J Hirst

University of Cambridge, Cambridge, ENG, United Kingdom

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Publications (7)43.2 Total impact

  • Source
    Article: Energy transduction by respiratory complex I--an evaluation of current knowledge.
    J Hirst
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    ABSTRACT: Complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) is a membrane-bound, multisubunit enzyme. At present, there is no high-resolution structural model available for complex I and its mechanism of energy transduction is unknown. However, the subunit compositions of complex I from both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms have been determined, the sequences of their subunits are known and a coherent picture of the redox cofactors present in complex I has been developed. Here, I aim to describe and examine data relating to the mechanism of complex I and to build a framework to facilitate the discussion of possible conclusions and mechanistic models.
    Biochemical Society Transactions 07/2005; 33(Pt 3):525-9. · 3.71 Impact Factor
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    Article: GGAs: roles of the different domains and comparison with AP-1 and clathrin.
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    ABSTRACT: We have previously identified a novel family of proteins called the GGAs (Golgi-localized, gamma-ear-containing, ADP-ribosylation factor-binding proteins). These proteins consist of an NH(2)-terminal VHS domain, followed by a GAT domain, a variable domain, and a gamma-adaptin ear homology domain. Studies from our own laboratory and others, making use of both yeast and mammals cells, indicate that the GGAs facilitate trafficking from the trans-Golgi network to endosomes. Here we have further investigated the function of the GGAs. We find that GGA-deficient yeast are not only defective in vacuolar protein sorting but they are also impaired in their ability to process alpha-factor. Using deletion mutants and chimeras, we show that the VHS domain is required for GGA function and that the VHS domain from Vps27p will not substitute for the GGA VHS domain. In contrast, the gamma-adaptin ear homology domain contributes to GGA function but is not absolutely required, and full function can be restored by replacing the GGA ear domain with the gamma-adaptin ear domain. Deleting the gamma-adaptin gene together with the two GGA genes exacerbates the phenotype in yeast, suggesting that they function on parallel pathways. In mammalian cells, the association of GGAs with the membrane is extremely unstable, which may account for their absence from purified clathrin-coated vesicles. Double- and triple-labeling immunofluorescence experiments indicate that the GGAs and AP-1 are associated with distinct populations of clathrin-coated vesicles budding from the trans-Golgi network. Together with results from other studies, our findings suggest that the GGAs act as monomeric adaptors, with the four domains involved in cargo selection, membrane localization, clathrin binding, and accessory protein recruitment.
    Molecular Biology of the Cell 12/2001; 12(11):3573-88. · 4.94 Impact Factor
  • Article: GRIM-19, a cell death regulatory gene product, is a subunit of bovine mitochondrial NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I).
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    ABSTRACT: The sequences of 42 subunits of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) from bovine heart mitochondria have been described previously. Seven are encoded by mitochondrial DNA, whereas the remaining 35 are nuclear gene products imported into the organelle from the cytoplasm. An additional protein, which does not correspond to any previously known subunit of the complex I assembly, has now been detected. Denaturing gels of subcomplex Ilambda, the hydrophilic arm of complex I, clearly show a hitherto unidentified band, which was digested with trypsin and subjected to mass-spectrometric analysis to provide several peptide sequences, used in cDNA cloning and sequencing. Measurement of the intact protein mass indicated that the N terminus is acetylated. The new complex I subunit (B16.6) is the bovine homolog of GRIM-19, the product of a cell death regulatory gene induced by interferon-beta and retinoic acid, thus providing a new link between the mitochondrion and its electron-transport chain and apoptotic cell death.
    Journal of Biological Chemistry 11/2001; 276(42):38345-8. · 4.77 Impact Factor
  • Article: Complete thermodynamic characterization of reduction and protonation of the bc(1)-type Rieske [2Fe-2S] center of Thermus thermophilus.
    Y Zu, J A Fee, J Hirst
