Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Borst

Publications and source records attributed to P Borst.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Three small RNAs within the 10 kb trypanosome rRNA transcription unit are analogous to domain VII of other eukaryotic 28S rRNAs.

We have localized the six ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) which encode the 28S rRNA region of Trypanosoma brucei. These six rRNAs include two large rRNAs, 28S alpha (approx. 1840 nt) and 28S beta (approx. 1570 nt), and four small rRNAs of approximate sizes 220, 180, 140 and 70 nt. Three of these four small rRNAs (180, 70 and 140) are found at the 3' end of the 28S rRNAs region. Sequence analysis of this area shows that these three small rRNAs encode Domain VII, the last domain of secondary structure in the 28S rRNAs of eukaryotes. Hybridization of labeled nascent RNA to the cloned repeat unit and S1 nuclease protection analysis of putative precursors show that transcription initiates approximately 1.2 kb upstream of the 18S rRNA and terminates after the last small rRNA (140) at the 3' end of the 28S rRNA region. Analysis of three putative rRNA precursors suggests that the small rRNAs are not processed from the primary transcript until after the usual processing of the 5.8S rRNA region.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1986

A 22-kd protein (sorcin/V19) encoded by an amplified gene in multidrug-resistant cells, is homologous to the calcium-binding light chain of calpain.

We have previously shown that at least five linked genes are co-amplified and overexpressed in the multi-drug resistant (MDR) Chinese hamster ovary cell line CHRC5. We show here that one of these genes (class 4) codes for a small phosphorylated, cytosolic protein, sorcin/V19, known to be overproduced by many MDR cell lines. The class 4 gene codes for a nested set of mRNAs, varying in size between 1000 and 2500 nucleotides. Sequence analysis of complementary DNAs shows that these mRNAs encode a protein of 198 amino acids. The identity of this protein with sorcin was established by comparison with the amino acid sequence of two peptides from mouse sorcin. Hamster sorcin is a 22-kd protein with four 'E-F hand' structures typical of calcium-binding sites and it has substantial homology with the light chain of calpain. Two of the calcium-binding sites contain putative recognition sites for cAMP-dependent protein kinase. These may account for the known phosphorylation of sorcin. The unknown function of sorcin might therefore be controlled by both calcium and cAMP levels. The contribution of sorcin to multidrug resistance, if any, remains to be tested.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

The common 5' terminal sequence on trypanosome mRNAs: a target for anti-messenger oligodeoxynucleotides.

Several mature mRNAs of Trypanosoma brucei were previously shown to have a common 5' terminal sequence of 35 nucleotides (nt) encoded by a separate mini-exon. To verify whether all trypanosome mRNAs contain this mini-exon sequence at their 5' end, we have tested oligodeoxynucleotides complementary to different parts of the 35 nt leader sequence for their ability to inhibit translation of total trypanosome mRNA. All oligomers tested inhibited translation of trypanosome mRNAs in a wheat germ extract. They had no effect on translation of Brome mosaic virus mRNA and of a trypanosome mRNA for phosphoglycerate kinase modified to remove the mini-exon sequence. Three different 12mers inhibited translation 35-60%; both the 22- and 34mer inhibited translation 95-100%. Incorporation of amino acids decreased proportionally in all protein bands detected in high resolution polyacrylamide gels. Our results show that all trypanosome mRNAs that yield a product detectable in gel contain a mini-exon sequence. We infer that most, if not all, trypanosome mRNAs contain a 5' terminal mini-exon sequence acquired by discontinuous synthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Rapid change of the repertoire of variant surface glycoprotein genes in trypanosomes by gene duplication and deletion.

To study the evolution of the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) repertoire of trypanosomes we have analysed the DNA region surrounding the VSG 118 gene in different trypanosome strains. We find a remarkable degree of variation in this area. Downstream from the 118 gene a 5.7 X 10(3) base-pair DNA segment containing a potential VSG gene has been quadruplicated in strain 427 of Trypanosoma brucei, but not in most other strains analysed. The VSG 1.1000 gene, located immediately upstream from the 118 gene in one trypanosome strain, has been cleanly deleted in another. Our results are most easily explained by multiple unequal cross-overs between sister chromatids and are the first indication that sister chromatid exchange occurs in trypanosomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

How proteins get into microbodies (peroxisomes, glyoxysomes, glycosomes).

