Bcl-2 associated factor 1 (Bclaf1; previously known as Btf) is a nuclear protein that was originally identified as an interacting partner for the adenoviral anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member E1B-19K. Surprisingly, Bclaf1 does not share structural homology with the Bcl-2 family of proteins, but rather exhibits protein structure and subcellular distribution patterns reminiscent of proteins that regulate mRNA processing. In addition, Bclaf1 appears to be expressed at high levels in skeletal muscle and was recently shown to associate with emerin, a protein linked to muscular dystrophy. Despite these observations, roles for Bclaf1 in RNA processing and/or skeletal muscle differentiation remain to be elucidated. In an effort to identify new roles for Bclaf1 I conducted protein-protein interaction screens to identify candidate interacting proteins and pathways. I identified p32 and 9G8 as novel interacting partners for Bclaf1. Additional subsequent experiments demonstrated an interaction of Bclaf1 with tip associated protein (Tap) and association of Bclaf1 with ribonucleoprotein complexes. Given that all of these proteins have been linked to mRNA processing, a role for Bclaf1 in this pathway was investigated. Using several approaches, I demonstrated that Bclaf1 is able to associate with splicing complexes and mRNA species at various stages of processing. The function of Bclaf1 in the context of skeletal muscle differentiation was also explored using skeletal muscle cell lines and primary mouse myoblasts. Skeletal muscle differentiation led to a dramatic decrease in nuclear Bclaf1 steady-state protein, with the unexpected appearance of smaller Bclaf1 protein species that accumulated in the cytoplasm during differentiation due to cleavage by caspases. Furthermore, Bclaf1 depletion in a myoblast cell line led to increased myoblast fusion and myofiber dimensions during differentiation. Overall our findings indicate roles for Bclaf1 in the skeletal muscle differentiation program and in molecular events that regulate pre-mRNA splicing and related events.

Bcl-2 associated factor 1 (Bclaf1; previously known as Btf) is a nuclear protein that was originally identified as an interacting partner for the adenoviral anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member E1B-19K. Surprisingly, Bclaf1 does not share structural homology with the Bcl-2 family of proteins, but rather exhibits protein structure and subcellular distribution patterns reminiscent of proteins that regulate mRNA processing. In addition, Bclaf1 appears to be expressed at high levels in skeletal muscle and was recently shown to associate with emerin, a protein linked to muscular dystrophy. Despite these observations, roles for Bclaf1 in RNA processing and/or skeletal muscle differentiation remain to be elucidated. In an effort to identify new roles for Bclaf1 I conducted protein-protein interaction screens to identify candidate interacting proteins and pathways. I identified p32 and 9G8 as novel interacting partners for Bclaf1. Additional subsequent experiments demonstrated an interaction of Bclaf1 with tip associated protein (Tap) and association of Bclaf1 with ribonucleoprotein complexes. Given that all of these proteins have been linked to mRNA processing, a role for Bclaf1 in this pathway was investigated. Using several approaches, I demonstrated that Bclaf1 is able to associate with splicing complexes and mRNA species at various stages of processing. The function of Bclaf1 in the context of skeletal muscle differentiation was also explored using skeletal muscle cell lines and primary mouse myoblasts. Skeletal muscle differentiation led to a dramatic decrease in nuclear Bclaf1 steady-state protein, with the unexpected appearance of smaller Bclaf1 protein species that accumulated in the cytoplasm during differentiation due to cleavage by caspases. Furthermore, Bclaf1 depletion in a myoblast cell line led to increased myoblast fusion and myofiber dimensions during differentiation. Overall our findings indicate roles for Bclaf1 in the skeletal muscle differentiation program and in molecular events that regulate pre-mRNA splicing and related events.

