DNA replication is essential for the propagation of all living organisms. The ability of a cell to accurately duplicate its entire genome is dependent upon the activity of numerous proteins. Identifying the molecular mechanisms by which these proteins act, and determining how they are physically and functionally coordinated at sites of active DNA replication, is central to understanding this essential cellular process. Archaea possess a DNA replication machinery which is ancestral to the one present in eukaryotes, and thus these organisms serve as simplified model systems for understanding the complexities of eukaryotic DNA replication. This thesis investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying Okazaki fragment maturation in the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus, which is essential to the completion of lagging strand DNA replication. Reconstitution of Okazaki fragment maturation in vitro demonstrated that the activities of three enzymes – PolB1, Fen1, and Lig1 – are required for this process in S. solfataricus. Furthermore, it was shown that optimum coordination of their three distinct activities is dependent on the ability of PolB1, Fen1 and Lig1 to simultaneously interact with a single PCNA ring, providing evidence for a mechanism of multi-enzyme coordination which may be universally employed by DNA sliding clamp proteins. The importance of protein flexibility in the accommodation of multiple proteins around a single PCNA was also investigated. Finally, the physical coordination of one of these key maturation enzymes – PolB1 – with other replisome proteins was examined. It was demonstrated that PolB1 exists in a trimeric complex in vivo with two previously unidentified factors, raising the possibility of uncharacterised activities and interactions for this crucial enzyme. Taken together, these data provide new insights into functionally important protein-protein interactions within the archaeal replisome, and facilitate a greater understanding of the DNA replication machinery in both archaea and eukaryotes.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

1. Mesophyllzellen von Arabidopsis thaliana sind mit Hyperpolarisations-ab-hängigen, Calcium-permeablen Kanälen ausgestattet. In Ca2+-haltigen Lösungen folgte die Nullstromspannung der Nernst-Spannung mit 27 mV bei einer zehnfachen Erhöhung der Ca2+-Konzentration. Die Sequenz an relativen Stromamplituden ergab Ba2+ (131,8 ± 20) > Ca2+ (100) > Mg2+ (84,3 ± 18). Der makroskopische Strom wurde auf der Basis einer 7,2 ± 1 pS-Leitfähigkeit bei einer Pipettenlösung mit 10 mM Ba2+ in der cell-attached Konfiguration gebildet. Die Kanäle waren sensitiv gegenüber Lanthan und Gadolinium, wobei die Stromamplitude bei 100 µM Lanthan um 97,2 ±7 % und bei 100 µM Gadolinium um 95,2 ± 7 % reduziert wurde. 2. Blaulicht induzierte den Hyperpolarisations-abhängigen, Calcium-permeablen Kanal in dunkeladaptierten, intakten Mesophyll-Protoplasten. Die Aktivierung war zeitabhängig und der Stromanstiegs erreichte eine Sättigung nach 11-16 Minuten. Weiterhin wurde bestimmt, dass eine Kanalaktivität erst bei einer Intensität an Blaulicht > 50 µmol/m2s1 induziert wird. Aufgrund der Tatsache, dass der photosynthetische Elektronentransport-Entkoppler DCMU die Aktivierung nicht verhinderte, konnte eine Beteiligung des Photosyntheseapparates ausgeschlossen werden. Eine Inhibierung der Aktivierung nach Inkubation mit dem Kinase-Inhibitor K252a war ein erster Hinweis für die Beteiligung von Phototropinen als relevante Blaulicht-Rezeptoren, da Phototropine eine Kinase-Funktion besitzen. Diese Hypothese bestätigte sich nach Überprüfung der Phototropin-knockout-Mutanten phot1-5 und phot1-5 phot2-1. Da die Aktivierung in phot1-5 reduziert war, und in phot1-5 phot2-1 keine Aktivierung der Kanäle durch Blaulicht mehr möglich war, konnte auf eine überlappende Funktion beider Photorezeptoren bezüglich der Aktivierung von Calcium-permeablen Kanälen geschlossen werden. Dagegen konnte eine Beteiligung weiterer Blaulicht-Rezeptoren, der Cryptochrome, ausgeschlossen werden. 