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G W Robinson

Publications and source records attributed to G W Robinson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

A photoreversible conformational change in 124 kDa Avena phytochrome.

Tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence quenching of phytochrome has been studied using anionic, cationic and neutral quenchers, I-, Cs+ and acrylamide, respectively, in an effort to understand the molecular differences between the Pr and Pfr forms. The data have been analyzed using both Stern-Volmer and modified Stern-Volmer kinetic treatments. The anionic quencher, I-, was proven to be an ineffective quencher with Stern-Volmer constants, Ksv, of 0.60 and 0.63 M-1, respectively, for the Pr and Pfr forms of phytochrome. The cationic quencher, Cs+, showed about a 2-fold difference in the Ksv of Pr and Pfr, indicating a significant change in the fluorescent Trp environments during the Pr to Pfr phototransformation. However, only 25-37% of the fluorescent Trp residues were accessible to the cationic quencher. Most of the fluorescent Trp residues were accessible to acrylamide, but the quenching by acrylamide was indistinguishable for the Pr and Pfr forms. An additional quenching by acrylamide after a saturated quenching with Cs+ showed more than 40% increase in the Ksv of Pfr over Pr. These observations, along with the finding of two distinct components in the Trp fluorescence lifetime, indicate the existence of Trp residues in at least two different sets of environments in the phytochrome protein. The two components of the fluorescence had lifetimes of 1.1 ns (major) and 4.7 ns (minor) for Pr and 0.9 ns (major) and 4.6 ns (minor) for Pfr. Fluorescence quenching was found to be both static and dynamic as the Stern-Volmer constants for the steady-state fluorescence quenching were higher than for the dynamic fluorescence quenching. Based on the quenching results, in combination with the location of Trp residues in the primary structure, we conclude that the Pr to Pfr phototransformation involves a significant conformation change in the phytochrome molecule, preferentially in the 74 kDa chromophore-bearing domain.

Acrylamide↗
PubMed1987

Purification and spectroscopic properties of 124-kDa oat phytochrome.

A simplified procedure for the isolation and purification of 124-kDa phytochrome from etiolated Avena seedlings has been developed using the method of ammonium sulfate back-extraction. After hydroxyapatite chromatography of seedling tissue extracts, the pooled phytochrome was subjected to ammonium sulfate back-extraction instead of the usual application to an Affi-Gel Blue column. The resulting phytochrome had specific absorbance ratios (SAR = A666/A280) ranging from 0.85 to 0.95. Subsequent Bio-Gel filtration chromatography yielded highly pure 124-kDa phytochrome with SAR values ranging from 0.99 to 1.13. The absorption maxima of 124-kDa phytochrome were at 280, 379, and 666 nm for the red absorbing form of phytochrome (Pr) and at 280, 400 and 730 nm for the far-red absorbing form (Pfr). The A730/A673 ratio in Pfr was found to be 1.5 to 1.6. The mole fraction of Pfr under red light photoequilibrium was 0.88. No dark reversion was detected within 5 h at 3 degrees C. A photoreversible far-uv-circular dichroism was observable with all phytochrome preparations examined. Fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetimes were measured to further characterize the differences between the phytochromes prepared under different conditions. The Trp fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetimes of Pr and Pfr with the chromophore "X", probably polyphenolic in nature, were significantly shorter than those of phytochrome without the contaminant X. The short lifetime of the fluorescence of the Pr chromophore is attributable to X in the former.

Circular Dichroism↗
PubMed1986

Molecular approaches to the study of nucleotide excision repair in eukaryotes.

Very little is known about the molecular mechanism of nucleotide excision repair in eukaryotes. Studies on human cells have been stimulated by the availability of excision repair-defective cell lines from patients suffering from the autosomal recessive disease xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Such studies have contributed significantly to an understanding of the genetic complexity of excision repair in human cells. However, to date, no human excision repair genes or gene products known to complement the repair defect in XP cells have been isolated. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an interesting model for exploring the molecular mechanism of nucleotide excision repair in eukaryotic cells. As is true in human cells, multiple yeast genes are involved and at least five genes are required for the specific incision of UV-irradiated DNA in vivo. These five genes have been isolated by molecular cloning and the nucleotide sequences of four of them have been determined. Each of these cloned genes is being used for overexpression of protein.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Nucleotide excision repair genes from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The genetics of nucleotide excision repair in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is complex, apparently requiring at least 10 genes. We have isolated 5 of these genes (designated RAD1, RAD2, RAD3, RAD4, and RAD10) by molecular cloning and plan to overexpress them in order to generate proteins for biochemical study. We have sequenced four of these five genes and have noted regions of homology with other proteins in the predicted amino acid sequence of some of them. In particular, there is striking homology between Rad3 protein and a number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins that bind nucleotides and hydrolyze ATP or GTP. Mutations in this region of the RAD3 gene render cells defective in the nucleotide excision repair function. In addition to its role in nucleotide excision repair, the RAD3 gene is essential for the viability of haploid cells in the absence of DNA damage. The nature of the essential function is unknown. The RAD1 and RAD3 genes are not inducible by DNA damaging agents. However, exposure of cells to UV radiation, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, or gamma radiation results in 4- to 6-fold enhanced expression of the RAD2 gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

A yeast excision-repair gene is inducible by DNA damaging agents.