Yellow rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Eriksson is one of the most severe leaf diseases of wheat. Aim of this study is to illuminate the downstream signaling pathways upon incompetible infection of rust pathogen in wheat, thus to understand the genes involved in resistance mechanism. The strategy used is the dual bait yeast two-hybrid analysis which is the most powerful method for in vivo detection of protein-protein interactions. The bait proteins used are / the domains of Yr10 yellow rust resistance gene, Rad6 gene which is considered to have a critical role in R gene mediated signaling pathway, and WR5 gene fragment which is an unknown protein having homology to the WD40 repeat containing protein with apoptosis related activity. Screening of a yeast prey library with these baits revealed proteins having mostly apoptosis related functions (SRP72, POR1, CSE1), translation initiation control in response to stress conditions (Gcn2p, Eap1p), phosphorylation (SKY1) and dephosphorylation activities (GAC1), cell cycle control (FAR1), oxidative stress control (OXR1), protein degradation control (TOM1), protein folding control (CPR7) and ion homeostasis in the cell (POR1, GAC1). The significance of the study can be summarized as i) being the first yeast two hybrid analysis of a wheat R gene, ii) being able to detect interacting partners with anticipated functions, iii) most importantly, initiating further detailed analysis of the key interactors.

Frankfurt (Main), Univ., Diss., 2002.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2002--Jena.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--Düsseldorf. / Erscheinungsjahr an der Haupttitelstelle : 2004.

Septinas são proteínas que pertencem a super família das GTPases e que foram inicialmente identificadas em Saccharomyces cerevisae, mas logo em seguida, também em eucariotos superiores, exceto em plantas. Estas proteínas estão envolvidas em uma variedade de processos celulares tais como segregação de cromossomos, polaridade celular, dinâmica da membrana, tráfego de vesículas, exocitose, apoptose, entre outros. Mutações ou alterações no padrão de expressão de septinas são associadas com vários cânceres e doenças neurológicas. Objetivando contribuir com informações funcionais sobre tais proteínas, as septinas humanas 1, 5 e 7 foram usadas como iscas em ensaios de duplo híbrido em leveduras visando à identificação de seus parceiros protéicos. Após a varredura de bibliotecas de cDNA de leucócitos e cérebro fetal humano, os parceiros protéicos predominantemente encontrados foram outras septinas de grupos diferentes aos das iscas. As interações septina-septina envolveram o domínio de ligação a GTP. Ainda, outros parceiros, diferentes de septinas, foram também identificados nas bibliotecas e estes se mostraram funcionalmente relacionados à endocitose, à regulação da atividade de GTPases, ao tráfego intracelular, aos ciclos de sumoilação, à manutenção da placa metafásica e à maturação do centrossomo. Algumas destas funções são inéditas e foram pela primeira vez relacionadas às septinas. Este trabalho também esteve voltado à caracterização biofísica das septinas 3 e 5 (SEPT3 e SEPT5). Muitos protocolos diferentes foram desenvolvidos na tentativa de obter amostras homogêneas de SEPT5, mas não foram bem sucedidos. Por outro lado, SEPT3 recombinante, destituída do domínio amino-terminal (SEPT3GC) foi eficientemente produzida em E. coli. O estado monomérico de SEPT3GC em solução foi confirmado por cromatografia de exclusão molecular e espalhamento de raios-X a baixos ângulos (SAXS). SEPT3GC mostrou-se ativa e capaz de hidrolizar GTP in vitro. A afinidade de SEPT3GC por GTPγS e GDP foi avaliada por calorimetria de titulação isotérmica (ITC), sendo que o KD de SEPT3GC para GTPγS foi de 5,43 μM e a ligação para este nucleotídeo foi dependente de Mg2+. A ligação para GDP não foi detectável. Agregados de SEPT3GC induzidos por temperatura foram capazes de ligar a sonda fluorescente tioflavina-T, sugerindo uma natureza amilóide para tais estruturas. / Septins are proteins that belong to the superfamily of GTPases, which were initially identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and then in higher eukaryotes, except plants. These proteins are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as chromosome segregation, cell polarity, membrane dynamics, vesicle trafficking, exocytosis, apoptosis, among others. Mutations or changes in the expression of septins have been associated with various cancers and neurological diseases. Aiming to provide functional information about these proteins, the