A direct functional link between the multi-PDZ domain protein GRIP1 and the Fraser syndrome protein Fras1

Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins is crucial for the structural integrity of tissues and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions mediating organ morphogenesis. Here we describe how the loss of a cytoplasmic multi-PDZ scaffolding protein, glutamate receptor interacting protein 1 (GRIP1), leads to the formation of subepidermal hemorrhagic blisters, renal agenesis, syndactyly or polydactyly and permanent fusion of eyelids (cryptophthalmos). Similar malformations are characteristic of individuals with Fraser syndrome and animal models of this human genetic disorder, such as mice carrying the blebbed mutation (bl) in the gene encoding the Fras1 ECM protein. GRIP1 can physically interact with Fras1 and is required for the localization of Fras1 to the basal side of cells. In one animal model of Fraser syndrome, the eye-blebs (eb) mouse, Grip1 is disrupted by a deletion of two coding exons. Our data indicate that GRIP1 is required for normal cell-matrix interactions during early embryonic development and that inactivation of Grip1 causes Fraser syndrome-like defects in mice.     

Purified inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor mediates calcium flux in reconstituted lipid vesicles

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3), a second messenger molecule involved in actions of neurotransmitters, hormones and growth factors, releases calcium from vesicular non-mitochondrial intracellular stores. An Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein, purified from brain membranes, has been shown to be phosphorylated by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase and localized by immunohistochemical techniques to intracellular particles associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. Although the specificity of the Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein for inositol phosphates and the high affinity of the protein for Ins(1,4,5)P3 indicate that it is a physiological Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor mediating calcium release, direct evidence for this has been difficult to obtain. Also, it is unclear whether a single protein mediates both the recognition of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and calcium transport or whether these two functions involve two or more distinct proteins. In the present study we report reconstitution of the purified Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein into lipid vesicles. We show that Ins(1,4,5)P3 and other inositol phosphates stimulate calcium flux in the reconstituted vesicles with potencies and specificities that match the calcium releasing actions of Ins(1,4,5)P3. These results indicate that the purified Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein is a physiological receptor responsible for calcium release.     

Quantal calcium release by purified reconstituted inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors.

Release of intracellular Ca2+ by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) occurs through specific receptor proteins which are ligand-activated Ca2+ channels. Changes in intracellular Ca2+ regulate many cellular functions. This Ca2+ release is a discontinuous quantal process in which successive increments of InsP3 transiently release precise amounts of Ca2+ (refs 4-6). Possible explanations of quantal Ca2+ release have included rapid degradation of InsP3, reciprocity of Ca2+ release and sequestration, desensitization of InsP3 receptors, or actions of InsP3 on discrete compartments of Ca2+ with variable sensitivity to InsP3 (ref. 4). We successfully reconstituted InsP3-induced Ca2+ flux in vesicles containing only purified InsP3 receptor protein. The reconstituted vesicles retain the regulatory features of the InsP3 receptor, including phosphorylation sites and modulation of Ca2+ release by adenine nucleotides. Using these reconstituted vesicles, we show here that quantal flux of Ca2+ elicited by InsP3 is a fundamental property of its receptor.     

Regulation of distinct AMPA receptor phosphorylation sites during bidirectional synaptic plasticity

Bidirectional changes in the efficacy of neuronal synaptic transmission, such as hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), are thought to be mechanisms for information storage in the brain. LTP and LTD may be mediated by the modulation of AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazloe proprionic acid) receptor phosphorylation. Here we show that LTP and LTD reversibly modify the phosphorylation of the AMPA receptor GluR1 subunit. However, contrary to the hypothesis that LTP and LTD are the functional inverse of each other, we find that they are associated with phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, respectively, of distinct GluR1 phosphorylation sites. Moreover, the site modulated depends on the stimulation history of the synapse. LTD induction in naive synapses dephosphorylates the major cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) site, whereas in potentiated synapses the major calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) site is dephosphorylated. Conversely, LTP induction in naive synapses and depressed synapses increases phosphorylation of the CaMKII site and the PKA site, respectively. LTP is differentially sensitive to CaMKII and PKA inhibitors depending on the history of the synapse. These results indicate that AMPA receptor phosphorylation is critical for synaptic plasticity, and that identical stimulation conditions recruit different signal-transduction pathways depending on synaptic history.     

