The Biochemical JournalThis is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the latest items in this publication.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

258 records returned

Biomembrane liquid-liquid phase separation and detergent resistance: a relationship strengthened.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Since evidence first appeared for 'detergent-resistant membranes' in the early to mid-1990s, cell biologists from a wide spectrum of biological sciences have been intrigued by the functional relevance of this indication of membrane heterogeneity, commonly referred to as 'lipid rafts'. Model membrane studies revealed that these lipid rafts are related to the more ordered liquid phase that forms in a ternary mixture of cholesterol with a phospholipid containing saturated acyl chains and one with unsaturated acyl chains. Giant plasma membrane vesicles that pinch off from cells undergo similar liquid-liquid phase separatio...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - November 7, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Holowka D Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

New biochemical approaches towards understanding the Parkinson's disease-associated kinase, LRRK2.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Some 5 years ago, it was first discovered that mutations in the gene encoding LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat protein kinase 2) are tightly linked with a subset of familial PD (Parkinson's disease). Before this genetic association, LRRK2 had never been investigated biochemically. Now it is of utmost importance to establish whether LRRK2 is a bona fide kinase in vitro and in vivo and to understand how mutations of LRRK2 lead to the specific loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra to cause PD. In spite of tremendous efforts in the research community, there is no consensus with regard to the magnitude of the enzym...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - October 21, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Liou GY, Gallo KA Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

The hepatitis C virus and its hepatic environment: a toxic but finely tuned partnership.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Twenty years after its discovery, HCV (hepatitis C virus) still infects 170 million people worldwide and cannot be properly treated due to the lack of efficient medication. Its life cycle must be better understood to develop targeted pharmacological arsenals. HCV is an enveloped virus bearing two surface glycoproteins, E1 and E2. It only infects humans through blood transmission, and hepatocytes are its only target cells. Hepatic trabeculae are formed by hepatocyte rows surrounded by sinusoid capillaries, irrigating hepatic cells. Hepatocytes are polarized and have basolateral and apical poles, separated by tight junct...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - October 10, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Perrault M, Pécheur EI Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

