This review article presents the splicing process during messenger RNA maturation and how it is regulated by different Cis-regulatory RNA-sequence elements and splicing factors. A more detailed description of the process alternative splicing and its importance to the function of genes from the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana is also given. A single eukaryotic gene can by the process alternative splicing (AS) give rise to a number of functionally mature mRNA-molecules, which in turn encodes for structurally and/or functionally different proteins. During the course of evolution, the process alternative splicing has thus shown to be effective in increasing transcriptome and proteome diversity of most eukaryotic organisms. This suggests therefore that the dominant theory in molecular biology, a gene encodes for a protein, needs to be corrected. A future challenge is to determine the function of the proteins obtained from a given gene by alternative splicing.

No description available.

Diet is a major force influencing the intestinal microbiota. This is obvious from drastic changes in microbiota composition after a dietary alteration. Due to the complexity of the commensal microbiota and the high inter-individual variability, little is known about the bacterial response at the cellular level. The objective of this work was to identify mechanisms that enable gut bacteria to adapt to dietary factors. For this purpose, germ-free mice monoassociated with the commensal Escherichia coli K-12 strain MG1655 were fed three different diets over three weeks: a diet rich in starch, a diet rich in non-digestible lactose and a diet rich in casein. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry were applied to identify differentially expressed proteins of E. coli recovered from small intestine and caecum of mice fed the lactose or casein diets in comparison with those of mice fed the starch diet. Selected differentially expressed bacterial proteins were characterised in vitro for their possible roles in bacterial adaptation to the various diets. Proteins belonging to the oxidative stress regulon oxyR such as alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit F (AhpF), DNA protection during starvation protein (Dps) and ferric uptake regulatory protein (Fur), which are required for E. coli’s oxidative stress response, were upregulated in E. coli of mice fed the lactose-rich diet. Reporter gene analysis revealed that not only oxidative stress but also carbohydrate-induced osmotic stress led to the OxyR-dependent expression of ahpCF and dps. Moreover, the growth of E. coli mutants lacking the ahpCF or oxyR genes was impaired in the presence of non-digestible sucrose. This indicates that some OxyR-dependent proteins are crucial for the adaptation of E. coli to osmotic stress conditions. In addition, the function of two so far poorly characterised E. coli proteins was analysed: 2 deoxy-D gluconate 3 dehydrogenase (KduD) was upregulated in intestinal E. coli of mice fed the lactose-rich diet and this enzyme and 5 keto 4 deoxyuronate isomerase (KduI) were downregulated on the casein-rich diet. Reporter gene analysis identified galacturonate and glucuronate as inducers of the kduD and kduI gene expression. Moreover, KduI was shown to facilitate the breakdown of these hexuronates, which are normally degraded by uronate isomerase (UxaC), altronate oxidoreductase (UxaB), altronate dehydratase (UxaA), mannonate oxidoreductase (UxuB) and mannonate dehydratase (UxuA), whose expression was repressed by osmotic stress. The growth of kduID-deficient E. coli on galacturonate or glucuronate was impaired in the presence of osmotic stress, suggesting KduI and KduD to compensate for the function of the regular hexuronate degrading enzymes under such conditions. This indicates a novel function of KduI and KduD in E. coli’s hexuronate metabolism. Promotion of the intracellular formation of hexuronates by lactose connects these in vitro observations with the induction of KduD on the lactose-rich diet. Taken together, this study