A new photoactivatable reagent capable of transferring a radiolabel to target proteins. Application to the human growth hormone-rat liver prolactin receptor interaction.

A new photoactivatable cross-linking reagent, 1-(2'-dithiopyridyl)-2-(5'-azidosalicylamido)ethane (ASDPE), was synthesized. This probe can be easily labeled with 125I in the azidosalicylamido ring and contains an activated disulfide bridge. After reaction of [125I]ASDPE with proteins, the radiolabeled moiety of the probe becomes attached to cysteine residues. Upon partial reduction of human growth hormone (hGH) with dithiothreitol, its C-terminal disulfide bond between residues 182 and 189 was cleaved and the nascent thiol groups were modified with [125I]ASDPE to yield [125I]ASET-hGH [1-(thio-hGH)-2-(3'-[125I]iodo-5'-azidosalicylamido)ethane]. After binding of this hormone derivative to rat liver microsomes, followed by photolysis and subsequent reduction of disulfide bridges, the specific transfer of the radiolabeled moiety to prolactin receptor (PRL-R) was achieved. Partial purification of the radiolabeled receptor by size exclusion chromatography was performed. We anticipate that [125I]ASDPE will be generally useful in pursuing structural and functional studies of target proteins which interact specifically with protein ligands.

A membrane protein associated with the prolactin receptor. Studies with a photoactivatable human growth hormone derivative.

Prolactin receptor from rat liver (PRL-R, 42 kDa) was cross-linked to a radiolabeled azidophenacyl derivative of human growth hormone ([125I]AP-hGH) to yield a 63 kDa adduct. In addition, a protein of Mr 50-52 K was detected as a 73 kDa complex. Microsomes incubated with either (a) increasing amounts of [125I]AP-hGH, or (b) a fixed amount of photoprobe and increasing concentrations of unlabeled hGH, showed that the 73/63 kDa band intensity ratio remains constant (0.71-0.77). Once transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes, only the 42 kDa protein is able to bind [125I]AP-hGH or [125I]hGH. Two anti-PRL-R monoclonal antibodies fail to cross-react with proteins of Mr 50-52 K. In membranes solubilized with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS), a significantly lower amount of the 73 kDa complex is detected. Thus, the 50-52 kDa protein appears to be structurally unrelated to, but is presumably associated with the PRL-R. The 73 kDa complex is also detected under low membrane fluidity conditions (1 degree C), indicating that PRL-R associates to this 50-52 kDa protein prior to hormone binding. Perfusion of rat liver with [125I]AP-hGH shows that this associated protein accompanies the receptor along its intracellular pathway.

The membrane topology of the amino-terminal domain of the red cell calcium pump.

A systematic study of the membrane-associated regions in the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump of erythrocytes has been performed by hydrophobic photolabeling. Purified Ca2+ pump was labeled with 3-(trifluoromethyl)-3-(m-[125I]iodophenyl)-diazirine ([125I]TID), a generic photoactivatable hydrophobic probe. These results were compared with the enzyme labeled with a strictly membrane-bound probe, [3H]bis-phosphatidylethanolamine (trifluoromethyl) phenyldiazirine. A significant light-dependent labeling of an M(r) 135,000-140,000 peptide, corresponding to the full Ca2+ pump, was observed with both probes. After proteolysis of the pump labeled with each probe and isolation of fragments by SDS-PAGE, a common pattern of labeled peptides was observed. Similarly, labeling of the Ca2+ pump with [125I]TID, either in isolated red blood cell membranes or after the enzyme was purified, yields a similar pattern of labeled peptides. Taken together, these results validate the use of either probe to study the lipid interface of the membrane-embedded region of this protein, and sustain the notion that the conformation of the pump is maintained throughout the procedures of solubilization, affinity purification, and reconstitution into proteoliposomes. In this work, we put special emphasis on a detailed analysis of the N-terminal domain of the Ca2+ pump. A labeled peptide of M(r) 40,000 belonging to this region was purified and further digested with V8 protease. The specific incorporation of [125I]TID to proteolytic fragments pertaining to the amino-terminal region indicates the existence of two transmembrane stretches in this domain. A theoretical analysis based on the amino acid sequence 1-322 predicts two segments with high probability of membrane insertion, in agreement with the experimental data. Each segment shows a periodicity pattern of hydrophobicity and variability compatible with alpha-helical structure. These results strongly suggest the existence of a transmembrane helical hairpin motif near the N-terminus of the Ca2+ pump.

