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M Sprinzl

Publications and source records attributed to M Sprinzl.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Ternary complexes of Escherichia coli aminoacyl-tRNAs with the elongation factor Tu and GTP: thermodynamic and structural studies.

The interaction of 18 different Escherichia coli aminoacyl-tRNA species with elongation factor Tu and GTP has been measured by a fluorescence titration assay under equilibrium conditions. The dissociation constants range from 1.9 +/- 0.2.10(-10) M up to 1020 +/- 250.10(-10) M depending on the nucleotide sequence, secondary structure and the chemical composition of the aminoacyl residue of the particular aminoacyl-tRNA. The 'aminoacyl domain' of tRNA consisting of the single stranded, four-nucleotide-long 3'-terminus, aminoacyl stem of seven base-pairs, T-stem and T-loop contains all elements necessary for binding EF-Tu.GTP. The efficiency of aminoacyl-tRNA interaction with EF-Tu.GTP is modulated by the sequence of this 'aminoacyl domain' and by natural modification of its nucleotide residues. An oligoribonucleotide resembling the aminoacyl stem of E.coli tRNA(Ala) and consisting of a four-membered 3'-end, a stem of seven base-pairs and a loop of six nucleotides was prepared by total chemical synthesis on a polymer support. It can be enzymatically aminoacylated by alanine but does not bind in its aminoacylated form to EF-Tu.GTP.

Anticodon↗

The interaction between aminoacyl-tRNA and the mutant elongation factors Tu AR and B0.

The binding of Tyr-[AEDANS-s2C]tRNA(Tyr) (Tyr-tRNA(Tyr) modified at the penultimate cytidine residue with a thio group at position 2 of the pyrimidine ring, to which an N-(acetylaminoethyl)-5-naphthylamine-1-sulfonic acid fluorescence group is attached) to mutant elongation factor (EF)-Tu species from E. coli, EF-TuAR (Ala-375----Thr) and EF-TuBO (Gly-222----Asp), both complexed to GTP, was investigated in absence of kirromycin by measuring the change in fluorescence of the modified tRNA induced by complex formation. The calculated dissociation constant in the case of EF-TuAR is about 4 nM and in the case of EF-TuB0, about 1 nM. These values are higher than that of wild-type EF-Tu, which was 0.24 nM measured with the same system. The affinity between either EF-TuB0.kirromycin.GDP or EF-TuB0.kirromycin.GTP on the one hand, and a mixture of aminoacyl-tRNAs on the other, was measured with zone-interference gel electrophoresis. The dissociation constants are 20 microM and 7 microM, respectively, a factor of about two higher than in the case of wild-type EF-Tu.kirromycin. These findings provide a clue for the observed increase in translational errors in strains carrying the mutations. Furthermore, the experiments with EF-TuB0.kirromycin deepen our understanding of the effects of the B0 mutation on the kirromycin phenotype of the mutant cells concerned.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

The role of modified purine 64 in initiator/elongator discrimination of tRNA(iMet) from yeast and wheat germ.

The role of 2'-ribosylated adenosine 64 in tRNA(iMet) from yeast in initiation/elongation discrimination was investigated. As measured by in vitro translation in rabbit reticulocyte lysate, the specific removal of the 2'-ribosylphosphate at adenosine 64 via periodate oxidation allows tRNA(iMet) to read internal AUG codons of the globine messenger RNA. Yeast Met-tRNA(iMet) lacking the modification of nucleoside 64 forms ternary complexes with GTP and elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli. The lack of modification at position 64 does not prevent tRNA(iMet) from participating in the initiation process of in vitro protein synthesis. Wheat germ tRNA(iMet) has a 2'-ribosylated guanosine at position 64. Removal of this modification from the wheat germ tRNA(iMet) enables it to read internal AUG codons of globine and tobacco mosaic virus messenger RNA in reticulocyte and wheat germ translation systems, respectively.

Adenosine↗

Mapping the effector region in Thermus thermophilus elongation factor Tu.

