Molecular Biology and Genetics / Moleküler Biyoloji ve Genetik

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  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 73
    Citation - Scopus: 78
    Functional Analysis of Free Methionine-R Reductase From Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
    (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2009) Le, Dung Tien; Lee, Byung Cheon; Koç, Ahmet; Zhang, Yan; Fomenko, Dmitri E.; Kaya, Alaattin; Hacıoğlu, Elise; Kwak, Geun-Hee; Koç, Ahmet; Kim, Hwa-Young; Gladyshev, Vadim N.; 04.03. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; 04. Faculty of Science; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
    Methionine sulfoxide reductases (Msrs) are oxidoreductases that catalyze thiol-dependent reduction of oxidized methionines. MsrA and MsrB are the best known Msrs that repair methionine S-sulfoxide (Met-S-SO) and methionine-R-sulfoxide (Met-R-SO) residues in proteins, respectively. In addition, an Escherichia coli enzyme specific for free Met-R-SO, designated fRMsr, was recently discovered. In this work, we carried out comparative genomic and experimental analyses to examine occurrence, evolution, and function of fRMsr. This protein is present in single copies and two mutually exclusive subtypes in about half of prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes but is missing in higher plants and animals. A Saccharomyces cerevisiae fRMsr homolog was found to reduce free Met-R-SO but not free Met-S-SO or dabsyl-Met-R-SO. fRMsr was responsible for growth of yeast cells on Met-R-SO, and the double fRMsr/MsrA mutant could not grow on a mixture of methionine sulfoxides. However, in the presence of methionine, even the triple fRMsr/MsrA/MsrB mutant was viable. In addition, fRMsr deletion strain showed an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress and a decreased life span, whereas overexpression of fRMsr conferred higher resistance to oxidants. Molecular modeling and cysteine residue targeting by thioredoxin pointed to Cys101 as catalytic and Cys125 as resolving residues in yeast fRMsr. These residues as well as a third Cys, resolving Cys91, clustered in the structure, and each was required for the catalytic activity of the enzyme. The data show that fRMsr is the main enzyme responsible for the reduction of free Met-R-SO in S. cerevisiae.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 106
    Citation - Scopus: 114
    Msrb1 (methionine-R Reductase 1) Knock-Out Mice: Roles of Msrb1 in Redox Regulation and Identification of a Novel Selenoprotein Form
    (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2009) Fomenko, Dmitri E.; Koç, Ahmet; Natarajan, Sathish Kumar; Lee, Byung Cheon; Koç, Ahmet; Carlson, Bradley A.; Lee, Tae- Hyung; Kim, Hwa-Young; Hatfield, Dolph L.; Gladyshev, Vadim N.; 04.03. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; 04. Faculty of Science; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
    Protein oxidation has been linked to accelerated aging and is a contributing factor to many diseases. Methionine residues are particularly susceptible to oxidation, but the resulting mixture of methionine R-sulfoxide (Met-RO) and methionine S-sulfoxide (Met-SO) can be repaired by thioredoxin-dependent enzymes MsrB and MsrA, respectively. Here, we describe a knock-out mouse deficient in selenoprotein MsrB1, the main mammalian MsrB located in the cytosol and nucleus. In these mice, in addition to the deletion of 14-kDa MsrB1, a 5-kDa selenoprotein form was specifically removed. Further studies revealed that the 5-kDa protein occurred in both mouse tissues and human HEK 293 cells; was down-regulated by MsrB1 small interfering RNA, selenium deficiency, and selenocysteine tRNA mutations; and was immunoprecipitated and recognized by MsrB1 antibodies. Specific labeling with 75Se and mass spectrometry analyses revealed that the 5-kDa selenoprotein corresponded to the C-terminal sequence of MsrB1. The MsrB1 knock-out mice lacked both 5- and 14-kDa MsrB1 forms and showed reduced MsrB activity, with the strongest effect seen in liver and kidney. In addition, MsrA activity was decreased by MsrB1 deficiency. Liver and kidney of the MsrB1 knock-out mice also showed increased levels of malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, protein methionine sulfoxide, and oxidized glutathione as well as reduced levels of free and protein thiols, whereas these parameters were little changed in other organs examined. Overall, this study established an important contribution of MsrB1 to the redox control in mouse liver and kidney and identified a novel form of this protein.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 56
    Citation - Scopus: 63
    Thioredoxin Is Required for Deoxyribonucleotide Pool Maintenance During S Phase
    (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2006) Koç, Ahmet; Koç, Ahmet; Wheeler, Linda J.; Gross, Michael K.; Merrill, Gary Frederic; 04.03. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; 04. Faculty of Science; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
    Thioredoxin was initially identified by its ability to serve as an electron donor for ribonucleotide reductase in vitro. Whether it serves a similar function in vivo is unclear. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it was previously shown that Δtrx1 Δtrx2 mutants lacking the two genes for cytosolic thioredoxin have a slower growth rate because of a longer S phase, but the basis for S phase elongation was not identified. The hypothesis that S phase protraction was due to inefficient dNTP synthesis was investigated by measuring dNTP levels in asynchronous and synchronized wild-type and Δtrx1 Δtrx2 yeast. In contrast to wild-type cells, Δtrx1 Δtrx2 cells were unable to accumulate or maintain high levels of dNTPs when α-factor- or cdc15-arrested cells were allowed to reenter the cell cycle. At 80 min after release, when the fraction of cells in S phase was maximal, the dNTP pools in Δtrx1 Δtrx2 cells were 60% that of wild-type cells. The data suggest that, in the absence of thioredoxin, cells cannot support the high rate of dNTP synthesis required for efficient DNA synthesis during S phase. The results constitute in vivo evidence for thioredoxin being a physiologically relevant electron donor for ribonucleotide reductase during DNA precursor synthesis.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 90
    Citation - Scopus: 93
    Purification and Characterization of Three Members of the Photolyase/Cryptochrome Family Blue-Light Photoreceptors From Vibrio Cholerae
    (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2003) Worthington, Erin N.; Kavaklı, İ. Halil; Berrocal-Tito, Gloria M.; Bondo, Bruce; Sancar, Aziz; 01. Izmir Institute of Technology
    The sequence of Vibrio cholerae genome revealed three genes belonging to the photolyase/cryptochrome blue-light photoreceptor family. The proteins encoded by the three genes were purified and characterized. All three proteins contain folate and flavin cofactors and have absorption peaks in the range of 350-500 nm. Only one of the three, VcPhr, is a photolyase specific for cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers. The other two are cryptochromes and were designated VcCry1 and VcCry2, respectively. Mutation of phr abolishes photoreactivation of UV-induced killing, whereas mutations in cry1 and cry2 do not affect photorepair activity. VcCry1 exhibits some unique features. Of all cryptochromes characterized to date, it is the only one that contains stoichiometric amounts of both chromophores and retains its flavin cofactor in the two-electron reduced FADH2 form. In addition, VcCry1 exhibits RNA binding activity and copurifies with an RNA of 60-70 nucleotides in length.