3. Neben Blaulicht aktivierten auch reaktive Sauerstoff-Spezies (ROS) Hyper-polarisation-abhängige, Calcium-permeable Kanäle. Protoplasten mit intaktem Cytoplasma (cell-attached Konfiguration) zeigten nach Applikation von 5 mM H2O2 eine zeitabhängige Aktivierung der Lanthan-sensitiven Kanäle. Eine Sättigung des Stromanstiegs wurde nach ca. 25 Minuten erreicht. Neben dem Wildtyp (Col-0) wurde die Mutante dnd1 hinsichtlich Calcium-permeabler Kanäle überprüft. Sie besitzt einen nicht-funktionellen putativen cyclisch-Nukleotid-aktivierten Kanal, CNGC2, und zeigt Phänotypen bei der Pathogenabwehr. Eine histochemische DAB-Färbung ergab, dass dnd1 eine dem Wildtyp vergleichbare ROS-Produktion nach Inokulation mit avirulenten Pseudomonas syringae DC 3000 pv. tomato avrB besitzt. Da eine ROS- bzw. H2O2-Produktion, ein wichtiger initiierender Schritt bei Abwehrmechanismen, in der Mutante nicht beeinträchtigt war, wurde überprüft, ob ROS-aktivierte, Calcium-permeable Kanäle in dnd1 beobachtet werden konnten. Nach Applikation von 5 mM H2O2 zu intakten Protoplasten wurde keine dem Wildtyp vergleichbare Aktivierung Calcium-permeabler Kanäle festgestellt. Daraufhin konnte spekuliert werden, dass CNGC2 im Wildtyp den Calcium-permeablen Kanal repräsentiert. Eine Blaulicht-Aktivierung der Calcium-permeablen Kanäle in der Kanal-Mutante war jedoch möglich, was die Frage aufkommen ließ, ob es sich um verschiedene Kanäle mit denselben elektrophysiologischen Charakteristika handelt, oder ob es sich bei dem H2O2-aktivierten und dem Blaulicht-aktivierten Kanal um denselben Kanal handelt, der durch verschiedene Signalketten angeschaltet wird. Cyclische Nukleotide (cAMP) konnten die Kanäle in Wildtyp-Protoplasten nicht aktivieren, was dagegen sprach, dass es sich um CNGC2 handelte. Eine Inhibierung der H2O2-aktivierten Ströme durch den Calmodulin-Inhibitor W7 wies auf eine Beteiligung eines Calmodulin-abhängigen Schritts in der Signalkette hin. Untersuchungen des Calcium-permeablen Kanals in der outside-out Konfiguration mit einer dem Cytoplasma ähnlichen internen Lösung ergab, dass eine Kanalaktivität durch eine erhöhte Calcium-Konzentration (21 µM) bei Vorhandensein von Calmodulin induziert werden konnte. Cyclische Nukleotide aktivierten wie erwartet keine Hyperpolarisation-abhängigen, Calcium-permeablen Kanäle. Dies deutete darauf hin, dass CNGC2 die Calcium-permeablen Kanäle über einen Ca2+/Calmodulin-abhängigen Schritt in einer H2O2-induzierten Signalkette regulieren könnte. Lokalisationsstudien mit einem GFP-CNGC2-Fusionskonstrukt (CNGC2::mGFP4 /pPILY) zeigten, dass der Kanal in vivo im Endoplasmatischen Retikulum lokalisiert sein könnte. Dies bestätigte die Hypothese, dass CNGC2 nicht den Calcium-permeablen Kanal in der Plasmamembran repräsentiert und dass der Verlust der Kanalaktivität in dnd1 in einer beeinträchtigten Signalkette zu suchen ist. / 1. Hyperpolarisation-dependent, calcium-permeable channels have been found in Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll cells. In Ca2+-containing solutions, the reversal potential shifted 27 mV with a tenfold increase of the Ca2+-concentration. The relative sequence of permeability was Ba2+ (131,8 ± 20) > Ca2+ (100) > Mg2+ (84,3 ± 18). The macroscopic current in the cell-attached configuration was based on a 7,2 ± 1 pS-conductance with 10 mM Ba2+ in the pipette solution. The channels were sensitive to lanthanum and gadolinium. Current amplitudes decreased 97,2 ±7 % after application of 100 µM La3+ and 95,2 ± 7 % after application of 100 µM Gd3+. 