Vladimir I. Muronetz

Oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase enhances its binding to nucleic acids

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a protein with various activities far from its enzymatic function. Here, we showed that the oxidation of SH-groups of the active site of GAPDH enhanced its binding with total transfer RNA or with total DNA. Both NAD and NADH-the cofactors of GAPDH-inhibited the GAPDH-RNA (DNA) interaction, though NAD was much less effective than NADH in the case of oxidized GAPDH. Oxidation of GAPDH strongly decreased its affinity to NAD but not to NADH. Immobilized tetramers of GAPDH dissociated into dimers during the incubation with total RNA but not DNA. The staining of HeLa cells with monoclonal antibodies specific to dimers, monomers or the denatured form of GAPDH revealed the condensation of non-native forms of GAPDH in the nucleus. The role of oxidation of GAPDH in the regulation of the quaternary structure of the enzyme and in its interaction with nucleic acids is discussed.

Novel mechanism of Hsp70 chaperone-mediated prevention of polyglutamine aggregates in a cellular model of huntington disease

The key feature of polyglutamine aggregates accumulating in the course of Huntington disease (HD) is their resistance to protein denaturants, and to date only chaperones are proved to prevent mutant protein aggregation. It was suggested that expanded polyglutamine chains (polyQ) of mutant huntingtin are cross-linked to other proteins such as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Here we clarify the roles of GAPDH and molecular chaperone Hsp70 in the formation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-insoluble polyQ aggregates. First, the addition of pure GAPDH was found to enhance the aggregation of polyQ in a cell-free model of HD. Secondly, the immunodepletion of GAPDH dose-dependently decreased polyQ aggregation. Finally, siRNA-mediated inhibition of GAPDH protein in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells has also reduced the aggregation of cellular polyQ. Regulated over-expression of Hsp70 decreased the amount of GAPDH associated with SDS-insoluble polyQ aggregates. Physical association of Hsp70 and GAPDH in SK-N-SH cells was shown by reciprocal immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy. Pure Hsp70 dose-dependently inhibited the formation of polyQ aggregates in cell-free model of HD by sequestering both GAPDH and polyQ. We demonstrated that Hsp70 binds to polyQ in adenosine triphosphate-dependent manner, which suggests that Hsp70 exerts a chaperoning activity in the course of this interaction. Binding of Hsp70 to GAPDH was nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent suggesting another type of association. Based on our findings, we conclude that Hsp70 protects cells in HD by removing/sequestering two intrinsic components of protein aggregates: the polyQ itself and GAPDH. We propose that GAPDH might be an important target for pharmacological treatment of HD and other polyglutamine expansion-related diseases.

Non-native glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase can be an intrinsic component of amyloid structures.

Interactions between different forms of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and amyloid-beta peptide (1-42) were investigated by direct (surface plasmon resonance) and indirect (kinetics of spontaneous and GroEL/S-assisted reactivation of denatured GAPDH) methods. It was demonstrated that non-native forms of GAPDH obtained by different ways (cold denaturation, oxidation of the enzyme, and its unfolding in guanidine hydrochloride) efficiently bind to soluble amyloid-beta peptide (1-42) yielding a stable complex. Native tetrameric GAPDH does not interact with soluble amyloid-beta peptide (1-42), neither non-native forms of GAPDH interact with aggregated amyloid-beta peptide (1-42). The results suggest that non-native GAPDH species can be involved in the formation of amyloid structures during Alzheimers disease, binding to soluble amyloid-beta peptide (1-42).

Isolation of antigens and antibodies by affinity chromatography

Antibody-antigen binding constants are commonly strong enough for an effective affinity purification of antibodies (by immobilized antigens) or antigens (by immobilized antibodies) to work out a straightforward purification method. A drawback is that antibodies are large protein molecules and subject to denaturation under conditions required for the elution from the complex. Structures of antigens can vary but usually antigens are also equally subject to similar problems. The lability of the components can sometimes make the procedure sophisticated, but usually in all cases it is possible to find a satisfactory approach. In certain cases, specific interactions of the Fc part of antibodies are more facile to exploit for their purification.

Mildly oxidized glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as a possible regulator of glycolysis.

Influence of H 2 O 2 on glycolysis was investigated. A hypothesis previously formulated was tested according to which a mild oxidation of glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) results in uncoupling of oxidation and phosphorylation at this step of glycolysis due to acylphosphatase activity of the oxidized enzyme. Incubation of a mixture of purified glycolytic enzymes, as well as a muscle extract, in the presence of 10‐100 μMH 2 O 2 was shown to result in an increase in the rate of glycolysis. The level of lactate accumulation in the oxidized samples increased by 80‐150% compared to the samples containing mercaptoethanol. No ATP was formed by the H 2 O 2 ‐stimulated glycolysis. Thus, H 2 O 2 really caused uncoupling of oxidation and phosphorylation in glycolysis. A role of GAPDH oxidation in regulation of glycolysis is discussed.

Mildly oxidized GAPDH: the coupling of the dehydrogenase and acyl phosphatase activities.

