Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.11.11 (AMPK)
 12,425 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

More than 500 unrelated patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) were screened for mutations in the NF1 gene. For each patient, the whole coding sequence and all splice sites were studied for aberrations, either by the protein truncation test (PTT), temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) of genomic PCR products, or, most often, by direct genomic sequencing (DGS) of all individual exons. A total of 301 sequence variants, including 278 bona fide pathogenic mutations, were identified. As many as 216 or 183 of the genuine mutations, comprising 179 or 161 different ones, can be considered novel when compared to the recent findings of Upadhyaya and Cooper, or to the NNFF mutation database. Mutation-detection efficiencies of the various screening methods were similar: 47.1% for PTT, 53.7% for TGGE, and 54.9% for DGS. Some 224 mutations (80.2%) yielded directly or indirectly premature termination codons. These mutations showed even distribution over the whole gene from exon 1 to exon 47. Of all sequence variants determined in our study, <20% represent C-->T or G-->A transitions within a CpG dinucleotide, and only six different mutations also occur in NF1 pseudogenes, with five being typical C-->T transitions in a CpG. Thus, neither frequent deamination of 5-methylcytosines nor interchromosomal gene conversion may account for the high mutation rate of the NF1 gene. As opposed to the truncating mutations, the 28 (10.1%) missense or single-amino-acid-deletion mutations identified clustered in two distinct regions, the GAP-related domain (GRD) and an upstream gene segment comprising exons 11-17. The latter forms a so-called cysteine/serine-rich domain with three cysteine pairs suggestive of ATP binding, as well as three potential cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) recognition sites obviously phosphorylated by PKA. Coincidence of mutated amino acids and those conserved between human and Drosophila strongly suggest significant functional relevance of this region, with major roles played by exons 12a and 15 and part of exon 16.
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PMID:Minor lesion mutational spectrum of the entire NF1 gene does not explain its high mutability but points to a functional domain upstream of the GAP-related domain. 1071 97

Previous studies have shown that large doses of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) cause liver injury in rats and the pathogenesis of this injury involves, in part, release of superoxide anion by Kupffer cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if DDC was able to stimulate other potentially toxic mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) using isolated rat Kupffer cells. DDC alone did not stimulate the release of NO and TNF-alpha by Kupffer cells. Interestingly, when Kupffer cells were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), DDC (0-30 microM) enhanced the production of both NO and TNF-alpha in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, we further studied how DDC modulated the response of Kupffer cells to LPS. Immunocytochemical studies revealed that DDC increased the amount of inducible NO synthase and TNF-alpha protein in Kupffer cells after their exposure to LPS. The enhanced effects of DDC on the release of NO and TNF-alpha from Kupffer cells was inhibited by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (an inhibitor of transcription factor NF-kappaB activation). By using a specific antibody for NF-kappaBp65, it was found that DDC enhanced the LPS-activated nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. There was no evidence of intracellular oxidative stress following either LPS alone or DDC + LPS exposure. The stimulatory effect of DDC on both NO and TNF-alpha release was inhibited by H-7 (an inhibitor of protein kinase C) but not H-8 (an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase). These findings demonstrate that DDC enhances the production of NO and TNF-alpha by LPS-stimulated Kupffer cells and suggest that protein kinase C plays a critical role in mediating these effects of DDC.
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PMID:Diethyldithiocarbamate enhances production of nitric oxide and TNF-alpha by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated rat Kupffer cells. 1078 75

A combination of site-directed labeling and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy was used to further elucidate the structure and underlying dynamic features of the type I regulatory (R(I)(alpha)) subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Specifically, the consequences of cAMP and the catalytic (C)-subunit binding on the backbone flexibility around seven sites of cysteine substitution and fluorescein maleimide labeling (Thr(6)Cys, Leu(66)Cys, Ser(75)Cys, Ser(81)Cys, Ser(99)Cys, Ser(145)Cys, and Ser(373)Cys) in the R(I)(alpha) subunit were assessed. Focusing on the fast rotational correlation time, the results indicate that most of the interdomain segment connecting the dimerization/docking (D/D) and tandem cAMP-binding domains is probably weakly associated with the latter domain. Also, this segment becomes more tightly bound to the C subunit upon holoenzyme formation. The results also suggest that there is a short 'hinge' segment (around Leu(66)Cys) that could allow the structured interdomain/cAMP-binding and D/D domains to pivot about each other. Finally, cAMP binding dramatically reduces the backbone flexibility around only the two sites of cysteine substitution in the cAMP-binding domains, suggesting a selective structural stabilization caused by cAMP and a "tight" coupling of low-nanosecond fluctuations selectively within the tandem cAMP-binding domains.
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PMID:Consequences of cAMP and catalytic-subunit binding on the flexibility of the A-kinase regulatory subunit. 1111 51