根际微生物群落多样性在重金属土壤修复中的研究

植物根际微生物在植物修复重金属污染土壤时分泌的激素、铁载体、ＡＣＣ脱氨酶、黄酮类化合物和酚酸类等\r\n有机物具有增强植物生长、促进植物根际对重金属吸收、转运和积累的作用,同时促进适应相应根际环境的功能微\r\n生物群落的建立．文章结合作者课题组的研究结果,概述根际微生物在植物修复重金属污染土壤过程中的作用,总\r\n结了根际细菌、真菌、古菌在植物修复中的作用,进一步分析了土壤污染类型、改良剂、根际植物的种类等对根际微\r\n生物活动的影响,对今后植物修复重金属污染土壤过程中与根际微生物作用相关的研究进行了展望．     

Functional modulation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor by tyrosine phosphorylation

Tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation has been implicated in the regulation of cell transformation and proliferation. However, recent studies have shown that the expression of protein tyrosine kinases in adult brain is very high, suggesting that tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation may also have a role in the regulation of neuronal function. Although a number of substrate proteins are phosphorylated on tyrosine residues, the functional alteration of proteins by tyrosine phosphorylation has previously been convincingly demonstrated only for protein tyrosine kinases. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, a neurotransmitter-gated ion channel, is phosphorylated by a protein tyrosine kinase in post-synaptic membranes in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate here that this tyrosine phosphorylation increases the rate of the rapid phase of desensitization of the nicotinic receptor, as measured by single channel recording of purified nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, when reconstituted in lipid vesicles. These data provide direct evidence for the regulation of ion channel properties by tyrosine phosphorylation. The results, which demonstrate a functional role of tyrosine phosphorylation in the nervous system, suggest a widespread role for tyrosine phosphorylation in neuronal signal transduction.     

Phosphorylation of DARPP-32 by Cdk5 modulates dopamine signalling in neurons

The physiological state of the cell is controlled by signal transduction mechanisms which regulate the balance between protein kinase and protein phosphatase activities. Here we report that a single protein can, depending on which particular amino-acid residue is phosphorylated, function either as a kinase or phosphatase inhibitor. DARPP-32 (dopamine and cyclic AMP-regulated phospho-protein, relative molecular mass 32,000) is converted into an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 when it is phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) at threonine 34. We find that DARPP-32 is converted into an inhibitor of PKA when phosphorylated at threonine 75 by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5). Cdk5 phosphorylates DARPP-32 in vitro and in intact brain cells. Phospho-Thr 75 DARPP-32 inhibits PKA in vitro by a competitive mechanism. Decreasing phospho-Thr 75 DARPP-32 in striatal slices, either by a Cdk5-specific inhibitor or by using genetically altered mice, results in increased dopamine-induced phosphorylation of PKA substrates and augmented peak voltage-gated calcium currents. Thus DARPP-32 is a bifunctional signal transduction molecule which, by distinct mechanisms, controls a serine/threonine kinase and a serine/threonine phosphatase.     

Phosphorylation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor regulates its rate of desensitization

Recent studies have provided evidence for a role of protein phosphorylation in the regulation of the function of various potassium and calcium channels (for reviews, see refs 1, 2). As these ion channels have not yet been isolated and characterized, it has not been possible to determine whether phosphorylation of the ion channels themselves alters their properties or whether some indirect mechanism is involved. In contrast, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, a neurotransmitter-dependent ion channel, has been extensively characterized biochemically and has been shown to be directly phosphorylated. The phosphorylation of this receptor is catalysed by at least three different protein kinases (cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C and a tyrosine-specific protein kinase) on seven different phosphorylation sites. However, the functional significance of phosphorylation of the receptor has been unclear. We have now examined the functional effects of phosphorylation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. We investigated the ion transport properties of the purified and reconstituted acetylcholine receptor before and after phosphorylation. We report here that phosphorylation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor on the gamma- and delta-subunits by cAMP-dependent protein kinase increases the rate of the rapid desensitization of the receptor, a process by which the receptor is inactivated in the presence of acetylcholine (ACh). These results provide the first direct evidence that phosphorylation of an ion channel protein modulates its function and suggest that phosphorylation of postsynaptic receptors in general may play an important role in synaptic plasticity.