Isolation and characterization of a moderate thermophile, Mycobacterium phlei GTIS10, capable of dibenzothiophene desulfurization.

An organism, identified as Mycobacterium phlei GTIS10, was isolated based on its ability to use dibenzothiophene (DBT) as a sole source of sulfur for growth at 30-52 degrees C. Similar to other biodesulfurization-competent organisms, M. phlei GTIS10 converts DBT to 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP), as detected by HPLC. The specific desulfurization activity of the 50 degrees C M. phlei GTIS10 culture was determined to be 1.1+/-0.07 micromol 2-HBP min(-1) (g dry cell)(-1). M. phlei GTIS10 can also utilize benzothiophene and thiophene as sulfur sources for growth. The dszABC operon of M. phlei GTIS10 was cloned and sequenced and was found to be identical to that of Rhodococcus erythropolis IGTS8. The presence of the R. erythropolis IGTS8 120-kb plasmid pSOX, which encodes the dszABC operon, has been demonstrated in M. phlei GTIS10. Even though identical dsz genes are contained in both cultures, the temperature at which resting cells of R. erythropolisIGTS8 reach the highest rate of DBT metabolism is near 30 degrees C whereas the temperature that shows the highest activity in resting cell cultures of M. phlei GTIS10 is near 50 degrees C, and activity is detectable at temperatures as high as 57 degrees C. In M. phlei GTIS10, the rate-limiting step in vivo appears to be the conversion of DBT to dibenzothiophene sulfone catalyzed by the product of the dszC gene, DBT monooxygenase. The thermostability of individual desulfurization enzymes was determined and 2-hydroxybiphenyl-2-sulfinate sulfinolyase, encoded by dszB, was found to be the most thermolabile. These results demonstrate that the thermostability of individual enzymes determined in vitro is not necessarily a good predictor of the functional temperature range of enzymes in vivo.

Identification, characterization, and homologous up-regulation of latent (cryptic) receptors for tumor necrosis factor-alpha in rat liver plasma membranes.

A population of latent (cryptic) receptors for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) has been characterized in the rat liver plasma membrane (PM). 125I-TNF bound to high (Kd = 1.51 +/- 0.35 nM) and low (Kd = 13.58 +/- 1.45 nM) affinity receptors in PM. Solubilization of PM with 1% Triton X-100 prior to incubation with 125I-TNF increased both high affinity (from 0.33 +/- 0.04 to 1.67 +/- 0.05 pmol/mg of protein) and low affinity (from 1.92 +/- 0.16 to 7.57 +/- 0.50 pmol/mg of protein) TNF binding without affecting the affinities for TNF. Digestion of intact PM with chymotrypsin abolished most of the TNF binding capacity of PM. However, substantial binding activity was recovered by solubilization of chymotrypsin-treated PM with 1% Triton X-100, suggesting the presence of a large latent pool of TNF receptors. The affinities of the high and low affinity sites recovered from chymotrypsin-treated membranes were similar to those of intact PM. Affinity labeling of receptors whether from PM, solubilized PM, or membranes digested with chymotrypsin and then solubilized resulted in cross-linking of 125I-TNF into Mr 130,000, 90,000, and 66,000 complexes. Thus, the properties of the latent TNF receptors were similar to those initially accessible to TNF. To determine if exposure of latent receptors is regulated by TNF, 125I-TNF binding to control and TNF-pretreated membranes was assayed. Specific binding was increased by pretreatment with TNF (p less than 0.05), demonstrating that hepatic PM contains latent TNF receptors whose exposure is promoted by TNF. Homologous up-regulation of TNF receptors may, in part, be responsible for sustained hepatic responsiveness during chronic exposure to TNF.

Insulin stimulates proteolysis of the alpha-subunit, but not the beta-subunit, of its receptor at the cell surface in rat liver.

Insulin receptors in rat liver plasma membranes contain two alpha- and two beta-subunits held together by interchain disulphide bonds ([alpha beta]2 receptors). Affinity-labelled receptors were digested with chymotrypsin or elastase and then exposed to dithiothreitol before solubilization from membranes and SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. This resulted in partial reduction and isolation of Mr-225,000 alpha beta, Mr-200,000 alpha 1 beta, Mr-165,000 alpha beta 1 and Mr-145,000 alpha 1 beta 1 receptor halves containing intact (alpha, beta) or degraded (alpha 1, beta 1) subunits. The ability to identify half-receptor complexes containing intact or degraded subunits made it possible to assay each subunit simultaneously for insulin-induced proteolysis in isolated plasma membranes or during perfusion of rat liver in situ with insulin. In liver membranes, insulin binding increased the fraction of receptors containing degraded alpha-subunits to about one-third of the total population during 2 h of incubation at 23 degrees C. beta-Subunit proteolysis increased only minimally during this time. Plasma membranes isolated from livers perfused with insulin at 37 degrees C contained degraded alpha-subunits but only intact beta-subunits, showing that insulin induced cell-surface proteolysis of the binding, but not the kinase, domain of its receptor. Since previous observations [Lipson, Kolhatkar & Donner (1988) J. Biol. Chem 263, 10495-10501] have shown that receptors containing degraded alpha-subunits are internalized but do not recycle, it is possible that cell-surface degradation may play a role in the regulation of insulin-receptor number in hepatic tissue. Proteolysis of the beta-subunit is not a likely mechanism by which receptor-kinase activity may be attenuated under physiological conditions.