The plant endoplasmic reticulum: a cell-wide web.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The ER (endoplasmic reticulum) in higher plants forms a pleomorphic web of membrane tubules and small cisternae that pervade the cytoplasm, but in particular form a polygonal network at the cortex of the cell which may be anchored to the plasma membrane. The network is associated with the actin cytoskeleton and demonstrates extensive mobility, which is most likely to be dependent on myosin motors. The ER is characterized by a number of domains which may be associated with specific functions such as protein storage, or with direct interaction with other organelles such as the Golgi apparatus, peroxisomes and plastids. I...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - September 25, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Sparkes IA, Frigerio L, Tolley N, Hawes C Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Mechanisms of double-strand break repair in somatic mammalian cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
DNA chromosomal DSBs (double-strand breaks) are potentially hazardous DNA lesions, and their accurate repair is essential for the successful maintenance and propagation of genetic information. Two major pathways have evolved to repair DSBs: HR (homologous recombination) and NHEJ (non-homologous end-joining). Depending on the context in which the break is encountered, HR and NHEJ may either compete or co-operate to fix DSBs in eukaryotic cells. Defects in either pathway are strongly associated with human disease, including immunodeficiency and cancer predisposition. Here we review the current knowledge of how NHEJ and H...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - September 25, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Hartlerode AJ, Scully R Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Novel compound with potential of an antibacterial drug targets FtsZ protein.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A dynamic bacterial cytoskeleton consisting of FtsZ and other proteins is a potential target for the development of antibacterial drugs. GTPase activity of FtsZ protein leads to self-assembly of the protein. The resultant circumferential dynamic Z-ring at the centre of the cell recruits other proteins during progression and completion of bacterial cell division. There are natural compounds inhibiting one or more of these steps. Such inhibition ultimately culminates in the arrest of cell division. In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, a paper by Beuria et al. highlights the importance of the dynamics of the Z-ring f...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - September 12, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Dasgupta D Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Why do phosphatidylinositol kinases have so many isoforms?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Macromolecules can be transported into the cells by endocytosis, either by phagocytosis or by pinocytosis. Typically, phagocytosis involves the uptake of solid large particles mediated by cell-surface receptors, whereas pinocytosis takes up fluid and solutes. The synthesis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 plays fundamental roles in all forms of endocytosis. Curiously, almost all eukaryotic cells have multiple isoforms of the kinases that synthesize these critical phosphatidylinositols. In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, Namiko Tamura, Osamu Hazeki and co-workers report that the subunit p110alpha of the type ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - September 12, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Min SH, Abrams CS Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Cholesterol, regulated exocytosis and the physiological fusion machine.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Exocytosis is a highly conserved and essential process. Although numerous proteins are involved throughout the exocytotic process, the defining membrane fusion step appears to occur through a lipid-dominated mechanism. Here we review and integrate the current literature on protein and lipid roles in exocytosis, with emphasis on the multiple roles of cholesterol in exocytosis and membrane fusion, in an effort to promote a more molecular systems-level view of the as yet poorly understood process of Ca2+-triggered membrane mergers. PMID: 19740078 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Biochemical Journal)
Source: The Biochemical Journal - September 12, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Churchward MA, Coorssen JR Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Role of plant glyoxylate reductases during stress: a hypothesis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Molecular modelling suggests that a group of proteins in plants known as the beta-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases, or the hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase superfamily, includes enzymes that reduce succinic semialdehyde and glyoxylate to gamma-hydroxybutyrate and glycolate respectively. Recent biochemical and expression studies reveal that NADPH-dependent cytosolic (termed GLYR1) and plastidial (termed GLYR2) isoforms of succinic semialdehyde/glyoxylate reductase exist in Arabidopsis. Succinic semialdehyde and glyoxylate are typically generated in leaves via two distinct metabolic pathways, gamma-aminobutyrate and glycolate ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - September 12, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Allan WL, Clark SM, Hoover GJ, Shelp BJ Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Fishing in the (deoxyribonucleotide) pool.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are the building blocks of DNA, and a constant supply is essential for the synthesis and maintenance of both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Antiviral nucleoside analogues and inborn errors of nucleotide metabolism frequently cause dNTP pool imbalances, leading to depletion of mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) in non-replicating tissues. mtDNA depletion, in turn, causes failure of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, resulting in cellular energy depletion and cell death. Accordingly, it is important to understand the origin and regulation of dNTPs in order to develop safe and ef...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 27, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Saada A Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry of the repulsive guidance molecule family.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
RGMs (repulsive guidance molecules) comprise a recently discovered family of GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol)-linked cell-membrane-associated proteins found in most vertebrate species. The three proteins, RGMa, RGMb and RGMc, products of distinct single-copy genes that arose early in vertebrate evolution, are approximately 40-50% identical to each other in primary amino acid sequence, and share similarities in predicted protein domains and overall structure, as inferred by ab initio molecular modelling; yet the respective proteins appear to undergo distinct biosynthetic and processing steps, whose regulation has not ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 27, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Severyn CJ, Shinde U, Rotwein P Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Metabolic control exerted by the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase reaction: a cross-kingdom comparison of the crossroad between energy production and nitrogen assimilation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mechanism-based inhibitors and both forward and reverse genetics have proved to be essential tools in revealing roles for specific enzymatic processes in cellular function. Here, we review experimental studies aimed at assessing the impact of OG (2-oxoglutarate) oxidative decarboxylation on basic cellular activities in a number of biological systems. After summarizing the catalytic and regulatory properties of the OGDHC (OG dehydrogenase complex), we describe the evidence that has been accrued on its cellular role. We demonstrate an essential role of this enzyme in metabolic control in a wide range of organisms. Target...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 27, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Bunik VI, Fernie AR Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Glycyrrhizin, the main active compound in liquorice, attenuates pro-inflammatory responses by interfering with membrane-dependent receptor signalling.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19698087 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Biochemical Journal)
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 27, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Schröfelbauer B, Raffetseder J, Hauner M, Wolkerstorfer A, Ernst W, Szolar OH Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Biochemical characterization of the initial steps of the Kennedy pathway in Trypanosoma brucei: the ethanolamine and choline kinases.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19698088 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Biochemical Journal)
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 27, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Gibellini F, Hunter WN, Smith TK Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Oxidation of methionine residues: the missing link between stress and signalling responses in plants.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In response to biotic and abiotic stresses, plants induce a complex array of pathways and protein phosphorylation cascades which generally lead to a response aimed at mitigating the particular insult. In many cases, H2O2 has been implicated as the signalling molecule, but, although progress has been made in assembling the downstream components of these signalling pathways, far less is known about the mechanism by which the signal is perceived. In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, Hardin et al. provide evidence for a plausible mechanism by which plants perceive H2O2. Evidence is presented for chemical oxidation of ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 14, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Emes MJ Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Use of single-molecule spectroscopy to tackle fundamental problems in biochemistry: using studies on purple bacterial antenna complexes as an example.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Optical single-molecule techniques can be used in two modes to investigate fundamental questions in biochemistry, namely single-molecule detection and single-molecule spectroscopy. This review provides an overview of how single-molecule spectroscopy can be used to gain detailed information on the electronic structure of purple bacterial antenna complexes and to draw conclusions about the underlying physical structure. This information can be used to understand the energy-transfer reactions that are responsible for the earliest reactions in photosynthesis. PMID: 19663809 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Biochemical Journal)
Source: The Biochemical Journal - August 14, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Cogdell RJ, Köhler J Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Recent insights into the structure of Toll-like receptors and post-translational modifications of their associated signalling proteins.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
TLRs (Toll-like receptors) are essential modulators of the innate immune response through their ability to respond to a diverse range of conserved structures within microbes. Recent advances have been made in our understanding of the initiation of TLR signals as a result of the elucidation of crystal structures of TLRs interacting with their ligands. Most notably the structure of TLR1/2 with triacylated lipopeptide and TLR4 in a complex with LPS (lipopolysaccharide) and MD2 has been solved. These explain the basis for TLR dimerization which initiates signalling. Modifications of TLRs and their receptor proximal signall...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - July 26, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Carpenter S, O'Neill LA Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Regulation and function of selenoproteins in human disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Selenoproteins are proteins containing selenium in the form of the 21st amino acid, selenocysteine. Members of this protein family have many diverse functions, but their synthesis is dependent on a common set of cofactors and on dietary selenium. Although the functions of many selenoproteins are unknown, several disorders involving changes in selenoprotein structure, activity or expression have been reported. Selenium deficiency and mutations or polymorphisms in selenoprotein genes and synthesis cofactors are implicated in a variety of diseases, including muscle and cardiovascular disorders, immune dysfunction, cancer,...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - July 26, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Bellinger FP, Raman AV, Reeves MA, Berry MJ Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Polyamine catabolism and disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In addition to polyamine homoeostasis, it has become increasingly clear that polyamine catabolism can play a dominant role in drug response, apoptosis and the response to stressful stimuli, and contribute to the aetiology of several pathological states, including cancer. The highly inducible enzymes SSAT (spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase) and SMO (spermine oxidase) and the generally constitutively expressed APAO (N1-acetylpolyamine oxidase) appear to play critical roles in many normal and disease processes. The dysregulation of polyamine catabolism frequently accompanies several disease states and suggests that...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - July 11, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Casero RA, Pegg AE Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