Interaction of unsaturated fatty acids with the red blood cell Ca(2+)-ATPase. Studies with a novel photoactivatable probe.

Unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, increase both the affinity for Ca2+ and the maximum effect of the Ca(2+)-ATPase of red blood cells [Niggli et al. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 8588-8592]. With the aim of examining the structural and kinetic details of the interaction between unsaturated fatty acids and the enzyme, we designed and synthesized 8-(5'-azido-O-hexanoylsalicylamido)octanoic acid (AS86), a photoactivatable analogue of unsaturated fatty acids. AS86, interacting noncovalently with the enzyme, shares with oleic acid the following properties: (i) it binds reversibly to the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase; (ii) in the absence of calmodulin, AS86 shows a biphasic behavior; i.e., at low concentrations it increases the affinity for Ca2+ and the maximum velocity of the enzyme, while at higher concentrations it decreases the maximum velocity; (iii) in the presence of calmodulin, AS86 increases slightly the affinity for Ca2+ and decreases the maximum velocity of the Ca2+ pump; and (iv) AS86 inhibits the activity of the enzyme devoid of its calmodulin-binding domain after proteolysis. When the reagent is covalently bound to the native enzyme, and then activated by calmodulin, increasing amounts of AS86 decrease the maximum velocity along a hyperbolic curve without modifying the apparent affinity for Ca2+. These results could be explained by the eventual existence of two different kind of sites recognizing the reagent: one influencing the affinity for Ca2+ and the other inhibitory of the calmodulin effects. When covalently bound, AS86 exerts its inhibitory effects upon the enzyme lacking the calmodulin-binding domain, thus reflecting that this action is promoted by interaction with a site lying outside this region. The purified enzyme is susceptible to be tagged with 125I-AS86. Both the inhibitory effect on the calmodulin-dependent enzymic activity after covalent binding of AS86 and the photoadduct formation between the enzyme and 125I-AS86 are impaired by the presence of oleic acid in a concentration-dependent fashion. Recognition of photoreactive fatty acid analogues by the purified enzyme could be useful to provide further insight on the location of the interacting sites.

Acetylation with succinimidyl acetate affects both the catalytic site and the regulation of the erythrocyte Ca2+ pump.

Acetylation of lysine residues of the erythrocyte Ca2+ pump using succinimidyl acetate (SA) led to its complete inactivation. In the absence of any of the major activators of the pump (namely calmodulin and acidic phospholipids), ATP fully protected the pump from inactivation by SA, with a K0.5 of 13 microM. This value is very close to the Km of the high-affinity site for ATP, thus suggesting that the residue(s) involved is(are) near or at the catalytic site of the Ca(2+)-ATPase. Furthermore, the presence of 500 microM ATP prevented the acetylation of about two residues per molecule of enzyme. Acetylation by SA also prevented the activation of the Ca2+ pump by calmodulin, acidic phospholipids or controlled trypsin proteolysis. This effect of SA treatment was not avoided by the presence of ATP in the preincubation medium, indicating a second set of modified residues. The fact that the three modes of activation were cancelled in a similar fashion by SA suggests that, although acting via different mechanisms, they share at least a common step in which SA-sensitive lysine residues may participate. Moreover, modification of the pump by SA plus ATP decreased the KCa when the activity was measured in both the absence and presence of calmodulin, suggesting that the residue(s) modified in this case is(are) involved directly in the regulation of the affinity for Ca2+.

Identification of transmembrane domains of the red cell calcium pump with a new photoactivatable phospholipidic probe.

The membrane-associated regions of the human erythrocyte Ca2+ pump were investigated by hydrophobic photolabeling. Purified Ca2+ pump was reconstituted in asolectin vesicles loaded with [3H]DIPETPD, a photochemical probe designed to label deeply into the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer (Delfino et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115, 3458-3474, 1993). After photolysis and SDS-PAGE analysis, a significant light-dependent labeling of the Ca2+ pump was found. Controlled proteolysis of the photoadduct with trypsin or protease V8 followed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting yielded individual labeled fragments. The labeling pattern indicated the existence of three sequential clusters of transmembrane regions, consistent with the current model for the topography of this enzyme.

Photoreactive fatty acid analogues that bind to the rat liver fatty-acid binding protein: 11-(5'-azido-salicylamido)-undecanoic acid derivatives.

