scholarly journals Dependence of Stress Resistance on a Spore Coat Heteropolysaccharide in Dictyostelium

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. West ◽  
Phuong Nguyen ◽  
Hanke van der Wel ◽  
Talibah Metcalf ◽  
Kristin R. Sweeney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Crystalline Cellulose ◽  
Spore Coat ◽  
Coat Proteins ◽  
Hypertonic Stress ◽  
Prespore Cell ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Spore Cell

ABSTRACT In Dictyostelium, sporulation occurs synchronously as prespore cells approach the apex of the aerial stalk during culmination. Each prespore cell becomes surrounded by its own coat comprised of a core of crystalline cellulose and a branched heteropolysaccharide sandwiched between heterogeneous cysteine-rich glycoproteins. The function of the heteropolysaccharide, which consists of galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine, is unknown. Two glycosyltransferase-like genes encoding multifunctional proteins, each with predicted features of a heteropolysaccharide synthase, were identified in the Dictyostelium discoideum genome. pgtB and pgtC transcripts were modestly upregulated during early development, and pgtB was further intensely upregulated at the time of heteropolysaccharide accumulation. Disruption of either gene reduced synthase-like activity and blocked heteropolysaccharide formation, based on loss of cytological labeling with a lectin and absence of component sugars after acid hydrolysis. Cell mixing experiments showed that heteropolysaccharide expression is spore cell autonomous, suggesting a physical association with other coat molecules during assembly. Mutant coats expressed reduced levels of crystalline cellulose based on chemical analysis after acid degradation, and cellulose was heterogeneously affected based on flow cytometry and electron microscopy. Mutant coats also contained elevated levels of selected coat proteins but not others and were sensitive to shear. Mutant spores were unusually susceptible to hypertonic collapse and damage by detergent or hypertonic stress. Thus, the heteropolysaccharide is essential for spore integrity, which can be explained by a role in the formation of crystalline cellulose and regulation of the protein content of the coat.

scholarly journals Incorporation of protein into spore coats is not cell autonomous in Dictyostelium.

1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (5) ◽  
pp. 1291-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
C M West ◽  
G W Erdos
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Coat Protein ◽  
Viscous Fluid ◽  
Fluorescent Antibody ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Spore Coat ◽  
Coat Proteins ◽  
Assembly Process ◽  
Spore Coat Proteins ◽  
Spore Coat Protein

At maturity, the spores of Dictyostelium are suspended in a viscous fluid droplet, with each spore being surrounded by its own spore coat. Certain glycoproteins characteristic of the spore coat are also dissolved in this fluid matrix after the spore coat is formed. To determine whether any proteins of the coat reside in this fluid phase earlier during the process of spore coat assembly, pairs of strains which differed in a spore coat protein carbohydrate marker were mixed and allowed to form spore coats in each other's presence. We reasoned that proteins belonging to an early, soluble, extracellular pool would be incorporated into the spore coats of both strains. To detect trans-incorporation, spores were labeled with a fluorescent antibody against the carbohydrate marker and each spore's fluorescence was analyzed by flow cytometry. Several proteins of both the outer and inner protein layers of the coat appeared to be faithfully and reciprocally trans-incorporated and hence judged to belong to a soluble, assembly-phase pool. Western blot analysis of sorted spores, and EM localization, confirmed this conclusion. In contrast, one outer-layer protein was not trans-incorporated, and was concluded to be insoluble at the time of secretion. Three classes of spore coat proteins can be described: (a) Insoluble from the time of secretion; (b) present in the early, soluble pool but not the late pool after spore coat formation; and (c) present in the soluble pool throughout spore coat assembly. These classes may, respectively: (a) Nucleate spore coat assembly; (b) comprise a scaffold defining the dimensions of the nascent spore coat; and (c) complete the assembly process by intercalation into the scaffold.

