The mechanism of regulation of the Ca²⁺ pump ATPase of the human erythrocyte membrane by calmodulin, cyclic AMP and the anion channel was studied using membrane fragments, resealed "ghosts", inside-out vesicles and a Triton X-100 solubilized enzyme preparation. The (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity in erythrocyte membranes or a Triton X-100 solubilized enzyme preparation showed biphasic (high and low affinity) Ca²⁺ activation kinetics. The anionic calcium binding protein, calmodulin, increased both the calcium sensitivity (Kca²⁺) and the maximum velocity (Vmax ) of the enzyme. Certain polyanionic agents (poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-glutamic acid), alicyclic sulfonic acids (HEPES,N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N¹-2-ethanesulfonic acid, MES,2-N- (morpholinoethanesulfonic acid)), and aromatic carboxylic acids (benzoic and salicylic acids) increased the Kca²⁺ but not the Vmax of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase in erythrocyte membranes and Triton X-100 solubilized enzyme preparations. Trifluoperazine (30 μM) antagonized activation of the enzyme by calmodulin and poly-L-aspartic acid, but not by sodium-HEPES or sodium-MES. Limited trypsin proteolysis of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase in the erythrocyte membrane abolished activation by calmodulin, poly-L-aspartic acid and sodium-HEPES. These results suggest that the modulation of the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase by calmodulin may be associated with the anionic properties of this protein, and that this property can be mimicked by some other anions, probably by interacting at an anion-regulatory site on the enzyme. Cyclic AMP (5 μM) was found to inhibit the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)-ATPase activity (approx. 20%) in erythrocyte membranes, probably via endogenous cyclic AMP protein kinase, since this effect could be blocked by cyclic AMP protein kinase inhibitor (PKI) from the rabbit skeletal muscle, By contrast, bovine heart PKI stimulated (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity (approx. 100%) by increasing the Kca²⁺ but not the Vmax of the enzyme in membrane or Triton X-100 solubilized preparations. At a low calcium concentration the stimulation by bovine heart PKI and saturating levels of calmodulin was additive, suggesting that the two effectors acted by distinct mechanisms. The stimulation of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity by bovine heart PKI was not solely due to its antagonism of the protein kinase because a) modification of arginine residues of bovine heart PKI abolished its inhibition of cyclic AMP protein kinase, but had no effect on the stimulation of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase; b) trifluoperazine (20 μM) antagonized the stimulation of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase by PKI, similarly to its antagonism of calmodulin stimulation, but it did not affect the inhibition of protein kinase by PKI. It is suggested that different mechanisms are involved in the inhibition of cyclic AMP protein kinase and the stimulation of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase by bovine heart cyclic AMP PKI. Next, the role of anion channel blockers on the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )- ATPase was studied. The photolabeling reagent N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)- 2 aminoethylsulfonate (NAP-taurine) was found to inhibit the (Ca²⁺+ Mg²⁺ )-ATPase of fragmented red cell membranes. Half maximal inhibition occurred between 25 μM and 50 μM. At these concentrations Mg²⁺ -ATPase and (Na⁺ + K⁺)-ATPase activities in the membranes were not affected. The reversible inhibition of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase produced by NAP-taurine in the dark became irreversible after photolysis in the presence of this reagent. Incubation of the membranes with Ca²⁺ , Mg²⁺ , ATP or calmodulin, prior to photolysis in the presence of NAP-taurine, did not protect the enzyme from Inhibition. Limited trypsin proteolysis of (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase in fragmented membranes, which abolished activation by calmodulin, did not affect the inhibition by NAP-taurine. NAP-taurine was found to Inhibit the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity from the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, as determined from the following experiments. Addition of NAP-taurine (50 μM) to resealed erythrocyte ghosts inhibited less than 5% of the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity, compared to 50-60% Inhibition in ghosts resealed in the presence of 50 μM NAP-taurine. Furthermore, NAP-taurine inhibited ATP-dependent Ca²⁺ - transport into inside-out vesicles at a similar concentration (50 μM). The inhibition of the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity of membranes by NAP-taurine appeared to be a direct action on the enzyme, rather than through inhibition of the anion channel, as (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺ )-ATPase activity was not inhibited in membranes made from red blood cells reacted irreversibly with 50 μM NAP-taurine or the anion channel blocker 4,4'-diisothiocyano- 2,2' stilbene disulfonate (DIDS) (5 μM) or in membranes assayed in the presence of another anion channel blocker, probenecid (125 μM). This is the first reported selective antagonist of the Ca²⁺ pump, and it is suggested that NAP-taurine could be a useful tool for studying the Ca²⁺- transport ATPase in a variety of cells. / Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of / Graduate

No description available.

