of On products of Δ-sets By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Rodrigo Rey Carvalho and Vinicius de Oliveira Rodrigues Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5429-5443. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Existence of solutions with small volume to ????_{????}-Gaussian Minkowski problem By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Shengyu Tang Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5381-5394. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Symplectic capacities of disc cotangent bundles of flat tori By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Gabriele Benedetti, Johanna Bimmermann and Kai Zehmisch Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5367-5372. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of The classification of Boolean degree 1 functions in high-dimensional finite vector spaces By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Ferdinand Ihringer Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5355-5365. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Rigidity for inscribed radius estimate of asymptotically hyperbolic Einstein manifold By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Xiaoshang Jin Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5327-5337. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of The volume polynomial of lattice polygons By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Ivan Soprunov and Jenya Soprunova Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5313-5325. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Relaxation of the kinematic dynamo equations By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Lauri Hitruhin and Sauli Lindberg Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5265-5278. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Invariant subspaces of contractions with constant characteristic function By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Sudip Ranjan Bhuia Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5249-5263. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Trichotomy for the orbits of a hypercyclic operator on a Banach space By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Jian Li Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5207-5217. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Blow-up solutions of fractional diffusion equations with an exponential nonlinearity By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Anh Tuan Nguyen, Tómas Caraballo and Nguyen Huy Tuan Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5175-5189. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of A note on purity of crystalline local systems By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Yong Suk Moon Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5095-5103. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of On subtensors of high partition rank By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Jan Draisma and Thomas Karam Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5083-5093. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Ample cones of Hilbert schemes of points on hypersurfaces in ℙ³ By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Neelarnab Raha Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5067-5081. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of On Rankin-Cohen brackets of Hecke eigenforms and modular forms of half-integral weight By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST YoungJu Choie, Winfried Kohnen and Yichao Zhang Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5025-5037. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of On the analyticity of the maximal extension of a number field with prescribed ramification and splitting By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Donghyeok Lim and Christian Maire Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5013-5024. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of A criterion for reflexivity of modules By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Naoki Endo and Shiro Goto Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5007-5011. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of The logical strength of minimal bad arrays By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Anton Freund, Fedor Pakhomov and Giovanni Soldà Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 4993-5005. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Threshold approximations for the exponential of a factorized operator family with correctors taken into account By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:08 EST T. A. Suslina St. Petersburg Math. J. 35 (), 537-570. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Weighted means and an analytic characterization of discs By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:08 EST N. Kuznetsov St. Petersburg Math. J. 35 (), 467-472. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of On the vanishing of Green’s function, desingularization and Carleman’s method By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:08 EST R. Gibara and D. Kinzebulatov St. Petersburg Math. J. 35 (), 445-460. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Associated varieties of minimal highest weight modules By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:43 EST Zhanqiang Bai, Jia-Jun Ma, Wei Xiao and Xun Xie Represent. Theory 28 (), 498-513. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of Algebraic solutions of linear differential equations: An arithmetic approach By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:35 EST Alin Bostan, Xavier Caruso and Julien Roques Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 61 (), 609-658. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
