Vera Keil-Dlouha

Chemical characterization and study of the autodigestion of pure collagenase from Achromobacter iophages

Abstract Only one collagenase (EC 3.4.24.3) is produced by the non-pathogenic Achromobacter iophagus strain. The chromatography of the crude enzyme on DE-32 cellulose followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 in the presence of 1 M sodium chloride led to the isolation of a homogeneous enzyme. Its specific activity (1.642 μkat/mg) represents the highest value ever obtained for a bacterial collagenase. The amino acid composition of A. iophagus collagenase differs from that of Clostridium histolyticum mainly in the sulfur-containing amino acids. 1 mol of zinc was found for 1 mol of enzyme of molecular weight 104 000. The autodegradation of the A. iophagus collagenase results in the formation of at least three active fractions which can be separated by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as rechromatography on DE-32 cellulose. They are active towards the synthetic substrate as well as towards the native collagen. The results of ORD have shown that the digestion of the last one occurs in the helical parts of the substrate.

Subunit structure of Arhromobacter collagenase

Abstract The highly active form of collagenase (EC 3.4.24.3) from Achromobacter iophagus (specific activity 2 μkat/mg) has a molecular weight of 70 000 and the sedimentation coefficient s20,w = 4.4 S. It is composed of two subunits of molecular weight 35 000 and s20,w of 2.9 S. The dissociation of the dimer under different conditions resulted in the complete and irreversible loss of enzymic activity. A unique N-terminal sequence Thr-Ala-Ala-Asp-Leu-Glu-Ala-Leu-Val- indicates that the two subunits are identical, at least in the N-terminal part of the polypeptide chain. Reduction and pyridylethylation of the subunit change neither molecular weight nor amino acid composition: therefore each subunit of molecular weight 35 000 consists of a single polypeptide chain. Another active and homogeneous form of Achromobacter collagenase (specific activity 1.64 μkat/mg) gives a value for the apparent molecular weight of 80 000 on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. It is also a dimer in which each of the two subunits of molecular weight 35 000 binds non-covalently a peptide of molecular weight 5000. The dissociation of this form of collagenase is also accompanied by irreversible loss of enzymic activity. The amino acid composition of the subunits which were isolated from both 70 000 and 80 000 collagenases is the same. The role of dimer-monomer equilibrium in the biological function of collagenase is discussed.

Purification and characterization of two high-molecular-mass forms of Achromobacter collagenase

Abstract Two forms of Achromobacter collagenase, A 1 and A 2 , of high molecular mass (110 and 90 kDa, respectively) were isolated from the supernatant of the culture of Vibrio alginolyticus chemovar iophagus . They have an identical C-terminal sequence, but different N-terminal sequences. They do not differ in specific activities toward synthetic substrate and collagen type I. In SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels containing copolymerized gelatine as substrate, bot A 1 and A 2 gave after autolysis similar active forms. It was deduced that A 1 differs from A 2 by a 20 kDa N-terminal fragment. The results obtained with their autodigestion and the incubation with EDTA indicate that each of them is composed of a single polypeptide chain containing several domains resistant to proteolysis. The purified IgG against pure 70 kDa Achromobacter collagenase used in our previous studies inhibited A 1 and A 2 activities. Similar inhibition curves were obtained for 70 kDa, 90 kDa and 110 kDa forms. All these data indicate that different active forms of Achromobacter collagenase are cleavage products derived from the same single polypeptide chain. A tentative model for an alignment of proteolytically resistant fragments and functional domains in A 1 polypeptide chain is proposed.