human septins 1, 5 and 7 were used as baits in yeast two-hybrid assay in order to identify their protein partners. After screening cDNA libraries from human leukocytes and fetal brain, the protein partners predominantly found were septins from others groups. The septin-septin interactions involved the GTP binding domain. Others non-septins interactors have also been identified in the libraries and were functionally related to endocytosis, the regulation of the GTPase activity, intracellular trafficking, sumoylation, maintenance of metaphase plate and centrosome maturation. Some of these functions are new and were related to the septins for the first time. This work also focused on the biophysical characterization of the septins 3 and 5 (SEPT3 and SEPT5). Many different protocols were developed aiming to obtain homogeneous samples of SEPT5, but were not successful. On the other hand, recombinant SEPT3, without the amino-terminal domain (SEPT3GC), was produced in a homogeneous form in E. coli. SEPT3GC is monomeric in solution as confirmed by size exclusion chromatography and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Also, SEPT3GC has shown to be active and able to hydrolyze GTP in vitro. The SEPT3GC affinity by GTPγS and GDP were evaluated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The KD for GTPγS was about 5,43 μM and it was observed to be Mg2+ dependent. The binding to GDP was not detectable. SEPT3GC aggregates induced by temperature were able to bind the thioflavin-T fluorescent probe, suggesting an amyloid nature for such structures.

Orientador: Jorg Kobarg / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campoinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T07:25:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nakahira_Marcel_D.pdf: 11988351 bytes, checksum: e05bc17d15fd4fe6b9d016e36caed880 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Septinas são proteínas que apresentam um domínio bem característico de ligação ao nucleotídeo GTP (GTPase), bem como outros dois domínios variáveis (N e C-terminais). Sua principal característica é a habilidade de interagir entre si (septinas de grupos diferentes) e de formar filamentos. Esse fato está intimamente relacionado com as funções que desempenham na citocinese, exocitose, apoptose, entre outras. Além disso, elas são direta ou indiretamente envolvidas com situações patológicas, como o mal de Alzheimer e câncer. Acredita-se que uma das suas funções moleculares é a de atuar como "andaime" (scqffòld), promovendo assim a interação entre proteínas. Com isso as funções das septinas se tornaram muito mais amplas do que se acreditava inicialmente. Por isso nosso objetivo é identificar a diversidade de proteínas que interagem com as septinas 6 e 8. Achamos que essas duas septinas interagem com quase todas as outras septinas, exceto aquelas pertencentes ao mesmo "grupo 6". As septinas presas sempre apresentavam o domínio GTPase inteiro, mostrando sua importância na interação. Com isso propusemos baseado também em informação na literatura, um modelo para as unidades formadoras (trímero) dos filamentos, onde as septinas 6 e 8 possivelmente estejam sempre na unidade central do trímero, podendo ser permutadas por outras septinas do mesmo grupo (grupo 6). Ainda identificamos várias outras proteínas que sugerem um envolvimento das septinas em processos como a divisão celular, metabolismo, transcrição, e a degradação de proteínas, entre outros. A análise da presença das septinas 6,7,8 e 9 em células de mamíferos sugere que elas sejam encontradas em estruturas que parecem ser centrossomos, os quais são realacíonados com a divisão celular. Outro estudo realizado com a septina 1 inteira e sua região GTPase mostrou que ela se encontra em solução não como monômero mas sim como um trimero/tetrâmero. O domínio GTPase assim como a presença do nucleotídeo GTP no mesmo são fundamentais para a sua multimerização e estabilidade. Em comparação com dados da literatura a SEPT1 apresenta maior estabilidade sendo mais resistente ao desenovelamento térmico. Por fim, esses e outros resultados auxiliam na compreensão das funções das septinas e sua relação com os processos celulares. / Abstract: Septins have a central domain which binds GTP (GTPase domain) and two other variable domains at their N- and C-termim Their principal characteristic is the ability to bind to other septins, thereby forming filaments. This is intimately related to their functions in cytokinesis, exocytosis, and apoptosis, among others. They are also directly or indirectly associated to pathological processes such as the