Influenza virus strains are often pleiomorphic, a characteristic that is largely attributed to specific residues in matrix protein 1 (M1). Although the mechanism by which M1 controls virion morphology has not yet been defined, it is suggested that the M1 interaction with other viral proteins plays an important role. In this study, we rescued recombinant virus WSN-AichiM1 containing the spherica...

Activated macrophages are classified into two different forms: classically activated (M1) or alternatively activated (M2) macrophages. The presence of M1/M2 phenotypic polarization has also been suggested for microglia. Here, we report that the secreted protein lipocalin 2 (LCN2) amplifies M1 polarization of activated microglia. LCN2 protein (EC 1 μg/ml), but not glutathione S-transferase used ...

The protein subunit of Escherichia coli ribonuclease P (which has a cysteine residue at position 113) and its single cysteine-substituted mutant derivatives (S16C/C113S, K54C/C113S and K66C/C113S) have been modified using a sulfhydryl-specific iron complex of EDTA-2- aminoethyl 2-pyridyl disulfide (EPD-Fe). This reaction converts C5 protein, or its single cysteine-substituted mutant derivatives...

A genomic clone encoding the gene for the mouse M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor has been isolated, placed under the control of the zinc-inducible mouse metallothionein promoter, and transfected into mouse Y1 adrenal cells. The receptor concentration was about 300 fmol/mg membrane protein in the absence of zinc and could be increased to 4000 fmol/mg membrane protein in the presence of incre...

Matrix protein 1 (M1) of the influenza A virus plays multiple roles in virion assembly and infection. Interest in the pH dependence of M1's multiple functions led us to study the effect of subtle pH changes on M1 structure, resulting in the elucidation of a unique low-pH crystal structure of the N(1-165)-domain of A/WSN/33 (H1N1) M1 that has never been reported. Although the 2.2 Å crystal struc...

Cancer cells preferentially metabolize glucose by aerobic glycolysis, characterized by increased lactate production. This distinctive metabolism involves expression of the embryonic M2 isozyme of pyruvate kinase, in contrast to the M1 isozyme normally expressed in differentiated cells, and it confers a proliferative advantage to tumor cells. The M1 and M2 pyruvate-kinase isozymes are expressed ...

UNLABELLED Influenza A viruses (IAVs) rely on host factors to support their life cycle, as viral proteins hijack or interact with cellular proteins to execute their functions. Identification and understanding of these factors would increase our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms manipulated by the viruses. In this study, we searched for novel binding partners of the influenza A virus NS2 pro...

The influenza virus genome replicates and forms a viral ribonucleoprotein complex (vRNP) with nucleoprotein (NP) and RNA polymerases in the nuclei of host cells. vRNP is then exported into the cytoplasm for viral morphogenesis at the cell membrane. Matrix protein 1 (M1) and nonstructural protein 2/nuclear export protein (NS2/NEP) work in the nuclear export of vRNP by associating with it. It was...

PURPOSE Muscarinic receptor signaling is involved in ocular development and implicated in myopia. The aims of this study were to identify the presence of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in normal ocular tissues of guinea pigs and to determine if ocular expression of mRNA and protein changes in guinea pigs with or without form-deprived myopia (FDM). METHODS One- to two-week-old gui...

Interactions between integral membrane proteins hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), M2 and membrane-associated matrix protein M1 of influenza A virus are thought to be crucial for assembly of functionally competent virions. We hypothesized that the amino acid residues located at the interface of two different proteins are under physical constraints and thus probably co-evolve. To predict co...