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D F Smith

Publications and source records attributed to D F Smith.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Molecular cloning of human p48, a transient component of progesterone receptor complexes and an Hsp70-binding protein.

A 48-kDa protein (p48) that transiently associates with progesterone receptor during cell-free assembly in rabbit reticulocyte lysate was isolated by two-dimensional gel separation. Tryptic peptide sequences were generated and used to develop an antipeptide antiserum recognizing p48 by Western immunostaining, and this antiserum was used to monitor purification of native p48 from reticulocyte lysate. Eight mouse monoclonal antibodies capable of immunoprecipitating vertebrate p48 were generated. These monoclonal antibodies served as probes to clone ten p48 cDNAs from a HeLa cDNA expression library. One of the cloned cDNAs was sequenced in its entirety and codes for a 369-amino acid protein (calculated Mr = 41,324). Northern blot analysis of RNA from multiple human tissues suggest that p48 may be ubiquitously expressed. Expression of human p48 cDNA in vitro yielded a product that comigrated with rabbit p48 by SDS-PAGE and associated with progesterone receptor in a similar manner. Immunoprecipitation of p48 complexes revealed a common association of p48 with hsp70 and, to a lesser extent, with hsp90 and p60. Thus, it appears that p48 is a novel component of the cytoplasmic molecular chaperone machinery.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Interactions of p60, a mediator of progesterone receptor assembly, with heat shock proteins hsp90 and hsp70.

Previous studies on the assembly of progesterone receptor (PR) complexes in vitro have suggested that PR assembly is a dynamic, ordered process involving at least eight nonreceptor proteins. One of these proteins, p60, appears transiently during assembly and is not a component of functionally mature PR complexes. In the present study we observe that a monoclonal antibody specific for p60 can, on the one hand, inhibit formation of mature PR complexes containing heat shock protein 90 (hsp90), p23, and immunophilins and, on the other, enhance recovery of early PR complexes containing hsp70 and Hip (p48). This observation supports a model in which p60 functions at an intermediate stage of PR assembly to facilitate formation of subsequent PR complexes lacking p60. Since p60 is typically found in a complex with hsp90 and hsp70, we have further characterized its interactions with these proteins. P60 can bind either hsp70 or hsp90 independently and in an ATP-independent manner. Since hsp90 and hsp70 do not readily associate on their own, it appears that p60 is the central organizing component of an hsp90-p60-hsp70 complex. Mutational analysis of p60 indicates that the N terminus is required for hsp70 binding, and a central region containing tetratricopeptide repeat motifs is necessary for binding hsp90 and hsp70. The hsp90-p60-hsp70 multichaperone complex is highly dynamic and does not appear to be affected by the hsp90-binding drug geldanamycin. The interactions of hsp70 and hsp90 in intermediate PR complexes are shown to be distinct from their separate interactions in early PR complexes (hsp70) or in mature PR complexes (hsp90). From these results, it appears that p60 is a key mediator in the chaperoned assembly and functional maturation of PR complexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A pathway of multi-chaperone interactions common to diverse regulatory proteins: estrogen receptor, Fes tyrosine kinase, heat shock transcription factor Hsf1, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.

A variety of regulatory proteins, including different classes of transcription factors and protein kinases, have been identified in complexes with Hsp90. On careful examination of unactivated progesterone receptor complexes, eight different protein participants have been identified, and each can be considered a component of the cytoplasmic molecular chaperone machinery. These proteins are Hsp90, Hsp70, Hip, p60, p23, FKBP51, FKBP52 and Cyp40. Studies in a cell-free assembly system have helped to define a highly ordered, dynamic pathway for assembly of progesterone receptor complexes. In the present study, target proteins other than progesterone receptor were used in this cell-free system to assemble complexes in vitro and to compare the composition of resulting complexes. Targets used were human estrogen receptor, human Fes protein-tyrosine kinase, human heat shock transcription factor Hsf1, and human aryl hydrocarbon receptor. The striking similarity of resulting target complexes with previously characterized progesterone receptor complexes suggest that each of these targets undergoes a common assembly pathway involving multiple chaperone components in addition to Hsp90.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Remodeling of mouse milk glycoconjugates by transgenic expression of a human glycosyltransferase.

