Conformational and receptor-binding properties of the insect neuropeptide proctolin and its analogues.

Proctolin (Arg-Tyr-Leu-Pro-Thr) was the first insect neuropeptide to be chemically characterised. It plays an essential role in insect neurophysiology and is involved in muscular contraction and neuromodulation. Elements of secondary structure in solution have been studied by comparing data obtained from NMR and molecular dynamics simulations. Different secondary structural requirements are associated with agonist and antagonist activities. A favoured conformation of proctolin has an inverse gamma-turn, comprising an intramolecular hydrogen bond near the C-terminal end between Thr NH and Leu CO. Antagonists have a more compact structure resembling a 'paperclip' loop, containing an intramolecular hydrogen bond between Tyr NH and Pro CO, possibly stabilised by a salt bridge between the N- and C-terminal groups. A cyclic analogue retains antagonist activity and resembles a beta-bulge loop, also comprising intramolecular hydrogen bonds between Tyr NH and Pro CO and Thr CO. These models may offer feasible starting points for designing novel compounds with proctolinergic activity.

Isolation of an Ustilago maydis gene encoding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and expression of a C-terminal-truncated form in Escherichia coli.

A gene encoding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase was isolated from the maize fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis. This was accomplished by identifying cDNA and genomic clones that hybridized to an internal fragment of the gene, amplified from U. maydis genomic DNA by PCR. The nature of the gene was determined by nucleotide sequence analysis, and by comparing the derived amino acid sequence of the gene with HMG-CoA reductases from yeast, and from other organisms. The hydrophobic nature of the N-terminal region of the deduced protein sequence also supported the view that this gene encoded HMG-CoA reductase. A C-terminal-truncated fragment of the U. maydis HMG-CoA reductase gene was shown to be expressed in Escherichia coli in a catalytically active form. The expressed protein was also shown to be sensitive to an inhibitor of mammalian HMG-CoA reductase activity.

Purification and properties of the enzyme arylamine N-acetyltransferase from the housefly Musca domestica.

The enzyme arylamine N-acetyltransferase (ANAT) from the housefly (Musca domestica) has been purified. The M(r) of the purified enzyme was 27,600 +/- 1700 as estimated by gel filtration. SDS/PAGE yielded a value of 26,000 +/- 300, clearly indicating a monomeric structure. The purified enzyme had apparent Km values for acetyl-CoA and tyramine of 8.4 microM and 8.8 microM respectively, a pH optimum of 7.2 in 10 mM potassium phosphate buffer and an apparent pI of 5.8. ANAT activity showed a strong dependency on the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol during the purification stages. The enzyme could be completely inactivated by treatment with p-chloromercuribenzoate although the enzyme activity was protected by preincubation with acetyl-CoA. One or more cysteine residues are clearly required for catalytic activity, as demonstrated for the mammalian enzyme. In contrast, partial sequencing of the enzyme has yielded a number of peptide sequences, including the N-terminal sequence, which show no similarity with those reported for the mammalian and avian enzymes.

Inhibition of phosphatidylcholine and chitin biosynthesis in Pyricularia oryzae, Botrytis fabae and Fusarium graminearum by edifenphos.

Colony growth of the fungi Pyricularia oryzae, Botrytis fabae and Fusarium graminearum was reduced by 50% (ED50) by edifenphos concentrations of 7, 25 and 190 microM respectively; the phosphatidylcholine (PC) content of biomass of P. oryzae, B. fabae, and F. graminearum harvested from fungicide-containing-cultures was reduced by 50% by 6, 95 and 350 microM-edifenphos respectively. By contrast, the activities of membrane-bound chitin synthase preparations isolated from the three fungi were approximately equally sensitive to edifenphos. A direct relationship was observed between PC contents of biomass grown in the presence of ediphenphos and in vivo rates of chitin synthesis (biomass incubated with [3H]GlcNAc in the absence of fungicide). Membrane-bound chitin synthase preparations from P. oryzae grown in medium containing 3 or 6 microM-edifenphos had, at the same fungicide concentration, a lower rate of in vivo chitin synthesis than preparations isolated from biomass grown in the absence of edifenphos. Membrane-bound chitin synthase preparations from P. oryzae grown in the presence and absence of 6 microM-edifenphos had the same Km values for the substrate (UDP-[14C]GlcNAc) but different Vmax values. The results suggest that chitin synthesis is inhibited directly by non-competitive inhibition of chitin synthase activity, and indirectly following inhibition of PC biosynthesis. P. oryzae is very sensitive to edifenphos because inhibition of PC biosynthesis occurs at very low fungicide concentrations, and therefore in this fungus inhibition of PC biosynthesis probably represents the primary mode of action of the fungicide.

