The correction for the gamma-ray component in neutron therapy

Neutron beams for therapy always contain some gamma ray contamination that varies with depth and with distance from the beam axis. The problem therefore arises how the varying gamma ray contribution should be accounted for in dose specification. Not infrequently a ``total effective dose'' DE is quoted that is equal to the neutron dose plus the gamma ray dose divided by a constant weight factor tau. On general biophysical considerations this appears to be not a valid approach since it must be assumed that tau decreases with increasing dose. The nature and the magnitude of this dose dependence is derived in the present article. Application of the results to actual doses per fraction and to factual gamma ray to neutron ratios demonstrates that the dose dependence of tau has, in fact, very minor influence on the numerical values of DE. Utilization of a constant value tau is therefore satisfactory in practice

Helicobacter pylori vacuolating toxin A and apoptosis

VacA, the vacuolating cytotoxin A of Helicobacter pylori, induces apoptosis in epithelial cells of the gastic mucosa and in leukocytes. VacA is released by the bacteria as a protein of 88 kDa. At the outer surface of host cells, it binds to the sphingomyelin of lipid rafts. At least partially, binding to the cells is facilitated by different receptor proteins. VacA is internalized by a clathrin-independent mechanism and initially accumulates in GPI-anchored proteins-enriched early endosomal compartments. Together with early endosomes, VacA is distributed inside the cells. Most of the VacA is eventually contained in the membranes of vacuoles. VacA assembles in hexameric oligomers forming an anion channel of low conductivity with a preference for chloride ions. In parallel, a significant fraction of VacA can be transferred from endosomes to mitochondria in a process involving direct endosome-mitochondria juxtaposition. Inside the mitochondria, VacA accumulates in the mitochondrial inner membrane, probably forming similar chloride channels as observed in the vacuoles. Import into mitochondria is mediated by the hydrophobic N-terminus of VacA. Apoptosis is triggered by loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, recruitment of Bax and Bak, and release of cytochrome c

Polypeptides traverse the mitochondrial envelope in an extended state

Most mitochondrial proteins are synthesized as precursors in the cytosol and imported through the contact sites between outer and inner mitochondrial membranes. The molecular mechanism of membrane translocation of precursor proteins is largely unclear. For this report, various hybrid proteins between portions of the precursor of cytochrome b2 and the entire dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) were accumulated in mitochondrial contact sites. We unexpectedly found that about 30 amino acid residues of the polypeptide chain in transit were sufficient to span both membranes. This suggests linear translocation of the polypeptide chain and presents evidence for a high degree of unfolding of polypeptides traversing the mitochondrial membranes

Import pathways of precursor proteins into mitochondria

The precursor of porin, a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, competes for the import of precursors destined for the three other mitochondrial compartments, including the Fe/S protein of the bc1- complex (intermembrane space), the ADP/ATP carrier (inner membrane), subunit 9 of the F0-ATPase (inner membrane), and subunit beta of the F1- ATPase (matrix). Competition occurs at the level of a common site at which precursors are inserted into the outer membrane. Protease- sensitive binding sites, which act before the common insertion site, appear to be responsible for the specificity and selectivity of mitochondrial protein uptake. We suggest that distinct receptor proteins on the mitochondrial surface specifically recognize precursor proteins and transfer them to a general insertion protein component (GIP) in the outer membrane. Beyond GIP, the import pathways diverge, either to the outer membrane or to translocation contact-sites, and then subsequently to the other mitochondrial compartments

Antifolding activity of hsp60 couples protein import into the mitochondrial matrix with export to the intermembrane space

Cytochrome b2 reaches the intermembrane space of mitochondria by transport into the matrix followed by export across the inner membrane. While in the matrix, the protein interacts with hsp60, which arrests its folding prior to export. The bacterial-type export sequence in pre-cytochrome b2 functions by inhibiting the ATP-dependent release of the protein from hsp60. Release for export apparently requires, in addition to ATP, the interaction of the signal sequence with a component of the export machinery in the inner membrane. Export can occur before import is complete provided that a critical length of the polypeptide chain has been translocated into the matrix. Thus, hsp60 combines two activities: catalysis of folding of proteins destined for the matrix, and maintaining proteins in an unfolded state to facilitate their channeling between the machineries for import and export across the inner membrane. Antifolding signals such as the hydrophobic export sequence in cytochrome b2 may act as switches between these two activities

Energy requirements for unfolding and membrane translocation of precursor proteins during import into mitochondria

