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[Activity of ATP-dependent protease and steroid metabolism in the human placenta].

Placenta play the important role of nourishment of fetus and for the regulation of fetal and maternal steroid metabolism. Steroid metabolism is synthesized in mitochondria and levels of enzymes in steroid metabolism are regulated by the rate of synthesis and degradation of these enzymes. Therefore, we studied protease in human placental mitochondria to clarify regulation mechanism of steroid-synthesizing enzymes. 50 micrograms of human early and term placenta homogenate, proteins were analyzed by immunoblotting technique after SDS-polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis. ATP-dependent protease was detected using antiserum raised against purified bovine adrenocortical ATP-dependent protease and avidin-biotin complex method. ATP-dependent protease activity was assayed using 14C-Caseins a substrate. Five cell fractions of homogenate placenta were electrophorated and antibody-stained using ATP-dependent protease, cytochrome P-450 scc and adrenodoxin antibody after the blotting, and the quantity was analyzed by the densitometry and the method of De Douve. We had the following results: 1) ATP dependent protease is present in human placenta and localized in mitochondria. 2) ATP dependent protease decomposes adrenodoxin reductase in human placenta. 3) ATP dependent protease present in almost same consistent in early and term placenta and there is no significant difference. It is suggested as follows that the ATP dependent protease in human placenta participates in the regulation of steroid hormone through the metabolism of steroid synthetic enzyme.

ATP-Dependent Proteases↗

Mutational analysis of the Escherichia coli serB promoter region reveals transcriptional linkage to a downstream gene.

Genes encoding proteins with unrelated functions can be cotranscribed, and this may be used by cells to coordinate different metabolic pathways during growth. We describe a gene, designated sms, which is downstream from the serine biosynthetic gene serB in Escherichia coli but does not appear to be involved in amino acid (aa) biosynthesis. The sms gene is 1380 bp long. The Sms product migrates at 55 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)-polyacrylamide gels and has a M(r) of 49472 (460 aa residues) calculated from the nucleotide sequence. The deduced Sms aa sequence shares regions of similarity with two ATP-dependent proteases, Lon and RecA, and contains two motifs: a C-x(2)-C-x(n)-C-x(2)-C motif, which is found in some nucleic acid binding proteins, and an ATP/GTP binding site motif. Insertional inactivation of sms led to increased sensitivity to the alkylating agent methylmethane sulfonate, but not to a requirement for serine or other metabolites. Several promoter mutations were isolated and characterized, which suggest that serB has a typical promoter recognized by sigma 70. After the serB coding sequence there is a 48-bp region with no obvious promoter sequence preceding the sms translation start codon. Analyses using sms'-lacZ fusions cloned downstream from wild-type and mutant serB promoters showed that sms is cotranscribed with serB.

ATP-Dependent Proteases↗

Subunit 4 of the 26 S protease is a member of a novel eukaryotic ATPase family.

Ubiquitinated proteins are degraded by a 26 S ATP-dependent protease. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the purified 26 S enzyme reveals more than 20 polypeptides ranging in apparent molecular masses from 20 to 110 kDa. Although many of the subunits smaller than 30 kDa are members of the multicatalytic protease family, the identity and function of the larger polypeptides have remained unknown. We report here the cDNA sequence for subunit 4, a 51-kDa chain of the 26 S protease. Subunit 4 belongs to a recently identified eukaryotic ATPase family, which includes proteins involved in peroxisome formation, secretion, and human immunodeficiency virus gene expression. Subunit 4 also shows weak similarity to ClpA, the ATP-binding subunit of the Escherichia coli protease, Clp.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

An analysis of the effect of changes in growth temperature on proteolysis in vivo in the psychrophilic bacterium Vibrio sp. strain ANT-300.