of AMS Names 2025 Class of Fellows By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:00 EST Forty-one mathematical scientists from around the world have been named Fellows of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) for 2025, the program's 13th year. View the names and institutions of the full 2025 Class of Fellows. Recognized by their peers, AMS members designated as Fellows of the AMS have made outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics. “I am delighted to congratulate the 2025 Class of AMS Fellows, recognized for their outstanding contributions to the mathematical sciences and for their extraordinary service to our profession,” said AMS President Bryna Kra. “This year’s class was selected from a large and excellent pool of candidates, highlighting the many ways that individuals advance our profession. I look forward to working with them in service to our community,” Kra said. The AMS extends thanks to the nominators and members of the selection committee for their help in highlighting the achievements of their colleagues. Contact: AMS Programs Credits: Photo of Benoit Pausader by Lori Nascimento. Photo of Bridget Tenner by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University. Photo of Ellen Eischen by Andrea Kane. Photo of Francis Su by Francis Su. Photo of Guillermo Cortiñas by Lisi D'Alfonso. Photo of Jianhong Wu by the Faculty of Science at York University. Photo of Matthew Ballard by Jeffrey Davis. Photo of Tom Braden by Jon Crispin. * * * * * The American Mathematical Society is dedicated to advancing research and connecting the diverse global mathematical community through our publications, meetings and conferences, MathSciNet, professional services, advocacy, and awareness programs. Full Article
of US Navy destroyers unscathed after fighting off a complex attack of cruise and ballistic missiles and exploding drones By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T21:02:14Z Full Article
of Woman, 23, had a 'burning sensation' in her stomach. It was the first sign of a rare cancer By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-11T22:54:21Z Full Article
of Warren Buffett Told Young Investors To Buy Homes Instead Of Stocks, Calling 30-Year Mortgages 'A Terrific Deal' By finance.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T16:09:18Z Full Article
of Michael Grimm, former House member convicted of tax fraud, is paralyzed in fall from horse By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-11T17:51:20Z Full Article
of Doctor’s ‘pizza topping’ trick to tell the difference between hemorrhoids and a sign of colon cancer By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-11T18:57:48Z Full Article
of This powerful, quiet, exhaust-free generator is almost 55% off ahead of Black Friday By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T21:31:38Z Full Article
of Passenger Sees Worker Unscrewing Plane Part Before Takeoff By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T23:44:02Z Full Article
of She heard knocking beneath the floor of her home for weeks. Police make a disturbing discovery By www.yahoo.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T01:48:09Z Full Article
of Genetic diseases of the Kennedy pathways for membrane synthesis [Molecular Bases of Disease] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 The two branches of the Kennedy pathways (CDP-choline and CDP-ethanolamine) are the predominant pathways responsible for the synthesis of the most abundant phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, respectively, in mammalian membranes. Recently, hereditary diseases associated with single gene mutations in the Kennedy pathways have been identified. Interestingly, genetic diseases within the same pathway vary greatly, ranging from muscular dystrophy to spastic paraplegia to a childhood blinding disorder to bone deformations. Indeed, different point mutations in the same gene (PCYT1; CCTα) result in at least three distinct diseases. In this review, we will summarize and review the genetic diseases associated with mutations in genes of the Kennedy pathway for phospholipid synthesis. These single-gene disorders provide insight, indeed direct genotype-phenotype relationships, into the biological functions of specific enzymes of the Kennedy pathway. We discuss potential mechanisms of how mutations within the same pathway can cause disparate disease. Full Article
of ‘We have lost a future scientist’ - William Knibb High student gets emotional send-off By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:01:16 -0500 Family, friends, and community members gathered on Saturday at the Falmouth First Assembly Church to celebrate the life of 15-year-old Jahmarie Reid, a William Knibb High student who tragically lost his life at sea on August 27 in what is believed... Full Article
of Police make arrest relating to bags of cash that allegedly fell from Beryllium vehicle By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:41:35 -0500 The police have arrested an individual in the probe surrounding two bags of cash that allegedly fell from a Beryllium security vehicle en route to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston last week. Full Article
