Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Banville

Publications and source records attributed to D Banville.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Comparison of metal ion-induced conformational changes in parvalbumin and oncomodulin as probed by the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan 102.

The calcium-induced conformational changes of the 108-amino acid residue proteins, cod III parvalbumin and oncomodulin, were compared using tryptophan as a sensitive spectroscopic probe. As native oncomodulin is devoid of tryptophan, site-specific mutagenesis was performed to create a mutant protein in which tryptophan was placed in the identical position (residue 102) as the single tryptophan residue in cod III parvalbumin. The results showed that in the region probed by tryptophan-102, cod III parvalbumin experienced significantly greater changes in conformation upon decalcification compared to the oncomodulin mutant, F102W. Addition of 1 eq of Ca2+ produced greater than 90% of the total fluorescence response in F102W, while in cod III parvalbumin, only 74% of the total was observed. Cod III parvalbumin displayed a negligible response upon Mg2+ addition. In contrast, F102W did respond to Mg2+, but the response was considerably less when compared to Ca2+ addition. Time-resolved fluorescence showed that the tryptophan in both proteins existed in at least two conformational states in the presence of Ca2+ and at least three conformational states in its absence. Comparison with quantum yield measurements indicated that the local electronic environment of the tryptophan was significantly different in the two proteins. Collectively, these results demonstrate that both cod III parvalbumin and oncomodulin undergo Ca2(+)-specific conformational changes. However, oncomodulin is distinct from cod III parvalbumin in terms of the electronic environment of the hydrophobic core, the magnitude of the Ca2(+)-induced conformational changes, and the number of calcium ions required to modulate the major conformational changes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mechanism of action of somatostatin: an overview of receptor function and studies of the molecular characterization and purification of somatostatin receptor proteins.

To determine whether somatostatin receptor subtypes arise from molecular heterogeneity of the receptor protein, we have cross-linked the putative receptor in normal rat tissues and in AtT-20 and GH3 cells, both chemically with SS-14, SS-28 and Tyr3 SMS ligands, as well as by photoaffinity labeling with an azido derivative of Tyr3 SMS (EE 581). Three prominent somatostatin receptor proteins of 58-kDa, 32-kDa, and 27-kDa size have been identified. These proteins exhibit a tissue-specific distribution, ligand selectivity, and relative preference for SS-14 and SS-28 binding, and thus qualify as somatostatin receptor subtypes. Using EE 581 as a photoaffinity probe, the 58-kDa and 32-kDa proteins have been purified to homogeneity from brain and AtT-20 cells by successive SDS-PAGE. The 58-kDa form has been trypsinized and amino acid sequence data obtained from four tryptic fragments. With the help of synthetic oligonucleotides derived from these sequences, work is currently in progress to clone the 58-kDa protein to elucidate its complete sequence, its expression, and its functional relationship to the somatostatin receptor and its pharmacological subtypes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Gene for parathyroid hormone-like peptide is on mouse chromosome 6.

The single-copy parathyroid hormone-like peptide gene (Pthlh) was assigned to mouse chromosome 6 using a rat PTHLH cDNA as hybridization probe in the Southern blot analysis of DNAs isolated from a panel of mouse x Chinese hamster cell hybrids. The mouse parathyroid hormone gene (Pth) has previously been assigned to mouse chromosome 7 and the PTHLH and PTH genes have also been shown to be on different chromosomes in human and rat. Therefore, despite significant amino-terminal sequence homology between the PTHLH and PTH peptides, as well as similarities in the structural organization of the human PTHLH and PTH genes, the genes encoding these peptides have discrete chromosomal locations in the mouse, rat, and man.

Animals↗

Gene-encoding parathyroid hormone-like peptide: nucleotide sequence of the rat gene and comparison with the human homologue.

