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W Wickner

Publications and source records attributed to W Wickner.

138 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Studies of asymmetric membrane assembly.

The major capsid protein of M13 bacteriophage is incorporated at each stage of infection into the host plasma membrane with its amino terminus exposed on the outer surface. Purified M13 coat protein is incorporated with the same asymmetry into synthetic phosphatidylcholine vesicles formed near the Tm of the lipid by a cholate dilution technique. We now report that the lipid in the pre-dilution mixture exists as mixed micelles of uniform size. Prior to dilution, the coat protein is present in at least two states of aggregation, both of which behave similarly in the model membrane assembly reaction. No detectable lipid-protein interaction occurs prior to dilution. Upon dilution there is rapid production of small closed vesicles and coat protein is converted to a chymotrypsin-resistant form, presumably reflecting its incorporation into these vesicle bilayers. Formation of large (greater than 6000 A diameter) vesicles occurs slowly with preservation of coat protein asymmetry and internal volume. A model for this assembly reaction is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1977

Membrane-associated assembly of M13 phage in extracts of virus-infected Escherichia coli.

Assembly of coliphage M13 is known to occur as the viral DNA crosses the cytoplasmic membrane, shedding its virus-coded DNA unwinding protein and acquiring from the membrane approximately 2400 copies of the major coat protein. Conditions are described in which extracts of M13-infected E. coli and membranes prepared from such extracts will support virus assembly at a rate equivalent to that of intact cells. Extracts prepared from cells infected with temperature-sensitive M13 mutants in genes 1, 3, 4, or 5 are temperature-sensitive in this cell-free assembly reaction. Phage assembly in vitro requires magnesium and as yet an unidentified heat-stable cofactor of low molecular weight. The rate of virus assembly is approximately linear with respect to extract concentration over a 10(4)-fold range, consistent with the observation that the entire M13 assembly activity copurifies with the cell membrane fraction.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1976

Asymmetric orientation of phage M13 coat protein in Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membranes and in synthetic lipid vesicles.

At each stage of infection, the major coat protein of coliphage M13 binds to the E. coli cytoplasmic membrane with its antigenic site exposed to the cell exterior [Wickner, W. (1975) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 72, 4749-4753]. This antigenic site is now shown to be at the amino-terminus of the protein. The amino-terminus of M13 coat protein is also found exclusively on the outside of dilauroyl or dimyristoyl lecithin vesicles, formed with coat protein by the cholate dilution technique [Racker, E., et al. (1975) FEBS Lett. 57, 14-18] near the lipid phase transition temperature. The basic carboxyterminus of the coat protein is exclusively on the inside of these vesicles. Vesicles of M13 coat protein and dimyristoyl lecithin when formed below the lipid phase transition temperature have both ends of the coat protein exposed to the vesicle exterior. The asymmetry of a membrane protein can, therefore, be established in the absence of other proteins and of lipid asymmetry; it depends on the physical state of the lipid phase. The factors which cause asymmetry in this model system may affect the distribution of proteins in biological membranes.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1976

Fractionation of membrane vesicles from coliphage M13-infected Escherichia coli.

Membrane vesicles were prepared by osmotic lysis of spheroplasts from M13-infected Escherichia coli. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase (reduced NAD: oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.3) and Mg2+-Ca2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3), which are normally localized to the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane, were 50% acceesible to their polar substrates in these vesicles. The major coat protein of coliphage M13 is also bound to the cytoplasmic membrane (prior to phage assembly) but with its antigenic sites exposed to the exterior of the cell. Antibody to M13 coat protein was used to fractionate membrane vesicles. Neither agglutinated nor unagglutinated vesicles had altered NADH oxidase and adenosine triphosphatase specific activities. This is inconsistent with such vesicles being a mixture of correctly oriented and completely inverted membrane sacs and suggests that NADH oxidase, adenosine triphosphatase, M13 coat protein, or all three proteins rearrange during vesicle preparation.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1975

Asymmetric orientation of a phage coat protein in cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli.

The coat protein of a filamentous phage (M13) enters the cytoplasmic membrane from two directions: from the outside upon infection and from the cell interior late in the viral life cycle prior to phage assembly and extrusion. Binding of 125I-labeled anti-coat protein antibody to spheroplasts or to inverted vesicles was used to assay the orientation of coat protein in the membrane. Both parental and newly synthesized coat protein were found to be exposed on the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. Coat protein in intact infected cells is also accessible to external antibody. Thus two different processes of assembling a protein into membrane, each starting from a different membrane surface, appear to produce similar surface orientations.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1974

A novel form of RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli.