of Haiti's main airport and capital frozen after a day of violence By jamaica-star.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:00:31 -0500 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti's main airport remained closed on Tuesday, a day after violence erupted as the country swore in its new prime minister in a politically tumultuous transition. Full Article
of A trade-off switch of two immunological memories in Caenorhabditis elegans reinfected by bacterial pathogens [Microbiology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-11T00:06:21-08:00 Recent studies have suggested that innate immune responses exhibit characteristics associated with memory linked to modulations in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the diverse evolutionary paths taken, particularly within the invertebrate taxa, should lead to similarly diverse innate immunity memory processes. Our understanding of innate immune memory in invertebrates primarily comes from studies of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the generality of which is unclear. Caenorhabditis elegans typically inhabits soil harboring a variety of fatal microbial pathogens; for this invertebrate, the innate immune system and aversive behavior are the major defensive strategies against microbial infection. However, their characteristics of immunological memory remains infantile. Here we discovered an immunological memory that promoted avoidance and suppressed innate immunity during reinfection with bacteria, which we revealed to be specific to the previously exposed pathogens. During this trade-off switch of avoidance and innate immunity, the chemosensory neurons AWB and ADF modulated production of serotonin and dopamine, which in turn decreased expression of the innate immunity-associated genes and led to enhanced avoidance via the downstream insulin-like pathway. Therefore, our current study profiles the immune memories during C. elegans reinfected by pathogenic bacteria and further reveals that the chemosensory neurons, the neurotransmitter(s), and their associated molecular signaling pathways are responsible for a trade-off switch between the two immunological memories. Full Article
of Biochemical transformation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides by acyloxyacyl hydrolase reduces host injury and promotes recovery [Enzymology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 Animals can sense the presence of microbes in their tissues and mobilize their own defenses by recognizing and responding to conserved microbial structures (often called microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs)). Successful host defenses may kill the invaders, yet the host animal may fail to restore homeostasis if the stimulatory microbial structures are not silenced. Although mice have many mechanisms for limiting their responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major Gram-negative bacterial MAMP, a highly conserved host lipase is required to extinguish LPS sensing in tissues and restore homeostasis. We review recent progress in understanding how this enzyme, acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH), transforms LPS from stimulus to inhibitor, reduces tissue injury and death from infection, prevents prolonged post-infection immunosuppression, and keeps stimulatory LPS from entering the bloodstream. We also discuss how AOAH may increase sensitivity to pulmonary allergens. Better appreciation of how host enzymes modify LPS and other MAMPs may help prevent tissue injury and hasten recovery from infection. Full Article
of Development of a novel mammalian display system for selection of antibodies against membrane proteins [Immunology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:31-08:00 Reliable, specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are important tools in research and medicine. However, the discovery of antibodies against their targets in their native forms is difficult. Here, we present a novel method for discovery of antibodies against membrane proteins in their native configuration in mammalian cells. The method involves the co-expression of an antibody library in a population of mammalian cells that express the target polypeptide within a natural membrane environment on the cell surface. Cells that secrete a single-chain fragment variable (scFv) that binds to the target membrane protein thereby become self-labeled, enabling enrichment and isolation by magnetic sorting and FRET-based flow sorting. Library sizes of up to 109 variants can be screened, thus allowing campaigns of naïve scFv libraries to be selected against membrane protein antigens in a Chinese hamster ovary cell system. We validate this method by screening a synthetic naïve human scFv library against Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the oncogenic target epithelial cell adhesion molecule and identify a panel of three novel binders to this membrane protein, one with a dissociation constant (KD) as low as 0.8 nm. We further demonstrate that the identified antibodies have utility for killing epithelial cell adhesion molecule–positive cells when used as a targeting domain on chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Thus, we provide a new tool for identifying novel antibodies that act against membrane proteins, which could catalyze the discovery of new candidates for antibody-based therapies. Full Article
of Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis reveals involvement of PD-1 in multiple T cell functions [Signal Transduction] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:30-08:00 Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is a critical inhibitory receptor that limits excessive T cell responses. Cancer cells have evolved to evade these immunoregulatory mechanisms by upregulating PD-1 ligands and preventing T cell–mediated anti-tumor responses. Consequently, therapeutic blockade of PD-1 enhances T cell–mediated anti-tumor immunity, but many patients do not respond and a significant proportion develop inflammatory toxicities. To improve anti-cancer therapy, it is critical to reveal the mechanisms by which PD-1 regulates T cell responses. We performed global quantitative phosphoproteomic interrogation of PD-1 signaling in T cells. By complementing our analysis with functional validation assays, we show that PD-1 targets tyrosine phosphosites that mediate proximal T cell receptor signaling, cytoskeletal organization, and immune synapse formation. PD-1 ligation also led to differential phosphorylation of serine and threonine sites within proteins regulating T cell activation, gene expression, and protein translation. In silico predictions revealed that kinase/substrate relationships engaged downstream of PD-1 ligation. These insights uncover the phosphoproteomic landscape of PD-1–triggered pathways and reveal novel PD-1 substrates that modulate diverse T cell functions and may serve as future therapeutic targets. These data are a useful resource in the design of future PD-1–targeting therapeutic approaches. Full Article
of Importance of endothelial Hey1 expression for thoracic great vessel development and its distal enhancer for Notch-dependent endothelial transcription [Gene Regulation] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 Thoracic great vessels such as the aorta and subclavian arteries are formed through dynamic remodeling of embryonic pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs). Previous work has shown that loss of a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Hey1 in mice causes abnormal fourth PAA development and lethal great vessel anomalies resembling congenital malformations in humans. However, how Hey1 mediates vascular formation remains unclear. In this study, we revealed that Hey1 in vascular endothelial cells, but not in smooth muscle cells, played essential roles for PAA development and great vessel morphogenesis in mouse embryos. Tek-Cre–mediated Hey1 deletion in endothelial cells affected endothelial tube formation and smooth muscle differentiation in embryonic fourth PAAs and resulted in interruption of the aortic arch and other great vessel malformations. Cell specificity and signal responsiveness of Hey1 expression were controlled through multiple cis-regulatory regions. We found two distal genomic regions that had enhancer activity in endothelial cells and in the pharyngeal epithelium and somites, respectively. The novel endothelial enhancer was conserved across species and was specific to large-caliber arteries. Its transcriptional activity was regulated by Notch signaling in vitro and in vivo, but not by ALK1 signaling and other transcription factors implicated in endothelial cell specificity. The distal endothelial enhancer was not essential for basal Hey1 expression in mouse embryos but may likely serve for Notch-dependent transcriptional control in endothelial cells together with the proximal regulatory region. These findings help in understanding the significance and regulation of endothelial Hey1 as a mediator of multiple signaling pathways in embryonic vascular formation. Full Article
of Fluctuation in O-GlcNAcylation inactivates STIM1 to reduce store-operated calcium ion entry via down-regulation of Ser621 phosphorylation [Molecular Bases of Disease] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-11T00:06:20-08:00 Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) plays a pivotal role in store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), an essential mechanism in cellular calcium signaling and in maintaining cellular calcium balance. Because O-GlcNAcylation plays pivotal roles in various cellular function, we examined the effect of fluctuation in STIM1 O-GlcNAcylation on SOCE activity. We found that both increase and decrease in STIM1 O-GlcNAcylation impaired SOCE activity. To determine the molecular basis, we established STIM1-knockout HEK293 (STIM1-KO-HEK) cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and transfected STIM1 WT (STIM1-KO-WT-HEK), S621A (STIM1-KO-S621A-HEK), or T626A (STIM1-KO-T626A-HEK) cells. Using these cells, we examined the possible O-GlcNAcylation sites of STIM1 to determine whether the sites were O-GlcNAcylated. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that Ser621 and Thr626 were O-GlcNAcylated and that Thr626 was O-GlcNAcylated in the steady state but Ser621 was not. The SOCE activity in STIM1-KO-S621A-HEK and STIM1-KO-T626A-HEK cells was lower than that in STIM1-KO-WT-HEK cells because of reduced phosphorylation at Ser621. Treatment with the O-GlcNAcase inhibitor Thiamet G or O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) transfection, which increases O-GlcNAcylation, reduced SOCE activity, whereas treatment with the OGT inhibitor ST045849 or siOGT transfection, which decreases O-GlcNAcylation, also reduced SOCE activity. Decrease in SOCE activity due to increase and decrease in O-GlcNAcylation was attributable to reduced phosphorylation at Ser621. These data suggest that both decrease in O-GlcNAcylation at Thr626 and increase in O-GlcNAcylation at Ser621 in STIM1 lead to impairment of SOCE activity through decrease in Ser621 phosphorylation. Targeting STIM1 O-GlcNAcylation could provide a promising treatment option for the related diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases. Full Article
