Shoji Shimomura

Different properties of two types of auxin-binding sites in membranes from maize coleoptiles

Two types of auxin-binding sites (sites I and II) in membranes from maize (Zea mays L.) coleoptiles were characterized. Site I was a protein with a relative molecular mass of 21 000, and the distribution of site I protein on sucrose density gradient fractionation coincided with that of NADH-cytochrome-c reductase (EC 1.6.99.3), a marker enzyme of the endoplasmic reticulum. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting studies showed that the content of site I protein in maize coleoptiles was approx. 2 μg·(g FW)-1. Site II occurred in higher-density fractions and also differed immunologically from site I. Site I was present at the early developmental stage of the coleoptile and increased only twice during coleoptile growth between day 2 and 4. Site II activity was low at the early stage and increased more substantially between day 3 and 4, a period of rapid growth of the coleoptile. Both sites decreased concurrently after day 4, followed by a reduction in the growth rate of the coleoptile. Coleoptiles with the outer epidermis removed showed a lower site I activity than intact coleoptiles, indicating that site I was concentrated in the outer epidermis. Site II, in contrast, remained constant after removal of the outer epidermis. The results indicate that site I is not a precursor of site II and that the two sites are involved in different cellular functions.

Potato and rabbit muscle phosphorylases: comparative studies on the structure, function and regulation of regulatory and nonregulatory enzymes

SummaryPhosphorylases (EC 2.4.1.1) from potato and rabbit muscle are similar in many of their structural and kinetic properties, despite differences in regulation of their enzyme activity. Rabbit muscle phosphorylase is subject to both allosteric and covalent controls, while potato phosphorylase is an active species without any regulatory mechanism. Both phosphorylases are composed of subunits of approximately 100 000 molecular weight, and contain a firmly bound pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Their actions follow a rapid equilibrium random Bi Bi mechanism. From the sequence comparison between the two phosphorylases, high homologies of widely distributed regions have been found, suggesting that they may have evolved from the same ancestral protein. By contrast, the sequences of the N-terminal region are remarkably different from each other. Since this region of the muscle enzyme forms the phosphorylatable and AMP-binding sites as well as the subunit-subunit contact region, these results provide the structural basis for the difference in the regulatory properties between potato and rabbit muscle phosphorylases. Judged from CD spectra, the surface structures of the potato enzyme might be significantly different from that of the muscle enzyme. Indeed, the subunit-subunit interaction in the potato enzyme is tighter than that in the muscle enzyme, and the susceptibility of the two enzymes toward modification reagents and proteolytic enzymes are different. Despite these differences, the structural and functional features of the cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate, site are surprisingly well conserved in these phosphorylases. X-ray crystallographic studies on rabbit muscle phosphorylase have shown that glucose-1-phosphate and orthophosphate bind to a common region close to the 5′-phosphate of the cofactor. The muscle enzyme has a glycogen storage site for binding of the enzyme to saccharide substrate, which is located away from the cofactor site. We have obtained, in our reconstitution studies, evidence for binding of saccharide directly to the cofactor site of potato phosphorylase. This difference in the topography of the functional sites explains the previously known different specificities for saccharide substrates in the two phosphorylases. Based on a combination of these and other studies, it is now clear that the 5′-phosphate group of pyridoxal phosphate plays a direct role in the catalysis of this enzyme. Information now available on the reaction mechanism of phosphorylase is briefly described.

