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Proteolysis of fodrin (non-erythroid spectrin) during apoptosis.

Several recent studies have implicated proteases as important triggers of apoptosis. Thus far, substrates that are cleaved during apoptosis have been elusive. In this report we demonstrate that cleavage of alpha-fodrin (non-erythroid spectrin) accompanies apoptosis, induced by activation via the CD3/T cell receptor complex in a murine T cell hybridoma, ligation of the Fas (CD95) molecule on a human T cell lymphoma line and other Fas-expressing cells, or treatment of cells with staurosporine, dexamethasone, or synthetic ceramide. Furthermore, inhibition of activation-induced apoptosis by pretreatment of T hybridoma cells with antisense oligonucleotides directed against c-myc also inhibited fodrin proteolysis, confirming that this cleavage process is tightly coupled to apoptosis. Fodrin cleavage during apoptosis may have implications for the membrane blebbing seen during this process.

Animals↗

Kalirin, a cytosolic protein with spectrin-like and GDP/GTP exchange factor-like domains that interacts with peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase, an integral membrane peptide-processing enzyme.

Although the integral membrane proteins that catalyze steps in the biosynthesis of neuroendocrine peptides are known to contain routing information in their cytosolic domains, the proteins recognizing this routing information are not known. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we previously identified P-CIP10 as a protein interacting with the cytosolic routing determinants of peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM). P-CIP10 is a 217-kDa cytosolic protein with nine spectrin-like repeats and adjacent Dbl homology and pleckstrin homology domains typical of GDP/GTP exchange factors. In the adult rat, expression of P-CIP10 is most prevalent in the brain. Corticotrope tumor cells stably expressing P-CIP10 and PAM produce longer and more highly branched neuritic processes than nontransfected cells or cells expressing only PAM. The turnover of newly synthesized PAM is accelerated in cells co-expressing P-CIP10. P-CIP10 binds to selected members of the Rho subfamily of small GTP binding proteins (Rac1, but not RhoA or Cdc42). P-CIP10 (kalirin), a member of the Dbl family of proteins, may serve as part of a signal transduction system linking the catalytic domains of PAM in the lumen of the secretory pathway to cytosolic factors regulating the cytoskeleton and signal transduction pathways.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human alpha spectrin II and the Fanconi anemia proteins FANCA and FANCC interact to form a nuclear complex.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetic disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, congenital abnormalities, cancer susceptibility, and a marked cellular hypersensitivity to DNA interstrand cross-linking agents, which correlates with a defect in ability to repair this type of damage. We have previously identified an approximately 230-kDa protein present in a nuclear protein complex in normal human lymphoblastoid cells that is involved in repair of DNA interstrand cross-links and shows reduced levels in FA-A cell nuclei. The FANCA gene appears to play a role in the stability or expression of this protein. We now show that p230 is a well known structural protein, human alpha spectrin II (alphaSpIISigma*), and that levels of alphaSpIISigma* are not only significantly reduced in FA-A cells but also in FA-B, FA-C and FA-D cells (i.e. in all FA cell lines tested), suggesting a role for these FA proteins in the stability or expression of alphaSpIISigma*. These studies also show that alphaSpIISigma* forms a complex in the nucleus with the FANCA and FANCC proteins. alphaSpIISigma* may thus act as a scaffold to align or enhance interactions between FA proteins and proteins involved in DNA repair. These results suggest that FA represents a disorder in which there is a deficiency in alphaSpIISigma*.

Blotting, Western↗

Combined deletion of mouse dematin-headpiece and beta-adducin exerts a novel effect on the spectrin-actin junctions leading to erythrocyte fragility and hemolytic anemia.