of N-acetylglucosamine drives myelination by triggering oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation [Molecular Bases of Disease] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 Myelination plays an important role in cognitive development and in demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), where failure of remyelination promotes permanent neuro-axonal damage. Modification of cell surface receptors with branched N-glycans coordinates cell growth and differentiation by controlling glycoprotein clustering, signaling, and endocytosis. GlcNAc is a rate-limiting metabolite for N-glycan branching. Here we report that GlcNAc and N-glycan branching trigger oligodendrogenesis from precursor cells by inhibiting platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α cell endocytosis. Supplying oral GlcNAc to lactating mice drives primary myelination in newborn pups via secretion in breast milk, whereas genetically blocking N-glycan branching markedly inhibits primary myelination. In adult mice with toxin (cuprizone)-induced demyelination, oral GlcNAc prevents neuro-axonal damage by driving myelin repair. In MS patients, endogenous serum GlcNAc levels inversely correlated with imaging measures of demyelination and microstructural damage. Our data identify N-glycan branching and GlcNAc as critical regulators of primary myelination and myelin repair and suggest that oral GlcNAc may be neuroprotective in demyelinating diseases like MS. Full Article
of Ischemic stroke disrupts the endothelial glycocalyx through activation of proHPSE via acrolein exposure [Molecular Bases of Disease] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:31-08:00 Infiltration of peripheral immune cells after blood-brain barrier dysfunction causes severe inflammation after a stroke. Although the endothelial glycocalyx, a network of membrane-bound glycoproteins and proteoglycans that covers the lumen of endothelial cells, functions as a barrier to circulating cells, the relationship between stroke severity and glycocalyx dysfunction remains unclear. In this study, glycosaminoglycans, a component of the endothelial glycocalyx, were studied in the context of ischemic stroke using a photochemically induced thrombosis mouse model. Decreased levels of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate and increased activity of hyaluronidase 1 and heparanase (HPSE) were observed in ischemic brain tissues. HPSE expression in cerebral vessels increased after stroke onset and infarct volume greatly decreased after co-administration of N-acetylcysteine + glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides as compared with N-acetylcysteine administration alone. These results suggest that the endothelial glycocalyx was injured after the onset of stroke. Interestingly, scission activity of proHPSE produced by immortalized endothelial cells and HEK293 cells transfected with hHPSE1 cDNA were activated by acrolein (ACR) exposure. We identified the ACR-modified amino acid residues of proHPSE using nano LC–MS/MS, suggesting that ACR modification of Lys139 (6-kDa linker), Lys107, and Lys161, located in the immediate vicinity of the 6-kDa linker, at least in part is attributed to the activation of proHPSE. Because proHPSE, but not HPSE, localizes outside cells by binding with heparan sulfate proteoglycans, ACR-modified proHPSE represents a promising target to protect the endothelial glycocalyx. Full Article
of Molecular architecture and domain arrangement of the placental malaria protein VAR2CSA suggests a model for carbohydrate binding [Glycobiology and Extracellular Matrices] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:31-08:00 VAR2CSA is the placental-malaria–specific member of the antigenically variant Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family. It is expressed on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected host red blood cells and binds to specific chondroitin-4-sulfate chains of the placental proteoglycan receptor. The functional ∼310 kDa ectodomain of VAR2CSA is a multidomain protein that requires a minimum 12-mer chondroitin-4-sulfate molecule for specific, high affinity receptor binding. However, it is not known how the individual domains are organized and interact to create the receptor-binding surface, limiting efforts to exploit its potential as an effective vaccine or drug target. Using small angle X-ray scattering and single particle reconstruction from negative-stained electron micrographs of the ectodomain and multidomain constructs, we have determined the structural architecture of VAR2CSA. The relative locations of the domains creates two distinct pores that can each accommodate the 12-mer of chondroitin-4-sulfate, suggesting a model for receptor binding. This model has important implications for understanding cytoadherence of infected red blood cells and potentially provides a starting point for developing novel strategies to prevent and/or treat placental malaria. Full Article
