Formation of multiple complexes between beta-dystroglycan and dystrophin family products.

Beta-dystroglycan is expressed in a wide variety of tissues and has generally been reported with an Mr of 43 kDa, sometimes accompanied with a 31 kDa protein assumed to be a truncated product. This molecule was recently identified as the anomalous beta-dystroglycan expressed in various carcinoma cell lines. We produced and characterized a G5 polyclonal antibody specific to beta-dystroglycan that is directed against the C-terminal portion of the molecule. We provide evidence that beta-dystroglycan may vary in size and properties by studying different Xenopus tissues. Besides normal beta-dystroglycan with an Mr of 43 kDa in smooth and cardiac muscle and sciatic nerve extracts, we found it in skeletal muscle and brain proteins with an Mr of 38 and 65 kDa, respectively. Glycosylation properties and proteolytic susceptibilities of these different beta-dystroglycans are analysed and compared in this work. Crosslinking experiments with various beta-dystroglycan preparations obtained from skeletal and cardiac muscles and brain gave rise to specific new covalent products with Mr of 125 kDa (doublet band), or 120 and 130 kDa, or 140 and 240 kDa, respectively. We provide evidence, using various similar beta-dystroglycan preparations, that the immunoprecipitation procedure with G5 specific polyclonal antibody allows consistent pelleting of various dystrophin-family isoforms. Skeletal muscles from Xenopus reveals the presence of two distinct beta-dystroglycan complexes, one with dystrophin and another one which involves alpha-dystrobrevin. Cardiac muscle and brain from Xenopus are shown to contain three beta-dystroglycan complexes related to various dystrophin-family isoforms. Dystrophin or alpha-dystrobrevin or Dp71 were found in cardiac muscle and dystrophin or Dp180 or Up71 in brain. This variability in the relationship between beta-dystroglycan and dystrophin-family isoforms suggests that each protein--currently known as dystrophin associated protein--could not be present in each of these complexes.

Interaction of 75-106 actin peptide with myosin subfragment-1 and its trypsin modified derivative.

To explore the role of a hydrophobic domain of actin in the interaction with a myosin chain we have synthesized a peptide corresponding to residues 75-106 of native actin monomer and studied by fluorescence and ELISA the interaction (13+/-2.6x10(-6) M) with both S-1 and (27 kDa-50 kDa-20 kDa) S-1 trypsin derivative of myosin. The loop corresponding to 96-103 actin residues binds to the S-1 only in the absence of Mg-ATP and under similar conditions but not to the trypsin derivative S-1. Biotinylated C74-K95 and I85-K95 peptide fragments were purified after actin proteolysis with trypsin. The C74-K95 peptide interacted with both S-1 and the S-1 trypsin derivative with an apparent Kd(app) of 6+/-1.2x10(-6) M in the presence or absence of nucleotides. Although peptide fragment I85-K95 binds to S-1 with a Kd(app) of 12+/-2.4x10(-6) M, this fragment did not bind to the trypsin S-1 derivative. We concluded that the actin 85-95 sequence should be a potential binding site to S-1 depending of the conformational state of the intact 70 kDa segment of S-1.

Biochemical evidence for the presence of an unconventional actin protein in a prokaryotic organism.

The ubiquity of actin, like the functional diversity of many associated proteins, raises a question concerning diversification of motility mechanisms and thus the emergence of an elementary functional system. Our aim was to investigate, in particular, mobiles prokaryotics cells as Synechocystis lacking cilia and flagella, search for actin essential properties and then locate the molecular behaviours. Here we report the presence and purification of a 56-kDa (apparent molecular weight) prokaryotic protein that polymerizes to form filaments, activates myosin Mg(++)-ATPase activity, inhibits DNase-1 activity and affords close antigenic homology to skeletal actin. This protein was found to be associated with thylakoid membranes and extracted in the presence of Triton X-100.

Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton in living nonmuscle cells by microinjection of antibodies to domain-3 of caldesmon.