The mammary gland is a unique biosynthetic tissue that produces a variety of species-specific glycoconjugates, but the factors regulating the production of specific glycoconjugates are not well understood. To explore the underlying regulation, a fusion gene containing a cDNA encoding the human alpha 1,2-fucosyltransferase (alpha 1,2FT), which generates the H-blood group antigen, flanked by the murine whey acidic protein promoter and a polyadenylation signal, was introduced into mice. Milk samples from transgenic animals contained soluble forms of the alpha 1,2FT, as revealed by Western blots of milk samples using an anti-alpha 1,2FT antiserum and by the demonstration of alpha 1,2FT enzyme activity. Milk from transgenic animals also contained large quantities of 2'-fucosyllactose (Fuc alpha 1-2Gal beta 1-4Glc) and modified glycoproteins containing the H-antigen, whereas milk from control animals lacked these glycoconjugates. Expression levels of 2'-fucosyllactose were high in most animals and represented 1/3 to nearly 1/2 of the total milk oligosaccharides. These results demonstrate that heterologous transgenic expression of a glycosyltransferase can result in the expression of both the transgene and its secondary gene products and that the structures of milk oligosaccharides can be remodeled depending on expression of the appropriate enzyme. Furthermore, these results suggest that the lactating mammary gland may be a unique biosynthetic reactor for the production of biologically active oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1995

Chromosomal organisation of a repeated gene cluster expressed in mammalian stages of Leishmania.

The genomic organisation of a large Leishmania gene cluster, expressed predominantly in intracellular, infective parasite stages, has been determined. Using cosmid cloning, parasite DNA fingerprinting, partial digestion and mapping with 'end-specific' probes, the Lm cDNA2 gene array has been localised to a 55-kb ClaI fragment within the L. major genome. Six tandemly linked gene copies are transcribed to produce an abundant 6-kb transcript; the seventh and last copy of the cluster is truncated at its 3' end. It is likely that these genes encode one or more proteins specific to infective stages of the parasite life cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Trichinella spiralis: cloning and characterisation of two repetitive DNA sequences.

Digestion of genomic DNA of Trichinella spiralis with EcoRI reveals the presence of several families of repetitive DNA. Two small repeats of 516 and 604 bp, respectively, have been cloned and sequenced. The two repeats are related to each other and to a 1.1-kb repetitive DNA. Similar sequences are not detected in other species by hybridisation. There are about 270 copies of each small repeat per haploid genome and these are organised in large arrays of > or = 50 kb. The basic repetitive unit appears to contain one copy of each repeat. This repetitive DNA is transcribed in muscle-stage larvae although it is not protein coding.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Cell surface components of Leishmania: identification of a novel parasite lectin?

Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania have a glycoconjugate surface coat (the glycocalyx) that acts as the interface between the parasite and its external environment. The principal components of the glycocalyx, the lipophosphoglycans and the glycoinositolphospholipids, have a variety of functions that facilitate parasite survival in both the extracellular and the intracellular stages of the life cycle. Recently, a novel hydrophilic Leishmania protein, the Gene B protein, has been identified on the surface of infective parasite stages. Attachment to the surface appears to be by association between a region of repeated amino acids in this molecule and components of the glycocalyx. As a consequence, the Gene B protein is exposed on the parasite surface while other peptides are buried beneath the glycocalyx. The putative functions of this unusual molecule are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Progesterone receptor structure and function altered by geldanamycin, an hsp90-binding agent.

