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Biomedical subjects

M Saraste

Publications and source records attributed to M Saraste.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Primary structure of the brain alpha-spectrin.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence coding for the chicken brain alpha-spectrin. It is derived both from the cDNA and genomic sequences, comprises the entire coding frame, 5' and 3' untranslated sequences, and terminates in the poly(A)-tail. The deduced amino acid sequence was used to map the domain structure of the protein. The alpha-chain of brain spectrin contains 22 segments of which 20 correspond to the repeat of the human erythrocyte spectrin (Speicher, D. W., and V. T. Marchesi. 1984. Nature (Lond.). 311:177-180.), typically made of 106 residues. These homologous segments probably account for the flexible, rod-like structure of spectrin. Secondary structure prediction suggests predominantly alpha-helical structure for the entire chain. Parts of the primary structure are excluded from the repetitive pattern and they reside in the middle part of the sequence and in its COOH terminus. Search for homology in other proteins showed the presence of the following distinct structures in these nonrepetitive regions: (a) the COOH-terminal part of the molecule that shows homology with alpha-actinin, (b) two typical EF-hand (i.e., Ca2+-binding) structures in this region, (c) a sequence close to the EF-hand that fulfills the criteria for a calmodulin-binding site, and (d) a domain in the middle of the sequence that is homologous to a NH2-terminal segment of several src-tyrosine kinases and to a domain of phospholipase C. These regions are good candidates to carry some established as well as some yet unestablished functions of spectrin. Comparative analysis showed that alpha-spectrin is well conserved across the species boundaries from Xenopus to man, and that the human erythrocyte alpha-spectrin is divergent from the other spectrins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

From the spectrin gene to the assembly of the membrane skeleton.

The complete nucleotide sequence coding for the chicken brain alpha-spectrin was determined. It comprises the entire coding frame, 5'- and 3'-untranslated sequences terminating in a poly(A)-tail. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that the alpha-chain contains 22 segments, 20 of which correspond to the typical 106 residue repeat of the human erythrocyte spectrin. Some segments non-homologous to the repeat structure reside in the middle and COOH-terminal regions. Sequence comparisons with other proteins show that these segments evidently harbour some structural and functional features such as: homology to alpha-actinin and dystrophin, two typical EF-hand structures (calcium-binding) and a putative calmodulin-binding site in the COOH-terminus and a sequence homologous to various src-tyrosine kinases and to phospholipase C in the middle of the molecule. Comparison of our sequence with other partial alpha-spectrin sequences shows that alpha-spectrin is well conserved in different species and that the human erythrocyte alpha-spectrin is divergent.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Degenerative joint disease in ballet dancers.

Forty-four retired dancers were studied with regard to degenerative joint disease in the lower limbs. Six cases of coxarthrosis were found, significantly more than expected in the general population. In addition, there were four cases of tibio-femoral arthrosis, six of knee osteophytosis, four of patellofemoral arthrosis, three of chondrocalcinosis, and one of bilateral ankle arthrosis. More than one-half of the dancers had arthrosis in the metatarsophalangeal joints.

Adult↗

Muscle metabolic profile and oxygen transport capacity as determinants of aerobic and anaerobic thresholds.

Aerobic and anaerobic thresholds determined by different methods in repeated exercise tests were correlated with cardiorespiratory variables and variables of muscle metabolic profile in 33 men aged 20-50 years. Aerobic threshold was determined from blood lactate, ventilation, and respiratory gas exchange by two methods (AerT1 and AerT2) and anaerobic threshold from venous lactate (AnTLa), from ventilation and gas exchange (AnTr) and by using the criterion of 4 mmol.1(-1) of venous lactate (AnT4mmol). In addition to ordinary correlative analyses, applications of LISREL models were used. The 8 explanatory variables chosen for the regression analyses were height, relative heart volume, relative diffusing capacity of the lung, muscle fiber composition, citrate synthase (CS) and succinate dehydrogenase activities, the lactate dehydrogenase--CS ratio, and age. They explained 58% of the variation in AerT1, 73.5% that of AerT2, 71% that of AnTr, 74.5% that of AnTLa, and 67.5% that of AnT4mmol.AerT and AnT alone explained 77% of the variation in each other. Both AerT and AnT were determined mainly by a muscle metabolic profile, with the CS activity of vastus lateralis as the strongest determinant. The factor 'submaximal endurance' which was measured with AerT and AnT seemed to be slightly more closely connected to 'muscle metabolic profile' than was 'maximal aerobic power' (= VO2max), but both also correlated strongly with each other (r = 0.92).

