Localization of the heparin-binding site of glia-derived nexin/protease nexin-1 by site-directed mutagenesis.

Recombinant rat glia-derived nexin was expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus system. The kinetics for the inhibition of thrombin by this recombinant material were indistinguishable from those observed with natural glia-derived nexin and recombinant nexin expressed in yeast. In addition, the dependence of the rate of inactivation on the concentration of heparin was similar for the three preparations. At the optimal heparin concentration, the association rate constant was 330-fold higher than that observed in the absence of heparin. A putative heparin-binding site is found in glia-derived nexin between residues 71 and 86; heparin-binding sites are found in homologous regions of antithrombin III and heparin cofactor II. Lysines in this region were mutated to glutamates, and the kinetics for the inhibition of thrombin by mutant proteins were determined. Concurrent mutation of all seven lysines in this region (residues 71, 74, 75, 78, 83, 84, and 86) did not affect the rate constant for the association of glia-derived nexin with thrombin in the absence of heparin, but it resulted in complete loss of the heparin acceleration of the rate of association. Mutations of residues 83, 84, and 86 together also caused a marked decrease in the acceleration by heparin of the reaction between glia-derived nexin and thrombin. These results support the hypothesis that the heparin-binding sites of glia-derived nexin, antithrombin III, and heparin cofactor II are found in homologous regions of the molecules. Heparin was also found to potentiate the ability of wild-type glia-derived nexin to inhibit the thrombin-induced retraction of neurites from neuroblastoma NB2a cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two proteins of 220 kD and 230 kD bind to UV-damaged SV40 minichromosomes in irradiated monkey kidney cells.

We exposed SV40-infected monkey kidney cells to 0, 30 or 150 J/m2 of UV-radiation, and isolated viral minichromosomes at various times after irradiation. Analysis of minichromosome-associated proteins by SDS-PAGE revealed the presence of two proteins, of 220 kD and 230 kD associated with minichromosomes from irradiated cells, but not from unirradiated controls. The larger protein was the less abundant, and was most evident in preparations from more heavily irradiated cells. Neither protein was associated with minichromosomes isolated 30 min after irradiation, but were apparent in minichromosome preparations isolated 1-4 h after UV treatment.

G/U lesions are efficiently corrected to G/C in SV40 DNA.

Cytosine spontaneously deaminates to form uracil, generating G/U pairs in DNA. We studied the repair of these lesions by introducing specific G/U pairs into the genome of SV40 and determining the fate of the mispaired bases in Simian cells. Analysis of 135 plaques obtained after transfection of the modified viral DNA indicates that G/U lesions were repaired to G/C in every case. This result indicates that G/U lesions are corrected with greater efficiency and specificity than any combination of DNA base/base mispairs, in transfected SV40 DNA.

Protein synthesis initiation factors from human HeLa cells and rabbit reticulocytes are similar: comparison of protein structure, activities, and immunochemical properties.

Five initiation factors, eIF-2, eIF-3, eIF-4A, eIF-4B, and eIF-5, were purified from human HeLa cells. Methods of protein fractionation and assays for initiation factors which had been developed for rabbit reticulocytes were found to be suitable for HeLa factors. The initiation factors from HeLa cells are similar to or indistinguishable from the corresponding rabbit reticulocyte factors with respect to specific activities, molecular weights as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and subunit structure. The molecular weight of eIF-3 particles from both species is about 410000 as determined by equilibrium sedimentation analytical centrifugation. The partial protease fragmentation patterns of corresponding proteins also are similar and indicate that the primary sequences of the factors are related in the two species. Antisera raised in goats against rabbit eIF-3 and human eIF-2, eIF-4A, and eIF-4B cross-react with the cognate factors from both species. On the basis of immunoblotting techniques, eIF-4A is highly conserved, eIF-2 alpha, eIF-3, and eIF-4B are somewhat less conserved, and eIF-2 beta is the least conserved of the proteins examined. The functional, structural, and immunological results are all consistent with the view that initiation factors from different mammalian cells are very similar.

The purification and characterization of multiple forms of protein synthesis eukaryotic initiation factors 2, 3, and 5 from rabbit reticulocytes.

Eukaryotic initiation factors 2, 3, and 5 (eIF-2, eIF-3, and eIF-5) each were purified or fractionated into a number of forms which differ in protein mass or composition. The various factor polypeptides were analyzed by partial protease digestion and the fragmentation patterns were compared to identify proteins related in primary structure. The digestion method was made more sensitive by prior radiochemical labeling of the proteins by iodination with 125I. At least four molecular weight forms of eIF-5 were found which ranged from 168,000 to 128,000. The lower molecular weight forms, nevertheless, were biologically active in in vitro assays. Analysis of a variety of eIF-3 preparations indicates that the presence or abundance of especially the higher molecular weight subunits varies considerably. Many of these components are related to one another in primary structure; five of the subunits greater than Mr = 90,000 appear to be derived from the 210 kilodalton subunit by limited proteolysis. Analysis of eIF-2 polypeptides shows that the alpha, beta, and gamma subunits give distinctively different partial protease digestion patterns and that some preparations contain a minor component (gamma') related to the gamma subunit which could be misidentified as the beta subunit. The results indicate that initiation factors may be cleaved into different active forms by proteases acting either in the intact cell or during the factor isolation and purification. Addition of the protease inhibitor, phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, prevents some, but not all of the proteolysis.