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Endogenous acceptors in a Golgi apparatus-enriched subcellular fraction from rat liver were labeled with UDP-[3H]GalNAc. The great majority of these acceptors were protected from protease degradation in the absence of detergent. These molecules are therefore present in intact vesicles of the correct topological orientation, which are likely to be similar to the Golgi compartments of the intact cell. Several distinct glycoproteins are labeled, but most are different from those labeled with UDP-[3H]GlcNAc. The enzyme peptide-N4(N-acetyl-beta-glucosiminyl)asparagine amidase releases label from a few specific proteins, indicating that [3H]GalNAc is transferred to N-linked oligosaccharides. Both neutral and anionic N-linked oligosaccharides are found, the great majority of which do not bind to ConA-Sepharose. Most of the [3H]GalNAc found in neutral oligosaccharides is terminal and beta-linked. The negative charge on the anionic molecules is due to sialic acid, and phosphate. A major portion of the [3H] GalNAc in this fraction is acid labile, and is released with kinetics consistent with it being in a phosphodiester linkage. These results show the existence of a whole new class of GalNAc-containing N-linked oligosaccharides, and demonstrates that this in vitro approach can detect previously undescribed structures. O-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis was also studied in the same labeled rat liver Golgi apparatus preparations. beta-Elimination releases approximately 95% of the peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase (PNGase F)-resistant label which, in the absence of other added nucleotides, is almost exclusively [3H] GalNAcitol. If other unlabeled sugar nucleotides and adenosine 3'-phosphate,5'-phosphosulfate are added during the chase period two anionic O-linked oligosaccharides are synthesized, indicating that the UDP-GalNAc:peptide-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase is at least in part functionally co-localized with enzymes that extend and modify O-linked oligosaccharides.

Homogeneous liver 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase, which catalyzes the condensation of acetyl-CoA with acetoacetyl-CoA to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA, also carries out: (a) a rapid transacetylation from acetyl-CoA to 31-dephospho-CoA and (b) a slow hydrolysis of acetyl-CoA to acetate and CoA. Transacetylation and hydrolysis occur at 50 and 1 percent, respectively, the rate of the synthasecatalyzed condensation reaction. It appears that an acetyl-enzyme intermediate is involved in the transacetylase and hydrolase reactions of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase, as well as in the over-all condensation process. Covalent binding to the enzyme of a [14C]acetyl group contributed by [1(-14)C]acetyl-CoA is indicated by migration of the [14C]acetyl group with the dissociated synthase upon electrophoresis in dodecyl sulfate-urea and by precipitation of [14C]acetyl-enzyme with trichloroacetic acid. At 0 degrees and a saturating level of acetyl-CoA, the synthase is rapidly (less than 20 s) acetylated yielding 0.6 acetyl group/enzyme dimer. Performic acid oxidation completely deacetylates the enzyme, suggesting the site of acetylation to be a cysteinyl sulfhydryl group. Proteolytic digestion of [14C]acetyl-S-enzyme under conditions favorable for intramolecular S to N acetyl group transfer quantitatively liberates a labeled derivative with a [14C]acetyl group stable to performic acid oxidation. The labeled oxidation product is identified as N-[14C]acetylcysteic acid, thus demonstrating a cysteinyl sulfhydryl group as the original site of acetylation. The ability of the acetylated enzyme, upon addition of acetoacetyl-CoA, to form 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA indicates that the acetylated cysteine residue is at the catalytic site.

Cell-cell adhesion is a multi-step process which may be initiated by binding of cell surface carbohydrates to complementary carbohydrate receptors on apposing cell surfaces. We have modeled such interactions using polyacrylamide gels covalently derivatized with glycosides, to which intact cells specifically adhere; chicken hepatocytes adhere to gels derivatized with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Initially adhesion is blocked (or reversed) by soluble GlcNAc, but becomes sugar-resistant rapidly at 37 degrees C, perhaps due to cellular modification of the carbohydrate-derivatized surface (Guarnaccia, S. P., Kuhlenschmidt, M. S., Slife, C. W., and Schnaar, R. L. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14293-14299). We report here that, subsequent to recognition and adhesion, intact chicken hepatocytes transfer phosphate covalently to GlcNAc-derivatized gels. Metabolically radiolabeled cells (32Pi) were incubated on polyacrylamide gels derivatized with various aminohexyl glycosides. Noncovalently bound material was then removed from the gels by extensive washing in detergents and salt solutions. Subsequent radiochemical analysis revealed that phosphate was transferred selectively to GlcNAc-derivatized gels (up to 20-fold more than to glucose-, galactose-, or mannose-derivatized gels). Soluble GlcNAc (but not other sugars) or low temperature inhibited phosphate transfer. The phosphorylation was mediated by intact cells; cell lysate was itself incapable of specific phosphate transfer and attenuated specific transfer when added to intact cells. When GlcNAc was immobilized using a cleavable (disulfide-containing) linker arm the transferred phosphate radiolabel could be solubilized by disulfide reduction and recovered for further analysis. The released phosphorylated product migrated as a single low molecular weight species upon gel permeation chromatography, paper electrophoresis, and cellulose thin layer chromatography. Acid hydrolysis of the phosphorylated product generated a compound with the mobility of GlcNAc-6-P in five different separation systems. Treatment with alkaline phosphatase converted the radiolabel to a compound with the properties of inorganic phosphate. These data indicate that; subsequent to carbohydrate recognition and adhesion, intact hepatocytes generate phosphomonoesters of recognized carbohydrates outside of their plasma membranes.

Obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) leads to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Astrocyte-elevated gene-1/Metadherin (AEG-1/MTDH) plays a key role in promoting MASH and HCC. AEG-1 is palmitoylated at residue cysteine 75 (Cys75) and a knock-in mouse representing mutated Cys75 to serine (AEG-1-C75S) showed activation of MASH- and HCC-promoting gene signature when compared to wild-type littermates (AEG-1-WT). The liver consists of three zones, periportal, mid-lobular, and pericentral, and zone-specific dysregulated gene expression impairs metabolic homeostasis in the liver, contributing to MASH and HCC. Here, to elucidate how palmitoylation influences AEG-1-mediated gene regulation in regard to hepatic zonation, we performed spatial transcriptomics (ST) in the livers of AEG-1-WT and AEG-1-C75S littermates. ST identified six different clusters in livers and using zone- and cell-type-specific markers we attributed specific zones and cell types to specific clusters. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) of differentially expressed genes in each cluster unraveled activation of pro-inflammatory and MASH- and HCC-promoting pathways, mainly in periportal and pericentral hepatocytes, in AEG-1-C75S liver compared to AEG-1-WT. Interestingly, in AEG-1-C75S liver, the mid-lobular zone exhibited widespread inhibition of xenobiotic metabolism pathways and inhibition of PXR/RXR and LXR/RXR activation, versus AEG-1-WT. In conclusion, AEG-1-C75S mutant exhibited zone-specific differential gene expression, which might contribute to metabolic dysfunction and dysregulated drug metabolism leading to MASH and HCC., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Vitamin K is involved in the γ-carboxylation of the vitamin K-dependent proteins, and vitamin K epoxide is a by-product of this reaction. Due to the limited intake of vitamin K, its regeneration is necessary and involves vitamin K 2,3-epoxide reductase (VKOR) activity. This activity is known to be supported by VKORC1 protein, but recently a second gene, VKORC1L1, appears to be able to support this activity when the encoded protein is expressed in HEK293T cells. Nevertheless, this protein was described as being responsible for driving the vitamin K-mediated antioxidation pathways. In this paper we precisely analyzed the catalytic properties of VKORC1L1 when expressed in Pichia pastoris and more particularly its susceptibility to vitamin K antagonists. Vitamin K antagonists are also inhibitors of VKORC1L1, but this enzyme appears to be 50-fold more resistant to vitamin K antagonists than VKORC1. The expression of Vkorc1l1 mRNA was observed in all tissues assayed, i.e. in C57BL/6 wild type and VKORC1-deficient mouse liver, lung, and testis and rat liver, lung, brain, kidney, testis, and osteoblastic cells. The characterization of VKOR activity in extrahepatic tissues demonstrated that a part of the VKOR activity, more or less important according to the tissue, may be supported by VKORC1L1 enzyme especially in testis, lung, and osteoblasts. Therefore, the involvement of VKORC1L1 in VKOR activity partly explains the low susceptibility of some extrahepatic tissues to vitamin K antagonists and the lack of effects of vitamin K antagonists on the functionality of the vitamin K-dependent protein produced by extrahepatic tissues such as matrix Gla protein or osteocalcin.