The single-copy gene coding for rat PTH-like peptide was isolated from a rat liver genomic DNA library. The gene spans 12 kilobases and contains four exons. Exon I encodes the 5'-noncoding region, exon II encodes the prepro region, exon III encodes the mature peptide sequence up to amino acid 139 and exon IV encodes the carboxyl-terminal two amino acids, a stop codon, and the 3'-noncoding region. Splicing of these exons yields the 1.4 kilobase mRNA which is the predominant transcript observed in the hypercalcemic rat Leydig cell tumor and several normal rat tissues. The overall exon/intron organization of the rat parathyroid hormone-like peptide (PLP) gene is similar to that of the PTH gene and emphasizes the likelihood that PLP and PTH arose from a common ancestral gene. A comparison of the single promoter region of the rat with the second promoter of the human gene indicates conserved TATA and CAAT box homologies, GC box regions (SP-1 binding sites), putative AP-2 binding sites, and a vitamin D responsive element. When compared to the seven exon human PLP gene, which uses multiple promoters and encodes three peptide isoforms, the simpler organization of the rat gene predicts, in mammals, the predominant use of a single promoter and generation of a 141-amino acid peptide as the major molecular form.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression of two forms of prolactin receptor in rat ovary and liver.

The screening of a size-selected cDNA library from the ovary revealed the existence of a second form of PRL receptor in the rat. The polypeptide sequence deduced from cDNAs has a much longer cytoplasmic domain (357 amino acids) than the form previously identified in the liver (57 amino acids). Nucleotide sequence analysis and comparison with rabbit, mouse, and human PRL receptor cDNAs suggests that the two forms of rat PRL receptor result from alternative splicing of a primary transcript. Complementary DNAs encoding the long form of the receptor were also found in a library prepared from estradiol-treated rat liver, although they represent a minor fraction of total PRL receptor cDNAs obtained from this tissue. DNA polymerase chain reaction amplification of cDNA confirmed the presence of the two receptor forms in both the ovary and liver. Northern analysis, using probes that specifically hybridize with either form of mRNA, indicates a major transcript of 1.8 kilobases (kb) in estradiol-treated liver, which encodes the receptor with a short cytoplasmic domain, while the long form of the receptor is encoded by mRNAs of 2.5 and 3 kb. In the ovary, a complex pattern of hybridization to multiple mRNAs (1.8-5.5 kb) is obtained with the probe specific to the long form, and essentially only a 5.5-kb mRNA is obtained with the probe specific to the short form. The predicted size of the mature form of the long PRL receptor (PRL-R2) is 591 amino acid residues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Site-specific mutants of oncomodulin. 1H NMR and optical stopped-flow studies of the effect on the metal binding properties of an Asp59----Glu59 substitution in the calcium-specific site.

High resolution 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and optical stopped-flow techniques have been used to study the metal binding properties of a site-specific mutant of bacterial recombinant oncomodulin in which glutamate has replaced a liganding aspartate at position 59 in the CD calcium-binding site. In particular we have followed the replacement of calcium by lutetium in bacterial recombinant oncomodulin and D59E oncomodulin to provide a measure of the protein's preferences for metal ions of different ionic radii. The result of the Asp----Glu substitution is to make the mutant oncomodulin more similar to rat parvalbumin in terms of its relative CD- and EF-domain affinities for lutetium(III), that is to increase its affinity for metal ions with smaller ionic radii. This finding supports the original hypothesis that the presence of Asp at sequence position 59 is an important factor in the reduced preference of the CD site of oncomodulin for smaller metals such as magnesium (Williams, T. C., Corson, D. C., Sykes, B. D., and MacManus, J. P. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 6248-6256). However, our studies show that both the CD and the EF sites are affected by this single residue substitution suggesting that many factors play a role in the metal binding affinity and interaction between the two sites.

Animals↗

Retroviral long terminal repeat is the promoter of the gene encoding the tumor-associated calcium-binding protein oncomodulin in the rat.

