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TSEMA: interactive prediction of protein pairings between interacting families.

An entire family of methodologies for predicting protein interactions is based on the observed fact that families of interacting proteins tend to have similar phylogenetic trees due to co-evolution. One application of this concept is the prediction of the mapping between the members of two interacting protein families (which protein within one family interacts with which protein within the other). The idea is that the real mapping would be the one maximizing the similarity between the trees. Since the exhaustive exploration of all possible mappings is not feasible for large families, current approaches use heuristic techniques which do not ensure the best solution to be found. This is why it is important to check the results proposed by heuristic techniques and to manually explore other solutions. Here we present TSEMA, the server for efficient mapping assessment. This system calculates an initial mapping between two families of proteins based on a Monte Carlo approach and allows the user to interactively modify it based on performance figures and/or specific biological knowledge. All the explored mappings are graphically shown over a representation of the phylogenetic trees. The system is freely available at http://pdg.cnb.uam.es/TSEMA. Standalone versions of the software behind the interface are available upon request from the authors.

Internet↗

[Consultation and survey for drug interaction in outpatients taking the medicines potentially interact with St. John's Wort].

Ministry Health Welfare of Japan announced the caution for drug interaction of St. John's Wort (SJW), a herbal supplement occasionally used for depression, on May, 2000. Immediately after the announcement, we conducted drug consultation for outpatients prescribed the medicines potentially interacting with SJW. We provided information concerning possible drug interaction with SJW for 741 outpatients (except for pediatrics) during the period of May 22-June 16, 2000. The potential drugs prescribed frequently were warfarin (28.0%), theophylline (19.7%), digitalis (18.4%), carbamazepine (7.2%), disopyramide (6.9%) and cyclosporin (6.3%). Of the patients, 401 subjects were surveyed by collecting the questionnaires to clarify the background of SJW drug interaction. Twenty-two subjects (5.5%) have known commercially available SJW products, 5 subjects (1.2%) have ever taken SJW products before and 2 subjects (0.5%) have taken SJW products concomitant with prescribed medicines. Gender difference was observed in paying attention to SJW products; female subjects (8.6%) tended to have more interest in SJW products than male subjects (2.8%). Two subjects taking SJW have realized for the first time that the supplements they took were SJW products when their package photographs were shown at the consultation. Showing the package photographs might be helpful for making the patients easy to identify the SJW products, because most patients do not pay attention to whether the supplements contain SJW or not. It is recommended that drug consultation should be provided to avoid serious drug interaction with SJW while the outpatients are taking potential medicines prescribed.

Adult↗

Rational assessment of the interaction profile of cerivastatin supports its low propensity for drug interactions.

Pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions influence drug efficacy, tolerability, and compliance. Such interactions are both more common and of more clinical relevance than often appreciated. The US Food and Drug Administration and the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products have recently issued guidelines setting out in vitro and in vivo investigations to be conducted during drug development. These guidelines reflect the increasing interest of public health authorities in this topic. Cerivastatin is a novel, potent HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor that effectively reduces serum cholesterol levels at low daily doses. It is completely absorbed after oral administration, undergoes moderate first-pass metabolism and high plasma protein binding, and is cleared exclusively via hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP). Unlike other drugs of its class, cerivastatin has a dual metabolic pathway, with the involvement of more than one CYP isozyme. Metabolites are cleared via both biliary and renal excretion. On the basis of this pharmacokinetic profile and a knowledge of the target population, the formal in vivo interaction programme for cerivastatin investigated many important potential cerivastatin drug-drug interactions. Cerivastatin appears to lack clinically relevant interactions with digoxin, warfarin, antacid, cimetidine, nifedipine, omeprazole, erythromycin and itraconazole.

Adult↗

Evaluation of drug interaction microcomputer software: Dambro's Drug Interactions.

Dambro's Drug Interactions was evaluated using general and specific criteria. The installation process, ease of learning and use were rated excellent. The user documentation and quality of the technical support were good. The scope of coverage, clinical documentation, frequency of updates, and overall clinical performance were fair. The primary advantages of the program are the quick searching and detection of drug interactions, and the attempt to provide useful interaction data, i.e., significance and reference. The disadvantages are the lack of current drug interaction information, outdated references, lack of evaluative drug interaction information, and the inability to save or print patient profiles. The program is not a good value for the pharmacist but has limited use as a quick screening tool.