Alzheimer disease and cancer. It has been suggested that one of its molecular functions may be to act as a '"scaffold" protein to promote interactions among proteins. Thereby the functions of septins have turned out to be more diverse than initially predicted. Based on this our main objective here is lo identify the diversity of proteins thai interact with the human septins 6 and 8. We found that both interact with many other different septins, including almost all of them, except for septins of the same "group 6" (septins 6,8,10,11). The prey septins identified always contained the entire GTPase domain, indicating the importance of this domain for the observed interactions. Therefore, taking also into account data from the literature, we propose a model where the central unit of the trimeric septin is always occupied by septins of the group 6, specially septins 6 and 8. We also identified several other proteins to interact with septins 6 and 8, suggest involvement in processes such as cell division, metabolism, transcription, protein degradation, among others. The analysis of the expression of the septins 6,7,8 and 9 in mammalian cells suggests that they maybe localized to centrossomal structures, which are involved in cell division. Another study which involved full length as well as only the GTPase domain of Septin 1 showed that this septin is not found as a monomer but as a trimer/tetramer in solution. The GTPase domain as well as the presence of the bound nucleotide GTP, are fundamental for its multimerizalion and stability. In comparison to data from the literature, SEPT1 presents an elevated resistance to thermal denaturation. In summary, these and other data help us to understand the function of the septins and their relationship to cellular processes. / Doutorado / Bioquimica / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Modular decompositions of protein interaction networks can be used to identify modules of cooperating proteins. The biological plausibility off these modules might be questioned though. This report describes how a modular decomposition can be completed with semantic information in the visual representation. Possible methods for creating modules of functionally related proteins are also proposed in this work. The results show that such modules, with advantage can be combined with modules from a graph decomposition, to find proteins that are likely to cooperate to perform certain functions in organisms

Control of Rhipicephalus microplus is predominantly mediated by the application of acaricides, but the rapid acquisition of resistance by this species and environmental pollution resulting from discarded acaricides, necessitates the discovery of new control measures. Due to the fact that Rhipicephalus spp. are genetically diverse and often have more than one host, it has been difficult to identify a common protective vaccine candidate able to target all species of this genus. Only one anti-tick antigen, Bm86, has been commercialized to date and is sold as GAVAC® and GAVACPlus® in South America. In an attempt to identify protective antigens, a protein termed subolesin was identified using expression library immunisation. RNAi studies showed that subolesin knockdown causes the degeneration of tick guts, salivary glands, reproductive tissues and embryos. Subolesin additionally mediates tick gene expression, impacts the innate immune response and affects tick infection by Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Babesia or Theileria spp. The R. microplus EF-1α homolog was identified as a subolesin-interacting protein via yeast two-hybrid and co-affinity purification experiments. RNAi experiments have suggested that EF-1α is another possible anti-tick vaccine candidate since it exhibits a similar phenotype as subolesin upon knockdown. The aim of the present research was to express R. microplus EF-1α in the yeast, Pichia pastoris and to exploit the yeast two-hybrid system in an attempt to identify its protein-binding partners. This will provide insight into understanding the translational machinery of this species and of ixodid ticks. Recombinant EF-1α was expressed as a 24 kDa protein, validated by western blotting. A highly representative cDNA library was produced from R. microplus mixed lifestages mRNA, fractionated and cloned into a two-hybrid prey vector. No definitive hits were obtained during the two-hybrid screen of reporter genes, as E-values attained after tblastx and PSI-BLAST analysis were higher than the required limit of 1 x 10-4. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Biochemistry / unrestricted