Adult↗

Nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for cytochrome oxidase subunit I from the thermophilic bacterium PS3.

The gene coding for cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was isolated from a genomic DNA library of the thermophilic bacterium PS3 and sequenced. The N-terminal of the COI protein was also sequenced to verify the initiation site of the reading frame. The deduced amino acid sequence of COI protein is composed of 536 amino acid residues and its molecular mass is 59,510. The protein is clearly homologous to the corresponding subunit in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase and similarly appears to have 12 trans-membrane segments. The proposed ligands to two hemes (cytochrome aa3) and a copper atom (CuB) in this protein (Holm et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6, 2819-2823) are conserved in the sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Alpha-actinin and spectrin have common structural domains.

The alpha- and beta-subunits of spectrin are made of repeated homologous units of 106 residues. In the recently reported partial sequence of the chicken non-muscle alpha-actinin, a repetitive sequence homologous to the internal repeat in spectrin occurs several times. Both spectrin and alpha-actinin are components of the cytoskeletal network, the integrity of which is based on multiple and complex interactions. We suggest that the shared domain structure indicates common structural principles or interactions of spectrin and alpha-actinin and reflects their common evolution.

Actinin↗

Human laminin B1 chain. A multidomain protein with gene (LAMB1) locus in the q22 region of chromosome 7.

We report the isolation and characterization of six overlapping cDNA clones that provide the first and complete amino acid sequence of the human laminin B1 chain. The cDNA clones cover 5613 nucleotides with 5358 nucleotides in an open reading frame encoding 1786 amino acids, including a 21-residue signal peptide-like sequence. Sequence analysis demonstrated the presence of two types of internal homology repeats that were found in clusters within the polypeptide chain. The type A repeats contain about 50 amino acids of which 8 are cysteine. These repeats are present in two clusters toward the NH2-terminal end of the chain and are separated from each other by about 220 amino acids. The two clusters contain five and eight consecutive repeats each. There are two copies of consecutive type B repeats of about 40 amino acids close to the COOH-terminal end. Computer analysis of the amino acid sequence of the B1 chain revealed the presence of structurally distinct domains that contain cysteine-rich repeats, globular regions, and helical structures. Using somatic cell hybrid methodology and in situ hybridization to metaphase chromosomes it was established that the human laminin B1 gene (LAMB1) is located in the q22 region of chromosome 7.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural models of the redox centres in cytochrome oxidase.

Evolutionary conservation, predicted membrane topography of the subunits, and known chemical and physical properties of the catalytic metals in cytochrome oxidase provided the basis for plausible structural models of the enzyme's redox centres. Subunit II probably binds one of the copper ions (CuA) whilst subunit I is likely to bind the two haems (a and a3) and the other redox-active copper (CuB). Two cysteine and two histidine residues of subunit II are the likely ligands of CuA, forming a centre that may be structurally similar to that in azurin. The two haems may be sandwiched between two transmembranous segments of subunit I, one of which also provides a histidine ligand to CuB. A third segment may provide two more histidine ligands to the latter. The model was constructed with a 4 A Fe-Cu distance in the binuclear haem a3-CuB centre, and a 14 A distance between the haem irons. The subunit I model involves only three transmembranous helices which bind three catalytic metal groups. The fit of this model to several known physicochemical properties of the redox centres is analysed.

Animals↗

Isolation and analysis of the genes for cytochrome c oxidase in Paracoccus denitrificans.

Synthetic oligonucleotide probes were used to clone two loci from the chromosomal DNA of Paracoccus denitrificans that contain the genes for cytochrome c oxidase (cytochrome aa(3)). One locus seems to contain four or five genes probably forming an operon. Two of these code for the oxidase subunits II and III. Three open reading frames are found between the COII and COIII genes. The other locus codes for the subunit I. A short open reading frame is found upstream of this gene. All three subunits of the Paracoccus enzyme show remarkable homology to the corresponding subunits of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase. Possible protein products of the open reading frames have not yet been identified.