Drug Interactions↗

Drug interaction microcomputer software evaluation: drug interaction facts on disk.

Drug Interaction Facts on Disk (DIF) was evaluated using general and specific criteria. The installation process, ease of learning and use, the user documentation, and the technical support were rated excellent. The scope of coverage, the quality of the clinical documentation, and overall clinical performance were also excellent. The frequency of updates is good. The program's clinical performance was compared to RxTriage and Drug Therapy Screening System using five recently reported drug interactions. The ability to screen for selected drug-food/nutrient interactions was also evaluated. Drug Interaction Facts is rated to be one of the better bargains in drug interaction software programs.

Drug Information Services↗

Exceptionally Long (> or =2.9 A) CC bonding interactions in pi-[TCNE]2(2-) dimers: two-electron four-center cation-mediated CC bonding interactions involving pi* electrons.

Three groups of singlet ground state [TCNE](2) (2-) (TCNE=tetracyanoethylene) dimers with characteristic intradimer CC separations (r) and dihedral angles (d) [i.e., group S(t) (r approximately 1.6 A; d=180 degrees ), L(t) (r approximately 3.5 A; d=180 degrees ), and L(c) (r approximately 2.9 A; d= approximately 0 degrees ); notation: S/L: short/long bond length; subscript t/c: trans/cis, respectively] are experimentally characterized. The S(t) group is comprised of sigma-dimers of [TCNE](.-) and octacyanobutanediide, [C(4)(CN)(8)](2-), which have a typical, albeit long, sp(3)-sp(3) sigma bond (r approximately 1.6 A) between each [TCNE](.-) moiety and characteristic nu(CN), nu(CC), and delta(CCN) IR absorptions. The L groups are structurally characterized as pi-dimers of [TCNE](.-) that are either eclipsed with r approximately 2.9 A (L(c)) and the nitriles bend away from the nominal TCNE plane away from the center of the dimer by 5.0 degrees (approximately sp(2.17)) or are noneclipsed with r approximately 3.5 A (L(t)) and the nitriles bend toward the center of the dimer by 1.9 degrees ( approximately sp(2.06)). Ab initio computations on isolated dimers were used to study the formation and stability of these exceptionally long CC (> or =2.9 A) bonding interactions as well as the process of pi-[TCNE](2) (2-) dimer formation for the L(c) and L(t) groups. The results of these computational studies show that the ground-state potential curve is that of a closed-shell/open-shell singlet, depending on the distance. The short S(t) group (r approximately 1.6 A) of dimers in this surface are true minimum-energy structures; however, the L(t) and L(c) groups are unstable, although two different nonphysical minima are found when imposing a double occupancy of the orbitals. These minima are metastable relative to dissociation into the isolated [TCNE](.-) units. Consequently, the existence of dimer dianions in crystals is due to cation.[TCNE](-) interactions, which provide the electrostatic stabilization necessary to overcome the intradimer electrostatic repulsion. This cation-mediated pi*-pi* [TCNE](-).[TCNE](-) interaction complies with Pauling's definition of a chemical bond. This bonding interaction involves the pi* orbitals of each fragment, and arise from the overlap of the b(2g) SOMO on each of the two [TCNE](.-)s to form a filled b(2u) [TCNE](2) (2-) orbital. Although a pi dimer typically forms, if the fragments are close enough a sigma dimer can form. Due to the presence of cation-mediated intradimer CC bonding interactions the L(c) group of pi-[TCNE](2) (2-) dimers exhibits experimentally observable nu(CN) IR absorptions at 2191+/-2 (m), 2173+/-3 (s), and 2162+/-3 cm(-1) (s) and nu(CC) at 1364+/-3 cm(-1) (s) as well as a new UV-Vis feature in the range of 15 000 to 18 200 cm(-1) (549 to 667 nm) and averaging 16 825+/-1180 cm(-1) (594 nm) assigned to the predicted new intradimer (1)A(1g) --> (1)B(1u) transition and is purple on reflected light. Upon cooling to 77 K in 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, this new band occurs at 18 940 cm(-1) (528 nm) for [[Et(4)N](+)](2)[TCNE](2) (2-), and the yellow solution turns deep red. Group L(t) is characterized by nu(CN) absorptions at 2215+/-2, 2197+/-3, and 2180+/-4 cm(-1) and nu(CC) at 1209+/-9 cm(-1) (w), while group S(T) has nu(CN) bands at 2215+/-4, 2157+/-3, and 2107+/-4 cm(-1) and nu(CC) at 1385+/-1 cm(-1) (vs).