of The structure of a family 110 glycoside hydrolase provides insight into the hydrolysis of {alpha}-1,3-galactosidic linkages in {lambda}-carrageenan and blood group antigens [Enzymology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:31-08:00 α-Linked galactose is a common carbohydrate motif in nature that is processed by a variety of glycoside hydrolases from different families. Terminal Galα1–3Gal motifs are found as a defining feature of different blood group and tissue antigens, as well as the building block of the marine algal galactan λ-carrageenan. The blood group B antigen and linear α-Gal epitope can be processed by glycoside hydrolases in family GH110, whereas the presence of genes encoding GH110 enzymes in polysaccharide utilization loci from marine bacteria suggests a role in processing λ-carrageenan. However, the structure–function relationships underpinning the α-1,3-galactosidase activity within family GH110 remain unknown. Here we focus on a GH110 enzyme (PdGH110B) from the carrageenolytic marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas distincta U2A. We showed that the enzyme was active on Galα1–3Gal but not the blood group B antigen. X-ray crystal structures in complex with galactose and unhydrolyzed Galα1–3Gal revealed the parallel β-helix fold of the enzyme and the structural basis of its inverting catalytic mechanism. Moreover, an examination of the active site reveals likely adaptations that allow accommodation of fucose in blood group B active GH110 enzymes or, in the case of PdGH110, accommodation of the sulfate groups found on λ-carrageenan. Overall, this work provides insight into the first member of a predominantly marine clade of GH110 enzymes while also illuminating the structural basis of α-1,3-galactoside processing by the family as a whole. Full Article
of Structural and biochemical characteristics of two Staphylococcus epidermidis RNase J paralogs RNase J1 and RNase J2 [Protein Structure and Folding] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-04T00:06:06-08:00 RNase J enzymes are metallohydrolases that are involved in RNA maturation and RNA recycling, govern gene expression in bacteria, and catalyze both exonuclease and endonuclease activity. The catalytic activity of RNase J is regulated by multiple mechanisms which include oligomerization, conformational changes to aid substrate recognition, and the metal cofactor at the active site. However, little is known of how RNase J paralogs differ in expression and activity. Here we describe structural and biochemical features of two Staphylococcus epidermidis RNase J paralogs, RNase J1 and RNase J2. RNase J1 is a homodimer with exonuclease activity aided by two metal cofactors at the active site. RNase J2, on the other hand, has endonuclease activity and one metal ion at the active site and is predominantly a monomer. We note that the expression levels of these enzymes vary across Staphylococcal strains. Together, these observations suggest that multiple interacting RNase J paralogs could provide a strategy for functional improvisation utilizing differences in intracellular concentration, quaternary structure, and distinct active site architecture despite overall structural similarity. Full Article
of Calreticulin enhances the secretory trafficking of a misfolded {alpha}-1-antitrypsin [Protein Structure and Folding] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-04T00:06:05-08:00 α1-antitrypsin (AAT) regulates the activity of multiple proteases in the lungs and liver. A mutant of AAT (E342K) called ATZ forms polymers that are present at only low levels in the serum and induce intracellular protein inclusions, causing lung emphysema and liver cirrhosis. An understanding of factors that can reduce the intracellular accumulation of ATZ is of great interest. We now show that calreticulin (CRT), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) glycoprotein chaperone, promotes the secretory trafficking of ATZ, enhancing the media:cell ratio. This effect is more pronounced for ATZ than with AAT and is only partially dependent on the glycan-binding site of CRT, which is generally relevant to substrate recruitment and folding by CRT. The CRT-related chaperone calnexin does not enhance ATZ secretory trafficking, despite the higher cellular abundance of calnexin-ATZ complexes. CRT deficiency alters the distributions of ATZ-ER chaperone complexes, increasing ATZ-BiP binding and inclusion body formation and reducing ATZ interactions with components required for ER-Golgi trafficking, coincident with reduced levels of the protein transport protein Sec31A in CRT-deficient cells. These findings indicate a novel role for CRT in promoting the secretory trafficking of a protein that forms polymers and large intracellular inclusions. Inefficient secretory trafficking of ATZ in the absence of CRT is coincident with enhanced accumulation of ER-derived ATZ inclusion bodies. Further understanding of the factors that control the secretory trafficking of ATZ and their regulation by CRT could lead to new therapies for lung and liver diseases linked to AAT deficiency. Full Article
