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PubMed2002

A cellular tensegrity model to analyse the structural viscoelasticity of the cytoskeleton.

This study describes the viscoelastic properties of a refined cellular-tensegrity model composed of six rigid bars connected to a continuous network of 24 viscoelastic pre-stretched cables (Voigt bodies) in order to analyse the role of the cytoskeleton spatial rearrangement on the viscoelastic response of living adherent cells. This structural contribution was determined from the relationships between the global viscoelastic properties of the tensegrity model, i.e., normalized viscosity modulus (eta(*)), normalized elasticity modulus (E(*)), and the physical properties of the constitutive elements, i.e., their normalized length (L(*)) and normalized initial internal tension (T(*)). We used a numerical method to simulate the deformation of the structure in response to different types of loading, while varying by several orders of magnitude L(*) and T(*). The numerical results obtained reveal that eta(*) remains almost independent of changes in T(*) (eta(*) proportional, variant T(*+0.1)), whereas E(*) increases with approximately the square root of the internal tension T(*) (from E(*) proportional, variant T(*+0.3) to E(*) proportional, variant T(*+0.7)). Moreover, structural viscosity eta(*) and elasticity E(*) are both inversely proportional to the square of the size of the structure (eta(*) proportional, variant L(*-2) and E(*) proportional, variant L(*-2)). These structural properties appear consistent with cytoskeleton (CSK) mechanical properties measured experimentally by various methods which are specific to the CSK micromanipulation in living adherent cells. Present results suggest, for the first time, that the effect of structural rearrangement of CSK elements on global CSK behavior is characterized by a faster cellular mechanical response relatively to the CSK element response, which thus contributes to the solidification process observed in adherent cells. In extending to the viscoelastic properties the analysis of the mechanical response of the cellular 30-element tensegrity model, the present study contributes to the understanding of recent results on the cellular-dynamic response and allows to reunify the scattered data reported for the viscoelastic properties of living adherent cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Hydration, mobility and accessibility of lysozyme: structures of a pH 6.5 orthorhombic form and its low-humidity variant and a comparative study involving 20 crystallographically independent molecules.

The structure analyses of orthorhombic lysozyme grown at pH 6.5 and its low-humidity variant are reported. The structures of the same form grown at pH 9.5 and 4.5 and that of the low-humidity variant of the pH 9.5 form are available. A comparison between them shows that the changes in molecular geometry and hydration caused by changes in the amount of solvent surrounding protein molecules are more pronounced than those caused by variation in pH. In particular, the conformation and the mutual orientation of the catalytic residues Glu35 and Asp52 remain unaffected by change in pH. A comparative study involving 20 crystallographically independent lysozyme molecules, including five in the orthorhombic form, leads to the delineation of the relatively rigid, moderately flexible and highly flexible regions of the molecule. Half the binding cleft (subsites D, E and F) belong to the rigid region but the other half (subsites A, B and C) belong to a flexible region. There is no marked correlation between relative rigidity and conservation of side-chain conformation except at the binding site. The study permits the identification of seven invariant water molecules associated with the protein. Most of them are involved in important tertiary interactions, while one occurs in the active-site cleft. The study demonstrates a weak correlation between non-accessibility and rigidity. On average, the level of hydration of polar atoms increases rapidly with accessible atomic surface area, but levels off at about 15 A(2) at a little over one ordered water molecule per polar protein atom. Only 15 N and O atoms are hydrated in all 20 molecules. 13 of these are hydrated by the seven invariant water molecules. Of the seven, only one water molecule is totally buried within the protein.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Introduction and characterization of a functionally linked metal ion binding site at the exposed heme edge of myoglobin.