Two classes of affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies directed against the four different domains of gizzard caldesmon were prepared and their specificity was verified by immunochemical assays. One set of antibodies recognized exclusively domain-3 spanning residues 483-578 and the other one included IgG reactive toward the remaining domains-1, -2 and -4 corresponding to residues 1-482 and 581-756. Microinjection into cultured fibroblasts of each antibody preparation was employed to probe the functional importance of the interaction between caldesmon and tropomyosin within living nonmuscle cells. Low concentrations of the antibody to domain-3 caused a rapid, severe and reversible disassembly of the microfilament network. In contrast, the antibodies to domains-1, -2 and -4 were ineffective. The effects of the anti-domain-3 IgG were observed not only with the purified antibody but also when present in the whole caldesmon antiserum serving for its isolation. The microfilament disintegrating activity of this antibody was completely abolished upon preincubation with native caldesmon or a proteolytic caldesmon fragment encompassing amino acids 483-578. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay competition experiments, tropomyosin, but not F-actin, significantly decreased the binding of the domain-3 antibody to caldesmon. Consistent with recent mutational studies pinpointing to the contribution of domain-3 in the in vitro binding of cellular caldesmon to tropomyosin, the findings suggest that the microinjected domain-3 antibody selectively disrupts the association of tropomyosin with caldesmon domain-3, thereby destabilizing the protein complex and alleviating its known protective action against F-actin severing in the cell. Thus, our data further highlight the in vivo involvement of this particular domain in the attachment of non-muscle caldesmon to tropomyosin as well as the direct participation of the caldesmon-tropomyosin complex in the cytoskeletal organization of the microfilaments.

Two identical hydrophobic clusters are present on the same actin monomer: interaction between one myosin subfragment-1 and two actin monomers.

Two-dimensional hydrophobic clusters analysis (HCA) was used to compare the distribution of hydrophobic clusters along various actin sequence. HCA-deduced patterns were not altered by amino-acid variations throughout the evolution of actin and we observed similar hydrophobic motifs comprising myosin subfragment-1 ATP-independent binding sites. HCA suggested the presence of two groups of identical hydrophobic motifs (A1 and A2) which bound on each side of the S1 (63 kDa-31 kDa) connecting segment in relation with two actin monomers. This connection is important in communications between actin- and nucleotide-binding sites. We postulate that some relation and message between the two motifs A1 and A2 take place through myosin subfragment-1 (63 kDa-31 kDa) connecting segment.

Interaction of skeletal-muscle myosin subfragment-1 with the actin-(338-348) peptide.

The data presented here confirm and provide further experimental evidence that rabbit skeletal-muscle myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) binds to the postulated actin-(338-348) hydrophobic segment [Kabsch, Mannherz, Suck, Pai and Holmes (1990) Nature (London) 347, 37-44] with high affinity in the absence and presence of MgATP. The apparent dissociation constant of the S-1 interaction (5.5 x 10(-7) M) with the actin-(338-348) peptide was of the same order of magnitude as that of the actin-(18-28) binding site (2 x 10(-6) M). In similar conditions, fragmented (27 kDa-50 kDa-20 kDa) S-1 also bound to the peptide. Antibodies directed to the vicinal sequence 348-358 were rapidly eliminated from actin by S-1 interaction and weakened S-1 binding to monomeric or filamentous actin. The antigenic site (348-358) is located very close to the C-terminal S-1-binding site (360-369) and encompasses some residues (Leu-349 and Phe-352) included in the hydrophobic S-1-binding region [Schröder, Manstein, Jahn, Holden, Rayment, Holmes and Spudich (1993) Nature (London) 364, 171-174]. It was observed that anti-[actin-(348-358)] antibodies were also unable to decrease actomyosin ATPase activity, in contrast with previous results obtained with anti-[actin-(18-28)] antibodies [Adams and Reisler (1993) Biochemistry 32, 5051-5056]. The hydrophobic actin-(338-348) peptide used in considerable excess was unable to perturb acto-S-1 and S-1 activities in contrast with results obtained with the N-terminal actin peptide [Kôgler, Moir, Trayer and Ruegg (1991) FEBS Lett. 294, 31-34].

Localization of two myosin-subfragment-1 binding contacts in the 96-132 region of actin subdomain-1.

