Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E H Fischer

Publications and source records attributed to E H Fischer.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

The causes of the syndromes of Landry (1859) and of Guillain, Barré and Strohl (1916).

Post-infectious and post-vaccinal peripheral neuritis or encephalomyelitis have frequently been considered the human equivalents of experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) or encephalomyelitis (EAE). The major basis for these comparisons between diseases in humans and experimental animals rests on the classical observations of "paralytic accidents" of Pasteur-type vaccination against rabies. These old observations in humans injected with brain tissue indicate a remarkable heterogeneity of periphéral as well as central nervous system syndromes, quite in contrast with the remarkable specificity for either peripheral or central involvement in most experimental animals. The syndromes of Landry (1859) and of Guillain, Barré and Strohl (1916) differ clinically and pathologically, the latter a purely peripheral neuritis and the former a mixture of transverse myelitis and facial neuritis. Each can be caused by many different factors, including 1) direct infection by wild or attenuated rabies virus, 2) direct auto-sensitization by myelin antigens in the vaccine and 3) indirect or cross-reactive sensitization by viral or bacterial antigenic determinants (epitopes) with sufficient chemical homology with aminoacid sequences in central or peripheral myelin antigens to be recognized as immunological homologies.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Association of calmodulin with peptide analogues of the inhibitory region of the heat-stable protein inhibitor of adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase.

A 20-residue peptide analogue (IASGRTGRRNAIHDILVSSA) of the 8000-dalton heat-stable cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor undergoes efficient calcium-dependent binding by calmodulin, with Kd approximately 70 nM when calcium is present. It is a potent inhibitor of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase and of the calmodulin-dependent phosphatase activity of calcineurin. At concentrations above 3 microM, the peptide stimulates the basal activity of calcineurin. The native protein kinase inhibitor has no effect on the catalytic activity of myosin light chain kinase and is moderately inhibitory to both the calmodulin-dependent and -independent phosphatase activity of calcineurin. Competition experiments using excess concentrations of calcineurin and calmodulin suggest that the primary interaction of the native heat-stable inhibitor is with the catalytic subunit of protein kinase. Dansylcalmodulin exhibits only a weak interaction with the inhibitor. Observations on deletion peptides of the 20-residue analogue help to delineate the overlapping peptide binding specificities of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase [Scott, J. D., Glaccum, M. B., Fischer, E. H., & Krebs, E. G. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 1613-1616] and calmodulin. In both cases, the most effectively bound peptides contain the RTGRR sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Primary-structure requirements for inhibition by the heat-stable inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

The amino acid sequence of the heat-stable inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKI) was determined recently [Scott, J. D., Fischer, E. H., Takio, K., Demaille, J. G. & Krebs, E. G. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 5732-5736]. An earlier report [Scott, J. D., Fischer, E.H., Demaille, J. G. & Krebs, E. G. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 4379-4383] showed that at least part of the inhibitory domain of PKI is located in a 20-residue segment extending from residue 11 to residue 30: Ile-Ala-Ser-Gly-Arg-Thr-Gly-Arg-Arg-Asn-Ala-Ile-His-Asp-Ile-Leu-Val-Ser- Ser-Ala . In the present study, we further mapped the inhibitory region of PKI by addition or deletion of residues at both ends of this peptide and by substitutions for specific amino acids. The results show that (i) deletion of residues 25-30 did not change inhibitory activity but addition of residues toward the amino terminus increased the inhibitory potency up to 150-fold (Ki 4.8 nM), to a level approaching that of PKI; (ii) replacement of alanine-21 by serine converted the inhibitor into a substrate having a relatively low affinity (Km 280 microM) for the enzyme; (iii) replacement of alanine-21 by phosphoserine or alpha-aminobutyric acid decreased inhibitory activity by a factor of 120 and 20, respectively; (iv) replacement of serine-13 had essentially no effect, whereas substitution of threonine-16 decreased inhibitory activity. The greatest decreases of inhibitory potency occurred with replacements of the arginines in positions 18 and 19.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Sequence homology between certain viral proteins and proteins related to encephalomyelitis and neuritis.

Post-infectious or post-vaccinal demyelinating encephalomyelitis and neuritis may be due to immunological cross-reactions evoked by specific viral antigenic determinants (epitopes) that are homologous to regions in the target myelins of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Such homologies have been found by computer searches in which decapeptides in two human myelin proteins were compared with proteins of viruses known to infect humans. These viruses include measles, Epstein-Barr, influenza A and B, and others that cause upper respiratory infections. Several regions identified in myelin basic protein and P2 protein can be related to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis or neuritis in laboratory animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Identification of an inhibitory region of the heat-stable protein inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