A binding site for metal ions has been created on the surface of horse heart myoglobin (Mb) near the heme 6-propionate group by replacing K45 and K63 with glutamyl residues. One-dimensional (1)H NMR spectroscopy indicates that Mn(2+) binds in the vicinity of the heme 6-propionate as anticipated, and potentiometric titrations establish that the affinity of the new site for Mn(2+) is 1.28(4) x 10(4) M(-1) (pH 6.96, ionic strength I = 17.2 microM, 25 degrees C). In addition, these substitutions lower the reduction potential of the protein and increase the pK(a) for the water molecule coordinated to the heme iron of metmyoglobin. The peroxidase [2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), ABTS, as substrate] and the Mn(2+)-peroxidase activity of the variant are both increased approximately 3-fold. In contrast to wild-type Mb, both the affinity for azide and the midpoint potential of the variant are significantly influenced by the addition of Mn(2+). The structure of the variant has been determined by x-ray crystallography to define the coordination environment of bound Mn(2+) and Cd(2+). Although slight differences are observed between the geometry of the binding of the two metal ions, both are hexacoordinate, and neither involves coordination by E63.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

1H, 13C, and 15N NMR resonance assignments, secondary structure, and backbone topology of a variant of human interleukin-3.

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) is a cytokine which stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors into multiple cell lineages. The 1H, 15N, and 13C NMR resonances of a recombinant human IL-3 variant (SC-65369) have been assigned using two- and three-dimensional NMR techniques on uniformly 13C/15N-enriched protein. Five helical segments (residues 16-26, 42-50, 55-65, 73-82, and 104-120) and three reverse turns (residues 51-54, 68-71, and 87-90) were identified from the pattern of sequential NOE connectivities, NH(i)-C alpha H(i) scalar coupling constants (3JNH alpha), amide hydrogen exchange data, and the deviation of 13C alpha, 13C beta, 13CO, and C alpha H chemical shifts from random-coil values. Long-range NOEs indicate that the global folding pattern of human IL-3 is a four-helical bundle with an up-up-down-down arrangement of helices that is similar to that of other members of the cytokine family, such as granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). A fifth short helix (helix A', residues 42-50) is located in the loop connecting the first and second helices. The absence of helix A' in the corresponding structures of GM-CSF and interleukin-5 suggests that it may be important for recognition of IL-3 by its receptor. The existence of at least two forms of the protein that differ in local conformation was implied from the observation of a limited set of doubled resonances in which each doublet partner had a similar pattern of short-, medium-, and long-range NOEs. The majority of the doubled resonances were close in sequence or space to a proline-rich sequence, which suggested that the different conformational forms of SC-65369 may be caused by slow cis-trans isomerization of proline peptide bonds.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Structural analysis of HLA-A2.4 functional variant KNE. Implications for the mapping of HLA-A2-specific T-cell epitopes.

HLA-A2 antigens are divided into four subtypes, designated A2.1 to A2.4, by the use of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). The A2.4 subtype consists of a functionally heterogeneous group of variants that are not recognized by A2.1-, A2.2-, or A2.3-specific CTL lines while it is indistinguishable from A2.1 by isoelectric focusing. The structure of an A2.4 variant expressed on donor KNE has been established by comparative peptide mapping with A2.1 and radiochemical sequencing. It was found to differ from A2.1 by a single amino acid change of Cys to Tyr at position 99. This position is only moderately polymorphic and has not previously been found to vary in any other HLA or H-2 variants. The nature of the change is compatible with its generation by one-point mutation from A2.1. The only other previously characterized A2.4 variant, CLA, differs from A2.1 by a single amino acid replacement at position 9. Both residues 9 and 99 are located in homologous positions within the alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains, respectively. The results shown contribute to the molecular interpretation of the heterogeneity of CTL recognition within the HLA-A2.4 group of antigens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Analysis of a gene encoding two glycine transporter variants reveals alternative promoter usage and a novel gene structure.

The rat GLYT-1 gene encodes two glycine transporter variants, GLYT-1a and GLYT-1b, that differ in NH2 termini and 5'-noncoding regions as well as in tissue distribution. The GLYT-1 gene contains 15 exons, with the first two specific for GLYT-1a and the third specific for GLYT-1b. By combining RNase protection and rapid amplification of cDNA ends analysis, we have determined transcription start sites for GLYT-1a and GLYT-1b. By using a functional luciferase reporter assay, we demonstrate that distinct promoters regulate the expression of these transporters in several cell lines. Serially truncated GLYT-1b promoter constructs reveal a basal promoter within 304 base pairs of the transcription start site, possible negative regulatory elements between -304 and -1310, and additional positive regulatory elements between -1310 and -5264. The GLYT-1 gene contains three sets of dinucleotide repeats, two AC repeats, and one TG repeat which may form stem-loop structures to either facilitate or interfere with transcription of one of the transporter isoforms. The potential use of dinucleotide repeats in this manner would represent a novel mechanism for gene splicing. The use of distinct promoters for GLYT-1a and GLYT-1b suggests that these transporters have unique regulatory requirements that may reflect the differential tissue-specific expression patterns in white matter (GLYT-1b) and gray matter (GLYT-1a).