The catalytic mechanism of NADH-dependent reduction of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone by Candida tenuis xylose reductase reveals plasticity in an aldo-keto reductase active site.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Despite their widely varying physiological functions in carbonyl metabolism, AKR2B5 (Candida tenuis xylose reductase) and many related enzymes of the aldo-keto reductase protein superfamily utilise PQ (9,10-phenanthrenequinone) as a common in vitro substrate for NAD(P)H-dependent reduction. The catalytic roles of the conserved active-site residues (Tyr51, Lys80 and His113) of AKR2B5 in the conversion of the reactive alpha-dicarbonyl moiety of PQ are not well understood. Using wild-type and mutated (Tyr51, Lys80 and His113 individually replaced by alanine) forms of AKR2B5, we have conducted steady-state and transient ki...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Pival SL, Klimacek M, Nidetzky B Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Structure-activity analysis of aging and reactivation of human butyrylcholinesterase inhibited by analogues of tabun.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study provides the structural basis to design new oximes capable of reactivating phosphoramidyl-hBChE conjugates after intoxication, notably when hBChE is used as pretreatment, or to design BChE-based catalytic bioscavengers. PMID: 19368529 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Biochemical Journal)
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Carletti E, Aurbek N, Gillon E, Loiodice M, Nicolet Y, Fontecilla-Camps JC, Masson P, Thiermann H, Nachon F, Worek F Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Group III secreted phospholipase A2 transgenic mice spontaneously develop inflammation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PLA2 (phospholipase A2) group III is an atypical sPLA2 (secretory PLA2) that is homologous with bee venom PLA2 rather than with other mammalian sPLA2s. In the present paper, we show that endogenous group III sPLA2 (PLA2G3) is expressed in mouse skin and that Tg (transgenic) mice overexpressing human PLA2G3 spontaneously develop skin inflammation. Pla2g3-Tg mice over 9 months of age frequently developed dermatitis with hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, parakeratosis, erosion, ulcer and sebaceous gland hyperplasia. The dermatitis was accompanied by infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages and by elevated levels of pro-infla...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Sato H, Taketomi Y, Isogai Y, Masuda S, Kobayashi T, Yamamoto K, Murakami M Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Identification of a pancreatic stellate cell population with properties of progenitor cells: new role for stellate cells in the pancreas.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Numerous studies conducted in a diversity of adult tissues have shown that certain stem cells are characterized by the expression of a protein known as the ABCG2 transporter (where ABC is ATP- binding cassette). In the adult pancreas, although various multipotent progenitors have been proposed, the ABCG2 marker has only been detected in the so-called 'side population' (a primitive haematopoietic cell population with a multipotential capacity). In the present study we sought to identify new ABCG2+ pancreatic cell populations and to explore whether they exhibit the properties of progenitor cells. We isolated and expanded...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Mato E, Lucas M, Petriz J, Gomis R, Novials A Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Inhibition of myeloperoxidase-mediated hypochlorous acid production by nitroxides.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Tissue damage resulting from the extracellular production of HOCl (hypochlorous acid) by the MPO (myeloperoxidase)-hydrogen peroxide-chloride system of activated phagocytes is implicated as a key event in the progression of a number of human inflammatory diseases. Consequently, there is considerable interest in the development of therapeutically useful MPO inhibitors. Nitroxides are well established antioxidant compounds of low toxicity that can attenuate oxidative damage in animal models of inflammatory disease. They are believed to exert protective effects principally by acting as superoxide dismutase mimetics or rad...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Rees MD, Bottle SE, Fairfull-Smith KE, Malle E, Whitelock JM, Davies MJ Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Dynamic aspects of ascorbic acid metabolism in the circulation: analysis by ascorbate oxidase with a prolonged in vivo half-life.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Because AA (L-ascorbic acid) scavenges various types of free radicals to form MDAA (monodehydroascorbic acid) and DAA (dehydroascorbic acid), its regeneration from the oxidized metabolites is critically important for humans and other animals that lack the ability to synthesize this antioxidant. To study the dynamic aspects of AA metabolism in the circulation, a long acting AOase (ascorbate oxidase) derivative was synthesized by covalently linking PEG [poly(ethylene glycol)] to the enzyme. Fairly low concentrations of the modified enzyme (PEG-AOase) rapidly decreased AA levels in isolated fresh plasma and blood samples ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Kasahara E, Kashiba M, Jikumaru M, Kuratsune D, Orita K, Yamate Y, Hara K, Sekiyama A, Sato EF, Inoue M Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Characterization of SENP7, a SUMO-2/3-specific isopeptidase.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The modification of proteins by SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier) plays important roles in regulating the activity, stability and cellular localization of target proteins. Similar to ubiquitination, SUMO modification is a dynamic process that can be reversed by SENPs [SUMO-1/sentrin/SMT3 (suppressor of mif two 3 homologue 1)-specific peptidases]. To date, six SENPs have been discovered in humans, although knowledge of their regulation, specificity and biological functions is limited. In the present study, we report that SENP7 has a restricted substrate specificity, being unable to process SUMO precursors and disp...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Shen LN, Geoffroy MC, Jaffray EG, Hay RT Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Functional characterization of LePGT1, a membrane-bound prenyltransferase involved in the geranylation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The AS-PT (aromatic substrate prenyltransferase) family plays a critical role in the biosynthesis of important quinone compounds such as ubiquinone and plastoquinone, although biochemical characterizations of AS-PTs have rarely been carried out because most members are membrane-bound enzymes with multiple transmembrane alpha-helices. PPTs [PHB (p-hydroxybenzoic acid) prenyltransferases] are a large subfamily of AS-PTs involved in ubiquinone and naphthoquinone biosynthesis. LePGT1 [Lithospermum erythrorhizon PHB geranyltransferase] is the regulatory enzyme for the biosynthesis of shikonin, a naphthoquinone pigment, and ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Ohara K, Muroya A, Fukushima N, Yazaki K Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