Journal Article↗

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of doxazosin compared with atenolol during long-term double-blind treatment.

The pharmacodynamics of doxazosin and atenolol were compared on single study days in 39 patients with mild to moderate hypertension receiving long-term double-blind treatment. The pharmacokinetics of doxazosin were investigated in the 20 patients receiving doxazosin. Individually titrated once daily doses of doxazosin were 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 mg and of atenolol 50 or 100 mg. Patients were first investigated after at least one month on constant dose and then again after at least a further three months. Mean plasma concentrations of doxazosin were proportional to dose and the plasma half-life was 11.5 h and independent of dose. There was low variability of doxazosin plasma concentrations between patients receiving the same dose. Concentrations and half-life were unchanged during the period between investigations. Mean reductions of AUC (0-12 h) blood pressure during the 12-h period post-dose and of blood pressure at 24 h post-dose were not statistically different between doxazosin and atenolol. There was effective control of blood pressure by both drugs at all time points of the day. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results obtained in this study are compatible with the use of doxazosin in a once daily dose regimen for the treatment of essential hypertension.

Adult↗

A gene in Paracoccus for subunit III of cytochrome oxidase.

The region of Paracoccus denitrificans chromosome where the genes coding for cytochrome oxidase (cytochrome aa3) subunits are located has been cloned. DNA sequencing revealed an open reading frame that codes for a protein homologous to the subunit III of the eukaryotic, mitochondrial enzyme. This subunit is absent from the isolated Paracoccus oxidase. It now seems that it is part of the native enzyme in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. This may explain the observed discrepancies in the function of the isolated enzyme.

Base Sequence↗

Organization of genes expressing the blood-group-M-specific hemagglutinin of Escherichia coli: identification and nucleotide sequence of the M-agglutinin subunit gene.

The organization of genes encoding the blood group M-specific hemagglutinin (M-agglutinin) of Escherichia coli strain IH11165 was studied with a cloned 6.5-kb DNA segment. This DNA segment contains at least five genes which code for the polypeptides of 12.5, 30, 80, 18.5 and 21 kDa. The 30-, 80- and 21-kDa polypeptides are synthesized as precursors that are approximately 2 kDa larger. The 21-kDa polypeptide was identified as the M-agglutinin subunit by its reactivity with anti-M-agglutinin serum. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the corresponding gene showed that the M-agglutinin precursor had a 24-amino acid (aa) signal sequence, while the mature protein is 146 aa residues long. Although the organization of the M-agglutinin gene cluster resembles those of other E. coli adhesins, there is no significant sequence homology between the M-agglutinin subunit and the subunits of the other potentially related proteins in E. coli.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Double-blind comparison of the effects of long-term treatment with doxazosin or atenolol on serum lipoproteins.

The effects on plasma lipids and apoproteins A-I and B of oral administration of doxazosin and atenolol over a 20-week period were studied in 42 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Total plasma cholesterol decreased by 8.9% (P less than 0.01) and LDL cholesterol by 16.9% (P less than 0.01) after 20 weeks' treatment with doxazosin. Total HDL cholesterol and HDL2 cholesterol concentrations increased slightly during doxazosin treatment and the increase in HDL2 level at 4 weeks was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). At 20 weeks, the levels of total HDL cholesterol and HDL2 were significantly (P less than 0.05) lower with atenolol than with doxazosin. The ratio HDL/total cholesterol increased during doxazosin treatment (P less than 0.05 at 4, 12 and 20 weeks). The HDL/total cholesterol ratio was significantly higher after 20 weeks with doxazosin than with atenolol (P less than 0.05). The levels of VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides increased significantly (P less than 0.01) during atenolol treatment. The concentrations of apoproteins A-I and B did not change significantly during treatment with doxazosin or with atenolol but at 20 weeks the ratio of apo A-I to apo B was significantly (P less than 0.05) lower with atenolol than with doxazosin. On the basis of these results, doxazosin would seem to have significant favourable effects on the serum lipid profile.

Adult↗