La caractérisation de la réponse au sel d'un mutant d'A.thaliana déficient dans la synthèse de la proline (p5cs1-4) a montré que la salinité affecte de la même manière les relations hydriques et l'homéostasie ionique chez les deux génotypes. La pulvérisation foliaire de proline sous contrainte saline améliore la capacité antioxydante chez le mutant p5cs1-4 et rétablit sa croissance ainsi que son activité photosynthétique. L'analyse des relations entre la production précoce de H2O2 par la NADPH oxydase et la défense antioxydante chez A. thaliana soumise à la salinité a montré que l'exposition des plantes sauvages à 200 mM NaCl pendant 24 h conduit à une accumulation transitoire de H2O2, suivie d'une augmentation des activités des enzymes Catalases, Ascorbate peroxydases et Glutathione reductases. En présence de sel, le prétraitement des plantes par le DMTU, un chélateur de H2O2, ou le DPI et l'imidazole, deux inhibiteurs des NADPH oxydases, conduit à de faibles activités des enzymes antioxydantes. Le double mutant affiche également des activités faibles de ses enzymes antioxydantes. La meilleure performance des plantes sauvages par rapport aux mutants se traduisant par une meilleure aptitude de protéger ces tissus contre le stress oxydatif. En outre, l'accumulation de la proline est précédée par des niveaux élevés de H2O2 et l'utilisation de DMTU supprime l'accumulation de la proline chez les plantes soumises aux contraintes osmotiques. Les résultats ont montré également que de DPI, ainsi que des mutants knock-out conduisent à une inhibition de l'activité de l'enzyme-clé de la synthèse de la proline. / Characterization of salt stress response in A. thaliana p5cs1-4 mutant defective in proline biosynthesis showed that no significant difference was observed in the leaf water status and Na+/K+ ratio between salt-treated WT and p5cs1-4 seedlings, suggesting that the salt hypersensitivity of the mutant was not due to the disruption of water uptake or Na+/K+ homeostasis. Foliar application of proline under salt stress increased the antioxidant activity in the p5cs1-4 mutant and restored its photosynthetic activity. The analysis of the relationship between the early production of H2O2 by the NADPH oxidase and the antioxidant defense in A. thaliana subjected to salinity showed that short-term salt exposure led to a transient and significant increase of H2O2 concentration, followed by a marked increase in Catalase, Ascorbate peroxidase and Glutathion reductase activities, pre-treatment with either dimethylthiourea, a chemical trap for H2O2, or two NADPH oxidase inhibitors such as imidazol and diphenylene iodonium, significantly decreased the above-mentioned enzyme activities under salinity. atrbohd/f double mutant plants failed to induce the antioxidant response under the culture conditions. The better performance of the WT was related to the plant ability to deal with the salt-induced oxidative stress as compared to atrbohd/f. In addition NaCl or mannitol stress resulted in a transient increase in H2O2 content followed by an accumulation of proline upon stress. In contrast DMTU and DPI were found to significantly inhibit proline accumulation. Expression level of the key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of proline was observed to be diminished by DPI and in atrboh mutants.

La fluorooléfine (CF=CH), motif isostère et isoélectronique de la liaison amide, peut être utilisé comme mime efficace de la liaison peptidique. De plus, ce motif confère une meilleure résistance à la dégradation enzymatique comparé à la liaison peptidique. Cette thèse s’inscrit dans notre programme de développement de nouvelles méthodologies d’accès aux fluoropseudopeptides. Dans une première partie, nous appliquons diverses stratégies originales du laboratoire vers la synthèse d’un analogue du neuropeptide 26RFa. Dans une seconde partie est présentée une stratégie générale vers l’accès à des pseudopeptides possédant un motif proline, un acide aminé extrêmement important. Ainsi, la synthèse asymétrique d’analogues fluorés de dipeptide incluant l’unité proline (AA-[(Z) ou (E)CF=C]-Pro), de conformation cisoïde ou transoïde, a été développée. Enfin, nous avons étendu cette méthodologie à la synthèse d’un analogue de l’Enalapril®, molécule biologiquement active. / The Fluoroolefin moiety (CF=CH) can be used as an effective peptide bond mimic due to isoelectronic and isosteric properties. Moreover, this moiety provides better resistance to enzymatic degradation compared to native peptide bond. This thesis is part of our program aiming at developing new methodologies towards fluoropseudopeptides. In a first part, we apply various innovative strategies from the laboratory to the synthesis of an analog of neuropeptide 26RFa. In the second part is presented an overall strategy towards fluorinated pseudopeptide including a proline residue, an amino acid extremely important. Thus, the asymmetric synthesis of fluorinated dipeptide analogues AA-[(Z) or (E) CF=C]-Pro, under cisoid or transoid conformation, has been developed. Finally, we extend this methodology to the synthesis of an analogue of biologically active Enalapril®.

