 60%), but then began to increase and reached control levels within 3-4 h. The rapid re-synthesis of sphingomyelin was accompanied by an equally rapid normalization of cell [3H]cholesterol distribution. The re-formation of cell sphingomyelin also led to a decreased content of cellular [3H]cholesterol esters, indicating that unesterified [3H]cholesterol was pulled out of the cholesterol ester cycle and transported to the cell surface. Exposure of BHK-21 cells to sphingomyelinase further led to a dramatically decreased activity of ouabain-sensitive Na+/K(+)-ATPase, whereas forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was not affected. The activity of Na+/K(+)-ATPase returned to normal in parallel with the normalization of cell sphingomyelin mass and cholesterol distribution. We conclude that sphingomyelin has profound effects on the steady-state distribution of cell cholesterol, and that manipulations of cell sphingomyelin levels directly and reversibly affects the apparent distribution of cholesterol. Changes in the lipid composition of the plasma membrane also appears to selectively affect important metabolic reactions in that compartment.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Photosystem II characteristics of a constructed Synechocystis 6803 mutant lacking synthesis of the D1 polypeptide.

Photosystem II (PSII) composition was studied in a mutant of the cyanobacterium Synechosystis 6803 in which synthesis of the reaction center polypeptide D1 has been inactivated. The mutant thylakoids had lost also the other reaction center polypeptide D2 and the chlorophyll alpha-binding protein CP47. Cytochrome b559 and the chlorophyll alpha-binding protein CP43 accumulated to almost wild-type amounts in mutant thylakoids. Also the 33 kDa polypeptide involved in water oxidation was present and membrane-bound in mutant thylakoids. The intrinsic 22 kDa polypeptide, so far known only from plants, was detected both in wild-type and mutant thylakoids.

Cyanobacteria↗

Influence of light on accumulation of photosynthesis-specific transcripts in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803.

Transcript accumulation for the psbA, psbD, psbD-C, rbcL-S and rrn genes in Synechocystis 6803 was followed under different light conditions. psbA, psbD, psbD-C and rbcL-S transcripts required light to accumulate and the relative abundance of these transcripts differed between high and low light conditions. Under high light conditions, steady-state levels of psbA, psbD and psbD-C transcripts were higher while levels of rbcL-S transcripts were lower than under low light conditions. rrn transcripts accumulated in the dark and the transcript levels were the same under illuminated conditions. Analyses of constructed Synechocystis 6803 mutants showed that both psbA-2 and psbA-3 could produce high levels of transcripts under illuminated conditions. No psbA-1 transcripts were detected.

Cyanobacteria↗

Construction of an Obligate Photoheterotrophic Mutant of the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 : Inactivation of the psbA Gene Family.

psbA in Synechocystis 6803 was found to belong to a small multigene family with three copies. The psbA gene family was inactivated in vitro by insertation of bacterial drug resistance markers. Inactivation of all three genes resulted in a transformant that is unable to grow photosynthetically but can be cultured photoheterotrophically. This mutant lacks oxygen evolving capacity but retains photosystem I activity. Room temperature measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence induction demonstrated that the transformant exhibits a high fluorescence yield with little or no variable fluorescence. Immunoblot analyses showed complete loss of the psbA gene product (the DI polypeptide) from thylakoid membranes in the transformant. However, the extrinsic 33 kilodalton polypeptide of the water-splitting complex of photosystem II, is still present. The results indicate that assembly of a partial photosystem II complex may occur even in the absence of the intrinsic D1 polypeptide, a protein implicated as a crucial component of the photosystem II reaction center.

Journal Article↗

EPR studies on the photosystem II donor side in salt-washed and reconstituted inside-out thylakoids.

EPR measurements on inside-out thylakoids revealed that salt-washing, known to inhibit oxygen evolution and release a 23 and a 16 kDa protein, induced a Signal IIf and decreased the EPR signal from state S2. Readdition of the released 23 kDa protein restored the oxygen evolution and decreased the Signal IIf, but did not relieve the decrease in the state S2 signal. It is suggested that salt-washing inhibits the electron transfer from the oxygen-evolving site to Z, the physiological donor to P680. In inhibited photosystem II units lacking Signal IIf, Z+ is rapidly reduced, possibly by a modified S-cycle unable to evolve oxygen.

Darkness↗

Reconstitution of oxygen evolution in high salt washed photosystem II particles.

Photosystem II thylakoid particles possessing high rates of oxygen evolution, were shown to have a very simple polypeptide composition. Upon washing of these particles with 250 mM NaCl the oxygen evolution was inhibited up to 80% concomitant with a release of two polypeptides of 23 and 16 kDa. Readdition of the pure 23 kDa protein to the depleted thylakoids under low ionic strength reconstituted more than half of the lost activity. No stimulation was obtained with the 16 kDa protein alone or in combination with glycerol. The results give further strong evidence that the 23 kDa protein is an essential component in the oxygen evolving complex. The possible involvement of other proteins in this complex is discussed in light of the demonstrated simple polypeptide pattern of the photosystem II particles.

Chloroplasts↗