Journal Article↗

Fluorine interactions at the thrombin active site: protein backbone fragments H-C(alpha)-C=O comprise a favorable C-F environment and interactions of C-F with electrophiles.

In a systematic fluorine scan of a rigid inhibitor to map the fluorophilicity/fluorophobicity of the active site in thrombin, one or more F substituents were introduced into the benzyl ring reaching into the D pocket. The 4-fluorobenzyl inhibitor showed a five to tenfold higher affinity than ligands with other fluorination patterns. X-ray crystal-structure analysis of the protein-ligand complex revealed favorable C-F...H-C(alpha)-C=O and C-F...C=O interactions of the 4-F substituent of the inhibitor with the backbone H-C(alpha)-C=O unit of Asn98. The importance of these interactions was further corroborated by the analysis of small-molecule X-ray crystal-structure searches in the Protein Data Base (PDB) and the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). In the C--F...C=O interactions that are observed for both aromatic and aliphatic C-F units and a variety of carbonyl and carboxyl derivatives, the F atom approaches the C=O C atom preferentially along the pseudotrigonal axis of the carbonyl system. Similar orientational preferences are also seen in the dipolar interactions C--F.C[triple chemical bond]N, C-F.C-F, and C-F...NO(2), in which the F atoms interact at sub-van der Waals distances with the electrophilic centers.

Animals↗

Exploring SNP-SNP interactions and colon cancer risk using polymorphism interaction analysis.

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes derived from distinct pathways are associated with colon cancer risk; however, few studies have examined SNP-SNP interactions concurrently. We explored the association between colon cancer and 94 SNPs, using a novel approach, polymorphism interaction analysis (PIA). We developed PIA to examine all possible SNP combinations, based on the 94 SNPs studied in 216 male colon cancer cases and 255 male controls, employing 2 separate functions that cross-validate and minimize false-positive results in the evaluation of SNP combinations to predict colon cancer risk. PIA identified previously described null polymorphisms in glutathione-S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) as the best predictor of colon cancer among the studied SNPs, and also identified novel polymorphisms in the inflammation and hormone metabolism pathways that singly or jointly predict cancer risk. PIA identified SNPs that may interact with the GSTT1 polymorphism, including coding polymorphisms in TP53 (Arg72Pro in p53) and CASP8 (Asp302His in caspase 8), which may modify the association between this polymorphism and colon cancer. This was confirmed by logistic regression, as the GSTT1 null polymorphism in combination with either the TP53 or the CASP8 polymorphism significantly alter colon cancer risk (p(interaction) < 0.02 for both). GSTT1 prevents DNA damage by detoxifying mutagenic compounds, while the p53 protein facilitates repair of DNA damage and induces apoptosis, and caspase 8 is activated in p53-mediated apoptosis. Our results suggest that PIA is a valid method for suggesting SNP-SNP interactions that may be validated in future studies, using more traditional statistical methods on different datasets.

Aged↗

Multiple interactions of aluminum with neurofilament subunits: regulation by phosphate-dependent interactions between C-terminal extensions of the high and middle molecular weight subunits.

Exposure of individual purified neurofilament (NF) proteins to AlCl3 alters their electrophoretic properties in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, as visualized by their failure to migrate into SDS gels. Co-incubation of purified high (NF-H) and middle (NF-M) but not low (NF-L) molecular weight NF subunits prevents this AlCl3-induced alteration in electrophoretic migration. This latter finding suggested that specific interactions between NF-H and NF-M other than filament formation influenced their interaction with AlCl3. Co-incubation of the 160 kDa alpha-chymotryptic cleavage product of NF-H (corresponding to the highly phosphorylated C-terminal sidearm domain) with native NF-M prevented alteration in subunit electrophoretic migration by AlCl3. By contrast, intact, dephosphorylated NF-H subunits were unable to prevent AlCl3-induced alteration of native NF-M electrophoretic migration. Taken together, these findings suggest that phosphate-dependent interactions between the sidearm extensions of NF-H and NF-M diminish the ability of AlCl3 to associate with either subunit in a manner that alters their electrophoretic migration. This interaction of NF-H and NF-M sidearms is SDS-sensitive, while AlCl3-induced alteration in electrophoretic migration of individual subunits is SDS-resistant. Addition of SDS to mixtures of NF-H and NF-M subunits disrupted the protective effect, and promoted AlCl3-induced alterations in subunit electrophoretic migration. These findings support and extend the current hypothesis that the ability of aluminum to interact with NF subunits is a function of subunit phosphorylation, assembly, and extent of neurofilament-neurofilament cross-linking.