Yes / Studies on the substrate selectivity of recombinant ferrous-iron- and 2-oxoglutarate-dependent proline hydroxylases (PHs) reveal that they can catalyse the production of dihydroxylated 5-, 6-, and 7-membered ring products, and can accept bicyclic substrates. Ring-substituted substrate analogues (such hydroxylated and fluorinated prolines) are accepted in some cases. The results highlight the considerable, as yet largely untapped, potential for amino acid hydroxylases and other 2OG oxygenases in biocatalysis.

No description available.

This thesis sought to investigate novel methods for protecting the liver from ischaemia reperfusion injury in the context of liver transplantation. Research in the heart, brain and kidneys has suggested that hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) may play a key role in the delayed phase of ischaemic preconditioning and can protect organs for up to 3 days. However, although there is good evidence for the potential of HIF to protect organs from ischaemia, the HIF pathway still presents some what of a paradox because it targets both pro-death (e.g. BNIP3,NIX) as well as pro-survival genes (e.g. HO-I, EPO). HIF is primarily controlled by 3 oxygen dependent prolyl hydroxylases (PHD 1 , PHD2, PHD3), and inhibition of these prolyl hydroxylases leads to HIF activation. It was hypothesised that differential inhibition of PHD 1,2 or 3 may result in selective gene regulation and may confer greater or less protection against ischaemia reperfusion injury. To investigate this hypothesis mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were isolated from PHDl, 2, and 3 knock-out (KO) embryos and compared to MEFs derived from WT littermate controls. In these MEFs, cell growth and proliferation, as well as cell survival following exposure to anoxia and inducers of apoptosis was studied. The principal findings were that PHD2 is the dominant regulator of HIF in normoxia. PHD2 knock-out MEFs exhibited glycolytic metabolism and had a lower oxygen consumption compared to wild-type MEFs. Gene array studies confirmed the dominant role of PHD2 but also demonstrated that PHD 1 upregulates a number of HIF target genes, albeit to a lesser extent than PHD2. There were no differences, however, in susceptibility to hypoxic injury in the PHDl, 2, and 3 knock-out MEFs compared to wild-type controls. A further aim of the study was to investigate whether prolyl hydroxylase inhibition using dimethyloxalyglycerine (DMOG) may protect the liver in a rodent model of ischaemia reperfusion injury. DMOG effectively upregulated HIF and IllF target genes. Serum transaminases (AST and AL T) were significantly lower in the DMOG treated animals compared to the normal saline treated controls 24 hours following ischaemia. This protection was similar to the protection conferred by surgically induced ischaemic preconditioning. This thesis provides important insights into the individual function of the prolyl hydroxylases and provides preliminary evidence that prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of ischaemia reperfusion injury in liver transplantation.