A truncated isoform of C/EBPbeta, C/EBPbeta-LIP, is required for liver proliferation. This isoform is expressed at high levels in proliferating liver and in liver tumors. However, high levels of C/EBPbeta-LIP are also observed in non-proliferating livers during acute phase response (APR). In this paper we present mechanisms by which liver regulates activities of C/EBPbeta-LIP. We found that calmodulin (CaM) inhibits the ability of C/EBPbeta-LIP to promote liver proliferation during APR through direct interactions. This activity of CaM is under negative control of Ca(2+), which is reduced in nuclei of livers with APR, whereas it is increased in nuclei of proliferating livers. A mutant CaM, which does not interact with C/EBPbeta-LIP, also fails to inhibit the growth promotion activity of C/EBPbeta-LIP. Down-regulation of CaM in livers of LPS-treated mice causes liver proliferation via activation of C/EBPbeta-LIP. Overexpression of C/EBPbeta-LIP above levels of CaM also initiates liver proliferation in LPS-treated mice. In addition, CaM regulates transcriptional activity of another isoform of C/EBPbeta, C/EBPbeta-LAP, and might control liver biology through the regulation of both isoforms of C/EBPbeta. In searching for molecular mechanisms by which C/EBPbeta-LIP promotes cell proliferation, we found that C/EBPbeta-LIP releases E2F.Rb-dependent repression of cell cycle genes by a disruption of E2F1.Rb complexes and by a direct interaction with E2F-dependent promoters. CaM inhibits these growth promotion activities of C/EBPbeta-LIP and, therefore, supports liver quiescence. Thus, our findings discover a new pathway of the regulation of liver proliferation that involves calcium-CaM signaling.

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) are transcription factors involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids. In adults, the isoform SREBP-1c is the predominant transcript in the liver of fed animals, and it activates triglyceride production from glucose when diet is enriched in carbohydrates. Studies have shown that SREBP-1c expression is dependent on insulin but also on the availability of oxysterols, ligands of the nuclear liver X receptor (LXR). The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of the hepatic SREBP-1c expression in vivo in situations where drastic nutritional and hormonal changes occur, from the gestation to the weaning period. In this paper, we report the discovery of LXR-independent SREBP-1c transcriptional activity during late gestation. In utero insulin injection prior to the natural rise in insulin in late gestation triggers SREBP-1c mRNA elevation, nuclear SREBP-1c binding activity, and expression of its target genes independently of LXR transactivation. On the other hand, during suckling, we observed strong SREBP-1c mRNA expression despite very low plasma insulin, an expression that may be due to LXR transactivation. In contrast to insulin, LXR is not sufficient to trigger nuclear SREBP-1c binding activity and target gene induction. This could be due to the concomitant induction of INSIG-2a by LXR and subsequent retention of SREBP-1c in the endoplasmic reticulum.

Measurement of fractional lipogenesis by condensation polymerization methods assumes constant enrichment of lipogenic acetyl-CoA in all hepatocytes. mass isotopomer distribution analysis (MIDA) and isotopomer spectral analysis (ISA) represent such methods and are based on the combinatorial analyses of mass isotopomer distributions (MIDs) of fatty acids and sterols. We previously showed that the concentration and enrichment of [13C]acetate decrease markedly across the dog liver because of the simultaneous uptake and production of acetate. To test for zonation of the enrichment of lipogenic acetyl-CoA, conscious dogs, prefitted with transhepatic catheters, were infused with glucose and [1,2-13C2]acetate in a branch of the portal vein. Analyses of MIDs of fatty acids and sterols isolated from liver, bile, and plasma very low density lipoprotein by a variant of ISA designed to detect gradients in precursor enrichment revealed marked zonation of enrichment of lipogenic acetyl-CoA. As control experiments where no zonation of acetyl-CoA enrichment would be expected, isolated rat livers were perfused with 10 mm [1,2-13C2]acetate. The ISA analyses of MIDs of fatty acids and sterols from liver and bile still revealed a zonation of acetyl-CoA enrichment. We conclude that zonation of hepatic acetyl-CoA enrichment occurs under a variety of animal models and physiological conditions. Failure to consider gradients of precursor enrichment can lead to underestimations of fractional lipogenesis calculated from the mass isotopomer distributions. The degree of such underestimation was modeled in vitro, and the data are reported in the companion paper (Bederman, I. R., Kasumov, T., Reszko, A. E., David, F., Brunengraber, H., and Kelleher, J. K. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 43217-43226).

Upstream stimulatory factors (USF) 1 and 2 belong to the Myc family of transcription factors characterized by a basic/helix loop helix/leucine zipper domain responsible for dimerization and DNA binding. These ubiquitous factors form homo- and heterodimers and recognize in vitro a CACGTG core sequence termed E box. Through binding to E boxes of target genes, USF factors have been demonstrated to activate gene transcription and to enhance expression of some genes in response to various stimuli. In particular, in the liver USF1 and USF2 have been shown to bind in vitro glucose/carbohydrate response elements of glycolytic and lipogenic genes and have been proposed, from ex vivo experiments, to be involved in their transcriptional activation by glucose. However, the direct involvement of these factors in gene expression and nutrient gene regulation in vivo has not yet been demonstrated. Therefore, to gain insight into the specific role of USF1 and USF2 in vivo, and in particular to determine whether the USF products are required for the response of genes to glucose, we have created, by homologous recombination, USF2 -/- mice. In this paper, we provide the first evidence that USF2 proteins are required in vivo for a normal transcriptional response of L-type pyruvate kinase and Spot 14 genes to glucose in the liver.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a growth regulator of fetal hepatocytes in primary culture, also regulates death of these cells. Dose-response analysis showed that the TGF-beta concentration needed to induce hepatocyte death (2.5 ng/ml) was 5 times that needed to inhibit growth in these cells (0.5 ng/ml). In response to TGF-beta, hepatocytes induced DNA fragmentation and the appearance of nuclei with a DNA content lower than 2C (diploid content), typical of a programmed cell death model. TGF-beta-induced apoptosis in fetal hepatocytes was preceded by an induction of reactive oxygen species production and a decrease in the glutathione intracellular content, indicating that this factor induces oxidative stress in fetal hepatocytes. Studies performed to analyze levels of c-fos mRNA, a gene whose expression is modulated by redox state, demonstrated that only high, apoptotic concentrations of TGF-beta (2.5 ng/ml) produced an increase in the mRNA levels of this gene, the level of induction being similar to that found when cells were incubated in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Gel mobility shift assays showed that the c-fos-induced expression was coincident with an increase in AP-1 activity. Finally, cell death induced by TGF-beta in fetal hepatocytes was partially blocked by radical scavengers, which decreased the percentage of apoptotic cells, whereas these agents did not modify the growth-inhibitory effect elicited by TGF-beta in these cells. In summary, the results presented in this paper provide evidence for the involvement of an oxidative process in the apoptosis elicited by TGF-beta in fetal hepatocytes.

We previously showed that two subpopulations of asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGP-Rs), designated State 1 and State 2 ASGP-Rs, are present in intact cells and that State 2 ASGP-Rs can be inactivated in permeable rat hepatocytes in a temperature- and ATP-dependent manner. These inactivated ASGP-Rs can be quantitatively reactivated by the addition of palmitoyl-CoA (Weigel, P. H., and Oka, J. A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 27186-27190). Here we show that approximately 50% of purified rat ASGP-Rs are inactivated by treatment with hydroxylamine under mild conditions. The activity of affinity-purified ASGP-Rs was assessed by measuring the specific binding of 125I-asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR) in a dot-blot assay after immobilization onto nitrocellulose. Treatment of ASGP-Rs in solution with 0.0125-1.0 M NH2OH, pH 7.4, at 4 degrees C for 4 h resulted in a progressive loss of ASOR binding activity. ASGP-R inactivation with NH2OH occurred more readily at basic pH or at room temperature. Similar treatment with Tris had no effect on ASGP-R activity. The kinetics of ASGP-R activity loss and the dose-response for this inactivation were both biphasic, indicating the presence of two equal populations of ASGP-Rs with different sensitivities to NH2OH. The more sensitive population of ASGP-Rs (approximately 50%) was inactivated by treatment with 0.2 M NH2OH (4 degrees C, 4 h) or with 1.0 M NH2OH (4 degrees C, 1 h) without detectable peptide cleavage as assessed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. State 1 ASGP-Rs, purified from chloroquine- or monensin-treated hepatocytes, showed significantly less sensitivity to NH2OH treatment (both in kinetics and dose dependence). Furthermore, under mild conditions NH2OH caused dissociation and inactivation of approximately 50% of the total ASGP-Rs (State 1 and State 2) that were prebound to ASOR-Sepharose, whereas the same treatment caused dissociation of only < 20% of State 1 ASGP-Rs from such preformed complexes. As shown in the accompanying paper (Zeng, F. Y., Kaphalia, B. S., Ansari, G. A. S., and Weigel, P. H. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 21382-21387) all three RHL subunits of active ASGP-Rs, in fact, contain covalently attached palmitate and stearate. In cultured cells, [3H]palmitic acid is metabolically incorporated into all three subunits. These radiolabeled fatty acids are completely released from purified ASGP-Rs by mild NH2OH treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The aldolase C gene product is a glycolytic isoenzyme specifically detected in brain. We have previously defined a short 115-base pair promoter fragment able to confer on a reporter chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene a specific expression in brain of transgenic mice. In this promoter fragment, two GC-rich regions (A/A' and B boxes) were detected by in vitro DNase1 footprinting experiments with brain, fibroblast, or liver nuclear extracts. Both A/A' and B boxes, sharing structural homology, are able to interact with Sp1, Krox20/Krox24 factors and with other proteins (Thomas, M., Makeh, I., Briand, P., Kahn, A., and Skala, H. (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 218, 143-151). In this paper, we describe a new ubiquitous factor termed Ub able to bind the A/A' box. We also delimit a third element (box C) binding a hepatocyte-enriched protein displaced by a hepatocyte nuclear factor 3-specific oligonucleotide. The functional involvement of each binding site in brain-specific transcription of the aldolase C gene has been tested in transgenic mice carrying different mutant promoters cloned in front of the CAT gene. A promoter containing only box C was totally inactive, suggesting an essential role of the region containing A/A' and B boxes. However, mutations or deletions of either the A/A' or the B box have no significant effect on the CAT gene expression. We therefore hypothesize that the A/A' and B sites may be functionally redundant. Indeed, constructs harboring only one of these two boxes (A/A' or B) linked to the C box displayed a brain-specific CAT activity similar to that obtained with the wild-type promoter. Furthermore, a transgene with disruption of the C box, keeping intact the A/A' and B boxes, was totally inactive, suggesting a crucial role of the hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 binding site in activation of the aldolase C gene.