Structure of clathrin cages and coats in ice

1986 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 94-97
Author(s):  
G.P.A. Vigers ◽  
R.A. Crowther ◽  
B.M.F. Pearse
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Outer Part ◽  
Coated Vesicles ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Coat Proteins ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Clathrin Heavy Chain ◽  
Membrane Components

Clathrin forms the polyhedral cage of coated vesicles, which mediate the transfer of selected membrane components within eukaryotic cells. Clathrin cages and coated vesicles have been extensively studied by electron microscopy of negatively stained preparations and shadowed specimens. From these studies the gross morphology of the outer part of the polyhedral coat has been established and some features of the packing of clathrin trimers into the coat have also been described. However these previous studies have not revealed any internal details about the position of the terminal domain of the clathrin heavy chain, the location of the 100kd-50kd accessory coat proteins or the interactions of the coat with the enclosed membrane.

scholarly journals SpoVID Guides SafA to the Spore Coat inBacillus subtilis

2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (10) ◽  
pp. 3041-3049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Ozin ◽  
Craig S. Samford ◽  
Adriano O. Henriques ◽  
Charles P. Moran
Keyword(s):  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Spore Coat ◽  
Coat Proteins ◽  
Yeast Two Hybrid System ◽  
Spore Coat Proteins ◽  
Basement Layer ◽  
Two Hybrid ◽  
Spore Coat Protein

ABSTRACT Bacteria assemble complex structures by targeting proteins to specific subcellular locations. The protein coat that encasesBacillus subtilis spores is an example of a structure that requires coordinated targeting and assembly of more than 24 polypeptides. The earliest stages of coat assembly require the action of three morphogenetic proteins: SpoIVA, CotE, and SpoVID. In the first steps, a basement layer of SpoIVA forms around the surface of the forespore, guiding the subsequent positioning of a ring of CotE protein about 75 nm from the forespore surface. SpoVID localizes near the forespore membrane where it functions to maintain the integrity of the CotE ring and to anchor the nascent coat to the underlying spore structures. However, it is not known which spore coat proteins interact directly with SpoVID. In this study we examined the interaction between SpoVID and another spore coat protein, SafA, in vivo using the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro. We found evidence that SpoVID and SafA directly interact and that SafA interacts with itself. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that SafA localized around the forespore early during coat assembly and that this localization of SafA was dependent on SpoVID. Moreover, targeting of SafA to the forespore was also dependent on SpoIVA, as was targeting of SpoVID to the forespore. We suggest that the localization of SafA to the spore coat requires direct interaction with SpoVID.

Transcriptional targets of DAF-16 insulin signaling pathway protect C. elegans from extreme hypertonic stress

2005 ◽  
Vol 288 (2) ◽  
pp. C467-C474 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Todd Lamitina ◽  
Kevin Strange
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Signaling ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Organic Osmolytes ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Animal Cells ◽  
Hypertonic Stress ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Downstream Target ◽  
Molecular Damage

All cells adapt to hypertonic stress by regulating their volume after shrinkage, by accumulating organic osmolytes, and by activating mechanisms that protect against and repair hypertonicity-induced damage. In mammals and nematodes, inhibition of signaling from the DAF-2/IGF-1 insulin receptor activates the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor, resulting in increased life span and resistance to some types of stress. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of insulin signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans also increases hypertonic stress resistance. Genetic inhibition of DAF-2 or its downstream target, the AGE-1 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, confers striking resistance to a normally lethal hypertonic shock in a DAF-16-dependent manner. However, insulin signaling is not inhibited by or required for adaptation to hypertonic conditions. Microarray studies have identified 263 genes that are transcriptionally upregulated by DAF-16 activation. We identified 14 DAF-16-upregulated genes by RNA interference screening that are required for age- 1 hypertonic stress resistance. These genes encode heat shock proteins, proteins of unknown function, and trehalose synthesis enzymes. Trehalose levels were elevated approximately twofold in age- 1 mutants, but this increase was insufficient to prevent rapid hypertonic shrinkage. However, age- 1 animals unable to synthesize trehalose survive poorly under hypertonic conditions. We conclude that increased expression of proteins that protect eukaryotic cells against environmental stress and/or repair stress-induced molecular damage confers hypertonic stress resistance in C. elegans daf- 2/ age- 1 mutants. Elevated levels of solutes such as trehalose may also function in a cytoprotective manner. Our studies provide novel insights into stress resistance in animal cells and a foundation for new studies aimed at defining molecular mechanisms underlying these essential processes.

