Characterization of the protein phosphatase 1 catalytic subunit in endothelium: involvement in contractile responses.

We have previously demonstrated the direct involvement of a type 1 Ser/Thr phosphatase (PPase 1) in endothelial cell (EC) barrier regulation [Am. J. Physiol. 269:L99-L108, 1995]. To further extend this observation, we microinjected either the Ser/Thr PPase inhibitor, calyculin, or the PPase 1 inhibitory protein, I-2 into bovine pulmonary artery EC and demonstrated both an increase in F-actin stress fibers and a shift from a regular polygonal shape to a spindle shape with gaps apparent at the cell borders. Northern blot analysis with specific cDNA probes revealed the presence of three major PPase 1 catalytic subunit (CS1) isoforms (alpha, delta, and gamma) in human and bovine EC. To characterize the myosin-associated EC CS1 isoform, myosin-enriched bovine EC fraction was screened with anti-CS1alpha and anti-CS1delta antibodies The anti-CS1delta antiserum, but not anti-CS1alpha antiserum cross reacts with the CS1 isoform present in myosin-enriched fraction and CS1delta was found in stable association with EC myosin/myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) complex in MLCK immunoprecipitates under nondenaturing conditions. Consistent with these data, overexpression of CS1delta-GFP construct in bovine endothelium followed by immunoprecipitation of CS1 with anti-GFP antibody revealed the stable association of CS1delta with actomyosin complex. Finally, screening of a human EC oligo(dT)-primed cDNA library with a probe encoding a rat CS1delta cDNA segment yielding several positive clones that encoded the entire CS1delta open reading frame and partially noncoding regions. Sequence analysis determined a high homology ( approximately 99%) with human CS1delta derived from a teratocarcinoma cell line. Together, these data suggest that CS1delta is the major of PPase 1 isoform specifically associated with EC actomyosin complex and which participates in EC barrier regulation.

High complexity in the expression of the B' subunit of protein phosphatase 2A0. Evidence for the existence of at least seven novel isoforms.

Association of the catalytic subunit (C2) with a variety of regulatory subunits is believed to modulate the activity and specificity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). In this study we report the cloning and expression of a new family of B-subunit, the B', associated with the PP2A0 form. Polymerase chain reactions and cDNA library screening have identified at least seven cDNA isotypes, designated alpha, beta 1, beta 2, beta 3, beta 4, gamma, and delta. The different beta subtypes appear to be generated by alternative splicing. The deduced amino acid sequences of the alpha, beta 2, beta 3, beta 4 and gamma isoforms predict molecular weights of 57,600, 56,500, 60,900, 52,500, and 68,000, respectively. The proteins are 60-80% identical and differ mostly at their termini. Two of the isoforms, B' beta 3 and B' gamma, contain a bipartite nuclear localization signal in their COOH terminus. No homology was found with other B- or B- related subunits. Northern analyses indicate a tissue-specific expression of the isoforms. Expression of B' alpha protein in Escherichia coli generated a polypeptide of approximately 53 kDa, similar to the size of the B' subunit present in the purified PP2A0. The recombinant protein was recognized by antibody raised against native B' and interacted with the dimeric PP2A (A.C2) to generate a trimeric phosphatase. The deduced amino acid sequences of the B' isoforms show significant homology to mammalian, fungal, and plant nucleotide sequences of unknown function present in the data bases. Notably, a high degree of homology (55-66%) was found with a yeast gene, RTS1, encoding a multicopy suppressor of a rox3 mutant. Our data indicate that at least seven B' subunit isoforms may participate in the generation of a large number of PP2A0 holoenzymes that may be spatially and/or functionally targeted to different cellular processes.

Protein crystallization.

Crystallization is necessary to obtain the three-dimensional structure of proteins and nucleic acids; it often represents the bottleneck in structure determination. Our understanding of crystallization mechanisms is still incomplete. In this review, we emphasize fundamental aspects of the crystallization process. Protein-protein contacts in crystals are complex, involving a delicate balance of specific and nonspecific interactions. Depending on solution conditions, these interactions can lead to nucleation of crystals or to amorphous aggregation; this stage of crystallization has been successfully studied by light scattering. Post-nucleation crystal growth may proceed by mechanisms involving crystal defects or two-dimensional nucleation, as observed by atomic force and interference microscopy. Cessation of growth has been observed but remains incompletely understood. Impurities may play important roles during all stages of crystallization. Phase diagrams can guide optimization of conditions for nucleation and subsequent crystal growth; a theoretical understanding relating these to the intermolecular interactions is beginning to develop.

Serine/threonine protein phosphatases in the control of cell function.

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a fundamental mechanism by which many biological functions are regulated. Achievement of such control requires the coordinated action of the interconverting enzymes, the protein kinases and protein phosphatases. By comparison with protein kinases, a limited number of protein phosphatase catalytic subunits are present in the cell, which raises the question of how such a small number of dephosphorylating enzymes can counterbalance the action of the more numerous protein kinases. In mammalian cells, four major classes of Ser/Thr-specific phosphatase catalytic subunits have been identified, comprising two distinct gene families. The high degree of homology among members of the same family, PP1, PP2A and PP2B, and the high degree of evolutionary conservation between organisms as divergent as mammals and yeast, implies that these enzymes are involved in fundamental cell functions. Type 1 enzymes appear to acquire specificity by association with targeting regulatory subunits which direct the enzymes to specific cellular compartments, confer substrate specificity and control enzyme activity. In spite of the progress made in determining the structure of the PP2A subunits, very little is known about the control of this activity and about substrate selection. Recent studies have unravelled a significant number of regulatory subunits. The potential existence of five distinct B or B-related polypeptides, some of which are present in multiple isoforms, two A and two C subunit isoforms, raises the possibility that a combinatorial association could generate a large number of specific PP2A forms with different substrate specificity and/or cellular localization. Moreover, biochemical, biological and genetic studies all concur in suggesting that the regulatory subunits may play an important role in determining the properties of the Ser/Thr protein phosphatases and hence their physiological functions.

Studies of crystal growth mechanisms of proteins by electron microscopy.

We have used electron microscopy to examine the surfaces of lysozyme crystals and deduce mechanisms of crystal growth. We find that growth occurs by a lattice defect mechanism at low supersaturation and by two-dimensional nucleation at high supersaturation. Step velocities and two-dimensional nucleation rates are obtained, and their dependence on supersaturation is compared with theory. Some features of the observed surface structure can be related to the specific topology and strengths of the bonds in the P4(3)2(1)2 lattice. Preliminary results on the early stages of nucleation and the phenomenon of cessation of growth are presented.

Optical bistability and self-oscillation of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometer filled with a nematic-liquid-crystal film.

A Fabry-Perot interferometer filled with an 83-microm-thick nematic-liquid-crystal film exhibits multiple-order optical bistability and self-oscillation. The oscillation is shown to be due to two competing mechanisms with different response times contributing to the laser-induced refractive-index change.

Strong optical diffraction in a nematic liquid crystal with high nonlinearity.

Quantitative results of measurements on multiorder diffraction of light from a laser-induced phase grating in a nematic liquid crystal with high optical nonlinearity are presented. Theoretical calculations using a nonperturbative approach show good agreement with experiment.

Laser-induced diffraction rings from a nematic-liquid-crystal film.

Multiple diffraction rings appear as a cw laser beam passes through a homeotropic nematic film. The phenomenon is shown to be the result of spatial self-phase modulation that is due to the laser-induced Freedericksz transition.