All microbody proteins studies, including one microbody membrane protein, are made on free polysomes and imported post-translationally. This holds for animal tissues, plants, and fungi. The majority of microbody protein sub-units are synthesized in a form not detectably different from mature sub-units. In five cases a larger precursor protein has been found. The position of the extra piece in this precursor is not known. In two of the five cases, processing of the precursor is not coupled to import; in the other three this remains to be determined. It is not even known whether information in the prepiece contributes to topogenesis, or serves other purposes. Microbody preparations from Neurospora, plant tissue and rat liver can take up some newly synthesized microbody proteins in vitro. In most cases uptake is inefficient. No special requirements for uptake have been established and whether a receptor is involved is not yet known. Several examples have been reported of peroxisomal enzymes with a counterpart in another cell compartment. With the exception of catalase, no direct evidence is available in any of these cases for two isoenzymes specified by the same gene. In the Zellweger syndrome, a lethal hereditary disease of man, characterized by a lack of peroxisomes, the levels of several enzymes of lipid metabolism are strongly decreased. In contrast, D-amino-acid oxidase, L-alpha-hydroxyacid oxidase and catalase levels are normal. The catalase resides in the cytosol. Since there is no separate gene for cytosolic catalase, the normal catalase levels in Zellweger cells show that some peroxisomal enzymes can mature and survive stably in the cytosol. It is possible that maturation of the peroxisomal enzyme in the cytoplasm can account for the finding of cytosolic catalase in some normal mammalian cells. The glycosomes of trypanosomes are microbodies that contain a glycolytic system. Comparison of the glycosomal phosphoglycerate kinase with its cytosolic counterpart has shown that these isoenzymes are 93% homologous in amino-acid sequence, but less than 50% homologous to the corresponding enzymes of yeast and mammals. This implies that few alterations are required to direct a protein into microbodies. This interpretation is supported by the evidence for homology between some microbody and mitochondrial isoenzymes in other organisms mentioned under point 4. The major changes of the glycosomal phosphoglycerate kinase relative to the cytosolic enzyme are a large increase in positive charge and a C-terminal extension of 20 amino acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acetyl-CoA C-Acyltransferase↗
PubMed1986

Two tandemly linked identical genes code for the glycosomal glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase in Trypanosoma brucei.

Trypanosoma brucei contains two isoenzymes for glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH); one enzyme resides in a microbody-like organelle, the glycosome, the other one is found in the cytosol. We show here that the glycosomal enzyme is encoded by two tandemly linked genes of identical sequence. These genes code for a protein of 358 amino acids, with a mol. wt of 38.9 kd. This is considerably larger than all other GAPDH proteins studied so far, including the enzyme that is located in the cytosol of the trypanosome. The glycosomal enzyme shows 52-57% homology with known sequences of GAPDH proteins from 10 other organisms, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The residues that are involved in NAD+ binding, catalysis and subunit contacts are well conserved between all these GAPDH molecules, including the trypanosomal one. However, the glycosomal protein of T. brucei has some distinct features. Firstly, it contains a number of insertions, 1-8 amino acids long, which are responsible for the high mol. wt of the protein. Secondly, an unusually high number of positively charged amino acids confer a high isoelectric point (pI 9.3) to the protein. Part of the additional basic residues are present in the insertions. We discuss the genomic organization of the genes for the glycosomal GAPDH and the possibility that the particular features of the protein are involved in its transfer from the cytoplasm, where it is synthesized, into the glycosome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Characterization of the gene for the microbody (glycosomal) triosephosphate isomerase of Trypanosoma brucei.

To determine how microbody enzymes enter microbodies, we are studying the genes for glycosomal (microbody) enzymes in Trypanosoma brucei. Here we present our results for triosephosphate isomerase (TIM), which is found exclusively in the glycosome. We found a single TIM gene without introns, having one major polyadenylated transcript of 1500 nucleotides with a long untranslated tail of approximately 600 nucleotides. By a novel method, suitable for low abundance transcripts, we demonstrate that TIM mRNA contains the 35-nucleotide leader sequence (mini-exon) also found on several other trypanosome mRNAs. The TIM gene and a DNA segment of at least 6 kbp upstream of the gene are transcribed at an equal rate in isolated nuclei, suggesting that the gene is part of a much larger transcription unit. The predicted protein is of the same size as TIMs from other organisms and shares approximately 50% amino acid homology with other eukaryote TIMs, somewhat less with prokaryote TIMs. Trypanosome TIM is the most basic of all TIMs sequenced thus far. This is, in part, due to the presence of two clusters of positively charged residues in the molecule which may act as a signal for entry into glycosomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Size-fractionation of the small chromosomes of Trypanozoon and Nannomonas trypanosomes by pulsed field gradient gel electrophoresis.