Cloning and expression of two genes encoding auxin-binding proteins from tobacco

Two genes encoding the auxin-binding protein (ABP1) of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), both of which possess the characteristics of a luminal protein of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), were isolated and sequenced. These genes were composed of at least five exons and four introns. The two coding exons showed 95% sequence homology and coded for two precursor proteins of 187 amino acid residues with molecular masses of 21 256 and 21 453 Da. The deduced amino acid sequences were 93% identical and both possessed an amino-terminal signal peptide, a hydrophilic mature protein region with two potential N-glycosylation sites and a carboxyl-terminal sorting signal, KDEL, for the ER. Restriction mapping of the cDNAs encoding tobacco ABP1, previously purified by amplification of tobacco cDNA libraries by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers common to both genes, indicated that both genes were expressed, although one was expressed at a higher level than the other. Genomic Southern blot hybridization showed no other homologous genes except for these two in the tobacco genome. The apparent molecular mass of the mature form of tobacco ABP1 was revealed to be 25 kDa by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using affinity-purified anti (tobacco ABP1) antibodies raised against a fusion protein with maltose-binding protein. Expression of the recombinant ABP1 gene in transgenic tobacco resulted in accumulation of the 25 kDa protein. A single point mutation of an amino acid residue at either of the two potential N-glycosylation sites resulted in a decrease in the apparent molecular mass and produced a 22 kDa protein. Mutations at both sites resulted in the formation of a 19.3 kDa protein, suggesting that tobacco ABP1 is glycosylated at two asparagine residues.

Characterization of auxin-binding protein 1 from tobacco: content, localization and auxin-binding activity.

Abstract. There is evidence that auxin-binding protein 1 (ABP1) is an auxin receptor on the plasma membrane. Maize (Zea mays L.) possesses a high level of auxin-binding activity due to ABP1, but no other plant source has been shown to possess such an activity. We have analyzed the ABP1 content of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to examine whether or not the ABP1 content of maize is exceptionally high among plants. The ABP1 content of tobacco leaves was shown by quantitative immunoblot analysis to be between 0.7 and 1.2 μg ABP1 per gram of fresh leaf. This value is comparable to the reported value in maize shoots, indicating that ABP1 is present at a similar level in both monocot and dicot plants. The ABP1 content of tobacco leaves was increased up to 20-fold by expression of a recombinant ABP1 gene, and decreased to half of the original value by expression of the antisense gene. Although ABP1 was found mainly in the endoplasmic reticulum fraction, a secreted protein showing a molecular size and epitopes similar to intracellular ABP1 was also detected in the culture medium of tobacco leaf disks. The secretion of this protein was dependent on the expression level of the ABP1 gene.

Affinity labeling of the cofactor site in glycogen phosphorylase b with a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate analog.

Abstract P1,P2-bis(5′-pyridoxal)diphosphate inactivates apophosphorylase b from rabbit muscle, but not holophosphorylase. Inactivation is stoichiometric with the incorporation of 1 mol of the pyridoxal 5′-phosphate analog per mol of enzyme monomer. One of the two pyridoxal groups of the analog is kinked to the cofactor site forming a Schiff base, and is not reduced with NaBH4. The other also forms a Schiff base, but is easily reduced by the same treatment. The residue involving in the latter binding has been identified as Lys-573. Its e-amino group may interact with the phosphate group of the cofactor or of the substrate in the native enzyme.

Binding of Mg2+ to the β subunit or F1 of H+-ATPase from Escherichia coli

Abstract The bindings of Mg 2+ to the F 1 portion of Escherichia coli H + -ATPase and its isolated α and β subunits were studied with 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate (ANS). The fluorescence of ANS increased upon addition of F 1 or its α subunit or β subunit, as reported previously ( M. Hirano, K. Takeda, H. Kanazawa, and M. Futai (1984) Biochemistry 23 , 1652–1656). The fluorescence of ANS bound to F 1 or its β subunit increased significantly with further addition of Mg 2+ , whereas that of the α subunit increased only slightly. Ca 2+ and Mn 2+ had similar effects on the fluorescence of ANS with F 1 and its β subunit. The Mg 2+ -induced fluorescence enhancement (Δ F ) was high at an alkaline pH and was lowered by addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and azide had no effect on the Δ F . Binding analysis showed that the concentration dependence of Mg 2+ on the fluorescence enhancement of the β subunit is similar to that of F 1 . These results suggest that both the β subunit and F 1 have binding sites for Mg 2+ and that the Δ F observed with F 1 may be due to the binding of Mg 2+ to the β subunit.