2. Blue-light (450-490 nm) induced hyperpolarisation-dependent, calcium-permeable channels in dark-adapted mesophyll-protoplasts with intact cytoplasm. The current increase was time-dependent and saturated after 11-16 minutes. Examining the dose dependence of channel activation revealed that > 50 µmol/m2s1 blue-light induces channel activity. Phototsynthesis was shown to be not involved in the signaling cascade since the photosynthetic electron-transport inhibitor DCMU did not inhibit channel activation. The inhibition of channel activation with the kinase inhibitor K252a pointet to the involvement of phototropins. This hypothesis proved to be true when the phototropin knockout mutants phot1-5 and phot1-5 phot2-1 were examined. In phot1-5, the activation was clearly reduced and in phot1-5 phot2-1 no blue-light activation was observed anymore. Furthermore, this pointed to an overlapping function of both photoreceptors. The involvement of cryptochromes, further blue-light receptors, could be excepted. 3. Beside blue-light, also reactive oxygen species (ROS) were shown to activate calcium-permeable channels in intact mesophyll protoplasts. After application of 5 mM H2O2, lanthanum-sensitive channels showed a time-dependent current increase with a saturation after approx. 25 minutes. Beside wildtype-plants (Col-0), also the mutant dnd1 has been tested. dnd1 is characterized by a truncated protein of a putative cyclic-nucleotide-gated channel, CNGC2. The plants are dwarfed in stature, have an elevated level of salicylic acid and exhibit a resistance against a variety of virulent bacterial, fungal and viral phatogens without developing a hypersensitive response. After inoculation of leaves with Pseudomonas syringae DC 3000 pv. tomato avrB, dnd1 showed a production of ROS like the wildtype. In contrast, an activation of calcium-permeable channels by ROS was not observed. A blue-light-dependent activation of calcium-permeable channels was still possible. This raised the question if blue-light and H2O2 activate the same channel via different signaling cascades or if there are two calcium-permeable channels. Cyclic nucleotides alone did not activate the channels, pointing to the possibility that CNGC2 does not represent the calcium-permeable channel. Furthermore, when the intact cytoplasm was lost (outside-out configuration), H2O2-induced channel activity was also observed in dnd1, possibly due to the loss of a composition of regulating compounds in the cytoplasm. Therefore it was concluded that CNGC2 does not represent the observed calcium-permeable channel and that CNGC2 is placed upstream of the activation of these channels. An inhibition of the H2O2-induced channel activation by the calmodulin (CaM) inhibitor W7 pointet to the involvement of a CaM-dependent step in the signaling cascade. When the cytoplasm was replaced with a pipette solution containing an elevated level of Ca2+ (21 µM) and CaM, channel activity was induced. Ca2+, cyclic nucleotides or CaM alone did not have this effect. This pointed to the possibility, that CNGC2 might activate calcium-permeable channels via a Ca2+/CaM-dependent signaling pathway. Subcellular localisation studies with a GFP-fusionconstruct (CNGC2::mGFP4 /pPILY) revealed that CNGC2 might be located in the endoplasmatic reticulum. This reeinforced the hypothesis that CNGC2 does not represent the calcium-permeable channel in the plasma membrane and that the loss of channel activity in dnd1 is due to an impaired signaling cascade. Also the expression of GFP-labeled CNGC2 in a heterolguous system (HEK293 cells) showed that neither the full-length nor a mutant containing a partly deletion of the N-terminal end (CNGC2::EGFP/pcDNA3.1 or CNGC2-D112::EGFP/pcDNA3.1) is transported to the plasma membrane. Therefore no electrophysiological characterization of CNGC2 in this cell line was possible.

