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L Wenger

Publications and source records attributed to L Wenger.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Nucleoplasmic localization of prelamin A: implications for prenylation-dependent lamin A assembly into the nuclear lamina.

The synthesis of the nuclear lamina protein lamin A requires the prenylation-dependent processing of its precursor protein, prelamin A. Unlike p21ras, which undergoes similar initial posttranslational modifications, maturation of lamin A results in the proteolytic removal of the prenylated portion of the molecule. We have used an in vitro prenylation system to demonstrate the nature of the prenyl substituent on prelamin A to be a farnesyl group. Further, the in vitro farnesylation of prelamin A requires an intact cysteine-aliphatic-aliphatic-other (CAAX) amino acid sequence motif at its carboxyl terminus. The effect of blocking the prenylation of prelamin A on its localization and assembly into the nuclear lamina was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence. Expression of wild-type prelamin A in lovastatin-treated cells showed that nonprenylated prelamin A accumulated as nucleoplasmic particles. Upon addition of mevalonate to lovastatin-treated cells, the wild-type lamin A was incorporated into the lamina within 3 hr. Expression of a mutant lamin A in which the carboxyl-terminal 21 amino acids were deleted resulted in a lamin molecule that was directly assembled into the lamina. These results indicate that the carboxyl-terminal peptide of prelamin A blocks its proper assembly into the nuclear lamina and that the prenylation-initiated removal of this peptide can occur in the nucleus.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Defective elongation of fatty acids in a recessive 25-hydroxycholesterol-resistant mutant cell line.

The Chinese hamster ovary recessive mutant, crB, has been selected for its resistance to the cytotoxic effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol in sterol-free media (Sinensky, M., Logel, J., and Torget, R. (1982) J. Cell. Physiol. 113, 314-319). Growth of crB in a chemically defined lipid-poor medium is very slow and is enhanced by a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Incorporation of [3H]acetate into total fatty acids is 4-fold lower in crB compared to that in parental Chinese hamster ovary K1 and in contrast to the wild-type cells, crB cells are unable to synthesize either stearate or oleate. In addition, crB cells can not elongate exogenous palmitate, while they are capable of desaturating exogenous stearate. The mutant cells are also pleiotropically defective in the regulation of mRNA levels for the enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis. 25-Hydroxycholesterol is a poor regulator of the synthesis and degradation of the rate-limiting enzyme, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase in crB in comparison to the wild-type Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells. The defect in the elongation of fatty acids is reversed in revertants of crB selected for their ability to grow in lipid-poor medium. Such revertants exhibit normal regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity by 25-hydroxycholesterol. Regulation of reductase activity in crB cells can also be restored by supplementing the culture medium with a mixture of fatty acids that restores normal growth rate. The defective regulation of reductase in crB does not appear to be due to nonspecific adverse effects of fatty acid starvation nor is it due to any gross change in the fatty acid composition of cellular phospholipids. These results strongly suggest a direct relationship between the fatty acid auxotrophy of crB and defective regulation of the enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis.

Acetates↗
PubMed1978

The role of butyrate in the reverse transformation reaction in mammalian cells.

The reverse transformation reaction of Chinese hamster ovary cells from compact, epithelial-like, randomly growing, heavily knobbed, lectin reactive cells into stretched, tighly adherent, smooth-surfaced, lectin resistant, fibroblast-like cells normally elicited by dibutyryl cAMP can be produced to its complete extent by N6-monobutyryl cAMP or 8-bromo-cAMP, O2'-monobutyryl cAMP is ineffective as is cAMP itself in the absence of an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase activity. In the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, cAMP is fully effective. These results indicate that the role of the butyryl groups of dibutyryl cAMP and, especially, the N6-butyryl, in the reverse transformation reaction is protection of the cAMP analogue from degradation. Butyrate at concentrations of about 1 mM does produce a response which to some extent mimics that of cAMP analogues. The cells, however, fail to assume a fibroblastic-like shape, but rather become flattened. The butyrate effect is much slower and less readily reversible than that evoked by cAMP analogues. Butyrate produces an approximately 2-fold increase in intracellular cAMP levels. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that butyrate effects, in part, are mediated by AMP.

Butyrates↗