Tumor suppressor p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1) is an integral part of a sophisticated network of cellular pathways termed as the DNA damage response (DDR). These pathways are specialized in the maintenance of genome integrity. Recently, it was reported that nuclear import of 53BP1 depends on importin ß. Here, I used fluorescence microscopy and co-immunoprecipitation experiments to identify its nuclear localization signal (NLS). Clusters of basic amino acids 1667-KRK-1669 and 1681-KRGRK- 1685 were required for 53BP1 interaction with importin ß and for its nuclear localization. Short peptide containing these two clusters was sufficient for interaction with importin ß and targeting EGFP to the nucleus. Additionally, the effect of 53BP1 phosphorylation at S1678 on its nuclear import was examined. Mimicking the phosphorylation in the 53BP1-S1678D mutant decreased the binding to importin ß and resulted in a mild defect in 53BP1 nuclear import. However, 53BP1 entered the nucleus continuously during the cell cycle, suggesting that CDK-dependent phosphorylation of S1678 probably does not significantly contribute to the regulation of 53BP1 nuclear transport. Taken together, 53BP1 NLS meets the attributes of a classical bipartite NLS. Although no cell cycle-dependent regulation of its import was observed, the...

Mitochondrial ATP synthase represents the final complex of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system located in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Its primary role is to utilize mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) generated by respiratory chain complexes to produce energy in the form of ATP. Mammalian ATP synthase comprises of 17 different subunits organized into membranous Fo and matrix-oriented F1 domains. Defects of complex V and their manifestation have been studied on mitochondrial, cellular, tissue and organism levels using different models, including human cell lines and cell lines derived from patient tissues. In many cases mitochondrial diseases display threshold behaviour, when genetic defect is phenotypically manifested only bellow certain threshold in particular enzyme complex activity and/or content. This work was aimed at elucidation of functional consequences of ATP synthase deficiency in HEK293 cell lines with suppressed gene expression of γ, δ or ε subunits of ATP synthase central stalk. We have analysed range of clones with respective subunits knockdown and found varying decrease in assembled ATP synthase content, which was mirrored by the decrease in individual ATP synthase subunits. The only exception was subunit Fo-c, whose levels remained unchanged or even increased. ATP...

The major human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae is a unique model for the study of eukaryotic-type serine/threonine protein kinases and its cognate phosphatases in bacteria, since it encodes only a single signaling pair composed of the StkP protein kinase and PhpP phosphatase. This signaling pair plays a role in several cellular processes, mainly in cell wall biosynthesis and cell division. StkP and PhpP proteins with a pleiotropic effect appear to regulate a complex signaling cascade by phosphorylation of many substrates. However, only a few have been characterized so far. Using MS analysis, we have identified about 90 phosphopeptides that are potential substrates for the StkP kinase and PhpP phosphatase. This diploma thesis is focused on the characterization of the new substrate Spr0929 and its role in pneumococcal physiology. One of the objectives was to investigate cell morphology of strains carrying deletion of the spr0929 gene in different genetic backgrounds. It turned out that the role of Spr0929 in cell morphology is strain specific. The growth curves of strains with this deletion were compared to that of the wild type in various physiological conditions as well. As Spr0929 contains a nucleoid-associated domain called NdpA, determination of its cell localization was an important...

P130Cas (Crk-associated substrate, CAS) is a multiadaptor protein important in integrin signalling where it positively regulates cell motility, invasion, proliferation and survival. CAS lacks enzymatic activity, but its binding to other signalling proteins could lead to the change of phosphorylation status of its substrate domain, which is the main mode, through which CAS takes part in regulating cell behavior. Local tensions in focal adhesions lead to an extension of CAS substrate domain, leaving phosphorylation sites more accessible for kinases, which subsequently leads to an increased CAS substrate domain phosphorylation. The CAS anchorage in focal adhesions is mediated by its SH3 domain, probably through the interactions with FAK, and also by C-terminal domain, where interaction partners are not known. The aim of my project is to find out, which proteins mediate the CAS anchorage to the focal adhesions. The elucidation of CAS anchorage to focal adhesions will contribute to the understanding of mechanosensory function of CAS. Experimental data suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of the CAS SH3 domain plays an important role in the regulation of its binding properties. Another goal of my diploma project was to analyze the significance of tyrosine phosphorylation within SH3 domain and other...

Isolated deficiency of F1FO-ATPsynthase is a soubgroup of mitochondrial diseases caused by mutations in nuclear and mitochondrial-encoded structural subunits, or nuclear-encoded assembly factors of F1FO-ATPsynthase. The most often mutations are found in a MTATP6 gene localized in the mitochondrial DNA and a TMEM70 gene, localized in the nuclear DNA. A MTATP6 gene encodes subunit a of F1FO-ATPsynthase and its mutation usually leads to reduced phosphorylation activity of F1FO-ATPsynthase. A TMEM70 gene encodes a 21 kDa mitochondrial protein of the inner mitochondrial membrane of not completely explained function and its mutation results in the decrease in a content of fully assembled F1FO- ATPsynthase. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the impact of isolated F1FO- ATPsynthase deficiency on the oxidative phosphorylation system (complex I-IV), other selected mitochondrial proteins, and mitochondrial network in two cell lines of primary human skin fibroblasts with an isolated deficiency of F1FO-ATPsynthase (mutation m.8851T>C in MTATP6 and mutation c.317-2A>G in TMEM70) during the first days of their cultivation in media containing galactose or glucose as a carbohydrate source with a presence or absence of L-glutamine. The control cell line was found to have higher amounts of respiratory chain...