Oncomodulin is a small calcium-binding protein normally found only in extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta, but whose presence in a variety of tumors has been documented. We have isolated the oncomodulin gene from a Buffalo rat genomic library. The rat gene is approximately 9000 bases in length and consists of five exons and four introns. The introns interrupt the coding sequence of oncomodulin in positions identical with those previously reported for the parvalbumin gene, indicating that the two genes are derived from a common ancestor. Analysis of the promoter sequence of the oncomodulin gene revealed that the gene is under the control of a solo long terminal repeat element related to intracisternal-A particles, a family of endogenous retroviral elements. This represents a unique example of a mammalian gene transcribed in normal and tumor cells, from a promoter of viral origin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of the human parathyroid hormone-like peptide gene. Functional and evolutionary aspects.

The single-copy gene coding for the human parathyroid hormone-like peptide was isolated from a human placental genomic library. The gene spans 13 kilobases and contains seven exons. Exons I and II encode 5'-noncoding regions; each has its own transcription initiation site, and the two promoters are separated by over 1000 base pairs of genomic DNA. Exon III encodes the prepro-coding region, and exon IV encodes the mature peptide sequence. At the end of exon IV the splice site interrupts codon 139 of the mature peptide. Exon V, which is contiguous with exon IV, encodes a stop codon and a 3'-noncoding region. Exon VI encodes 34 additional amino acids, a stop codon, and a second 3'-noncoding region. Exon VII encodes two extra amino acids, a stop codon, and a third 3'-noncoding region. This genomic organization reveals how the multiple human parathyroid hormone-like peptide RNA transcripts, which have been observed, arise by both alternative splicing out of exons and use of multiple promoters. The mRNAs, which can potentially be formed from the primary transcript of this gene, could have one of three different carboxyl-terminal coding regions. The use of different exons to encode the different functional domains, 5'-noncoding region, pre-pro-coding region, and mature peptide region is identical to the organization of the human parathyroid hormone gene. This strongly suggests a common evolutionary origin of the two genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization and site-specific mutagenesis of the calcium-binding protein oncomodulin produced by recombinant bacteria.

A bacterial expression system for the parvalbumin-like calcium-binding protein oncomodulin has been constructed. This system can yield 50-fold more oncomodulin than the richest known mammalian source, the rat Morris hepatoma 5123. The bacterially produced protein folded correctly as monitored by UV, fluorescence, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and is immunologically identical to rat hepatoma oncomodulin. A calcium-specific conformational change is observed in the bacterial oncomodulin similar to that of the hepatoma protein. A modification of the putative calcium-specific CD loop by site-directed mutagenesis, which changed Asp-59 to Glu-59, eliminates calcium-specific effects. In contrast to the native molecule, the mutant Glu-59 now exhibits a magnesium-induced conformational change when monitored by UV difference or fluorescence excitation spectroscopy. The availability of large amounts of bacterially produced oncomodulin combined with the ability to modify at will the metal-binding ligands should now allow dissection of the unusual pairing in oncomodulin of one calcium-specific calmodulin-like site with one calcium/magnesium parvalbumin-like site.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rat parathyroid hormone-like peptide: comparison with the human homologue and expression in malignant and normal tissue.

A rat Leydig cell tumor cDNA library was screened with a 32P-labeled genomic restriction fragment encoding human PTH-like peptide (hPLP), and three cDNA clones were isolated. The largest cDNA insert contained 1146 nucleotides. The cloned cDNA encodes a 177-amino acid protein consisting of a predicted 36-amino acid leader sequence and a 141-amino acid mature peptide in which 9 of 13 amino-terminal residues are identical to rat PTH (rPTH). Comparison of rPLP with hPLP reveals marked conservation of both the nucleotide and amino acid sequences through the prepro, amino-terminal, and midregion portions of the molecules. There is also striking conservation of the 3' noncoding regions of rPLP and hPLP mRNAs, both of which contain AU-rich repeated sequences that may affect mRNA stability. A single species of mRNA of approximately 1.4-kilobases was identified in the rat Leydig cell tumor and in normal rat stomach. Southern blot analysis is consistent with the presence of a single copy of the rPLP gene per haploid genome, and there is no major rearrangement or amplification of the rPLP gene in DNA isolated from the tumor per se. The results demonstrate the presence of a single gene transcript in a rat model of malignancy associated with hypercalcemia which encodes a peptide homologous to hPLP, document the marked interspecies sequence conservation that exists in major functional domains of the mRNAs and peptides, and show the expression of mRNA encoding rPLP in normal stomach as well as in neoplastic rat tissue.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression of oncomodulin does not lead to the transformation or immortalization of mammalian cells in vitro.