We have compared the molecular karyotypes of trypanosomes from different subgroups within subgenus Trypanozoon by pulsed field gradient (PFG) gel electrophoresis. Although the overall karyotype was similar, there was much variation in the size of chromosomes between different stocks. Two of three stocks of Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) brucei gambiense had remarkably small mini-chromosomes: 25-50 kilobase pairs compared to 50-150 kilobase pairs for the mini-chromosomes of other Trypanozoon stocks. The relative amount of DNA in the mini-chromosomal fraction of different stocks correlated well with the amount of 177 base pair satellite DNA monomer per microgram nuclear DNA. Hybridisation of Southern blots of pulsed field gradient gels with a number of gene probes showed that the loci for tubulin and phosphoglycerate kinase in Trypanozoon probably lie on the same chromosome, together with some variant surface glycoprotein genes; the genes for triose phosphate isomerase and glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase are separately located both with respect to each other and the above housekeeping genes. Therefore, there are at minimum three pairs of chromosomes carrying housekeeping genes in Trypanozoon. In some stocks the chromosomes carrying the tubulin and phosphoglycerate kinase genes are split into two bands, suggesting that homologous chromosomes may differ substantially in size in trypanosomes. One Trypanosoma (Nannomonas) congolense stock examined had a similar pattern of chromosome distribution to that of Trypanozoon, but with very small mini-chromosomes (25-50 kilobase pairs.)

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Mapping of VSG genes on large expression-site chromosomes of Trypanosoma brucei separated by pulsed-field gradient electrophoresis.

We have modified the conditions for pulsed-field gradient electrophoresis of Trypanosoma brucei (strain 427) to resolve large chromosomes, which previously comigrated, into five distinct chromosome bands. Mapping of four different variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) genes, which were duplicatively activated in eight independent VSG gene switching events during later stages of infection, has shown that the activated gene is invariably translocated to the same chromosome band. Also, we have examined the chromosomal location of two VSG genes which were activated without duplication during early infection. The location of each is constant in its active and inactive state. These data identify a single chromosome band which is preferentially used for VSG gene expression during chronic infections in this trypanosome strain and support the concept that the transcription and the translocation of VSG genes are independently regulated.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Pulsed field gradient electrophoresis of DNA digested in agarose allows the sizing of the large duplication unit of a surface antigen gene in trypanosomes.

Intact chromosome-sized DNA molecules from eukaryotes may be prepared by performing lysis and enzymic deproteinization on cells embedded in agarose [Schwartz and Cantor, Cell 37 (1984), 67-75]. Here we show that DNA prepared by this method may be cut with restriction enzymes, or modified with site-specific methylases and cut by DpnI. As the DNA remains incorporated in the gel matrix, shear degradation of large fragments is avoided. The fragments can then be sized by conventional or pulsed field gradient gel electrophoresis. Phage lambda genomic oligomers are used as size markers, allowing the estimation of fragment sizes up to about 1200 kb. We apply these techniques to show that activation of the telomeric gene encoding variant surface antigen 1.3 in Trypanosoma brucei strain 427, involves the duplication of a DNA segment that starts between 29 and 42 kb upstream of the gene and to assign a chromosomal fragment into which the duplicated 1.3 gene may have transposed.

Antigens, Protozoan↗
PubMed1986

Differential amplification and disproportionate expression of five genes in three multidrug-resistant Chinese hamster lung cell lines.

At least five linked genes are amplified in the multidrug-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line CHRC5, selected with colchicine (A. M. Van der Bliek, T. Van der Velde-Koerts, V. Ling, and P. Borst, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:1671-1678, 1986). We report here that only a subset of these, encoding the 170-kilodalton P-glycoprotein, are consistently amplified in three different multidrug-resistant Chinese hamster lung cell lines, selected with vincristine, daunorubicin, or actinomycin D. Within each cell line, genomic sequences homologous to the P-glycoprotein cDNA probe were amplified to different levels. The pattern of differential amplification was consistent with the presence of at least two and possibly three P-glycoprotein genes. In the actinomycin D-selected cell line, these genes were disproportionately overexpressed relative to the associated levels of amplification. These results underline a central role for P-glycoprotein in multidrug resistance. In the daunorubicin-selected cell line, another, as yet uncharacterized, gene was amplified but disproportionately underexpressed. Its amplification was therefore fortuitous. We present a tentative map of the region in the hamster genome that is amplified in the multidrug-resistant cell lines which were analyzed.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1986

Overexpression and amplification of five genes in a multidrug-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line.

