215 research outputs found

    1,4-Dihydropyridines modulate GTP hydrolysis by Go in neuronal membranes

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    Several lines of evidence suggest that L-type Ca2+ channels (1,4-dihydropyridine receptors) are modulated by GTP-binding proteins. We have further examined this interaction by measuring the effect of 1,4-dihydropyridines on GTPase activity in brain membranes. Dihydropyridine agonists significantly increased GTPase, reflected by an increase in the maximal rate of GTP hydrolysis, without affecting the affinity for GTP or the binding of a non-hydrolysable analogue of GTP. The stimulating effect on GTPase was abolished by antisera raised against Go alpha but not Gi alpha. L-type Ca2+ channels may act as endogenous GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) to stimulate GTP hydrolysis by Go.LR: 20061115; PUBM: Print; JID: 0155157; 0 (Calcium Channels); 0 (Dihydropyridines); 0 (Immune Sera); 1134-47-0 (Baclofen); 3337-17-5 (1,4-dihydropyridine); 37589-80-3 (Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate)); 71145-03-4 (3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester); 86-01-1 (Guanosine Triphosphate); EC 3.6.1.- (GTP-Binding Proteins); ppublishSource type: Prin

    Spinach – a software library for simulation of spin dynamics in large spin systems

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    We introduce a software library incorporating our recent research into efficient simulation algorithms for large spin systems. Liouville space simulations (including symmetry, relaxation and chemical kinetics) of most liquid-state NMR experiments on 40+ spin systems can now be performed without effort on a desktop workstation. Much progress has also been made with improving the efficiency of ESR, solid state NMR and Spin Chemistry simulations.<br/

    Modulation of the in situ activity of tissue transglutaminase by calcium and GTP

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    Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is a calcium-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the posttranslational modification of proteins by transamidation of specific polypeptide-bound glutamine residues. Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that the transamidating activity of tTG requires calcium and is inhibited by GTP. To investigate the endogenous regulation of tTG, a quantitative in situ transglutaminase (TG) activity assay was developed. Treatment of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with retinoic acid (RA) resulted in a significant increase in tTG levels and in vitro TG activity. In contrast, basal in situ TG activity did not increase concurrently with RA-induced increased tTG levels. However, stimulation of cells with the calcium-mobilizing drug maitotoxin (MTX) resulted in increases in in situ TG activity that correlated (r2 = 0.76) with increased tTG levels. To examine the effects of GTP on in situ TG activity, tiazofurin, a drug that selectively decreases GTP levels, was used. Depletion of GTP resulted in a significant increase in in situ TG activity; however, treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with a combination of MTX and tiazofurin resulted in significantly less in situ TG activity compared with treatment with MTX alone. This raised the possibility of calcium-dependent proteolysis due to the effects of tiazofurin, because in vitro GTP protects tTG against proteolysis by trypsin. Studies with a selective membrane permeable calpain inhibitor indicated that tTG is likely to be an endogenous substrate of calpain, and that depletion of GTP increases tTG degradation after elevation of intracellular calcium levels. TG activity was also increased in response to activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors, which increases intracellular calcium through inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate generation. The results of these experiments demonstrate that selective changes in calcium and GTP regulate the activity and levels of tTG in situ.Journal ArticleFinal article publishe

    Effects of 8-hydroxy-GTP and 2-hydroxy-ATP on in vitro transcription.

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    Oxidation of RNA precursors may disturb genetic information. In this study, the effects of oxidized RNA precursors on in vitro transcription were examined. Two oxidized ribonucleoside triphosphates, 8-hydroxyguanosine 5′-triphosphate (8-OH-GTP) and 2-hydroxyadenosine 5′-triphosphate (2-OH-ATP), were added to in vitro transcription reactions. The addition of 8-OH-GTP and 2-OH-ATP reduced the amount of RNA synthesized in vitro. Moreover, to examine qualitative alteration of the mRNA, it was converted to cDNA by reverse transcriptase, and the cDNA was then amplified by PCR. The PCR product was subsequently cloned into plasmid DNA, and the DNA sequence was analyzed for each bacterial colony. The two oxidized ribonucleotides induced mutations in cDNA, suggesting the disturbance of genetic information during transcription and/or reverse transcription. 8-OH-GTP induced T → G plus T → C mutations, and 2-OH-ATP caused T → C mutations. These results indicate that the formation of these oxidized RNA precursors in cells affects transcription quantitatively and qualitatively

    Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR) protein isoforms in mammalian retina:insights into X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa and associated ciliopathies

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    Mutations in the cilia-centrosomal protein Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR) are a frequent cause of retinal degeneration. The RPGR gene undergoes complex alternative splicing and encodes multiple protein isoforms. To elucidate the function of major RPGR isoforms (RPGR 1-19 and RPGR ORF15), we have generated isoform-specific antibodies and examined their expression and localization in the retina. Using sucrose-gradient centrifugation, immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation methods, we show that RPGR isoforms localize to distinct sub-cellular compartments in mammalian photoreceptors and associate with a number of cilia-centrosomal proteins. The RCC1-like domain of RPGR, which is present in all major RPGR isoforms, is sufficient to target it to the cilia and centrosomes in cultured cells. Our findings indicate that multiple isotypes of RPGR may perform overlapping yet somewhat distinct transport-related functions in photoreceptors

    Long-range interdomain communications in eIF5B regulate GTP hydrolysis and translation initiation

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    © 2020 the Author(s).Translation initiation controls protein synthesis by regulating the delivery of the first aminoacyl-tRNA to messenger RNAs (mRNAs). In eukaryotes, initiation is sophisticated, requiring dozens of protein factors and 2 GTP-regulated steps. The GTPase eIF5B gates progression to elongation during the second GTP-regulated step. Using electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM), we imaged an in vitro initiation reaction which is set up with purified yeast components and designed to stall with eIF5B and a nonhydrolyzable GTP analog. A high-resolution reconstruction of a “dead-end” intermediate at 3.6 Å allowed us to visualize eIF5B in its ribosome-bound conformation. We identified a stretch of residues in eIF5B, located close to the γ-phosphate of GTP and centered around the universally conserved tyrosine 837 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae numbering), that contacts the catalytic histidine of eIF5B (H480). Site-directed mutagenesis confirmed the essential role that these residues play in regulating ribosome binding, GTP hydrolysis, and translation initiation both in vitro and in vivo. Our results illustrate how eIF5B transmits the presence of a properly delivered initiator aminoacyl-tRNA at the P site to the distant GTPase center through interdomain communications and underscore the importance of the multidomain architecture in translation factors to sense and communicate ribosomal states.We thank the Precision Biomolecular Characterization Facility at Columbia University for technical support and access to the CD spectrometer, which is supported by NIH Award 1S10OD025102-01

    Roles of Ran–GTP and Ran–GDP in precursor vesicle recruitment and fusion during nuclear envelope assembly in a human cell-free system

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    AbstractThe molecular mechanism of nuclear envelope (NE) assembly is poorly understood, but in a cell-free system made from Xenopus eggs NE assembly is controlled by the small GTPase Ran [1,2]. In this system, Sepharose beads coated with Ran induce the formation of functional NEs in the absence of chromatin [1]. Both generation of Ran–GTP by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor RCC1 and GTP hydrolysis by Ran are required for NE assembly, although the roles of the GDP- and GTP-bound forms of Ran in the recruitment of precursor vesicles and their fusion have been unclear. We now show that beads coated with either Ran–GDP or Ran–GTP assemble functional nuclear envelopes in a cell-free system derived from mitotic human cells, forming pseudo-nuclei that actively transport proteins across the NE. Both RCC1 and the GTPase-activating protein RanGAP1 are recruited to the beads, allowing interconversion between Ran–GDP and Ran–GTP. However, addition of antibodies to RCC1 and RanGAP1 shows that Ran–GDP must be converted to Ran–GTP by RCC1 before precursor vesicles are recruited, whereas GTP hydrolysis by Ran stimulated by RanGAP1 promotes vesicle recruitment and is necessary for vesicle fusion to form an intact envelope. Thus, the GTP–GDP cycle of Ran controls both the recruitment of vesicles and their fusion to form NEs

    National Capacity and Constraints to Implement Ethiopia’s Agriculture Sector GTP II with a Focus on the Extension System

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    The author gives background on the Agricultural GTP II . He explains the definition and concept of agricultural extension, of agricultural systems and then gives an observation on the existing capacity of the Ethiopian government. He discusses the constraints and challenging, concluding with the implication of this. The end of the popwerpoint is filled with propositions and remarks on this agricultural transformation plan and the extension strategy
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