ATP is involved in conferring transport competence to numerous mitochondrial precursor proteins in the cytosol. Unfolded precursor proteins were found not to require ATP for import into mitochondria, suggesting a role of ATP in the unfolding of precursors. Here we report the unexpected finding that a hybrid protein containing the tightly folded passenger protein dihydrofolate reductase becomes unfolded and specifically translocated across the mitochondrial membranes independently of added ATP. Moreover, interaction of the precursor with the mitochondrial receptor components does not require ATP. The results suggest that ATP is not involved in the actual process of unfolding during membrane translocation of precursors. ATP rather appears to be necessary for preventing the formation of improper structures of precursors in the cytosol and for folding of imported polypeptides on (and release from) chaperone-like molecules in the mitochondrial matrix

Translocation arrest by reversible folding of a precursor protein imported into mitochondria

Passage of precursor proteins through translocation contact sites of mitochondria was investigated by studying the import of a fusion protein consisting of the NH2-terminal 167 amino acids of yeast cytochrome b2 precursor and the complete mouse dihydrofolate reductase. Isolated mitochondria of Neurospora crassa readily imported the fusion protein. In the presence of methotrexate import was halted and a stable intermediate spanning both mitochondrial membranes at translocation contact sites accumulated. The complete dihydrofolate reductase moiety in this intermediate was external to the outer membrane, and the 136 amino acid residues of the cytochrome b2 moiety remaining after cleavage by the matrix processing peptidase spanned both outer and inner membranes. Removal of methotrexate led to import of the intermediate retained at the contact site into the matrix. Thus unfolding at the surface of the outer mitochondrial membrane is a prerequisite for passage through translocation contact sites. The membrane-spanning intermediate was used to estimate the number of translocation sites. Saturation was reached at 70 pmol intermediate per milligram of mitochondrial protein. This amount of translocation intermediates was calculated to occupy approximately 1% of the total surface of the outer membrane. The morphometrically determined area of close contact between outer and inner membranes corresponded to approximately 7% of the total outer membrane surface. Accumulation of the intermediate inhibited the import of other precursor proteins suggesting that different precursor proteins are using common translocation contact sites. We conclude that the machinery for protein translocation into mitochondria is present at contact sites in limited number

Energy requirements for unfolding and membrane translocation of precursor proteins during import into mitochondria

ATP is involved in conferring transport competence to numerous mitochondrial precursor proteins in the cytosol. Unfolded precursor proteins were found not to require ATP for import into mitochondria, suggesting a role of ATP in the unfolding of precursors. Here we report the unexpected finding that a hybrid protein containing the tightly folded passenger protein dihydrofolate reductase becomes unfolded and specifically translocated across the mitochondrial membranes independently of added ATP. Moreover, interaction of the precursor with the mitochondrial receptor components does not require ATP. The results suggest that ATP is not involved in the actual process of unfolding during membrane translocation of precursors. ATP rather appears to be necessary for preventing the formation of improper structures of precursors in the cytosol and for folding of imported polypeptides on (and release from) chaperone-like molecules in the mitochondrial matrix

The DNA binding parvulin Par17 is targeted to the mitochondrial matrix by a recently evolved prepeptide uniquely present in Hominidae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The parvulin-type peptidyl prolyl <it>cis/trans </it>isomerase Par14 is highly conserved in all metazoans. The recently identified parvulin Par17 contains an additional N-terminal domain whose occurrence and function was the focus of the present study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Based on the observation that the human genome encodes Par17, but bovine and rodent genomes do not, Par17 exon sequences from 10 different primate species were cloned and sequenced. Par17 is encoded in the genomes of Hominidae species including humans, but is absent from other mammalian species. In contrast to Par14, endogenous Par17 was found in mitochondrial and membrane fractions of human cell lysates. Fluorescence of EGFP fusions of Par17, but not Par14, co-localized with mitochondrial staining. Par14 and Par17 associated with isolated human, rat and yeast mitochondria at low salt concentrations, but only the Par17 mitochondrial association was resistant to higher salt concentrations. Par17 was imported into mitochondria in a time and membrane potential-dependent manner, where it reached the mitochondrial matrix. Moreover, Par17 was shown to bind to double-stranded DNA under physiological salt conditions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Taken together, the DNA binding parvulin Par17 is targeted to the mitochondrial matrix by the most recently evolved mitochondrial prepeptide known to date, thus adding a novel protein constituent to the mitochondrial proteome of Hominidae.</p