The 94-kDa glucose-regulated protein (endoplasmin, grp94) is an abundant member of the 90-kDa molecular chaperone family in the endoplasmic reticulum. We have found earlier that the 50% homologous 90-kDa heat shock protein, hsp90, has ATP-binding site(s) and autophosphorylating activity (Csermely, P., and Kahn, C. R. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 4943-4950). In the present paper we demonstrate that highly purified grp94 is also able to autophosphorylate itself on serine and threonine residues. grp94 can be freed from the co-purifying casein kinase II by concanavalin A affinity chromatography, and its phosphorylation is unaffected by activators and inhibitors of numerous protein kinases known to associate with the homologous hsp90. The autophosphorylation persists in immunoprecipitates and in SDS-polyacrylamide gel-purified and renatured grp94. Autophosphorylation displays a monomolecular kinetics, is activated by micromolar calcium concentrations, has an extreme heat stability, and can utilize both ATP and GTP with relatively high km values of 243 +/- 14 microM and 116 +/- 23 microM, respectively. Sequence analysis of grp94 shows the presence of two ATP-binding sites. The major product of limited proteolysis of grp94 by chymotrypsin or papain is an N-terminal 85-kDa fragment that can bind to ATP-agarose but does not show autophosphorylation. Our data suggest that grp94 has an enzymatic function analogous in many respects to the similar activity of hsp70, hsp90, and grp78 (BiP). Autophosphorylation may participate in/regulate the complex formation of these proteins, so it may be involved in their chaperone function.

alpha-Tocopherol transfer protein (alpha TTP) present in rat liver cytosol specifically binds this vitamin and enhances its transfer between separate membranes. We previously reported purification of alpha TTP and showed that two isoforms exist in rat liver, of which the isoelectric points are 5.0 and 5.1, respectively (Sato, Y., Hagiwara, K., Arai, H., and Inoue, K. (1991) FEBS Lett. 288, 41-45). In the present paper, we have isolated a cDNA clone with 2194 base pairs encoding alpha TTP from a rat liver cDNA library. The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA contained all the sequences of the peptide fragments obtained by digestion of the purified protein with endoproteinase Lys-C. The isolated cDNA was found to encode the isoform with a pI of 5.0 on the basis of the cross-reactivity of the recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli with the isoform-specific monoclonal antibody. From the longest open reading frame of the cloned cDNA, one isoform of rat liver alpha TTP is predicted to be composed of 278 amino acid residues of calculated molecular weight 31,845. Both Western and Northern blot analyses revealed that alpha TTP is expressed exclusively in the liver in rats. alpha TTP has been found to exhibit a structural homology with the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein present only in visual tissues.

O-Acetylation of sialic acids has previously been considered an uncommon modification found on certain salivary mucins and neural gangliosides. We show here that glycosidically bound sialic acids from total membranes of rat liver have surprisingly high levels (approximately 20%) of O-acetylation at the 7- or 9-position. This O-acetylation is further enriched in N-linked oligosaccharides but is barely detectable in ganglioside fractions from the same tissue. The position of O-acetylation on the sialic acid side chain varies between different subcellular fractions. In particular, 7-O-acetylation was enriched in lysosomal membranes and 9-O-acetylation in plasma membranes, whereas Golgi membranes contained both types. This distribution fits with the ability of the rat liver sialate: O-acetyltransferase(s) to synthesize both 7- and 9-O-acetyl esters (Diaz, S., Higa, H. H., Hayes, B. K., and Varki, A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19416-19426) and the fact that 7-O-acetyl esters can migrate to the 9-position at physiological temperature but only under neutral or mildly alkaline conditions. Subcellular fractionation shows that sialate:O-acetyltransferase activity directed toward endogenous acceptors is enriched in Golgi fractions, whereas an intralumenal sialic acid-specific O-acetylesterase activity is not. The O-acetyltransferase is labile and difficult to solubilize in the intact state and cannot be assayed with exogenous acceptors. However, a prelabeled [3H]acetyl intermediate can be solubilized from Golgi membranes with Triton X-100 and is stable for a prolonged time in the cold. In contrast to the transferase, the lumenal esterase is easily released in a stable and water-soluble form from membrane fractions by saponin permeabilization or repeated freeze-thaw. In keeping with this finding, differential subcellular fractionation and continuous sucrose gradients indicate that this enzyme is enriched in lysosomal fractions (see also the accompanying paper (Butor, C., Higa, H. H., and Varki, A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 10207-10213). Based upon findings reported in this and previous studies, a model is proposed for the biosynthesis, maturation, and turnover of 7- and 9-O-acetyl esters on the sialic acids of N-linked oligosaccharides that are attached to membrane-bound proteins in the rat liver.

We have previously described a membrane-associated intralumenal sialic acid-specific 9-O-acetylesterase (LSE) from rat liver (Higa, H. H., Manzi, A., and Varki, A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19435-19442). Unlike a cytosolic sialate: O-acetylesterase (CSE) with similar specificity, the LSE carries N-linked oligosaccharides. A polyclonal monospecific antibody against homogenous LSE does not cross-react with the CSE. Monoclonal antibodies distinguish between the LSE and another N-glycosylated esterase that tends to partially co-purify with it. Amino-terminal sequencing of the LSE subunits indicates that it is distinct from previously described esterases and shows no homology to any other known proteins. In contrast, the esterase that partially co-purifies is similar but not identical to previously described "microsomal" esterases from rat liver. The LSE is also expressed in several hepatoma cell lines. Pulse-chase studies indicate that the two LSE subunits arise from a single precursor of approximately 65 kDa which yields a core polypeptide of apparent molecular mass approximately 53 kDa upon deglycosylation with peptide: N-glycosidase F. The protein quickly becomes partly resistant to endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H but remains sensitive to peptide: N-glycosidase F, indicating N-linked oligosaccharide processing during passage through the Golgi. After several hours, the precursor undergoes proteolysis, generating the mature heterodimeric protein of approximately 58 kDa, with subunits of approximately 38 and approximately 28 kDa. A portion of newly synthesized LSE is secreted into the medium intact, indicating that the cleavage normally takes place after diversion from the secretory pathway. These temporal changes and precursor-product distribution are reminiscent of some lysosomal acid hydrolases. In fact, immunofluorescence studies and Triton WR-1339 shift experiments suggest a lysosomal localization for this enzyme. Additional evidence for this, and the role of the LSE in O-acetylated sialic acid turnover are discussed in the accompanying paper (Butor, C., Diaz, S., and Varki, A. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 10197-10206).

