Production of N-acetylgalactosaminyl-transferase 2 (GalNAc-T2) fused with secretory signal Igκ in insect cells

The human UDP-N-acetyl-α-d-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyl-transferase 2 (GalNAc-T2) is one of the key enzymes that initiate synthesis of hinge-region O-linked glycans of human immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1). We designed secreted soluble form of human GalNAc-T2 as a fusion protein containing mouse immunoglobulin light chain kappa secretory signal and expressed it using baculovirus and mammalian expression vectors. The recombinant protein was secreted by insect cells Sf9 and human HEK 293T cells in the culture medium. The protein was purified from the media using affinity Ni-NTA chromatography followed by stabilization of purified protein in 50mM Tris-HCl buffer at pH 7.4. Although the purity of recombinant GalNAc-T2 was comparable in both expression systems, the yield was higher in Sf9 insect expression system (2.5mg of GalNAc-T2 protein per 1L culture medium). The purified soluble recombinant GalNAc-T2 had an estimated molecular mass of 65.8kDa and its amino-acid sequence was confirmed by mass-spectrometric analysis. The enzymatic activity of Sf9-produced recombinant GalNAc-T2 was determined by the quantification of enzyme-mediated attachment of GalNAc to synthetic IgA1 hinge-region peptide as the acceptor and UDP-GalNAc as the donor. In conclusion, murine immunoglobulin kappa secretory signal was used for production of secreted enzymatically active GalNAc-T2 in insect baculovirus expression system.     

Expression and characterization of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165) in insect cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the best characterized multifunctional protein which plays a key role in normal and pathologic angiogenesis. The gene encoding the human VEGF165 was cloned from the ovarian carcinoma cell line (OVCAR3) and expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system. The recombinant human VEGF165 (rhVEGF165) protein produced by Sf21 (Spodoptera frugiperda) cells underwent a similar processing compared with mammalian cells, including efficient glycosylation, formation of a disulfide-linked dimer and secretion into the media. The rhVEGF165 had a high affinity for heparin and this characteristic was used to purify this form to homogeneity by heparin affinity, Resource S and Resource RPC columns. The biological activity of the purified 42-kDa homodimer was shown by the induction of the proliferation of human umbilical vein derived endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that an angiogenic growth factor whose normal processing requires glycosylation and disulfide-bridge formation can be efficiently expressed in high concentration (up to 20mg/L) in Sf21 cells.     

High-level expression of biologically active human prolactin from recombinant baculovirus in insect cells

We examined the feasibility of high-level production of recombinant human prolactin, a multifunctional protein hormone, in insect cells using a baculovirus expression system. The human prolactin cDNA with and without the secretory signal sequence was cloned into pFastBac1 baculovirus vector under the control of polyhedrin promoter. Prolactin was produced upon infection of either Sf9 or High-Five cells with the recombinant baculovirus containing the human prolactin cDNA. The production of recombinant prolactin varied from 20 to 40 mg/L of monolayer culture, depending on the cell types. The prolactin polypeptide with its own secretory signal was secreted into the medium. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the recombinant polypeptide purified from the culture medium indicated that the protein was processed similar to human pituitary prolactin. Carbohydrate analysis of the purified protein indicated that a fraction of the recombinant prolactin made in insect cells appeared to be glycosylated. Also, both secreted and nonsecreted forms of the recombinant prolactin in insect cells were biologically equivalent to the native human prolactin (pituitary derived) in the Nb2 lymphoma cell proliferation assay.     

Binding of Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxins Cry1Ac and Cry1Ba to a 120-kDa aminopeptidase-N of Epiphyas postvittana purified from both brush border membrane vesicles and baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells

A 120-kDa protein was purified from brush border membrane vesicles of the tortricid moth Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) based both on its activity as an aminopeptidase and the ability to bind the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin Cry1Ac. The purified enzyme had a pI of 5.6 and was a leucine aminopeptidase, with some isoleucine, phenylalanine and tryptophan aminopeptidase activity. Further characterisation showed that the protein was also able to bind Cry1Ba. During purification, the molecular weight of the protein decreased from 120 to 115 kDa due to the loss of a glycophosphatidinyl anchor. The protein was N-terminally sequenced and, using this information and conserved regions within other insect aminopeptidase-N (APN) sequences, redundant primers were designed to amplify the aminopeptidase coding sequence from E. postvittana midgut cDNA. The predicted protein sequence from the full-length cDNA was most closely related to the APN protein sequence from Heliothis virescens (61% identity) and shared other features of insect APNs including a Zn(2+) binding site motif and four conserved cysteines. The E. postvittana was expressed in Sf9 cells using baculovirus, yielding a protein of molecular weight 130 kDa, but with unchanged N-terminal sequence. Purified recombinant protein bound both Cry1Ac and Cry1Ba by ligand blot assays. However, despite the protein being expressed on the external surface of the Sf9 cells, it bound neither Cry1Ac nor Cry1Ba in vivo.     