A recombinant plasmid (pMTONCO) containing the coding sequences for rat oncomodulin under the direction of the metallothionein promoter was constructed. pMTONCO was co-transfected with the pSV2-NEO plasmid into primary mouse kidney cells or Rat-1 cells using the calcium phosphate technique and stable transformants were isolated after selection with G418. Transcription from the metallothionein promoter was inducible with heavy metals and produced an oncomodulin-specific mRNA. The presence of oncomodulin protein in stable cell lines was verified by immunoprecipitation with specific antisera. While a plasmid encoding the polyomavirus T-antigens was able to prolong the life-span of primary mouse kidney cells in culture, no equivalent activity was noted when the pMTONCO plasmid was used to transfect primary cells. When expressed in Rat-1 cells, oncomodulin did not affect the growth properties of these cells, nor did it predispose cells to higher frequencies of oncogenic transformation to a viral oncogene. We conclude that oncomodulin is neither an immortalizing nor transforming agent in vitro.

Animals↗

[Prolactin receptor: characterization by monoclonal antibodies and cloning of complementary DNA].

Rat liver prolactin receptor has been partially characterized and purified to homogeneity using monoclonal antibodies. Pure receptor was digested with trypsin and amino acid sequence of receptor fragments determined. This allowed us to clone the prolactin receptor cDNA. Our approach to clone the receptor cDNA consisted of synthesizing oligonucleotides corresponding to the amino acid sequence of receptor fragments, and to screen a cDNA library. Sequencing reveals that prolactin receptor is a 291 amino acid protein, containing an extracellular domain of 210 residues, a single transmembrane segment of 24 amino acids and a cytoplasmic domain of 57 amino acids. Introduction of the prolactin receptor cDNA into various cell types demonstrates that the single protein is sufficient to bind prolactin with the same affinity and specificity reported for the prolactin receptor.

Animals↗

Gene for parathyroid hormone-like peptide is on rat chromosome 2.

Parathyroid hormone-like peptide (PLP) is thought to be a mediator of hypercalcemia in both human and rodent malignancies. A rat PLP cDNA was used as a hybridization probe in Southern blot analysis of DNAs isolated from a panel of rat-mouse somatic cell hybrids. The single-copy gene for PLP was assigned to rat chromosome 2, whereas the rat parathyroid hormone (PTH) gene has previously been assigned to rat chromosome 1. Consequently, despite significant amino-terminal homology between PLP and PTH the genes encoding these peptides in the rat as well as human species have discrete chromosomal localizations.

Animals↗

Cloning and expression of the rat prolactin receptor, a member of the growth hormone/prolactin receptor gene family.

The primary structure of the rat liver prolactin receptor has been deduced from a single complementary DNA clone. The sequence begins with a putative 19 amino acid signal peptide followed by the 291 amino acid receptor that includes a single 24 amino acid transmembrane segment. In spite of the fact that the prolactin receptor has a much shorter cytoplasmic region than the growth hormone receptor, there is strong localized sequence identity between these two receptors in both the extracellular and cytoplasmic domains, suggesting that the two receptors originated from a common ancestor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A complete complementary DNA for the oncodevelopmental calcium-binding protein, oncomodulin.