Nematodes of the genus Ascaris are large gastrointestinal parasites. Ascaris lumbricoides infects ~1 billion people globally; causing malnutrition and general morbidity, and can block the gut or bile duct causing fatal complications. Ascaris suum is a parasite of pigs; in addition to its veterinary significance, it can occasionally be zoonotic, and is a good model of the human parasite. One of the main classes of drugs used to treat parasitic nematode infections are the cholinergic anthelmintics, such as levamisole and pyrantel, which act as agonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the nematode neuromuscular junction.

Clinical studies reported side effects of muscular spasms and muscle stiffness following the administration of clofibrate, a drug once used to treat hyperlipidaemia in patients. Experiments with clofibrate and its analogues in animal models showed it produced these myotonic symptoms in muscle by reducing the chloride conductance of the muscle membrane. The effects of 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid, an analogue of clofibric acid, was assessed on the rat ClC-1 channel (rClC-1). Racemic 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid shifted the voltage dependence of rClC-1 activation to more depolarising potentials, a mechanism accounting for myotonic symptoms previously reported. Experiments with resolved enantiomers revealed that the effects recorded were due exclusively to S-(–) 2-(4- chlorophenoxy)propionic acid. The R-(+) enantiomer was ineffective at the concentrations tested. Further experiments with the compound at differing Cl- concentrations in the extracellular solution suggested that S-(–) 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid altered the gating of ClC-1 by decreasing the affinity of the binding site where Cl- normally acts to ‘gate’ the channel. Similarities in the effects reported for most dominant mutations in the CLCN1 gene that lead to myotonia congenita and 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid prompted experiments that introduced these point mutations in the human ClC-1 (hClC-1) gene to compare their mode of action to that of the drug. These mutations, F307S and A313T, predominantly altered the slow, or common, gate of the channel. Conversely, the effect of 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propionic acid was predominantly on the fast gating process of hClC-1. A macroscopically similar effect therefore, can be produced by two different modes of action. Results suggested that both drug and mutations exert their action by affecting the transition of the channel from its closed to open state subsequent to Cl- binding. Investigation of the interaction between rClC-1 gating and a further 25 compounds structurally related to clofibric acid identified a number of compounds effective at shifting the open probability of fast gating to depolarising potentials. Fewer were identified that influence slow gating. Some compounds affected both gating processes, however, none were identified which influenced slow gating alone. Ability to displace the voltage dependent activation of the fast gate appeared to depend largely on the lipophilicity of the molecules tested, indicating the importance of hydrophobic interactions between drug and channel protein. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1474724 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, 2009

Caenorhabditis elegans est un modèle animal de choix pour l'identification à partir d'animaux mutants des gènes intervenant dans différents comportements. En revanche, la caractérisation des mutants à l'échelle cellulaire a longtemps été limitée par la taille restreinte de l'animal. La mise au point de la dissection et l'application de la technique de patch-clamp et d'imagerie Ca2+ sur la cellule musculaire striée de C. elegans nous ont permis de caractériser pour la première fois les principales conductances ioniques de cette cellule. Nous avons montré le rôle crucial que jouaient les canaux Ca2+ EGL-19 dans le couplage excitation-contraction et mis en évidence les propriétés d'activation de canaux K+ voltage-dépendants et Ca2+-activés. Nous avons aussi démontré que le canal Na+ UNC-105, de la famille des dégénérines, n'était pas mécanosensible comme le supposaient les études génétiques, tandis qu'un autre membre de cette famille s'est avéré sensible à l'acidification extracellulaire

