• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.1348-1355
• /
• 2024

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF5B is a bacterial IF2 ortholog that plays an important role in ribosome joining and stabilization of the initiator tRNA on the AUG start codon during the initiation of translation. We identified the fluorophenyl oxazole derivative 2,2-dibromo-1-(2-(4-fluorophenyl)benzo[d]oxazol-5-yl)ethanone quinolinol as an inhibitor of fungal protein synthesis using an in vitro translation assay in a fungal system. Mutants resistant to this compound were isolated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and were demonstrated to contain amino acid substitutions in eIF5B that conferred the resistance. These results suggest that eIF5B is a target of potential antifungal compound and that mutation of eIF5B can confer resistance. Subsequent identification of 16 other mutants revealed that primary mutations clustered mainly on domain 2 of eIF5B and secondarily mainly on domain 4. Domain 2 has been implicated in the interaction with the small ribosomal subunit during initiation of translation. The tested translation inhibitor could act by weakening the functional contact between eIF5B and the ribosome complex. This data provides the basis for the development of a new family of antifungals.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.445-451
• /
• 2007

Translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is a key regulator of protein synthesis. Abnormal regulation of eIF4E is closely linked to oncogenic transformation. Several regulatory mechanisms affecting eIF4E are discussed, including transcriptional regulation, phosphorylation and binding of an inhibitor protein. However it is not clear how the level of eIF4E protein is regulated under basal conditions. Here we demonstrate that Diap1 (Drosophila Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein), a cell death inhibitor, binds directly to eIF4E and poly-ubiquitinates it via its E3 ligase activity, promoting its proteasome-dependent degradation. Expression of Diap1 caused a reduction of Cyclin D1 protein level and inhibited the growth stimulation induced by overexpression of eIF4E. Taken together, our results suggest that the level of eIF4E protein is regulated by Diap1, and that IAPs may play a role in cap-dependent translation by regulating the level of eIF4E protein.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.87-93
• /
• 2011

S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC; EC 4.1.4.50), a key enzyme for polyamines biosynthesis, was tightly regulated for homeostatic levels. Carnation SAMDC gene (CSDC9) has an small upstream open reading frame (uORF) of 54 amino acids in 5'-leader sequence. To explore the functional mechanism of uORFs in controlling translation, we used a GUS reporter gene driven with the 35S promoter and uORF region of SAMDC gene for making transgenic tobacco plants. In our experiment, there were a translational inhibition of its downstream GUS ORF by SAMDC uORF sequence or SAMDC uORF protein. Expecially, translational inhibition was most effective in point-mutated construct, in which the start codon was changed. Therefore, this results suggested the ribosomal stalling might be involved in this translational inhibitory process. The frame shift in amino acid sequence of SAMDC uORF with start codon and stop codon resulted in a moderate increasing in GUS activity, suggesting the native amino acid sequence was important for a function as a translational inhibitor. Also, we showed that the production of GUS protein was significantly inhibited in the presence of the small uORF using histochemical analysis of GUS expression in seedlings and tobacco flowers. Importantly, the small uORF sequence induced a real peptide of 5.7 kDa, which was provided the presence of SAMDC uORF peptide band using an in vitro transcription/translation system. The peptide product of uORF might interact with other components of translational machinery as well as polyamines, which was resulted from that polyamine treatment was inhibited GUS protein band in SDS-PAGE experiment.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.222-231
• /
• 1989

Three classes of proteinase inhibitors are known in soybean; the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI), the Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor and its isoinhibitors. To study the molecular structure and expression characteristics of the SKTI, antibody was obtained by immunizing rabbit with the SKTI purified from soybean by preparative electrophoresis. Anti-SKTI antibody was not only specific for mature SKTI in soybean seed but also recognized the precursor which was synthesized in vitro. Translation in vitro was carried out in wheat germ extract with polyadenylated mRNA isolated from developing soybean seeds. One of the seed specific translation products, MW 24K, was identified to be the precursor for the SKTI by immunoprecipitation with anti-SKTI antibody. Mature SKTI of MW 20K, however, was not detected in the translates in vitro. These results suggest that the precursor polypeptide is synthesized from the mRNA and is cleaved to yield mature SKTI in soybean seed. The SKTI gene was expressed with the maturation of soybean seed in a tissue-specific and development stage-specific manner.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.147-154
• /
• 2010

It is well-established that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) regulates myogenesis by inducing transcription of myogenin, a key muscle regulatory factor, at the initiation of myoblast differentiation. In this study, we investigated the role of PI3-kinase in cells that have committed to differentiation. PI3-kinase activity increases during myogenesis, and this increase is sustained during the myogenic process; however, its function after the induction of differentiation has not been investigated. We show that LY294002, a PI3-kinase inhibitor, blocked myoblast fusion even after myogenin expression initially increased. In contrast to the inhibitory effects of LY294002 on myogenin mRNA levels during the initiation of differentiation, LY294002 blocked the accumulation of myogenin protein without affecting its mRNA level after differentiation was induced. Treatment with cycloheximide, a translation inhibitor, or actinomycin D, a transcription inhibitor, indicated that the stability of myogenin protein is lower than that of its mRNA. LY294002 inhibited the activities of several important translation factors, including eukaryotic elongation factor-2(eEF2), by altering their phosphorylation status. In addition, LY294002 blocked the incorporation of [$^{35}S$]methionine into newly synthesized proteins. Since myogenin has a relatively short half-life, LY294002-mediated inhibition of post-transcriptional processes resulted in a rapid depletion of myogenin protein. In summary, these results suggest that PI3-kinase plays an important role in regulating the expression of myogenin through post-transcriptional mechanisms after differentiation has been induced.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.10
• /
• pp.1646-1649
• /
• 2006