Many direct observations and indirect experimental approaches have pin-pointed two segments (sequences 1-28 and 360-372) in actin subdomain-1 which bind to myosin subfragment-1. In a previous investigation [Labbé, J. P., Méjean, C., Benyamin, Y. & Roustan, C. (1990) Biochem. J. 271, 407-413], we have observed competition between myosin subfragment-1 and anti-actin antibodies specific to epitopes including Thr103. A multisite interface model has also been proposed to take into account myosin-head binding to the N-terminal and C-terminal regions and to more central 40-113 sequence of actin. In the present study, two limited actin segments encompassing residues 96-103 and 112-125 were identified as myosin-head-binding sites. Myosin subfragment-1 competed for monomeric actin with the antibodies directed against sequences 96-105 and 114-120 and its binding to the tryptic 96-113 and synthetic 112-125 actin peptides was prevented by magnesium pyrophosphate but not by calcium pyrophosphate. In the presence of ATP-Mg2+, myosin subfragment-1 was dissociated by filamin from its complex with monomeric actin or with peptide 105-120. Contact points of filamin on actin were previously located in the 105-120 and 360-372 actin sequences [Méjean, C., Lebart, M. C., Boyer, M., Roustan, C. & Benyamin, Y. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 209, 555-562]. The in vitro inhibitory effect of filamin on actin-activated Mg2+-ATPase would thus be explained by this competition. Furthermore, the (27-kDa-50-kDa-20-kDa) trypsin-split myosin subfragment-1 which could no longer be activated by actin, did not bind at all to the two sites located in the 96-125 region, but it still interacted with the 360-372 segment. Our results regarding the position of the myosin head on actin monomers in rigor conditions provide evidence on the presence of two topologically independent contact points in the myosin-head/actin interface. One group exposed residues in the 1-7, 21-29, 77-95 and 96-103 actin segment, another, on the opposite side of subdomain-1, included residues from 112-125 and 360-372 sequences.

Effects of different enzymic treatments on the release of titin fragments from rabbit skeletal myofibrils. Purification of an 800 kDa titin polypeptide.

In myofibrils, titin (also called connectin) molecules span from Z line to M line and constitute a third filament system containing an elastic domain in the I band. This giant protein is particularly sensitive to proteolysis in situ. Treatment of rabbit skeletal myofibrils with exogenous proteinases induces a release of titin fragments, which are detected in the soluble myofibrillar fraction. The cleavage of titin occurs at specific points localized at the proximity of Z line and could lead to a concomitant release of alpha-actinin.

Localization of a myosin subfragment-1 interaction site on the C-terminal part of actin.

The actin-myosin head complex in the rigor state reveals several high-affinity sites on the actin molecule in sequences 18-28 and 40-113. In the presence of Mg(2+)-ATP, participation of the actin N-terminal 1-7 sequence is known to occur. The proximity of the C-terminal region of actin to the A1 light chain of the myosin head [S-1(A1)] (where S-1 is myosin subfragment-1) was described previously. We observed that C-terminal antigenic structures located near Met-305, Met-325 and Met-355 and the C-terminal end (Cys-374) of actin are markedly modified in the presence of S-1(A1), S-1(A2) and scallop S-1 and in the absence of Mg(2+)-ATP. This seems to rule out any important specific involvement of the A1 light chain in the described conformational changes. An S-1-binding site was located in this actin C-terminal region by testing the tryptic CB9 peptide (360-372 sequence) previously implicated in the A1 light chain interaction. This peptide was able to bind well to S-1(A1), S-1(A2) and scallop S-1, but not in the presence of Mg(2+)-pyrophosphate. These results strengthen the hypothesis of a multisite interface between S-1 and actin located in the actin subdomain I.

Efficiency of cleaning agents for an inorganic membrane after milk ultrafiltration.

Cleaning of inorganic membranes after ultrafiltration (UF) of skim milk has been assessed using hydraulic, physicochemical and spectroscopic (i.r. and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) measurements. A cleaning sequence using hypochlorite alone or hypochlorite followed by HNO3 restored the membrane hydraulic resistance, in contrast to cleaning with HNO3 alone. When using NaOH, addition of Ca complexants (EDTA, gluconate, tripolyphosphate) and surfactants was required to obtain similar results. Three types of criteria (hydraulic, kinetic, chemical) are available to assess the effect of the sequestrant and surfactant types. In all the cases studied, traces of protein and Ca were detected on and within the membrane after cleaning. Nevertheless, it was concluded that it is possible to develop a single-step alkaline product to clean inorganic milk UF membranes if suitable surfactants and Ca sequestrants are included in its formula.

Cleaning of inorganic membranes after whey and milk ultrafiltration.

Cleaning of an inorganic ultrafiltration membrane has been quantified through hydraulic, physicochemical, and spectroscopic (infrared and x-photoelectron spectroscopy) analyses. An efficient cleaning sequence of nitric acid followed by sodium hypochlorite has been proposed for cleaning of defatted whey protein concentrate and milk ultrafiltration membranes. The influence of reversed sequence and time reduction are discussed together with the action of both cleaning chemicals. In spite of residual fouling left after every cleaning sequence studied, hydraulic cleanliness of the membrane was achieved, particularly after the standard procedure.

Sarcomeric disorganization in post-mortem fish muscles.