Dematin and adducin are actin-binding proteins of the erythrocyte "junctional complex." Individually, they exert modest effects on erythrocyte shape and membrane stability, and their homologues are expressed widely in non-erythroid cells. Here we report generation and characterization of double knock-out mice lacking beta-adducin and the headpiece domain of dematin. The combined mutations result in altered erythrocyte morphology, increased membrane instability, and severe hemolysis. Peripheral blood analysis shows evidence of severe hemolytic anemia with reduced number of erythrocytes/hematocrit/hemoglobin and an approximately 12-fold increase in the number of circulating reticulocytes. The presence of a variety of misshapen and fragmented erythrocytes correlates with increased osmotic fragility and reduced in vivo life span. Despite the apparently normal protein composition of the mutant erythrocyte membrane, the retention of the spectrin-actin complex in the membrane under low ionic strength conditions is significantly reduced by the double mutation. Atomic force microscopy reveals an increase in grain size and a decrease in filament number of the mutant membrane cytoskeleton, although the volume parameter is similar to wild type erythrocytes. Aggregated, disassembled, and irregular features are visualized in the mutant membrane, consistent with the presence of large protein aggregates. Importantly, purified dematin binds to the stripped inside-out vesicles in a saturable manner, and dematin-membrane binding is abolished upon pretreatment of membrane vesicles with trypsin. Together, these results reveal an essential role of dematin and adducin in the maintenance of erythrocyte shape and membrane stability, and they suggest that the dematin-membrane interaction could link the junctional complex to the plasma membrane in erythroid cells.

Actins↗

Actinin-associated LIM protein: identification of a domain interaction between PDZ and spectrin-like repeat motifs.

PDZ motifs are protein-protein interaction domains that often bind to COOH-terminal peptide sequences. The two PDZ proteins characterized in skeletal muscle, syntrophin and neuronal nitric oxide synthase, occur in the dystrophin complex, suggesting a role for PDZ proteins in muscular dystrophy. Here, we identify actinin-associated LIM protein (ALP), a novel protein in skeletal muscle that contains an NH2-terminal PDZ domain and a COOH-terminal LIM motif. ALP is expressed at high levels only in differentiated skeletal muscle, while an alternatively spliced form occurs at low levels in the heart. ALP is not a component of the dystrophin complex, but occurs in association with alpha-actinin-2 at the Z lines of myofibers. Biochemical and yeast two-hybrid analyses demonstrate that the PDZ domain of ALP binds to the spectrin-like motifs of alpha-actinin-2, defining a new mode for PDZ domain interactions. Fine genetic mapping studies demonstrate that ALP occurs on chromosome 4q35, near the heterochromatic locus that is mutated in fascioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Actinin↗

The utrophin actin-binding domain binds F-actin in two different modes: implications for the spectrin superfamily of proteins.

Utrophin, like its homologue dystrophin, forms a link between the actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. We have used a new method of image analysis to reconstruct actin filaments decorated with the actin-binding domain of utrophin, which contains two calponin homology domains. We find two different modes of binding, with either one or two calponin-homology (CH) domains bound per actin subunit, and these modes are also distinguishable by their very different effects on F-actin rigidity. Both modes involve an extended conformation of the CH domains, as predicted by a previous crystal structure. The separation of these two modes has been largely dependent upon the use of our new approach to reconstruction of helical filaments. When existing information about tropomyosin, myosin, actin-depolymerizing factor, and nebulin is considered, these results suggest that many actin-binding proteins may have multiple binding sites on F-actin. The cell may use the modular CH domains found in the spectrin superfamily of actin-binding proteins to bind actin in manifold ways, allowing for complexity to arise from the interactions of a relatively few simple modules with actin.

Actins↗

Shape and volume changes in erythrocyte ghosts and spectrin-actin networks.

In response to changes in electrolyte concentration and pH, erythrocyte ghosts can exhibit some of the characteristic shapes seen in the intact erythrocyte. These shape changes are accompanied by volume changes; both are reversible, not energy dependent, and not inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. The volume reduction can also be seen in isolated Triton-free spectrin-actin lattices, showing that this network is capable of reversible contraction. The results suggest that reversible changes in size of the underlying cytoskeleton of the erythrocyte membrane can control cell shape.

Actins↗

Involvement of spectrin and ATP in infection of resealed erythrocyte ghosts by the human malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.