Both the enzymes of peroxisomal fatty acid beta-oxidation and the liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) are induced in the liver by peroxisome proliferators, such as clofibrate (CF), as well as high fat diets. One proposed mechanism for this induction is that it represents an adaptive response to altered intracellular fatty acid fluxes, mediated by dicarboxylic fatty acids formed via the cytochrome P-450IVA1 omega-oxidation pathway. The studies presented in this paper were designed to investigate the role of the products of P-450IVA1 omega-oxidation in the regulation of peroxisomal beta-oxidation and L-FABP. In primary hepatocyte cultures exposed to CF, the increase in P-450IVA1 activity preceded the induction of peroxisomal beta-oxidation and L-FABP. The CF-mediated increases in peroxisomal beta-oxidation and L-FABP, but not P-450IVA1, could be significantly inhibited pretranslationally by concurrent exposure of cultured hepatocytes to inactivators of cytochromes P-450, such as 1-aminobenzotriazole and 10-undecynoic acid. Hexadecanedioic acid, a 16-carbon dicarboxylic fatty acid, that is poorly metabolized in hepatocytes, induced peroxisomal beta-oxidation and L-FABP, but not P-450IVA1, via a pretranslational mechanism that was not inhibited by 1-aminobenzotriazole. Long-chain monocarboxylic acids were without such inducing effect. In further studies, non-beta-oxidizable dicarboxylic acid analogs were found to display greater potency as inducers of peroxisomal beta-oxidation when compared to hexadecanedioic acid. The inducing effects of the dicarboxylic acid analogs were also independent of the P-450 omega-oxidation pathway. The results of these studies suggest that the regulation of peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes and L-FABP is mediated, to a significant extent, by poorly metabolized long-chain dicarboxylic acids formed via the P-450IVA1 pathway.

In primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes the level of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase steady-state mRNA markedly decreased by 72 h. However, the addition of L-thyroxine (T4) and dexamethasone synergistically returned cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase steady-state mRNA levels near to that of cholestyramine-fed animals. The maximal responses to T4 and dexamethasone in serum-free medium were at 1.0 and 0.1 microM, respectively. The addition of T4 in combination with dexamethasone resulted in an 11-fold increase in transcriptional activity of the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene as compared to no addition controls. The specific activities of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase in microsomes prepared from cultures treated with dexamethasone and T4 were 1.56 +/- 1.17 nmol/h/mg protein which is similar to that of intact liver (1.70 +/- 0.062 nmol/h/mg protein), but lower than cholestyramine-fed animals. Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity was not detectable (less than 0.020 nmol/h/mg protein) at 72 h in cultures without the addition of both dexamethasone and T4. In the presence of optimal concentrations of dexamethasone and T4, glucagon (0.2 microM), or dibutyryl cAMP (50 microM) decreased (90%) cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA within 6 h. Transcriptional activity decreased (62%) in 6 h following the addition of glucagon (0.2 microM) to the culture medium. The results reported in this paper suggest an important role for multiple hormones in the regulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase in the liver.

In this paper, we report the cloning and analysis of a cDNA encoding a protein of M(r) congruent to 47,000 (p47), which is localized to the nucleus of rat hepatocytes. The cDNA showed 37% overall sequence identity with a mouse translation initiation factor, eIF-4A, which belongs to a family of putative ATP-dependent RNA helicases. We raised polyclonal antibodies against the fusion protein and by indirect immunofluorescence on primary cultures of hepatocytes have demonstrated that p47 is located in the nucleus. Although only approximately 27% of hepatocytes showed this nuclear staining, most of the nuclei in proliferating transformed cell lines such as 3T3, PtK-1, and Hela were fluorescently labeled. Studies on serum-starved cells in culture indicated that p47 was expressed in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Northern analyses demonstrated that the levels of p47 mRNA were high in fetal liver and dropped significantly after birth to low levels in adult liver. Our data suggest that p47 is developmentally regulated in rat liver at the mRNA level.

Several enzymes involved in the phosphoinositide metabolism have been shown to be present in nuclei of rat liver and Friend cells. In this paper we demonstrate that nuclear matrices of mouse NIH 3T3-fibroblasts and rat liver cells, isolated by nuclease treatment and high salt extraction, contain phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PdtIns 4-kinase), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase (PtdIns(4)P 5-kinase), diacylglycerol kinase, and phospholipase C. By a selective extraction the nucleus can be dissected in the peripheral matrix (lamina-pore complex) and the internal matrix as shown by using marker antibodies. Surprisingly, PtdIns 4-kinase was found exclusively in the peripheral nuclear matrix, whereas PtdIns(4)P 5-kinase was found to be associated to internal matrix structures. Diacylglycerol kinase and phospholipase C activities were also preferentially detected in the internal matrix. These data demonstrate a differential localization of the phosphoinositide kinases in the nucleus and suggest that the phosphoinositide metabolism may play a specific role in the nucleus.

In the previous paper, we reported the identification of a 74-kDa G-protein that co-purifies with the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor following ternary complex formation. We report here on the purification and characterization of this 74-kDa G-protein (termed Gh) isolated de novo from rat liver membranes. After solubilization of rat liver membranes with the detergent sucrose monolaurate, Gh was isolated by sequential chromatography using heparin-agarose, Ultrogel AcA 34, hydroxylapatite, and heptylamine-Sepharose columns. The protein, thus isolated, is not a substrate for cholera or pertussis toxin but displays GTPase activity (turnover number, 3-5 min-1) and high-affinity guanosine 5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (GTP gamma S) binding (half-maximal binding = 0.25-0.3 microM), which is Mg2(+)-dependent and saturable. The relative order of nucleotide binding by Gh is GTP gamma S greater than GTP greater than GDP greater than ITP much much greater than ATP greater than or equal to adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate, which is similar to that observed for other heterotrimeric G-proteins involved in receptor signaling. Moreover, specific alpha 1-agonist-stimulated GTPase (turnover number, 10-15 min-1) and GTP gamma S binding activity could be demonstrated after reconstitution of purified Gh with partially purified alpha 1-adrenergic receptor into phospholipid vesicles. The alpha 1-agonist stimulation of GTP gamma S binding and GTPase activity was inhibited by the alpha-antagonist phentolamine. A 50-kDa protein co-purifies with the 74-kDa G-protein. This protein does not bind guanine nucleotides and may be a subunit (beta-subunit) of Gh. These findings indicate that Gh is a G-protein that functionally couples to the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor.

Vitronectin (VN) is an adhesive glycoprotein with roles in the complement, coagulation, and immune systems. Many of the functions of VN are mediated by a glycosaminoglycan binding site, near its carboxyl-terminal end. In this paper, we show that the highly sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), dextran sulfate, pentosan polysulfate, and fucoidan effectively augment [14C]putrescine incorporation into VN and cross-linking of VN into high molecular multimers by guinea pig liver transglutaminase (TG). Other GAGs including heparin, low molecular weight heparin, dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate, and the nonsulfated dextrans were ineffective in accelerating these reactions. Dextran sulfate of average molecular mass 500 kDa was more effective than dextran sulfate of average molecular mass 5 kDa, supporting a template mechanism of action of the GAGs, in which VN molecules align on the GAG in a conformation suitable for cross-linking. The VN multimers catalyzed by TG retained functional activity in binding [3H]heparin, platelets, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1). [3H]Heparin bound selectively to the 65-kDa monomeric band of VN and to the multimers derived from this band. PAI-1, however, bound equally to both the 75- and 65-kDa monomeric forms of VN, suggesting that the PAI-1 binding site on VN is distinct from the GAG binding site. The interaction of GAGs with the TG-catalyzed cross-linking of VN may facilitate studies of VN structure-function relationships.

The soluble alpha-mannosidase of rat liver, originally described as a cytoplasmic alpha-mannosidase, has been purified to homogeneity by conventional techniques. The purified enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 350,000 and is composed of 107-kDa subunits. The soluble alpha-mannosidase has the same enzymatic properties as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane alpha-mannosidase of rat liver (Bischoff, J., and Kornfeld, R. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 7909-7910) which is believed to play a role in oligosaccharide processing in the rough ER. Like the membrane-bound ER alpha-mannosidase, the soluble alpha-mannosidase can hydrolyze alpha-linked mannose from both p-nitrophenyl alpha-mannoside (Km = 0.14 mM) and high mannose oligosaccharides, is not inhibited by the mannose analogues swainsonine and 1-deoxymannojirimycin, is stabilized by MnCl2 or CoCl2, and does not bind to concanavalin A-Sepharose. A goat polyclonal antibody raised against the purified soluble alpha-mannosidase specifically recognizes the rat liver membrane-bound ER alpha-mannosidase, leading us to propose that they are two forms of the same enzyme and that the soluble form is derived from the ER membrane alpha-mannosidase by proteolysis. The antibody also cross-reacts with both the soluble and membrane-bound forms of ER alpha-mannosidase activity in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells and rat H35 hepatoma cells. Since the ER alpha-mannosidase is presumed to be involved in the early steps of oligosaccharide processing, the action of the purified soluble form of the enzyme on high mannose oligosaccharides was examined. Surprisingly, the enzyme released free mannose from oligosaccharides ranging in size from Glc1Man9GlcNAc to Man5GlcNAc with almost equal efficiency. However, a long term incubation of the enzyme with Man9GlcNAc led to the accumulation of Man7GlcNAc and produced only small amounts of Man6GlcNAc and Man5GlcNAc. Structural analysis of these reaction products indicated that the purified soluble form of ER alpha-mannosidase shows little specificity for which mannose residues it removes from Man9GlcNAc. In contrast, as shown in the accompanying paper, the intracellular action of ER alpha-mannosidase on glycoprotein-bound Man9GlcNAc2 is highly specific.