In the psychrophilic bacterium Vibrio sp. strain ANT-300, the rate of protein degradation in vivo, measured at fixed temperatures, increased with elevation of the growth temperature. A shift in growth temperature induced a marked increase in this rate. Dialysed cell-free extracts hydrolysed exogenous insulin, globin and casein (in decreasing order of activity) but did not hydrolyse exogenous cytochrome c. Cells contained at least seven protease separated by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography, one of which was an ATP-dependent serine protease. The ATP-dependent proteolytic activity in extracts of cells incubated for 3 h at 16 degrees C after a shift-up from 0 degrees C increased to a level 36% and 17% higher than that of cells grown at 0 degrees C and 13 degrees C, respectively. A shift-down to 0 degrees C from 13 degrees C induced only a slight increase in the proteolytic activity. Extracts of all cells, whether exposed to temperature shifts or not, showed the same temperature dependence with respect to both ATP-dependent and ATP-independent protease activity. In all the extracts these proteases also exhibited the same heat lability. The ATP-dependent protease was inactivated by incubation at temperatures above 25 degrees C. There was an increase in ATP-independent protease activity during incubation at temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees C, but a decrease at 35 degrees C and higher. These results suggest that the marked increases in proteolysis in vivo, caused by a shift in temperature, may result not only from increases in levels of ATP-dependent serine protease(s) but also from increases in the susceptibility of proteins to degradation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

The heat-shock protein ClpB in Escherichia coli is a protein-activated ATPase.

The clpB gene in Escherichia coli encodes a heat-shock protein that is a close homolog of the clpA gene product. The latter is the ATPase subunit of the multimeric ATP-dependent protease Ti (Clp) in E. coli, which also contains the 21-kDa proteolytic subunit (ClpP). The clpB gene product has been purified to near homogeneity by DEAE-Sepharose and heparin-agarose column chromatographies. The purified ClpB consists of a major 93-kDa protein and a minor 79-kDa polypeptide as analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Upon gel filtration on a Superose-6 column, it behaves as a 350-kDa protein. Thus, ClpB appears to be a tetrameric complex of the 93-kDa subunit. The purified ClpB has ATPase activity which is stimulated 5-10-fold by casein. It is also activated by insulin, but not by other proteins, including globin and denatured bovine serum albumin. ClpB cleaves adenosine 5'-(alpha,beta-methylene)-triphosphate as rapidly as ATP, but not adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-methylene)-triphosphate. GTP, CTP, and UTP are hydrolyzed 15-25% as well as ATP. ADP strongly inhibits ATP hydrolysis with a Ki of 34 microM. ClpB has a Km for ATP of 1.1 mM, and casein increases its Vmax for ATP without affecting its Km. A Mg2+ concentration of 3 mM is necessary for half-maximal ATP hydrolysis. Mn2+ supports ATPase activity as well as Mg2+, and Ca2+ has about 20% their activity. Anti-ClpB antiserum does not cross-react with ClpA nor does anti-ClpA antiserum react with ClpB. In addition, ClpB cannot replace ClpA in supporting the casein-degrading activity of ClpP. Thus, ClpB is distinct from ClpA in its structural and biochemical properties despite the similarities in their sequences.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Digenic inheritance of mutations in SPG7 and AFG3L2 causes motor neuron and cerebellar disorders.