Le canal KATP résulte de l'assemblage d'un canal potassique inhibé par l'ATP intracellulaire (Kir6.2) et d'un transporteur<br />ABC, le récepteur des sulfonylurées (SUR) de la famille MRP/ABCC. SUR a un rôle régulateur essentiel : il confère au<br />canal une sensibilité accrue à l'inhibition par l'ATP, provoque son activation lorsque l'ADP augmente, et est la cible des<br />activateurs et bloqueurs pharmacologiques du canal.<br />Nous nous sommes intéressés à divers aspects structure/fonction de SUR en tant que modèle de transporteur ABC<br />eucaryote. Son couplage naturel à un canal ionique en facilite grandement l'étude grâce à la technique<br />électrophysiologique du patch-clamp.<br />La poursuite des travaux pour déterminer la nature moléculaire de la sélectivité des isoformes de SUR aux ouvreurs<br />pharmacologiques nous a permis de conclure que seul le faible encombrement de la Thr1253 de SUR2A, contre la Met<br />1290 de SUR1, serait le critère important pour l'activation pharmacologique des canaux KATP.<br />Nos travaux ont ensuite porté sur un domaine de la sous-unité SUR riche en acides aminés chargés négativement<br />(succession de 15 résidus glutamates ou aspartates) qui s'est avéré ne pas être impliquée dans la fonction du canal dans<br />notre système d'expression.<br />Nous avons étudié l'effet des ions Zn2+ et Cd2+ intracellulaires sur les canaux KATP et montré que ces ions peuvent activer<br />les canaux via leur liaison à SUR. Ce site de liaison reste encore à déterminer.<br />Nous avons enfin essayé de comprendre le rôle de chacun des domaines de liaison des nucléotides et nous avons pour cela<br />conçu des protéines SUR2A possédant des NBD identiques (NBD1-NBD1 et NBD2-NBD2) ou inversés (NBD2-NBD1).<br />Nos résultats suggèrent que (1) les NBD sont interchangeables (2) l'activation pas le Mg-ADP requiert les deux NBD (3)<br />l'action des ouvreurs est indépendante du NBD2.

Pannexins are vertebrate proteins with limited sequence homology to the invertebrate gap junction proteins, the innexins. However, in contrast to innexins and the vertebrate connexins, pannexins do not form gap junction channels. Instead they appear to solely function as unpaired membrane channels allowing the flux of molecules, including ATP, across the plasma membrane. We provided additional evidence for their ATP release function by demonstrating that the connexin mimetic peptides, which were thought to inhibit ATP release through connexin channels, do not inhibit their host connexin channels but instead inhibit pannexin1 channels by a mechanism of steric block. Therefore, the inhibitory effects of mimetic peptides on ATP release may represent supporting evidence for a role of pannexin1 in ATP release. We also analyzed the pore structure of pannexin1 channels with the Substituted Cysteine Accessibility Method. The thiol reagents MBB and MTSET reacted with several positions in the external portion of the first transmembrane segment and the first extracellular loop. In addition, MTSET reactivity was found in the internal portion of TM3. These data suggest that portions of TM1, E1 and TM3 line the pore of pannexin1 channels. Thus, the pore structure of pannexin1 is similar to that of connexin channels.

Voltage-gated ion channels are fundamental for electrical signaling in living cells. They are composed of four subunits, each holding six transmembrane helices, S1-S6. Each subunit contains a voltage-sensor domain, S1-S4, and a pore domain, S5-S6. S4 contains several positively charged amino-acid residues and moves in response to changes in membrane voltage. This movement controls the opening and closing of the channel. The structure of the pore domain is solved and demonstrates principles of channel selectivity. The molecular mechanism of how the voltage sensor regulates the opening of the channel is still under discussion. Several models have been discussed. One of the models is the paddle model where S3b and S4 move together. The second one is the helical-twist where S4 makes a small rotation in order for the channel to open. The third one is the helical-screw model where S4 twists around its axis and moves diagonally towards the extracellular side of the channel. The aim of this PhD project was to study the molecular movement of the voltage sensor in the depolarization-activated Shaker K channel. Cloned channels were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and investigated with several electrophysiological techniques. 1. We show that S4 moves in relation to both S3b and S5. The formation of some disulfide bonds between S4 and neighboring positions, in only the open state, shows that the paddle model cannot be correct. Furthermore, electrostatic and steric effects of residues in S3b suggest that S3b is tilted, with the intracellular part close to S4. 2. We show that the relatively Mg-sensitive Shaker K channel is changed into the less Mg-sensitive Kv2.1 K channel with respect to its sensitivity to extracellularly applied Mg2+ by changing the charge of three extracellularly positioned amino acid residues. One of the residues, F425C, mediates its effect through the neighboring residue K427. 3. We show that oxaliplatin, an anti-cancer drug, has no effect on the Shaker K channel. It has been suggested that a negatively charged monochloro complex of oxaliplatin is the active substance, and also causes the neurotoxic side effects. Neither this complex shows any effect on the channel. Our experiments point towards the helical-screw model. The other models for voltage-sensor movements are incompatible with the results in this study.

