The Maltase Involved in Starch Metabolism in Barley Endosperm Is Encoded by a Single Gene

During germination and early seedling growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare), maltase is responsible for the conversion of maltose produced by starch degradation in the endosperm to glucose for seedling growth. Despite the potential relevance of this enzyme for malting and the production of alcoholic beverages, neither the nature nor the role of maltase is fully understood. Although only one gene encoding maltase has been identified with certainty, there is evidence for the existence of other genes and for multiple forms of the enzyme. It has been proposed that maltase may be involved directly in starch granule degradation as well as in maltose hydrolysis. The aim of our work was to discover the nature of maltase in barley endosperm. We used ion exchange chromatography to fractionate maltase activity from endosperm of young seedlings, and we partially purified activity for protein identification. We compared maltase activity in wild-type barley and transgenic lines with reduced expression of the previously-characterised maltase gene Agl97, and we used genomic and transcriptomic information to search for further maltase genes. We show that all of the maltase activity in the barley endosperm can be accounted for by a single gene, Agl97. Multiple forms of the enzyme most likely arise from proteolysis and other post-translational modifications

Science that "knows" and science that "asks"

Clinician-researchers and experimental scientists do not speak the same language; they have different professional environments and different end-points in their research. This creates considerable problems of comprehension and communication, which constitute a major drawback in multidisciplinary work such as translational medicine. A stereotypic representation of both these worlds is presented as a starting point to encourage debate on this issue

Chimeric 14-3-3 proteins for unraveling interactions with intrinsically disordered partners

In eukaryotes, several "hub" proteins integrate signals from different interacting partners that bind through intrinsically disordered regions. The 14-3-3 protein hub, which plays wide-ranging roles in cellular processes, has been linked to numerous human disorders and is a promising target for therapeutic intervention. Partner proteins usually bind via insertion of a phosphopeptide into an amphipathic groove of 14-3-3. Structural plasticity in the groove generates promiscuity allowing accommodation of hundreds of different partners. So far, accurate structural information has been derived for only a few 14-3-3 complexes with phosphopeptide-containing proteins and a variety of complexes with short synthetic peptides. To further advance structural studies, here we propose a novel approach based on fusing 14-3-3 proteins with the target partner peptide sequences. Such chimeric proteins are easy to design, express, purify and crystallize. Peptide attachment to the C terminus of 14-3-3 via an optimal linker allows its phosphorylation by protein kinase A during bacterial co-expression and subsequent binding at the amphipathic groove. Crystal structures of 14-3-3 chimeras with three different peptides provide detailed structural information on peptide-14-3-3 interactions. This simple but powerful approach, employing chimeric proteins, can reinvigorate studies of 14-3-3/phosphoprotein assemblies, including those with challenging low-affinity partners, and may facilitate the design of novel biosensors

Activator protein-1 (AP-1) signalling in human atherosclerosis: results of a systematic evaluation and intervention study

Animal studies implicate the AP-1 (activator protein-1) pro-inflammatory pathway as a promising target in the treatment of atherosclerotic disease. It is, however, unclear whether these observations apply to human atherosclerosis. Therefore we evaluated the profile of AP-1 activation through histological analysis and tested the potential benefit of AP-1 inhibition in a clinical trial. AP-1 activation was quantified by phospho-c-Jun nuclear translocation (immunohistochemistry) on a biobank of aortic wall samples from organ donors. The effect of AP-1 inhibition on vascular parameters was tested through a double blind placebo-controlled cross-over study of 28 days doxycycline or placebo in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease. Vascular function was assessed by brachial dilation as well as by plasma samples analysed for hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), IL-6 (interleukin-6), IL-8, ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1), vWF (von Willebrand factor), MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) and fibrinogen. Histological evaluation of human atherosclerosis showed minimal AP-1 activation in non-diseased arterial wall (i.e. vessel wall without any signs of atherosclerotic disease). A gradual increase of AP-1 activation was found in non-progressive and progressive phases of atherosclerosis respectively (P<0.044). No significant difference was found between progressive and vulnerable lesions. The expression of phospho-c-Jun diminished as the lesion stabilized (P<0.016) and does not significantly differ from the normal aortic wall (P<0.33). Evaluation of the doxycycline intervention only revealed a borderline-significant reduction of circulating hs-CRP levels (−0.51 μg/ml, P=0.05) and did not affect any of the other markers of systemic inflammation and vascular function. Our studies do not characterize AP-1 as a therapeutic target for progressive human atherosclerotic disease