Phosphorylation of rat liver RNA polymerase I occurred when intact rat liver nuclei were incubated with [gamma32P]ATP and N6,O2' dibutyryl cyclic 3':5'-AMP. In addition, partially purified RNA polymerase I could be phosphorylated in vitro by an endogenous protein kinase. Phosphorylation by either method was followed by extensive purification of the enzyme. This revealed that 32P remained bound to the enzyme throughout purification. Analysis of the homogeneous labeled protein by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nondenaturing conditions followed by autoradiography revealed that only one of the two forms of RNA polymerase I in rat liver nuclei was phosphorylated. RNA polymerase II was not phosphorylated in intact nuclei. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the phosphorylated RNA polymerase I in the presence of 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate followed by autoradiography demonstrated that the 32P was located primarily on enzyme subunits SA1, SA3, and SA5-SA6. High voltage paper electrophoresis of a partial acid hydrolysate of phosphorylated RNA polymerase I revealed that both serine and threonine residues were phosphroylated. N6,O2'-Dibutyryl cyclic 3':5'-AMP stimulated endogenous RNA polymerase I activity and endogenous nuclear protein phosphorylation in intact nuclei. These results suggest that phosphorylation of RNA polymerase I by nuclear protein kinases may play a role in the control of transcription in mammalian cells.

We have undertaken a search for mammalian DNA-binding proteins that enhance the activity of DNA polymerases in a template sequence-specific fashion. In this paper, we report the extensive purification and characterization of a new DNA-binding protein from rabbit liver that selectively stimulates DNA polymerases to copy synthetic poly[d(G-C)] and the poly(dC) strand of poly(dC).poly(dG) as well as single-stranded natural DNA that contains stretches of oligo(dC). The enhancing protein, a polypeptide of 65 kDa designated factor C, stimulates the copying of the two synthetic templates by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, Micrococcus luteus polymerase, and eukaryotic DNA polymerases alpha and beta, but not by avian myeloblastosis virus polymerase. Factor C, however, does not affect utilization by these polymerases of the poly(dG) strand of poly(dC).poly(dG), of poly(dC) primed by oligo(dG), or of poly(dA).poly(dT) and poly[d(A-T)]. With polymerase I, Michaelis constants (Km) of poly[d(G-C)] and of the poly(dC) strand of poly(dC).poly(dG) are decreased by factor C 37- and 4.7-fold, respectively, whereas maximum velocity (Vmax) remains unchanged. By contrast, neither the Km value of the poly(dG) strand of poly(dC).poly(dG) nor the Vmax value with this template is altered by factor C. Rates of copying of activated DNA, denatured DNA, or singly primed M13 DNA are not affected significantly by factor C. However, primer extension analysis of the copying of recombinant M13N4 DNA that contains runs of oligo(dC) within an inserted thymidine kinase gene shows that factor C increases processivity by specifically augmenting the efficiency at which polymerase I traverses the oligo(dC) stretches. Direct binding of factor C to denatured DNA is indicated by retention of the protein-DNA complex on columns of DEAE-cellulose. Binding of factor C to poly[d(G-C)] is demonstrated by the specific adsorption of the enhancing protein to columns of poly[d(G-C)]-Sepharose. We propose that by binding to poly[d(G-C)] and to poly(dC).poly(dG), factor C enables tighter binding of some DNA polymerases to these templates and facilitates enzymatic activity.

This paper reports the evidence for the existence of multiple sites of action of aflatoxin B1 in relation to its inhibition of rat hepatic nuclear RNA synthesis. Two hours after aflatoxin B1 injection (0.3 mg/100 g body weight), rat hepatic nuclear and nucleolar RNA synthesis, in vitro, were inhibited 70 and 90% respectively. When total nuclear free and engaged RNA polymerases were solubilized and assayed in the presence of alpha-amanitin (3.2 micrograms/ml), only alpha-amanitin-sensitive activity was reduced (50 to 70%) by aflatoxin B1. DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography confirmed this finding and further demonstrated that RNA polymerase II was the activity selectively inhibited. Since aflatoxin B1 dramatically inhibited nucleolar RNA synthesis, but had little effect on RNA polymerase I activity per se, it is concluded, therefore, that, in addition to its direct inhibitory effect on the enzymic function of RNA polymerase II, aflatoxin B1 must also cause impairment of the nucleolar DNA template function.

Previous studies indicated that accumulation of alpha-fucosyl-GM1 (IV2FucII3NeuAcGgOse4Cer) and alpha-galactosyl-alpha-fucosyl-GM1 (IV3GalIV2FucII3NeuAcGgOse4Cer) occurs in precancerous livers of rats fed the chemical carcinogen N-2-acetylaminofluorene, before development of hepatoma. Both fucogangliosides were completely absent in normal rat liver as well as in livers of rats fed a nonhepatic carcinogen and tumor promoters (Holmes, E.H., and Hakomori, S. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 7698-7703). The enzymatic basis of the chemical changes described above is reported in this paper. The alpha-L-fucosyltransferase activity toward GM1 (II2NeuAcGgOse4Cer) as well as asialo-GM1 (GgOse4Cer) was almost undetectable in extracts from normal rat liver, but significant activity of this enzyme was detected in extracts of rat livers after 4 weeks of feeding a diet containing N-2-acetylaminofluorene. The same enzyme activity in cultured rat hepatoma cells was 18- to 47-fold higher than in N-2-acetylaminofluorene-fed rat liver. In contrast, alpha-galactosyltransferase activity with a broad substrate specificity was detected in normal as well as in N-2-acetylaminofluorene-fed liver, although the specific activity of this enzyme in Golgi membranes in precancerous liver was significantly higher than that of normal rat liver. Thus, the appearance of alpha-fucosyl-alpha-galactosyl-GMI in precancerous liver is due to an induction of synthesis of alpha-fucosyl-GMI which is the substrate for the normally existing alpha-galactosyltransferase. The activity of alpha-fucosyltransferase was highly specific toward a substrate structure Gal beta 1 leads to 3GalNAc beta 1 leads to R in GMI or asialo-GMI and showed an anomalous inhibition by a large variety of detergents tested. In contrast, the alpha-galactosyltransferase showed a wide substrate specificity, activated by detergents and Mn2+ ion. Membrane alterations in precancerous and malignant transformation of rat liver is associated with an induction of an unusual alpha-fucosyltransferase which is the key step in synthesis of both fucogangliosides.

In this paper we describe the purification and characterization of Xenopus plasma fibrinogen and the hormonal factors which regulate synthesis and secretion of fibrinogen in liver parenchymal cells in primary culture. As in other vertebrate species, Xenopus fibrinogen is composed of three nonidentical polypeptide chains, A alpha, B beta, and gamma. In contrast to mammalian fibrinogens, the B beta chain of Xenopus fibrinogen has a higher apparent molecular weight than the A alpha chain. The gamma chain has the lowest molecular weight in the frog protein, as in that of other species. The relatively large size of the frog B beta chain results from the unusually large size of the NH2-terminal B fibrinopeptide, which is released by thrombin cleavage of fibrinogen. Hormonal regulation of fibrinogen biosynthesis was examined using a primary cell culture system. Purified Xenopus liver parenchymal cells, maintained for several weeks in a defined culture medium, gradually decrease the synthesis and secretion of fibrinogen. Sustained production of this protein is dependent upon the addition of a glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, to the culture medium. Fibrinogen production is suppressed if an estrogen, estradiol-17 beta, is added to the culture medium together with dexamethasone and triiodothyronine. The Xenopus system provides new insight into the structure of fibrinogen, the evolution of this protein, and the hormonal factors which regulate its synthesis.

The preceding paper (Bec, G., Kerjan, P., Zha, X.D., and Waller, J.P. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 21131-21137) described the purification to apparent homogeneity from rabbit liver, of a heterotypic complex comprising valyl-tRNA synthetase and Elongation Factor 1H. In the present study, valyl-tRNA synthetase was dissociated and separated from the other components of this complex by hydroxylapatite chromatography in the presence of 0.5 M NaSCN. The properties of the homogeneous mammalian enzyme were compared to those of the corresponding enzyme from yeast. Both behaved as monomeric entities, with apparent molecular masses of 140 and 125 kDa, respectively. Furthermore, both displayed strong affinity toward the polyanionic support heparin-Ultrogel, a property not manifested by the corresponding prokaryotic enzyme. However, unlike the yeast enzyme, that of mammalian origin additionally exhibited hydrophobic properties, as reflected by its affinity toward phenyl-Sepharose. A structural model is proposed according to which mammalian valyl-tRNA synthetase has conserved the polycationic N-terminal domain that distinguishes the corresponding lower eukaryotic enzyme from its prokaryotic counterpart, while acquiring a hydrophobic domain most likely responsible for its association to Elongation Factor 1H.