Resealed erythrocyte ghosts were prepared under different experimental conditions and were tested in vitro for susceptibility to infection with the human malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Resealed ghosts, prepared by dialyzing erythrocytes in narrow membrane tubing against low ionic strength buffer that was supplemented with magnesium ATP, were as susceptible to parasite infection as were normal erythrocytes. There was a direct correlation between intraerythrocytic ATP content and susceptibility to parasite infection. Neither MgCl2 nor sodium ATP could be substituted for magnesium ATP in maintaining high intraerythrocytic ATP concentration. When resealed ghosts were loaded with antispectrin IgG, malaria merozoite invasion was inhibited. At an average intracellular antispectrin IgG concentration of 3.5 micrograms/10(8) cells, there was a 35% inhibition of parasite invasion. This inhibition was due to spectrin crosslinking within the resealed ghosts, since the monovalent, Fab' fragments of antispectrin IgG had no inhibitory effect on invasion. These results indicate that the cytoskeleton plays a role in the complex process of merozoite entry into the host erythrocyte.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

A novel marker for traumatic brain injury: CSF alphaII-spectrin breakdown product levels.

Currently, there is no definitive diagnostic test for traumatic brain injury (TBI) to help physicians determine the seriousness of injury or the extent of cellular pathology. Calpain cleaves alphaII-spectrin into breakdown products (SBDP) after TBI and ischemia. Mean levels of both ipsilateral cortex (IC) and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) SBDP at 2, 6, and 24 h after two levels of controlled cortical impact (1.0 mm and 1.6 mm of cortical deformation) in rats were significantly elevated by injury. CSF and IC SBDP levels were significantly higher after severe (1.6 mm) injury than mild (1.0 mm) injury over time. The correlation between CSF SBDP levels and lesion size from T2-weighted magnetic resonance images 24 hours after TBI as well as correlation of tau and S100beta was assessed. Mean levels of CSF SBDP (r = 0.833) and tau (r = 0.693) significantly correlated with lesion size while levels of CSF S100beta did not (r = 0.188). Although levels of CSF and IC SBDP and lesion size are all significantly higher after 1.6 mm than 1.0 mm injury, the correlation between CSF SBDP and lesion size was not significant following the removal of controls from the analysis. This indicates CSF SBDP is a reliable marker of the presence or absence of injury. Furthermore, larger lesion sizes 24 h after TBI were negatively correlated with motor performance on days 1-5 after TBI (r = -0.708). Based on these data, evaluation of CSF SBDP levels as a biomarker of TBI is warranted in clinical studies.

Animals↗

The association between major sialoglycoprotein and spectrin of human erythrocyte membranes as detected by fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

The interactions among the major sialoglycoprotein and peripheral proteins of human erythrocyte membranes were investigated by the long range resonance energy transfer between different fluorescent moieties separately conjugated to proteins. Consequently, direct association between the major sialoglycoprotein and spectrin was observed and divalent cations were required for their association.

Energy Transfer↗

The role of calpain-mediated spectrin proteolysis in traumatically induced axonal injury.

In animals and man, traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in axonal injury (AI) that contributes to morbidity and mortality. Such injured axons show progressive change leading to axonal disconnection. Although several theories implicate calcium in the pathogenesis of AI, experimental studies have failed to confirm its pivotal role. To explore the contribution of Ca2+-induced proteolysis to axonal injury, this study was undertaken in an animal model of TBI employing antibodies targeting both calpain-mediated spectrin proteolysis (CMSP) and focal neurofilament compaction (NFC), a marker of intra-axonal cytoskeletal perturbation, at 15-120 minutes (min) postinjury. Light microscopy (LM) revealed that TBI consistently evoked focal, intra-axonal CMSP that was spatially and temporally correlated with NFC. These changes were seen at 15 min postinjury with significantly increasing number of axons demonstrating CMSP immunoreactivity over time postinjury. Electron microscopy (EM) demonstrated that at 15 min postinjury CMSP was confined primarily to the subaxolemmal network. With increasing survival (30-120 min) CMSP filled the axoplasm proper. These findings provide the first direct evidence for focal CMSP in the pathogenesis of generalized/diffuse AI. Importantly, they also reveal an initial subaxolemmal involvement prior to induction of a more widespread axoplasmic change indicating a spatial-temporal compartmentalization of the calcium-induced proteolytic process that may be amenable to rapid therapeutic intervention.

Animals↗

Atomic resolution structure of a mutant of the spectrin SH3 domain.