Les travaux présentés ici portent sur les P1B-ATPases HMA2, HMA3 et HMA4 d'Arabidopsis thaliana, transporteurs de cations présents sur différentes membranes chez les plantes. L'étude du contenu cationique de plantes mutantes hma2 et hma4 a précisé le rôle important de HMA4 dans la translocation du Zn et du Cd vers les parties aériennes et sa forte affinité pour le Cd. La mesure du contenu cationique de graines de différents génotypes a montré un effet complexe des modulations de l'expression des gènes correspondants, la surexpression du gène HMA4 conduisant à une teneur en Zn de la graine similaire à celle du mutant perte de fonction. Ces résultats confirment l'importance de HMA4, et montrent la nécessité d'adapter la construction aux objectifs biotechnologiques visés. Afin de préciser le rôle de résidus conservés au sein de la famille des P1B-ATPases, j'ai étudié l'effet de l'expression d'un variant de HMA4 pour le domaine fortement conservé CPC. Les résultats obtenus in planta suggèrent une interaction avec la version native du transporteur entraînant une perte de l'activité de HMA4. Pour mener une approche structure/fonction sur ces transporteurs, L. lactis a été défini comme le meilleur candidat pour produire HMA3. Suite à l'expression de HMA3, un gain de tolérance au Cd a été observé et a permis de valider 3 variants de HMA3, mutés au niveau du pore ou du site d'hydrolyse de l'ATP, comme affectés dans l'activité de la protéine. Les membranes de L. lactis enrichies en transporteur HMA3 ou de ses variants ont permis une reconstitution in vitro en protéoliposomes permettant de mesurer une activité de transport du Cd compétitive avec le Zn et inhibée par le vanadate. / Work presented here is about Arabidopsis thaliana P1B-ATPases HMA2, HMA3 et HMA4, cation transporters found in different plant membranes. Cation content study of mutant plants hma2 and hma4 precised important role of HMA4 in upward translocation of Zn and Cd, and its high affinity for Cd. Cation content measure of seeds from different genotypes showed a complex effect of modulations of related genes expression levels, HMA4 overexpression leading to a seed Zn content similar the loss-of-function mutant one. These results confirm the importance of HMA4 and show the needs to adapt construction to biotechnological aims. To precise the role of residus conserved among the P1B-ATPases family, I studied the effect of the expression of a HMA4 variant for the highly conserved domain CPC. Obtained in planta results suggest an interaction with the native transporter leading to a loss of HMA4 activité. To perform a structure/function study on these transporters, L.lactis has been shown as the best candidate to produce HMA3. Due to HMA3 expression, a gain of Cd tolerance has been observed and allowed to validate three HMA3 variants, mutated in the pore or the ATP hydrolysis site, as affected in the protein activity. L.lactis membranes enriched with HMA3 or variants allowed an in vitro reconstitution in proteoliposomes and the measurement of a Cd transport activity competing with Zn and inhibited by vanadate.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been the target of research due to its toxicological effects. Neonatal administration of MSG in animals can affect the morphological and electrophysiological organization of the brain, leading to behavioral disorders in adulthood, including increased pain sensitivity. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action by which MSG induces nociception and the effect of diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2, an organoselenium compound with pharmacological properties already documented, on nociception induced by MSG. Newborn Wistar rats were treated with ten subcutaneous injections of MSG at a dose of 4.0 g/kg or saline, once a day. At the 60th day of life, rats received daily (PhSe)2 (1 mg/kg) or vehicle (canola oil) by intragastric route for 7 days. The behavioral tests (locomotor activity, hot plate, tail-immersion and mechanical allodynia) were carried out. In addition, hippocampal ex vivo assays were performed to determine Na+, K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase activities, cytokines levels and [3H] glutamate uptake. The