demonstrates the crucial influence of osmotic stress on the gene expression of E. coli enzymes involved in stress response and metabolic processes. Therefore, the adaptation to diet-induced osmotic stress is a possible key factor for bacterial colonisation of the intestinal environment. / Sowohl Humanstudien als auch Untersuchungen an Tiermodellen haben gezeigt, dass die Ernährung einen entscheidenden Einfluss auf die Zusammensetzung der Darmmikrobiota hat. Aufgrund der Komplexität der Mikrobiota und der inter individuellen Unterschiede sind die zellulären Mechanismen, die dieser Beobachtung zugrunde liegen, jedoch weitgehend unbekannt. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war deshalb, Anpassungsmechanismen von kommensalen Darmbakterien auf unterschiedliche Ernährungsfaktoren mittels eines simplifizierten Modells zu untersuchen. Dazu wurden keimfreie Mäuse mit Escherichia coli MG1655 besiedelt und drei Wochen mit einer stärkehaltigen, einer laktosehaltigen oder einer kaseinhaltigen Diät gefüttert. Mittels zwei dimensionaler Gelelektrophorese und Elektrospray Ionenfallen-Massenspektrometrie wurde das Proteom der intestinalen E. coli analysiert und differentiell exprimierte bakterielle Proteine in Abhängigkeit der gefütterten Diät identifiziert. Die Funktion einiger ausgewählter Proteine bei der Anpassung von E. coli auf die jeweilige Diät wurde im Folgenden in vitro untersucht. E. coli Proteine wie z.B. die Alkylhydroperoxid Reduktase Untereinheit F (AhpF), das DNA Bindeprotein Dps und der eisenabhängige Regulator Fur, deren Expression unter der Kontrolle des Transkriptionsregulators OxyR steht, wurden stärker exprimiert, wenn die Mäuse mit der laktosehaltigen Diät gefüttert wurden. Reportergenanalysen zeigten, dass nicht nur oxidativer Stress, sondern auch durch Kohlenhydrate ausgelöster osmotischer Stress zu einer OxyR abhängigen Expression der Gene ahpCF and dps führte. Weiterhin wiesen E. coli Mutanten mit einer Deletion der ahpCF oder oxyR Gene ein vermindertes Wachstum in Gegenwart von nicht fermentierbarer Saccharose auf. Das spricht dafür, dass OxyR abhängige Proteine eine wichtige Rolle bei der Anpassung von E. coli an osmotischen Stress spielen. Weiterhin wurde die Funktion von zwei bisher wenig charakterisierten E. coli Proteinen untersucht: die 2 Deoxy D Glukonate 3 Dehydrogenase (KduD) wurde im Darm von Mäusen, die mit der laktosehaltigen Diät gefüttert wurden, induziert, während dieses Protein und die 5 Keto 4 Deoxyuronate Isomerase (KduI) nach Fütterung der kaseinhaltigen Diät herunterreguliert wurden. Mittels Reportergenanalysen wurde gezeigt, dass Galakturonat und Glukuronat die kduD und kduI Expression induzierten. KduI begünstigte die Umsetzung dieser Hexuronate. In E. coli wird die Umsetzung von Galakturonat und Glukuronat typischerweise von den Enzymen Uronate Isomerase (UxaC), Altronate Oxidoreduktase (UxaB), Altronate Dehydratase (UxaA), Mannonate Oxidoreduktase (UxuB) und Mannonate Dehydratase (UxuA) katalysiert. Weitere Experimente verdeutlichten, dass osmotischer Stress die Expression der Gene uxaCA, uxaB und uxuAB verminderte. Darüber hinaus zeigten kduID defiziente E. coli Mutanten in Gegenwart von Galakturonat oder Glukuronat und durch Saccharose ausgelösten osmotischen Stress eine Verlangsamung des Wachstums. Das deutet darauf hin, dass KduI und KduD die durch osmotischen Stress bedingten Funktionseinschränkungen der regulären hexuronatabbauenden Enzyme kompensieren. Die beobachtete Bildung von intrazellulären Hexuronaten während des Laktosekatabolismus in vitro stellt eine Verbindung zu dem ursprünglichen Tierexperiment her und deutet darauf hin, dass der Ernährungsfaktor Laktose die Verfügbarkeit von Hexuronat für intestinale E. coli beeinflusst. Diese Studie weist somit den Einfluss von osmotischem Stress auf die Expression von OxyR abhängigen Genen, die für Stressantwortproteine sowie für metabolische Enzymen kodieren, in E. coli nach. Durch Nahrungsfaktoren entstandener osmotischer Stress stellt demnach einen entscheidenden Faktor für die bakterielle Kolonisation des Darmes dar.