Cell surface proteins in the early embryogenesis of Pleurodeles waltlii

Surface proteins in the first embryonic stages (8-32 cells, morula, blastula, early and late gastrula) of Pleurodeles waltlii were selectively labelled by 125I using lactoperoxidase and glucose/glucose oxidase. Iodination was effected either on non-dissociated embryos or after their dissociation with EDTA. On the outer surface of non-dissociated embryos the two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed only three groups of 125I-labelled proteins which did not change during all studied stages. Quite different results were obtained with the cells of dissociated embryos. In addition to the iodinated proteins of the embryonic outer surface seven major iodinated proteins were identified. These proteins originate from the regions of cell-cell contacts in intact embryo. Their two-dimensional pattern in dissociated cells changes between stages 8-32 cells and morula. The next important difference was observed during gastrulation, which corresponds in Pleurodeles waltlii to the first morphogenetic movements. Therefore the outside and inside cell surfaces of embryo are different already at stage 8-32 cells (and probably earlier), before the first step of morphogenesis. The changes of cell surface proteins at early embryonal development take place inside the embryo, in the regions of cell-cell interactions.

New Achromobacter collagenase and its immunological relationship with a vertebrate collagenase

Evidence is presented that Achromobacter iophagus produces two distinct collagenases. Achromobacter collagenases A and B were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography from partially purified enzyme. The main collagenase, A (EC 3.4.24.8), which has been already described, was eluted in the region of molecular mass 110-90 kDa. A minor collagenase B eluted in the region of 320 kDa, although in SDS-gel electrophoresis the apparent molecular masses of its main active forms were estimated as 55 and 110 kDa. The specificities of collagenases A and B are different. Collagenase A splits in its synthetic substrate Pz-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-DArg the bond Leu-Gly, collagenase B does not split this substrate. Both collagenases split bonds Gln-Gly and Leu-Gly in synthetic peptides DNP-Pro-Gln-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln-DArg-OH and DNP-Pro-Leu-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-DArg-NH2, respectively. Collagenase B is twice as active as A on the native collagen type I. Both enzymes are inhibited by EDTA. The antibodies raised against the human tooth collagenase specifically inhibited the collagenase B, but did not influence the activity of collagenase A. These results indicate, to our knowledge for the first time, an immunological relationship between a bacterial and a vertebrate collagenase.

A comparison of surface proteins in embryonal carcinoma cells and their differentiated derivatives

Surface proteins from five cell lines (three embryonal carcinoma cell lines (F9, PCC4 and PCC3), teratocarcinoma-derived endodermal cells (PYS) and fibroblasts (line 3/A/1-D-3 differentiated from PCC3) were compared by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after selective iodination with 125I in the presence of lactoperoxidase. The labeled proteins were solubilized either in Nonidet P40/urea/ampholyte/mercaptoethanol solution or in Nonidet P40 only. In total, about thirty major 125I-labeled surface proteins were identified by their isoelectric point and molecular weight. 14 proteins are present in all five cell types, although their quantity or accessibility for labeling differs between differentiated and undifferentiated cells. Three proteins (200, 160 and 150 kilodaltons) are present in undifferentiated cells only. Two of them (160 and 150 kilodaltons) were solubilized by Nonidet P40/urea/ampholyte/mercaptoethanol, but not by Nonidet P40. One protein (50 kilodaltons) was found in nullipotent F9 cells only. About 14--15 proteins (including fibronectin) were released by Nonidet P40/urea/ampholyte/mercaptoethanol but not by Nonidet P40. They are presumably bound to submembrane or cytoskeleton structures by non-covalent bonds.

Cell-surface collagen-binding protein in the procaryote Achromobacter iophagus

Collagen and its high-molecular-weight fragments specifically induce an extracellular collagenase (EC 3.4.24.8) in the Gram-negative Achromobacter iophagus. During the induction process the inducer is concentrated on the bacterial outer membrane. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of 125I-labelled outer membrane proteins has shown that, in particular, the amount of one protein which is already present on the surface of non-induced bacteria increases quantitatively when the inducer is added. After 125I-labelling of the cell membrane and its solubilization, the same protein is retained selectively on a gelatin-Sepharose column. It has isoelectric point of 4.9-5.1 and molecular weight of 40000. This molecular weight is close to that of the 35000 of the collagenase subunit. However, their non-identity was proved in three independent ways: upon two-dimensional electrophoresis, only those proteins in the range corresponding to the collagenase dimer (Mr 70000-80000) react with fluorescent anticollagenase antibody system, whereas the spot of the collagen-binding protein (mr 40000) is negative; the solubilized collagen-binding protein is not retained by anticollagenase-Sepharose affinity chromatography; in vivo, it is not protected by anti-collagenase antibodies against lactoperoxidase iodination. A hypothesis for the possible role of the collagen-binding protein in the induction of collagenase is proposed.