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1990

Structural effects induced by removal of a disulfide-bridge: the X-ray structure of the C30A/C51A mutant of basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor at 1.6 A.

The X-ray structure of a variant of basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) has been analyzed to determine the structural accommodation resulting from removal of a disulfide cross-link in a protein. The disulfide removed, Cys30-Cys51, has been implicated in both the folding pathway of the protein and its overall thermal stability. In the variant studied, C30A/C51A, the disulfide cysteines were replaced by less bulky alanines. The atomic displacements observed for C30A/C51A indicate a set of concerted shifts of two segments of chains, which together significantly diminish a packing defect at the site of the removed cysteine sulfur atoms. The observed structural changes are distributed asymmetrically around the sites of mutation, indicating that the adjacent beta-sheet is more resistant to the perturbation than the alpha-helix on the opposite side of the disulfide bond. The thermal parameters of groups involved in the structural accommodation are not significantly altered. A comparison of the X-ray structures reported for native BPTI determined in three different crystal forms indicates that the magnitude of its conformational variability exceeds that of the structural changes caused by the disulfide removal. This emphasizes the necessity of using isomorphous crystal systems to determine the relatively small effects due to mutation.

Aprotinin↗
PubMed2004

Crystal structure of a high-affinity variant of rat alpha-parvalbumin.

In model peptide systems, Ca2+ affinity is maximized in EF-hand motifs containing four carboxylates positioned on the +x and -x and +z and -z axes; introduction of a fifth carboxylate ligand reduces the affinity. However, in rat beta-parvalbumin, replacement of Ser-55 with aspartate heightens divalent ion affinity [Henzl, M. T., et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 5856-5869]. The corresponding alpha-parvalbumin variant (S55D/E59D) likewise exhibits elevated affinity [Henzl, M. T., et al. (2003) Anal. Biochem. 319, 216-233]. To determine whether these mutations produce a variation on the archetypal EF-hand coordination scheme, we have obtained high-resolution X-ray crystallographic data for alpha S55D/E59D. As anticipated, the aspartyl carboxylate replaces the serine hydroxyl at the +z coordination position. Interestingly, the Asp-59 carboxylate abandons the role it plays as an outer sphere ligand in wild-type rat beta, rotating away from the Ca2+ and, instead, forming a hydrogen bond with the amide of Glu-62. Superficially, the coordination sphere in the CD site of alpha S55D/E59D resembles that in the EF site. However, the orientation of the Asp-59 side chain is predicted to stabilize the D-helix, which may contribute to the heightened divalent ion affinity. DSC data indicate that the alpha S55D/E59D variant retains the capacity to bind 1 equiv of Na+. Consistent with this finding, when binding measurements are conducted in K(+)-containing buffer, divalent ion affinity is markedly higher. In 0.15 M KCl and 0.025 M Hepes-KOH (pH 7.4) at 5 degrees C, the macroscopic Ca2+ binding constants are 1.8 x 10(10) and 2.0 x 10(9) M(-1). The corresponding Mg2+ binding constants are 2.7 x 10(6) and 1.2 x 10(5) M(-1).

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed1995

Primary structure of ovine alpha s1-caseins: localization of phosphorylation sites and characterization of genetic variants A, C and D.

