F. Lottspeich

Identification of in vivo substrates of the chaperonin GroEL.

The chaperonin GroEL has an essential role in mediating protein folding in the cytosol of Escherichia coli. Here we show that GroEL interacts strongly with a well-defined set of approximately 300 newly translated polypeptides, including essential components of the transcription/translation machinery and metabolic enzymes. About one third of these proteins are structurally unstable and repeatedly return to GroEL for conformational maintenance. GroEL substrates consist preferentially of two or more domains with αβ-folds, which contain α-helices and buried β-sheets with extensive hydrophobic surfaces. These proteins are expected to fold slowly and be prone to aggregation. The hydrophobic binding regions of GroEL may be well adapted to interact with the non-native states of αβ-domain proteins.

Tom5 functionally links mitochondrial preprotein receptors to the general import pore

Most mitochondrial proteins are synthesized as preproteins on cytosolic polysomes and are subsequently imported into the organelle. The mitochondrial outer membrane contains a multisubunit preprotein translocase (Tom) which has receptors on the cytosolic side and a general import pore (GIP) in the membrane. Tom20–Tom22 and Tom70–Tom37 function as import receptors with a preference for preproteins that have amino-terminal presequences or internal targeting information, respectively. Tom40 is an essential constituent of the GIP,, whereas Tom6 and Tom7 modulate the assembly and dissociation of the Tom machinery,. Here we report the identification of Tom5, a small subunit that has a crucial role importing preproteins destined for all four mitochondrial subcompartments. Tom5 has a single membrane anchor and a cytosolic segment with a negative net charge, and accepts preproteins from the receptors and mediates their insertion into the GIP. We conclude that Tom5 represents a functional link between surface receptors and GIP, and is part of an ‘acid chain’ that guides the stepwise transport of positively charged mitochondrial targeting sequences.

The triose phosphate-3-phosphoglycerate - phosphate translocator from spinach chloroplasts: nucleotide sequence of a full-length cDNA clone and import of the in vitro synthesized precursor protein into chloroplasts

The nucleotide sequence of several cDNA clones coding for the phosphate translocator from spinach chloroplasts has been determined. The cDNA clones were selected from a lambda gt10 library prepared from poly(A)+ mRNA of spinach leaves using oligonucleotide probes modeled from amino acid sequences of tryptic peptides prepared from the isolated translocator protein. A 1439 bp insert of one of the clones codes for the entire 404 amino acid residues of the precursor protein corresponding to a mol. wt of 44,234. The full‐length clone includes 21 bp at the transcribed non‐coding 5′ region with the ribosome initiation sequence ACAATGG, a 1212 bp coding region and 199 bp at the non‐coding 3′ region excluding the poly(A) tail which starts 17 bp downstream from a putative polyadenylation signal, AATAAT. According to secondary structure predictions the mature part of the chloroplast phosphate translocator exhibits high hydrophobicity and consists of at least seven membrane‐spanning segments. Using plasmid‐programmed wheat germ lysate the precursor protein was synthesized in vitro and could be imported into spinach chloroplasts where it is inserted into the inner envelope membrane.

TOM7 MODULATES THE DYNAMICS OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL OUTER MEMBRANE TRANSLOCASE AND PLAYS A PATHWAY-RELATED ROLE IN PROTEIN IMPORT

The preprotein translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane is a multi‐subunit complex with receptors and a general import pore. We report the molecular identification of Tom7, a small subunit of the translocase that behaves as an integral membrane protein. The deletion of TOM7 inhibited the mitochondrial import of the outer membrane protein porin, whereas the import of preproteins destined for the mitochondrial interior was impaired only slightly. However, protein import into the mitochondrial interior was strongly inhibited when it occurred in two steps: preprotein accumulation at the outer membrane in the absence of a membrane potential and subsequent further import after the re‐establishment of a membrane potential. The delay of protein import into tom7delta mitochondria seemed to occur after the binding of preproteins to the outer membrane receptor sites. A lack of Tom7 stabilized the interaction between the receptors Tom20 and Tom22 and the import pore component Tom40. This indicated that Tom7 exerts a destabilizing effect on part of the outer membrane translocase, whereas Tom6 stabilizes the interaction between the receptors and the import pore. Synthetic growth defects of the double mutants tom7delta tom20delta and tom7delta tom6delta provided genetic evidence for the functional relationship of Tom7 with Tom20 and Tom6. These results suggest that (i) Tom7 plays a role in sorting and accumulation of the preproteins at the outer membrane, and (ii) Tom7 and Tom6 perform complementary functions in modulating the dynamics of the outer membrane translocase.

The cDNA clone for strictosidine synthase from Rauvolfia serpentina. DNA sequence determination and expression in Escherichia coli

The cDNA clone for strictosidine synthase, the enzyme which catalyzes the stereospecific condensation of tryptamine with secologanin to form the key intermediate in indole alkaloid biosynthesis, strictosidine, has been identified with a synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide hybridization probe in a λgt11 cDNA library of cultured cells of Rauvolfia serpentina. The DNA has been sequenced, revealing an open reading frame of 1032 base pairs encoding 344 amino acids. The sequence of 60 nucleotides in the 5′‐flanking region has been determined by primer extension analysis. The encoded protein has been expressed in E. coli DH5 as detected by immunoblotting of protein extracts with antibodies raised against the native enzyme.

Identification of cell surface determinants in Candida albicans reveals Tsa1p, a protein differentially localized in the cell.