results demonstrated that MSG increased nociception in the hot plate test, but not in the tail immersion test, and in the mechanical allodynia stimulated by Von-Frey Hair. (PhSe)2 decreased all nociceptive behaviors induced by MSG. MSG increased hippocampal Na+,K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase activities and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels as well as decreased the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) and the [3H]glutamate uptake in hippocampi of rats. (PhSe)2 treatment protected against these alterations. These results demonstrated the mechanisms of action involved in nociception induced by MSG and the antinociceptive action of (PhSe)2 after neonatal injections of MSG in rats through the decrease hippocampal excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation associated to the administration of MSG in rats. / O Glutamato monossódico (GMS) tem sido alvo de investigação devido aos seus efeitos toxicológicos. A administração neonatal de GMS em animais pode influenciar na organização morfológica e eletrofisiológica do cérebro, levando a distúrbios de comportamento na idade adulta, incluindo o aumento da sensibilidade à dor. O presente estudo teve como objetivo pesquisar o mecanismo pelo qual o GMS induz nocicepção e avaliar o efeito do disseleneto de difenila (PhSe)2, um composto orgânico de selênio com propriedades farmacológicas já documentadas, na nocicepção induzida por GMS. Ratos Wistar recém-nascidos foram tratados com dez injeções subcutâneas de GMS na dose de 4,0 g/kg ou salina, uma vez por dia. Aos 60 dias de vida, os ratos receberam (PhSe)2 (1mg /kg) ou o veículo (óleo de canola), por via intragástrica, uma vez ao dia, durante 7 dias. Testes comportamentais (atividade locomotora, teste da placa quente, imersão da cauda e alodinia mecânica) foram realizados após trinta minutos do último tratamento com (PhSe)2. Além disso, ensaios ex vivo foram realizados para determinar a atividade das enzimas Na+, K+-ATPase e da Ca2 +-ATPase, os níveis de citocinas e a captação de glutamato em hipocampo. Os resultados demonstraram um aumento na nocicepção induzida por GMS no teste da placa quente e no teste de alodinia mecânica, porém não no teste de imersão da cauda. O (PhSe)2 diminuiu todos os comportamentos nociceptivos induzidos pelo GMS. O GMS estimulou a atividade da Na+, K+-ATPase e da Ca2+-ATPase e induziu o aumento dos níveis de citocinas pró-inflamatórias, bem como a diminuição da citocina anti-inflamatória, IL-10, e da captação de glutamato no hipocampo de ratos. O tratamento com (PhSe)2 protegeu contra estas alterações. Estes resultados demonstraram mecanismos de ação envolvidos na nocicepção induzida pelo GMS e a ação antinociceptiva do (PhSe)2 após injeções neonatais de GMS em ratos através da diminuição da excitotoxicidade e neuroinflamação hipocampal associada à administração de GMS em ratos.

Les membranes plasmiques et les membranes du trans-Golgi des cellules eucaryotes présentent une asymétrie des lipides qui les composent, avec les aminophospholipides (APLs : phosphatidylsérine et phosphatidyléthanolamine) enrichis dans le feuillet cytosolique. La dissipation de cette asymétrie est impliquée dans de nombreux processus (patho)physiologiques. Plusieurs études suggèrent que les ATPases P4 sont les candidats les plus probables pour le transport des APLs et le maintien de leur distribution asymétrique ; leur délétion dans la levure inhibe le trafic membranaire. En outre, des études ont montré que les ATPases P4 interagissaient avec les protéines de la famille CDC50 ; cette interaction est essentielle pour l’adressage et peut-être aussi la fonction des ATPases P4. Afin de contribuer à la compréhension du mécanisme de transport des lipides par les ATPases P4, l’objectif de ce travail a été de mettre au point la co-expression fonctionnelle, dans la levure, de l’ATPase P4 Drs2p et de sa protéine partenaire Cdc50p. Nous avons obtenu une fraction membranaire enrichie à 3% avec la protéine Drs2p, majoritairement en complexe avec Cdc50p. L’étude fonctionnelle du complexe nous a permis de mettre en évidence un rôle crucial du phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI(4)P), un important régulateur du