Paolo Truffa-Bachi

Isolation and characterization of a jacalin-related mannose-binding lectin from salt-stressed rice (Oryza sativa) plants.

Abstract. A novel plant lectin was isolated from salt-stressed rice (Oryzasativa L.) plants and partially characterized. The lectin occurs as a natural mixture of two closely related isoforms consisting of two identical non-covalently linked subunits of 15 kDa. Both isoforms are best inhibited by mannose and exhibit potent mitogenic activity towards T-lymphocytes. Biochemical analyses and sequence comparisons further revealed that the rice lectins belong to the subgroup of mannose-binding jacalin-related lectins. In addition, it could be demonstrated that the lectins described here correspond to the protein products of previously described salt-stress-induced genes. Our results not only identify the rice lectin as a stress protein but also highlight the possible importance of protein-carbohydrate interactions in stress responses in plants.

The threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase and aspartokinase activities of Escherichia coli: I. Evidence that the two activities are carried by a single protein

In Escherichia coli K12, 1. 1. A single mutation can lead to the concomitant modification or to the concomitant loss of the two activities, threonine-sensitive β-aspartokinase (ATP: L-aspartate 4-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.2.4) and threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase (L-homoserine: NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.3). 2. 2. The two activities cannot be separated and the ratio of the specific activities remains constant throughout a 600-fold purification. 3. 3. The substrates of one of the activities are inhibitors of the otther activity. The observed inhibitions are specific. 4. 4. The threonine-sensitive aspartokinase is protected against thermal inactivation by NADPH, a substrate of the homoserine dehydrogenase. 5. 5. The conclusion is drawn that the two activities under study are carried by a single protein molecule. The apparent molecular mass of this complex protein is changed in some mutants. There is no apparent correlation between the apparent molecular mass and the cooperativity of inhibitor molecules. 6. 6. The significance of these findings is discussed in terms of metabolic regulation and intracellular topology.

Fruit-specific lectins from banana and plantain

Abstract. One of the predominant proteins in the pulp of ripe bananas (Musa acuminata L.) and plantains (Musa spp.) has been identified as a lectin. The banana and plantain agglutinins (called BanLec and PlanLec, respectively) were purified in reasonable quantities using a novel isolation procedure, which prevented adsorption of the lectins onto insoluble endogenous polysaccharides. Both BanLec and PlanLec are dimeric proteins composed of two identical subunits of 15 kDa. They readily agglutinate rabbit erythrocytes and exhibit specificity towards mannose. Molecular cloning revealed that BanLec has sequence similarity to previously described lectins of the family of jacalin-related lectins, and according to molecular modelling studies has the same overall fold and three-dimensional structure. The identification of BanLec and PlanLec demonstrates the occurrence of jacalin-related lectins in monocot species, suggesting that these lectins are more widespread among higher plants than is actually believed. The banana and plantain lectins are also the first documented examples of jacalin-related lectins, which are abundantly present in the pulp of mature fruits but are apparently absent from other tissues. However, after treatment of intact plants with methyl jasmonate, BanLec is also clearly induced in leaves. The banana lectin is a powerful murine T-cell mitogen. The relevance of the mitogenicity of the banana lectin is discussed in terms of both the physiological role of the lectin and the impact on food safety.

Administration to mouse of endotoxin from gram‐negative bacteria leads to activation and apoptosis of T lymphocytes

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gramnegative bacteria is a well‐known T cell‐independent B lymphocyte mitogen and macrophage/monocyte activator. While the conventional view holds that LPS is ignored by T cells, we report here that administration of LPS to mice activates all B cells, but also engages most CD4 and CD8 T cells, as measured by the expression of the activation markers CD69 and CD25 and by size increase. T cells recruited in endotoxin‐treated mice showed, following in vitro stimulation by concanavalin A, altered patterns of cytokine production. In vivo, massive T cell apoptosis was evidenced in the days following LPS exposure. The present observation may contribute novel insights into the mechanisms of endotoxin shock and of the immunological consequences of gram‐negative infections.

Crystal structure of Urtica dioica agglutinin, a superantigen presented by MHC molecules of class I and class II.

BACKGROUND Urtica dioica agglutinin (UDA), a monomeric lectin extracted from stinging nettle rhizomes, is specific for saccharides containing N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). The lectin behaves as a superantigen for murine T cells, inducing the exclusive proliferation of Vbeta8.3(+) lymphocytes. UDA is unique among known T cell superantigens because it can be presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules of both class I and II. RESULTS The crystal structure of UDA has been determined in the ligand-free state, and in complex with tri-acetylchitotriose and tetra-acetylchitotetraose at 1.66 A, 1.90 A and 1.40 A resolution, respectively. UDA comprises two hevein-like domains, each with a saccharide-binding site. A serine and three aromatic residues at each site form the principal contacts with the ligand. The N-terminal domain binding site can centre on any residue of a chito-oligosaccharide, whereas that of the C-terminal domain is specific for residues at the nonreducing terminus of the ligand. We have shown previously that oligomers of GlcNAc inhibit the superantigenic activity of UDA and that the lectin binds to glycans on the MHC molecule. We show that UDA also binds to glycans on the T cell receptor (TCR). CONCLUSIONS The presence of two saccharide-binding sites observed in the structure of UDA suggests that its superantigenic properties arise from the simultaneous fixation of glycans on the TCR and MHC molecules of the T cell and antigen-presenting cell, respectively. The well defined spacing between the two binding sites of UDA is probably a key factor in determining the specificity for Vbeta8.3(+) lymphocytes.