Relationships between phosphatidylcholine content, chitin synthesis, growth, and morphology of Aspergillus nidulans choC.

The phosphatidylcholine (PC) content of Aspergillus nidulans choC was varied by growing the auxotroph in medium containing various concentrations of choline chloride. Direct linear correlations were observed between PC content and in vivo chitin synthase activity, between in vivo chitin synthase activity and mean hyphal extension rate, and between mean hyphal extension rate and hyphal growth unit length; hyphal growth unit length is a measure of hyphal branching. Further, there was a correlation between PC content and colony radial growth rate. Thus, membrane composition is an important determinant of both hyphal (and colony) extension rate and mycelial morphology.

Sequence and functional expression of a single alpha subunit of an insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

We report the isolation and sequence of a cDNA clone that encodes a locust (Schistocerca gregaria) nervous system nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) subunit (alpha L1). The calculated molecular weight of the unglycosylated polypeptide, which contains in the proposed extracellular domain two adjacent cysteine residues which are characteristic of alpha (ligand binding) subunits, is 60,641 daltons. Injection into Xenopus oocytes, of RNA synthesized from this clone in vitro, results in expression of functional nicotinic receptors in the oocyte membrane. In these, nicotine opens a cation channel; the receptors are blocked by both alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-Bgt) and kappa-bungarotoxin (kappa-Bgt). Reversible block of the expressed insect AChR by mecamylamine, d-tubocurarine, tetraethylammonium, bicuculline and strychnine has also been observed. These data are entirely consistent with previously reported electrophysiological studies on in vivo insect nicotinic receptors and also with biochemical studies on an alpha-Bgt affinity purified locust AChR. Thus, a functional receptor exhibiting the characteristic pharmacology of an in vivo insect nicotinic AChR can be expressed in Xenopus oocytes by injection with a single subunit RNA.

A rapid purification of L-glutamic acid decarboxylase from the brain of the locust Schistocerca gregaria.

L-Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD; EC 4.1.1.15) was purified to apparent homogeneity from the brain of the locust Schistocerca gregaria using a combination of chromatofocusing (Mono P) and gel filtration (Superose 12) media. The homogeneity of the enzyme preparation was established by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) with silver staining. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated from native gradient gel electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography to be 97,000 +/- 4,000 and 93,000 +/- 5,000, respectively. When analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-PAGE, the enzyme was found to be composed of two distinct subunits of Mr 51,000 +/- 1,000 and 44,000 +/- 1,500. Tryptic peptide maps of iodinated preparations of these two subunits showed considerable homology, suggesting that the native enzyme is a dimer of closely related subunits. The purified enzyme had a pH optimum of 7.0-7.4 in 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer and an apparent Km for glutamate of 5.0 mM. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by the carbonyl-trapping reagent aminooxyacetic acid with an I50 value of 0.2 microM.

Relationship between the ability of some neuroleptics to enhance striatal [3H]dopamine release and their lipophilicity.

The ability of micromolar concentrations (100 microM) of some neuroleptics to enhance release of [3H]dopamine from rat striatum was studied. All the neuroleptics tested potentiated [3H]dopamine release, the most potent being chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine and fluphenazine and the least potent being sulpiride and metoclopramide. Apomorphine did not reverse the effects of fluphenazine and the stereo-isomers of flupenthixol were almost equipotent. These results indicated a direct, non-receptor, mediated mechanism. The lipophilicity of the neuroleptics, determined by reversed-phase TLC, showed a good correlation with their ability to enhance dopamine release. It is concluded that the lipophilicity of these drugs is partly responsible for the enhanced release of dopamine and may be clinically important following chronic administration of neuroleptics.