BACKGROUND: Biallelic SPG7 mutations cause one of the most common forms of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). Several reports have suggested that heterozygous SPG7 variants may also play a role in HSP, but also in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, it remains controversial whether heterozygous SPG7 mutations are pathogenic on their own, or if other mechanisms are at play. We recently provided evidence for non-Mendelian inheritance in spastic paraplegia 7 (SPG7), as heterozygous carriers of SPG7 mutations often also carried mutations in other disease-related genes, including AFG3L2, more frequently than expected by chance. Given that SPG7 and AFG3L2 encode interacting subunits of the mitochondrial m-AAA protease complex, we hypothesized that combined heterozygous mutations in these genes may act synergistically to disrupt mitochondrial function and contribute to disease. In this study, we aimed to examine whether digenic heterozygous mutations in SPG7 and AFG3L2 can lead to a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders. METHODS: We first analyzed genome and exome sequencing data of 6644 unrelated individuals including 4817 motor neuron disorder (MND) and ataxia patients and 1827 controls. We next analyzed an additional 18,748 exome data from rare disease cohorts to further examine the occurrence of variants in SPG7 and AFG3L2. RESULTS: Among the first 4817 MND and ataxia patients, we identified a total of 6 patients, 4 of whom were unrelated, who carried potentially pathogenic variants in both SPG7 and AFG3L2, in contrast to none in 1827 unrelated controls. Further analysis of the 18,748 additional patients with rare disease, as well as a comprehensive literature review, identified 6 more patients, 5 of whom were unrelated, who had digenic mutations in SPG7 and AFG3L2. In the two families we identified, digenic mutations in SPG7 and AFG3L2 perfectly segregated with the disease. The 12 patients reported here exhibited predominant signs of motor neuron and cerebellar involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that digenic inheritance of concurrent heterozygous mutations in SPG7 and AFG3L2 may cause motor neuron and cerebellar disorders. Screening of the entire SPG7 and AFG3L2 genes in genetically undiagnosed cases of MND and spastic ataxia may help to increase the diagnostic yield.

Humans↗

Stress proteins and cross-protection by heat shock and salt stress in Bacillus subtilis.

Bacillus subtilis induced a set of general stress proteins in response to a salt or heat stress. Cells subjected to a mild heat stress showed a protective response which enabled them to survive otherwise lethal temperatures (e.g. 52 degrees C). In a similar way bacteria were enabled to survive toxic concentrations of NaCl by pretreatment with lower salt concentrations. A mild heat shock induced a cross-protection against lethal salt stress. The pretreatment of cells with low salt, however, was less effective in the induction of thermotolerance than a preceding mild heat stress. Three stress proteins were identified on the basis of their N-terminal amino acid sequences as homologues of GroEL, DnaK and ClpP of Escherichia coli. The role of general and specific stress proteins in the induction of thermotolerance/salt tolerance and cross-protection is discussed.

ATP-Dependent Proteases↗

Chymotrypsin-like protease activity associated with demembranated sperm of chum salmon.

Our previous study suggested that a chymotrypsin-like protease was involved in the motility of chum salmon sperm (Inaba K, Morisawa M, Biomed Res (1991) 12, 435-437). In this study, we examined the peptidase activity of demembranated sperm of chum salmon using ten synthetic peptides. When spermatozoa were treated with 0.04% Triton X-100 for extracting the plasma membrane and the suspension was separated into the Triton-soluble and insoluble fractions by centrifugation, only the hydrolytic activity towards succinyl (Suc)-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (MCA), a typical substrate for chymotrypsin-like protease, was mostly retained in the insoluble fraction. The bulk of the activities toward other substrates was detected in the soluble fraction. Flagellar axonemes isolated from demembranated sperm showed considerable hydrolytic activity toward Suc-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-MCA and the activity was still retained in the axoneme even after further washing. The hydrolysis was activated by a low concentration of SDS, suggesting that the protease associated with the axonemes is a multicatalytic ATP-dependent proteinase (proteasome). Motility of demembranated sperm was inhibited by Suc-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-MCA in an ATP-concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that proteasomes associated with flagellar axoneme regulate flagellar motility.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Resolution of the membrane moiety of the H+-ATPase complex into two kinds of subunits.