Aluminum↗

The optimization of protein-solvent interactions: thermostability and the role of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions.

Protein-solvent interactions were analyzed using an optimization parameter based on the ratio of the solvent-accessible area in the native and the unfolded protein structure. The calculations were performed for a set of 183 nonhomologous proteins with known three-dimensional structure available in the Protein Data Bank. The dependence of the total solvent-accessible surface area on the protein molecular mass was analyzed. It was shown that there is no difference between the monomeric and oligomeric proteins with respect to the solvent-accessible area. The results also suggested that for proteins with molecular mass above some critical mass, which is about 28 kDa, a formation of domain structure or subunit aggregation into oligomers is preferred rather than a further enlargement of a single domain structure. An analysis of the optimization of both protein-solvent and charge-charge interactions was performed for 14 proteins from thermophilic organisms. The comparison of the optimization parameters calculated for proteins from thermophiles and mesophiles showed that the former are generally characterized by a high degree of optimization of the hydrophobic interactions or, in cases where the optimization of the hydrophobic interactions is not sufficiently high, by highly optimized charge-charge interactions.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Vitamin D receptor interacts with DnaK/heat shock protein 70: identification of DnaK interaction site on vitamin D receptor.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates the expression of vitamin D-dependent genes upon binding to its cognate ligand, 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). This process represents a complex interaction of ligand-bound VDR with nuclear proteins like retinoid X receptor, nuclear accessory factors, and regulatory elements of the target gene. Expression of full-length VDR in Escherichia coli revealed that VDR binds DnaK, a member of heat-shock protein (Hsp) family, with high affinity. By systematic N-terminal truncation of VDR, the interaction site of DnaK on VDR was localized within a 17-amino-acid segment (105-122) representing the "hinge region" between the DNA-binding and hormone-binding domains of VDR. The putative DnaK-binding site was further localized between residues 105 to 109 of VDR by using binding-energy-minimization studies. The interaction of DnaK with VDR did not influence the binding of 1,25(OH)2D3 or nuclear accessory factor(s) to VDR. Furthermore, bovine brain Hsp 70, similar to DnaK, interacted with VDR-ligand-binding domain (105-427). These results suggest that DnaK/Hsp 70 may interact with VDR prior to the activation of the latter by 1,25(OH)2D3-binding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Combinatorial interaction of human bcl-2 related proteins: mapping of regions important for bcl-2/bcl-x-s interaction.

Human bcl-2 family of genes including bcl-2, bcl-x-l, bcl-x-s, and bax has been shown to be functionally involved in apoptosis. We applied a yeast two-hybrid system to demonstrate that bcl-2, bcl-x-l, bcl-x-s, and bax proteins can interact with each other directly. All bcl-2 family members except bax were shown to be capable of homo-interactions. By using deletion and point mutations, the interaction domains for bcl-2 and bcl-x-s were elucidated. The BH1 domain and the membrane anchoring region at the C-terminal half of the bcl-2 protein are required for its interaction with bcl-x-s. On the other hand, the N-terminal region consisting of codons 24 to 78 of bcl-x-s interacts with bcl-2.

Base Sequence↗

Understanding intercellular interactions and cell adhesion: lessons from studies on protein-metal interactions.

To understand cell-cell interactions and the interactions of cells to non-biological materials, studies on binding forces between cellular proteins and between proteins and non-biological material such as metal surfaces are essential. The adsorption of proteins to solid-water interfaces is a multifactorial and a multistep process. First steps are determined by long-range interactions where surface properties such as hydrophobicity, distribution of charged groups, ion concentrations and pH play important roles. In later steps structural rearrangements in the protein molecule and dehydration effects become more important making the adsorption process often irreversible. In the following we demonstrate that protein A and tubulin have a specific type of interaction to metal surfaces probably as an intermediate step in the adsorption process. The proteins were attached to the tip of a microfabricated cantilever in such a way that only one molecule interacts with the surface. By recording force-distance curves with an atomic force microscope the adhesion forces of single molecules binding to gold, titanium and indium-tinoxid surfaces were measured.

