A reference-based protein degradation assay without global translation inhibitors.

Although it is widely appreciated that the use of global translation inhibitors, such as cycloheximide, in protein degradation assays may result in artefacts, these inhibitors continue to be employed, owing to the absence of robust alternatives. We describe here the promoter reference technique (PRT), an assay for protein degradation with two advantageous features: a reference protein and a gene-specific inhibition of translation. In PRT assays, one measures, during a chase, the ratio of a test protein to a long-lived reference protein, a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The test protein and DHFR are coexpressed, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on a low-copy plasmid from two identical P TDH3 promoters containing additional, previously developed DNA elements. Once transcribed, these elements form 5'-RNA aptamers that bind to the added tetracycline, which represses translation of aptamer-containing mRNAs. The selectivity of repression avoids a global inhibition of translation. This selectivity is particularly important if a component of a relevant proteolytic pathway (e.g. a specific ubiquitin ligase) is itself short-lived. We applied PRT to the Pro/N-end rule pathway, whose substrates include the short-lived Mdh2 malate dehydrogenase. Mdh2 is targeted for degradation by the Gid4 subunit of the GID ubiquitin ligase. Gid4 is also a metabolically unstable protein. Through analyses of short-lived Mdh2 as a target of short-lived Gid4, we illustrate the advantages of PRT over degradation assays that lack a reference and/or involve cycloheximide. In sum, PRT avoids the use of global translation inhibitors during a chase and also provides a "built-in" reference protein.

Nitroxides prevent protein glycoxidation in vitro.

Seven nitroxides of different structures were studied for the ability to prevent glycoxidation of bovine serum albumin incubated with three monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, and ribose). Glycoxidation was estimated by fluorimetric parameters of protein modifications (formation of advanced glycation end products [AGEs], dityrosine, N'-formylkynurenine, and kynurenine) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for AGEs. From among the nitroxides tested, (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO), 4-carboxy-TEMPO, and 4-hydroxy-TEMPO offered significant protection against glycoxidation induced by glucose and fructose, while 3-carbamoyl-PROXYL was not protective, enhancing glycoxidation. Lower protection was observed for glycoxidation induced by ribose where only 3-carbamoyl-PROXYL and 4-amino-TEMPO showed some protection. Loss of electron spin resonance signal of the nitroxides was observed during glycoxidation indicating occurrence of free radical reactions in this process. These results suggest for the first time that nitroxides may be promising compounds for preventing glycoxidation.