An acidic lipid fraction isolated from pig liver (Forsee, W. T. & Elbein, A.D. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 2574-2578) stimulated the incorporation of mannose from GDP-[14C]mannose into lipid-linked oligosaccharides using a particulate enzyme fraction from maturing cotton bolls. This lipid fraction did not stimulate mannose incorporation into the mannosylphosphorylpolyprenol. The 14C-oligosaccharides, formed in the presence or absence of the pig liver "acceptor" lipid, were released from the lipid-linked oligosaccharides by mild acid hydrolysis and were isolated by paper chromatography. Both sets of 14C-oligosaccharides had similar mobilities suggesting that they were qualitatively similar, except that those formed in the presence of "acceptor" lipid had much more radioactivity. The individual oligosaccharides were purified on a calibrated column of Sephadex G-25 and were then subjected to various treatments to obtain information about their structures. The molecular weights of the larger oligosaccharides ranged from about L1210 to 1720 indicating they probably contained from 6 to 10 sugar residues. Strong acid hydrolysis of the oligosaccharide with a molecular weight of 1350, followed by reduction with NaB3H4, gave a ratio of [3H]hexitol to [3H]hexosaminitol that was compatible with the molecular weight (about 5:2). However, the hexitol fraction contained small amounts of [3H]glucitol in addition to [3H]mannitol. Thus, this oligosaccharide may contain small amounts of glucose in addition to mannose and GlcNAc. When the smaller oligosaccharides (i.e. those having 5 or 6 sugars) were treated with alpha-mannosidase, essentially of all the 14C was released as mannose, but only 30 to 50% of the radioactivity could be released from the larger oligosaccharides by this enzyme. Acetolysis of the oligosaccharide with a molecular weight of 1720 released the radioactivity as mannobiose and mannotriose suggesting that these oligosaccharides contain di- and trisaccharide branches linked to the main chain in 1 leads to 6 linkages.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is now known to have a number of actions in addition to the induction of phenotypic transformation in fibroblastic cells. In this paper, we characterize its inhibition of differentiation in rat myoblasts of Yaffe's L6 strain and demonstrate its identity or very close similarity to the differentiation inhibitor (DI) secreted by Buffalo rat liver cells cultured in serum-free medium. At concentrations as low as 60 pg/ml, TGF-beta gave detectable inhibition of differentiation measured as myoblast fusion and creatine kinase elevation; maximal inhibition was observed at and above 0.5 ng/ml (20 pM). The inhibition persisted as long as fresh TGF-beta was added at 48-h intervals, but it was reversed upon removal of the factor. By itself or in the presence of mitogens, TGF-beta had no mitogenic activity in the L6 cells. Concentration dependencies of human TGF-beta and the rat DI were closely parallel in three assays: inhibition of myoblast differentiation, stimulation of normal rat kidney cell growth in soft agar, and competition for displacement of labeled TGF-beta from binding sites on A549 human lung carcinoma cells. We conclude that most if not all of the DI activity found in medium conditioned by Buffalo rat liver cells can be attributed to the presence of TGF-beta or a very similar molecule. These observations also offer a potentially useful approach to study the control of myogenesis; the process(es) can be blocked in cloned L6 myoblasts by incubation with very small quantities of a pure protein in fully defined serum-free medium.

In an earlier report, it was shown that aflatoxin B1 treatment strongly inhibits rat liver nucleolar RNA synthesis (Yu, F. L. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 3245-3251). The present paper is an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of this inhibition. Two h after aflatoxin B1 injection (0.3 mg/100 g body weight), rat liver nucleolar RNA synthesis, in vitro, was inhibited by an average of 90%. This inhibition could result from (a) inhibited RNA polymerase I activity per se, (b) impaired nucleolar DNA template, or (c) impaired nucleolar chromatin. Earlier studies found that the total RNA polymerase I activity was not affected by aflatoxin B1 treatment. In the present work the total nucleolar DNAs from control and from aflatoxin B1-treated groups were isolated and compared for template efficiencies in directing RNA synthesis with solubilized RNA polymerase I from the control group. No difference was found. However, when nucleolar chromatin function was analyzed, it was found that aflatoxin B1 treatment resulted in a dramatic reduction in the RNA chain elongation rate to only 13% of the control. The chain number, which is a measure of the number of engaged enzymes transcribing the nucleolar chromatin initiated in vivo, was only slightly reduced (33%). Furthermore since it was found that aflatoxin B1 treatment did not increase RNase activity in the treated nucleoli, the dramatic decrease in RNA chain elongation is therefore believed to be the major mechanism of aflatoxin B1 inhibition of rat liver nucleolar RNA synthesis. DNase I digestion of the nucleolar chromatin suggests that aflatoxin B1 treatment may have altered the conformation of the transcriptionally active regions of the nucleolar chromatin.

This paper presents evidence that earlier kinetic determinations of rat liver beta-hydroxy-beta-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the reported rate-determining enzyme in cholesterol biogenesis, may have substantially underestimated the affinity of this enzyme for HMG-CoA. Nonlinear conversion of this substrate to mevalonic acid, with time, is shown under the conditions of a previous study, and it was concluded that velocities were limited at the lower substrate levels tested by an insufficient quantity of substrate. For this present study, conditions were established under which linearity of time versus product formation was observed, and the extent of conversion did not exceed 6% of the initial quantity of D isomer. These conditions gave a Michaelis-Menten constant of 1.01 +/- 0.12 muM for the D isomer, which is 3.5 to 40 times lower than those previously reported.

The sulfoconjugation of tyrosyl residues is a widespread post-translational modification of biologically active peptides and proteins. In this paper we describe the characterization of a rat liver tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase that is capable of catalyzing the transfer of a sulfate moiety from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to the synthetic polymer, poly-(Glu6,Ala3,Tyr1) (EAY; Mr 47,000) using a simple filter paper assay. Following sucrose density gradient centrifugation and comparison with known subcellular marker enzyme activities, rat liver tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase activity was shown to have a distribution similar to the Golgi enzyme, galactosyltransferase. Using the enriched Golgi preparation, rat liver tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase displayed a pH optimum of 6.7 and required the presence of 20 mM Mn2+ for maximal activity. Co2+ (20 mM) was able to produce 26% of the maximal stimulation observed with Mn2+, whereas other metal ions, such as Mg2+, Ca2+, and Co2+, were not effective in stimulating tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase activity. Whereas tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase activity was observed in the native membrane-bound state, EAY sulfation was maximally enhanced 3-fold when assayed in the presence of Lubrol Px. Under the optimal conditions for assaying the sulfation of EAY by a rat liver enriched Golgi fraction, significant degradation of the sulfate donor, PAPS, was observed. The addition of both NaF and 5'-AMP to the incubation mixture was found to effectively prevent PAPS degradation and increase the amount of product formed in the assay by 10-fold. Using the optimized conditions for the sulfation of EAY by rat liver tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase, membrane-bound sulfotransferase activity was also observed in the crude microsomal pellets of a variety of rat tissues, including lung, pituitary, and cerebellum, as well as in livers from different species.

Extraction of rat liver cytosol with charcoal inactivates glucocorticoid-binding capacity and receptors can be reactivated to the steroid-binding state by an endogenous reducing system utilizing NADPH and a Mr = 12,000, heat-stable, endogenous, cytosolic protein (Grippo, J. F., Tienrungroj, W., Dahmer, M. K., Housley, P. R., and Pratt, W. B. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 13658-13664). In this paper we show that NADPH-dependent conversion of the rat liver glucocorticoid receptor from a nonbinding to a steroid-binding form is blocked in an immune-specific manner by antisera raised against purified rat liver thioredoxin reductase or thioredoxin. The inhibition produced by thioredoxin reductase antiserum may be circumvented by dithiothreitol or overcome by addition of purified thioredoxin reductase. These observations prove that the endogenous glucocorticoid receptor-activating factor is thioredoxin and that the enzyme required for generating the steroid-binding conformation of the glucocorticoid receptor by the endogenous receptor-activating system is thioredoxin reductase.