Photoreactive probes for the hydrophobic pocket of the liver fatty acid-binding protein, 11-(5'-azido-salicylamido)-undecanoic acid (5' ASU) and its acetyl ester (Ac5' ASU), were synthesized and their interaction with the protein was assessed. Fatty acid-binding proteins are closely related proteins which are abundantly expressed in tissues with active lipid metabolism. A simple model that assumes that the protein possesses a single kind of sites fitted the binding of radioiodinated 5' ASU to L-FABP satisfactorily. The apparent dissociation constant, 1.34 x 10(-7) M, evidenced a slightly higher affinity than that reported for C16-C20 fatty acids. Consistent with the binding curve, 5' ASU effectively competed with palmitic acid for the hydrophobic sites and the effect was nearly complete for concentrations of 1 microM; oleic acid, in turn, displaced the radiolabelled probe. Irradiation at 366 nm of 125I-5' ASU bound to L-FABP caused the covalent cross-linking of the reagent. The amount of radioactivity covalently bound reached a maximum after 2 min thus agreeing with the photo-activation kinetics of the unlabelled compound that evidenced a t1/2 of 31.1 sec. The yield with which probes bound to L-FABP became covalently linked to the protein, appraised after SDS-PAGE of irradiated samples, was estimated as 23 and 26 per cent for 5' ASU and Ac5' ASU respectively. In turn, irradiation of L-FABP incubated with 5' ASU or Ac5' ASU resulted in the irreversible loss of about one fourth its ability to bind palmitic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Somatotropic and lactotropic receptors in transgenic mice expressing human or bovine growth hormone genes.

The somatotropic and lactotropic receptors were studied in liver microsomal preparations from transgenic mice carrying the human growth hormone (hGH) or bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene fused to mouse metallothionein-I (MT) or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase promoter/regulator (PEPCK). Specificity studies indicated that, similarly to normal mice, liver microsomes from the transgenic animals possess a mixed population of somatotropic and lactotropic binding sites. In transgenic animals of both sexes, the binding capacity of somatotropic receptors was significantly increased without corresponding changes in affinity. Expression of the MT-hGH hybrid gene was associated with the induction of somatotropic receptors which was approximately twice as great as that measured in animals expressing the MT-bGH hybrid gene. The binding capacity of lactotropic receptors in liver microsomes (quantitated by the use of labelled ovine prolactin) was increased 2-3 fold in transgenic females and approximately 10-fold in transgenic males as compared to the respective normal controls. We conclude that lifelong excess of GH up-regulates hepatic GH and prolactin receptors, and that lactogenic activity of GH is not essential for induction of prolactin receptors in the liver of transgenic mice.

Identification of somatogenic binding sites in liver microsomes from normal mice and transgenic mice expressing human growth hormone gene.

Somatogenic binding sites were detected and characterized in microsomal preparations from livers of normal mice and mice expressing metallothionein-I/hGH (mMT/hGH) hybrid gene, using 125I-labelled bovine or human GH, or a photoreactive derivative of hGH (125I-AP-hGH1). Specific binding of 125I-bGH was detected in liver microsomes from both normal and transgenic mice with an apparent Kd of 2 nM. 125I-hGH was partially displaced by bGH. 125I-AP-hGH1 was covalently bound to the microsomal preparations, and bGH prevented the formation of the 130 kDa species with no appreciable effect on 63 kDa and 70 kDa lactogenic complexes.

Differential reactivity of lysine residues of the red blood cell Ca2+ pump involved in the E1-E2 conformational equilibrium.

1. Modification of Lys residues of the Ca(2+)-ATPase from human red blood cells with methyl acetimidate (MA) inhibited up to 70% of the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity. Furthermore, calmodulin-activated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity was fully inhibited at non-limiting concentrations of MA. 2. Treatment with MA inhibited phosphorylation of the Ca(2+)-ATPase. 3. When the enzyme was treated with 7.2 mM-MA in the presence of 100 microM-Ca2+, Ca(2+)-ATPase activity was decreased by 33%, whereas when the membranes were treated with MA in the presence of 50 microM-VO4(3-), this activity was decreased by only 8%. 4. When membranes were either proteolysed or preincubated with 1 mM-Ca2+, MA quickly inactivated the Ca(2+)-ATPase (k = 1.2 min-1). On the other hand, inactivation of membranes preincubated in the absence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ was slow (k = 0.08 min-1). 5. When the activity was measured in the absence of calmodulin, MA decreased to the same extent the values of KCa (the apparent dissociation constant for Ca2+) and Vmax, but in the presence of calmodulin the treatment decreased Vmax. only. 6. The results are consistent with the idea that MA reacts readily with the Ca(2+)-ATPase when the enzyme is in an E1 conformation, but not an E2 conformation, and that, reciprocally, treatment of the enzyme with MA shifts the enzyme to E1. 7. Provided that Ca2+ is present, ATP, with low apparent affinity (K0.5 = 195 microM), protected against inactivation by MA. However, MA treatment did not change the Km values of either the high-affinity or the low-affinity site for ATP, suggesting that protection results from a shift to a conformation in which the Lys residues are inaccessible to MA.

