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H N Torres

Publications and source records attributed to H N Torres.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Neurospora crassa cDNA clones coding for a new member of the ras protein family.

A new member of the ras gene family was characterized from Neurospora crassa cDNA libraries. The clone designated NC-ras codes for a polypeptide containing 213 amino acids (Mr 24,000). This polypeptide is 84% homologous to the H-ras-1 domain comprising the first 80 amino acids and 60% homologous to the next 84 residues. The NC-ras polypeptide contains all the well-known sequences involved in the interaction with GTP/GDP, the recognition of the Y13-259 neutralizing antibody, the 'effector site' for interaction with GAP proteins, and the CAAX acylation motif in the COOH-terminal.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Adenylate cyclase activity in cyanobacteria: activation by Ca(2+)-calmodulin and a calmodulin-like activity.

An adenylate cyclase activity was partially characterized in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. The enzyme activity is found in soluble cell fractions and shows an apparent molecular weight of about 183,400. This adenylate cyclase is activated by Ca2+ and bovine brain or spinach calmodulin and it is inhibited by EGTA and some phenothiazine derivatives. Furthermore, Anabaena sp. extracts contain a calmodulin-like activity which stimulates bovine brain cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and the Anabaena adenylate cyclase. EGTA and phenothiazine derivatives block the cyanobacterial modulator effect.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1990

Complete cDNA sequence of a South American isolate of potato virus X.

The complete cDNA sequence corresponding to the genomic RNA of a South American strain of potato virus X (PVXc) is reported. The sequence (6432 nucleotides) contains five open reading frames coding for polypeptides with molecular weights of 165.3, 24.3, 12.3, 7.6 and 25.0 and displays an overall homology of 77.4% with those previously reported for two European isolates. Comparison of amino acid sequences shows an average homology of 87%. Two major domains of variability, located between amino acids 476-615 of ORF 1 and 64-100 of ORF 5, are identified. Sequence similarities between RNA stretches lying upstream of ORFs 2, 4 and 5, and at the 3'-non coding regions of PVX and other plus-strand RNA viruses are described.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Reconstitution of a light-stimulated adenylate cyclase from retina and Neurospora crassa preparations. Characterization of the heterologous systems using normal and degenerative retinas.

Adenylate cyclase catalytic subunits from Neurospora crassa membranes may interact with regulatory factors from membranes of bovine retinal rod outer segments (pretreated with N-ethylmaleimide), reconstituting a heterologous system which, in the presence of light, is catalytically active in assay mixtures containing MgATP. Maximal activation was observed at 550 nm. Transducin-depleted retinal membranes were not capable of reconstituting the heterologous light-stimulated adenylate cyclase system. Addition of a transducin preparation to depleted membranes restored the reconstitution capacity of these membranes. A similar heterologous adenylate cyclase system was reconstituted with Neurospora and mouse retinal whole membranes (pretreated with N-ethylmaleimide). Membranes from mice suffering photoreceptor degeneration (rd homozygotes) did not reconstitute an heterologous adenylate cyclase system.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗
PubMed1989

Protein kinase C in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote forms: partial purification and characterization.

A protein kinase C activity from epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi was characterized. Cytosolic extracts were chromatographed on DEAE-cellulose columns giving two peaks of kinase activity which were eluted at 0.1 and 0.15 M NaCl. The first activity peak requires Ca2+ and phosphatidylserine for activity. Further kinase purification was performed by chromatography on phenyl Sepharose columns. In these columns the enzyme activity was adsorbed in the presence of Ca2+ and eluted with a EGTA-containing buffer. T. cruzi protein kinase C activity preferentially phosphorylated histone H1. It was stimulated by diacylglycerol and phorbol myristate acetate, and inhibited by polymyxin B and staurosporine. After subcellular fractionation and epimastigote cells, the kinase was found to be associated with microsomal and cytosolic fractions.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in Neurospora crassa. Purification by immunoaffinity chromatography and characterization.