trafic membranaire, au cours d’une étape particulière du cycle catalytique. Nous avons également développé un protocole de purification sur résine streptavidine du complexe Drs2p/Cdc50p. Enfin, comme un site potentiel d’interaction avec le PI(4)P est présent sur l’extrémité C-terminale de Drs2p, nous avons engendré différentes constructions de Drs2p, dans lesquelles une partie de l’extrémité C-terminale a été délétée ; dans une autre construction, l’extrémité N-terminale a également été délétée. Notre travail ouvre la voie à la caractérisation fonctionnelle et structurale détaillée du complexe Drs2p/Cdc50p, et à l’étude du rôle du transport de lipides dans le trafic membranaire. / Trans-Golgi membranes and plasma membranes of eukaryotic cells are asymmetric, with their cytosolic leaflet enriched in aminophospholipids (APLs: phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine). Dissipation of this asymmetry is involved in many (patho)physiological processes. P4 ATPases are prime candidates for APL transport and for maintaining asymmetry across membranes. In addition, yeast deleted for P4 ATPases display membrane trafficking defects. Besides, CDC50 proteins have been shown to interact physically with P4 type ATPases, and this interaction is important for addressing the complex to the right destination, and possibly also for its function. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism of lipid transport by P4 ATPases, the goal of my thesis was to develop the co-expression, in yeast, of a functional P4 ATPase, Drs2p, together with its partner, Cdc50p. The strategy we developed allowed us to obtain a membrane fraction enriched in Drs2p (~3%), mainly in complex with Cdc50p. Functional characterization of the complex identified phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI4P), a major regulator of membrane trafficking, as a crucial component for rapid completion of the Drs2p/Cdc50p catalytic cycle. We also purified the complex in one step on streptavidin beads. Finally, we started investigating the potential auto-inhibitory roles of the C-terminus (as the C-terminus of Drs2p contains a PI4P binding site) and the N-terminus of Drs2p, by expressing various truncated versions of Drs2p. Our work sets the stage for detailed functional and structural characterization of the Drs2p/Cdc50p complex and its role in membrane traffic.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-11T13:38:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 juliana.pdf: 1522484 bytes, checksum: 7450de4815f507bdefe6fb92d3742c8c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-11-29 / Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) is a small tree, widely distributed in the Amazon, known as ―pau-amargo‖. The tea from its leaves and bark are used in popular medicine for gastric disorders and malaria. β-carboline and indolic alkaloids, steroids and quassinoids (quassin and neoquassin) were isolated from this plant and evaluated in animal models of malaria with promising results, but still preliminary. Previous pharmacological studies performed with non-standardized apolar extracts, reported sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, emollient and anti-ulcer activities. In view of the reputation of Q. amara in folk medicine and scarce consistent results in the scientific literature, this work studied the systemic actions of the standardized extracts from the native plant collected in the region of Manaus. Semi-purified extracts and high purity fractions were obtained from the chemical standardization and were used to study the mechanisms of actions detected experimentally. In these studies, the popular use of Q. amara in malaria led us also to investigate the pharmacological actions of its extracts and purified fractions in mammalian P-ATPases (H+-K+-ATPase and Ca+2-ATPase) that have high structural homology with isoenzymes essential to the Plasmodium survival. The standardized extract was obtained by the partition of Q. amara AE in buthanol originating the buthanolic fraction (BuF) with the same pharmacological activity and fivefold more concentrated than AE. The purification of BuF by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) yielded 18 high purity fractions (F1 to F18), still in identification process. The pharmacological screening of AE and BuF did show remarkable action in the CNS. AE showed anti-inflammatory effect, apparently associated with the inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators histamine and serotonin, but no analgesic action was observed. AE increased gastrointestinal motility and inhibited the gastric ulcers induced by stress and ethanol. BuF at tenfold lower doses inhibited the secretion and gastric acidity in vivo and the intermediate dose inhibited the total acidity stimulated by histamine, but did not when induced by bethanechol (muscarinic agonist), indicating a possible selective action in the histamine/cAMP pathway. The BuF and fractions isolated by HPLC F10, F14 and F15 potentiated the direct elicited twitches in the rat diaphragm muscle. In the Ca+2-ATPase isolated from skeletal muscle, the BuF and fractions F05, F06, F08, F09, F10, F13, F14, F15,F16 inhibited its activity and this effect may explain the potentiation of the diaphragm contraction. The FBut and fractions F11, F12, F13 and F16 inhibited the H+-K+-ATPase activity from the gastric mucosa in vitro; this effect may explain the anti-secretory and anti-ulcer activity observed in vivo, effects related to the mainly popular use of Q. amara. / A Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) é árvore de pequeno porte, de ampla distribuição amazônica, conhecida como pau-amargo; o chá das folhas e cascas é utilizado na medicina popular para distúrbios gástricos e na malária. Da planta foram isolados alcalóides indólicos e β-carbolínicos, esteróides e quassinóides (quassina e neoquassina) avaliados em modelos do parasitismo animal com resultados promissores, mas ainda iniciais. Estudos farmacológicos anteriores realizados com extratos apolares sem padronização, descrevem atividades sedativa, analgésica, anti-inflamatória, emoliente e anti-úlcera gástrica. Em vista da reputação da Q. amara na medicina popular e da pouca consistência científica dos resultados disponíveis na literatura, este trabalho retomou o estudo das ações sistêmicas do extrato aquoso padronizado da planta nativa coletada na região de Manaus. Da padronização química foram obtidos extratos semi-purificados e frações de alto grau de pureza, que serviram também ao estudo do mecanismo das ações detectadas experimentalmente. Nesses estudos, o uso popular na malária nos levou também a investigar as ações farmacológicas dos extratos purificadas e frações nas H+-K+-ATPase e Ca+2-ATPase de mamíferos, P-ATPases essas que guardam elevada homologia estrutural com as isoenzimas do Plasmodium sp. essenciais à sua sobrevida. A padronização química do EA da Q. amara foi obtida após partição em butanol dando origem à fração butanólica (FBut) de mesma atividade e 5 vezes mais concentrada. A purificação da FBut por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE) originou 18 frações de elevado grau de pureza (F1 a F18) que encontram-se em processo de identificação. A triagem farmacológica do EA e da FBut mostrou ação pouco marcada no SNC. O EA mostrou ação anti-inflamatória, aparentemente associada à inibição dos mediadores pró-inflamatórios histamina e serotonina, mas não mostrou efeito analgésico. O EA aumentou a motilidade gastrintestinal e inibiu as úlceras gástricas induzidas por estresse e por etanol. A FBut, em doses 10 vezes menores, inibiu a secreção e a acidez gástrica in vivo, a dose intermediária inibiu a acidez total estimulada pela histamina, mas não alterou quando induzida por betanecol (agonista muscarínico), indicando provável ação seletiva na via da histamina/AMPc. A FBut e as frações isoladas em CLAE F10, F14 e F15 potenciaram a contração do músculo diafragma de rato sob estímulo elétrico direto. A FBut e frações F05, F06, F08, F09, F10, F13, F14, F15 e F16 inibiram a atividade da Ca2+-ATPase de músculo esquelético; este efeito pode explicar a potenciação da contração do músculo diafragma. A FBut e as frações F11, F12, F13 e F16 inibiram a atividade da H+-K+-ATPase da mucosa gástrica in vitro; este efeito pode explicar a atividade antissecretora ácida e a atividade anti-úlcera observadas in vivo, provavelmente relacionadas com o uso popular mais freqüente.