Contact area of bovine somatotropin dimer: involvement of tyrosine 142.

The presence of tyrosine residues in the contact area between protomers of bovine somatotropin dimers (Fernandez & Delfino, Biochem. J. 209, 107-115, 1983) was investigated taking advantage of the impaired self-associating ability of molecules iodinated at such residues. Reaction of bovine somatotropin dissolved in 8 M urea with the NaI-Chloramine T couple (2.1 x 10(-4) M) rendered a preparation with 3.1 iodine atoms per molecule which, by stepwise elimination of the denaturant and gel filtration through Sephadex G-100, originated two distinguishable populations: one able (iododerivatives I), the other unable (iododerivatives II) to self-associate. After frontal analysis, iododerivatives II were found to be unable to interact even with native molecules. Identification of the reacting tyrosine residues indicated that iodination of tyrosine 142 was responsible for the loss of the ability to form dimers in iododerivatives II. Iodohormones retained the ability to bind to somatogenic mouse hepatocyte receptors--the relative potency for iododerivatives I and II being 0.60 (0.34-1.03) and 0.71 (0.41-1.22) respectively.

The action of luteinizing hormone on the testis.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) receptors are coupled to intracellular effector systems, most notably adenylate cyclase, through guanyl nucleotide-binding proteins or G-proteins. The molecular mechanism involved in the dynamic coupling of the LH/hCG receptor however, are not known. It has been postulated that receptor aggregation at the molecular level plays a critical role in this process. There have been attempts to understand the receptor association and dissociation phenomena at the molecular level. One of them involves the participation of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen in the mechanism of receptor activation and/or expression. One molecular basis for these mechanisms consists of a physical interaction between MHC proteins and receptors to form "compound receptors" able to transfer a hormonal signal to the cell. Using a photo-reactive probe we demonstrated that the LH/hCG receptors and the class I antigens are closely associated in the membrane. Thus, it is possible to form covalent complexes of hCG and class I antigens through the binding of the hormone to specific receptors. These findings imply that LH/hCG receptors and the MHC class I antigens may interact at the level of the plasma membrane in the mechanism of LH action. We also performed experiments using a single cell and limiting stimulation to a patch of membrane. The results stimulating the cell in a localized area suggested that even if all components are entirely free to float there is a constraint in the localization of the receptor, G-protein, and/or the effector, supporting the constraint dissociation model. Within a limited area subunits could dissociate, but they would not be free to diffuse throughout the membrane. Moreover the concept of compartmentalization that has been utilized to explain some inconsistencies in second-messenger action now can be proved by experimental design.

Proteins associated with somatogenic and lactogenic receptors in microsomal membranes and intact rat hepatocytes.

Lactogenic and somatogenic receptors present in rat liver have been examined by cross-linking with a derivative of human somatotropin (AP-hGH1) followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. AP-hGH1, which has a content of 2.2 azidophenacyl groups per molecule, mainly linked to half Cys-182 and half Cys-189, exerted a specificity similar to that of the native hormone (hGH), with an ability of 46% with respect to hGH to compete with the radiolabelled hormone for the binding sites of microsomal preparations. Photolysis of the 125I-labelled derivative bound to the lactogenic receptors present in either microsomal membranes or Triton X-100 solubilized preparations gave rise to a 63 kDa species. In addition, 30% of the covalent complexes formed in microsomal membranes belonged to a species with a molecular mass of 70 kDa. Incubation of viable rat hepatocytes with the radiolabelled derivative at either 0 degrees C for 3 h or 15 degrees C for 1.5 h and subjection to irradiation, yielded covalent complexes of molecular masses estimated at 130, 73, 63, 45 and 35 kDa. Experiments performed in the presence of 1 mM NaCN, gave rise to the previous species in a similar yield as that obtained in the absence of cyanide. The 130 kDa complex is related to the somatogenic binding sites, since it was not visualized in the presence of unlabelled bovine somatotropin, while the 70-73, 63, 45 and 35 kDa bands disappeared when the incubations were performed in the presence of unlabelled ovine prolactin.

Characteristics of a Ca2+-ATPase activity measured in islet homogenates.