Alkylation, reduction, solubilization and enrichment of binding activity do not impair the ability of insulin receptors to convert from a rapid- into a slow-dissociating state.

Hormone binding promotes conversion of rat hepatic insulin receptors from a rapid-dissociating into a slow-dissociating affinity state. Solubilization into detergent does not impair the ability of receptors to convert into a slow-dissociating state, and this property is retained as receptor-binding activity is enriched 11,000-13,000-fold during purification. Hormone binding also induces two conformational changes (alterations of tryptic lability) in the insulin receptor. The first change is rapid and exposes parts of the receptor to tryptic degradation. The second, slower, change occurs with the same time course, and probably mediates the conversion into the slower-dissociating binding state. Reduction of disulphide bonds with dithiothreitol does not prevent conversion of binding sites into a slower-dissociating state, and reduced receptors retain the ability to undergo conformational changes in response to hormone binding. Alkylation with N-ethylmaleimide also does not affect the insulin-induced conversion into a slow-dissociating state. These observations suggest that the conversion into a slow-dissociating state is an intrinsic property of the insulin receptor. Free thiol groups in the insulin receptor and disulphide bonds between the alpha-subunits are not essential to this process.

Cell surface proteolysis and down-regulation of the hepatic insulin receptor. Evidence for selective sorting of intact and degraded receptors after internalization.

Insulin binding to rat liver plasma membranes promotes proteolysis of the Mr 135,000 alpha subunit of the insulin receptor to a fragment of Mr 120,000 (Lipson, K. E., Yamada, K., Kolhatkar, A. A., and Donner, D. B. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 10833-10838). The enzyme that catalyzes this degradation copurifies with plasma membranes and cannot be identified in any other cellular organelle or in cytosol. The proteinase has optimal activity above pH 7 and is an integral protein based upon its resistance to extraction with 2 M NaCl. After affinity labeling, degraded insulin receptors were identified in plasma membranes isolated from a liver perfused with 1 nM 125I-insulin for 10 min at 37 degrees C, indicating that proteolysis occurs in the hepatocyte cell membrane under physiological conditions. Microsomes do not contain the receptor degrading activity or a detectable amount of degraded receptors under basal conditions. After perfusion of a liver with 125I-insulin, Mr 135,000 and Mr 120,000 complexes were detected in microsomes, suggesting that both intact and degraded receptors can be internalized. The initial absence of degraded receptors in plasma membranes suggests that, following internalization, such sites do not recycle. Thus, hormone-induced proteolysis of the insulin receptor begins at the surface of the rat hepatocyte and can lead to loss of receptors from the plasma membrane.

Divalent cations regulate glucagon binding. Evidence for actions on receptor-Ns complexes and on receptors uncoupled from Ns.

The effects of Mg2+ or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on 125I-glucagon binding to rat liver plasma membranes have been characterized. In the absence of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP), maximal binding of 125I-glucagon occurs in the absence of added Mg2+. Addition of EDTA or Mg2+ diminishes binding in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of GTP, maximal binding occurs in the presence of 2.5 mM Mg2+ (EC50 = 0.3 mM) while EDTA or higher concentrations of Mg2+ diminish binding. Response to exogenous Mg2+ or EDTA depends on the concentration of Mg2+ in the membranes and may vary with the method used for membrane isolation. Solubilized 125I-glucagon-receptor complexes fractionate on gel filtration columns as high molecular weight, GTP-sensitive complexes in which receptors are coupled to regulatory proteins and lower molecular weight, GTP-insensitive complexes in which receptors are not coupled to other components of the adenylyl cyclase system. In the absence of GTP, 40 mM Mg2+ or 5 mM EDTA diminishes receptor affinity for hormone (from KD = 1.2 +/- 0.1 nM to KD = 2.6 +/- 0.3 nM) and the fraction of 125I-glucagon in high molecular weight receptor-Ns complexes without affecting site number (Bmax = 1.8 +/- 0.1 pmol/mg of protein). Thus, while GTP promotes disaggregation of receptor-Ns complexes, Mg2+ or EDTA diminishes the affinity with which these species bind hormone. In the presence of GTP, hormone binds to lower affinity (KD = 9.0 +/- 3.0 nM), low molecular weight receptors uncoupled from Ns.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

N-ethylmaleimide uncouples the glucagon receptor from the regulatory component of adenylyl cyclase.