The cereal seed plays a crucial role in society – both in the “food as medicine” paradigm, but also in food security. It is the starch and proteins present in the seed that lend it importance in these dissimilar anthropomorphic activities. This thesis investigation first characterized the post-translational processing of the potential diabetogen, wheat globulin-3. Globulin-3-like peptides were observed primarily in the embryo. These peptides varied significantly in their molecular masses and isoelectric points, as determined by two dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Five major polypeptide spots were sequenced by mass spectrometry, allowing for the development of a model of the post-translational events contributing to the globulin-3 processing profile. Three separate investigations of starch granules from different cereal species were performed. In the first series of experiments, pathogen-susceptible maize kernels were injected with either conidia of the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum or sterile water controls. Proteins in the desiccated fungal remnants on the surface of the kernels as well as in the endosperm and embryo tissues of the control and infected kernels were isolated and these proteomes were sequenced using tandem mass spectrometry. Approximately 250 maize proteins were identified. These proteins were classified into functional categories. There was an increased representation of defense proteins in the both the embryo and endosperm tissues of infected maize samples. The proteome of the fungal remnants was composed of 18 proteins. Several of these proteins were categorized as being involved in the metabolism of plant-sourced molecules, or in stress response. The second series of experiments detail the investigation of commercially prepared rice and maize starches using tandem mass spectrometry. The majority of identified proteins, in both rice and maize samples, were involved in either carbohydrate metabolism or storage. Markers for seed maturity and for starch mobilization were also documented. Finally, the third series of experiments investigated the non-host proteomes present in commercially-prepared starches. Non-host proteins from a variety of species, including Homarus americanus were found in the starch samples. This documentation of H. americanus proteins in these starch samples may have food safety implications with regards to shellfish allergies.

Streptococcus gordonii is a primary coloniser of the tooth surface where it efficiently ferments carbohydrates at pH levels above 6.0. By not being able to maintain the pH of dental plaque to a level required for enamel dissolution, the dominance of S. gordonii in dental plaque is considered a sign of a healthy oral cavity. However, upon entering the bloodstream and encountering a rise in pH, S. gordonii may become pathogenic, being one of the major causative organisms associated with infective endocarditis. Proteome analyses of S. gordonii grown at steady state in a chemostat allowed the phenotypic changes associated with alterations in pH levels characteristic of these two environments to be determined. As an initial starting point to this study, a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2- DE) reference map of S. gordonii grown at pH 7.0 was produced. Although only 50% of the S gordonii genome was available in an annotated form during the course of this study, the closely related Streptococcus pneumoniae genome (with which S. gordonii shares 97.24% DNA sequence homology) had been completed in 2001. The use of both of these databases allowed many of the S. gordonii proteins to be identified by mass spectrometry. Four hundred and seventy six protein spots, corresponding to 250 different proteins, or 12.5% of the S. gordonii proteome, were identified, giving rise to the first comprehensive proteome reference map of this oral bacterium. Of the 250 different proteins, 196 were of cellular origin while 68 were identified from the extracellular milieu. Only 14 proteins were common to both compartments. Of particular interest among the 54 uniquely identified extracellular proteins was a homologue of a peptidoglycan hydrolase that has been associated with virulence in S. pneumoniae. Among the other proteins identified were ones involved in transport and binding, energy metabolism, translation, transformation, stress response and virulence. Twelve cell envelope proteins were identified as well as 25 others that were predicted to have a membrane association based on the presence of at least one transmembrane domain. The study also confirmed the existence of 38 proteins previously designated as �hypothetical� or with no known function. Mass spectral data for over 1000 protein spots were accumulated and archived for future analysis when sequencing of the S. gordonii genome is finally completed. Following the mapping of the proteome of S. gordonii, alterations in protein spots associated with growth of the bacterium at pH intervals of 0.5 units in the pH range 5.5 - 7.5 were determined. Only 16 protein spots were shown to be significantly altered in their level of expression despite the range of pH studied. Among the differentially expressed proteins was a manganese-dependent inorganic pyrophosphatase (PpaC), which regulates expression of adhesins required for coaggregation. The expression of PpaC was highest at pH 6.5 - 7.0, the pH of a healthy oral cavity, indicating that PpaC may play an important part in dental plaque formation. Another differentially expressed protein was the heat-inducible transcription repressor (HrcA). Alterations in HrcA were consistent with its role as a negative repressor in regulating heat-shock proteins at low pH, even though no changes in the level of heat-shock proteins were observed as the pH declined. This result gave rise to the hypothesis that the possible reason cariogenic bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans, can out compete S. gordonii at low pH might simply be due to their ability to manipulate their proteome in a complex manner for survival and persistence at low pH, unlike S. gordonii. This may imply some prevailing level of genetic regulation that is missing in S. gordonii.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-88).