Plasmids containing various RAD-lacZ gene fusions were integrated into the chromosome of haploid yeast cells. These integrant strains were tested for expression of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase after treatment with agents that damage DNA or interfere with normal DNA replication. We did not observe induction of single-copy RAD1-lacZ or RAD3-lacZ fusion genes under the experimental conditions used. However, exposure of cells containing an integrated RAD2-lacZ fusion gene to UV-radiation, gamma-radiation, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, or nalidixic acid resulted in 4- to 6-fold enhanced expression of beta-galactosidase. Induction of the RAD2 gene after treatment of untransformed cells with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide was confirmed by direct examination of RAD2 mRNA. Lower levels of induction (approximately equal to 50%) were observed after treatment of cells with other chemicals. Induction of the RAD2-lacZ fusion gene was also observed in cells transformed with single-copy and multicopy autonomously replicating plasmids.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗
PubMed1985

Partial suppression of an ochre mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by multicopy plasmids containing a normal yeast tRNAGln gene.

We screened a yeast genomic library for recombinant DNA plasmids that complemented the ultraviolet (u.v.) sensitivity of a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae designated rad4-3 that is defective in excision repair of DNA. A multicopy plasmid (pNF4000) with a 9.4 X 10(3) base-pair yeast DNA insert partially complemented the u.v. sensitivity of rad4-3, but not of two other rad4 allelic mutants (rad4-2 and rad4-4), or of other u.v.-sensitive rad mutants. The yeast insert was analyzed by restriction mapping, DNA-DNA hybridization, DNA-tRNA hybridization and DNA sequencing. This analysis revealed the presence of a normal tRNAGln gene, a yeast sigma element situated 5' to the transfer RNA gene, a Ty element and a solo delta element. Deletion analysis of pNF4000 showed that the tRNAGln gene is required for partial complementation of the u.v. sensitivity of rad4-3. Furthermore, a multicopy plasmid containing a tRNAGln gene derived from a different region of the yeast genome also partially complemented the u.v. sensitivity of rad4-3. The rad4-3 mutation is suppressed following transformation with a plasmid containing the known ochre suppressor SUP11-o, indicating that it is an ochre mutation. We therefore conclude that when expressed in sufficient quantity, normal tRNAGln (which usually decodes the sense codon CAA) can weakly suppress the nonsense ochre codon UAA, and suggest that this represents an example of wobble occurring at the first rather than at the third position of the codon.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1983

SV40 virus particles lack a psoralen-accessible origin and contain an altered nucleoprotein structure.

The nucleoprotein structure of SV40 virions was examined by photolabeling purified virus with the radioactive psoralen derivative hydroxymethyltrimethylpsoralen (HMT). Unlike SV40 chromatin in situ, the viral origin region is not preferentially accessible to drug addition. The ratio of the distribution of radioactivity in the DNA restriction fragments of virion DNA to that of purified SV40 DNA demonstrates that the photoadducts are positioned similarly on the circular molecule in both samples. Virion purified from infected cells was also analyzed for the presence of an open region and found to exhibit the same pattern of [3H]HMT addition as mature extracellular virion. The nucleosome-free region detected at the SV40 replication origin in intracellular minichromosomes is not present in either population of intact virus particles. We also examined the level of drug addition obtained when purified virion or SV40-infected cells were treated with saturating doses of [3H]HMT. Marked differences in the plateau levels of bound drug indicate that an altered nucleoprotein structure exists in SV40 virions that does not protect the DNA from photoaddition to the same extent as do the nucleosomes of intracellular SV40 DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Mapping the in vivo arrangement of nucleosomes on simian virus 40 chromatin by the photoaddition of radioactive hydroxymethyltrimethylpsoralen.

Intracellular simian virus 40 (SV40) chromatin was photoreacted with a 3H-labeled psoralen derivative, hydroxymethyltrimethylpsoralen (HMT), at 48 h postinfection. Psoralen compounds have been shown to readily penetrate intact cells and, in the presence of long-wavelength UV light, form covalent adducts to DNA, preferentially at regions unprotected by nucleosomes. The average distribution pattern of [3H]HMT on the SV40 genome was determined by specific activity measurements of the DNA fragments generated by HindIII plus HpaII or by AtuI restriction enzyme digestion. At levels of 1 to 10 [3H]HMT photoadducts per SV40 molecule, the radiolabel was found to be distributed nonrandomly. Comparison of the labeling pattern in vivo with that of purified SV40 DNA labeled in vitro revealed one major difference. A region of approximately 400 base pairs, located between 0.65 and 0.73 on the physical map, was preferentially labeled under in vivo conditions. This finding strongly suggests that the highly accessible region near the origin of replication, previously observed on isolated SV40 "minichromosomes," exists on SV40 chromatin in vivo during a lytic infection.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1981

Proton release from Stentor photoreceptors in the excited states.