The crystal structure of an alpha-spectrin Src-homology 3 (SH3) domain mutant has been refined at 1.12 A resolution. This X-ray structure is at the highest resolution achieved so far for an SH3 domain. The structure allows the identification of a complete set of specific interactions and is useful for the elucidation of relations between structure and pH-dependent thermodynamic stability in a series of SH3 domain mutants.

Crystallization↗

Spectrin R16: broad energy barrier or sequential transition states?

A number of models have been proposed to account for nonlinearity in the relation between observed rate constants for folding and/or unfolding and denaturant concentration. Where curvature is seen principally in the arm of a chevron plot, three explanations are proposed: a change in the ground state at increasing concentration of urea, movement of the transition state along a broad energy barrier, and a switch between two sequential transition states separated by an on-pathway high-energy intermediate. Here we demonstrate that the latter two models in particular can be used to describe the data for the all-alpha protein spectrin R16. Further, whatever the method of analysis, the pattern of Phi-values seen is robust; thus we would draw the same conclusions from our data set independently of the method used for analysis. While this is not a novel observation, this is the first systematic study where a comparison has been made between Phi-values calculated using the broad and sequential transition state models.

Animals↗

Severe recessive poikilocytic anaemia with a new spectrin alpha chain variant.

A severe neonatal haemolytic anaemia was observed in a propositus from the West Indies. Frequent blood transfusions were required until complete splenectomy was carried out. Blood smears showed predominant poikilocytosis with spherocytes and microcytes as observed in hereditary pyropoikilocytosis. Erythrocytes were completely fragmented after incubation at 45 degrees C. The two asymptomatic parents had normal haematological profiles. The erythrocyte membrane electrophoretic patterns of the splenectomized propositus and her parents were normal. The propositus had a moderate defect in the spectrin (Sp) dimer self-association. Limited tryptic digestion of the propositus' Sp under standard conditions (0 degrees C, 20 h, enzyme-substrate ratio of 1/100) revealed an increased sensitivity to tryptic digestion. The major features detected by one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis gels of Sp tryptic digests were the absence of high molecular weight peptides from the Sp alpha II (48 kDa and 35 kDa peptides) and Sp alpha III (52 kDa peptide) domains with increased amounts of the lower molecular weight peptides from the Sp alpha II and Sp alpha III (29 kDa peptide and 47 kDa peptide) domains respectively. Kinetic studies of Sp tryptic digestion (10 min to 36 h) confirmed the increased tryptic susceptibility of Sp. Immunodetection with specific anti-alpha-chain domain antibodies showed that the highest molecular weight peptides from the alpha II and alpha III domains are released early in digestion, but disappear quickly, with an increase in their corresponding smaller peptides. The molecular weights of the peptides corresponding to the 48 kDa and 35 kDa peptides from the alpha II domain are slightly modified. Peptides from the alpha I and alpha IV domains showed no significant abnormalities. The Sps of both parents were normal. These results indicate that the patient has a novel Sp alpha chain defect, which is probably located in the region of the alpha II domain which adjoins the alpha III domain.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital↗

A variant of spectrin low-expression allele alpha LELY carrying a hereditary elliptocytosis mutation in codon 28.

Allele alpha LELY is a low-expression allele of the erythroid spectrin alpha-gene. It carries mutations in exon 40 (alpha V/41 polymorphism) and intron 45, respectively, and is associated with partial skipping of exon 46. The latter phenomenon is thought to impair the recruitment of alpha-chains by beta-chains, and would eventually account for the low-expression character. When it occurs in trans to an alpha-allele responsible for hereditary elliptocytosis (alpha HE allele; alpha HE/alpha LELY diplotype), allele alpha LELY enhances the severity of elliptocytosis. Because allele alpha LELY is widespread, we anticipated that it would occasionally carry HE determinants. These variants of allele alpha LELY will be designated alpha HE-LELY allele. The HE component was the known alpha 28 Arg-->His mutation. This alpha HE-LELY allele was investigated within the alpha HE-LELY/alpha LELY diplotype, a diplotype not described before. Except for the neonatal period, the presentation was mild. In a consistent manner, the alpha LELY component in cis of the alpha HE mutation counteracted the like component in trans.