The primary structures of ovine alpha s1-casein variants A, C and D (formerly called Welsh variant) were determined. Separation of variants from whole casein was achieved using a fast and reliable reversed-phase HPLC method. Extended structural characterization of the purified proteins using electrospray mass spectrometry, automated Edman degradation and peptide mapping by means of HPLC-fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry demonstrated that the mature protein was a mixture of two molecular species that differed in the deletion of residues 141-148 and were therefore 199 and 191 residues long respectively. The 199 residue peptide chain, which accounted for approximately 80% of the entire translated alpha s1-casein, was as long as its caprine and bovine counterparts, and had a 98 and 89% degree of identity with those two proteins respectively. Nine serine residues (positions 12, 44, 46, 64 to 68 and 75) were fully phosphorylated in alpha s1-casein A, whereas Ser115 and Ser41 were phosphorylated by approximately 50 and approximately 20% respectively. The differences between the three genetic variants A, C and D were simple silent substitutions, which however involved the degree to which the protein was phosphorylated. Variant C differed from variant A in the substitution Ser13-->Pro13 which determined the loss of the phosphate group on site 12 of the protein chain, SerP12-->Ser12. A further substitution, SerP68-->Asn68 caused the disappearance of both phosphate groups in the phosphorylated residues Ser64 and Ser66 in variant D; in this last casein variant there was no evidence of phosphorylation at Ser41.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Structural and folding dynamic properties of the T70N variant of human lysozyme.

Definition of the transition mechanism from the native globular protein into fibrillar polymer was greatly improved by the biochemical and biophysical studies carried out on the two amyloidogenic variants of human lysozyme, I56T and D67H. Here we report thermodynamic and kinetic data on folding as well as structural features of a naturally occurring variant of human lysozyme, T70N, which is present in the British population at an allele frequency of 5% and, according to clinical and histopathological data, is not amyloidogenic. This variant is less stable than the wild-type protein by 3.7 kcal/mol, but more stable than the pathological, amyloidogenic variants. Unfolding kinetics in guanidine are six times faster than in the wild-type, but three and twenty times slower than in the amyloidogenic variants. Enzyme catalytic parameters, such as maximal velocity and affinity, are reduced in comparison to the wild-type. The solution structure, determined by 1H NMR and modeling calculations, exhibits a more compact arrangement at the interface between the beta-sheet domain and the subsequent loop on one side and part of the alpha domain on the other side, compared with the wild-type protein. This is the opposite of the conformational variation shown by the amyloidogenic variant D67H, but it accounts for the reduced stability and catalytic performance of T70N.

Alleles↗
PubMed1987

Structural analysis of an HLA-B27 population variant, B27f. Multiple patterns of amino acid changes within a single polypeptide segment generate polymorphism in HLA-B27.

The structure of a new HLA-B27 variant, B27f, distinguishable from other HLA-B27 subtypes by isoelectric focusing and serologic criteria, has been established by comparative peptide mapping and radiochemical sequence analysis. HLA-B27f differs from the major B27.1 subtype in three clustered amino acid replacements: Asp74, Asp77, and Leu81 in B27.1 are changed to Tyr74, Asn77, and Ala81, respectively in B27f. This pattern of differences is analogous to that of HLA-B27.2 in that this subtype also differs from B27.1 in multiple clustered substitutions within the same segment. Thus, polymorphism within the HLA-B27 system is being achieved by introducing different sets of amino acid changes within a particular short segment of the alpha 1 domain. The most likely mechanism for the introduction of multiple changes within this segment is a nonreciprocal recombination event, such as gene conversion. The structural analogies and ethnic distribution of B27f and B27.2 as compared with those of B27.3, and B27.4 support a dynamic model of HLA-B27 evolution in which polymorphism has been created after the separation of the major ethnic groups. In this model, a Caucasian branch would be characterized by subtypes differing from B27.1 in a few changes within the alpha 1 domain, which were probably generated by single genetic steps. An Oriental branch would include those subtypes which differ from B27.1 by changes in both alpha 1 and alpha 2, involving multiple genetic steps for their generation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Characterization of the structure and function of W --> F WW domain variants: identification of a natively unfolded protein that folds upon ligand binding.

The WW domain adopts a compact, three-stranded, antiparallel beta-sheet structure that mediates protein-protein interactions by binding to xPPxY-based protein ligands, such as the PY-ligand (EYPPYPPPPYPSG) derived from p53 binding protein-2. The conserved Trp residues, after which this domain was named, were replaced with Phe so their importance in structural integrity and for ligand binding could be evaluated. A biophysical approach was employed to compare the W17F, W39F, and W17F/W39F WW domains to the wild-type protein. The data demonstrate that replacement of Trp39 with Phe (W39F) does not disrupt the structure of the WW domain variant, but does abolish ligand binding. In contrast, the W17F WW domain variant is largely if not completely unfolded; however, this variant undergoes a PY-ligand induced disorder to order (folding) transition. The dissociation constant for the W17F WW domain-PY-ligand interaction is 15.1 +/- 1.2 microM, only slightly higher than that observed for the wild-type WW domain interaction (5.9 +/- 0.33 microM). The W17F WW domain is a natively unfolded protein which adopts a native conformation upon PY-ligand binding.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2026

Utilization of long-read sequencing for the detection of structural rearrangements with AgileStructure.