125I-Glucagon binding to rat liver plasma membranes was composed of high- and low-affinity components. N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) and several other alkylating agents induced a dose-dependent loss of high-affinity sites. This diminished the apparent affinity of glucagon receptors for hormone without decreasing the binding capacity of membranes. Solubilized hormone-receptor complexes were fractionated as high molecular weight (Kav = 0.16) and low molecular weight (Kav = 0.46) species by gel filtration chromatography; NEM or guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) diminished the fraction of high molecular weight complexes, suggesting that NEM uncouples glucagon receptor-N-protein complexes. Exposure of intact hepatocytes to the impermeable alkylating reagent p-(chloromercuri)benzenesulfonic acid failed to diminish the affinity of glucagon receptors on subsequently isolated plasma membranes, indicating that the thiol that affects receptor affinity is on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. Hormone binding to plasma membranes was altered by NEM even after receptors were uncoupled from N proteins by GTP. These data suggest that a sensitive thiol group that affects hormone binding resides in the glucagon receptor, which may be a transmembrane protein. Alkylated membranes were fused with wild-type or cyc- S49 lymphoma cells to determine how alkylation affects the various components of the glucagon-adenylyl cyclase system. Stimulation of adenylyl cyclase with fluoride, guanylyl 5'-imidodiphosphate, glucagon, or isoproterenol was observed after fusion of cyc- S49 cells [which lack the stimulatory, guanine nucleotide binding, regulatory protein of adenylyl cyclase (Ns)] with liver membranes alkylated with 1.5 mM NEM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Relationship between the affinity and proteolysis of the insulin receptor. Evidence that higher affinity receptors are preferentially degraded.

125I-Insulin binding to rat liver plasma membranes initiated two processes that occurred with similar time courses: an increase of receptor affinity for hormone and degradation of the Mr 135,000 alpha subunit of the insulin receptor to a fragment of Mr 120,000. Inhibitors of serine proteinases prevented alpha subunit degradation without affecting the affinity change. This shows that the change of affinity is not produced by receptor proteolysis and that the intact alpha subunit of the insulin receptor can exist as a higher or lower affinity species. Hormone binding was much more rapid than receptor proteolysis and the initial rate of alpha subunit degradation was independent of the concentration of occupied lower affinity receptors. Only persistent hormone binding and the accumulation of higher affinity insulin-receptor complexes led to significant receptor proteolysis. As the incubation time between 125I-insulin and membranes increased, the rate at which hormone dissociated from Mr 135,000 complexes diminished, whereas hormone dissociated from Mr 120,000 complexes slowly after brief or extended incubations. These observations suggest that 125I-insulin binds to membranes to form low affinity complexes that are not substrates for proteolysis. A slow conformational change produces higher affinity hormone-receptor complexes that are selectively degraded. Thus, the conversion between states of affinity may play a role in the regulation of receptor proteolysis and, consequently, insulin action in cells.

Characterization of glucagon receptors in Golgi fractions of rat liver: evidence for receptors that are uncoupled from adenylyl cyclase.

Glucagon receptors have been identified and characterized in intermediate (Gi) and heavy (Gh) Golgi fractions from rat liver. At saturation, plasma membranes bound 3500 fmol of hormone/mg of membrane protein, while Gi and Gh bound 24 and 60 fmol of 125I-glucagon/mg of protein, respectively. Half-maximal saturation of binding to plasma membranes, Gi, and Gh occurred at approximately 4, 10, and 20 nM 125I-glucagon, respectively. Trichloroacetic acid precipitation of intact, but not degraded, glucagon was used to correct binding isotherms for hormone degradation. After such correction, half-maximal saturation of binding to plasma membranes, Gi, and Gh was observed in the presence of approximately 2, 7, and 14 nM hormone, respectively. After 90 min of dissociation in the absence of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP), 86% of 125I-glucagon remained bound to plasma membranes, whereas only 42% remained bound to Golgi membranes. GTP significantly increased the fraction of 125I-glucagon released from plasma membranes but only slightly augmented the dissociation of hormone from Golgi fractions. 125I-Glucagon/receptor complexes solubilized from plasma membranes fractionated by gel filtration as high molecular weight (Kav = 0.16), GTP-sensitive complexes and lower molecular weight (Kav = 0.46), GTP-insensitive complexes. 125I-Glucagon complexes solubilized from Golgi membranes fractionated almost exclusively as the lower molecular weight species. The lower affinity of Golgi than plasma membrane receptors for hormone, the ability of glucagon to stimulate plasma membrane, but not Golgi membrane, adenylyl cyclase, and the near absence of high molecular weight, GTP-sensitive complexes in solubilized Golgi membranes demonstrate that plasma membrane contamination of Golgi fractions cannot account for the 125I-glucagon binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)