The threonine-sensitive homoserine dehydrogenase and aspartokinase activities of Escherichia coli: II. The effects of p-mercuribenzoic acid

The inactivation of the aspartokinase I-homoserine dehydrogenase I by iodoacetic acid and the effect on the sensitivity to its inhibitor, L-threonine, were examined. Both aspartokinase and homoserine dehydrogenase inactivation, as well as the dehydrogenase desensitization toward L-threonine occur as a pseudo-first order process. During its inactivation, the aspartokinase remains sensitive to L-threonine. At 50% inactivation, the inhibition curve of the aspartokinase by L-threonine displays homotropic cooperative effects. This alkylated protein retains eight binding sites for L-threonine. During the carboxymethylation, the protein remains in the tetrameric form until half of the kinase activity is lost. At the end of the inactivation aggregate forms and dimers appear.

New Aspects of Cyclosporin A Mode of Action: from Gene Silencing to Gene Up-Regulation

Cyclosporin A (CSA) has transformed clinical transplantation, both in term of success and of quality-of-life of the patient. Studies aimed to unfold the site of CSA action have shown that this molecule binds to cytosolic proteins of the cyclophilin family. CSA:cyclophilin complexes have a high affinity for calcineurin, a key enzyme in T-cell activation. By blocking the calcineurin activity, CSA prevents the induction of genes encoding for cytokines and their receptors. Thus, humoral and cellular immune responses are abolished, this resulting in the successful graft acceptance. Disappointingly, CSA and the other molecules as FK506, sharing the capacity to inhibit calcineurin, should be administered for all patient life, as tolerance to alloantigens is not achieved by these molecules. The long term utilization of this class of immunosuppressors increases the incidence of different tumors. The finding that CSA does not interfere with various biochemical pathways has prompted different groups to analyze a possible effect of CSA on molecules that might be involved in different functions of the immune response and/or in tumorogenesis. A new picture of CSA mode of action is emerging in which the immunosuppressor prevents the transcription of a group of genes, concomitantly inducing the transcription of another set. Here, we review the data and discuss the consequences of these new findings in term of T-cell activation mechanisms.

[91a] Aspartokinase I and homoserine dehydrogenase I (Escherichia coli K12)

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the assay, purification, and properties of aspartokinase I and homoserine dehydrogenase I. The enzyme activity of aspartokinase can be determined by measuring the amount of aspartohydroxamate formed by the incubation of the enzyme with the substrates and hydroxylamine and by coupling the reaction with aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase. The aspartyl phosphate formed is reduced in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) to aspartate-β-semialdehyde. With crude extracts, both measurements must be done in the presence of 10 mM L-lysine to inhibit the lysine-sensitive aspartokinase. In homoserine dehydrogenase assay method, NADPH oxidation in the presence of aspartate semialdehyde is followed spectrophotometrically. Potassium ions are required for maximal dehydrogenase activity. L-threonine is an extremely specific inhibitor of both reactions. The inhibition is highly cooperative. The denatured protein contains 28 to 30 available sulfhydryl groups, whereas in the native protein only 16 to 18 such groups are readily available. L-threonine, the allosteric effector protects against the titration of all sulfhydryl groups of the native enzyme.

Urtica dioica agglutinin, a new mitogen for murine T lymphocytes: Unaltered interleukin-1 production but late interleukin 2-mediated proliferation

Urtica dioica agglutinin, a small-molecular-weight lectin purified from stinging nettle rhizomes, induces murine cell proliferation. U. dioica agglutinin is a specific T-cell mitogen for both thymocytes and spleen T lymphocytes; its mitogenic properties are strictly dependent on the presence of accessory cells. The kinetics of proliferation are markedly different from those of the classical T-cell mitogen concanavalin A, with a 2 to 3-day delay for both splenic and thymic populations and a rate of DNA synthesis twofold lower than that observed with concanavalin A. The late T-lymphocyte proliferation induced by U. dioica agglutinin correlates well with (i) the observed late interleukin-2 production and interleukin-2 receptor expression, and (ii) the long-lasting cyclosporin A-sensitive early activation period. In contrast, the production of interleukin-1 is not different, both in terms of concentration and kinetics, from that observed with concanavalin A.

A reverse hemolytic plaque assay for the detection and the enumeration of immunoglobulin allotype-secreting cells

Abstract We describe a reverse hemolytic plaque assay to enumerate rabbit immunoglobulin allotype-secreting cells. This technique makes use of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) sensitized with goat anti-rabbit IgG and rabbit anti-allotypic sera as revealing antisera. We have used the assay to compare at the IgG molecule level and at the immunoglobulin allotype-secreting cell level, the preferential expression (pecking order), in heterozygous rabbits, of one of the two alleles either at the a or the b locus, respectively, governing the a series allotypic specificities carried by the variable region of the heavy chains and the b series allotypic specificities essentially carried by the constant region of the K light chains.