To identify cell surface proteins of Candida albicans, the predominant fungal pathogen in humans, we have established an approach using a membrane impermeable biotin derivative in combination with affinity purification. We were able to identify 29 different proteins under two distinct conditions. Among mannoproteins, heat shock proteins and glycolytic enzymes we found thiol‐specific antioxidant‐like protein 1 (Tsa1p) to be differentially localized depending on the conditions applied. Only in hyphally grown cells Tsa1p was localized to the cell surface whereas in blastospores no surface but mainly nuclear localization was found. This indicates that cell surface expression of at least some proteins is mediated by differential translocation.

Nucleotide sequence of cDNA clones encoding the entire precursor polypeptides for subunits IV and V of the photosystem I reaction center from spinach

Using λgt11 expression cloning and immunoscreening, cDNA‐containing recombinant phages for subunits IV and V of the photosystem I reaction center were isolated, sequenced and used to probe Northern blots of polyadenylated RNA prepared from spinach seedlings. The mRNA sizes for both components are ∼ 1000 and 850 nucleotides, respectively. The 968 nucleotide cDNA sequence and derived amino acid sequence for subunit IV predict a single open reading frame of 231 amino acid residues (25.4 kDa). Comparison with a 13‐residue N‐terminal amino acid sequence determined for subunit IV suggests a mature protein of 17.3 kDa (154 residues) and a transit sequence of 77 amino acids (8.1 kDa). The corresponding data for subunit V are 677 bp (cDNA), 167 residues for the precursor protein (18.2 kDa), 98 residues for the mature polypeptide (10.8 kDa) and 69 residues for the transit peptide (7.4 kDa). Secondary structure predictions indicate that both proteins possess greatly different transit sequences and that none is membrane‐spanning.

The heat shock cognate protein from Dictyostelium affects actin polymerization through interaction with the actin-binding protein cap32/34.

During isolation of the F‐actin capping protein cap32/34 from Dictyostelium discoideum, a 70 kDa protein was copurified which by cloning and sequencing was identified as a heat shock cognate protein (hsc70). This protein exhibited a specific and MgATP‐dependent interaction with the heterodimeric capping protein. To investigate the protein‐protein interaction in vitro, we expressed all three polypeptides separately in Escherichia coli and performed reconstitution experiments of complete or truncated hsc70 with the 32 and 34 kDa subunits of the capping protein. Viscosity measurements and studies on the polymerization kinetics of pyrene‐labeled actin showed that hsc70 increased the capping activity of cap32/34 up to 10‐fold, whereas hsc70 alone had no effect on actin polymerization. In addition, hsc70 acted as a molecular chaperone by stimulating the refolding of the denatured 32 and 34 kDa subunits of the capping protein. To study the interaction of the two domains of hsc70 with cap32/34, the N‐terminal 42 kDa ATPase region and the C‐terminal 30 kDa tail of hsc70 were expressed separately in E. coli. The 32 and 34 kDa subunits were capable of associating with both domains of hsc70. The ATPase domain of hsc70, which is structurally related to actin, proved to be responsible for the increased capping activity of cap32/34, whereas the C‐terminal tail of hsc70 was involved in folding of the subunits of cap32/34. Our data indicate a novel linkage between 70 kDa heat shock proteins and the actin cytoskeleton.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

cDNA cloning of porcine p42IP4, a membrane-associated and cytosolic 42 kDa inositol(1,3,4,5)tetrakisphosphate receptor from pig brain with similarly high affinity for phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)P3

We previously identified a 42 kDa Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 (InsP4) receptor protein (p42IP4) in brain membranes from several species. Here the cDNA sequence of p42IP4 was obtained by PCR using degenerate primers derived from peptide sequences of proteolytic fragments of the porcine protein and by subsequent screening of a pig brain cDNA library. The derived peptide sequence of 374 amino acids for porcine p42IP4 is 45 amino acids shorter at the C‐terminus than centaurin‐α from rat (84% homology) and has a calculated molecular mass of 43 kDa. From the InsP4 binding activity present in brain tissue homogenate about 25% is found in the cytosolic fraction and 75% associated with microsomes. Both activities are due to p42IP4 since (i) a peptide‐specific antiserum recognizing specifically p42IP4 labels the InsP4 receptor protein in membranes and in the cytosol, (ii) the antiserum immunoprecipitates both the membrane protein and the cytosolic protein of 42 kDa, (iii) the InsP4 binding activity released by high salt or by alkaline extraction from membranes is identified immunologically as the 42 kDa protein, and (iv) the affinity for InsP4 and specificity for various inositolphosphates are similar for the membrane‐associated and for the soluble p42IP4. The functional importance of p42IP4 is highlighted by the identical affinity for InsP4 and for phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)P3 (Ki=1.6 and 0.9 nM, respectively). Thus, the InsP4 receptor, apparently a peripheral membrane protein, which exists also as a cytosolic protein can transfer the signals mediated by InsP4 or by PtdInsP3 between membranes and cytosolic compartment.

Amino-terminal sequence of ethylene-induced bean leaf chitinase reveals similarities to sugar-binding domains of wheat germ agglutinin

Chitinase has been reported for many plant species. A role in plant defense has been suggested for plant chitinases, due to their ability to degrade fungal cell wall chitin. Increased levels of chitinase are induced in bean plants by the plant hormone ethylene [(1983) Planta 157, 22‐31]. The amino acid sequence of positions 1–30 of ethylene‐induced bean leaf chitinase was determined and found to possess considerable sequence homology to wheat germ agglutinin and hevein. The implication of a lectin‐related structure for the enzymatic specificity of chitinase is discussed.