Novel reactivity of Fhit proteins: catalysts for fluorolysis of nucleoside 5'-phosphoramidates and nucleoside 5'-phosphosulfates to generate nucleoside 5'-phosphorofluoridates.

Fragile histidine triad (HIT) proteins (Fhits) occur in all eukaryotes but their function is largely unknown. Human Fhit is presumed to function as a tumour suppressor. Previously, we demonstrated that Fhits catalyse hydrolysis of not only dinucleoside triphosphates but also natural adenosine 5'-phosphoramidate (NH2-pA) and adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (SO4-pA) as well as synthetic adenosine 5'-phosphorofluoridate (F-pA). In the present study, we describe an Fhit-catalysed displacement of the amino group of nucleoside 5'-phosphoramidates (NH2-pNs) or the sulfate moiety of nucleoside 5'-phosphosulfates (SO4-pNs) by fluoride anion. This results in transient accumulation of the corresponding nucleoside 5'-phosphorofluoridates (F-pNs). Substrate specificity and kinetic characterization of the fluorolytic reactions catalysed by the human Fhit and other examples of involvement of fluoride in the biochemistry of nucleotides are described. Among other HIT proteins, human histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein (Hint1) catalysed fluorolysis of NH2-pA 20 times and human Hint2 40 times more slowly than human Fhit.

Homocysteine thiolactone affects protein ubiquitination in yeast.

The formation of homocysteine thiolactone (HcyTl) from homocysteine occurs in all examined so far organisms including bacteria, yeast, and humans. Protein N-homocysteinylation at the ε-amino group of lysine is an adverse result of HcyTl accumulation. Since tagging of proteins by ubiquitination before their proteasomal degradation takes place at the same residue, we wondered how N-homocysteinylation may affect the ubiquitination of proteins. We used different yeast strains carrying mutations in genes involved in the homocysteine metabolism. We found positive correlation between the concentration of endogenous HcyTl and the concentration of ubiquitinated proteins. This suggests that N-homocysteinylation of proteins apparently does not preclude but rather promotes their decomposition.

Aggregation and structural changes of α(S1)-, ß- and κ-caseins induced by homocysteinylation.

Elevated homocysteine levels are resulting in N-homocysteinylation of lysyl residues in proteins and they correlate with a number of human pathologies. However, the role of homocysteinylation of lysyl residues is still poorly known. In order to study the features of homocysteinylation of intrinsically unstructured proteins (IUP) bovine caseins were used as a model. α(S1)-, ß- and κ-caseins, showing different aggregations and micelle formation, were modified with homocysteine-thiolactone and their physico-chemical properties were studied. Efficiency of homocysteine incorporation was estimated to be about 1.5, 2.1 and 1.3 homocysteyl residues per one ß-, α(S1)-, and κ-casein molecule, respectively. Use of intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescent markers such as Trp, thioflavin T and ANS, reveal structural changes of casein structures after homocysteinylation reflected by an increase in beta-sheet content, which in some cases may be characteristic of amyloid-like transformations. CD spectra also show an increase in beta-sheet content of homocysteinylated caseins. Casein homocysteinylation leads in all cases to aggregation. The sizes of aggregates and aggregation rates were dependent on homocysteine thiolactone concentration and temperature. DLS and microscopic studies have revealed the formation of large aggregates of about 1-3µm. Homocysteinylation of α(S1)- and ß-caseins results in formation of regular spheres. Homocysteinylated κ-casein forms thin unbranched fibrils about 400-800nm long. In case of κ-casein amyloidogenic effect of homocysteinylation was confirmed by Congo red spectra. Taken together, data indicate that N-homocysteinylation provokes significant changes in properties of native caseins. A comparison of amyloidogenic transformation of 3 different casein types, belonging to the IUP protein family, shows that the efficiency of amyloidogenic transformation upon homocysteinylation depends on micellization capacity, additional disulphide bonds and other structural features.

Dual activity of certain HIT-proteins: A. thaliana Hint4 and C. elegans DcpS act on adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate as hydrolases (forming AMP) and as phosphorylases (forming ADP).

