The cytotoxic T cell proteinase granzyme B does not activate interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme.

Murine granzyme B (cytotoxic cell proteinase-1 (CCP1)) is a member of a family of seven serine proteases found in cytoplasmic granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Evidence has suggested that it is involved in target cell DNA fragmentation during CTL-mediated cytotoxicity, although intracellular substrates for granzyme B have not yet been identified. The substrate specificity of granzyme B, requiring an aspartic acid residue at site P1, is unique among eukaryotic serine proteases and is shared with only one other known eukaryotic protease, interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE). ICE is responsible for processing pro-interleukin-1 beta to produce biologically active interleukin-1 beta and is itself synthesized as an inactive precursor. Recent evidence has suggested a role for ICE in programmed cell death, which led to a model for CTL-mediated cytotoxicity. In this proposal granzyme B activates ICE in the target cell by proteolytically processing the ICE precursor, resulting in active ICE heterodimer that induces apoptosis in the target cell. We have isolated the cDNA encoding murine ICE and generated in vitro translated ICE precursor. Using lysates from COS cells expressing granzyme B we show that ICE precursor is not a substrate for granzyme B and propose an alternate mechanism for CTL-mediated cytotoxicity.

Cloning of a gene that encodes a new member of the human cytotoxic cell protease family.

A family of unusual serine proteases that are believed to be involved in the effector mechanism of cell-mediated cytotoxicity have previously been described in the mouse. However, in the human only one gene encoding a member has been isolated. By use of a mixture of murine cDNAs as probes, a second human gene has now been isolated. The primary structures of the gene and the predicted protein are very similar to those of the mouse. In addition, in keeping with the postulated involvement in cytolysis, transcripts were detected only in cytotoxic cells. The organization of the coding and noncoding regions of the gene, the clustering of family members, and the chromosomal location, close to the alpha chain of the T cell antigen receptor, are all conserved between human and mouse.

Organization of two genes encoding cytotoxic T lymphocyte-specific serine proteases CCPI and CCPII.

The genes encoding two recently described cytotoxic T cell proteases, CCPI and CCPII, have been isolated and sequenced. The organizations of the coding and noncoding portions of the two genes are very similar to each other and also to the gene encoding rat mast cell protease type II. Similarly to other serine protease genes, each of the active-site residues is contained on a separate exon; however, two introns were found in particularly interesting positions. One occurs within the postulated activation dipeptide and the other in a position close to the active-site Asp residue. This latter intron interrupts the amino acid sequence in the invariant core region of the protein. We believe that these genes represent a new subfamily of serine protease genes.

Isolation of two cDNA sequences which encode cytotoxic cell proteases.

Two cDNAs which cross-hybridized with cytotoxic cell protease genes were identified in a library generated from a cytotoxic T cell line. Sequence analysis revealed that the two new members of the family contained the three catalytic triad residues which characterize the active sites of serine proteases. A comparison of the protein sequences revealed not only a high degree of homology but also the conservation of some unusual structural features. These include the lack of a disulphide bond which spans the active site serine, the presence of a signal sequence and the inference of a dipeptide activation sequence.

Evolution of antibiotic resistance plasmids in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus species.

The emergence of beta-lactamase producing strains of Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae has required fundamental changes in the antimicrobial therapy of disease caused by these organisms. Ampicillin resistance in both organisms is caused by plasmid mediated production of TEM beta-lactamase. This enzyme is specified by a sequence of mol. wt 3.2 X 10(6) which is capable of inserting itself at multiple sites in DNA replicons without the requirement for significant base sequence homology between donor and recipient replicon. Further, it does so without requirement for conventional recombination enzymes. Analysis of beta-lactamase specifying plasmids of H. influenzae show that they generally have a molecular mass in the order of 30 X 10(6) and contain the complete TnA sequence. They are conjugative but are incapable of mobilizing smaller beta-lactamase plasmids. Previous studies have presented evidence suggesting that these plasmids may have evolved by insertion of the TnA sequence (perhaps introduced from enteric bacteria) into a phenotypically cryptic plasmid of mol. wt 27 X 10(6) resident in rare strains of H. influenzae. In this study, we review data showing a high degree of homology between the small (3--7 X 10(6) mol. wt), nonconjugative beta-lactamase specifying plasmids of N. gonorrhoeae, H. parainfluenzae and H. ducreyl and present new evidence that cryptic plasmids highly homologous to the beta-lactamase plasmids are present in many strains of H. parainfluenzae. This suggests that the small beta-lactamase specifying plasmids of H. parainfluenzae, H. ducreyi and N. gonorrhoeae may have arisen by insertion of TnA into phenotypically cryptic plasmids present in H. parainfluenzae.

Molecular epidemiology of beta-lactamase-specifying plasmids of Haemophilus ducreyi.

We have studied the genetic basis of beta-lactamase production in eight strains of Haemophilus ducreyi isolated in diverse areas of the world. Beta-lactamase production in all strains was mediated by plasmids having a molecular mass of either 5.7 or 7.0 megadaltons. Plasmids of 5.7 megadaltons were shown to carry the entire sequence of pFA7, the beta-lactamase specifying plasmid found in isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae epidemiologically linked to West Africa. Plasmids of 7.0 megadaltons were shown to carry the entire sequence of pFA3, the beta-lactamase specifying plasmid found in Far Eastern isolates of N. gonorrhoeae. Both groups of H. ducreyi plasmids were shown to carry physically complete and functional TnA sequences. Thus we have identified two types of H. ducreyi beta-lactamase plasmid which are identical to the two types of N. gonorrhoeae beta-lactamase plasmid, except that they carry complete TnA sequences.