While there is no question that ligands can induce large-scale domain movements that narrow (close) the active-site cleft of the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAPK), the results from small-angle X-ray scattering, protein footprinting, and thermostability studies are inconsistent with regard to which ligands induce these movements. This inconsistency suggests a greater complexity of cAPK conformational dynamics than is generally recognized. As an initial step to study this issue in relation to the catalysis, a new method to measure cAPK domain closure was developed, and the state of domain closure and the local segmental flexibility at major steps of the cAPK catalytic cycle were examined with site-directed labeling and fluorescence spectroscopy. To achieve this, a C subunit mutant (F239C/C199A) was engineered that allowed for fluorescein 5-maleimide (donor) conjugation of F239C in the large lobe and tetramethylrhodamine (acceptor) conjugation of C343 in the small lobe. Domain closure was assessed as an increase in the efficiency of energy transfer between donor and acceptor. The anisotropy decay of fluoroscein 5-maleimide, conjugated to a site of cysteine substitution (K81C) in the small lobe of the C subunit was used to assess the local backbone flexibility around the B helix. The effects of substrate/pseudosubstrate (ATP and PKI(5-24)), a fragment of protein kinase inhibitor) and products (ADP and phosphorylated PKS) on domain closure and B helix flexibility were measured. The results show that domain closure is not tightly coupled to the flexibility around K81C. Moreover, although substrates/pseudosubstrate and products independently close the active-site cleft, only the substrates substantially decreased the backbone flexibility around the B helix. Because this order-to-disorder transition coincides with the phosphoryl transfer transition, the results suggest the existence of an internal entropy contribution to catalysis.
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PMID:Evidence for an internal entropy contribution to phosphoryl transfer: a study of domain closure, backbone flexibility, and the catalytic cycle of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. 1178 25

Every living organism must detoxify nonessential metals and carefully control the intracellular concentration of essential metals. Metallothioneins, which are small, cysteine-rich, metal-binding proteins, play an important role in these processes. In addition, the transcription of their cognate genes is activated in response to metal exposure. The zinc finger transcription factor MTF-1 plays a central role in the metal-inducible transcriptional activation of metallothionein and other genes involved in metal homeostasis and cellular stress response. Here we report that the phosphorylation of MTF-1 plays a critical role in its activation by zinc and cadmium. Inhibitor studies indicate that multiple kinases and signal transduction cascades, including those mediated by protein kinase C, tyrosine kinase, and casein kinase II, are essential for zinc- and cadmium-inducible transcriptional activation. In addition, calcium signaling is also involved in regulating metal-activated transcription. In contrast, cAMP-dependent protein kinase may not be directly involved in the metal response. Contrary to what has been reported for other transcription factors, inhibition of transcriptional activation does not impair the binding of MTF-1 to DNA, suggesting that phosphorylation is not regulating DNA binding. Elevated phosphorylation of MTF-1 is observed under condition of protein kinase C inhibition, suggesting that specific dephosphorylation of this transcription factor contributes to its activation.
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PMID:Regulation of metallothionein transcription by the metal-responsive transcription factor MTF-1: identification of signal transduction cascades that control metal-inducible transcription. 1192 82

The secretory vesicle cysteine string proteins (CSPs) are members of the DnaJ family of chaperones, and function at late stages of Ca2+-regulated exocytosis by an unknown mechanism. To determine novel binding partners of CSPs, we employed a pull-down strategy from purified rat brain membrane or cytosolic proteins using recombinant hexahistidine-tagged (His(6)-)CSP. Western blotting of the CSP-binding proteins identified synaptotagmin I to be a putative binding partner. Furthermore, pull-down assays using cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-phosphorylated CSP recovered significantly less synaptotagmin. Complexes containing CSP and synaptotagmin were immunoprecipitated from rat brain membranes, further suggesting that these proteins interact in vivo. Binding assays in vitro using recombinant proteins confirmed a direct interaction between the two proteins and demonstrated that the PKA-phosphorylated form of CSP binds synaptotagmin with approximately an order of magnitude lower affinity than the non-phosphorylated form. Genetic studies have implicated each of these proteins in the Ca2+-dependency of exocytosis and, since CSP does not bind Ca2+, this novel interaction might explain the Ca2+-dependent actions of CSP.
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PMID:Phosphorylation-dependent interaction of the synaptic vesicle proteins cysteine string protein and synaptotagmin I. 1193 41

The catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAPK) is susceptible to inactivation by a number of thiol-modifying reagents. Inactivation occurs through modification of cysteine 199, which is located near the active site. Because cysteine 199 is reactive at physiological pH, and modification of this site inhibits activity, we hypothesized that cAPK is a likely target for regulation by an oxidative mechanism, specifically glutathionylation. In vitro studies demonstrated the susceptibility of kinase activity to the sulfhydryl oxidant diamide, which inhibited by promoting an intramolecular disulfide bond between cysteines 199 and 343. In the presence of a low concentration of diamide and reduced glutathione, the kinase was rapidly and reversibly inhibited by glutathionylation. Mutant kinase containing an alanine to cysteine mutation at position 199 was resistant to inhibition by both diamide and glutathionylation, thus implicating this as the oxidation-sensitive site. Mouse fibroblast cells treated with diamide showed a reversible decrease in cAPK activity. Inhibition was dramatically enhanced when cells were first treated with cAPK activators. Using biotin-cysteine as means for detecting and purifying thiolated cAPK from cells, we were able to show that, under conditions in which cAPK is inactivated by diamide, it is also readily thiolated.
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PMID:Regulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity by glutathionylation. 1218 55