The present study was undertaken in order to identify the inhibitory site of the heat-stable inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKI) and to synthesize a peptide that could serve as a useful inhibitor of the enzyme. Digestion of purified PKI by mast cell proteinase II yielded a peptide fragment that retained inhibitory activity. A sequence of 20 amino acids of the peptide, (sequence in text) revealed the presence of a "pseudosubstrate site" (Arg-Arg-Asn-Ala-Ile) for the cAMP-dependent protein kinase in which alanine replaces the seryl or threonyl residue that is normally phosphorylated. Digestion of PKI with various other proteinases implicated the involvement of arginyl and hydrophobic residues as determinants for the inhibitory activity. The assumption that this region is part of the inhibitory site was confirmed by the synthesis of a corresponding duodecapeptide that displayed strong inhibitory activity. Inhibition by the peptide was competitive with a Ki of 0.8 microM as measured against a number of protein substrates. The sequence of this fragment bears a strong resemblance to the autophosphorylation site in the type II regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, a region also postulated to interact with the catalytic subunit, and the analogous region of type I regulatory subunit. Neither intact PKI nor the synthetic peptide inhibit the cGMP-dependent protein kinase, phosphorylase kinase, myosin light-chain kinase, casein kinase II, or protein kinase C.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Amino acid sequence of the heat-stable inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase from rabbit skeletal muscle.

The amino acid sequence of rabbit skeletal muscle heat-stable inhibitor of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase has been determined by microsequencing techniques. Proof of the structure involved a series of nonoverlapping tryptic fragments for primary identification of 86% of the amino acids. Complementary fragments generated by cleavage with chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase, and mast cell proteinase II contributed to proof of the structure. The inhibitor is a single polypeptide chain of 75 residues and has a molecular weight of 7829. It lacks tryptophan, proline, and sulfur-containing amino acids. The amino terminus of the inhibitor is blocked by an unidentified group. The amino-terminal region of the molecule contains the kinase inhibitory domain, and synthetic peptides based on the sequence of residues 11-30 are potent competitive inhibitors of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase [Scott, J. D., Fischer, E. H., Demaille, J. G. & Krebs, E. G. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 4379-4383]. Residues 14-22 show considerable homology to the "hinge-regions" of the regulatory subunits of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The remainder of the molecule shows no similarity to the known amino acid sequence of any protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Homology of the gamma subunit of phosphorylase b kinase with cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

The complete amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit (gamma subunit) of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase b kinase was determined. The gamma subunit was purified by gel filtration in acidic 8 M urea after reduction and S-carboxymethylation in 7 M guanidine hydrochloride. Cleavage of the gamma subunit at arginyl bonds gave a complete set of nonoverlapping peptides. Overlapping peptides were obtained by cleavage at methionyl, tryptophanyl, or glutamyl bonds and by selected subdigestion of two large peptides obtained by cleavage at methionyl bonds. Sequence analysis established that the protein contains 386 residues corresponding to a molecular weight (Mr) of 44673. Comparison of the gamma subunit with the catalytic subunit of bovine cAMP-dependent protein kinase and with tyrosine-specific kinases of viral origin revealed a significant degree of sequence identity among all of these proteins. These data suggest that calcium-dependent protein kinases may share a common ancestral gene and a common structural basis for catalytic function with a wide variety of other protein kinases which respond to different signals and control quite different processes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Phosphorylase phosphatase. Interconversion of active and inactive forms.

Phosphorylase phosphatase is isolated as an inactive Mr = 70,000 complex made up of a catalytic and a regulatory subunit (inhibitor 2). Separation of the two components yields the free catalytic subunit in a completely inactive state. It can be activated by Mn2+ or Co2+, not Mg2+ or Ca2+. No metal ion is incorporated during this process, as shown by the use of 54Mn2+. The inactive complex, but not the isolated catalytic subunit, can be activated by the protein kinase FA (Vandenheede, J.R., Yang, S.-D., Goris, J., and Merlevede, W. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 11768-11774), which causes the simultaneous phosphorylation of inhibitor 2 and conversion of the catalytic subunit to an active conformation. The activated enzyme undergoes autodephosphorylation to produce a complex that is inactive even though the catalytic subunit is still in the active form; in a slower step, it returns to its original inactive state. No such conversion occurs in the absence of inhibitor 2, indicating that the regulatory subunit is required for both the activation and inactivation reactions. Complexes were prepared by adding inhibitor 2 to various isolated catalytic subunits. Only the one reconstituted with the FA-activated species behaved like the native enzyme in that the catalytic subunit underwent transformation to the inactive form, then could be reactivated by FA. These data suggest that the two subunits must interact in a highly specific manner to allow the structural changes accompanying the activation-inactivation process. Models are proposed for the changes in conformation induced by Mn2+ or FA.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit of bovine type II adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase.