The H+-translocating ATPase complex from the thermophilic bacterium PS3 (TF0-F1) is composed of a water-soluble part with ATP-hydrolyzing activity (TF1) and a membrane moiety with H+-conducting activity (TF0). TF0 was obtained by treating TF0-F1 with urea and removing contaminations on a carboxymethyl-cellulose column. This TF0 contained only two kinds of subunits, band 6 protein (13,500 daltons) and band 8 protein (5400 daltons), and it was active in H+ conduction and TF1 binding when reconstituted into proteoliposomes (TF0 vesicles). The binding of TF1 to TF0 present in vesicles restored energy-transducing activities, such as ATP-32Pi exchange, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-sensitive ATPase, and ATP-dependent enhancement of 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate fluorescence. Treatments such as protease digestion and chemical modification with acetic anhydride, succinic anhydride, or diazobenzenesulfonic acid destroyed the TF1-binding activity, which was caused by band 6 protein. Band 8 protein was a proteolipid that reacted specifically with dicylcohexyl-carbodiimide and seemed to play a central role in H+ conduction through the membrane.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Inhibition, by a protease inhibitor, of the solubilization of the F1-portion of the Mg2+-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli.

The effects of two protease inhibitors on the solubilization of the membrane-bound Mg2+-adenosine triphosphatase (Mg-ATPase) of Escherichia coli were investigated. p-Aminobenzamidine prevented the solubilization of the Mg-ATPase during treatment of membranes with low-ionic-strength buffers containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. p-Aminobenzamidine did not prevent subsequent solubilization of the Mg-ATPase by treatment of the membranes with chloroform. This method of solubilization yielded a preparation of similar apparent molecular weight but with a 10-fold-increased specific activity as compared with the Mg-ATPase solubilized by washing with low-ionic-strength buffer. However, in contrast to the latter preparation, the chloroform-solubilized Mg-ATPase did not reconstitute ATP-dependent energization of stripped membranes, which were prepared by low-ionic-strength washing in the absence of p-aminobenzamidine. Another protease inhibitor, epsilon-amino-n-caproic acid, did not effect the solubilization of the Mg-ATPase, but did inhibit the loss of activity occurring during concentration, by ultrafiltration, of the Mg-ATPase solublized by the low-ionic-strength treatment.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Extensive digestion of Na+,K(+)-ATPase by specific and nonspecific proteases with preservation of cation occlusion sites.

This paper extends our recent report that renal Na+,K(+)-ATPase is digested by trypsin in the absence of Ca2+ and presence of Rb+ ions to a stable 19-kDa fragment and smaller membrane-embedded fragments of the alpha chain and essentially intact beta chain. These are referred to as "19-kDa membranes." Occlusion of both Rb+ (K+) or Na+ ions is preserved, but ATP-dependent functions are lost (Karlish, S. J. D., Goldshleger, R., and Stein, W. D. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 4566-4570). We now show that extensive digestion with nonselective fungal proteases (Pronase and proteinase K) alone, in combination, or after tryptic digestion can remove up to 70% of membrane protein without destroying Rb+ occlusion. In the most heavily digested membranes, the 19-kDa fragment or a slightly shorter 18.5-kDa fragment and smaller fragments of the alpha chain remain, whereas the beta chain is largely digested, leaving smaller membrane-embedded fragments (13-15 kDa). For either trypsin or Pronase digestion, preservation of Rb+ occlusion and the specific fragmentation pattern is observed only in the absence of divalent metal ions (Mg2+ or Ca2+) and presence of either Rb+ or Na+ or congener ions. Tryptic digestion at pH 7.0 can split the beta chain into two fragments of approximately 50 and 16 kDa joined by an S-S bridge. The 16-kDa fragment is protected against further digestion by the presence of Rb+ ions, but probably is not directly involved in occluding cations. Tryptic 19-kDa membranes show a clear and reproducible fragmentation pattern in which all predicted membrane segments are identifiable. Families of fragments from 19-kDa membranes, including seven peptides of 7.6-11.7 kDa, have been separated by size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography, concentrated, and resolved on 16.5% Tricine gels. N-terminal sequences of the different fragments have been determined after transfer to polyvinylidene difluoride paper. The most interesting findings are as follows. (a) Whereas the 19-kDa tryptic fragment begins at Asn831 as reported previously, the 18.5-kDa Pronase fragment begins at Thr834. (b) Fragments in tryptic 19-kDa membranes of 7.6-11.7 kDa begin at Asp68, Ile263, and Gln737, respectively. These include all putative transmembrane segments other than those in the 19-kDa fragment. (c) A Pronase fragment of 7.8 kDa begins at Thr834, i.e. apparently the 19-kDa fragment has been partially cut, without loss of Rb+ occlusion. (d) Tryptic 16- and approximately 50-kDa fragments of the beta chain begin at Ala5 and Gly143, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Demonstration that a human 26S proteolytic complex consists of a proteasome and multiple associated protein components and hydrolyzes ATP and ubiquitin-ligated proteins by closely linked mechanisms.