The assembly of progesterone receptor (PR) heterocomplexes in vitro involves at least eight components of the molecular chaperone machinery, and as earlier reports have shown, these proteins exhibit complex, dynamic, but ordered, interactions with one another and PR. Using the selective hsp90 binding agent geldanamycin (GA), we have found that PR assembly in vitro can be arrested at a previously observed intermediate assembly step. Like mature PR complexes, the intermediate complexes contain hsp90, but they differ from mature complexes by the presence of hsp70, p60, and p48 and the absence of immunophilins and p23. Arrest of PR assembly is likely due to GA's ability to directly block binding of p23 to hsp90. An important functional consequence of GA-mediated assembly arrest in vitro is the inability of the resulting PR complexes to bind progesterone, despite the presence of hsp90 in the receptor complexes. The biological significance of the in vitro observations is demonstrated by GA's ability to (i) rapidly block PR's hormone binding capacity in intact cells and (ii) alter the composition of COS cell PR complexes in a manner similar to that observed during in vitro reconstitutions. An updated model for the cyclic assembly pathway of PR complexes that incorporates the present findings with earlier results is presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Prospective evaluation of a prognostic index for intrinsic supratentorial tumours.

A prognostic index for patients with intrinsic supratentorial tumours based on prebiopsy findings was proposed on the basis of data bases of patients presenting between 1975 and 1989. The value of this index is confirmed from data on 76 patients who presented during 1991. Patients classified by the index as having a poor prognosis had a median survival of six months, and those classified as having a good prognosis had a median survival of five years. The expected duration of survival, allowing for this initial prognosis, also depended on whether a patient received resective surgery, radiotherapy, or steroids. Histological grade provided no additional information on survival.

Epilepsy↗
PubMed1995

The gene B protein localises to the surface of Leishmania major parasites in the absence of metacyclic stage lipophosphoglycan.

The stage specific Gene B protein (GBP) of Leishmania major localises to the surface of infective metacyclic parasites, where it associates with the developmentally regulated surface glycoconjugate, lipophosphoglycan (LPG). This association has been proposed to aid maintenance of GBP on the parasite surface. In this paper, we show that the abundance of GBP on the extracellular metacyclic cell surface is in the order of 100,000 copies per cell. This level of expression is comparable to that seen in the intracellular amastigote stage, in which GBP is also localised to the surface, despite the lack of metacyclic stage specific LPG. Furthermore GBP expressed from an episome in avirulent parasites, which are unable to synthesise metacyclic LPG or endogenous GBP, also localises to the parasite surface. These data demonstrate that GBP can maintain a surface localisation in the absence of metacyclic LPG, suggesting that it is able to associate with other glycoconjugates on the surface of infective parasites.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Determination of GDP-Fuc:Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R (Fuc to GlcNAc) alpha 1,3 fucosyltransferase activity by a solid-phase method.

We report the development of a solid-phase assay for the activity of the enzyme GDPFuc:Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R (Fuc to GlcNAc) alpha 1,3 fucosyltransferase (alpha 1,3FT). This enzyme generates the blood group antigen Lewis x (Lex)Gal beta 1-4(Fuc alpha 1-3)GlcNAc-R from the acceptor Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R. In our method, the tetrasaccharide Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc (lacto-N-neotetraose, LNnT) from human milk was chemically conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) to generate LNnT-BSA. As a source of alpha 1,3FT to develop the assay, we used extracts of COS7 cells created to stably express the human FucTIII and FucTIV genes, both of which have alpha 1,3FT activity. LNnT-BSA was immobilized in microtiter wells and incubated with GDPFuc and cell extracts. The Lex antigen generated by alpha 1,3FT was detected with a monoclonal IgM antibody (anti-CD15). Binding of this IgM-type antibody to product was detected by one of two methods. Method 1 was based on the binding of alkaline phosphatase-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgM. Method 2 was based on the binding of a streptavidin conjugate of the recombinant bioluminescent protein aequorin to biotinylated goat anti-mouse IgM. The alpha 1,3FT assay was linear with respect to time (0-3 h), extract added (0-40 micrograms), and was dependent on GDPFuc (20 microM optimal) and LNnT-BSA. Both methods 1 and 2 allowed measurement of alpha 1,3FT in extracts of the human cell line HL-60.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1994

Effect of flunarizine and calcium on serotonin uptake in human and rat blood platelets and rat synaptosomes.

