Structure of the ATP-Synthase from Chloroplasts and Mitochondria Studied by Electron Microscopy

The structure of the ATP-synthase, F0F1 , from spinach chloroplasts and beef heart mitochondria has been investigated by electron microscopy with negatively stained specimens. The detergent-solubilized ATP-synthase forms string-like structures in which the F0 parts are aggregated. In most cases, the F, parts are arranged at alternating sides along the string. The F0 part has an approximate cylindrical shape with heights of 8.3 and 8.9 nm and diameters of 6.2 and 6.4 nm for the chloroplast and mitochondrial enzyme, respectively. The F, parts are disk-like structures with a diameter of about 11.5 nm and a height of about 8.5 nm. The F, parts are attached to the strings, composed of Fn parts, in most cases, with their smallest dimension parallel to the strings. The stalk connecting F0 and F, has a length of 3.7 nm and 4.3 nm and a diameter of 2.7 nm and 4.3 nm for the chloroplast and mitochondrial enzyme, respectively

Ligation of α-Dystroglycan on Podocytes Induces Intracellular Signaling: A New Mechanism for Podocyte Effacement?

Contains fulltext : 79974.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Alpha-dystroglycan is a negatively charged glycoprotein that covers the apical and basolateral membrane of the podocyte. Its transmembrane binding to the cytoskeleton is regulated via tyrosine phosphorylation (pY892) of beta-dystroglycan. At the basolateral side alpha-dystroglycan binds the glomerular basement membrane. At the apical membrane, it plays a role in the maintenance of the filtration slit. In this study, we evaluated whether ligation of alpha-dystroglycan with specific antibodies or natural ligands induces intracellular signaling, and whether there is an effect on podocyte architecture. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Conditionally immortalized podocytes were exposed in vitro to antibodies to alpha-dystroglycan, and to fibronectin, biglycan, laminin and agrin. Intracellular calcium fluxes, phosphorylation of beta-dystroglycan and podocyte architecture were studied. Antibodies to alpha-dystroglycan could specifically induce calcium signaling. Fibronectin also induced calcium signaling, and led to dephosphorylation of pY892 in beta-dystroglycan. Ligation of alpha-dystroglycan resulted in an altered actin architecture, a decreased number of podocyte pedicles and a more flattened appearance of the podocyte. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that ligation of alpha-dystroglycan on podocytes induces intracellular calcium signaling, which leads to an altered cytoskeleton architecture akin to the situation of foot process effacement. In particular the ability of fibronectin to induce intracellular signaling events is of interest, since the expression and excretion of this protein is upregulated in several proteinuric diseases. Therefore, fibronectin-induced signaling via dystroglycan may be a novel mechanism for foot process effacement in proteinuric diseases

ANCA-Associated Glomerulonephritis: Risk Factors for Renal Relapse.

Relapse in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) has been studied previously, but there are few studies on renal relapse in particular. Identifying patients at high risk of renal relapse may aid in optimizing clinical management. We investigated which clinical and histological parameters are risk factors for renal relapse in ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis (AAGN). Patients (n = 174) were newly diagnosed and had mild-moderate or severe renal involvement. Data were derived from two trials of the European Vasculitis Society: MEPEX and CYCAZAREM. The Cox regression model was used to identify parameters increasing the instantaneous risk (= rate) of renal relapse (useful for instant clinical decisions). For identifying predictors of renal relapse during follow-up, we used Fine & Gray's regression model. Competing events were end-stage renal failure and death. The cumulative incidence of renal relapse at 5 years was 9.5% (95% CI: 4.8-14.3%). In the Cox model, sclerotic class AAGN increased the instantaneous risk of renal relapse. In Fine & Gray's model, the absence of interstitial infiltrates at diagnosis was predictive for renal relapse. In this study we used two different models to identify possible relationships between clinical and histopathological parameters at time of diagnosis of AAV with the risk of experiencing renal relapse. Sclerotic class AAGN increased the instantaneous risk of renal relapse. This association is most likely due to the high proportion of sclerosed glomeruli reducing the compensatory capacity. The absence of interstitial infiltrates increased the risk of renal relapse which is a warning sign that patients with a relatively benign onset of disease may also be prone to renal relapse. Renal relapses occurring in patients with sclerotic class AAGN and renal relapses occurring in patients without interstitial infiltrates were mutually exclusive, which may indicate that they are essentially different

Structure of mitochondrial F1-ATPase studied by electron microscopy and image processing

The structure of soluble F1-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) has been investigated by computer analysis of individual molecular images extracted from electron micrographs of negatively stained particles. A total of 1241 images was interactively selected from several digitized micrographs and these images were subsequently aligned relative to different reference images. They were then submitted to a multivariate statistical classification procedure. We have focussed our attention on the main 'hexagonal' view which represents some 40 % of our population of images. In this view, six masses are located on the outer region of the projection which are associated with the alpha and the beta subunits of the protein. A seventh mass is located close to the centre of the hexagon, but slightly off its exact midpoint. It has the shape of the letter V and its two legs point to two of the outer protein masses, or one alpha-beta subunit pair. The corner of the V has a density as high as those of the large subunits. Possible subunit arrangements and their consequences for the mechanism of ATP synthesis are discussed.

Growth and Glucose Repression Are Controlled by Glucose Transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells Containing Only One Glucose Transporter

A set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with variable expression of only the high-affinity Hxt7 glucose transporter was constructed by partial deletion of the HXT7 promoter in vitro and integration of the gene at various copy numbers into the genome of an hxt1-7 gal2 deletion strain. The glucose transport capacity increased in strains with higher levels of HXT7 expression. The consequences for various physiological properties of varying the glucose transport capacity were examined. The control coefficient of glucose transport with respect to growth rate was 0.54. At high extracellular glucose concentrations, both invertase activity and the rate of oxidative glucose metabolism increased manyfold with decreasing glucose transport capacity, which is indicative of release from glucose repression. These results suggest that the intracellular glucose concentration produces the signal for glucose repression