NAD(P)H oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production alters astrocyte membrane molecular order via phospholipase A2.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
ROS (reactive oxygen species) overproduction is an important underlying factor for the activation of astrocytes in various neuropathological conditions. In the present study, we examined ROS production in astrocytes and downstream effects leading to changes in the signalling cascade, morphology and membrane dynamics using menadione, a redox-active compound capable of inducing intracellular ROS. NAD(P)H oxidase-mediated menadione-induced ROS production, which then stimulated phosphorylation of p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and ERK1/2 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2), and increased actin polymeri...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Zhu D, Hu C, Sheng W, Tan KS, Haidekker MA, Sun AY, Sun GY, Lee JC Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Receptor-associated protein (RAP) has two high-affinity binding sites for the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP): consequences for the chaperone functions of RAP.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
RAP (receptor-associated protein) is a three domain 38 kDa ER (endoplasmic reticulum)-resident protein that is a chaperone for the LRP (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein). Whereas RAP is known to compete for binding of all known LRP ligands, neither the location, the number of binding sites on LRP, nor the domains of RAP involved in binding is known with certainty. We have systematically examined the binding of each of the three RAP domains (D1, D2 and D3) to tandem and triple CRs (complement-like repeats) that span the principal ligand-binding region, cluster II, of LRP. We found that D3 binds with low ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Jensen JK, Dolmer K, Schar C, Gettins PG Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

