Katsuhiko Yamamoto

Identification of a platelet Mr 22,000 GTP-binding protein as the novel smg-21 gene product having the same putative effector domain as the ras gene products

We have recently purified a Mr 22,000 GTP-binding protein (G protein) to near homogeneity from human platelet membranes and characterized it (Ohmori, T., Kikuchi, A., Yamamoto, K., Kim, S. and Takai, Y. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. in press). This platelet G protein was present most abundantly among several G proteins in platelets and showed a Mr of about 22,000 as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This platelet G protein showed kinetic and physical properties very similar to those of the novel smg-21 gene product, having the same putative effector domain as the ras gene products, which we have recently purified to near homogeneity from bovine brain membranes and characterized (Kawata, M., Matsui, Y., Kondo, J., Hishida, T., Teranishi, Y. and Takai, Y. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. in press). Moreover, the peptide map of the platelet G protein was identical with that of the smg-21 gene product and the partial amino acid sequence of the platelet G protein was identical with that of the smg-21 gene product. These results indicate that this human platelet G protein is the smg-21 gene product.

Multiple small molecular weight gtp-binding proteins in bovine brain cytosol purification and characterization of a 24KDa protein

We have separated multiple small Mr GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) from bovine brain crude membranes, purified a novel 24KDa G protein (smg p25A) to near homogeneity and characterized it. In this paper, we have studied these small Mr G proteins in the cytosol fraction of bovine brain. [35S]GTP gamma S-binding activity is detected in the cytosol fraction but this activity is one-sixth to one-eighth of that of the crude membrane fraction. When G proteins in the cytosol fraction are purified by successive chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, Ultrogel AcA-44, hydroxyapatite and Mono Q HR5/5 columns, multiple small Mr G proteins are separated. One of these G proteins shows a Mr of about 24KDa. Its physical, immunological and kinetic properties are indistinguishable from smg p25A. These results indicate that there are also multiple small Mr G proteins in the cytosol fraction of bovine brain, and suggest that one of the cytosol G proteins is the soluble form of smg p25A.

Small molecular weight GTP-binding proteins and signal transduction.

We have separated multiple GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) having Mr values of about 20,000 (small Mr G proteins) from bovine brain membranes, purified to near homogeneity and characterized two novel G proteins designated as smg p25A and smg p21, the c-Ki-ras protein (c-Ki-ras p21) and the two rho proteins (rho p20 and rho p21). smg p25A is present abundantly in brain and adrenal medulla. This G protein is also found in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells, and its mRNA level increased after differentiation of the cells into neuron-like cells in response to nerve growth factor or dibutyryl cyclic AMP. These results suggest that smg p25A plays an important role in the regulation of neuronal functions. In contrast, smg p21 is found in most tissues. This G protein has the same putative effector domain as ras p21s, suggesting that smg p21 exerts the actions similar and/or antagonistic to those of ras p21s. In fact, smg p21 has been found to be identical with the protein encoded by the Krev-1 gene recently isolated as a gene suppressing the transforming action of Ki-ras p21 in NIH/3T3 cells. On the other hand, rho p20 and rho p21 are ADP-ribosylated by an ADP-ribosyltransferase contained or contaminated in botulinum toxin type C1, presumably C3. Botulinum ADP-ribosyltransferase C3 has recently been shown to induce morphological changes similar to those induced by ras p21 in fibroblasts. Thus, small Mr G proteins are part of a huge network of intracellular regulatory systems and play important roles in the regulation of various cell functions including cell transformation, proliferation and differentiation.

Binding of ras p21 to bands 4.2 and 6 of human erythrocyte membranes

The direct binding protein(s) of ras p21 was (were) investigated in inside‐out vesicles of human erythrocyte ghosts using the pure v‐Kirsten (Ki)‐ras p21 synthesized in E. coli. The bound ras p21 was detected immunochemicallly using an anti‐v‐Ki‐ras p21 monoclonal antibody. ras p21 bound to vesicles. Prior digestion of the vesicles with trypsin reduced this binding significantly. When ras p21 was laid over vesicle proteins immobilized on a nitrocellulose sheet by transfer from the gel of SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ras p21 bound to bands 4.2 and 6. ras p21 binding to these proteins was reduced by prior incubation of ras p21 with the purified band 4.2 or 6 protein. These results indicate that v‐Ki‐ras p21 can bind directly to bands 4.2 and 6 of human erythrocyte membranes as far as tested in an in vitro cell‐free system.