Resumo: A bactéria fitopatogênica Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) é o agente causal do cancro cítrico, responsável por perdas significativas na citricultura nacional e mundial. Com a finalidade de se obter um primeiro mapa proteômico de referência da Xac, as bactérias foram cultivadas em dois meios não indutores de virulência (meios CN e TS8), e as proteínas foram digeridas com tripsina e analisadas pela tecnologia de MudPIT (Tecnologia de Identificação Multidimensional de Proteínas). Trinta e nove por cento de todas as proteínas preditas pelo genoma da Xac foram identificadas através de seus peptídeos, e estão distribuídas em todas as categorias funcionais. Além disso, 25% das proteínas designadas como hipotéticas conservadas do genoma foram identificadas. Outro objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o perfil de expressão protéico durante a patogênese decorrente do contato Xac::citros. Para isso, Xac em condição infectante foi cultivada em meio indutor de virulência XAM1 por 24 h, ou recuperadas de folhas de laranjeiras inoculadas após 3 ou 5 dias de infecção, tendo como referência a Xac cultivada em meio CN. A tecnologia 20 + MS detectou 228 proteínas diferencialmente expressas em condição infectante, e a tecnologia MudPIT identificou 1.679 proteínas de Xac. Um total de 57 proteínas diferenciais [17 (20 + MS) + 40 (MudPIT)] associadas à patogenicidade e virulência, na interação Xac::citros são discutidas neste trabalho, destacando-se proteínas do Sistema de Secreção Tipo 111 (SSTT), 11 (SSTO) e IV (SSTO), efetoras do SSTT, proteínas relacionadas a estresse, goma xantana, carência nutricional, entre outras. / Abstract: The phytopathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of the citrus canker disease, which responds for important losses in national and worldwide citriculture. In arder to obtain the first proteomic reference map of Xac, the bacterium was grown on two non-inductive media for bacterial virulence (CN and TSB media) and proteins were proteolysed with trypsin and analyzed by MudPIT technology (Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology). Thirty nine per cent of ali predicted proteins from Xac genome were identified with their component peptides as belonging to ali functional categories. Besides, 25% of proteins described as conserved hypothetical in Xac's genome were identified. Another aim of this study was to analyze the proteome profile during Xac::citrus pathogenesis. For this reason, infecting Xac was grown in XAM1 virulence inductive medium for 24 h, or recovered from infected citrus leaves at 3 or 5 days of infection, taking Xac grown on CN medium as reference. The 20 + MS technology has detected 228 differentially expressed proteins in infecting conditional, and MudPIT technology identified 1679 Xac proteins. A total of 57 differential proteins [17 (20 + MS) + 40 (MudPIT)] related to pathogenicity and virulence during Xac::citrus interaction are discussed in this study, emphasizing proteins of type 111 (SSTT), 11 (SSTO) and IV (SSTQ) secretion system, effectors of SSTT, proteins related to stress, xanthan gum, starvation, among others. / Orientador: Maria Inês Tiraboschi Ferro / Coorientador: Julio Cezar Franco de Oliveira / Banca: Haroldo Alves Pereira Júnior / Banca: Márcia Regina Soares da Silva / Banca: Manoel Victor Franco Lemos / Banca: João Martins Pizauro Júnior / Doutor

Chez les mammifères, les spermatozoïdes, au cours du transit à travers le tractus génital femelle, rencontrent des environnements qui influencent leur mobilité et leur pouvoir fécondant. L’analyse par spectrométrie de masse de ces milieux (plasma séminal, mucus cervical, fluides de l’utérus et de l’oviducte) a permis une caractérisation approfondie de leur protéome et l’identification de protéines modifiant l’activité des gamètes comme la Zinc Alpha Glycoprotein. L’étude du protéome du tractus génital femelle au cours du cycle oestral a montré une régulation différentielle de la sécrétion des protéines selon l’organe et le stade du cycle. La comparaison du protéome et des propriétés mécaniques du mucus cervical a montré l’impact de la mucine 5AC sur la viscosité du mucus et la mobilité des spermatozoïdes dans ce mucus. Cette interaction entre le mucus cervical et les spermatozoïdes se traduit par la fixation à leur