A factor inactivating phosphorylase phosphatase was isolated from rabbit liver. The isolation procedure consisted of heat treatment at 85 degrees C, extraction with n-butyl alcohol, and chromatography on Dowex 1 and DEAE-cellulose columns. The purified factor was different from the known protein inhibitors and was shown to be tripeptide composed of equimolar amounts of glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. The NH2-terminal and COOH-terminal amino acids were determined as glutamic acid and glycine, respectively. The factor was finally identified as glutathione disulfide by high voltage paper electrophoresis, paper chromatography, and liquid column chromatography using an amino acid analyzer. Addition of the purified factor or glutathione disulfide converted phosphorylase phosphatase to a stable, less active enzyme species, the extent of conversion depending on the amount added. The inactivated phosphatase was completely reactivated by addition of both glutathione (or 2-mercaptoethanol) and Mn2+ and partially reactivated by adding glutathione alone. Injection of glutathione disulfide into the portal vein of rabbits caused a rapid increase in phosphorylase alpha activity in the liver. These results suggest that glutathione disulfide is involved in regulation of phosphorylase activity in vivo, by causing inactivation of phosphorylase phosphatase in the liver.

The rates of degradation of liver cell plasma membranes from control and partially hepatectomized rats were investigated by a single isotope administration procedure utilizing L-[3H]fucose as a precursor. The label was incorporated maximally into normal plasma membranes at 2 to 4 h after intravenous injection. At 4 h, L-[3H]fucose activity was 8-fold more abundant in membrane protein than in total liver protein. Paper chromatography of neutral sugars liberated by acid hydrolysis of the plasma membranes indicated that greater than 90% of the recovered radioactivity was in the form of fucose. After partial hepatectomy, the wet weight of the right lateral liver lobe increased linearly during a 4-day postoperation interval. In addition, the specific activity of plasma membrane alkaline phosphatase was elevated to a level that remained 3 to 4 times higher than that of the control membranes. However, there was not much difference between the mean rates of degradation of the labeled plasma membrane components from the control and regenerating livers. The apparent half-lives were 33 and 40.8 h, respectively. This suggests that the dissociation of fucose-containing components from the plasma membrane is not markedly altered during the process of rapid compensatory liver growth.

Low concentrations (0.5-6 nmol/g) of homocysteine (Hcy) have recently been demonstrated in acid extracts of various tissues of the mouse and rat (Ueland, P.M., Helland, S., Broch, O.-J., and Schanche, J.-S. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2360-2364). This is referred to as free Hcy in tissues. This paper describes a method for the determination of protein-bound Hcy, which involves precipitation and washing of tissue protein with ammonium sulfate, release of Hcy from native proteins in the presence of dithioerythritol, and determination of free Hcy by a sensitive radioenzymic assay. Both free and bound Hcy decreased markedly in rat tissues within a few seconds following death of the animal. The amount of protein-bound Hcy was highest in liver, somewhat lower in kidney, brain, heart, lung, and spleen. The ratio between free and bound Hcy was between 1 and 2 in most tissues, except in cerebellum, containing a large excess of free Hcy (free/bound ratio of 18). Free Hcy was almost exclusively localized to the soluble fraction of rat liver, whereas protein-bound Hcy was about equally distributed between this fraction and the microsomes. Isolated rat hepatocytes contained free and protein-bound Hcy in proportions observed in whole liver, but a large amount of Hcy was exported into the extracellular medium. The half-lives, as determined from pulse-chase experiments with [35S] methionine, were 53 s for S-adenosylmethionine, 2 s for S-adenosylhomocysteine and 3 s for Hcy (free and bound regarded as a single pool). Furthermore, isotope equilibrium between these metabolites and between free and bound Hcy throughout the rapid chase period suggests the turnover rates of S-adenosylhomocysteine and Hcy to be production rate limited, and the dissociation rate of the Hcy-protein complex may greatly exceed the turnover rate of Hcy. Thus, the half-lives of Hcy are such that participation of both free and bound Hcy in metabolic regulation is feasible.

This paper presents a steady state kinetic model for hepatic adenylate cyclase. The activity of the enzyme has been assayed in the presence of a range of concentrations of magnesium, adenylylimidodiphosphate (App(NH)p), 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p), and in the presence and absence of saturating concentrations of glucagon. The data were tested against proposed models using an iterative least squares curve fitting program (SAAM25) and confidence estimates for the model parameters were obtained. Hepatic adenylate cyclase is viewed as an enzyme having three characteristic states of catalytic function (E, E', E''). Each state has its own intrinsic activity in carrying out the catalysis of MgApp(NH)p-3 minus to form cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate. It is shown, in agreement with a proposal by de Haën, that unchelated substrate can inhibit adenylate cyclase activity. It is further concluded that this inhibition is principally due to App(NH)pH-3 minus. The three catalytic states differ markedly in their susceptibility to inhibition as well as in their Vmax, but the Km for MgApp(NH)p-2 minus is essentially the same for all states. The state transitions induced by Gpp(NH)p and by hormone are considered. Gpp(NH)p binding to state E causes transformation to state E'. State E' undergoes spontaneous transformation to state E''. Glucagon augments the transition from E' to E''. We conclude that the activating species of Gpp(NH)p is an unchelated form, most probably Gpp(NH)p-4 minus. Our results indicate that state E' is significantly more susceptible to inhibition by App(NH)pH-3 minus than the other two states. Certain phenomena occurring in fat cell adenylate cyclase are discussed in light of our findings in hepatic adenylate cyclase.

We have recently discovered an activator for phosphofructokinase termed "activation factor" (Furuya, E., and Uyeda, K. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 77, 5861-5864). In this paper, we investigated the enzyme responsible for its synthesis. We have found an enzyme from rat liver which catalyzes the formation of activation factor from fructose-6-P and ATP-Mg and it has been identified as fructose-2,6-P2. Fructose-1,6-P2, fructose-1-P, or fructose does not serve as a substrate. This enzyme has been partially purified and shown to be different from phosphofructokinase. Several lines of evidence indicate that the in vitro synthetic product is identical with chemically synthesized fructose-2,6-P2: (a) it is active in our assay for activation factor which is based on counteraction of ATP inhibition of phosphofructokinase; (b) it is acid labile as is fructose-2,6-P2; and (c) it shows the same mobility as synthetic fructose-2,6-P2 upon paper chromatography and the acid hydrolysis product has been identified as fructose-6-P. Thus, this new enzyme catalyzes the synthesis of the activation factor from fructose-6-P and ATP-Mg.

Conversion of glucose to fructose and sorbitol is documented in rat hepatoma-derived cultured cells (HTC cells). After addition of 5.5 mM [U-14C]glucose to incubation medium, labeled sorbitol and fructose accumulated intracellularly at a linear rate over a period of 60 min. The sugars were isolated, identified, and quantitated by paper chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and enzymatic phosphorylation of fructose. Primary culture of adult rat hepatocytes was analyzed similarly and demonstrated no significant accumulation of labeled fructose or sorbitol. The basis for this difference between HTC cells and primary hepatocyte culture was examined both in terms of enzyme activities that mediate the formation of sorbitol and fructose and in terms of the catabolism of these sugars. Both types of culture (as well as extracts of intact rat liver) exhibited enzymatic activities catalyzing the conversion of glucose to sorbitol (aldose reductase) and sorbitol to fructose (sorbitol dehydrogenase). However, the cultures differed strikingly with regard to the catabolism of sorbitol and fructose. The conversion of labeled sorbitol to metabolites in HTC cells was negligible; by contrast, hepatocytes in primary culture utilized the sugars at rates comparable to that of glucose, which may account for the lack of their accumulation in primary culture. The findings suggest that the conversion of glucose to sorbitol and fructose by HTC cells may represent a retained normal liver function, one which is amplified by the inability of HTC cells to dispose of these sugars.

tRNA nucleotidyltransferase incorporates both AMP and CMP into tRNA acceptors. Studies of the effects of nucleoside triphosphates, nucleotide analogues, and affinity reagents on AMP and CMP incorporation indicate that these residues are donated from different subsites. However, neither of these sites is completely specific for nucleoside triphosphate binding, and CMP can actually be incorporated from the AMP-donating site, although at a slow rate. The two donor subsites interact with each other, such that binding of a ligand to the ATP site stimulates incorporation from the CMP-donating site. This interaction accounts for the biphasic CTP saturation curve and the unusual effects of nucleoside triphosphates on CMP incorporation observed earlier. In addition to donating CMP, the CTP subsite also serves as the position of binding of the terminal C residue of tRNA-C-C and, in the absence of CTP, for binding of the terminal residue of tRNA-C. These results, together with those in the accompanying paper, have defined multiple accepting and donating subsites within the active site of tRNA nucleotidyltransferase, as predicted from our previous model for enzyme action (Deutscher, M. P. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 459-468). However, since we have been unable to obtain definitive evidence for two CMP-donating sites, we have considered a modification of this earlier model which utilizes only a single CMP-donating site. Using these models, we discuss how the specificity of the donor and acceptor subsites ensures the accurate synthesis of the -C-C-A sequence of tRNA.

