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Papers by Frank Becker

Research paper thumbnail of PRT1 of Arabidopsis thaliana Encodes a Component of the Plant N-End Rule Pathway

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 1998

Mutants in the PRT1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana are impaired in the degradation of a normally sh... more Mutants in the PRT1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana are impaired in the degradation of a normally shortlived intracellular protein that contains a destabilizing Nterminal residue. Proteins bearing such residues are the substrates of an ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system called the N-end rule pathway. The chromosomal position of PRT1 was determined, and the PRT1 gene was isolated by map-based cloning. The 45-kDa PRT1 protein contains two RING finger domains and one ZZ domain. No other proteins in databases match these characteristics of PRT1. There is, however, a weak similarity to Rad18p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The RING finger domains have been found in a number of other proteins that are involved in ubiquitin conjugation, consistent with the proposed role of PRT1 in the plant N-end rule pathway.

Research paper thumbnail of Purification of tobacco nuclear proteins binding to a CACGTG motif of the chalcone synthase promoter by DNA affinity chromatography

European Journal of Biochemistry, 1991

Research paper thumbnail of Altered response to viral infection by tobacco plants perturbed in ubiquitin system

Plant Journal, 1993

Tobacco plants can be perturbed in their ubiquitin system by expression of a ubiquitin variant wi... more Tobacco plants can be perturbed in their ubiquitin system by expression of a ubiquitin variant with a lys to arg change at position 48. Plants expressing this ubiquitin variant have a tendency to form necrotic lesions resembling those occurring as defense reactions against some pathogens. Using the interaction between tobacco and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), it was investigated whether the ubiquitin variant influences plant responses to pathogen infection. Expression of the ubiquitin variant leads to changes in the response of both resistant and susceptible tobacco varieties. Resistant plants form fewer, but darker lesions. In sensitive plants, TMV replication is inhibited, but not completely abolished. Moreover, susceptible plants expressing the ubiquitin variant induce PR-1 mRNA in response to virus, whereas controls do not express PR-1 under these conditions.

Research paper thumbnail of Use of a Reporter Transgene to Generate Arabidopsis Mutants in Ubiquitin Dependent Protein Degradation

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 1993

Research paper thumbnail of Incidence of internal carotid artery dissection in the community of Dijon

Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 1994

Research paper thumbnail of Risk Factors for Primary Cerebral Hemorrhage: A Population-Based Study – The Stroke Registry of Dijon

Neuroepidemiology, 1995

Risk factors for primary cerebral hemorrhage remain uncertain. The population-based Stroke Regist... more Risk factors for primary cerebral hemorrhage remain uncertain. The population-based Stroke Registry of Dijon provides data on the risk factors. Among residents of Dijon (France), 130 cases of primary cerebral hemorrhage hospitalized from 1985 to 1992 were matched with 130 controls by age and sex. The following data were collected: history of hypertension, alcohol consumption, tobacco consumption, history of coagulation disorder, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and infectious disease in the 7 days before admission. The following parameters were measured on admission: blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, hematocrit, fibrinogen, prothrombin levels, platelet counts, prothrombin time, bilirubin, transaminases, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Electrocardiogram and Doppler ultrasound examination of cervical arteries were performed. Statistical analysis was performed by means of relative risk ratio for paired samples when dealing with proportions, and Student's t test for quantitative variables. A stepwise discriminant analysis was carried out to establish the relative weight of the different risk factors and their discriminant values. Among the qualitative data, the significant factors were history of hypertension, alcohol consumption, cardiac arrhythmia, atherosclerosis of carotid arteries and a previous infectious disease in the 7 days before admission. Among the quantitative data, the significant factors were early hypertension, high blood glucose levels, high hematocrit, and low cholesterol levels, in the acute stage of the stroke. After multifactorial analysis, only two factors were significant: hypertension and low cholesterol levels. Our population-based case-control study showed that hypertension and low cholesterol levels are the two discriminant risk factors for both lobar and basal ganglia primary cerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, treatment of hypercholesterolemia may increase risk of cerebral hemorrhage.

Research paper thumbnail of Expression of the 180-kD Ribosome Receptor Induces Membrane Proliferation and Increased Secretory Activity in Yeast

Journal of Cell Biology, 1999

Expression of the canine 180-kD ribosome receptor (p180) in yeast cells resulted in a marked prol... more Expression of the canine 180-kD ribosome receptor (p180) in yeast cells resulted in a marked proliferation of intracellular membranes. The type of membranes observed varied with the expression of specific portions of p180. Rough membranes predominated when the ribosome binding domain of p180 was present, whereas expression constructs lacking this region resulted in smooth membranes. Northern analysis indicated that expression of the NH 2 -terminal 767 amino acids ( ⌬ CT), which include the ribosome binding domain, upregulated the transcription and translation of genes involved in exocytosis. The membranes that were proliferated were functional as these cells overcame a temperature-sensitive translocation defect. Most significantly, cells that overexpressed ⌬ CT and proliferated rough endoplasmic reticulum exhibited severalfold higher levels of secretion of an ectopically expressed secretory protein. We conclude that p180 expression triggers a cascade of events leading to an increase in secretory potential akin to the terminal differentiation of mammalian secretory cells and tissues.