The 350-residue amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit of bovine cardiac muscle adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase is described. The protein has a molecular weight of 40 862, which includes an N-tetradecanoyl (myristyl) group blocking the NH2 terminus and phosphate groups at threonine-197 and serine-338. Seven methionyl bonds in the S-carboxymethylated protein were cleaved with cyanogen bromide to yield eight primary peptides. These fragments, and subpeptides generated by cleavage with trypsin, pepsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and Myxobacter AL-1 protease II, were purified and analyzed to yield the majority of the sequence. The primary peptides were aligned by analyses of overlapping peptides, particularly of methione-containing tryptic peptides generated after in vitro [14C]methyl exchange labeling of methionyl residues in the intact protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1983

Antibodies to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen Dpt 12 contaminating rabbit antisera to human and mouse anti-immunoglobulins.

Antibodies to the allergen Dpt 12 from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus have been demonstrated in commercially obtained rabbit anti-human IgE, IgG and IgA antisera and in a commercially obtained rabbit anti-mouse IgG1 antiserum using either double or triple antibody radioimmunoassays. Where measurable, the titre of anti-Dpt 12 antibodies varied both between different anti-isotypes and between batches of the same anti-isotype as judged by the dilution of antiserum required to bind 50% of the radiolabelled Dpt 12. The titres ranged from 1/23-1/360. In contrast, a specific rabbit anti-Dpt antiserum gave a titre of 1/4500.

Allergens↗
PubMed1983

Regulation of microtubule cold stability by calmodulin-dependent and -independent phosphorylation.

Cold-labile microtubule protein can be rendered cold-stable by addition of a fraction containing a small number of polypeptides that are derived from cold-stable microtubules. These polypeptides can be obtained from purified cold-stable microtubules by passage through a DEAE-cellulose (DE-52) ion exchange column from which they emerge in the first eluate fraction. The stabilizing activity of these proteins is abolished by phosphorylation catalyzed by two types of protein kinases, one dependent on calmodulin and the other independent of that regulatory protein. The calmodulin-dependent reaction appears to phosphorylate mainly two polypeptides, 56 and 72 kilodaltons; the reaction is blocked by trifluoperazine. The calmodulin-independent reaction appears to phosphorylate different cold-stable microtubule-associated proteins. That reaction is observed only in purified material obtained from vigorously homogenized brain tissue. Gently homogenization yields cold-stable microtubules that are responsive only to the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. A distinguishing feature of the calmodulin-independent reaction is that it does not occur on polypeptides while they are bound to the microtubules.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Purification and characterization of sheep brain cold-stable microtubules.

The isolation of cold-stable microtubules in high yields, described previously only from rodents, was extended to the brain of higher animals. Under optimal conditions, yields of 30 mg of cold-stable microtubles per 100 g of sheep brain could be obtained routinely. Material purified by two polymerization cycles displayed the same stability to cold temperature or to millimolar concentrations of calcium and the same lability to calmodulin and to ATP as did the purified material obtained from the rat [Job, D., Rauch, C.T., Fischer, E.H. & Margolis, R.L. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 509]. Furthermore, DE-52 chromatography of this material yielded a fraction that restored cold stability when added to cold-labile microtubules. Known to bind to calmodulin and to enhance microtubule assembly, tau proteins had no cold-stabilizing activity. Protein profiles of the cold-stabilizing fraction from sheep and rat brain were similar to one another but showed no protein bands corresponding to the tau proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Reconstitution of types I and II adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase.

Fluorescence intensity and anisotropy measurements using the fluorescent adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cAMP) analogue 1,N6-ethenoadenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (epsilon-cAMP) are sensitive to the dissociation of epsilon-cAMP which occurs when either the type I or the type II regulatory subunit (RI or RII) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase associates with the catalytic subunit. Studies using epsilon-cAMP show that MgATP has opposite effects on the reconstitution of both types of protein kinase: MgATP strongly stabilizes the type I holoenzyme while it slightly destabilizes the type II holoenzyme. The synthetic substrate Kemptide has a small inhibitory effect on the reconstitution of both holoenzymes when tested at 10 microM concentration. The protein kinase inhibitor has a larger effect which is especially pronounced in the reassociation of the type I enzyme. The diminished relative ability of the type I regulatory subunit to compete with the protein kinase inhibitor suggests that the combined effects of the two opposing equilibria (epsilon-cAMP and catalytic subunit binding) are different for the two types of regulatory subunits. Displacement experiments show that cAMP and epsilon-cAMP bind about equally well to the type I subunit. Slow conformational changes accompanying the binding of epsilon-cAMP by both regulatory subunits are greatly accelerated with the holoenzymes, suggesting that dissociation of the holoenzymes occurs via ternary complexes. The time courses of epsilon-cAMP binding also show the heterogeneity of binding characteristics of RII. The 37 000-dalton fragment of type II subunit retains the epsilon-cAMP binding properties of the native subunit. However, only a fraction of the fragment preparation (approximately 32% estimated from sedimentation measurements) binds the catalytic subunit well, suggesting heterogeneity of cleavage.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