Native elongation factor Tu from Thermus thermophilus is initially attacked by various endoproteases in a region spanning amino acid residues 40-70. By comparing the hydrolysis rates of nucleotide-free and GDP-bound EF-Tu, only a small difference was observed for the tryptic cleavage at Arg-59. Protease V-8 attacks Glu-55 only in a GDP/GTP form, whereas this enzyme exclusively hydrolyze Asn-64 in nucleotide-free EF-Tu, even when the protein had been previously cleaved at Arg-59. Binding of GDP leads to a 42-fold decreased rate of hydrolysis by the Lys-C protease at Lys-52. It also reduces the accessibility of Lys-275 to trypsin, reflecting a "long-range" effect from nucleotide binding domain I to domain II. Only slight differences were observed in the rate of hydrolysis at all positions in the GDP- versus the GTP-bound form. The intrinsic GTPase activity was slightly reduced in trypsin-treated EF-Tu, significantly impaired in EF-Tu cleaved at Lys-52, and completely abolished in EF-Tu cleaved at Asn-64. No ribosome-induced GTPase activity was observed for protease-cleaved EF-Tu's. Treatment of these proteins with periodate-oxidized GDP or GTP followed by cyanoborohydride led to covalent modification of the new N-terminus located exclusively within region 52-60. The highest reactivity was shown by the N-terminus of Glu-56. Additionally, lysine residues in the native protein sensitive to affinity labeling [Peter, M.E., Wittmann-Liebold, B., & Sprinzl, M. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 9132-9139] lost their reactivity upon cleavage of EF-Tu in region 52-60, suggesting an altered structure of the cleaved protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Affinity Labels↗

The influence of different modifications of elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli on ternary complex formation investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy.

A fluorescence titration assay was used to detect the effects of various modifications of E.coli elongation factor Tu on the formation of the ternary complex with aminoacyl-tRNAs. The treatment of EF-Tu.GDP with TPCK, an analogue of the 3'terminus of aminoacyl-tRNA, was found to have no influence on the conversion of EF-Tu.GDP to 'active' EF-Tu.GTP, but does decrease the affinity of the activated protein for yeast aminoacyl-tRNA by more than three orders of magnitude. Modification of the elongation factor by limited cleavage with trypsin, leading to the excision of amino acid residues 45-58, has only a minor influence on ternary complex formation. The equilibrium dissociation constant of the ternary complex with this trypsin-treated EF-Tu.GTP and E.coli Phe-tRNA(Phe) is only one order of magnitude higher than that of the ternary complex with native EF-Tu. Mutations in the amino acid residues 222 and 375 of EF-Tu also have little effect on ternary complex formation. Compared with TPCK-treated EF-Tu, the affinities of the two mutant species, designated EF-tuAR and EF-TuBO respectively, for [AEDANS-s2C]Tyr-tRNA(Tyr) are only slightly reduced and in the same range as trypsin-cleaved EF-Tu.

Escherichia coli↗

Interaction of a selenocysteine-incorporating tRNA with elongation factor Tu from E.coli.

Selenocysteine-incorporating tRNA(Sec)(UCA), the product of selC, was isolated from E.coli and aminoacylated with serine. The equilibrium dissociation constant for the interaction of Ser-tRNA(Sec)(UCA) with elongation factor Tu.GTP was determined to be 5.0 +/- 2.5 x 10(-8) M. Compared with the dissociation constants of the two elongator Ser-tRNA(Ser) species (Kd = 7 x 10(-10) M), the selenocysteine-incorporating UGA suppressor tRNA has an almost hundred fold weaker affinity for EF-Tu.GTP. This suggests a mechanism by which the Ser-tRNA(Sec) is prevented in recognition of UGA codons. This tRNA is not bound to EF-Tu.GTP and is converted to selenocysteinyl-tRNA(Sec). We also demonstrate the lack of an efficient interaction of Sec-tRNA(Sec)(UCA) with EF-Tu.GTP. The results of this work are in support of a mechanism by which the selenocysteine incorporation at UGA nonsense codons is mediated by an elongation factor other than EF-Tu.GTP.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

Identification of the N-tosyl-L-phenylalanyl chloromethylketone modification site in Thermus thermophilus elongation factor Tu.

EF-Tu from Thermus thermophilus was first labelled with N-[14C]tosyl-L-phenylalaninechloromethylketone and then cleaved by the combined action of CNBr and trypsin. The resulting peptides were separated by reversed-phase HPLC. Analysis of the isolated, labelled peptide led to the identification of a sequence which was identical to residues 76-88 in T. thermophilus EF-Tu. The TPCK reactive site is at Cys-82. Kinetic measurements of the incorporation of TPCK into native EF-Tu and EF-Tu nicked at position Arg-59 were performed. The results provide evidence that the cleavage of the peptide bond between Arg-59 and Gly-60 does not lead to a dramatic conformational change of EF-Tu at the aa-tRNA binding site.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗

The selenocysteine-inserting opal suppressor serine tRNA from E. coli is highly unusual in structure and modification.