The RhoU/Wrch1 Rho GTPase gene is a common transcriptional target of both the gp130/STAT3 and Wnt-1 pathways.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) is a transcription factor activated by cytokines, growth factors and oncogenes, whose activity is required for cell survival/proliferation of a wide variety of primary tumours and tumour cell lines. Prominent among its multiple effects on tumour cells is the stimulation of cell migration and metastasis, whose functional mechanisms are however not completely characterized. RhoU/Wrch1 (Wnt-responsive Cdc42 homologue) is an atypical Rho GTPase thought to be constitutively bound to GTP. RhoU was first identified as a Wnt-1-inducible mRNA and subsequently shown to act...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Schiavone D, Dewilde S, Vallania F, Turkson J, Di Cunto F, Poli V Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Pseudomonas aeruginosa MurE amide ligase: enzyme kinetics and peptide inhibitor.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The enzyme kinetics of the amide ligase MurE, a cell wall biosynthesis enzyme, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined using the synthesized nucleotide substrate UDP-MurNAc-Ala-Glu (uridine 5'-diphosphoryl N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamate). When coupled to a competitive bio-panning technique using a M13 phage display library encoding approximately 2.7x109 random peptide permutations and the specific substrates meso-A2pm (meso-diaminopimelic acid) and ATP, a peptide inhibitor of MurE was identified. The MurEp1 dodecamer selected and synthesized inhibited MurE ATPase activity with an IC50 value of 500 muM. The i...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Paradis-Bleau C, Lloyd A, Sanschagrin F, Maaroufi H, Clarke T, Blewett A, Dowson C, Roper DI, Bugg TD, Levesque RC Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Ku-0063794 is a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) stimulates cell growth by phosphorylating and promoting activation of AGC (protein kinase A/protein kinase G/protein kinase C) family kinases such as Akt (protein kinase B), S6K (p70 ribosomal S6 kinase) and SGK (serum and glucocorticoid protein kinase). mTORC1 (mTOR complex-1) phosphorylates the hydrophobic motif of S6K, whereas mTORC2 phosphorylates the hydrophobic motif of Akt and SGK. In the present paper we describe the small molecule Ku-0063794, which inhibits both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with an IC50 of approximately 10 nM, but does not suppress the activity of 76 other protein kin...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: García-Martínez JM, Moran J, Clarke RG, Gray A, Cosulich SC, Chresta CM, Alessi DR Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Thioesterase superfamily member 2 (Them2)/acyl-CoA thioesterase 13 (Acot13): a homotetrameric hotdog fold thioesterase with selectivity for long-chain fatty acyl-CoAs.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Them2 (thioesterase superfamily member 2) is a 140-amino-acid protein of unknown biological function that comprises a single hotdog fold thioesterase domain. On the basis of its putative association with mitochondria, accentuated expression in oxidative tissues and interaction with StarD2 (also known as phosphatidylcholine-transfer protein, PC-TP), a regulator of fatty acid metabolism, we explored whether Them2 functions as a physiologically relevant fatty acyl-CoA thioesterase. In solution, Them2 formed a stable homotetramer, which denatured in a single transition at 59.3 degrees C. Them2 exhibited thioesterase activi...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Wei J, Kang HW, Cohen DE Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Kinetic analysis of human protein arginine N-methyltransferase 2: formation of monomethyl- and asymmetric dimethyl-arginine residues on histone H4.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Protein arginine N-methyltransferases (PRMTs) methylate arginine residues within proteins using S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to form S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine and methylarginine residues. All PRMTs produce omega-NG-monomethylarginine (MMA) residues and either asymmetric omega-NG,NG-dimethylarginine (aDMA) or symmetric omega-NG,N'G-dimethylarginine (sDMA) residues, referred to as Type I or Type II activity respectively. Here we report methylation activity from PRMT2 and compare it with PRMT1 activity using UPLC-MS/MS (ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem MS), gel electrophoresis, and thin-layer chromatogra...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Lakowski TM, Frankel A Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Hsp70 is required for optimal cell proliferation in mouse A6 mesoangioblast stem cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mouse Hsp70 (70 kDa heat shock protein) is preferentially induced by heat or stress stimuli. We previously found that Hsp70 is constitutively expressed in A6 mouse mesoangioblast stem cells, but its possible role in these cells and the control of its basal transcription remained unexplored. Here we report that in the absence of stress, Ku factor is able to bind the HSE (heat shock element) consensus sequence in vitro, and in vivo it is bound to the proximal hsp70 promoter. In addition, we show that constitutive hsp70 transcription depends on the co-operative interaction of different factors such as Sp1 (specificity pro...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Turturici G, Geraci F, Candela ME, Cossu G, Giudice G, Sconzo G Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

