Sp3 Represses Gene Expression via the Titration of Promoter-specific Transcription Factors.
Authors Kennett Sarah B; Moorefield K Scott; Horowitz Jonathan M;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11773047
'We have determined previously that Sp3 encodes three distinct gene products as follows: a full-length protein (Sp3) that is an activator of transcription and two isoforms (M1 and M2) derived via internal translational initiation that function as transcriptional repressors. To identify amino acids and functions required for transcriptional repression, we ... More
Both DNA and histone fold sequences contribute to archaeal nucleosome stability.
Authors Bailey Kathryn A; Marc Frederic; Sandman Kathleen; Reeve John N;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11751933
'The roles and interdependence of DNA sequence and archaeal histone fold structure in determining archaeal nucleosome stability and positioning have been determined and quantitated. The presence of four tandem copies of TTTAAAGCCG in the polylinker region of pLITMUS28 resulted in a DNA molecule with increased affinity (DeltaDeltaG of approximately 700 ... More
Nuclear factor-kappa B directs carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule 1 receptor expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae-infected epithelial cells.
Authors Muenzner Petra; Billker Oliver; Meyer Thomas F; Naumann Michael;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11751883
'The human-specific pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae expresses opacity-associated (Opa) protein adhesins that bind to various members of the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cellular adhesion molecule (CEACAM) family. In this study, we have analyzed the mechanism underlying N. gonorrhoeae-induced CEACAM up-regulation in epithelial cells. Epithelial cells represent the first barrier for the microbial pathogen. ... More
Methylation-mediated silencing of TMS1/ASC is accompanied by histone hypoacetylation and CpG island-localized changes in chromatin architecture.
Authors Stimson Krista M; Vertino Paula M;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11733524
'Aberrant methylation of CpG-dense islands in the promoter regions of genes is an acquired epigenetic alteration associated with the silencing of tumor suppressor genes in human cancers. In a screen for endogenous targets of methylation-mediated gene silencing, we identified a novel CpG island-associated gene, TMS1, which is aberrantly methylated and ... More
Functional coadaptation between cytochrome c and cytochrome c oxidase within allopatric populations of a marine copepod.
Authors Rawson Paul D; Burton Ronald S;
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID12271133
'Geographically isolated populations may accumulate alleles that function well on their own genetic backgrounds but poorly on the genetic backgrounds of other populations. Consequently, interpopulation hybridization may produce offspring of low fitness as a result of incompatibilities arising in allopatry. Genes participating in these epistatic incompatibility systems remain largely unknown. ... More
Identification of G protein-coupled receptors for Drosophila PRXamide peptides, CCAP, corazonin, and AKH supports a theory of ligand-receptor coevolution.
Authors Park Yoonseong; Kim Young-Joon; Adams Michael E;
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID12177421
'G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ancient, ubiquitous sensors vital to environmental and physiological signaling throughout organismal life. With the publication of the Drosophila genome, numerous ' ... More
An inhibitor of mTOR reduces neoplasia and normalizes p70/S6 kinase activity in Pten+/- mice.
Authors Podsypanina K; Lee R T; Politis C; Hennessy I; Crane A; Puc J; Neshat M; Wang H; Yang L; Gibbons J; Frost P; Dreisbach V; Blenis J; Gaciong Z; Fisher P; Sawyers C; Hedrick-Ellenson L; Parsons R;
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID11526226
'PTEN phosphatase acts as a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway. It is unclear which downstream components of this pathway are necessary for oncogenic transformation. In this report we show that transformed cells of PTEN(+/-) mice have elevated levels of phosphorylated Akt and activated p70/S6 ... More
Probable Identification of a Membrane-Associated Repressor of Bacillus subtilis DNA Replication as the E2 Subunit of the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex
AuthorsAndrew Stein and William Firshein*
JournalJ Bacteriol
PubMed ID10735853
Two Bacillus subtilis lysogenic libraries were probed by an antibody specific for apreviously described membrane-associated inhibitor of B. subtilis DNA replication(J. Laffan and W. Firshein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:7452-7456, 1988). Threeclones that reacted strongly with the antibody contained an entire open reading frame.Sequencing identified one of the clones ... More
Comparison of three RNA amplification methods as sources of DNA for sequencing.
AuthorsChadwick N, Wakefield AJ, Pounder RE, Bruce IJ
JournalBiotechniques
PubMed ID9821583
DNA products generated from a region of the measles virus genome by three RNA reverse transcription and amplification methods were cloned and sequenced, and the results were compared in order to evaluate the methods' relative fidelities. The methods were: (i) reverse transcription followed by a nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR), ... More
Identification of endopeptidase genes from the genomic sequence of Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32 and the role of these genes in hydrolysis of model bitter peptides.
AuthorsSridhar VR, Hughes JE, Welker DL, Broadbent JR, Steele JL,
JournalAppl Environ Microbiol
PubMed ID15932998
Genes encoding three putative endopeptidases were identified from a draft-quality genome sequence of Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32 and designated pepO3, pepF, and pepE2. The ability of cell extracts from Escherichia coli DH5alpha derivatives expressing CNRZ32 endopeptidases PepE, PepE2, PepF, PepO, PepO2, and PepO3 to hydrolyze the model bitter peptides, beta-casein (beta-CN) ... More
Requirement for either a host- or pectin-induced pectate lyase for infection of pisum sativum by nectriahematococca.