Multidrug-resistant cells are cross-resistant to a wide range of unrelated drugs, many of which are used in cancer chemotherapy. We constructed a cDNA library from RNA of the multidrug-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line CHRC5. By differential screening we isolated cDNAs derived from mRNAs that are overexpressed in this cell line. The cDNAs could be grouped in five classes on the basis of transcript lengths detected in RNA blots. We infer that each class codes for a separate protein. The corresponding genes are amplified 10 or 30 times in CHRC5 DNA, providing an explanation for the constitutive overexpression found in this cell line. Despite differential amplification, the genes may be linked in one large amplicon as indicated by the hybridization analysis of large fragments of CHRC5 DNA separated by pulsed field gradient gel electrophoresis. Therefore, some of these genes might be fortuitously coamplified and not contribute functionally to the resistant phenotype. It is also possible, however, that genes involved in drug resistance are clustered. One of our clones cross-hybridized with the recently described cDNA pCHP1 (J. R. Riordan, K. Deuchars, N. Kartner, N. Alon, J. Trent, and V. Ling, Nature [London] 316:817-819, 1985) encoding part of the 170-kilodalton P-glycoprotein, a protein which is frequently overproduced in multidrug-resistant cells. The nature of the four other genes is still unknown. Sequences of four of the five classes of cDNAs are conserved in mouse and human DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Discontinuous transcription and antigenic variation in trypanosomes.

The main theme of this review is the discontinuous synthesis of mRNAs in trypanosomes. This novel process was discovered in the unicellular eukaryote Trypanosoma brucei, but it is probably a general feature of the order of Kinetoplastida, to which several other major human pathogens belong. Discontinuous RNA synthesis involves a sequence of 35 nucleotides (nt) found at the 5' end of all trypanosome mRNAs analyzed. The 35-nt sequence is encoded in arrays of 1.35-kb repeats that are clustered in the genome. The primary transcript of the 1.35-kb repeat is an RNA of 140 nt that carries the 35-nt sequence at its 5' end. The 35-nt sequence is transferred from the 140-nt precursor to pre-mRNAs made elsewhere in the genome. The process has not yet been reconstructed in vitro, and whether transfer involves priming of pre-mRNA synthesis, RNA-RNA ligation followed by splicing, trans-splicing, or more than one of these mechanisms, is still unknown. Circumstantial evidence makes priming the least likely of these alternatives. Why it is advantageous to trypanosomes to make their mRNAs in such an unusual fashion is unclear. As yet, there is no evidence for discontinuous synthesis of mRNAs in organisms other than kinetoplastid flagellates. The mini-exon sequence was first found in mRNAs for Variant-specific Surface Glycoproteins (VSGs), and the control of the synthesis of these proteins is a second theme of this review. Silent VSG genes may be activated by their duplicative transposition to a telomeric expression site. The transposition process looks like a gene conversion, mediated by short blocks of sequence homology. Activation of the transposed gene is due to its insertion into an active transcription unit, i.e. to promoter addition. Telomeric VSG genes can also be activated without duplication. This can occur by a reciprocal translocation in which a silent telomeric gene exchanges position with a gene residing in an active expression site. A VSG gene may also be activated without detectable translocation, however, by the transcriptional activation of the silent expression site in which it is located. How this occurs is still unknown, because the transcription units are so long that the promoter for pre-mRNA synthesis has not yet been reached by chromosome walking. A simple mechanism in which a mobile promoter moves between telomeres has been rendered unlikely by the demonstration that two telomeric transcription units can be simultaneously active when one of them is interrupted by a large DNA insertion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Topogenesis of microbody enzymes: a sequence comparison of the genes for the glycosomal (microbody) and cytosolic phosphoglycerate kinases of Trypanosoma brucei.