A cotton kinesin GhKCH2 interacts with both microtubules and microfilaments.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Many biological processes require the co-operative involvement of both microtubules and microfilaments; however, only a few proteins mediating the interaction between microtubules and microfilaments have been identified from plants. In the present study, a cotton kinesin GhKCH2, which contains a CH (calponin homology) domain at the N-terminus, was analysed in vitro and in vivo in order to understand its interaction with the two cytoskeletal elements. A specific antibody against GhKCH2 was prepared and used for immunolabelling experiments. Some GhKCH2 spots appeared along a few microtubules and microfilaments in develop...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Xu T, Qu Z, Yang X, Qin X, Xiong J, Wang Y, Ren D, Liu G Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

NEMO oligomerization and its ubiquitin-binding properties.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The IKK [IkappaB (inhibitory kappaB) kinase] complex is a key regulatory component of NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB) activation and is responsible for mediating the degradation of IkappaB, thereby allowing nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and transcription of target genes. NEMO (NF-kappaB essential modulator), the regulatory subunit of the IKK complex, plays a pivotal role in this process by integrating upstream signals, in particular the recognition of polyubiquitin chains, and relaying these to the activation of IKKalpha and IKKbeta, the catalytic subunits of the IKK complex. The oligomeric state of NEMO is cont...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Ivins FJ, Montgomery MG, Smith SJ, Morris-Davies AC, Taylor IA, Rittinger K Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation primes cells to a pro-inflammatory polarized response to a Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
TLR7 (Toll-like receptor 7) mediates anti-viral immunity by recognizing ssRNA (single-stranded RNA) viruses. Small-molecular-mass TLR7 agonists have been approved, or are being evaluated, for treatment of cancers or infectious diseases. Although TLR7 is predominantly expressed in a restricted set of immune cell types, including pDCs (plasmacytoid dendritic cells), it is also expressed in non-native expressing cells (e.g. hepatocytes) under certain circumstances. To elucidate the molecular basis of TLR7 induction by pro-inflammatory stimulation and the subsequent cellular responses in these non-native TLR7-expressing ce...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Lee J, Hayashi M, Lo JF, Fearns C, Chu WM, Luo Y, Xiang R, Chuang TH Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