RNA from a rat liver tumor (Morris hepatoma 5123tc) was used to construct cDNAs together comprising the complete coding sequence of rat oncomodulin mRNA. Information obtained from these cDNAs as well as from primer extension analysis gave a deduced length for the complete oncomodulin mRNA of approximately 680 nucleotides (excluding the poly(A) tail) including a 5'-untranslated region of 97 +/- 2 nucleotides, a 324-nucleotide-coding sequence and a 259-nucleotide 3'-noncoding region. Comparison of the oncomodulin cDNA sequence with those coding for other members of the calcium-binding protein family shows little homology with the exception of a recently reported parvalbumin cDNA where the oncomodulin and parvalbumin nucleotide sequences are 59% identical in the protein-coding region. RNA blot analysis of poly(A+) RNA from normal adult rat liver gave no evidence of oncomodulin expression in this tissue. A single RNA species was detected, however, in RNA extracts from the hepatoma and from rat and human placentas. A probe prepared from one of the rat oncomodulin cDNAs hybridized with a single DNA species in restriction digests of hepatoma and normal DNA from rat and sequences in DNA of humans and other mammals. A 38-nucleotide sequence spanning the 5'-untranslated region and the first seven codons of the oncomodulin cDNA, was far less homologous than was the same region of a parvalbumin cDNA, to a chicken calmodulin cDNA sequence coding for the first calcium-binding domain. The oncomodulin gene appears to have diverged more from that of calmodulin than has the parvalbumin gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Developmental changes in the pattern of larval beta-globin gene expression in Xenopus laevis. Identification of two early larval beta-globin mRNA sequences.

We have analysed beta-globin mRNA sequences in total RNA extracted from embryos and tadpoles of Xenopus laevis at different stages of development and we have identified the most abundantly transcribed beta-globin mRNA (beta T1). The entire nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone corresponding to this mRNA is known. We have now identified the gene corresponding to this mRNA and we have determined the nucleotide sequences of its immediate 5'-flanking region. Using a DNA fragment from within the coding region of the cloned beta T1 cDNA we show, by primer extension analysis, that beta T1 mRNA is first detectable at stage 28-32 of development. This is the time at which the first presumptive erythropoietic tissue, the ventral blood island, becomes observable histologically. We show that two minor beta-globin genes, distinct from beta T1, are expressed during early stages of development, and that their expression ceases shortly after the beginning of the feeding stage. We term these two early larval genes beta E1 and beta E2. A third minor beta-globin gene is expressed during early development but, unlike beta E1 and beta E2, it is also expressed throughout subsequent larval development. We term this gene beta T2 and show that it corresponds to a gene previously termed beta LII. Finally, using a primer derived from the major adult beta-globin gene (beta 1), we have analysed the accumulation of the major adult beta-globin mRNA during larval development, and we show that this sequence does not accumulate to any significant level before metamorphosis.

Animals↗

The pattern of expression of the Xenopus laevis tadpole alpha-globin genes and the amino acid sequence of the three major tadpole alpha-globin polypeptides.

We have isolated cDNA clones derived from three tadpole alpha-globin mRNAs of Xenopus laevis. The entire nucleotide sequence of the three mRNAs has been determined from the cDNA clones and is presented together with the deduced amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptides. Two of the three polypeptide sequences are 96% homologous whilst the third sequence is highly diverged, with only a 72% homology. The three tadpole alpha-globin genes are all similarly diverged from the two X. laevis adult alpha-globin genes with which they display approximately 50% homology. Analysis of several independent clones from each class of tadpole alpha-globin sequence reveals a very high degree of coding region polymorphism for each of the three corresponding genes. Using the cloned DNA sequences as hybridisation probes, we have analysed the expression of the corresponding genes during larval development. We show that all three genes are activated simultaneously early in development and that thereafter all three are expressed at an approximately equivalent level. A fourth tadpole alpha-globin mRNA sequence, for which we do not have a cDNA clone, accumulates co-ordinately with the three major mRNA sequences but to a much lower concentration. This pattern of gene expression differs significantly from that of the tadpole beta-globin genes of X. laevis, despite the two classes of genes being closely linked in the genome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