Foi demonstrado que a L-prolina é fundamental para o metabolismo das formas intracelulares de T.cruzi e está envolvida em processos de resistência a diferentes condições de estresse. O ácido L-tiazolidina-4-carboxílico (T4C) age como inibidor competitivo do transporte de prolina para o interior do parasita, desta forma, pode-se assumir que, quando aplicado como agente terapêutico simula uma situação de hipoprolinemia no hospedeiro mamífero. Sobre esta base, propomos que a prolinemia poderia estar relacionada com a severidade da infecção pelo T. cruzi, portanto, decidimos inverter o racional e obter nesse trabalho um modelo de hiperprolinemia. Inicialmente foi estabelecido um modelo murino de hiperprolinemia transiente. Camundongos da linhagem BALB/c que foram tratados com prolina, por via intraperitonial (i.p), em 30 minutos já apresentaram concentrações plasmáticas de 1,359 ± 0,121 mM, porém, após 3 horas seus níveis plasmáticos retornaram ao normal, 0,4361 ± 0,03496. Utilizando este modelo, foi avaliado o efeito da hiperprolinemia transiente em camundongos infectados pelo T.cruzi. Em três ensaios de um total de seis foi observado um aumento significativo da parasitemia em camundongos tratados, sem nenhuma diferença na mortalidade e na carga parasitária de diversos tecidos. Essa inconsistência observada no perfil da parasitemia redirecionou os experimentos para um modelo de hiperprolinemia hereditário previamente estabelecido. Interessantemente, foram observados diminuições na parasitemia, porém, a mortalidade foi aumentada. Foi hipotetizado que, diferentemente do que acontece com a hiperprolinemia transiente, com os níveis plasmáticos aumentados de maneira estável, as formas intracelulares de T.cruzi teriam acesso ao aminoácido em quantidades e tempo maiores. No entanto, não se pode descartar como hipótese complementar, que a hiperprolinemia possa afetar a resposta imune e por sua vez, imunossuprimir ou imunoestimular o hospedeiro mamífero. Por esse motivo, avaliaram-se alguns parâmetros da resposta imune ex vivo. Ensaios ex vivo mostraram que tratamento com prolina diminui a produção de NO sob ativação por LPS, no entanto quando células peritoneais não ativadas por LPS são infectadas por T. cruzi, o tratamento com prolina não altera o perfil de NO. A expressão gênica da óxido nítrico sintase induzível (iNOS) das células peritoneais diminui quando elas são cultivadas na presença de prolina, confirmando esses resultados. Mostrou-se dessa maneira que a hiperprolinemia pode interferir com a resposta imune do hospedeiro, o que levaria a uma eventual imunossupressão. Observou-se que, tanto células peritoneais infectadas como não infectados tratadas com prolina apresentam redução de seu volume celular o que poderia ser indício de sinal apoptótico. Ensaios de infecção (ex vivo) em células peritoneais de camundongos BALB/c com tripomastigotas da cepa MJL superexpressando o transportador de prolina apresentaram aumento da taxa de infecção enquanto que as infectadas por tripomastigotas da cepa Y superexpressando o mesmo transportador de prolina apresentaram diminuição da taxa de infeçção, quando comparadas aos controles, mostrando que a reposta de redução ou aumento da taxa de infecção ao tratamento com prolina é determinada também pela cepa de T. cruzi. Análises da prolinemia em soro de pacientes com sintomas de cardiopatia chagásica severa mostraram menores níveis de prolina sérica quando comparados aos controles (pacientes não infectados). Juntos, todos esses resultados colocam a prolina como um fator de severidade na infecção pelo T. cruzi. / It was shown that L-proline is essential for the metabolism of the intracellular forms of T. cruzi and is involved in resistance to different stress conditions. L-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (T4C) acts as a competitive inhibitor of the proline transport to the inside of parasite, thus it can be assumed that when T4C is applied as a therapeutic agent simulates a hipoprolinemia situation in the mammalian host. On this basis, we propose that prolinemia could be related to the severity of T. cruzi infection, then, in this work we decided to reverse the rational and obtain a hyperprolinemia model. As a starting point, it was established a mouse transient hyperprolinemia model. BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with proline showed an increased proline levels in sera after 30 min (1,359 ± 0,121 mM). However, these increased levels were diminished to normal levels after 3 h (0,4361 ± 0,03496 mM). Once established this model, was initially used to evaluate the effect of transient hyperprolinemia in mice infected by T.cruzi. In three out of six experiments an increase in parasitemia but not in mortality or in tissue parasite loads was observed. In the remaining three experiments no differences were detected. These inconsistencies directed the work to the search to a previously established hereditary model of mouse hyperprolinemia model. Interestingly, in this new model, a diminished parasitemia was recorded, however, mortality was higher. From this information it was hypothesized that, differently to what happens in the transient hyperprolinemia, a permanent hyperprolinemia exposes the T. cruzi infected cells (and so, the intracellular parasites) to higher concentrations of proline as well as for longer times. In addition, it cannot be disregarded the complementary hypothesis that hyperprolinemia could be affecting the immune response and, at the same time of its action on the parasite, it could be immunosupresing or immunostimulating the mammalian host. This possibility led us to evaluate some parameters of the immune response both, in vivo and ex vivo. Ex vivo assays showed that proline-treated LPS-activated peritoneal cells had a diminished production of NO while proline-treatment of T. cruzi infected, non-LPS-activated peritoneal cells did not affect their NO production. This data showed that hyperprolinemia could interfer the immune response leading the host to an eventual immunosupresion. In addition, both, infected and non-infected macrophages had their cellular volume diminished when treated with proline, which could be attributed to the iniciation of an apoptotic process. Infection assays (ex vivo) of perioneal cells from BALB/c mice with MJL strain trypomastigotes overexpressing a proline transporter had an increased infection rate, while the same type of cells infected with Y strain trypomastigotes overexpressing the same proline transporter showed a diminution in the infection rate. These results show that changes in the infection rate as a function of intracellular proline availability depends on T. cruzi strain. The analysis of prolinemia in patients serum with symptoms of Severe Chronic Chagasic Cardiopathy showed tat proline levels were diminished in comparison to control (non-infected patients). Taken together, these results prompt proline as a factor modulating the severity of T. cruzi infection.