The hydrogen peroxide‐induced ‘non‐phosphorylating’ activity of D‐glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is shown to be a result of the successive action of two forms of the enzyme subunits: one catalyzing production of 1,3‐bisphosphoglycerate, and the other performing its hydrolytic decomposition. The latter form is produced by mild oxidation of GAPDH in the presence of a low hydrogen peroxide concentration when essential Cys‐149 is oxidized to the sulfenate derivative. The results obtained with a C153S mutant of Bacillus stearothermophilus GAPDH rule out the possibility that intrasubunit acyl transfer between Cys‐149 and a sulfenic form of Cys‐153 is required for the ‘non‐phosphorylating’ activity of the enzyme.

Aggregation and structural changes of αS1-, β- and κ-caseins induced by homocysteinylation

Elevated homocysteine levels are resulting in N-homocysteinylation of lysyl residues in proteins and they correlate with a number of human pathologies. However, the role of homocysteinylation of lysyl residues is still poorly known. In order to study the features of homocysteinylation of intrinsically unstructured proteins (IUP) bovine caseins were used as a model. α(S1)-, β- and κ-caseins, showing different aggregations and micelle formation, were modified with homocysteine-thiolactone and their physico-chemical properties were studied. Efficiency of homocysteine incorporation was estimated to be about 1.5, 2.1 and 1.3 homocysteyl residues per one β-, α(S1)-, and κ-casein molecule, respectively. Use of intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescent markers such as Trp, thioflavin T and ANS, reveal structural changes of casein structures after homocysteinylation reflected by an increase in beta-sheet content, which in some cases may be characteristic of amyloid-like transformations. CD spectra also show an increase in beta-sheet content of homocysteinylated caseins. Casein homocysteinylation leads in all cases to aggregation. The sizes of aggregates and aggregation rates were dependent on homocysteine thiolactone concentration and temperature. DLS and microscopic studies have revealed the formation of large aggregates of about 1-3μm. Homocysteinylation of α(S1)- and β-caseins results in formation of regular spheres. Homocysteinylated κ-casein forms thin unbranched fibrils about 400-800nm long. In case of κ-casein amyloidogenic effect of homocysteinylation was confirmed by Congo red spectra. Taken together, data indicate that N-homocysteinylation provokes significant changes in properties of native caseins. A comparison of amyloidogenic transformation of 3 different casein types, belonging to the IUP protein family, shows that the efficiency of amyloidogenic transformation upon homocysteinylation depends on micellization capacity, additional disulphide bonds and other structural features.

Structural changes of a protein bound to a polyelectrolyte depend on the hydrophobicity and polymerization degree of the polyelectrolyte

Influence of polyelectrolytes of different chemical structure and degree of polymerization on aggregation and denaturation of the oligomeric enzyme glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase has been studied to ascertain molecular characteristics of the polymer chains providing the efficient prevention of aggregation of the enzyme without drastic changes in its structure and catalytic activity. The best polymers meeting these requirements were found to be hydrophilic high-molecular-weight polyelectrolytes forming stable complexes with the enzyme. The revealed pronounced negative effect of short polymer chains on the enzyme must be taken into account in the design of protein-polyelectrolyte systems by using thoroughly fractionated polymer samples containing no admixture of charged oligomers.

Ascorbate-induced oxidation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Oxidation of the essential cysteins of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase into the sulfenic acid derivatives was observed in the presence of ascorbate, resulting in a decrease in the dehydrogenase activity and the appearance of the acylphosphatase activity. The oxidation was promoted by EDTA, NAD(+), and phosphate, and blocked in the presence of deferoxamine. The ascorbate-induced oxidation was suppressed in the presence of catalase, suggesting the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the conditions employed. The data indicate the metal-mediated mechanism of the oxidation due to the presence of metal traces in the reaction medium. Physiological importance of the mildly oxidized GAPDH is discussed in terms of its ability to uncouple glycolysis and to decrease the ATP level in the cell.

Conjugates of monoclonal antibodies with polyelectrolyte complexes - an attempt to make an artificial chaperone

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from rabbit muscle is a tetrameric enzyme. Inactivation of GAPDH at 50 degreesC or in the presence of 4 M urea proceeds via formation of inactive dimers followed by their aggregation. Antibodies (clone 6C5) were selected which bind specifically inactive dimers but not native tetramers. The simplified model of chaperone action when the inactive misfolded forms are removed from the reaction media preventing aggregation was developed using antibodies in combination with polyelectrolyte complexes. The antibodies were coupled covalently to polyanionic component of the complex, poly(methacrylic) acid. The treatment of inactivated GAPDH with this conjugate followed by its precipitation after equimolar addition of polycation, poly-(N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridinium) bromide, resulted in a significant increase in the specific activity of GAPDH. The restoration of specific activity was more complete in the experiments with lower GAPDH concentration and in the samples with lower inactivation degree, conditions where aggregation is less pronounced. Some aggregates are formed at high inactivation degree and high GAPDH concentration and observed as an increase in the solution turbidity. They could be removed by centrifugation. Antibody/polyelectrolyte complex treatment followed by centrifugation to remove insoluble aggregates resulted in nearly complete restoration of enzyme specific activity.