scholarly journals The effects of altered sterol composition on the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide transporter of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1977 ◽  
Vol 166 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Haslam ◽  
A M Astin ◽  
W W Nichols

1. The membrane sterol composition of mitochondria of the ole-3 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was manipulated by growing the organism in the presence of Tween 80 (1%, W/V) plus defined supplements o- delta-aminolaevulinate. 2. Changes in mitochondrial sterol content induced considerable changes in the adenine nucleotide transporter. 3. As the sterol content was decreased, the affinity of the transporter for ATP did not alter significantly, but the rate of ATP uptake was greatly decreased, the total number of atractylate-sensitive binding sites diminished, and the proportion of high-affinity binding sites was decreased. 4. Since sterol depletion also uncouples oxidative phosphorylation [Astin & Haslam (1977) Biochem. J., 166, 287-298] and prevents the intramitochondrial generation of ATP, the decrease in the rate of ATP uptake by sterol-depleted mitochondria will cause a decrease in intramitochondrial ATP concentrations in vivo. This probably explains the inhibition of mitochondrial macromolecular synthesis that has previously been reported in lipid-depleted yeast mitochondria.

2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (4) ◽  
pp. 961-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireille Ansaldi ◽  
Gwénola Simon ◽  
Michèle Lepelletier ◽  
Vincent Méjean

ABSTRACT In the presence of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), the TorS-TorR two-component regulatory system induces thetorCAD operon, which encodes the TMAO respiratory system ofEscherichia coli. The sensor protein TorS detects TMAO and transphosphorylates the response regulator TorR which, in turn, activates transcription of torCAD. The torRgene and the torCAD operon are divergently transcribed, and the short torR-torC intergenic region contains four direct repeats (the tor boxes) which proved to be TorR binding sites. The tor box 1-box 2 region covers thetorR transcription start site and constitutes a TorR high-affinity binding site, whereas box 3 and box 4 correspond to low-affinity binding sites. By using torR-lacZ operon fusions in different genetic backgrounds, we showed that thetorR gene is negatively autoregulated. Surprisingly, TorR autoregulation is TMAO independent and still occurs in atorS mutant. In addition, this negative regulation involves only the TorR high-affinity binding site. Together, these data suggest that phosphorylated as well as unphosphorylated TorR binds the box 1-box 2 region in vivo, thus preventing RNA polymerase from binding to the torR promoter whatever the growth conditions. By changing the spacing between box 2 and box 3, we demonstrated that the DNA motifs of the high- and low-affinity binding sites must be close to each other and located on the same side of the DNA helix to allow induction of the torCAD operon. Thus, prior TorR binding to the box 1-box 2 region seems to allow cooperative binding of phosphorylated TorR to box 3 and box 4.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (14) ◽  
pp. 4022-4027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Fekete ◽  
Laura S. Frost

ABSTRACT Cleavage at the F plasmid nic site within the origin of transfer (oriT) requires the F-encoded proteins TraY and TraI and the host-encoded protein integration host factor in vitro. We confirm that F TraY, but not F TraM, is required for cleavage atnic in vivo. Chimeric plasmids were constructed which contained either the entire F or R100-1 oriT regions or various combinations of nic, TraY, and TraM binding sites, in addition to the traM gene. The efficiency of cleavage atnic and the frequency of mobilization were assayed in the presence of F or R100-1 plasmids. The ability of these chimeric plasmids to complement an F traM mutant or affect F transfer via negative dominance was also measured using transfer efficiency assays. In cases where cleavage at nic was detected, R100-1 TraI was not sensitive to the two-base difference in sequence immediately downstream of nic, while F TraI was specific for the F sequence. Plasmid transfer was detected only when TraM was able to bind to its cognate sites within oriT. High-affinity binding of TraY in cis to oriTallowed detection of cleavage at nic but was not required for efficient mobilization. Taken together, our results suggest that stable relaxosomes, consisting of TraI, -M, and -Y bound to oriT are preferentially targeted to the transfer apparatus (transferosome).