1. The post-mortem evolution of protein pattern in fish striated muscle was followed by SDS-PAGE, after different conditions of storage time and temperature. 2. Sarcoplasmic and sarcomeric fractions were analyzed respectively by low and high ionic strength extractions of fish muscle samples. 3. No evident modification of electrophoretic patterns was observed during the pre-rigor mortis period. 4. The high mol. wt proteins titin and nebulin were highly sensitive to proteolysis during the rigor mortis period. 5. Myosin extraction was predominantly influenced by the storage temperature. The myosin content of the extracts decreased during the rigor mortis period at storage temperatures greater than 8 degrees C. 6. alpha-Actinin was very resistant to proteolysis, but could be released from Z-disc structure during post-mortem aging.

Characterization of an actin-myosin head interface in the 40-113 region of actin using specific antibodies as probes.

Evidence for the participation of the 1-7 and 18-28 N-terminal sequences of actin at different steps of actin-myosin interaction process is well documented in the literature. Cross-linking of the rigor complex between filamentous actin and skeletal-muscle myosin subfragment 1 was accomplished by the carboxy-group-directed zero-length protein cross-linker, 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodi-imide. After chaotropic depolymerization and thrombin digestion, which cleaves only actin, the covalent complex with Mr 100,000 was characterized by PAGE. The linkage was identified as being between myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) heavy chain and actin-(1-28)-peptide. The purified complex retained in toto its ability to combine reversibly with fresh filamentous actin, but showed a decrease in the Vmax. of actin-dependent Mg2(+)-ATPase. By using e.l.i.s.a., S-1 was observed to bind to coated monomeric actin or its 1-226 N-terminal peptide. This interaction strongly interfered with the binding of antibodies directed against the 95-113 actin sequence. Moreover, S-1 was able to bind with coated purified actin-(40-113)-peptide. Finally, antibodies directed against the 18-28 and 95-113 actin sequence, which strongly interfered with S1 binding, were unable to compete with each other. These results suggest that two topologically independent regions are involved in the actin-myosin interface: one located in the conserved 18-28 sequence and the other near residues 95-113, including the variable residue at position 89. Other experiments support the 'multisite interface model', where the two actin sites could modulate each other during S-1 interaction.

Structural and functional variations in skeletal-muscle and scallop muscle actins.

Structural and functional properties in two striated-muscle actins, one from a vertebrate, the other from an invertebrate (scallop), were compared in relation to a smooth-muscle actin isoform (aortic actin). In spite of differences in the variable N-terminal region, the two striated-muscle isoactins showed, in contrast with aortic actin, a large structural homology revealed by proteinase-susceptibility and interaction with the myosin head. Thus the myosin head may bind to the two striated-muscle actins in constant parts of the 18-113 sequence. In contrast, antigenic reactivity of conformational epitopes of these actins strongly differentiated scallop actin from the two others. The behaviour of the scallop actin appears to be related to several amino acid substitutions located near or at functional domains such as monomer-monomer binding site, DNAase-I-dependent actin-actin binding site and actin-severing domain, which modified the polypeptide chain exposure.

Anti-actin antibodies. An immunological approach to the myosin-actin and the tropomyosin-actin interfaces.

The topography of the rigor complex between subfragment-1 (S-1) of myosin and actin was investigated by using several specific antibodies directed to well-located sequences in actin. A major contact area for S-1 was characterized in the hydrophilic 18-28 constant sequence, and the variable 1-7 sequence was only found to be in close proximity to the interface. The C-terminal extremity of actin situated around Cys-374 appeared to be included in a region close to the S-1 heavy chain and the N-terminal part of actin. The interaction between tropomyosin and actin was also studied. Neither of the terminal parts of actin were involved in this interaction. Thus, the regions involved in the interactions of S-1 and tropomyosin with actin do not overlap.

Specific interactions of the alkali light chain 1 in skeletal myosin heads probed by chemical cross-linking.