Monoclonal antibodies to Neurospora crassa cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE I) were selected by their capacity to inhibit the enzyme activity. The monoclonal immunoglobulin, coupled to Sepharose 4B, was used for the affinity purification of PDE I activity. After SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the affinity purified PDE I fractions showed a single polypeptide band of about 41 kDa. This band reacted in Western blots with the above mentioned monoclonal immunoglobulin.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1988

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi.

A cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity from epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi was characterized. Cytosolic extracts were chromatographed on DEAE-cellulose columns, giving two peaks of kinase activity, which were eluted at 0.15 M- and 0.32 M-NaCl respectively. The second activity peak was stimulated by nanomolar concentrations of cyclic AMP. In addition, a cyclic AMP-binding protein co-eluted with the second kinase activity peak. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity was further purified by gel filtration, affinity chromatography on histone-agarose and cyclic AMP-agarose, as well as by chromatography on CM-Sephadex. The enzyme ('holoenzyme') could be partially dissociated into two different components: 'catalytic' and 'regulatory'. The 'regulatory' component had specific binding for cyclic AMP, and it inhibited phosphotransferase activity of the homologous 'catalytic component' or of the 'catalytic subunit' from bovine heart. Cyclic AMP reversed these inhibitions. A 'holoenzyme preparation' was phosphorylated in the absence of exogenous phosphate acceptor and analysed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. A 56 kDa band was phosphorylated. The same preparation was analysed by Western blotting, by using polyclonal antibodies to the regulatory subunits of protein kinases type I or II. Both antibodies reacted with the 56 kDa band.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Biotinylated nucleic acid hybridization probes for potato virus detection.

cDNA libraries, representative of potato viruses X (PVXc strain) and Y (PVY degrees strain) genomes were obtained. A PVX cDNA cloned fragment was sequenced and biotinylated to be used as hybridization probe for the detection of purified virus or nucleic acid extracts of infected plants. Dot hybridization assay was sensitive to detect 4 ng of viral particles, corresponding to about 200 pg of viral RNA. The level of detection in infected plant extracts was as effective as that obtained with the ELISA. The presence of biotinylated PVY cDNA in the hybridization mixture did not affect sensitivity of the PVX detection assay, suggesting that a single diagnostic assay for several potato viruses and virus-related pathogens could be developed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

A novel stimulator of protein phosphorylation in Neurospora crassa.

An endogenous thermostable activator of Protein kinase III (PKIII) was purified from 100,000 X g supernatants of Neurospora crassa mycelial extracts. This 38,000 dalton polypeptide, clearly separable from calmodulin on P-60 gel filtration, specifically stimulated N. crassa PKIII activity on casein or phosvitin "in vitro" phosphorylation. The factor was only present in the initial growth phase of the fungus. The mechanism of PKIII activation and its possible regulatory role are discussed.

Chromatography, Gel↗
PubMed1987

Detection of bovine herpesvirus-1 nucleic acid sequences, using a dot-blot hybridization procedure.

A sensitive and specific procedure for the detection of Argentine isolates of bovine herpesvirus-1 was developed. The procedure was based on a dot-blot, nucleic acid hybridization, using 32P, nick-translated, plasmidic probes. The probes contained cloned Bam H1 restriction fragments in the left half of the viral genome. The detection limit of the procedure was 10 pg of viral DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Evidence for the existence of an Ns-type regulatory protein in Trypanosoma cruzi membranes.

The existence of a GTP-binding protein of the Ns type in Trypanosoma cruzi was explored. Epimastigote membranes were labelled by cholera toxin in the presence of [adenine-14C]NAD+. After SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of extracted membrane proteins, a single labelled polypeptide band of apparent Mr approx. 45,000 was detected. Epimastigote cells were treated with N-ethylmaleimide and electrofused to lymphoma S49 cells lacking the Ns protein. Evidence indicates that in such electrofusion-generated cell hybrids a heterologous adenylate cyclase system was reconstituted with the Ns protein provided by T. cruzi epimastigotes.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1986

Interaction of Trypanosoma cruzi adenylate cyclase with liver regulatory factors.