A new form of RNA polymerase, termed RNA polymerase III, has been recognized as a large fraction of the rifampicin-sensitive enzyme in E. coli. It is physically separable from RNA polymerase (holoenzyme, RNA polymerase I) by gel filtration and is distinguished by its capacity to discriminate between M13 and varphiX174 viral DNA templates in priming DNA synthesis. This template specificity is manifested only with saturating levels of DNA unwinding protein and characterizes the priming of DNA synthesis on viral single strands in cell-free extracts and in vivo. RNA polymerase III has less than 5% of the specific activity of RNA polymerase I in transcribing duplex DNA of phages lambda and T4, salmon sperm DNA, and the copolymer poly[d(A-T)]. Rifampicin inactivation of RNA polymerase III releases a factor, presumably a small subunit, which can be isolated and used to confer on RNA polymerase I the properties of III, namely, discrimination between M13 and varphiX174 templates in priming DNA synthesis, and a relative inability to transcribe duplex DNA.

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1973

DNA polymerase 3 star requires ATP to start synthesis on a primed DNA.

DNA polymerase III star replicates a varphiX174 single-stranded, circular DNA primed with a fragment of RNA. This reaction proceeds in two stages. In stage I, a complex is formed requiring DNA polymerase III star, ATP, spermidine, copolymerase III(*), and RNA-primed varphiX174 single-stranded, circular DNA. The complex, isolated by gel filtration, contains ADP and inorganic phosphate (the products of a specific ATP cleavage) as well as spermidine, polymerase III star, and copolymerase III star. In stage II, the chain grows upon addition of deoxynucleoside triphosphates; ADP and inorganic phosphate are discharged and chain elongation is resistant to antibody to copolymerase III star. Thus ATP and copolymerase III star are required to initiate chain growth but not to sustain it.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1973

A new form of DNA polymerase 3 and a copolymerase replicate a long, single-stranded primer-template.

A new form of DNA polymerase III, termed Pol III star (Pol III(*)), has been purified to homogeneity from Escherichia coli. Pol III(*) is temperature sensitive when isolated from a thermo-sensitive dnaE mutant, as had been described for Pol III. Pol III(*) and Pol III are separable by gel filtration. Pol III(*) utilizes a duplex template containing short gaps with the same catalytic properties as Pol III. However, Pol III(*) is able to replicate long, singlestranded templates such as homopolymer chains and viral circles of M13 and varphiX174 if provided with the following: spermidine, a primer fragment, and a new protein, termed copolymerase III(*) (Copol III(*)). The latter, purified to homogeneity, has no known independent enzymatic activity and supports synthesis by Pol III(*) but not by Pol I, Pol II, or Pol III.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗
PubMed1972

RNA synthesis initiates in vitro conversion of M13 DNA to its replicative form.

Soluble enzyme fractions from uninfected Escherichia coli convert M13 and varphiX174 viral single strands to their double-stranded replicative forms. Rifampicin, an inhibitor of RNA polymerase, blocks conversion of M13 single strands to the replicative forms in vivo and in vitro. However, rifampicin does not block synthesis of the replicative forms of varphiX174 either in vivo or in soluble extracts. The replicative form of M13 synthesized in vitro consists of a full-length, linear, complementary strand annealed to a viral strand. The conversion of single strands of M13 to the replicative form proceeds in two separate stages. The first stage requires enzymes, ribonucleoside triphosphates, and single-stranded DNA; the reaction is inhibited by rifampicin. The macromolecular product separated at this stage supports DNA synthesis with deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and a fresh addition of enzymes; ribonucleoside triphosphates are not required in this second stage nor does rifampicin inhibit the reaction. We presume that in the first stage there is synthesis of a short RNA chain, which then primes the synthesis of a replicative form by a DNA polymerase.

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1972

Initiation of DNA synthesis: synthesis of phiX174 replicative form requires RNA synthesis resistant to rifampicin.

Conversion of single-stranded DNA of phage varphiX174 to the double-stranded replicative form in Escherichia coli uses enzymes essential for initiation and replication of the host chromosome. These enzymes can now be purified by the assay that this phage system provides. The varphiX174 conversion is distinct from that of M13. The reaction requires different host enzymes and is resistant to rifampicin and streptolydigin, inhibitors of RNA polymerase. However, RNA synthesis is essential for varphiX174 DNA synthesis: the reaction is inhibited by low concentrations of actinomycin D, all four ribonucleoside triphosphates are required, and an average of one phosphodiester bond links DNA to RNA in the isolated double-stranded circles. Thus, we presume that, as in the case of M13, synthesis of a short RNA chain primes the synthesis of a replicative form by DNA polymerase. Initiation of DNA synthesis by RNA priming is a mechanism of wide significance.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The cytoplasmic carboxy terminus of M13 procoat is required for the membrane insertion of its central domain.

The M13 coat protein spans the Escherichia coli plasma membrane with its amino-terminus facing the periplasm. It is made as a precursor--the procoat--with a typical leader peptide. Mutations which destroy the basic character of the carboxy-terminal domain of procoat, a domain which is oriented towards the cytoplasm, block membrane assembly, while insertion of three lysyl residues near the carboxy terminus partially restores assembly. Thus the information specifying membrane insertion of M13 procoat protein is found in its mature region as well as the leader and is not simply decoded in an amino to carboxy direction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