Changes of surface glycoproteins after retinoic acid-dibutyryl cAMP-induced differentiation of teratocarcinoma stem cells☆

Retinoic acid induces differentiation of embryonal carcinoma F9 cells into parietal endoderm. The surface proteins of F9 cells from induced and control cultures were labeled with the 125I-lactoperoxidase system and analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Their quantitative comparison has shown an 11-fold increase of protein p220 of apparent MW 220,000 and isoelectric point 5.6. Among other enhanced surface proteins, 3.5-fold increases of p50, p45, and p40 of MW 50,000-40,000 and isoelectric point 5.1-5.3 were observed. Simultaneously another surface protein, p70 of MW 70,000 and isoelectric point 6.1-6.3, disappeared. The quantitative changes of surface proteins produced after treatment with retinoic acid were enhanced in the presence of dibutyryl cAMP. Analysis of lectin-binding proteins demonstrated that increasing proteins p220, p50, p45, and p40 have an affinity for concanavalin A, whereas p70, which decreases, has an affinity for wheat germ agglutinin. Antibodies raised against p70 from undifferentiated cells have shown a specific immunoreaction with p220 from differentiated cells and also with the subunit B of purified laminin. The electrophoretic mobilities of p220 and of the B subunit of laminin are similar. It is suggested that p70, p220, and laminin B subunit share structural homology.

Changes in pattern and accessibility for 125I-labelling of cell-surface proteins after mesenchymal differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells

Cell-surface proteins of the embryonal carcinoma line C17-S1 1003 (1003) and of some of its mesenchymal derivatives were studied. The surface proteins were labelled with 125I using the lactoperoxidase-glucose-glucose oxidase system either on the cells attached to the culture dishes or after their dissociation. Iodinated proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The patterns obtained with embryonal carcinoma cells 1003 and with two mesenchymal cell types derived from them, namely embryonic mesenchymal cells (line 10035) and fibroblastic cells (line 10031), were different one from the other, especially when considering the group of proteins labelled on the attached cells. The pattern of cell-surface proteins of the myoblastic line 1168, also derived from C17-S1, was found to be similar to that of 10031 fibroblastic cells. This result is discussed in the light of the phenotypic transition toward myogenesis, which can be obtained with 10031 fibroblastic cells but not with 10035 embryonic mesenchymal cells. A direct method of detection of lectin-binding proteins permitted us to identify the major concanavalin A-binding proteins. Two of them are common to all cell lines studied. They were labeled with 125I on the attached undifferentiated 1003 cells, while in all differentiated derivatives they became available for labelling after the cell detachment only.

Asymmetric distribution of surface proteins in monolayer culture of embryonal carcinoma F9 cells

Abstract Embryonal carcinoma F9 cells were labelled with [125I]-lactoperoxidase either in monolayer culture or after their dissociation and also as dissociated multilayer aggregates. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis of iodinated proteins revealed two groups of surface proteins, characteristic of non-attached surface (group A) and of attached surface (group B). The content of group A proteins was 40.7 % in the case of monolayer culture and 10.2 % in the case of multilayer aggregates, as compared to the total value of their common surface proteins. With a direct method for detection of lectin-binding proteins it was shown that three major Concanavalin A-binding proteins belong to group A and one to group B. Two wheat germ agglutinin binding proteins were identified as surface proteins of group B.