Research paper thumbnail of PRT1 of Arabidopsis thaliana Encodes a Component of the Plant N-End Rule Pathway

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 1998

Mutants in the PRT1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana are impaired in the degradation of a normally sh... more Mutants in the PRT1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana are impaired in the degradation of a normally shortlived intracellular protein that contains a destabilizing Nterminal residue. Proteins bearing such residues are the substrates of an ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system called the N-end rule pathway. The chromosomal position of PRT1 was determined, and the PRT1 gene was isolated by map-based cloning. The 45-kDa PRT1 protein contains two RING finger domains and one ZZ domain. No other proteins in databases match these characteristics of PRT1. There is, however, a weak similarity to Rad18p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The RING finger domains have been found in a number of other proteins that are involved in ubiquitin conjugation, consistent with the proposed role of PRT1 in the plant N-end rule pathway.

Research paper thumbnail of Purification of tobacco nuclear proteins binding to a CACGTG motif of the chalcone synthase promoter by DNA affinity chromatography

European Journal of Biochemistry, 1991

Research paper thumbnail of Altered response to viral infection by tobacco plants perturbed in ubiquitin system

Plant Journal, 1993

Tobacco plants can be perturbed in their ubiquitin system by expression of a ubiquitin variant wi... more Tobacco plants can be perturbed in their ubiquitin system by expression of a ubiquitin variant with a lys to arg change at position 48. Plants expressing this ubiquitin variant have a tendency to form necrotic lesions resembling those occurring as defense reactions against some pathogens. Using the interaction between tobacco and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), it was investigated whether the ubiquitin variant influences plant responses to pathogen infection. Expression of the ubiquitin variant leads to changes in the response of both resistant and susceptible tobacco varieties. Resistant plants form fewer, but darker lesions. In sensitive plants, TMV replication is inhibited, but not completely abolished. Moreover, susceptible plants expressing the ubiquitin variant induce PR-1 mRNA in response to virus, whereas controls do not express PR-1 under these conditions.

Research paper thumbnail of Use of a Reporter Transgene to Generate Arabidopsis Mutants in Ubiquitin Dependent Protein Degradation

Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, 1993

Research paper thumbnail of Incidence of internal carotid artery dissection in the community of Dijon

Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 1994

Research paper thumbnail of Risk Factors for Primary Cerebral Hemorrhage: A Population-Based Study – The Stroke Registry of Dijon

Neuroepidemiology, 1995

Risk factors for primary cerebral hemorrhage remain uncertain. The population-based Stroke Regist... more Risk factors for primary cerebral hemorrhage remain uncertain. The population-based Stroke Registry of Dijon provides data on the risk factors. Among residents of Dijon (France), 130 cases of primary cerebral hemorrhage hospitalized from 1985 to 1992 were matched with 130 controls by age and sex. The following data were collected: history of hypertension, alcohol consumption, tobacco consumption, history of coagulation disorder, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and infectious disease in the 7 days before admission. The following parameters were measured on admission: blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, hematocrit, fibrinogen, prothrombin levels, platelet counts, prothrombin time, bilirubin, transaminases, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Electrocardiogram and Doppler ultrasound examination of cervical arteries were performed. Statistical analysis was performed by means of relative risk ratio for paired samples when dealing with proportions, and Student's t test for quantitative variables. A stepwise discriminant analysis was carried out to establish the relative weight of the different risk factors and their discriminant values. Among the qualitative data, the significant factors were history of hypertension, alcohol consumption, cardiac arrhythmia, atherosclerosis of carotid arteries and a previous infectious disease in the 7 days before admission. Among the quantitative data, the significant factors were early hypertension, high blood glucose levels, high hematocrit, and low cholesterol levels, in the acute stage of the stroke. After multifactorial analysis, only two factors were significant: hypertension and low cholesterol levels. Our population-based case-control study showed that hypertension and low cholesterol levels are the two discriminant risk factors for both lobar and basal ganglia primary cerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, treatment of hypercholesterolemia may increase risk of cerebral hemorrhage.

Research paper thumbnail of Expression of the 180-kD Ribosome Receptor Induces Membrane Proliferation and Increased Secretory Activity in Yeast

Journal of Cell Biology, 1999

Expression of the canine 180-kD ribosome receptor (p180) in yeast cells resulted in a marked prol... more Expression of the canine 180-kD ribosome receptor (p180) in yeast cells resulted in a marked proliferation of intracellular membranes. The type of membranes observed varied with the expression of specific portions of p180. Rough membranes predominated when the ribosome binding domain of p180 was present, whereas expression constructs lacking this region resulted in smooth membranes. Northern analysis indicated that expression of the NH 2 -terminal 767 amino acids ( ⌬ CT), which include the ribosome binding domain, upregulated the transcription and translation of genes involved in exocytosis. The membranes that were proliferated were functional as these cells overcame a temperature-sensitive translocation defect. Most significantly, cells that overexpressed ⌬ CT and proliferated rough endoplasmic reticulum exhibited severalfold higher levels of secretion of an ectopically expressed secretory protein. We conclude that p180 expression triggers a cascade of events leading to an increase in secretory potential akin to the terminal differentiation of mammalian secretory cells and tissues.