It is known that two types of high-molecular-mass protease complexes are present in the cytosol of mammalian cells; a 20S latent multicatalytic proteinase named the proteasome, and a large proteolytic complex with an apparent sedimentation coefficient of 26S that catalyzes ATP-dependent breakdown of proteins conjugated with ubiquitin. In this work, we first demonstrated that a low concentration of SDS was required for activation of the latent proteasome, whereas the 26S complex degraded substrates for proteasomes in the absence of SDS. Moreover, the 26S complex was greatly stabilized in the presence of 2 mM ATP and 20% glycerol. Based on these characteristics, we next devised a novel procedure for purification of the 26S proteolytic complexes from human kidney. In this procedure, the proteolytic complexes were precipitated from cytoplasmic extracts by ultracentrifugation for 5 h at 105000 x g, and the large 26S complexes were clearly separated from the 20S proteasomes by molecular-sieve chromatography on a Biogel A-1.5 m column. The 26S enzyme was then purified to apparent homogeneity by successive chromatographies on hydroxyapatite and Q Sepharose, then by glycerol density-gradient centrifugation. Electrophoretic and immunochemical analyses showed that the purified human 26S complex consisted of multiple subunits of proteasomes with molecular masses of 21-31 kDa and 13-15 protein components ranging in molecular mass over 35-110 kDa, which were directly associated with the proteasome. The purified 26S proteolytic complex degraded 125I-labeled lysozyme-ubiquitin conjugates in an ATP-dependent manner. The 26S enzyme also showed high ATPase activity, which was copurified with the complex. Vanadate and hemin strongly inhibited not only ATP cleavage, but also ATP-dependent breakdown of ubiquitinligated proteins, suggesting that the 26S complex hydrolyzes ATP and ubiquitinated proteins by closely linked mechanisms. These findings indicate that the 26S complex consists of a proteasome with proteolytic function and multiple other components including an ATPase that regulates energy-dependent, ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Features of apoptotic cells measured by flow cytometry.

The present review describes several methods to characterize and differentiate between two different mechanisms of cell death, apoptosis and necrosis. Most of these methods were applied to studies of apoptosis triggered in the human leukemic HL-60 cell line by DNA topoisomerase I or II inhibitors, and in rat thymocytes by either topoisomerase inhibitors or prednisolone. In most cases, apoptosis was selective to cells in a particular phase of the cell cycle: only S-phase HL-60 cells and G0 thymocytes were mainly affected. Necrosis was induced by excessively high concentrations of these drugs. The following cell features were found useful to characterize the mode of cell death: a) Activation of an endonuclease in apoptocic cells resulted in extraction of the low molecular weight DNA following cell permeabilization, which, in turn, led to their decreased stainability with DNA-specific fluorochromes. Measurements of DNA content made it possible to identify apoptotic cells and to recognize the cell cycle phase specificity of the apoptotic process. b) Plasma membrane integrity, which is lost in necrotic but not apoptotic cells, was probed by the exclusion of propidium iodide (PI). The combination of PI followed by Hoechst 33342 proved to be an excellent probe to distinguish live, necrotic, early- and late-apoptotic cells. c) Mitochondrial transmembrane potential, assayed by retention of rhodamine 123 was preserved in apoptotic but not necrotic cells. d) The ATP-dependent lysosomal proton pump, tested by the supravital uptake of acridine orange (AO) was also preserved in apoptotic but not necrotic cells. e) Bivariate analysis of cells stained for DNA and protein revealed markedly diminished protein content in apoptotic cells, most likely due to activation of endogenous proteases. Necrotic cells, having leaky membranes, had minimal protein content. f) Staining of RNA allowed for the discrimination of G0 from G1 cells and thus made it possible to reveal that apoptosis was selective to G0 thymocytes. g) The decrease in forward light scatter, paralleled either by no change (HL-60 cells) or an increase (thymocytes) of right angle scatter, were early changes during apoptosis. h) The sensitivity of DNA in situ to denaturation, was increased in apoptotic and necrotic cells. This feature, probed by staining with AO at low pH, provided a sensitive and early assay to discriminate between live, apoptotic and necrotic cells, and to evaluate the cell cycle phase specificity of these processes. i) The in situ nick translation assay employing labeled triphosphonucleotides can be used to reveal DNA strand breaks, to detect the very early stages of apoptosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Proteolysis of the products of mitochondrial protein synthesis in yeast mitochondria and submitochondrial particles.