Steady-state and picosecond pulse excitations of the photophobic-phototactic receptors isolated from Stentor coeruleus produced anionic species predominantly in the excited singlet state, although neutral photoreceptors in the ground state were exclusively excited. The same photoreceptor in vivo also emits fluorescence from the excited state of its anionic species, with an excitation spectrum identical to the absorption spectrum of the neutral species in the ground state. The excited state dissociation of protons from the photoreceptor chromophore (stentorin; hypericin covalently linked to protein) efficiently occurs in less than 10 ps. A possible role of the transient-proton release from the photoreceptor, in the signal transduction photoresponse of Stentor, is briefly discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

The practical labor lawyer: an employers' guide to strike contingency planning.

An employer's capacity successfully to survive a strike will depend largely on the extent to which it has anticipated the strike and taken the steps necessary to defend against it. It is the purpose of this article to catalog the factors employers should consider in approaching an imminent strike and devising contingency plans. It attempts to focus on the types of problems, legal and practical, that frequently arise in strike situations, and suggests certain measures that employers may adopt in preparing for, and defending against, the economic impact of a strike.

Personnel Management↗
PubMed1978

Nonexponential fluorescence decay of aqueous tryptophan and two related peptides by picosecond spectroscopy.

Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of tryptophan and two related dipeptides, tryptophylalanine and alanyltryptophan, has been carried out on the subnanosecond time scale by using picosecond exciting pulses at a wavelength of 264 nm. Detection was with an ultrafast streak camera coupled to an optical multichannel analyzer. The zwitterions of these molecules show a definite nonexponential fluorescence decay which can be analyzed in terms of two exponentials. The two decay rates increase strongly with increasing temperature, as does the weight of the faster component. In tryptophan at pH 11, where the amino group is deprotonated, there remains only a single temperature-dependent exponential. The results are interpreted in terms of two kinds of trapped conformers in the excited state that interconvert no quicker than the time scale of the fluorescence. A model is suggested in which the nonradiative processes in one conformer approximate those in the bare indole moiety. The nonradiative decay rate of the other conformer is substantially faster. It is believed that the process responsible for this fast decay is intramolecular electron transfer from the indole to the amino acid side chain. The predilection for this electron transfer depends on steric relationships as well as on the electron-attracting power of the carbonyl group. This picture is consistent with earlier fluorescence quantum yield results. In fact, a self-consistent picture emerges from the temporal and yield data that quantitatively explains most important facets of tryptophan photochemistry in aqueous solution.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1977

L-Arginine kinase from tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.). Purification, properties, and interaction with L-canavanine.

Arginine kinase (adenosine 5'-triphosphate: L-arginine phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.3) was purified from the larvae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L). This enzyme catalyzes the production of L-phosphoarginine, which is the principal reserve of high energy phosphate compounds in insect muscle. The enzyme also phosphorylates L-canavanine, a guanidinooxy analogue of arginine which severely disrupts all developmental stages of this insect. Evaluations of certain kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the reactions with arginine and canavanine suggest that reactions known to be much more sensitive to canavanine, such as protein synthesis or genome expression, rather than phosphagen formation and function account for the pronounced toxicity of canavanine in this insect. Sedimentation equilibrium and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate indicate that this insect enzyme has a molecular weight of about 40,000. This value is consistent with molecular weights of arginine kinases of non-insect arthropods. Its amino acid composition is also very similar to that of other arthropod arginine kinases. Km values for the enzyme are: L-arginine, 0.5 mM; Mg-ATP, 2.5 mM; L-canavanine, 22 mM; L-phosphoarginine, 0.7 mM; Mg-ADP, 0.45 mM; and L-phosphocanavanine, 27 mM. Turnover numbers (expressed as moles of product per min per mol of enzyme) are: L-arginine, 8,320; L-canavanine, 1,635; L-phosphoarginine, 25,875; and L-phosphocanavanine, 3,040. The apparent equilibrium constants at 37 degrees for phosphagen formation are 0.44 with arginine and 0.1 with canavanine. A procedure for L-phosphocanavanine synthesis is also presented.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Isolation and characterization of papaya peptidase A from commercial chymopapain.

Chromatography on a column of SP-Sephadex shows that commercial chymopapain contains three components with proteolytic activity. Each behaves as a single protein upon rechromatography and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. The major component, which represents 31% of the activity applied to the column and is the most basic protein, was identified as papaya peptidase A. This enzyme has no methionine and isoleucine on its N-terminus. Its molecular weight is about 24,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide electrophoresis and sedimentation equilibrium centrifugation. Its fluorescence emission as a function of pH resembles that for unactivated papain. Reduction is required for full activity, and in general it is less active than papain against substrates such as casein, N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester, N-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester, N-benzoyl-L-arginineamide, and N-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide. Of the other components isolated from crude chymopapain, the more acidic enzyme contains 20% of the activity applied to the column, has a molecular weight of about 25,000, and N-terminal residues of tyrosine and glutamic acid. The other enzyme represents 26% of the initial activity, has a molecular weight of about 28,000 and tyrosine on its N-terminus. Both proteins have a single residue of methionine per molecule. The more acidic component resembles chymopapain A, and the other enzyme is similar to chymopapain B.

Amino Acid Sequence↗