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Transcription of the gene for cytosolic Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) (EC 4.1.1.32) (PEPCK) from rat liver is increased by cAMP and glucocorticoids and decreased by insulin. A PEPCK-thymidine kinase (TK) chimeric gene was transfected into FTO-2B rat hepatoma cells, which were TK-deficient. Previous studies showed that a cAMP regulatory element is located at the 5' end of the PEPCK gene. In this report, we demonstrate that the 5' end of the gene also contains a glucocorticoid regulatory element, but not one for insulin. Regions of the PEPCK gene that contain these regulatory elements were attached to the Herpes simplex virus TK structural gene containing its own promoter. The hormone regulatory elements within the 5' flanking region of the PEPCK gene conferred cAMP and glucocorticoid responsiveness on the TK gene after transfection into FTO-2B cells. Like viral enhancer elements, these regulatory elements functioned properly when placed in either orientation at various positions 5' or 3' to TK. The presence of the SV40 enhancer element upstream from the PEPCK-TK gene had little effect on the basal level of expression or hormonal regulation of the chimeric gene.

This paper further characterizes a protein we have demonstrated in Candida albicans which has the ability to bind corticosterone and related steroid hormones. Fungal cells are disrupted and cytosol is incubated with [3H]corticosterone for 3 h at which time peak steady state binding is achieved. Bound hormone is separated from free using Sephadex G-50 minicolumns or dextran-coated charcoal. Binding was found to be a linear function of protein concentration. The bound hormone co-migrates with authentic corticosterone in thin layer chromatographic systems indicating no metabolism of the radioprobe. Scatchard analysis of the binding in the pseudohyphal form of C. albicans yielded values of 6.3 nM for the Kd and a binding capacity of about 650 fmol/mg of cytosol protein; both determinations are comparable to our findings in the yeast form of this organism. A series of sterols were tested for their ability to displace [3H]corticosterone from the yeast binder, and the results show that the binder is remarkably selective and stereo specific. Physical-chemical studies show the binder to be degraded at high temperatures and that binding is destroyed by trypsin and sulfhydryl blockers. The protein sediments at 4 S on sucrose gradients and does not exhibit ionic dependent aggregation. The molecular weight is estimated to be approximately 43,000 daltons by gel chromatography. We hypothesize that this intracellular protein may represent a primitive form of either the mammalian glucocorticoid receptor or the plasma corticosteroid-binding globulin.

Paracoccidioidomycosis, a disease caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, which is endemic to Latin America, is much more common in men than women, suggesting a role for hormonal factors. We recently showed that two other yeasts possess steroid binding proteins and postulated that these receptor-like molecules represented a mechanism by which the hormonal milieu of the host might influence an infecting pathogen. Therefore, we examined P. brasiliensis for a sex steroid binding protein. Because tritiated steroids rapidly dissociated from the other fungal binding proteins, we developed a fast binding method with Sephadex G-50 microcolumns speeded by centrifugation. This method detected specific binding of [3H]estradiol in P. brasiliensis cytosol. Other tritiated steroid hormones, including testosterone and corticosterone, failed to exhibit specific binding. Scatchard analysis of [3H]estradiol binding showed an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 1.7 X 10(-8) M and a maximal binding capacity (Nmax) of 235 fmol/mg of protein. Susceptibility to trypsin indicated the binding site was protein in nature. The protein had a Stokes radius of approximately equal to 32 A by HPLC exclusion column and a sedimentation coefficient of 4.4 S by sucrose gradient, consistent with an apparent Mr of approximately equal to 60,000. Competition experiments revealed that estrone, estriol, and progesterone had 25% of the affinity of estradiol, whereas diethylstilbestrol, androgens, and corticosteroids had low affinity. Investigation of steroid hormone actions in P. brasiliensis indicated that estradiol inhibited the fungal transformation from mycelial form to yeast form, the initial step of infection. This suppressive effect was dose-dependent and not found with testosterone. We hypothesize that endogenous estrogens in the host, acting through the cytosol binding protein in the fungus, inhibit mycelial-to-yeast transformation, thus explaining the resistance of women to paracoccidioidomycosis.

Livers from newborn mice homozygous for either one of the lethal deletions c14CoS or c3H in chromosome 7 have drastically reduced levels of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) [GTP:oxaloacetate carboxy-lyase (transphosphorylating), EC 4.1.1.32] activity when compared with normal littermates. The structural gene for the enzyme maps on chromosome 2 and appears intact and not grossly rearranged in deletion homozygotes. These mice also have negligible levels of hepatic mRNA encoding this enzyme. Studies of the transcription rate of the gene showed that it was reduced to 25-50% of normal in hepatic nuclei obtained from mice homozygous for either deletion. We suggest that, in addition to the reduction in the level of transcription, the deletions in chromosome 7 may also cause alterations in messenger stability, processing, or transport from the nucleus.