Le paludisme est une maladie dévastatrice causée par un parasite du genre Plasmodium. Du fait de la propagation de souches résistantes aux actuels antipaludéens, il est nécessaire de comprendre les fonctions physiologiques essentielles du parasite afin de trouver de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques. Les transporteurs membranaires sont une classe importante de cibles chez l'homme du fait de leur rôle physiologique essentiel pour la cellule. Cependant, chez les parasite du genre Plasmodium, seulement quelques transporteurs ont été biochimiquement caractérisés. Des études récentes de délétion de gènes dans un model murin ont montrées que l’ATPase de type P4, ou flippase, ATP2 de Plasmodium est essentielle pour le parasite. Chez les Eucaryotes, l’activité de translocation des lipides des ATPases de type P4 est nécessaire pour maintenir l’asymétrie des membranes, un élément clé dans de nombreux processus essentiels comme la formation de vésicules ou l’apoptose. Les flippases forment des complexes hétéromériques avec les protéines de la famille Cdc50 qui sont également trouvées dans le génome de Plasmodium. Pour comprendre le rôle fonctionnel de ces transporteurs putatifs durant l’infection par le parasite, nous avons besoin d’étudier leur mécanisme de transport et d’identifier leur (s) substrat (s). Nous avons entrepris l’expression hétérologue chez Saccharomyces cerevisiae d’ATP2, en complexe avec les sous unités Cdc50, de trois espèces différentes de Plasmodium. Nous avons réussi à co-exprimer l’orthologue ATP2 de P. chabaudi (PcATP2) et les sous unités PcCdc50 correspondantes. Par co-immunoprécipitation et une chromatographie d’exclusion stérique détectée par fluorescence, nous sommes parvenus à identifier la sous unité s’associant à PcATP2 : PcCdc50.1. Nous avons ensuite purifié le complexe PcATP2/PcCdc50.1 en utilisant des nanobodies reconnaissant la GFP fusionnée à l’extrémité C-terminale de PcATP2 et nous avons initié la caractérisation fonctionnelle avec des tests de phosphorylation et d’activité ATPasique. / Malaria is a devastating disease caused by a parasite of the genus Plasmodium. Due to the spread of strains resistant to current antimalarial drugs, it is necessary to understand essential physiological functions of the parasite in order to find new drug targets. Membrane transport proteins are an important class of drug targets in humans, as they perform essential physiological roles of the cell. However, for Plasmodium parasites, just a few membrane transporters have been biochemically described. Recent gene-deletion studies in malaria mouse models have shown that the Plasmodium P4-ATPase, or lipid flippase, ATP2 is essential for the parasite. In eukaryotes, the phospholipid translocation activity of P4-ATPases is needed to maintain the asymmetric distribution of membranes, a key element in many essential processes like vesicle budding or apoptosis. Lipid flippases form heteromeric complexes with members of the Cdc50 protein family, also found in the genomes of Plasmodium parasites. To understand the functional role of these still putative transporters during malaria infection we need to study their transport mechanism and identify their substrate(s). We have conducted the heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of ATP2 in complex with the Cdc50 subunits from three different Plasmodium species. We succeeded to co-express the ATP2 ortholog of P. chabaudi (PcATP2) and the related putative PcCdc50 proteins. By co-immunoprecipitation and Fluorescence-detection Size Exclusion Chromatography, we have managed to identify the Cdc50 β-subunit that associates to PcATP2: PcCdc50.1. We then purified the complex PcATP2/PcCdc50.1 using immobilized nanobodies that recognize the GFP fused at the C-terminal end of PcATP2 and we initiated the functional characterization using ATPase and phosphorylation activity assays.

Metal homeostasis in plants is regulated by diverse mechanisms that act together to maintain optimal metal ion concentrations inside the cell. P1B-ATPases are heavy metal transport ATPases that are likely to be related to these processes. The sequencing of the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana revealed the presence of eight putative P1B-ATPases, HMA1-8. The main goal in this work is to characterize of the role of P1B-ATPases in plant metal homeostasis. Toward this goal, the P1B-ATPases HMA1 and HMA6 from Arabidopsis thaliana were cloned from leaves and sequenced. Results from RT-PCR experiments show ubiquitous expression in planta of this two ATPases, except for HMA1 that does not express in roots. Upon Cu2+ exposure during growth, expression of HMA6 increases in seedlings. HMA1 expression increases when seedlings are grown in high Cu2+ and Co2+ media, and decreases when grown in high concentrations of Zn2+ and Ni2+. hma1-1 plants have smaller size and less chlorophyll content than WT plants. Growth is affected in hma1-1 seedlings when grown in Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+ and Cu2+ deficient media, or when these metals are in excess. Moreover, hma1-1 plants show an increase in Zn2+, Mn2+ and Fe2+ content in whole plants compared to WT plants. Mutant plants also show increased levels of HMA3 and HMA4 transcripts (Zn2+/Cd2+/Pb2+ P1B-ATPases), upregulation of metallothioneins 1a and 2b, downregulation of metallothionein 1c, and a decrease in the phytochellatin synthases 1 and 2 transcripts, compared to WT plants. Homozygous for mutation in HMA6 seems to be lethal, given that none was recovered after screening. These results indicate HMA1 and HMA6 as essential components of plant metal homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 134 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-128).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-106).