Protein synthesis is the ultimate outcome of gene expression which, in turn, is regulated by several translation factors. We attempted to identify substances that can inhibit the translation process in vitro when the outcome protein is luciferase. To this end, we developed a sensitive cell-free protein synthesis assay using luciferase as the reporter. The synthesis of luciferase increased proportionately as mRNA was added to a $15-{\mu}l$reaction medium in concentrations raging from 5 ng to 500 ng. The maximum amount of luciferase was synthesized when the media were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 40 min. The concentration of each compound that inhibited luciferase production by 50% ($IC_{50}$) was calculated. Hygromycin, puromycin, and cycloheximide yielded an $IC_{50}$ of 0.008, 0.8, and $0.7{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. A filtrate of Streptomyces spp. isolates inhibited protein synthesis up to S-fold when added to the in vitro translation assay mixture.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.197-201
• /
• 2012

Potyviruses express their RNA genomes through the production of polyproteins that are processed in host cells by three virus-encoded proteases. Soybean plants produce large amounts of protease inhibitors during seed development and in response to wounding that could affect the activities of these proteases. The in vitro activities of two of the proteases of Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) and Tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV) were compared in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate in vitro translation system using synthetic RNA transcripts. Transcripts produced from SMV and TVMV cDNAs that included the P1 and helper component-protease (HC-Pro) coding regions directed synthesis of protein products that were only partially processed. Unprocessed poly-proteins were not detected from transcripts that included all of the P1, HC-Pro, P3 and portions of the cylindrical inclusion protein coding regions of either virus. Addition of soybean trypsin inhibitor to in vitro translation reactions increased the accumulation of the unprocessed polyprotein from TVMV transcripts, but did not alter the patterns of proteins produced from SMV. These experiments suggest that SMV-and TVMV-encoded proteases are differentially sensitive to protease inhibitors.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.211-214
• /
• 2016

House dust mite is an essential allergen in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Abnormal regulation of neutrophil apoptosis is an important pathogenic process in allergic diseases. In the present study, we investigated the effects of house dust mites on spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils and its associated mechanisms. Extract of Dermatophagoides pteronissinus (DP) inhibited neutrophil apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. Cycloheximide (CHX), an inhibitor of translation, increased apoptosis of DP-treated neutrophils as well as control cells. The pro-apoptotic effect of CHX was blocked by DP in neutrophils. In addition, DP increased the phosphorylation of Bad in a time-dependent manner, indicating that it exerted an inhibitory effect on the function of Bad. These results suggest that DP has anti-apoptotic effects of neutrophils and may regulate protein synthesis and activation of Bad. Moreover, these findings may shed light on elucidation of allergy pathogenesis due to house dust mites.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 1996

This study was designed to characterize endotoxin-induced prostaglandin production in primary cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The time course for prostaglandin synthesis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated VSMC showed that the maximum production was reached in 12 hours. LPS induced prostaglandin H2 synthase (PGHS) activity in VSMC and the time course profile in the changes of PGHS activity paralleled that of total prostaglandin production. Differential treatment showed that 4 hours' exposure to LPS was enough for the maximum effect on the prostaglandin production and this effect was completely inhibited by the co-treatment of actinomycin D, a transcription inhibitor. These results suggest that LPS effect might be determined within 4 hours. Actinomycin D increased PGHS activity without affecting prostaglandin production if added 4 hours after LPS treatment. On the other hand, cyclogeximide, a translation inhibitor, augmented LPS-induced prostaglandin production if treated during first four hours, but it inhibited LPS-induced PGHS activity regardless of treatment schedule. These results suggest the existence of multiple regulating mechanisms in the LPS-induced prostaglandin synthesis.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.167-172
• /
• 2005

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a copper protein with important functions in iron homeostasis and in inflammation. Cp mRNA expression is induced by interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$ in U937 monocytic cells, but synthesis of Cp protein is halted after about 12 h by transcript-specific translational silencing. The silencing mechanism requires binding of a 4-component cytosolic inhibitor complex, IFN-gamma-activated inhibitor of translation (GAIT), to a defined structural element (GAIT element) in the Cp 3'-UTR. Translational silencing of Cp mRNA requires the essential proteins of mRNA circularization, suggesting that the translational inhibition requires end-to-end mRNA closure. These studies describe a new mechanism of translational control, and may shed light on the role that macrophage-derived Cp plays at the intersection of iron homeostasis and inflammation.