Degradation of mitochondrial translation products in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria was studied by selectively labelling these entities in vivo in the presence of cycloheximide and following their fate in isolated mitochondria. One-third to one-half of the mitochondrial translation products are shown to be degraded, depending on the culture growth phase, with an approximate half-life of 35 min. This process is shown to be ATP-dependent, enhanced in the presence of puromycin and inhibited by chloramphenicol. Further, the proteolysis is suppressed by detergents and is insensitive to antisera against yeast proteinases A and B when measured in mitochondria or 'inside-out' submitochondrial particles. It is concluded that the breakdown of mitochondrial translation products is most probably due to the action of endogenous proteinase(s) associated with the mitochondrial inner membrane. This proteinase is inhibited by phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride, leupeptin, antipain and chymostatin.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Studies of the ATP dependence of protein degradation in cells and cell extracts.

Experiments with metabolic inhibitors in vivo indicate that intracellular protein degradation requires the continuous production of ATP. We have established soluble cell-free preparations from rabbit reticulocytes, rat liver, and Escherichia coli that degrade abnormal protein in an ATP-dependent fashion. These enzymes appear to be responsible for the selective breakdown of abnormal protein that may result from mutations, biosynthetic errors or intracellular denaturation. Experiments with inhibitors indicate that this process and the degradation of many short-lived normal proteins does not occur in the lysosome. The cell-free extracts prepared from these crude extracts hydrolyse [14C] globin by a process stimulated 2--3-fold by ATP and to a lesser extent by GTP, CTP or UTP. These activities degrade globin to large peptides which are then cleaved by soluble peptidases. The ATP-stimulated protease that partially purified from rat liver cytoplasm is also stimulated by pyrophosphate. This protease has an apparent molecular weight of 480,000. In contrast, the E. coli enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 115,000 and is completely dependent on ATP, after partial purification by ion exchange and gel chromatography. This enzyme can be distinguished from six other proteolytic enzymes from E. coli active at pH 7.8. E. coli contains, in addition, four proteases that are not stimulated by ATP and degrade globin to acid-soluble material. We have also demonstrated in E. coli and reticulocytes other proteases that appear specific for small protein substrates and may play a role in the later steps in protein breakdown. The ATP-stimulated endoproteases appear to catalyse the rate-limiting steps in intracellular protein breakdown. However, the actual role of ATP in the degradative process is not known.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Proteolytic response to the expression of an abnormal beta-galactosidase in Escherichia coli.