surface de nouvelles protéines, comme la myosine 9, ayant un impact potentiel sur leur pouvoir fécondant. / During their transit through the female genital tract, mammalian spermatozoa encounter several environments that influence their mobility and fertilizing ability. Analysis by mass spectrometry of these environments (seminal plasma, cervical mucus, fluids from the uterus and the oviduct) enabled characterization of their proteomes and the identification of proteins able to modify gamete function such as Zinc Alpha Glycoprotein. The study of the female genital tract proteome during the oestrous cycle showed differential regulation of the protein secretion according to the organ and the stage of the cycle. Comparison of the proteome and the mechanical properties of cervical mucus showed the impact of mucin 5AC on the viscosity of mucus and the motility of spermatozoa in its presence. 52 cervical mucus proteins, such as myosin 9, bind to the surface of spermatozoa which may impact sperm function and fertilizing ability.

Chez les eucaryotes, la photosynthèse a lieu dans le chloroplaste, un organite spécifique de la cellule végétale et caractérisé par différents compartiments : (i) l'enveloppe, la double membrane qui délimite le chloroplaste ; (ii) le stroma, phase aqueuse principalement composée de protéines solubles et (iii) un système membranaire interne, les thylacoïdes, qui contiennent les complexes photosynthétiques. Les thylakoïdes forment un réseau tridimensionnel continu et sont différenciés en deux domaines physiques distincts : des empilements de vésicules de membrane (appelés granas ou BBY) et des extensions de membrane simple (lamelles stromales). Les complexes majeurs de la photosynthèse ne sont pas distribués de manière égale dans cette membrane à cause de contraintes électrostatiques et stériques. Ainsi, le photosystème I et l'ATP-synthétase sont enrichis dans les granas, le photosystème II dans les lamelles stromales alors que d'autres complexes, comme le cytochrome b6f, auraient une répartition équivalente entre granas et lamelles stromales. Pour faire face aux variations environnementales de lumière (en qualité et quantité), les plantes ont développé des processus pour moduler leur capacité d'absorption et d'utilisation de la lumière par les photosystèmes, processus regroupés sous le terme de « quenching non photosynthétique ou NPQ ». Dans le cadre de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé à deux composants du NPQ, les états de transition et la dissipation sous forme de chaleur (partie qE).Le premier objectif de ma thèse a été d'identifier de nouveaux acteurs impliqués dans les transitions d'état et ceci en étudiant la relocalisation de protéines au sein des sous-compartiments des thylacoïdes par une approche protéomique. En effet, il a été montré que certaines antennes collectrices de lumière sont réorganisées dans les membranes photosynthétiques lors des transitions d'état. Jusqu'à présent, aucune description exhaustive de la composition et distribution des protéines dans les sous-compartiments de thylacoïdes n'avait été réalisée. J'ai donc dans un premier temps développé des protocoles de purification des sous-compartiments des thylakoïdes (granas et lamelles stromales) à partir de chloroplastes de plantes sauvage d'Arabidopsis thaliana. Ensuite, grâce à une approche d'analyse protéomique semi-quantitative, nous avons pu déterminer la localisation d'environ 300 protéines des thylacoïdes. Les résultats suggèrent que la localisation de complexes photosynthétiques est beaucoup plus dynamique que celle jusqu'à lors proposée. En effet, même s'ils sont préférentiellement identifiés dans un sous-compartiment, certains complexes photosynthétiques présentent une double localisation qui était inattendue. De plus, la composition en sous-unités de ces complexes diffère selon leur localisation, dans les granas et dans les lamelles stromales, suggérant l'existence de processus de régulation de la photosynthèse jusqu'à lors insoupçonnés. Cette approche a ensuite été appliquée sur des plantes mutantes d'Arabidopsis affectées dans les transitions d'état afin d'identifier des protéines pouvant être impliquées dans ce processus d'adaptation. En parallèle, je me suis intéressé au qE . L'activation de ce mécanisme n'est pas constitutive et nécessite la formation d'un