of {alpha}2-Macroglobulin-like protein 1 can conȷugate and inhibit proteases through their hydroxyl groups, because of an enhanced reactivity of its thiol ester [Protein Structure and Folding] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-04T00:06:05-08:00 Proteins in the α-macroglobulin (αM) superfamily use thiol esters to form covalent conjugation products upon their proteolytic activation. αM protease inhibitors use theirs to conjugate proteases and preferentially react with primary amines (e.g. on lysine side chains), whereas those of αM complement components C3 and C4B have an increased hydroxyl reactivity that is conveyed by a conserved histidine residue and allows conjugation to cell surface glycans. Human α2-macroglobulin–like protein 1 (A2ML1) is a monomeric protease inhibitor but has the hydroxyl reactivity–conveying histidine residue. Here, we have investigated the role of hydroxyl reactivity in a protease inhibitor by comparing recombinant WT A2ML1 and the A2ML1 H1084N mutant in which this histidine is removed. Both of A2ML1s' thiol esters were reactive toward the amine substrate glycine, but only WT A2ML1 reacted with the hydroxyl substrate glycerol, demonstrating that His-1084 increases the hydroxyl reactivity of A2ML1's thiol ester. Although both A2ML1s conjugated and inhibited thermolysin, His-1084 was required for the conjugation and inhibition of acetylated thermolysin, which lacks primary amines. Using MS, we identified an ester bond formed between a thermolysin serine residue and the A2ML1 thiol ester. These results demonstrate that a histidine-enhanced hydroxyl reactivity can contribute to protease inhibition by an αM protein. His-1084 did not improve A2ML1's protease inhibition at pH 5, indicating that A2ML1's hydroxyl reactivity is not an adaption to its acidic epidermal environment. Full Article
of PFN2 and NAA80 cooperate to efficiently acetylate the N-terminus of actin [Protein Structure and Folding] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-04T00:06:05-08:00 The actin cytoskeleton is of profound importance to cell shape, division, and intracellular force generation. Profilins bind to globular (G-)actin and regulate actin filament formation. Although profilins are well-established actin regulators, the distinct roles of the dominant profilin, profilin 1 (PFN1), versus the less abundant profilin 2 (PFN2) remain enigmatic. In this study, we use interaction proteomics to discover that PFN2 is an interaction partner of the actin N-terminal acetyltransferase NAA80, and further confirm this by analytical ultracentrifugation. Enzyme assays with NAA80 and different profilins demonstrate that PFN2 binding specifically increases the intrinsic catalytic activity of NAA80. NAA80 binds PFN2 through a proline-rich loop, deletion of which abrogates PFN2 binding. Small-angle X-ray scattering shows that NAA80, actin, and PFN2 form a ternary complex and that NAA80 has partly disordered regions in the N-terminus and the proline-rich loop, the latter of which is partly ordered upon PFN2 binding. Furthermore, binding of PFN2 to NAA80 via the proline-rich loop promotes binding between the globular domains of actin and NAA80, and thus acetylation of actin. However, the majority of cellular NAA80 is stably bound to PFN2 and not to actin, and we propose that this complex acetylates G-actin before it is incorporated into filaments. In conclusion, we reveal a functionally specific role of PFN2 as a stable interactor and regulator of the actin N-terminal acetyltransferase NAA80, and establish the modus operandi for NAA80-mediated actin N-terminal acetylation, a modification with a major impact on cytoskeletal dynamics. Full Article
of Polydisperse molecular architecture of connexin 26/30 heteromeric hemichannels revealed by atomic force microscopy imaging [Protein Structure and Folding] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-04T00:06:05-08:00 Connexin (Cx) protein forms hemichannels and gap junctional channels, which play diverse and profound roles in human physiology and diseases. Gap junctions are arrays of intercellular channels formed by the docking of two hemichannels from adjacent cells. Each hexameric hemichannel contains the same or different Cx isoform. Although homomeric Cxs forms have been largely described functionally and structurally, the stoichiometry and arrangement of heteromeric Cx channels remain unknown. The latter, however, are widely expressed in human tissues and variation might have important implications on channel function. Investigating properties of heteromeric Cx channels is challenging considering the high number of potential subunit arrangements and stoichiometries, even when only combining two Cx isoforms. To tackle this problem, we engineered an HA tag onto Cx26 or Cx30 subunits and imaged hemichannels that were liganded by Fab-epitope antibody fragments via atomic force microscopy. For Cx26-HA/Cx30 or Cx30-HA/Cx26 heteromeric channels, the Fab-HA binding distribution was binomial with a maximum of three Fab-HA bound. Furthermore, imaged Cx26/Cx30-HA triple liganded by Fab-HA showed multiple arrangements that can be derived from the law of total probabilities. Atomic force microscopy imaging of ringlike structures of Cx26/Cx30-HA hemichannels confirmed these findings and also detected a polydisperse distribution of stoichiometries. Our results indicate a dominant subunit stoichiometry of 3Cx26:3Cx30 with the most abundant subunit arrangement of Cx26-Cx26-Cx30-Cx26-Cx30-Cx30. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the molecular architecture of heteromeric Cx channels has been revealed, thus providing the basis to explore the functional effect of these channels in biology. Full Article