The carbohydrate-binding domain on galectin-1 is more extensive for a complex glycan than for simple saccharides: implications for galectin-glycan interactions at the cell surface.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
gal-1 (galectin-1) mediates cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, essentially by interacting with beta-galactoside-containing glycans of cell-surface glycoconjugates. Although most structural studies with gal-1 have investigated its binding to simple carbohydrates, in particular lactose and N-acetyl-lactosamine, this view is limited, because gal-1 functions at the cell surface by interacting with more complex glycans that are heterogeneous in size and composition. In the present study we used NMR spectroscopy to investigate the interaction of human gal-1 with a large (120 kDa) complex glycan, GRG (galactorh...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Miller MC, Nesmelova IV, Platt D, Klyosov A, Mayo KH Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

AMPKalpha1 regulates the antioxidant status of vascular endothelial cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) is a key regulator of cellular energy because of its capacity to detect changes in the concentration of AMP. Recent evidence, however, indicates the existence of alternative mechanisms of activation of this protein. Mitochondrial ROS (reactive oxygen species), generated as a result of the interaction between nitric oxide and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, activate AMPKalpha1 in HUVECs (human umbilical-vein endothelial cells) at a low oxygen concentration (i.e. 3%). This activation is independent of changes in AMP. In the present study we show, using HUVECs in which AMPKalpha1 ha...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Colombo SL, Moncada S Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

FAM20B is a kinase that phosphorylates xylose in the glycosaminoglycan-protein linkage region.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
2-O-phosphorylation of xylose has been detected in the glycosaminoglycan-protein linkage region, GlcAbeta1-3Galbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Xylbeta1-O-Ser, of proteoglycans. Recent mutant analyses in zebrafish suggest that xylosyltransferase I and FAM20B, a protein of unknown function that shows weak similarity to a Golgi kinase encoded by four-jointed, operate in a linear pathway for proteoglycan production. In the present study, we identified FAM20B as a kinase that phosphorylates the xylose residue in the linkage region. Overexpression of FAM20B increased the amount of both chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate in HeLa cells,...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Koike T, Izumikawa T, Tamura J, Kitagawa H Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

At the crossroads of homoeostasis and disease: roles of the PACS proteins in membrane traffic and apoptosis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The endomembrane system in mammalian cells has evolved over the past two billion years from a simple endocytic pathway in a single-celled primordial ancestor to complex networks supporting multicellular structures that form metazoan tissue and organ systems. The increased organellar complexity of metazoan cells requires additional trafficking machinery absent in yeast or other unicellular organisms to maintain organ homoeostasis and to process the signals that control proliferation, differentiation or the execution of cell death programmes. The PACS (phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting) proteins are one such family of ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Youker RT, Shinde U, Day R, Thomas G Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Pancreatic stellate cells can form new beta-like cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Regenerative medicine, including cell-replacement strategies, may have an important role in the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, both of which are associated with decreased islet cell mass. To date, significant progress has been made in deriving insulin-secreting beta-like cells from human ES (embryonic stem) cells. However, the cells are not fully differentiated, and there is a long way to go before they could be used as a replenishable supply of insulin-secreting beta-cells for transplantation. For this reason, adult pancreatic stem cells are seen as an alternative source that could be expanded and differenti...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Docherty K Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Function and regulation of phospholipid signalling in plants.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
As an important metabolic pathway, phosphatidylinositol metabolism generates both constitutive and signalling molecules that are crucial for plant growth and development. Recent studies using genetic and molecular approaches reveal the important roles of phospholipid molecules and signalling in multiple processes of higher plants, including root growth, pollen and vascular development, hormone effects and cell responses to environmental stimuli plants. The present review summarizes the current progress in our understanding of the functional mechanism of phospholipid signalling, with an emphasis on the regulation of Ins...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 28, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Xue HW, Chen X, Mei Y Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