Histidine triad (HIT)-family proteins interact with different mono- and dinucleotides and catalyze their hydrolysis. During a study of the substrate specificity of seven HIT-family proteins, we have shown that each can act as a sulfohydrolase, catalyzing the liberation of AMP from adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS or SO(4)-pA). However, in the presence of orthophosphate, Arabidopsis thaliana Hint4 and Caenorhabditis elegans DcpS also behaved as APS phosphorylases, forming ADP. Low pH promoted the phosphorolytic and high pH the hydrolytic activities. These proteins, and in particular Hint4, also catalyzed hydrolysis or phosphorolysis of some other adenylyl-derivatives but at lower rates than those for APS cleavage. A mechanism for these activities is proposed and the possible role of some HIT-proteins in APS metabolism is discussed.

Chaperone-like activities of different molecular forms of beta-casein. Importance of polarity of N-terminal hydrophilic domain.

As a member of intrinsically unstructured protein family, beta-casein (beta-CN) contains relatively high amount of prolyl residues, adopts noncompact and flexible structure and exhibits chaperone-like activity in vitro. Like many chaperones, native beta-CN does not contain cysteinyl residues and exhibits strong tendencies for self-association. The chaperone-like activities of three recombinant beta-CNs wild type (WT) beta-CN, C4 beta-CN (with cysteinyl residue in position 4) and C208 beta-CN (with cysteinyl residue in position 208), expressed and purified from E. coli, which, consequently, lack the phosphorylated residues, were examined and compared with that of native beta-CN using insulin and alcohol dehydrogenase as target/substrate proteins. The dimers (beta-CND) of C4-beta-CN and C208 beta-CN were also studied and their chaperone-like activities were compared with those of their monomeric forms. Lacking phosphorylation, WT beta-CN, C208 beta-CN, C4 beta-CN and C4 beta-CND exhibited significantly lower chaperone-like activities than native beta-CN. Dimerization of C208 beta-CN with two distal hydrophilic domains considerably improved its chaperone-like activity in comparison with its monomeric form. The obtained results demonstrate the significant role played by the polar contributions of phosphorylated residues and N-terminal hydrophilic domain as important functional elements in enhancing the chaperone-like activity of native beta-CN. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 91: 623-632, 2009.This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The "Published Online" date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com.

[Mechanisms that protect against homocysteine toxicity]. / Mechanizmy chroniace przed toksycznoscia homocysteiny.

Elevated concentrations of homocysteine (Hcy) in human tissues have been correlated with some diseases, such as cardio-vascular, neurodegenerative, and kidney disorders. Hcy occurs in human blood in several forms. The most reactive is homocysteine thiolactone (HcyTl). It spontaneously homocysteinylates proteins impairing their functions. As has been evidenced recently, organisms developed protective mechanisms against the HcyTl toxicity. The first mechanism discovered was the calcium-dependent enzyme occurring in mammalian sera, known till then as paraoxonase, which hydrolyzes HcyTl to Hcy. Chronologically second mechanism discovered was urinary excretion of HcyTl. The third protective mechanism is the HcyTl hydrolysis catalyzed by intracellular enzyme known as bleomycin hydrolase. This review outlines current knowledge of the Hcy toxicity and of the three aforementioned protective mechanisms, emphasizing the role of bleomycin hydrolase/ homocysteine-thiolactonase.

Protective mechanisms against homocysteine toxicity: the role of bleomycin hydrolase.

Homocysteine (Hcy) editing by methionyl-tRNA synthetase results in the formation of Hcy-thiolactone and initiates a pathway that has been implicated in human disease. In addition to being cleared from the circulation by urinary excretion, Hcy-thiolactone is detoxified by the serum Hcy-thiolactonase/paraoxonase carried on high density lipoprotein. Whether Hcy-thiolactone is detoxified inside cells was unknown. Here we show that Hcy-thiolactone is hydrolyzed by an intracellular enzyme, which we have purified to homogeneity from human placenta and identified by proteomic analyses as human bleomycin hydrolase (hBLH). We have also purified an Hcy-thiolactonase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and identified it as yeast bleomycin hydrolase (yBLH). BLH belongs to a family of evolutionarily conserved cysteine aminopeptidases, and its only known biologically relevant function was deamidation of the anticancer drug bleomycin. Recombinant hBLH or yBLH, expressed in Escherichia coli, exhibits Hcy-thiolactonase activity similar to that of the native enzymes. Active site mutations, C73A for hBLH and H369A for yBLH, inactivate Hcy-thiolactonase activities. Yeast blh1 mutants are deficient in Hcy-thiolactonase activity in vitro and in vivo, produce more Hcy-thiolactone, and exhibit greater sensitivity to Hcy toxicity than wild type yeast cells. Our data suggest that BLH protects cells against Hcy toxicity by hydrolyzing intracellular Hcy-thiolactone.