To determine how microbody enzymes enter microbodies, we are studying the genes for cytosolic and glycosomal (microbody) isoenzymes in Trypanosoma brucei. We have found three genes (A, B and C) coding for phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) in a tandem array in T. brucei. Gene B codes for the cytosolic and gene C for the glycosomal isoenzyme. Genes B and C are 95% homologous, and the predicted protein sequences share approximately 45% amino acid homology with other eukaryote PGKs. The microbody isoenzyme differs from the cytosolic form and other PGKs in two respects: a high positive charge and a carboxy-terminal extension of 20 amino acids. Our results show that few alterations are required to redirect a protein from cytosol to microbody. From a comparison of our results with the unpublished data for three other glycosomal glycolytic enzymes we infer that the high positive charge represents the major topogenic signal for uptake of proteins into glycosomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Transcription of a transposed trypanosome surface antigen gene starts upstream of the transposed segment.

The non-telomeric variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) genes in Trypanosoma brucei are activated by a duplicative transposition to a telomeric expression site. We have determined the 5' end of the transposed segment of the gene for VSG 117 and infer from comparison with similar data obtained by others that the crossover can occur at variable positions within short repeats present upstream of this gene and in the expression site. We have analysed nascent and steady state transcripts of the transposed gene and its neighbouring expression site DNA. The results indicate that transcription starts upstream of the transposed gene segment in the expression site and that transcripts are rapidly processed at specific points identified by protection of DNA-RNA hybrids against digestion by nuclease S1 or Exo VII. Hence, this gene appears to be activated by a process akin to promoter addition.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effect of 3-aminobenzamide on antigenic variation of Trypanosoma brucei.

African trypanosomes, like Trypanosoma brucei, depend on antigenic variation to evade the immune response of the vertebrate host. An antigenic switch corresponds to the activation of a variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene from a large silent repertoire. Most switches require the duplicative transposition of a VSG gene, which involves strand breaks in DNA and subsequent repair. The nuclear enzyme adenosine-diphosphoribosyl transferase (ADPRT), which is dependent on the presence of DNA strand breaks for its activity, might be involved in this process because it has a regulatory role in DNA repair in all eukaryotic cells studied so far. In previous work, the presence of ADPRT activity was demonstrated in T. brucei. Moreover, it was also shown in isolated trypanosomes the ADPRT activity, which is stimulated by the induction of DNA strand breaks, could be blocked by the competitive inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide. Here we report experiments using rats which were infected with small numbers of T. brucei expressing VSG gene 118. After two days, the rats were coupled to a continuous intraperitoneal infusion system administrating 3-aminobenzamide in 0.9% NaCl (81.4 mM) at a rate of 0.65 ml/hr/rat for a period of up to five days. Control rats received only a 0.9% NaCl infusion. At days 1, 3 and 5, 250 microliters blood was obtained from a tail artery. Plasma 3-aminobenzamide was determined using a new high performance liquid chromatography method, developed for these experiments. In most rats the plasma concentrations were maintained between 0.8 and 1.2 mM. The rate of antigenic switching was determined by quantitating the fraction of trypanosomes that had lost their VSG 118 coat, using antibody against VSG 118 and a limiting dilution in mice. The average switching rate found was 2.0 X 10(-6) in controls and 1.3 X 10(-7) in drug-treated rats (15-fold reduction). This suggests that ADPRT is required for completing most antigenic switching events. We discuss the possibility that drug-resistant switching only involves non-duplicative VSG gene activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Characteristics of trypanosome variant antigen genes active in the tsetse fly.

Trypanosoma brucei contains a repertoire of more than 100 different genes for Variant Surface Glycoproteins (VSGs). A small and strain-specific fraction of these genes is expressed in the salivary glands of the tsetse fly (M-genes), giving rise to metacyclic Variable Antigen Types (M-VATs). Antibodies produced in a chronic trypanosome infection initiated by syringe inoculation of bloodstream forms into mammals (i.e. against B-VATs), will react with most of the M-VATs suggesting that these B-VATs express VSG genes that are similar or identical to M-genes. We have cloned DNA complementary to the VSG mRNA of four of such B-VATs and used this to characterize the corresponding VSG genes. In three of the four VATs we find a single VSG gene hybridizing with the cDNA probe and we provide supporting evidence that this gene is expressed as an M-gene. In the bloodstream repertoire these genes appear to be activated by duplicative translocation to another telomere. In all four variants the putative M-genes are telomeric and in the three cases where the location of the genes on chromosome-sized DNA molecules could be determined, the genes were located in large DNA, whereas the majority of the telomeric VSG genes are in chromosomes less than 1000 kb. Our results are best explained by models for M-gene activation involving telomeric expression sites for these genes which are separate from those used by bloodstream forms. The implications of these results for vaccination are discussed.

Animals↗