Calmodulin kinase cascade is a signaling pathway which is involved in the response to the increasing intracellular calcium levels. Ca2+ is a ubiquitous second messenger which promotes wide-range of cellular signaling events. Many of these signaling pathways start with the binding of Ca2+ to its primary intracellular receptor calmodulin. Calmodulin in turn binds to its downstream targets in the Ca2+ /calmodulin signaling cascade. One of the most important enzymes of this cascade is a Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2). CaMKK2 is a serine/threonine protein kinase which regulates for example gene transcription or energy homeostasis by phosphorylation of its downstream targets. Catalytic domain (which provides kinase activity) is located in the middle part of the protein and possesses structure typical for kinases. CaMKK2 consists of 588 amino acids but the secondary structure is known only for the region of the kinase domain (298 residues). The rest of the protein is assumed to be unstructured as long as CaMKK2 is not bound to any interaction partner. The aim of this study was to prepare several constructs of human isoform of CaMKK2 for the further structural and activity studies. It is believed that CaMKK2 is regulated by site-specific phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of some...

In their bioenergetic metabolism mammalian cells are primarily dependent on ATP production through the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS). Defects of OXPHOS function can lead to occurrence of mitochondrial disorders with different severity and diverse symptoms. Most severely affected are usually tissues with high energy demand which are also difficult to access for biochemical and other examinations. The aim of this thesis was mainly to characterize the effects of mutations in seven different genes (OPA1, DARS2, NDUFS8, NR2F1, HTRA2, MGME1, POLG) on bioenergetic metabolism and mitochondrial network structure of skin fibroblasts from eight different patients diagnosed with mitochondrial disorders. The main method used was measurement of oxygen uptake by permeabilized cells using highly sensitive polarography. Significant changes in fibroblast respiration of four patients were found. Changes in mitochondrial network morphology were found in two of those and two other patient cell lines compared to controls using fluorescent microscopy and different cultivating conditions. Skin fibroblasts are relatively easy to obtain and offer a number of benefits for both diagnostic and study purposes. The results of this work illustrate the possibilities of their use for validation of potential causal...

There are several members of the subfamily of plant AGC kinases (AGCVIII) suggested to play a role in the regulation of auxin transport, protein kinases PID, WAG1, WAG2 and D6. They all have been shown to perform regulatory phosphorylation of PIN auxin efflux carriers. It is the asymmetrical subcellular localization of PIN proteins that enables the auxin molecules to be transported through a tissue in a polar manner. Regulation of their expression, localization or activity can therefore affect the quantity and directionality of auxin transport. This thesis is focused on better understanding of the PID-mediated regulation of auxin transport. The auxin accumulation as well as the localization of PIN and PID proteins has been studied using stable and transient expression of Arabidopsis thaliana PID in tobacco cell line BY-2. As shown here, the activity of PID does not enhance the activity of PINs, but still it has a positive effect on auxin efflux by increasing the amount of PIN proteins on the plasma membrane. Results presented here suggest that PID-mediated phosphorylation of PIN proteins most likely promotes their exocytosis from endosomal compartments towards the plasma membrane. Using transient co-expression of PID kinase mutated in its ATP-binding site and PIN1-RFP it was shown that functional...

There are an increasing amount of compounds in the environment that can have a negative effect on reproductive parameters in both male and female organism. There has been a worldwide decline of sperm quality during past decades and this fact lead to an increase of unnatural ways of conception through assisted reproduction techniques in the specialised centres. Natural estrogens are one of these compounds and they get into waste water after being excluded from the body by the urine. They get back into the human body from drinking water or from the food, and they can interfere with function of endogenous hormones in very low concentrations. For these reasons it is up to date to deal with the influence of these compounds on mammalian sperm. For many years, estrogens have been considered typically female sex hormones. It is now certain that they are also very important in the regulation of male reproduction. Endogenous estrogens in mammalian males are an important part of the endocrine system. Estrogens play an important role in the development of germ cells, spermatogenesis and processes leading to successful egg fertilization such as a capacitation or acrosomal reaction. Tyrosine phosphorylation is one of the essential steps for the properly ongoing process of capacitation in sperm followed by a...

Numerous epidemiological and experimental studies have shown that patients suffering from metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (TDM2), insulin resistance or obesity are at a higher risk of cognitive functions impairment and developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Impairment of insulin signalling in the brain could contribute to two pathological changes which leads to AD development that include insoluble senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, containing an abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau protein (Tau). This work is focused on investigating of insulin signaling in hippocampi in the brains of mice models of insulin resistence, impact of disturbed insulin signaling on hyperphosphorylation of Tau, and possible benefical efect of insulin sensitizing agents on insulin signaling and Tau phosphorylation in the hippocampi of diabetic mice. The first, we examined insulin signaling and phosphorylation of Tau in hippocampi in two mouse models of TDM2 - lipodystrofic A-ZIP F-1 mice and monosodium glutamate obese mice (MSG mice). We did not observe any changes in insulin signaling and Tau phosphorylation in hippocampi of A-ZIP F-1 mice compared to controls. In the hippocampi of MSG mice there was attenuated phosphorylation of kinases of insulin signalling including Ser9 of glycogen synthase...