Animals↗

Cell-substrate interactions during sea urchin gastrulation: migrating primary mesenchyme cells interact with and align extracellular matrix fibers that contain ECM3, a molecule with NG2-like and multiple calcium-binding domains.

The migratory primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) of the sea urchin embryo are a model experimental system for the analysis of cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. Although the behavior of PMCs during gastrulation has been analyzed in considerable detail, it has proven difficult to identify specific substrate molecules with which these cells interact. Here, using a new monoclonal antibody (2.5C4) generated by an in vitro immunization procedure, we show that migrating PMCs interact with a distinct class of ECM fiber. The 2.5C4-positive fibers are distributed in a vegetal (high) to animal (low) gradient on the basal surface of the ectoderm. Three observations indicate that PMC filopodia interact directly with the fibers: (1) During gastrulation, 2.5C4-positive fibers gradually become oriented in a prominent circumferential belt that corresponds precisely to the position of the subequatorial PMC ring. (2) This fiber pattern is blocked by microsurgical removal of PMCs but is restored if PMCs are reintroduced into the embryo. (3) Examination of immunostained embryo whole mounts by confocal microscopy reveals a striking association between PMC filopodial roots and foci of fiber bundling. Double-immunostaining experiments using 2.5C4 and antibodies against previously identified matrix constituents show that the protein ECM3 is a component of the fibers. We have determined the complete amino acid sequence of ECM3 and find that this large protein (3103 amino acids) consists of an N-terminal domain similar to the mammalian chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan core protein NG2, a central region composed of five tandem repeats of a domain contained within the regulatory Ca2+-binding loop of Na+-Ca2+ exchange proteins, and a C-terminal region with no homology to known proteins. The general structure of ECM3 is similar in several respects to that of a sponge protein, MAFp4. MAFp4 is a major component of aggregation factor, an ECM complex that mediates the calcium-dependent, species-specific sorting of sponge cells. These studies establish ECM3 as a strong candidate for a PMC substrate molecule and point to several possible mechanisms by which interactions between PMC filopodia and ECM3-containing fibers could provide guidance information to migrating PMCs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Engineered mutants in the switch II loop of Ran define the contribution made by key residues to the interaction with nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2) and the role of this interaction in nuclear protein import.

Nuclear protein import requires a precisely choreographed series of interactions between nuclear pore components and soluble factors such as importin-beta, Ran, and nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2). We used the crystal structure of the GDPRan-NTF2 complex to design mutants in the switch II loop of Ran to probe the contribution of Lys71, Phe72 and Arg76 to this interaction. X-ray crystallography showed that the F72Y, F72W and R76E mutations did not introduce major structural changes into the mutant Ran. The GDP-bound form of the switch II mutants showed no detectable binding to NTF2, providing direct evidence that salt bridges involving Lys71 and Arg76 and burying Phe72 are all crucial for the interaction between Ran and NTF2. Nuclear protein accumulation in digitonin-permeabilzed cells was impaired with Ran mutants deficient in NTF2 binding, confirming that the NTF2-Ran interaction is required for efficient transport. We used mutants of the yeast Ran homologue Gsp1p to investigate the effect of the F72Y and R76E mutations in vivo. Although neither mutant was viable when integrated into the genome as a single copy, yeast mildly overexpressing the Gsp1p mutant corresponding Ran F72Y on a centromeric plasmid were viable, confirming that this mutant retained the essential properties of wild-type Ran. However, yeast expressing the Gsp1p mutant corresponding to R76E to comparable levels were not viable, although strains overexpressing the mutant to higher levels using an episomal 2micrometers plasmid were viable, indicating that the R76E mutation may also have interfered with other interactions made by Gsp1p.

Animals↗

Stoichiometry of GABA-receptor interactions: GABA modulates the glycine-receptor interaction allosterically in a vertebrate neuron.