Due to inherent rigidity of oligoproline peptides, forcing the C- and N-terminus in proximity for cyclization can be of significant challenge. To address this issue, a cyclization condition involing the help of amphoteric aziridine aldehydes has been developed. This one step cyclization protocol generally proceeds in high yields and goes to completion in relatively short period of time. Despite their cyclic nature, the resulting molecules display spectroscopic characteristics of polyproline II helices. These macrocycles should facilitate systematic studies of various conformational states of polyproline-containing protein regions.

Due to inherent rigidity of oligoproline peptides, forcing the C- and N-terminus in proximity for cyclization can be of significant challenge. To address this issue, a cyclization condition involing the help of amphoteric aziridine aldehydes has been developed. This one step cyclization protocol generally proceeds in high yields and goes to completion in relatively short period of time. Despite their cyclic nature, the resulting molecules display spectroscopic characteristics of polyproline II helices. These macrocycles should facilitate systematic studies of various conformational states of polyproline-containing protein regions.

<p>Ssu72 is a protein phosphatase that selectively targets phosphorylated serine residues at the 5th position (pS5) in the heptad repeats of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II, in order to regulate the CTD-mediated coupling between eukaryotic transcription and co-transcriptional events. The biological importance of Ssu72 is underscored by (1) the requirement of its activity for viability in yeast, and (2) the numerous phenotypes - affecting all three stages of the transcription cycle - that result from its mutation in yeast. Despite limited homology to the low molecular weight (LMW) subclass of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), several lines of evidence suggest that Ssu72 represents the founding member of a new class of enzymes, including its unique substrate specificity and an in vivo connection with the activity of proline isomerase Ess1.</p><p>The main focus of this thesis has been to structurally and kinetically characterize Ssu72, in order to define its relation to known enzyme families, to provide biochemical explanations for extant in vivo observations, and to allow future structure-guided investigations of its role in coordinating transcription with co-transcriptional events. To this end, we solved the structure of Ssu72 in complex with its pS5 CTD substrate, revealing an enzyme fold with unique structural features and a surprising substrate conformation with the pS5-P6 motif of the CTD adopting the cis configuration. Together with kinetic assays, the structure provides a new interpretation of the role of proline isomers in regulating the CTD phosphorylation state, with broad implications for CTD biology.</p><p>The second goal of this thesis has been to develop new methods for NMR studies of large proteins, which present unique challenges to conventional methods, including fast signal decay and severe signal degeneracy. The first of these new methods, the `just-in-time' HN(CA)CO, improves the sensitivity of a common backbone assignment experiment. The next two methods, the 4-D diagonal-suppressed TROSY-NOESY-TROSY and the 4-D time-shared NOESY, were designed for use with sparse sampling techniques that allow the acquisition of high-resolution, high-dimensionality datasets. These efforts culminate with global fold calculations for large proteins, including the 23 kDa Ssu72, with accurate and unambiguous automated assignment of NOE crosspeaks. We expect that the methods presented here will be particularly useful as the NMR community continues to push toward higher molecular weight targets.</p> / Dissertation

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Stratégies d'exploitation des fonctions biologiques : Lille 1 : 2005. / N° d'ordre (Lille 1) : 3672. Articles en anglais intégrés au texte. Résumé en français et en anglais. Titre provenant de la page de titre du document numérisé. Bibliogr. f. 129-146. Liste des communications et publications.