    Journal of the American Chemical Society 11/2001; 123(40):9906-7. · 9.91 Impact Factor
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    Article: A family of proteins with gamma-adaptin and VHS domains that facilitate trafficking between the trans-Golgi network and the vacuole/lysosome.
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    ABSTRACT: We have cloned and characterized members of a novel family of proteins, the GGAs. These proteins contain an NH(2)-terminal VHS domain, one or two coiled-coil domains, and a COOH-terminal domain homologous to the COOH-terminal "ear" domain of gamma-adaptin. However, unlike gamma-adaptin, the GGAs are not associated with clathrin-coated vesicles or with any of the components of the AP-1 complex. GGA1 and GGA2 are also not associated with each other, although they colocalize on perinuclear membranes. Immunogold EM shows that these membranes correspond to trans elements of the Golgi stack and the TGN. GST pulldown experiments indicate that the GGA COOH-terminal domains bind to a subset of the proteins that bind to the gamma-adaptin COOH-terminal domain. In yeast there are two GGA genes. Deleting both of these genes results in missorting of the vacuolar enzyme carboxypeptidase Y, and the cells also have a defective vacuolar morphology phenotype. These results indicate that the function of the GGAs is to facilitate the trafficking of proteins between the TGN and the vacuole, or its mammalian equivalent, the lysosome.
    The Journal of Cell Biology 05/2000; 149(1):67-80. · 10.26 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characterization of a fourth adaptor-related protein complex.
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    ABSTRACT: Adaptor protein complexes (APs) function as vesicle coat components in different membrane traffic pathways; however, there are a number of pathways for which there is still no candidate coat. To find novel coat components related to AP complexes, we have searched the expressed sequence tag database and have identified, cloned, and sequenced a new member of each of the four AP subunit families. We have shown by a combination of coimmunoprecipitation and yeast two-hybrid analysis that these four proteins (epsilon, beta4, mu4, and sigma4) are components of a novel adaptor-like heterotetrameric complex, which we are calling AP-4. Immunofluorescence reveals that AP-4 is localized to approximately 10-20 discrete dots in the perinuclear region of the cell. This pattern is disrupted by treating the cells with brefeldin A, indicating that, like other coat proteins, the association of AP-4 with membranes is regulated by the small GTPase ARF. Immunogold electron microscopy indicates that AP-4 is associated with nonclathrin-coated vesicles in the region of the trans-Golgi network. The mu4 subunit of the complex specifically interacts with a tyrosine-based sorting signal, indicating that, like the other three AP complexes, AP-4 is involved in the recognition and sorting of cargo proteins with tyrosine-based motifs. AP-4 is of relatively low abundance, but it is expressed ubiquitously, suggesting that it participates in a specialized trafficking pathway but one that is required in all cell types.
    Molecular Biology of the Cell 09/1999; 10(8):2787-802. · 4.94 Impact Factor
  • Article: Clathrin and adaptors.
    J Hirst, M S Robinson
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    ABSTRACT: Clathrin and adaptors are components of clathrin-coated pits and vesicles. The AP-1 adaptor complex is associated with clathrin-coated vesicles budding from the TGN, while the AP-2 adaptor complex is associated with clathrin-coated vesicles budding from the plasma membrane. The clathrin forms a polyhedral lattice and is believed to be the driving force behind membrane invagination leading to vesicle budding. The adaptors attach the clathrin to the membrane and also interact with the cytoplasmic domains of selected transmembrane proteins, causing these proteins to become concentrated in clathrin-coated vesicles. Clathrin-coated vesicles budding from the TGN have been implicated in the sorting of newly synthesised lysosomal enzymes, while clathrin-coated vesicles budding from the plasma membrane facilitate the receptor-mediated endocytosis of ligands, such as low density lipoproteins and transferrin. A novel adaptor-related complex, AP-3, has recently been identified, which is recruited onto membranes of the TGN and a more peripheral compartment but does not appear to be associated with clathrin. Genetic studies indicate that AP-3 plays a role in the sorting of proteins to lysosomes and lysosome-related organelles.
    Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 09/1998; 1404(1-2):173-93. · 4.66 Impact Factor