The transcriptional activity of Pygopus is enhanced by its interaction with CREB binding protein.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this report, we demonstrate that Pygopus can interact with the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) binding protein (CBP). The interaction is via the N-terminal homology domain (NHD) of Pygopus which binds to two regions in the HAT domain of CBP. Transfected and endogenous hPygo2 and CBP proteins co-immunoprecipitate in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells and both proteins co-localize in SW480 colorectal cancer cells. The interaction with CBP also enhances both DNA-tethered and TCF/LEF1-dependent transcriptional activity of Pygopus. Furthermore, immunoprecipitated Pygopu...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 24, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Andrews PG, He Z, Popadiuk C, Kao KR Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Functional conservation of tRNase ZL among Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and humans.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report that both sptrz1+ and sptrz2+ are essential for growth. Moreover, sptrz1+ is required for cell viability in absence of Sla1p which is thought to be required for endonuclease-mediated maturation of pre-tRNA 3' ends in yeast. Both scTRZ1 and ELAC2 can complement a temperature sensitive allele of sptrz1+, sptrz1-1, but not the sptrz1 null mutant, indicating that despite exhibiting species specificity, tRNase ZLs are functionally conserved among S. cerevisiae, S. pombe and humans. Overexpression of sptrz1+, scTRZ1 and ELAC2 can increase suppression of the UGA nonsense mutation ade6-704 through facilitating 3' end pro...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 24, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Zhao Z, Su W, Yuan S, Huang Y Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Sodium nitrite therapy attenuates hypertensive effects of HBOC-201 via nitrite reduction.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hypertension secondary to scavenging of nitric oxide (NO) remains a limitation in the use hemoglobin based oxygen carriers (HBOCs). Recent studies suggest that nitrite reduction to NO by deoxyhemoglobin supports NO-signaling. Herein, we tested whether nitrite would attenuate HBOC-mediated hypertension using HBOC-201 (Biopure), a bovine cross-linked, low oxygen affinity hemoglobin. Similar to unmodified hemoglobin, deoxygenated HBOC-201 reduced nitrite to NO with rates directly proportional to the extent of deoxygenation. The functional importance of HBOC-201 dependent nitrite reduction was demonstrated using isolated a...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 24, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Rodriguez C, Vitturi DA, He J, Vandromme M, Brandon A, Hutchings A, Rue Iii LW, Kerby JD, Patel RP Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Chemokine degradation by the Group A streptococcal serine proteinase ScpC can be reconstituted in vitro and requires two separate domains.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Streptococcus pyogenes is one of the most common human pathogens and possesses diverse mechanisms to evade the human immune defence. One example of its immune evasion is the degradation of the chemokine IL-8 by ScpC, a serine proteinase that prevents the recruitment of neutrophils to an infection site. By applying the ANTIGENome technology and using human serum antibodies we identified Spy0416, annotated as ScpC, as a prominent antigen that induces protective immune responses in animals. We demonstrate here for the first time that the recombinant form of Spy0416 is capable of IL-8 degradation in vitro in a concentratio...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 23, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Fritzer A, Noiges B, Schweiger D, Rek A, Kungl AJ, von Gabain A, Nagy E, Meinke AL Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Ephrin-independent regulation of cell substrate adhesion by the EphB4 receptor.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Receptor tyrosine kinases of the Eph family become tyrosine phosphorylated and initiate signaling events upon binding of their ligands, the ephrins. Eph receptors such as EphA2 and EphB4 are highly expressed but poorly tyrosine phosphorylated in many types of cancer cells, suggesting a limited interaction with ephrin ligands. Nevertheless, decreasing the expression of these receptors affects the malignant properties of cancer cells, suggesting that Eph receptors may influence cancer cells independently of ephrin stimulation. Ligand-independent activities of Eph receptors in cancer, however, have not been demonstrated. ...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 23, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Noren NK, Yang NY, Silldorff M, Mutyala R, Pasquale EB Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals

Recombinant production of eight human cytosolic aminotransferases and assessment of their potential involvement in glyoxylate metabolism.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a severe inborn disorder of glyoxylate metabolism, caused by a functional deficiency of the peroxisomal enzyme alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGXT), which converts glyoxylate to glycine using L-alanine as the amino-group donor. Even though pre-genomic studies indicate that other human transaminases can convert glyoxylate to glycine, in PH1 patients these enzymes are apparently unable to compensate for the lack of AGXT - perhaps due to their limited levels of expression, or to their localization in an inappropriate cell compartment, or to the scarcity of the required amino-gro...
Source: The Biochemical Journal - June 22, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Donini S, Ferrari M, Fedeli C, Faini M, Lamberto I, Marletta AS, Mellini L, Panini M, Percudani R, Pollegioni L, Caldinelli L, Petrucco S, Peracchi A Tags: Biochem J Source Type: journals