Trypanosoma cruzi adenylate cyclase catalytic subunits may interact with regulatory factors from rat liver membranes, reconstituting heterologous systems which are catalytically active in assay mixtures containing MgATP. The systems show stimulatory responses to glucagon and guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate (p[NH]ppG) or fluoride. Reconstitution was obtained by three different methods: fusion of rat liver membranes (pretreated with N-ethylmaleimide) to T. cruzi membranes; interaction of detergent extracts of rat liver membranes with T. cruzi membranes; or interaction of purified preparations of T. cruzi adenylate cyclase and of liver membrane factors in phospholipid vesicles. The liver factors responsible for the guanine nucleotide effect were characterized as the NS protein. Data also indicate that reconstitution requires the presence of a membrane substrate.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1986

The inactivation of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis toxin by mosquito larvae proteases liberated into the medium.

Crystal serine-proteases of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis were able to process the 28,000-dalton protein during crystal solubilization. On the other hand, solubilized crystal proteins were degraded during the larvicidal bioassay by the action of serine-proteases liberated by mosquito larvae into the medium, with loss of toxicity. However, proteins in intact crystals were protected from the action of these proteases. This resistance to degradation of crystals partly explains the observation that they are more toxic than solubilized crystal proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Trypanosoma cruzi adenylate cyclase activity. Purification and characterization.

Adenylate cyclase activity associated with Trypanosoma cruzi sedimentable fractions was solubilized by treatment with the non-ionic detergent Lubrol PX and 0.5 M-(NH4)2SO4. The following hydrodynamic and molecular parameters were established for a partially purified enzyme-detergent complex: sedimentation coefficient 6.2 S; Stokes radius 5.65 nm; partial specific volume 0.83 ml/g; Mr 244 000; frictional ratio 1.33. A Mr of about 124 000 was calculated for the detergent-free protein from these parameters. The pI of this enzyme activity was 6.2. A monoclonal antibody to T. cruzi adenylate cyclase was obtained, which inhibited cyclase activities from several lower eukaryotic organisms. The T. cruzi adenylate cyclase was further purified by using this antibody in immunoaffinity chromatographic columns. Fractions obtained after this chromatography showed, on SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, a main polypeptide band with an apparent Mr of about 56 000, which specifically reacted with the monoclonal antibody.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1985

Characterization of Neurospora crassa cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activated by calmodulin.

Activation of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase I by brain or Neurospora calmodulin was studied. The stimulation required micromolar concentrations of Ca2+, and it was observed at cyclic AMP concentrations between 0.1 and 500 microM. Activation was blocked by EDTA and some neuroleptic drugs such as chlorpromazine and fluphenazine. These drugs inhibit the elongation of N. crassa wild-type aerial hyphae. These results reinforce the evidence towards the recognition of Ca2+-calmodulin as one of the systems controlling cyclic nucleotide concentrations in Neurospora.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1985

Calmodulin and Ca2+-dependent cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Calmodulin has been purified from Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote forms by ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration and affinity chromatography on 2-chloro-10-(3-aminopropyl)phenotiazine-Sepharose. Upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the factor showed a polypeptide band with an apparent molecular weight of 16 000. In addition, cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity from T. cruzi epimastigote forms was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on a brain calmodulin-Sepharose column. The enzyme was activated by homologous calmodulin as well as by bovine brain and Neurospora crassa calmodulins. The activation required micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ and it was blocked by EGTA and by some neuroleptic drugs such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine and compound 48/80. Activations were observed at micromolar concentrations of cyclic AMP as substrate. In addition, T. cruzi calmodulin was also active in bringing about the stimulation of brain phosphodiesterase.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