Non-host-selective fungal phytotoxins: Biochemical aspects of their mode of action

During the last decade increasing attention has been directed towards the biochemical mechanisms responsible for the biological activity of phytotoxins. Studies on the mode of action of some non-host-selective phytotoxins, some following on from previous observations, have demonstrated a very specific interaction with particular components of the cell machinery, and have suggested the possible use of these phytotoxins as tools for the investigation of important biochemical processes. This review article reports and discusses results of studies carried out in the 1980s with seven non-host-selective fungal toxins: brefeldin A, cercosporin,Cercospora beticola toxin, fusicoccin, ophiobolins, tentoxin, and zinniol. Each of these interferes with the life of the host by interacting with a different biochemical target.     

Effects of extracellular calmodulin on pollen germination and tube growth

The effects of calmoddin (CaM) antagonist W7-agarose, anti-CaM serum and exogenous purified CaM on pollen germination and tube growth ofForsythia suspensu were studied. The pollen germination and tube growth were inhibited or completely stopped by CaM antagonist W7-agarose. The addition of exogenous purified CaM stimulated pollen germination and tube growth, whereas the same amount of bovine serum albumin (BSA) had no effect. The inhibitory effects caused by W7-agarose and anti-CaM serum could be reversed completely by the addition of exogenous purified CaM. The tube growth of germinated pollen was also inhibited or completely stopped by W7-agarose. The results suggest that endogenous extracellular CaM initiates pollen germination and tube growth, whereas exogenous CaM enhances the above processes.     

Binding Sites of La~(3 ) on Camodulin

ＢｉｎｄｉｎｇＳｉｔｅｓｏｆＬａ３＋ｏｎＣａｍｏｄｕｌｉｎ＊ＦｅｎｇＹｕｐｉｎｇ（冯玉萍），ＹｕａｎＨａｏｄａｎ（袁浩丹）＋，ＺｈｏｕＹｕｘｉａｎｇ（周玉祥）＋，ＮｉｎｇＹｏｎｇｃｈｅｎｇ（宁永成），ＺｈａｎｇＲｉｑｉｎｇ（张日清）＋Ｄｅｐａｒｔｍｅ...     

不同pH值对Au/CaM膜结合Ca2+的电化学行为研究

采用交流阻抗的方法,在包含1 mmol/L Fe(CN)63-/4-的0.15 mol/L的NaCl溶液中,研究了Au/CaM膜在不同的酸碱环境下结合Ca2 的电化学行为.结果表明:在pH为6.5的环境下Au/CaM膜结合Ca2 的能力要比在pH为4.5环境下的强.     

Au/CaM自组装膜方波伏安法表征

采用方波伏安法,在包含1 mmol/L[Fe(CN)6]3-/[Fe(CN)6]4-的0.15 mol/L的NaCl溶液中,对Au/CaM膜的电化学行为进行了初步表征。由方波伏安电流响应图可知:CaM可以在Au基底自组装成膜,[Fe(CN)6]3-/[Fe(CN)6]4-在Au/CaM膜电极上发生的是电化学不可逆反应过程。     

Myelin basic protein: a multifunctional protein

Myelin basic protein (MBP), the second most abundant protein in central nervous system myelin, is responsible for adhesion of the cytosolic surfaces of multilayered compact myelin. A member of the ‘intrinsically disordered’ or conformationally adaptable protein family, it also appears to have several other functions. It can interact with a number of polyanionic proteins including actin, tubulin, Ca²⁺-calmodulin, and clathrin, and negatively charged lipids, and acquires structure on binding to them. It may act as a membrane actin-binding protein, which might allow it to participate in transmission of extracellular signals to the cytoskeleton in oligodendrocytes and tight junctions in myelin. Some size isoforms of MBP are transported into the nucleus and thus they may also bind polynucleotides. Extracellular signals received by myelin or cultured oligodendrocytes cause changes in phosphorylation of MBP, suggesting that MBP is also involved in signaling. Further study of this very abundant protein will reveal how it is utilized by the oligodendrocyte and myelin for different purposes. Received 2 March 2006; received after revision 12 April 2006; accepted 16 May 2006     

Myosin V from head to tail

Myosin V (myoV), a processive cargo transporter, has arguably been the most well-studied unconventional myosin of the past decade. Considerable structural information is available for the motor domain, the IQ motifs with bound calmodulin or light chains, and the cargo-binding globular tail, all of which have been crystallized. The repertoire of adapter proteins that link myoV to a particular cargo is becoming better understood, enabling cellular transport processes to be dissected. MyoV is processive, meaning that it takes many steps on actin filaments without dissociating. Its extended lever arm results in long 36-nm steps, making it ideal for single molecule studies of processive movement. In addition, electron microscopy revealed the structure of the inactive, folded conformation of myoV when it is not transporting cargo. This review provides a background on myoV, and highlights recent discoveries that show why myoV will continue to be an active focus of investigation. Received 31 October 2007; received after revision 4 December 2007; accepted 2 January 2008     

On the mechanism of inhibition of p27 degradation by 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J 2 in lymphoblasts of Alzheimer’s disease patients

It has been proposed that neuroinflammation, among other factors, may trigger an aberrant neuronal cell cycle re-entry leading to neuronal death. Cell cycle disturbances are also detectable in peripheral cells from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. We previously reported that the anti-inflammatory 15- deoxy-Δ^12,14-prostaglandin J ₂ (15d-PGJ ₂) increased the cellular content of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27, in lymphoblasts from AD patients. This work aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of 15d-PGJ ₂-induced p27 accumulation. Phosphorylation, half-life, and the nucleo-cytoplasmic traffic of p27 protein were altered by 15d-PGJ2 by mechanisms dependent on PI3K/Akt activity. 15d-PGJ ₂ prevents the calmodulin-dependent Akt overactivation in AD lymphoblasts by blocking its binding to the 85-kDa regulatory subunit of PI3K. These effects of 15d-PGJ ₂ were not mimicked by 9,10-dihydro-15-deoxy-Δ^12,14- prostaglandin J ₂, suggesting that 15d-PGJ ₂ acts independently of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ activation and that the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl group in the cyclopentenone ring of 15d-PGJ ₂ is a requisite for the observed effects. Received 14 July 2008; received after revision 2 September 2008; accepted 12 September 2008