Selenocysteine is cotranslationally incorporated into selenoproteins in a unique pathway involving tRNA mediated suppression of a UGA nonsense codon (1-3). The DNA sequence of the gene for this suppressor tRNA from Escherichia coli predicts unusual features of the gene product (4). We determined the sequence of this serine tRNA (tRNA(UCASer]. It is the longest tRNA (95 nt) known to date with an acceptor stem of 8 base pairs and lacks some of the 'invariant' nucleotides found in other tRNAs. It is the first E. coli tRNA that contains the hypermodified nucleotide i6A, adjacent to the UGA-recognizing anticodon UCA. The implications of the unusual structure and modification of this tRNA on recognition by seryl-tRNA synthetase, by tRNA modifying enzymes, and on codon recognition are discussed.

Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases↗

Interaction of elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli with aminoacyl-tRNA carrying a fluorescent reporter group on the 3' terminus.

Transfer ribonucleic acids containing 2-thiocytidine in position 75 ([s2C]tRNAs) were prepared by incorporation of the corresponding cytidine analogue into 3'-shortened tRNA using ATP(CTP):tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. [s2C]tRNA was selectively alkylated with fluorescent N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulfo-1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine (1,5-I-AEDANS) on the 2-thiocytidine residue. The product [AEDANS-s2C]aminoacyl-tRNA, forms a ternary complex with Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu and GTP, leading to up to 130% fluorescence enhancement of the AEDANS chromophore. From fluorescence titration experiments, equilibrium dissociation constants of 0.24 nM, 0.22 nM and 0.60 nM were determined for yeast [AEDANS-s2C]Tyr-tRNATyr, yeast Tyr-tRNATyr, and the homologous E. coli Phe-tRNAPhe, respectively, interacting with E. coli elongation factor Tu.GTP. The measurement of the association and dissociation rates of the interaction of [AEDANS-s2C]Tyr-tRNATyr with EF-Tu.GTP and the temperature dependence of the resulting dissociation constants gave values of 55 J mol-1 K-1 for delta S degrees' and -34.7 kJ mol-1 for delta H degrees' of this reaction.

Cytidine↗

Inhibition of cell proliferation by basic proteins from bull seminal plasma.

The fraction of basic proteins has been shown to suppress the concanavalin A-induced proliferation of bovine lymphocytes effectively in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was observed within a concentration range where the fraction of basic proteins was not cytotoxic. By separating the basic proteins, only two proteins, seminal ribonuclease and seminal antimicrobial protein were found to be active in inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. Both proteins appear to function differently. At a concentration of 56 micrograms/ml, where both proteins inhibited DNA synthesis, seminal ribonuclease also inhibited RNA synthesis by greater than 50% whereas seminal antimicrobial protein had no effect on RNA synthesis. It was furthermore observed that the suppressive effect of the basic proteins was independent of the mitogenic stimulus and proliferation of both, T- as well as B-lymphocytes was inhibited by those proteins.

Animals↗

Affinity labeling of the GDP/GTP binding site in Thermus thermophilus elongation factor Tu.

Elongation factor Tu from Thermus thermophilus was treated successively with periodate-oxidized GDP or GTP and cyanoborohydride. Covalently modified cyanogen bromide or trypsin fragments of the protein were isolated, and the position of their modification was determined. Lysine residues 52 and 137 were heavily labeled, lysine-137 being considerably more reactive in the GTP form as compared to the GDP form of the protein. These residues are in the proximity of the GDP/GTP binding site. Lys-325 was also labeled, but to a lower extent. The part of the EF-Tu containing residue 52 is missing in crystallized EF-Tu.GDP from Escherichia coli [Jurnak, F. (1985) Science (Washington, D.C.) 230, 32-36]. These results place the part of T. thermophilus EF-Tu corresponding to the missing fragment in E. coli EF-Tu in the vicinity of the nucleotide binding site and allow its role in the interaction with aminoacyl-tRNA and elongation factor Ts to be evaluated. Cross-linking of EF-Tu.GDP by irradiation at 257 nm showed that a sequence of 10 amino acids residues which is found in the Thermus thermophilus elongation factor Tu but not in other homologous bacterial proteins is located in the vicinity of the GDP/GTP binding site.

Affinity Labels↗

Specific recognition of the 3'-terminal adenosine of tRNAPhe in the exit site of Escherichia coli ribosomes.