We have investigated the enzymatic properties of the 120K cross-linked heavy-chain-light-chain derivative formed upon reaction of chymotryptic myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) isoenzymes with the bis(imido esters) dimethyl 3,3'-dithiobis(propionimidate) and dimethyl suberimidate. The formation of the 120K product was accompanied for S-1(A1) but not for S-1(A2) by a loss of the actin-activated ATPase without alteration of the Ca2+-ATPase whereas the Mg2+-ATPase was increased 2-fold. Up to 70%, the inhibition of the acto-S-1(A1) ATPase activity was closely correlated with the extent of cross-linking of the A1 light chain; this activity could be largely restored upon cleavage of the cross-link using the reversible cross-linker dimethyl 3,3'-dithiobis(propionimidate). The covalent link affected the acto-S-1(A1) Mg2+-ATPase activity by reducing 3-fold the Vmax and increasing 2-fold the Kapp. On reacting for the first time the hydrophobic, carboxyl group directed cross-linker N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ) with the acto-S-1(A1 + A2) complex, we found that the N-terminal tail of the A1 light chain was cross-linked to actin to an extent much larger than observed earlier with the water-soluble 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide; like the latter agent, EEDQ elicited the covalent union of the A1 subunit to the COOH-terminal part of actin. This cross-linker appears to be a valuable chemical probe of the F-actin-A1 light-chain interaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antigenic probes locate the myosin subfragment 1 interaction site on the N-terminal part of actin.

The interaction of two different anti-actin antibody populations with the myosin subfragment 1-F-actin rigor complex has been studied. In contrast with the 1-7 sequence, the 18-28 sequence appears to be strongly implicated in the contact area of the myosin head on the actin polypeptide chain.

Interaction of the heavy chain of gizzard myosin heads with skeletal F-actin.

To probe the molecular properties of the actin recognition site on the smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, the rigor complexes between skeletal F-actin and chicken gizzard myosin subfragments 1 (S1) were investigated by limited proteolysis and by chemical cross-linking with 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethyl-amino)propyl]carbodiimide. Earlier, these approaches were used to analyze the actin site on the skeletal muscle myosin heads [Mornet, D., Bertrand, R., Pantel, P., Audemard, E., & Kassab, R. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 2110-2120; Labbé, J.P., Mornet, D., Roseau, G., & Kassab, R. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 6897-6902]. In contrast to the case of the skeletal S1, the cleavage with trypsin or papain of the sensitive COOH-terminal 50K-26K junction of the head heavy chain had no effect on the actin-stimulated Mg2+-ATPase activity of the smooth S1. Moreover, actin binding had no significant influence on the proteolysis at this site whereas it abolished the scission of the skeletal S1 heavy chain. The COOH-terminal 26K segment of the smooth papain S1 heavy chain was converted by trypsin into a 25K peptide derivative, but it remained intact in the actin-S1 complex. A single actin monomer was cross-linked with the carbodiimide reagent to the intact 97K heavy chain of the smooth papain S1. Experiments performed on the complexes between F-actin and the fragmented S1 indicated that the site of cross-linking resides within the COOH-terminal 25K fragment of the S1 heavy chain. Thus, for both the striated and smooth muscle myosins, this region appears to be in contact with F-actin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The interaction of skeletal myosin subfragment 1 with the polyanion, heparin.

The association between chymotryptic skeletal muscle myosin subfragment 1 (S1) and the polyanion, heparin, was investigated as an experimental approach in probing the functional importance of the cationic sites on S1 and their involvement in ionic interactions within the myosin head during energy transduction. The direct binding of heparin, used at micromolar concentrations, and its influence on the structural and functional properties of S1 were followed by gel chromatography, electron microscopy, chemical cross-linking techniques and limited digestion studies. 1. The limited tryptic digestion of S1 showed that the presence of heparin, as well as of the homopolymer, poly-(L-glutamic acid) causes a specific structural change in the 50-kDa heavy chain region of S1 and accelerates the breakdown of this segment into a 45-kDa species by a proteolytic cleavage restricted to its COOH-terminal portion. Under similar experimental conditions, the binding of MgATP and MgADP to S1 led also to the 50-kDa----45-kDa conversion, suggesting that the S1-nucleotide interactions exhibit some resemblances to the polyanion-S1 binding of polyanionic ligands to S1. This particular area is adjacent to the actin site containing the 45-kDa and 20-kDa segments of the S1 heavy chain. On the other hand, the polyanions as well as nucleotides induced changes in the interface between the heavy chain and the alkali light chains. 2. Moreover, the binding of heparin to S1 resulted in the self-association of the enzyme and the production of stable small S1 oligomers, most likely dimers, which were demonstrated by the alteration of the size of the S1 particles examined by electron microscopy and their freezing by chemical cross-linking agents. These findings are relevant to the recently reported property of skeletal chymotryptic S1 to form dimers under convenient ionic conditions, in particular in the presence of Mg-nucleotides. The interaction of cationic sites on S1 and possibly on the 50-kDa region of the heavy chain with polyanions promotes the dimerization of the S1 molecules. The binding of S1 to F-actin abolished S1 aggregation.