The catalytic activities of guinea pig liver transglutaminase toward glutamine-containing peptide derivatives of three series have been studied. These series include: (a) formylheptapeptides of the basic structure, HCO-GLY3-L-Gln-Gly3. A single L-leucine residue was systematically substituted for glycine at a different position in each peptide; (b) formyltripeptides of the basic structure, HCO-Gly-L-Gln-Gly. L-Leucine was substituted for glycine in each position and in both positions; (c) various N-acyl derivatives of the dipeptide, L-Gln-Gly. Comparison of the values of the kinetic constants for methylamine incorporation and for hydroxylamine incorporation with the peptide derivatives shows that the length of the peptide chain has a pronounced influence on catalysis, as does the position of the leucine residue in the longer chain peptide derivatives. The kcat/Km(app) values for each substrate calculated from data for methylamine incorporation and from those for hydroxylamine incorporation were found to be in good agreement. However, both the observed maximum velocity and the apparent Michaelis constant for each peptide derivative were significantly larger for hydroxylamine incorporation than for methylamine incorporation. Interpretation of these findings as evidence for a normal catalytic mechanism for each amine incorporation reaction and for the limiting nature of deacylation to methylamine is discussed. Two observations caution against such an interpretation. These are the significantly higher inhibitor constants found fo formylhexaglycine and for several other competitive inhibitors in the hydroxylamine incorporation reaction, and earlier findings of higher turnover values with hyroxylamine in cases were acylation appears to be limiting for methylamine incorporation. Methods of preparation, supporting analytical data and properties of the peptide intermediates, the peptides, and their derivatives used in this study are presented in the miniprint supplement immediately following this paper.

An enzyme fraction which specifically catalyzes the formation of methylglyoxal from dihydroxyacetone phosphate has been isolated and partially purified from goat liver. The enzyme fraction appears to be substantially free from glyoxalase I, reduced glutathione, and triosephosphate isomerase. Approximately equimolar quantities of methylglyoxal and inorganic phosphate were obtained from dihydroxyacetone phosphate. Formation of methylglyoxal was confirmed by colorimetric and enzymatic estimations as well as by paper chromatography and its spectrum. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, dihydroxyacetone, and glyceraldehyde, failed to act as substrates. The enzyme is inhibited by some phosphorylated compounds and inorganic phosphates.

A cDNA clone encoding the full coding region of chicken liver arylamine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5) was isolated from lambda gt10 cDNA library by screening with the 32P-labeled oligonucleotide deduced from the amino acid sequence reported in the preceding paper. The complete nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was determined, from which the amino acid sequence of N-acetyltransferase was deduced. It consisted of 1,302 nucleotides including a 861-nucleotide region coding for 287 amino acids with a molecular weight of 32,914. Two methods were applied to confirm that the cDNA encoded arylamine N-acetyltransferase. First, mRNA was synthesized in vitro by Bluescript and subsequently translated in vitro. The molecular mass of the translation product was 34 kDa consistent with that of the enzyme purified from the chicken liver. The translated protein was immunoprecipitated by a monoclonal antibody to N-acetyltransferase. Second, the cDNA was inserted into an expression vector pcDL1 and introduced into Chinese hamster ovary cells. The supernatant of the homogenate of transfected cells showed a high level of N-acetyltransferase activity with a substrate specificity comparable to that of the liver enzyme. Northern blot analysis revealed three mRNAs corresponding to 4.7, 2.0, and 1.4 kilobases. The levels of N-acetyltransferase mRNAs were relatively high in the liver and distributed in various tissues. Genomic Southern blot analysis indicated the presence of only one gene in the chicken haploid genome.

Previously our laboratory reported the discovery of a novel protein-saccharide linkage in which single N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residues are attached in O-linkages to protein (Torres, C. R., and Hart, G. W. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 3308-3317). This linkage was first found on plasma membrane proteins of living cells by galactosylation with bovine milk galactosyltransferase. Here we report the distribution of O-linked GlcNAc in highly enriched rat liver subcellular organelles. Nonidet P-40 solubilized organelles were labeled by galactosyltransferase with UDP-[3H]galactose, and the amount of radiolabel occurring on GlcNAc residues in O-linkages was assessed by its sensitivity to beta-elimination and by its resistance to deglycosylation with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F. The presence of galactose-labeled O-linked GlcNAc residues was confirmed by high voltage paper electrophoresis. There is a 17-fold range per mg of protein in the amount of galactosylatable terminal GlcNAc residues found in the various organelles, as well as a wide range in the organelles' apparent content of O-linked GlcNAc residues. Nuclei and the soluble fraction of rat liver cells are particularly enriched with proteins bearing O-linked GlcNAc residues, although these residues are demonstrable in virtually all organelles tested. Furthermore, examination by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals that many different organelle-specific proteins are glycosylated with O-linked GlcNAc residues. Because of the wide occurrence of this unique linkage, these data suggest that glycosylation with O-linked GlcNAc residues is not an exclusive marker for a particular organelle. In addition, we have surveyed the organelles for their content of glycoproteins bearing GlcNAc-terminated N-linked oligosaccharides. Our data demonstrate that there are significant amounts of these oligosaccharides in rough and stripped microsomes, nuclei, and nuclear envelopes. In light of evidence that terminal GlcNAc transferases are localized to the Golgi complex, these data suggest that there are glycoproteins which enter into the Golgi for processing and then are transported back into the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and possibly the nucleus.

Attenuation of GTP-dependent inhibition of adenylate cyclase by islet-activating protein (pertussis toxin) is due to the ability of the toxin to catalyze the ADP-ribosylation of a 41,000/35,000-Da membrane-bound protein, which is thought to be the inhibitory guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory component of adenylate cyclase (Gi). We describe and document the purification of this protein from rabbit liver, and, in conjunction with evidence presented in the subsequent papers of the series, identify it as Gi. Purified Gi serves as an excellent substrate for islet-activating protein and can be ADP-ribosylated to the extent of 1 mol of ADP-ribose/mol of protein. The extent of ADP-ribosylation of Gi correlates with the amount of guanine nucleotide that can be bound to the protein. Studies of the nucleotide binding site on the 41,000-Da subunit of Gi reveal a high affinity site that is specific for guanine nucleotides. Rank order of affinities for various nucleotides is GTP gamma S greater than Gpp(NH)p = GTP = GDP greater than GMP much greater than App(NH)p, ATP. High affinity binding of guanine nucleotides is dependent on Mg2+ and is essentially irreversible in the presence of divalent cation. Bound nucleotide readily dissociates from its site on the 41,000-Da subunit of Gi in the absence of Mg2+. This reversal of binding is markedly enhanced by the presence of the 35,000-Da subunit of Gi. The physical characteristics of Gi are important determinants of its role as the inhibitory guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory component of adenylate cyclase.

This paper demonstrates that N6-methyladenosine (6-methylaminopurine ribonucleoside) will condense in vitro with homocysteine to form S-N6-methyladenosylhomocysteine in a reaction catalyzed by mouse liver S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. Injection of mice with N6-methyladenosine is followed by accumulation of S-N6-methyladenosylhomocysteine in the liver. Studies from other laboratories have shown that S-N6-methyladenosylhomocysteine is nearly as potent an RNA methyltransferase inhibitor as S-adenosylhomocysteine. This indicates that administration of N6-methyladenosine may be a general method for blocking in vivo RNA methylation in studies to determine the role of methylation in RNA processing and translational function.

This paper presents the complete amino acid sequence of the low molecular weight acid phosphatase from bovine liver. This isoenzyme of the acid phosphatase family is located in the cytosol, is not inhibited by L-(+)-tartrate and fluoride ions, but is inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. The enzyme consists of 157 amino acid residues, has an acetylated NH2 terminus, and has arginine as the COOH-terminal residue. All 8 half-cystine residues are in the free thiol form. The molecular weight calculated from the sequence is 17,953. The sequence was determined by characterizing the peptides purified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography from tryptic, thermolytic, peptic, Staphylococcus aureus protease, and chymotryptic digests of the carboxymethylated protein. No sequence homologies were found with the two known acylphosphatase isoenzymes or the metalloproteins porcine uteroferrin and purple acid phosphatase from bovine spleen (both of which have acid phosphatase activity). Two half-cystines at or near the active site were identified through the reaction of the enzyme with [14C] iodoacetate in the presence or in the absence of a competitive inhibitor (i.e. inorganic phosphate). Ac-A E Q V T K S V L F V C L G N I C R S P I A E A V F R K L V T D Q N I S D N W V I D S G A V S D W N V G R S P N P R A V S C L R N H G I N T A H K A R Q V T K E D F V T F D Y I L C M D E S N L R D L N R K S N Q V K N C R A K I E L L G S Y D P Q K Q L I I E D P Y Y G N D A D F E T V Y Q Q C V R C C R A F L E K V R-OH.