Metallothioneins are small, cysteine-rich, metal-binding proteins that play important roles in maintaining intracellular metal homeostasis and in transition metal detoxification. MTF-1 (metal transcription factor-1) plays a central role in regulating the metal-inducible, transcriptional activation of metallothionein. Here we report that the phosphorylation of MTF-1 plays a critical role in the activation of MTF-1/metal-responsive element-mediated transcription. Inhibitor studies indicate that signal transduction cascades, including those mediated by protein kinase C, tyrosine kinase, and casein kinase II, are essential for zinc- and cadmium-inducible transcription. In addition, calcium signaling is also involved in regulating transcription. In contrast, cAMP-dependent protein kinase may not be directly involved in the metal response. Contrary to what has been reported for other transcription factors, the inhibition of transcriptional activation does not impair the binding of MTF-1 to DNA, suggesting that phosphorylation is not regulating DNA binding. Elevated phosphorylation of MTF-1 is observed under conditions of protein kinase C inhibition, suggesting that dephosphorylation of this transcription factor mediates its activation.
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PMID:Activation of gene expression by metal-responsive signal transduction pathways. 1242 37

We have measured conformational changes of phospholamban (PLB) induced both by its interaction with the SR Ca-ATPase and by phosphorylation of Ser-16 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) using an engineered PLB having a single cysteine (Cys-24) derivatized with the fluorophore 2-(4'-maleimidylanilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (ANSmal). This modified mutant PLB is fully functional when co-reconstituted with the affinity-purified Ca-ATPase in liposomes. ANSmal emission properties and its solvent accessibility indicate that Cys-24 is in an aqueous environment outside the membrane. Fluorescence quenching and time-resolved anisotropy measurements of ANSmal-PLB demonstrate distinct structures for PLB in the free and Ca-ATPase-bound state. Both solvent exposure and probe motions of ANSmal are enhanced upon interaction of PLB with the Ca-ATPase. This conformational transition entails conversion of free PLB in a conformation which is insensitive to one which is sensitive to the phosphorylation state of PLB. Upon phosphorylation of Ca-ATPase-bound PLB, a decreased level of solvent exposure of ANSmal is observed, suggesting that the amino acid sequence of PLB near the lipid-water interface acts as a conformational switch in response to the phosphorylation of PLB. A longer correlation time, resolved by anisotropy measurements, corresponding to polypeptide chain fluctuations, is substantially restricted by interaction of PLB with the Ca-ATPase. This restriction is not reversed by phosphorylation of PLB, indicating that the region around Cys-24 near the lipid-water interface does not undergo dissociation from the Ca-ATPase. These results suggest that the phosphorylation by PKA induces a redistribution of PLB-Ca-ATPase protein contacts to relieve the inhibitory effect of PLB for the activation of calcium transport.
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PMID:Phosphorylation induces a conformational transition near the lipid-water interface of phospholamban reconstituted with the Ca-ATPase. 1243 53

Much attention has been paid to proteases involved in long-term potentiation (LTP). Calpains, Ca-dependent cysteine proteases, have first been demonstrated to be the mediator of LTP by the proteolytic cleavage of fodrin, which allows glutamate receptors located deep in the postsynaptic membrane to move to the surface. It is now generally considered that calpain activation is necessary for LTP formation in the cleavage of substrates such as protein kinase Czeta, NMDA receptors, and the glutamate receptor-interacting protein. Recent studies have shown that serine proteases such as tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), thrombin, and neuropsin are involved in LTP. tPA contributes to LTP by both receptor-mediated activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and the cleavage of NMDA receptors. Thrombin induces a proteolytic activation of PAR-1, resulting in activation of protein kinase C, which reduces the voltage-dependent Mg2+ blockade of NMDA receptor-channels. On the other hand, neuropsin may act as a regulatory molecule in LTP via its proteolytic degradation of extracellular matrix protein such as fibronectin. In addition to such neuronal proteases, proteases secreted from microglia such as tPA may also contribute to LTP. The enzymatic activity of each protease is strictly regulated by endogenous inhibitors and other factors in the brain. Once activated, proteases can irreversibly cleave peptide bonds. After cleavage, some substrates are inactivated and others are activated to gain new functions. Therefore, the issue to identify substrates for each protease is very important to understand the molecular basis of LTP.
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PMID:Proteases involved in long-term potentiation. 1246 76


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