1977 ◽  
Vol 166 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. Astin ◽  
J. M. Haslam

1. The sterol, unsaturated fatty acid and cytochrome contents of cells of a δ-aminolaevulinate synthase mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are manipulated by growing the organism in media containing defined supplements of δ-aminolaevulinate and other porphyrin intermediates. 2. If unsaturated fatty acids are added to the growth medium as Tween 80, sterol content and respiratory cytochromes alone are manipulated. 3. In the presence of δ-aminolaevulinate (10–50mg/1) cells exhibit moderate to high respiratory activity, but growth yields are low, indicating a loss of oxidative phosphorylation. This is associated with the depletion of membrane lipids, either unsaturated fatty acids and sterols together or sterols alone. 4. Sterol depletion leads to the loss of coupled mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in vitro. 5. The lesion in oxidative phosphorylation is associated with an increase in the passive permeability of sterol-depleted mitochondria to protons. 6. Arrhenius plots of mitochondrial permeability to protons indicate that the activation energy for proton entry increases as the sterol content of the membranes decreases. 7. Studies on a cytoplasmic petite mutant isolated from strain ole-3, which lacks a functional membrane-bound protein-translocating adenosine triphosphatase, indicate that proton permeability of the petite mitochondria varies as a function of sterol composition in the same way as that of ole-3 grande mitochondria. This indicates that sterols alone are probably directly responsible for the increased proton entry, owing to a reorganization of the lipid in the membrane. 8. Supplemented ole-3 cells with a normal lipid composition and normal or higher than normal respiratory activities have a growth efficiency only 65% of that of the wild-type, indicating that a further lesion in energy metabolism may be present.


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (03) ◽  
pp. 465-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neelesh Bangalore ◽  
William N Drohan ◽  
Carolyn L Orthner

SummaryActivated protein C (APC) is an antithrombotic serine proteinase having anticoagulant, profibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory activities. Despite its potential clinical utility, relatively little is known about its clearance mechanisms. In the present study we have characterized the interaction of APC and its active site blocked forms with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). At 4° C 125I-APC bound to HUVEC in a specific, time dependent, saturable and reversible manner. Scatchard analysis of the binding isotherm demonstrated a Kd value of 6.8 nM and total number of binding sites per cell of 359,000. Similar binding isotherms were obtained using radiolabeled protein C (PC) zymogen as well as D-phe-pro-arg-chloromethylketone (PPACK) inhibited APC indicating that a functional active site was not required. Competition studies showed that the binding of APC, PPACK-APC and PC were mutually exclusive suggesting that they bound to the same site(s). Proteolytic removal of the N-terminal γ-carboxyglutamic acid (gla) domain of PC abolished its ability to compete indicating that the gla-domain was essential for cell binding. Surprisingly, APC binding to these cells appeared to be independent of protein S, a cofactor of APC generally thought to be required for its high affinity binding to cell surfaces. The identity of the cell binding site(s), for the most part, appeared to be distinct from other known APC ligands which are associated with cell membranes or extracellular matrix including phospholipid, thrombomodulin, factor V, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and heparin. Pretreatment of HUVEC with antifactor VIII antibody caused partial inhibition of 125I-APC binding indicating that factor VIII or a homolog accounted for ∼30% of APC binding. Studies of the properties of surface bound 125I-APC or 125I-PC and their fate at 4°C compared to 37 °C were consistent with association of ∼25% of the initially bound radioligand with an endocytic receptor. However, most of the radioligand appeared not to be bound to an endocytic receptor and dissociated rapidly at 37° C in an intact and functional state. These data indicate the presence of specific, high affinity binding sites for APC and PC on the surface of HUVEC. While a minor proportion of binding sites may be involved in endocytosis, the identity and function of the major proportion is presently unknown. It is speculated that this putative receptor may be a further mechanisms of localizing the PC antithrombotic system to the vascular endothelium.


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