MOTIVATION: Changes in genome organisation contribute to genetic disease when they disrupt gene function or regulation. Structural rearrangements may interrupt coding sequence or alter expression through promoter loss or gain, chromatin changes, copy-number variation, or disruption of short-range regulatory elements. Although short-read sequencing excels at detecting small variants, it performs poorly at resolving breakpoints of large rearrangements, especially in repetitive or low-complexity regions. Long-read sequencing overcomes these limitations, but analytical tools have not kept pace, making accurate identification and annotation of large structural variants challenging. RESULTS: We developed AgileStructure, a desktop application for locating and annotating large‑scale genomic rearrangements using aligned long‑read data. The software enables user‑guided exploration of breakpoint‑spanning reads, supporting accurate interpretation of complex events and filling a key gap in current structural variant analysis workflows. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Source code, binaries, user guide, and example aligned read data, are available on GitHub: https://github.com/msjimc/AgileStructure. An archived version is also available on Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18610110.

Software↗
PubMed1999

Cloning, properties and tissue distribution of natriuretic peptide receptor-A of euryhaline eel, Anguilla japonica.

During the course of cloning and characterization of natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A) from the euryhaline fish eel, Anguilla japonica, we identified a splice variant with unique structural properties that affect ligand-inducible intrinsic guanylate cyclase activity. The variant, generated from a splice between a cryptic donor site and the normal acceptor site, lacked nine amino acid residues (VFTKTGYYK) in the kinase-like regulatory domain. This deletion of a very short segment resulted in the complete loss of the ligand inducibility of the cyclase activity. The nine-amino acid segment may therefore be useful as a target for studies aimed at clarifying the mechanism of activation of the guanylate cyclase domain. Characterization of the normal form of eel NPR-A also led to the following interesting findings. Although eel NPR-A had a domain structure very similar to that of mammalian counterparts, it lacked the third cysteine residue in the extracellular domain which is conserved among mammalian NPR-A molecules. The eel receptor bound both amidated and nonamidated eel atrial natriuretic peptide (eANP) with high affinity but, when assayed for ligand-inducible cGMP generation, it responded efficiently only to physiological concentrations of the amidated ligand, suggesting that the biologically active form is the amidated eANP, and the nonamidated form acts as a partial antagonist; similarly, nonhomologous rat ligands behaved like antagonists toward the eel receptor in the concentration range 0.1-10 nm. The receptor message was found to be relatively abundant in the osmoregulatory organs such as the gill, kidney, intestine and urinary bladder.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2001

Circular permutation of 5-aminolevulinate synthase. Mapping the polypeptide chain to its function.

5-Aminolevulinate synthase is the first enzyme of the heme biosynthetic pathway in non-plant eukaryotes and some prokaryotes. The enzyme functions as a homodimer and requires pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as a cofactor. Although the roles of defined amino acids in the active site and catalytic mechanism have been recently explored using site-directed mutagenesis, much less is known about the role of the 5-aminolevulinate synthase polypeptide chain arrangement in folding, structure, and ultimately, function. To assess the importance of the continuity of the polypeptide chain, circularly permuted 5-aminolevulinate synthase variants were constructed through either rational design or screening of an engineered random library. One percent of the random library clones were active, and a total of 21 active variants had sequences different from that of the wild type 5-aminolevulinate synthase. Out of these 21 variants, 9 displayed unique circular permutations of the 5-aminolevulinate synthase polypeptide chain. The new termini of the active variants disrupted secondary structure elements and loop regions and fell in 100 amino acid regions from each terminus. This indicates that the natural continuity of the 5-aminolevulinate synthase polypeptide chain and the sequential arrangement of the secondary structure elements are not requirements for proper folding, binding of the cofactor, or assembly of the two subunits. Furthermore, the order of two identified functional elements (i.e. the catalytic and the glycine-binding domains) is apparently irrelevant for proper functioning of the enzyme. Although the wild type 5-aminolevulinate synthase and the circularly permuted variants appear to have similar, predicted overall tertiary structures, they exhibit differences in the arrangement of the secondary structure elements and in the cofactor-binding site environment. Taken together, the data lead us to propose that the 5-aminolevulinate synthase overall structure can be reached through multiple or alternative folding pathways.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗
PubMed1983

[Partial antigenic structure of group H10 flagellins in Escherichia coli and its genetic determination].