Calcium and the calcium overload blocker flunarizine exert profound effects on mood. We therefore studied the effect of calcium and flunarizine on serotonin uptake in human and rat blood platelets and in rat synaptosomes. Calcium (1.3 mmol/L) had a weak inhibiting effect on serotonin uptake in blood platelets, whereas no effect was observed in synaptosomes. Flunarizine inhibited serotonin uptake in a concentration dependent manner with an IC50 value of 1 mumol/L in blood platelets and 5 mumol/L in synaptosomes. The inhibition did not depend on the presence of extracellular calcium indicating that the effect is not coupled to a blockade of cellular calcium influx. In human blood platelets, the inhibition was of the noncompetitive type. These results indicate that flunarizine interacts directly with the 5-HT uptake site. The relatively high concentration of flunarizine required to inhibit 5-HT uptake may question the clinical importance of this effect.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Leishmania major: association of the differentially expressed gene B protein and the surface lipophosphoglycan as revealed by membrane capping.

The lipophosphoglycan (LPG) of Leishmania promastigotes forms a dense glycocalyx which effectively covers the entire surface of the cell, and which undergoes structural modifications during the differentiation of promastigotes to the infective or metacyclic stage. Recently, the first protein marker for metacyclic promastigotes of Leishmania major has been characterized. This protein, termed gene B protein, is located on the cell surface, yet it lacks any hydrophobic sequence for membrane attachment. It does contain an unusual amino acid repeat that is related to the peptidoglycan binding domain of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus, suggesting that the protein might interact with metacyclic LPG via this domain for attachment to the cell. We have studied the distribution of LPG, gene B protein, and the major surface protease, gp63, by labeling them with immunogold or immunofluorescence prior to and during capping events. Thin sections of double-labeled parasites revealed that the gene B protein-gold particles were colocalized with the LPG-gold particles in the LPG capping structures at the extremities of the cell. Cocapping of LPG and gene B protein was also observed with two-color fluorescence. No similar redistribution was seen in gp63 or with integral membrane proteins. In contrast to the gene B protein, gp63 could only be immunogold labeled on the metacyclic surface after capping and shedding of the LPG, providing further that it and other membrane-associated proteins are normally buried under the LPG coat. The unusual surface exposure of the gene B protein is consistent with its hydrophilic and LPG binding properties, which allow it to become incorporated into the cell coat and to localize to the most external aspects of the cell.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Expression of a hydrophilic surface protein in infective stages of Leishmania major.

A family of differentially expressed genes from Leishmania major contains one sequence (Gene B) that encodes a novel, hydrophilic protein found on the surface of infective parasite stages. The 177-residue, acidic Gene B protein is characterised by an amino acid repetitive element, comprising 45% of the total molecule, that is related to the cell-wall binding domain of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus. No identifiable signal peptide, membrane-spanning domain or consensus for glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor attachment to the cell surface is found elsewhere in the deduced protein sequence. In vitro, the Gene B protein fractionates with the parasite cell surface glycoconjugates, lipophosphoglycan and the glycoinositolphospholipids. This protein is the first characterised surface peptide marker for infective stages of the Leishmania life cycle.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Isolation of non-LTR retrotransposon reverse transcriptase-like sequences from phlebotomine sandflies.

Reverse transcriptase-like sequences (RTs) with amino acid motifs characteristic of non-LTR retrotransposons have been isolated from several medically important phlebotomine sandfly species. These sequences were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers based on conserved amino acid motifs present in previously described insect RTs. A further set of RTs were amplified using primers based on the conserved regions identified in phlebotomine RTs. The average similarity of the phlebotomine RTs to the Drosophila I, F and R1Dm elements was 28-29% between the closest primers used. Phlebotomine RTs were 31-62% similar to each other, the most dissimilar sequences coming from the same species. Several amino acid residues were invariant in the ten phlebotomine RTs, including motif Q(F/Y)GF, conserved in other non-LTR retrotransposons, but not in retrovirus or LTR retrotransposon RTs. The remarkable conservation of this distinctive domain of non-LTR retrotransposon RTs suggests it has a vital and possibly unique role in the mode of reverse transcription of this class of transposon.

Amino Acid Sequence↗