gradient de pH entre le stroma et le lumen des thylacoïdes (ΔpH). L'objectif de l'étude a été d'identifier des acteurs pouvant contrôler la formation de ce gradient de pH. Pour cela, nous nous somme focalisés sur le rôle d'un transporteur de potassium récemment caractérisé, TPK3. Grâce à des approches biophysiques et biochimiques, nous avons démontré que TPK3 est impliqué, in vivo, dans la modulation des deux composantes de la force proton motrice (pmf), le gradient de pH (ΔpH) et la différence de potentiel (Δψ). En contrôlant la répartition de la force proton motrice,TPK3, permet une utilisation correcte de la lumière en dissipant l'excès d'énergie. / Within higher plants and algae, photosynthesis is carried out in the chloroplast. Structurally, chloroplasts are organized in (i) the envelope, a double membrane system surrounding the chloroplast (ii) the stroma, the aqueous space which mainly contains soluble proteins and the (iii) thylakoids, a three-dimensional membrane network where photosynthetic electron transport reactions occur. Thylakoids are non-homogeneously folded, and comprise two major domains: (i) the grana-BBY, which are stacks of thylakoids particularly enriched in photosystem II, LHCII (the antenna-protein complex responsible for light harvesting) and (ii) the stroma lamellae, which are unstacked thylakoids connecting grana stacks enriched in photosystem I and ATP synthase. Plants can respond to changes in the environmental light conditions by several means as those which are collectively called non-photochemical quenching or NPQ. During my thesis, I mainly focused on two components of the NPQ: state transition (qT) and high-energy state quenching (qE).State transitions is the process by which PSII-antenna proteins are re-organized between stroma-lamellae and grana-BBY following changes in ambient light both of intensity and spectral composition. State transitions play a key role in the plant adaptation but many aspects of this process remain unclear. The main objective of my thesis was to study the thylakoid protein re-localization between stroma-lamellae and grana-BBY during state transitions using a proteomic-based approach. At this aim I firstly focused on the sub-thylakoid protein localization in Arabidopsis WT and I developed different protocols for the purification of the two sub-compartments (stroma-lamellae and grana-BBY) starting from intact chloroplasts. Later, thanks to a semi-quantitative proteomic approach, I determined the precise localization of around 300 thylakoid proteins in Arabidopsis WT. Results suggested that the localization of the different photosynthetic complexes is much more dynamics than previously hypothesized. In fact, even if characterized by a preferential localization, some photosynthetic complexes displayed an unexpected double localization. Moreover the subunit composition of these complexes was found to vary according to their localization (BBY or stroma-lamellae) suggesting the existence of mechanisms of regulation which have never been evidenced before. Later, we used the same mass-spectrometry-based approach on two different Arabidopsis mutants unable to perform state transitions. The objective was to highlight the involvement of other proteins (other than LHCII) which could possibly be re-localized within the photosynthetic membrane during state transitions. In the second part of my thesis, I focused on the high-energy state quenching component of the NPQ. qE allows the plant to dissipate excessive light energy as heat. This process it's not constitutive but need to be activated by the formation of a difference in the pH between the stroma and the thylakoid lumen (ΔpH). The objective of the study was to identify new possible actors in the regulation of the ΔpH formation. At this purpose I focused on a recently characterized potassium channel, TPK3. Thanks to a biophysical and biochemical approach, we demonstrated that TPK3 is involved, in vivo, in the modulation of the two components of the proton motive force (pmf), the ΔpH and the difference in the electric field Δψ. By controlling the repartition of the pmf, TPK3, controls also the formation of the NPQ and directly affects light utilization and dissipation in vivo. This avoids serious damages to the photosynthetic chain when plants are exposed to high-light conditions