Ribosomes from Escherichia coli possess, in addition to A and P sites, a third tRNA binding site, which according to its presumed function in tRNA release during translocation has been termed the exit site. The exit site exhibits a remarkable specificity for deacylated tRNA; charged tRNA, e.g. N-AcPhe-tRNAPhe, is not bound significantly. To determine the molecular basis of this discrimination, we have measured the exit site binding affinities of a number of derivatives of tRNAPhe from E. coli, modified at the 3' end. Binding to the exit site of the tRNAPhe derivatives was measured fluorimetrically by competition with a fluorescent tRNAPhe derivative. We show here that removal of the 2' and 3' hydroxyl groups of the 3'-terminal adenosine decreases the affinity of tRNAPhe for the exit site 15 and 40-fold, respectively. Substitutions at the 3' hydroxyl group (aminoacylation, phosphorylation, cytidylation) as well as removal of the 3'-terminal adenosine (or adenylate) of tRNAPhe lower the affinity below the detection limit of 2 x 10(5) M-1, i.e. more than 100-fold. Modification of the adenine moiety (1,N6-etheno adenine) or replacement of it with other bases (cytosine, guanine) has the same dramatic effect. In contrast, the binding to both P and A sites is virtually unaffected by all of the modifications tested. These results suggest that a major fraction (at least -12 kJ/mol, probably about -17 kJ/mol) of the free energy of exit site binding of tRNAPhe (-42 kJ/mol at 20 mM-Mg2+) is contributed by the binding of the 3'-terminal adenine to the ribosome. The binding most likely entails the formation of hydrogen bonds.

Adenosine↗

Transfer of the Ti plasmid from Agrobacterium tumefaciens into Escherichia coli cells.

We have screened strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens for spontaneous mutants showing constitutive transfer of the nopaline Ti plasmid pTiC58 during conjugation. The Ti plasmid derivatives obtained could be transferred not only to A. tumefaciens but also to E. coli cells. The Ti plasmid cannot survive as a freely replicating plasmid in E. coli, but it can occasionally integrate into the E. coli chromosome. However, insertion in tandem of plasmids carrying fd replication origins (pfd plasmids) into the T-DNA provides an indicator for all transfer events into E. coli cells, providing fd gene 2 protein is present in these cells. This viral protein causes the excision of one copy of the pfd plasmid and allows its propagation in the host cell. By using this specially designed Ti plasmid, which was also made constitutive in transfer functions, we found plasmid exchange among A. tumefaciens strains and between A. tumefaciens and E. coli cells to be equally efficient. A Ti plasmid with repressed transfer functions was transferred to E. coli with a rate similar to the low frequency at which it was transferred to A. tumefaciens. The expression of transfer functions of plasmid RP4 either in A. tumefaciens or in E. coli did not increase the transfer of the Ti plasmid into E. coli cells, nor did the addition of acetosyringone, an inducer of T-DNA transfer to plant cells. The results show that A. tumefaciens can transfer the Ti plasmid to E. coli with the same efficiency as within its own species. Conjugational transmission of extrachromosomal DNA like the narrow-host-range Ti plasmid may often not only occur among partners allowing propagation of the plasmid, but also on a 'try-all' basis including hosts which do not replicate the transferred DNA.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Sequence and identification of the nucleotide binding site for the elongation factor Tu from Thermus thermophilus HB8.

Two structural genes for the Thermus thermophilus elongation factor Tu (tuf) were identified by cross-hybridization with the tufA gene from E. coli. The sequence of one of these tuf genes, localized on a 6.6 kb Bam HI fragment, was determined and confirmed by partial protein sequencing of an authentic elongation factor Tu from T. thermophilus HB8. Expression of this tuf gene in E. coli minicells provided a low amount of immuno-precipitable thermophilic EF-Tu. Affinity labeling of the T. thermophilus EF-Tu and sequence comparison with homologous proteins from other organisms were used to identify the guanosine-nucleotide binding domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The structural basis for the interaction between L-tryptophan and the Escherichia coli trp aporepressor.

We have employed equilibrium dialysis to help study the mechanism by which the unliganded Escherichia coli trp aporepressor is activated by L-tryptophan to the liganded trp repressor. By measuring the relative affinity of L-tryptophan and various tryptophan analogues for the co-repressor's binding site, we have estimated the extent to which each of the functional groups of L-tryptophan contributes to the liganding process and discuss their role in the context of the crystal structures of the trp repressor and aporepressor. We have found that the indole ring and alpha carboxyl group of L-tryptophan are mainly responsible for its affinity to the aporepressor. The alpha amino group, however, has a small negative contribution to the affinity of L-tryptophan for the aporepressor which may be associated with its essential role in operator-specific binding.

Apoproteins↗