Cloning and expression of a cDNA that comprises part of the gene coding for a spore coat protein of Dictyostelium discoideum

1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 2273-2278
Author(s):  
B C Dowds ◽  
W F Loomis
Keyword(s):  
Dictyostelium Discoideum ◽  
Cdna Clone ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Polyclonal Antiserum ◽  
Cloning And Expression ◽  
Spore Coat ◽  
Coat Proteins ◽  
Developmentally Regulated ◽  
Gene Coding ◽  
Spore Coat Proteins

The three major spore coat proteins of Dictyostelium discoideum are developmentally regulated, cell-type-specific proteins. They are packaged in prespore vesicles and then secreted to form the outer layer of spore coats. We have isolated a cDNA clone from the gene coding for one of these proteins, SP96, a glycoprotein of 96,000 daltons. We screened the cDNA bank by the method of hybrid select translation followed by immunoprecipitation of the translation products with SP96-specific polyclonal antiserum. We found that the gene was first transcribed into stable mRNA a few hours before the time of detection of SP96 synthesis and that the mRNA, like the protein, accumulated specifically in prespore cells and spores. SP96 constituted the same proportion of newly synthesized protein as the proportion of its message in polyadenylated RNA. SP96 appeared to be encoded by a single gene as judged by Southern blot analysis of digested genomic DNA hybridized to the cDNA clone.

scholarly journals Spore Coat Architecture of Clostridium novyi NT Spores

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (17) ◽  
pp. 6457-6468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Plomp ◽  
J. Michael McCaffery ◽  
Ian Cheong ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
Chetan Bettegowda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Anaerobic Bacterium ◽  
Amorphous Layer ◽  
Spore Coat ◽  
Experimental Animals ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Clostridium Novyi ◽  
Transmission Electron

ABSTRACT Spores of the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium novyi NT are able to germinate in and destroy hypoxic regions of tumors in experimental animals. Future progress in this area will benefit from a better understanding of the germination and outgrowth processes that are essential for the tumorilytic properties of these spores. Toward this end, we have used both transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to determine the structure of both dormant and germinating spores. We found that the spores are surrounded by an amorphous layer intertwined with honeycomb parasporal layers. Moreover, the spore coat layers had apparently self-assembled, and this assembly was likely to be governed by crystal growth principles. During germination and outgrowth, the honeycomb layers, as well as the underlying spore coat and undercoat layers, sequentially dissolved until the vegetative cell was released. In addition to their implications for understanding the biology of C. novyi NT, these studies document the presence of proteinaceous growth spirals in a biological organism.

Characterization of cellular development and fatty acid accumulation in thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium strains of Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natarajan Velmurugan ◽  
Yesupatham Sathishkumar ◽  
Shashanka Sonowal ◽  
Ka-Lai Pang ◽  
Yang Soo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Intracellular Lipid ◽  
Fatty Acid Accumulation ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Intracellular Lipid Accumulation ◽  
High Level

Abstract Long-chain saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids of two new thraustochytrid isolates cultured from Taiwan mangroves, Aurantiochytrium sp. IMB169 and Aurantiochytrium sp. IMB171, were characterized through their cell growth and development in relation to their intracellular lipid accumulation using transmission electron microscopy. Flow cytometry in combination with the lipophilic fluorescent dye BODIPY 505/515 was used to stain and characterize intracellular lipid bodies in the two isolates. The transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed a progressive accumulation of lipid products in IMB169 and IMB171. Further, selective BODIPY stained cells were successfully separated and enriched using flow cytometry at single cell level. Among the two isolates, IMB169 was found to produce a high level of docosahexaenoic acid. The qualitative and analytical results obtained using electron microscopy and flow cytometry studies were validated by gas chromatography (GC). In addition, a quantitative baseline was established using cell growth, flow cytometry and GC analyses for developing an efficient bioprocessing methodology to selectively enrich thraustochytrids phenotypes with desirable characteristics.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document