Alleles↗

Ethnic distribution of allele alpha LELY, a low-expression allele of red-cell spectrin alpha-gene.

Allele alpha LELY is a low-expression allele of erythroid spectrin alpha-chain. It carries mutations both in exon 40 and intron 45 and is associated with partial skipping of exon 46. Allele alpha LELY remains asymptomatic by itself. In contrast, it enhances the expression level of deleterious alpha-alleles occurring in trans, and as such has clinical importance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of allele alpha LELY in various ethnic groups, i.e. Caucasians, African Blacks, Japanese and Chinese. Allele alpha LELY occurred in all groups investigated with a fairly uniform frequency: 31%, 21%, 20% and 22%, respectively. Mutations in exon 40 and intron 45 appeared linked to one another without exception. Partial skipping of exon 46 or the low-expression feature, whenever they could be assessed, were invariably observed. Allele alpha LELY appears to be an ancient and stable allele.

Alleles↗

Binding of brain spectrin to the 70-kDa neurofilament subunit protein.

Brain spectrin, or fodrin, a major protein of the subaxolemmal cytoskeleton, associates specifically in in vitro assays with the 70-kDa neurofilament subunit (NF-L) and with glial filaments from pig spinal cord. As an initial approach to the identification of the fodrin-binding proteins, a crude preparation of neurofilaments was resolved by electrophoresis on SDS/polyacrylamide gels and then transferred to nitrocellulose paper, which was 'blotted' with 125I-fodrin. A significant binding of fodrin was observed on polypeptides of 70 kDa, 52 kDa and 20 kDa. These polypeptides were further purified and identified respectively as the NF-L subunit of neurofilaments, the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFP) and the myelin basic protein. The binding of fodrin to NF-L was reversible and concentration-dependent. The ability of the pure NF-L and GFP to form filaments was used to quantify their association with fodrin. a) The binding of fodrin to reassembled NF-L was saturable with a stoichiometry of 1 mol fodrin bound/50 +/- 10 mol NF-L and an apparent dissociation constant Kd = 4.3 x 10(-7) M. b) The binding involved the N-terminal domain of the polypeptide chain derived from the [2-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)-3-methyl-3'-bromoindolenine] cleavage of NF-L. c) Binding occurred optimally at physiological pH (6.8-7.2) and salt concentrations (50 mM). d) Interestingly, calmodulin, a Ca2+-binding protein, which has been shown to bind to fodrin, was found to reinforce the binding of fodrin to the NF-L, at Ca2+ physiological concentrations. The binding of fodrin to pure neurofilaments was not affected by the presence of the 200-kDa (NF-H) and the 160-kDa (NF-M) subunits. The apparent dissociation constant for the binding of fodrin to NF-L in the pure NF was 1.0 x 10(-6) M with 1 mol fodrin bound/80 +/- 10 mol NF-L. Moreover, the binding of fodrin to GFP, demonstrated in blot assays, was confirmed by cosedimentation experiments. The apparent dissociation constant Kd for the fodrin binding was 2.8 x 10(-7) M and the maximum binding was 1 mol fodrin/55 +/- 10 mol GFP.

Animals↗

Analysis of the phasing of four spectrin-like repeats in alpha-actinin.

Selected fragments of the central rod of chicken gizzard alpha-actinin were expressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, with the aim of determining the positions in the sequence of the four successive spectrin-like repeats that make up this domain. The criteria for an independently folding unit were resistance to proteolysis and the high alpha helicity characteristic of the native protein. Sequences containing repeats 1-4, 2-4, 3-4 and 4 all generated stable fragments on digestion with trypsin and/or thermolysin and N-terminal sequencing gave the most probable starting position of each repeat. The sequences of all four inferred repeats and the sequences of the entire rod, were separately expressed and were shown to assume a stable, protease-resistant fold in solution. The repeat boundaries established in this way differed from those originally deduced from sequence alignments; the N-terminal boundaries of the repeats were 14-24 residues nearer the C-terminus than predicted. The ability to express individual repeats should facilitate identification of the binding sites for the cytoplasmic domains of beta 1 integrins and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 which have been localised to the rod domain of alpha-actinin.

Actinin↗