Ca2+-ATPase activity was measured in rat islet homogenates, in a medium of low ionic strength containing a low concentration of Ca2+ and Mg2+ and devoid of K+. The enzyme activity was highly sensitive to inhibition by compound 48/80 (a calmodulin inhibitor), stimulated by 120 nM calmodulin and slightly affected by 10 mM NaN3. The addition of Mg2+ to the assay medium promotes the disappearance of apparent Ca2+-ATPase activity. Ouabain (0.1 mM) did not modify this ATPase activity. The enzyme showed two kinetic components for Ca2+ as well as for ATP: one with high apparent affinity and low maximum velocity and the other with low apparent affinity and high maximum velocity. Incubation of islet homogenates in this assay medium with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of proteolytic inhibitors, results in the appearance of a single labelled band of 130 kDa, identified by gel electrophoresis. The incorporation of 32P into this band was similar in the presence of either 2.8 or 50 microM Ca2+ and susceptible to hydroxylamine attack. The results indicate that, under the conditions described above, the Ca2+-ATPase activity evidenced in the islet homogenates had characteristics resembling those of the enzyme which catalyzes the outward Ca2+ transport. On the other hand, the method could provide a useful tool to test the effect of different agents which affect insulin secretion upon the islet plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase activity.

Carboxylate groups in bovine somatotropin involved in growth promoting activity. Theoretical models based upon individual kinetic constants to interpret the activity decay after chemical modification.

Modification of approximately one fifth of the carboxylate groups in bovine somatotropin with a water soluble carbodiimide caused loss of growth promoting potency pointing to the existence of residues related to the hormonal activity among those belonging to a fast reacting set. A sigmoidal curve was obtained whether the inactivation process was referred to reaction time or degree of modification. Isoelectrofocusing of derivatives released the native hormone from responsibility for the biological potency exerted by preparations with 1.5-2.6 modified carboxylate groups. Examination of the individual reaction kinetics of the 11 fast reacting residues, in turn, excluded the possibility of the sigmoidal character of the inactivation curve being caused by a nonexponential disappearance of essential residues, as a possible consequence of the chemical modification of others. According to synthetic models, the experimental curve may be the consequence of the effect of cumulative modification of 2 or 3 out of a set of 3 to 8 relevant residues.

Basic and acidic hydrophilic residues involved in the interaction between protomers of the bovine growth hormone dimer.

Reactivity of histidine and arginine residues--as well as of carboxyl-groups--in the covalently stabilized dimer of bovine growth hormone, was studied in comparison with their reactivity in the monomeric form. Results obtained by reaction of histidine and arginine residues with ethoxyformic anhydride and cyclohexanedione, respectively, were similar for both proteins. The reactivity of two carboxyl-groups towards a soluble carbodiimide becomes impaired in the dimer, thus suggesting that their location is within the protomer interaction area.

Hydrophobic residues involved in the interaction between protomers of the bovine growth hormone dimer. Methionine and tyrosine residues.

The bovine growth hormone dimeric form covalently stabilized by cross-linking with dimethyl suberimidate (DMS) and the hormone modified by DMS without forming covalent links with other hormone molecules (DMS-bGH) were oxidized with chloramine-T at molar-ratios of 2 and 50 with respect to methionine content. The extent of oxidation undergone by each methionine residue, estimated on the purified tryptic peptides, closely resembled that obtained for the native hormone, thus suggesting that methionine residues are not involved in the protomers interaction area. Evaluation of the reactivity of tyrosine residues toward tetranitromethane indicated that, in both the covalent dimer and DMS-bGH, tyrosine residues 35, 174 and 142 are the more susceptible to undergo reaction. Net charges can be induced in the iodotyrosine residues in the iodinated hormone, by setting the pH at 10.5. At this pH, dissociation of a fraction of uniformly iodinated hormone was observed in the derivatives containing 2 or more iodine atoms, indicating that tyrosine residues might integrate the contact area between protomers.

Basic and acidic hydrophilic residues involved in the interaction between protomers of the bovine growth hormone dimer.

Reactivity of histidine and arginine residues--as well as of carboxyl-groups--in the covalently stabilized dimer of bovine growth hormone, was studied in comparison with their reactivity in the monomeric form. Results obtained by reaction of histidine and arginine residues with ethoxyformic anhydride and cyclohexanedione, respectively, were similar for both proteins. The reactivity of two carboxyl-groups towards a soluble carbodiimide becomes impaired in the dimer, thus suggesting that their location is within the protomer interaction area.