AuthorsRogers LM, Kim YK, Guo W, Gonzalez-Candelas L, Li D, Kolattukudy PE
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID10931947
Fungal pathogens usually have multiple genes that encode extracellular hydrolytic enzymes that may degrade the physical barriers in their hosts during the invasion process. Nectria hematococca, a plant pathogen, has two inducible pectate lyase (PL) genes (pel) encoding PL that can help degrade the carbohydrate barrier in the host. pelA ... More
Allurin, a 21-kDa sperm chemoattractant from Xenopus egg jelly, is related to mammalian sperm-binding proteins.
Authors Olson J H; Xiang X; Ziegert T; Kittelson A; Rawls A; Bieber A L; Chandler D E;
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID11562501
Previously, we demonstrated that a protein from Xenopus egg jelly exhibits sperm chemoattractant activity when assayed by either video microscopy or by sperm passage across a porous filter. Here we describe the isolation and purification of allurin, the protein responsible for this activity. Freshly oviposited jellied eggs were soaked in ... More
Regulation of DNA methylation in human breast cancer. Effect on the urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene production and tumor invasion.
Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a member of the serine protease family and can break down various components of the extracellular matrix to promote growth, invasion, and metastasis of several malignancies including breast cancer. In the current study we examined the role that the DNA methylation machinery might be playing ... More
Cysteine string protein interacts with and modulates the maturation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator.
Authors Zhang Hui; Peters Kathryn W; Sun Fei; Marino Christopher R; Lang Jochen; Burgoyne Robert D; Frizzell Raymond A;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID12039948
The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a cAMP-regulated chloride channel whose phosphorylation regulates both channel gating and its trafficking at the plasma membrane. Cysteine string proteins (Csps) are J-domain-containing, membrane-associated proteins that have been functionally implicated in regulated exocytosis. Therefore, we evaluated the possibility that Csp is involved ... More
Biochemical characterization of endothelin-converting enzyme-1alpha in cultured skin-derived cells and its postulated role in the stimulation of melanogenesis in human epidermis.
The vasoconstrictive peptide endothelin-1 (ET-1) is expressed in human epidermis at the gene and protein levels and plays an important role in stimulating pigmentation via its increased secretion by keratinocytes following ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation. However, one or more biological mechanisms underlying the secretion of ET-1 by keratinocytes in human ... More
Characterization of the murine hyaluronidase gene region reveals complex organization and cotranscription of Hyal1 with downstream genes, Fus2 and Hyal3.
Authors Shuttleworth Tamara L; Wilson Michael D; Wicklow Brandy A; Wilkins John A; Triggs-Raine Barbara L;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11929860
Hyaluronidases are required for the breakdown of hyaluronan (HA), an abundant component of the extracellular matrix of vertebrate tissues. Multiple hyaluronidase genes have been identified, but the only clue to the function of their products has come from the identification of hyaluronidase 1 deficiency in a single patient with a ... More
Identification of amino acid residues critical for biological activity in human interleukin-18.
Authors Kim Soo-Hyun; Azam Tania; Novick Daniela; Yoon Do-Young; Reznikov Leonid L; Bufler Philip; Rubinstein Menachem; Dinarello Charles A;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11790772
Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and IL-18-binding protein (IL-18BP) is a naturally occurring protein that binds IL-18 and neutralizes its biological activities. Computer modeling of human IL-18 identified two charged residues, Glu-42 and Lys-89, which interact with oppositely charged amino acid residues buried in a large hydrophobic pocket of ... More
Probing the conformational change of Escherichia coli undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase during catalysis using an inhibitor and tryptophan mutants.
Authors Chen Yi-Hung; Chen Annie P-C; Chen Chao-Tsen; Wang Andrew H-J; Liang Po-Huang;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11744728
Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase (UPPS) catalyzes the consecutive condensation reactions of eight isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) with farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to generate C(55) undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (UPP). In the present study, site-directed mutagenesis, fluorescence quenching, and stopped-flow methods were utilized to examine the substrate binding and the protein conformational change. (S)-Farnesyl thiopyrophosphate (FsPP), ... More
Authors Collard Charles D; Park Kellie A; Montalto Michael C; Alapati Sailaja; Buras Jon A; Stahl Gregory L; Colgan Sean P;
JournalJ Biol Chem
PubMed ID11847215
Endothelial barrier function is altered by the release of soluble polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-derived mediators during inflammatory states. However, endogenous pathways to describe such changes are only recently appreciated. Using an in vitro endothelial paracellular permeability model, cell-free supernatants from formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine-stimulated PMNs were observed to significantly alter endothelial permeability. Biophysical and ... More
Association of IL12B promoter polymorphism with severity of atopic and non-atopic asthma in children.
Background Severe asthma is a frequent cause of hospital admission, especially among children. The main environmental triggers of airway inflammation in asthma are viruses and aeroallergens. These agents elicit reciprocal immune responses, characterised by production of T helper 1 and T helper 2 cytokines, respectively. There is no genetic explanation ... More