Leopard syndrome

LEOPARD syndrome (LS, OMIM 151100) is a rare multiple congenital anomalies condition, mainly characterized by skin, facial and cardiac anomalies. LEOPARD is an acronym for the major features of this disorder, including multiple Lentigines, ECG conduction abnormalities, Ocular hypertelorism, Pulmonic stenosis, Abnormal genitalia, Retardation of growth, and sensorineural Deafness. About 200 patients have been reported worldwide but the real incidence of LS has not been assessed. Facial dysmorphism includes ocular hypertelorism, palpebral ptosis and low-set ears. Stature is usually below the 25th centile. Cardiac defects, in particular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mostly involving the left ventricle, and ECG anomalies are common. The lentigines may be congenital, although more frequently manifest by the age of 4–5 years and increase throughout puberty. Additional common features are café-au-lait spots (CLS), chest anomalies, cryptorchidism, delayed puberty, hypotonia, mild developmental delay, sensorineural deafness and learning difficulties. In about 85% of the cases, a heterozygous missense mutation is detected in exons 7, 12 or 13 of the PTPN11 gene. Recently, missense mutations in the RAF1 gene have been found in two out of six PTPN11-negative LS patients. Mutation analysis can be carried out on blood, chorionic villi and amniotic fluid samples. LS is largely overlapping Noonan syndrome and, during childhood, Neurofibromatosis type 1-Noonan syndrome. Diagnostic clues of LS are multiple lentigines and CLS, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and deafness. Mutation-based differential diagnosis in patients with borderline clinical manifestations is warranted. LS is an autosomal dominant condition, with full penetrance and variable expressivity. If one parent is affected, a 50% recurrence risk is appropriate. LS should be suspected in foetuses with severe cardiac hypertrophy and prenatal DNA test may be performed. Clinical management should address growth and motor development and congenital anomalies, in particular cardiac defects that should be monitored annually. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy needs careful risk assessment and prophylaxis against sudden death in patients at risk. Hearing should be evaluated annually until adulthood. With the only exception of ventricular hypertrophy, adults with LS do not require special medical care and long-term prognosis is favourable

PKCε Stimulated Arginine Methylation of RIP140 for Its Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Export in Adipocyte Differentiation

Receptor interacting protein 140 (RIP140) is a versatile transcriptional co-repressor that plays roles in diverse metabolic processes including fat accumulation in adipocytes. Previously we identified three methylated arginine residues in RIP140, which rendered its export to the cytoplasm; but it was unclear what triggered RIP140 arginine methylation.In this study, we determined the activated PKCepsilon as the specific trigger for RIP140 arginine methylation and its subsequent export. We identified two PKCepsilon-phosphorylated residues of RIP140, Ser-102 and Ser-1003, which synergistically stimulated direct binding of RIP140 by 14-3-3 that recruited protein arginine methyl transferase 1 to methylate RIP140. The methylated RIP140 then preferentially recruited exportin 1 for nuclear export. As a result, the nuclear gene-repressive activity of RIP140 was reduced. In RIP140 null adipocyte cultures, the defect in fat accumulation was effectively rescued by the phosphorylation-deficient mutant RIP140 that resided predominantly in the nucleus, but less so by the phospho-mimetic RIP140 that was exported to the cytoplasm.This study uncovers a novel means, via a cascade of protein modifications, to inactivate, or suppress, the nuclear action of an important transcription coregulator RIP140, and delineates the first specific phosphorylation-arginine methylation cascade that could alter protein subcellular distribution and biological activity

Tomato TFT1 Is Required for PAMP-Triggered Immunity and Mutations that Prevent T3S Effector XopN from Binding to TFT1 Attenuate Xanthomonas Virulence