1. Measurement of steady-state conductance changes provides a reliable method for determination of transmitter-receptor stoichiometry in general and for GABA and its receptor interactions in particular. Log-log plotting of steady-state conductance changes as a function of decreasing transmitter concentration gives the molecularity of the interaction as a limiting slope. 2. Suitable measurements of GABA action in locust muscle show a molecularity of 3 with strong positive cooperativity. One molecule of picrotoxin is sufficient to block this reaction. Kinetic studies reveal the presence of occult desensitization. Thermodynamic studies reveal strong negative heats of interaction compatible with conformational changes in a multi-subunit receptor. 3. Measurements in the lateral dendrite of the goldfish Mauthner cell reveal that glycine has a more powerful action than GABA. Both interactions, however, utilize 4 molecules of amino acid with strong positive cooperativity to activate its receptors. The receptors are apparently distinct and there appears to be a higher glycine-receptor density. 4. In addition to its action on its own receptor, GABA allosterically modulates the glycine-receptor interaction in the Mauthner cell by lowering the energy barrier for the binding of the first glycine molecule, thereby increasing the affinity of glycine for its receptor.

Allosteric Regulation↗

High affinity DNA-microtubule interactions: evidence for a conserved DNA-MAP interaction involving unusual high CsCl density repetitious DNA families.

We have examined high affinity interactions of chick brain microtubule proteins with 35S labelled tracer DNAs from chick, mouse and D. melanogaster under equilibrium conditions by the nitrocellulose filter binding technique. Ternary reaction mixtures of the above two components and a third component, an excess of unlabelled competitor DNA from either E. coli., mouse, D. melanogaster or chick, were used to measure small fractions of DNA in each case (1-4%) bound to microtubule protein under high stringency- large competitor DNA concentration and 0.5 M NaCl. As seen in part previously (Marx, K.A. and Denial, T. (1985) in The Molecular Basis of Cancer, 172B, 65-75 (Rein, ed), A. Liss, N.Y.) the measured order of competitor DNA strengths was identical for all three tracer DNAs. That is: chick > mouse > D. melanogaster > E. coli competitor DNA. Since the homologous interaction, chick competitor DNA with chick brain microtubule protein, is always the strongest interaction measured, we interpret this as evidence for a conserved protein-DNA sequence interaction. 35S chick DNA tracer sequences, isolated from nitrocellulose filters following the stringent binding in the presence of 0.9 mM-1 E. coli. competitor DNA, was used in driven reassociation reactions with total chick driver DNA. This fraction was found to be significantly enriched in repetitive chick DNA sequences. Since we have observed a similar phenomenon in mouse, we then compared the stringent binding mouse sequences and showed that the bulk of these sequences did not cross-hybridize with total chick DNA. Finally, all three 35S tracer DNAs binding to nitrocellulose were isolated and sedimented to equilibrium on CsCl density gradients. The CsCl density distributions from all three DNAs showed significant (100-fold) enrichment in classical satellite DNAs as well as higher enrichment in two very unusual high CsCl density families of DNA (1.720-1.740 g/cm3; 1.750-1.765 g/cm3). These families are never observed as distinct bands in total DNA CsCl gradients, nor could we isolate them in purified tubulin control binding experiments. This apparently general phenomena may be identifying some of the sequence families involved in the high affinity microtubule interaction, which appears to be conserved in evolution.

Animals↗

The Spen homolog Msx2-interacting nuclear target protein interacts with the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH8.

The nuclear matrix protein Msx2-interacting nuclear target protein (MINT) is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of key transcriptional effectors in diverse signaling pathways. To further understand the function and mechanism of the MINT-mediated transcription regulation, the yeast two-hybrid system was employed to screen proteins that interact with the C-terminal fragment of MINT. From a cDNA library of human lymph nodes, a cDNA encoding the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH8 was identified. Using different truncated versions of MINT, we show that the C-terminal Spen paralog and ortholog C-terminal domain (SPOC) domain, which has been demonstrated to mediate interactions between MINT and a panel of other molecules, might be responsible for interaction between MINT and UbcH8 in yeast, as confirmed by the beta-galactosidase assay. The interaction between MINT and UbcH8 in mammalian cells was further proved by a series of biochemical assays including the mammalian two-hybrid assay, GST pull-down assay, and co-immunoprecipitation assay. Using a reporter system, we found that MINT-mediated transcription suppression was sensitive to MG132, an inhibitor of the proteosome system. These results suggest a novel mechanism of MINT-mediated transcription regulation, and might be helpful for understanding functions of MINT.

Animals↗