Introduction: Neurological complications and stroke in association with cardiac surgery is a serious problem. The stroke event can occur during surgery (early stroke) or in the postoperative period with a symptom free interval (delayed stroke). Particle embolization due to aortic manipulation during surgery has been suspected as a mechanism for early stroke. The present thesis address mechanisms and survival effects of stroke both clinically (I-III) and experimentally (IV-V). Methods: Study I) Within a cohort of 2641 consecutive cases, a group of cardiac surgery patients with stroke and evaluated by computed tomography (CT) were studied (n=77). CT-findings were analyzed in relation to stroke symptoms. Study II) Data from 9122 patients undergoing coronary surgery were analyzed. Records of patients with any signs of neurological complications were reviewed to extract 149 subjects with stroke at extubation (early, 1.6%) versus 99 patients having a free interval (delayed, 1.1%). Early and delayed stroke were evaluated separately. Independent risk factors for stroke were analyzed by logistic regression and survival by Cox regression (9.3 years median follow-up). Study III) Patients with early (n=223) and delayed stroke (n=116) were identified among 10809 patients undergoing cardiac and aortic surgery, both groups exposed to cardiopulmonary bypass. Stroke patients were subdivided by the hemispheric location of lesions. Subgroups were compared and their associated pre- and peroperative variables and survival were analyzed. Study IV) Aortic cross-clamp manipulation was studied in a human cadaveric perfusion model. The pressurized aorta was repeatedly cross-clamped and washout samples were collected before and after clamp maneuvers. Particles in the washout samples were evaluated by microscopy and by digital image analysis. Study V) Pig aortas were pressurized and cannulated. Washout samples were collected before and after cannulation (n = 40). Particles were deposited onto a 10-μm filter to be evaluated by microscopy and digital image analysis. Results: Study I) In the group of patients exposed to routine cardiac surgery (i.e., clamping and cannulation) and with early stroke, right-hemispheric lesions were more frequent than of the contra-lateral side (P=0.005). Patients with aortic dissections had a strong dominance of bilateral findings, which was different from the unilateral pattern in the routine-surgery group (P&lt;0.001). Study II) Early and delayed stroke did not share any risk factors. Both early and delayed stroke explained mortality in the early postoperative period (P&lt;0.001, P&lt;0.001 respectively) but also at long term follow-up (P=0.008, P&lt;0.001 respectively). For patients surviving their first postoperative year, delayed but not early stroke influenced long-term mortality (P=0.001 and P=0.695, respectively). Study III) Stroke lesions in association to cardiac surgery were near exclusively ischemic. Early stroke had a preponderance for right-hemispheric lesions (P=0.009). In contrast, patients with early stroke that had undergone surgery of the aorta with circulatory arrest showed a pattern with more bilateral lesions compared to ‘cardiac-type’ operations (P&lt;0.001). Patients with bilateral lesions had a dramatically impaired survival compared to those with unilateral lesions (P&lt;0.001). Study IV) In the cadaveric perfusion model, cross-clamping produced a significant output of particles, which was seen for size intervals of 1 mm and smaller (P=0.002 to P=0.022). In all size intervals the particle output correlated with the degree of overall aortic calcification (P =0.002 to P=0.025). Study V) At cannulation of the pig aorta, more particles were noted after cannulation compared to before the maneuver (P&lt;0.001). This increase included small (&lt;0.1 mm, P&lt;0.001) and intermediate-size particles (0.1-0.5 mm, P&lt; 0.001). Particles above 0.5 mm were few and were not associated with cannulation. Conclusions: The influence of stroke on mortality was devastating, for both early and delayed stroke. These two stroke groups had obvious differences in both their risk factors and their hemispheric distribution. It is here emphasized that early and delayed stroke should be considered as two separate entities with suggested mechanistic differences. Ischemic lesions accounted for near all stroke events seen in association to cardiac surgery. For early stroke, these were mostly located within the right hemisphere. Results from the experimental studies underscore microembolic risks associated with aortic manipulation.