XopN is a type III effector protein from Xanthomonas campestris pathovar vesicatoria that suppresses PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) in tomato. Previous work reported that XopN interacts with the tomato 14-3-3 isoform TFT1; however, TFT1's role in PTI and/or XopN virulence was not determined. Here we show that TFT1 functions in PTI and is a XopN virulence target. Virus-induced gene silencing of TFT1 mRNA in tomato leaves resulted in increased growth of Xcv ΔxopN and Xcv ΔhrpF demonstrating that TFT1 is required to inhibit Xcv multiplication. TFT1 expression was required for Xcv-induced accumulation of PTI5, GRAS4, WRKY28, and LRR22 mRNAs, four PTI marker genes in tomato. Deletion analysis revealed that the XopN C-terminal domain (amino acids 344–733) is sufficient to bind TFT1. Removal of amino acids 605–733 disrupts XopN binding to TFT1 in plant extracts and inhibits XopN-dependent virulence in tomato, demonstrating that these residues are necessary for the XopN/TFT1 interaction. Phos-tag gel analysis and mass spectrometry showed that XopN is phosphorylated in plant extracts at serine 688 in a putative 14-3-3 recognition motif. Mutation of S688 reduced XopN's phosphorylation state but was not sufficient to inhibit binding to TFT1 or reduce XopN virulence. Mutation of S688 and two leucines (L64,L65) in XopN, however, eliminated XopN binding to TFT1 in plant extracts and XopN virulence. L64 and L65 are required for XopN to bind TARK1, a tomato atypical receptor kinase required for PTI. This suggested that TFT1 binding to XopN's C-terminal domain might be stabilized via TARK1/XopN interaction. Pull-down and BiFC analyses show that XopN promotes TARK1/TFT1 complex formation in vitro and in planta by functioning as a molecular scaffold. This is the first report showing that a type III effector targets a host 14-3-3 involved in PTI to promote bacterial pathogenesis

Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis by KSR1 and MARK2

Protein scaffolds control the intensity and duration of signaling and dictate the specificity of signaling through MAP kinase pathways. KSR1 is a molecular scaffold of the Raf/MEK/ERK MAP kinase cascade that regulates the intensity and duration of ERK activation. Relative to wild-type mice, ksr1-/- mice are modestly glucose intolerant, but show a normal response to exogenous insulin. However, ksr1-/- mice also demonstrate a three-fold increase in serum insulin levels in response to a glucose challenge, suggesting a role for KSR1 in insulin secretion. The kinase MARK2 is closely related to C-TAK1, a known regulator of KSR1. Mice lacking MARK2 have an increased rate of glucose disposal in response to exogenous insulin, increased glucose tolerance, and are resistant to diet-induced obesity. mark2-/-ksr1-/- (DKO) mice were compared to wild type, mark2-/-, and ksr1-/- mice for their ability to regulate glucose homeostasis. Here we show that disruption of KSR1 in mark2-/- mice reverses the increased sensitivity to exogenous insulin resulting from MARK2 deletion. DKO mice respond to exogenous insulin similarly to wild type and ksr1-/- mice. These data suggest a model whereby MARK2 negatively regulates insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissue through inhibition of KSR1. Consistent with this model, we found that MARK2 binds and phosphorylates KSR1 on Ser392. Phosphorylation of Ser392 is a critical regulator of KSR1 stability, subcellular location, and ERK activation. These data reveal an unexpected role for the molecular scaffold KSR1 in insulin-regulated glucose metabolism

Shear Stress Modulation of Smooth Muscle Cell Marker Genes in 2-D and 3-D Depends on Mechanotransduction by Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans and ERK1/2

During vascular injury, vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and fibroblasts/myofibroblasts (FBs/MFBs) are exposed to altered luminal blood flow or transmural interstitial flow. We investigate the effects of these two types of fluid flows on the phenotypes of SMCs and MFBs and the underlying mechanotransduction mechanisms.Exposure to 8 dyn/cm(2) laminar flow shear stress (2-dimensional, 2-D) for 15 h significantly reduced expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), smooth muscle protein 22 (SM22), SM myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC), smoothelin, and calponin. Cells suspended in collagen gels were exposed to interstitial flow (1 cmH(2)O, approximately 0.05 dyn/cm(2), 3-D), and after 6 h of exposure, expression of SM-MHC, smoothelin, and calponin were significantly reduced, while expression of alpha-SMA and SM22 were markedly enhanced. PD98059 (an ERK1/2 inhibitor) and heparinase III (an enzyme to cleave heparan sulfate) significantly blocked the effects of laminar flow on gene expression, and also reversed the effects of interstitial flow on SM-MHC, smoothelin, and calponin, but enhanced interstitial flow-induced expression of alpha-SMA and SM22. SMCs and MFBs have similar responses to fluid flow. Silencing ERK1/2 completely blocked the effects of both laminar flow and interstitial flow on SMC marker gene expression. Western blotting showed that both types of flows induced ERK1/2 activation that was inhibited by disruption of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs).The results suggest that HSPG-mediated ERK1/2 activation is an important mechanotransduction pathway modulating SMC marker gene expression when SMCs and MFBs are exposed to flow. Fluid flow may be involved in vascular remodeling and lesion formation by affecting phenotypes of vascular wall cells. This study has implications in understanding the flow-related mechanobiology in vascular lesion formation, tumor cell invasion, and stem cell differentiation