The study of flagellar antigens classified with serotype H10 has been made in E. coli belonging to different OK-groups. These antigens have been shown to differ in their partial structure. Group H10 antigens have been found to comprise 7 variants, and their partial structure has been determined. The study has shown that antigenic variants of the same type occur in E. coli belonging to different OK-groups and different variants may occur in strains within the same OK-group. The data obtained in the study of the expression of genes, responsible for the synthesis of flagellin, in the system of isogenic strains suggest that differences in the partial structure between the variants of group H10 antigens are linked with differences between the corresponding alleles of the flagellin-specifying gene. The differentiation of these antigens by means of factor-specific antibodies may prove to be of practical importance for solving the problems of the epidemiology and etiology of diseases caused by E. coli having group H10 flagellar antigens.

Alleles↗
PubMed2002

Aspartate 313 in the Streptomyces plicatus hexosaminidase plays a critical role in substrate-assisted catalysis by orienting the 2-acetamido group and stabilizing the transition state.

SpHex, a retaining family 20 glycosidase from Streptomyces plicatus, catalyzes the hydrolysis of N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminides. Accumulating evidence suggests that the hydrolytic mechanism involves substrate-assisted catalysis wherein the 2-acetamido substituent acts as a nucleophile to form an oxazolinium ion intermediate. The role of a conserved aspartate residue (D313) in the active site of SpHex was investigated through kinetic and structural analyses of two variant enzymes, D313A and D313N. Three-dimensional structures of the wild-type and variant enzymes in product complexes with N-acetyl-d-glucosamine revealed substantial differences. In the D313A variant the 2-acetamido group was found in two conformations of which only one is able to aid in catalysis through anchimeric assistance. The mutation D313N results in a steric clash in the active site between Asn-313 and the 2-acetamido group preventing the 2-acetamido group from providing anchimeric assistance, consistent with the large reduction in catalytic efficiency and the insensitivity of this variant to chemical rescue. By comparison, the D313A mutation results in a shift in a shift in the pH optimum and a modest decrease in activity that can be rescued by using azide as an exogenous nucleophile. These structural and kinetic data provide evidence that Asp-313 stabilizes the transition states flanking the oxazoline intermediate and also assists to correctly orient the 2-acetamido group for catalysis. Based on analogous conserved residues in the family 18 chitinases and family 56 hyaluronidases, the roles played by the Asp-313 residue is likely general for all hexosaminidases using a mechanism involving substrate-assisted catalysis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Structural characterization of chromosome I size variants from a natural yeast strain.

Many yeast strains isolated from the wild show karyotype instability during vegetative growth, with rearrangement rates of up to 10(-2) chromosomal changes per generation. Physical isolation and analysis of several chromosome I size variants of one of these strains revealed that they differed only in their subtelomeric regions, leaving the central 150 Kb unaltered. Fine mapping of these subtelomeric variable regions revealed gross alterations of two very similar loci, FLO1 and FLO9. These loci are located on the right and left arms, respectively, of chromosome I and encompass internal repetitive DNA sequences. Furthermore, some chromosome I variants lacking the FLO1 locus showed evidence of recombination at a DNA region on their right arm that is enriched in repeated sequences, including Ty LTRs. We propose that repetitive sequences in many subtelomeric regions in S. cerevisiae play a key role in karyotype hypervariability. As these regions encode several membrane-associated proteins, subtelomeric plasticity may allow rapid adaptive changes of the yeast strain to specific substrates. This pattern of semi-conservative chromosomal rearrangement may have profound implications, both in terms of evolution of wild strains and for biotechnological processes.

Blotting, Southern↗