Because induction of proteolytic activity and stress-response proteins can significantly affect expression levels in recombinant Escherichia coli, the influence of low-level expression of a mutant beta-galactosidase was investigated. A single copy of the well-characterized CSH11 mutant of the lacZ gene was integrated into the chromosome. Induction of expression of the mutant beta-galactosidase caused a measurable increase in ATP-dependent intracellular proteolytic activity but resulted in no significant change in ATP-independent proteolytic activity. Growth at temperatures above 40 degrees C resulted in a significant decrease in the level of ATP-independent proteolytic activity compared to growth at 37 degrees C, and the ATP-dependent activity increased 2.5-fold from 30 to 42 degrees C. Synthesis of stress-response proteins was evident in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis of proteins in the strain expressing the abnormal beta-galactosidase at 37 degrees C, but no such response was evident when mutant beta-galactosidase expression was induced at 30 degrees C. In separate experiments, stress proteins were overexpressed by inducing expression of the htpR gene on a plasmid. Resulting increases in stress-protein levels correlated with an increase in ATP-dependent proteolytic activity with no significant change in the intracellular ATP-independent proteolytic activity. These data suggest that even very low levels of abnormal protein can substantially influence protease levels and stress response in E. coli. These responses were reduced by induction at lower temperatures.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

A soluble ATP-dependent proteolytic system responsible for the degradation of abnormal proteins in reticulocytes.

Reticulocytes, like other cells, selectively degrade certain abnormal proteins by an energy-dependent process. When isolated rabbit reticulocytes incorporate the valine analog 2-amino-3chlorobutyric acid (ClAbu) in place of valine, they produce an abnormal globin that is degraded with a half-life of 15 min. Normal hemoglobin, in contrast, undergoes little or no breakdown within these cells. Cell-free extracts from reticulocytes have been shown to rapidly hydrolyze these abnormal proteins. The degradative system is located in the 100,000 X g supernatant, has a pH optimum of 7.8, and does not appear to be of lysosomal origin. This breakdown of analog-containing protein was stimulated severalfold by ATP, and slightly by ADP. AMP and adenosine-3':5'-cyclic monophosphate had no significant effect on proteolysis. Experiments with ATP analogs suggest that the terminal high energy phosphate is important in the degradative process. Proteolysis in the cell-free system and in intact reticulocytes was inhibited by the same agents (L-l-tosylamido-2-phenyl-ethylchloromethyl ketone, N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, N-ethylmaleimide, iodoacetamide, and o-phenanthroline). In addition, the relative rates of degradation of several polypeptides in the cell-free extracts paralleled degradatives rates within cells. Thus, a soluble nonlysosomal proteolytic system appears responsible for the energy-dependent degradation of abnormal proteins in reticulocytes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Nalidixic acid resistance: a second genetic character involved in DNA gyrase activity.

ATP-dependent DNA supercoiling catalyzed by Escherichia coli DNA gyrase was inhibited by oxolinic acid, a compound similar to but more potent than nalidixic acid and a known inhibitor of DNA replication in E. coli. The supercoiling activity of DNA gyrase purified from nalidixic acid-resistant mutant (nalA(R)) bacteria was resistant to oxolinic acid. Thus, the nalA locus is responsible for a second component needed for DNA gyrase activity in addition to the component determined by the previously described locus for resistance to novobiocin and coumermycin (cou). Supercoiling of lambda DNA in E. coli cells was likewise inhibited by oxolinic acid, but was resistant in the nalA(R) mutant. The inhibition by oxolinic acid of colicin E1 plasmid DNA synthesis in a cell-free system was largely relieved by adding resistant DNA gyrase. In the absence of ATP, DNA gyrase preparations relaxed supercoiled DNA; this activity was also inhibited by oxolinic acid, but not by novobiocin. It appears that the oxolinic acid-sensitive component of DNA gyrase is involved in the nicking-closing activity required in the supercoiling reaction. In the presence of oxolinic acid, DNA gyrase forms a complex with DNA, which can be activated by later treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate and a protease to produce double-strand breaks in the DNA. This process has some similarities to the known properties of relaxation complexes.

DNA, Bacterial↗