SARS冠状病毒S蛋白在昆虫细胞中的表达和纯化

导致严重急性呼吸综合征(sevcre acute rcspiratory syndrome,SARS)的元凶是一种新型的冠状病毒(SARS coronavirus,SARS-CoV)。SARS-CoV感染入侵宿主细胞关键的一环是病毒自身的棘突蛋白(spike protein,S-protein)与细胞受体的相互作用,故而S蛋白己成为SARS研究的主要热点。     

Heterologous expression, purification, and characterization of human triacylglycerol hydrolase.

Triacylglycerol hydrolase mobilizes stored triacylglycerol some of which is used for very-low-density lipoprotein assembly in the liver. A full-length cDNA coding for a human triacylglycerol hydrolase (hTGH) was isolated from a human liver cDNA library. The cDNA has an open reading frame of 576 amino acids with a cleavable 18-amino-acid signal sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence shows that the protein belongs to the carboxylesterase family. The hTGH was highly expressed in Escherichia coli as a 6xHis-tagged fusion protein, with the tag at the N-terminus in place of the signal peptide. However, the expressed protein was insoluble and inactive. Expression was confirmed by immunoblotting and N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the purified protein. Expression of hTGH with its native signal sequence and a C-terminal 6xHis-tag in Sf9 cells using the baculovirus expression system yielded active enzyme. N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the purified expressed protein showed correct processing of the signal peptide. The enzyme also undergoes glycosylation within the endoplasmic reticulum lumen. The results suggest that hTGH expressed in insect cells is properly folded. Therefore, baculovirus expression of hTGH and facile purification of the His-tagged enzyme will allow detailed characterization of the structure/activity relationship.     

猪瘟病毒Erns在杆状病毒系统中的表达和纯化

采用Bac-to-Bac表达系统构建重组杆状病毒rAcV-MBP-Erns,感染Sf9昆虫细胞,经免疫荧光及Western blot分析证实MBP-Erns融合蛋白在Sf9细胞中高效表达。表达的MBP-Erns以可溶和包涵体两种形式存在。在Sf9细胞中规模化增殖重组病毒,经Amylose Resin亲和层析纯化获得高纯度MBP-Erns,制备的MBP-Erns具有良好免疫原性,这些工作为研究该蛋白的生物学功能和免疫原性奠定基础。     

Testican in human blood

Testican is a highly conserved, differentially expressed gene product of unknown function. Since testican is expressed by human endothelial cells and includes a signal sequence, it was our hypothesis that testican protein would be present in blood. We have developed chicken antibodies specific for testican sequence near the N-terminal and identified a 130-kDa form of testican in human plasma. This is much larger than the calculated molecular weight of the encoded polypeptide, suggesting glycosylation of this plasma protein, and large forms of recombinant testican produced in culture were found to include chondroitin sulfate. The 130-kDa form of testican is unstable in plasma. It is converted to smaller stable forms by separable plasma factors that can be blocked by certain serine protease inhibitors. Testican size conversion may be important in its functional activation or decay. One testican domain has strong homology to thyropin-type cysteine protease-inhibitors. Thus, testican may have a function related to protease inhibition in the blood.     

Molecular cloning, expression, and enzymatic activity of a novel endogenous cellulase from the mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari

A novel endogenous beta-1,4-endoglucanase (Ag-EGase III) gene belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family (GHF) 5 was cloned from the mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari. The Ag-EGase III gene spans 1061 bp and consists of a single exon coding for 325 amino acid residues. The Ag-EGase III showed 89% protein sequence identity to another beetle, Psacothea hilaris, cellulase belonging to GHF 5. The Ag-EGase III has the potential proton donor and nucleophile amino acids conserved in GHF 5 and two putative N-glycosylation sites. Northern blot and Western blot analyses showed that Ag-EGases were expressed in the gut; Ag-EGase III and Ag-EGase I were expressed in three gut regions, and no Ag-EGase II was found in hindgut, indicating that the foregut and midgut are the prime sites for cellulase synthesis in A. germari larvae. The cDNA encoding Ag-EGase III was expressed as a 47-kDa polypeptide in baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells and the enzyme activity of the purified recombinant Ag-EGase III was approximately 1037 U per mg of recombinant Ag-EGase III. The enzymatic property of the purified recombinant Ag-EGase III showed the highest activity at 55 degrees C and pH 6.0, and was stable at 60 degrees C at least for 10 min. In addition, the N-glycosylation of Ag-EGase III was revealed by treatment with tunicamycin of recombinant virus-infected insect Sf9 cells and with endoglycosidase F of purified recombinant Ag-EGase III, demonstrating that the carbohydrate moieties are not necessary for enzyme activity.     

High-Level Expression and Purification of a Recombinant Human α-1,3-Fucosyltransferase in Baculovirus-Infected Insect Cells

A human α-1,3-fucosyltransferase (Fuc-TVII) was expressed by recombinant baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells as a secretory fusion protein. The fusion protein consisted of the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor signal peptide followed by an IgG-binding domain of protein A, a Fuc-TVI-derived peptide, and the putative catalytic domain of Fuc-TVII. The signal peptide was correctly cleaved and the recombinant Fuc-TVII was secreted into the culture medium at a concentration of 10 μg/ml. The recombinant Fuc-TVII could be highly purified in a single-step purification procedure, i.e., IgG–Sepharose column chromatography. The enzymatic properties of the Sf9-produced Fuc-TVII were compared with the properties of that expressed by a human B-cell line, Namalwa KJM-1, transfected with an episomal plasmid carrying the fusion Fuc-TVII cDNA. Both recombinant proteins showed α-1,3-fucosyltransferase activity toward a type II oligosaccharide with a terminal α-2,3-linked sialic acid among various acceptors. The apparentK_mvalues of Sf9-produced Fuc-TVII for GDP-fucose and its acceptor substrate were slightly lower than those of the Fuc-TVII produced by Namalwa KJM-1 cells. Sf9-produced Fuc-TVII has N-linked carbohydrate chains whose molecular weights are lower than those linked to Namalwa KJM-1-produced Fuc-TVII. This difference in carbohydrate structure hardly affects the thermal stability of Fuc-TVII. The baculovirus expression system is available for high-level expression of stable and enzymatically active secretory Fuc-TVII.     

High level expression of human endostatin in Pichia pastoris using a synthetic gene construct

Endostatin, a 20-kDa C-terminal fragment derived from type XVIII collagen, is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor and an antitumor factor. To improve the production of recombinant human endostatin on increasing demand in clinical practice, we constructed an artificial gene encoding its mature peptide sequence in human collagen XVIII. The synthetic gene consisted of 20 codons in preference in methylotropic yeast—Pichia pastoris and was cloned into expression vector pPICZαA; and the recombinant protein was expressed in P. pastoris strain SMD1168 and purified to near homogeneity using heparin affinity chromatography. The amount of expressed recombinant protein in cultural media using described strategy was 80 mg/l in shake flask cultivation and 435 mg/l in high-density bioreactor fermentation. Methylthiazolium assay demonstrated that human endostatin expressed in P. pastoris using artificial synthetic gene of preference in P. pastoris was able to inhibit the acidic fibroblast growth factor-induced proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro.     

Purification of pancreatic cholesterol esterase expressed in recombinant baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells.

A cDNA clone encoding the entire coding sequence of rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase (bile salt-stimulated lipase) was subcloned into the Baculovirus transfer vector pVL1392 and used to co-transfect Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells with wild-type Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) DNA. Two recombinant proteins (M(r) 74 kDa and 64 kDa) reactive with anti-cholesterol esterase IgG were produced and secreted by the infected Sf9 cells in large quantities in a time-dependent manner. The 74-kDa protein was detectable in the cultured medium at the second day post-infection and increased progressively, reaching a level of 50 micrograms/ml of culture medium after 8 days. Amino-terminal sequencing of this recombinant protein showed that the signal peptide of cholesterol esterase was correctly cleaved, resulting in the production of mature protein. The 64-kDa recombinant protein was not detected in the medium until Day 5 post-infection and accumulated to a level of 25 micrograms/ml at Day 8. Both the 74- and the 64-kDa cholesterol esterases were biologically active and hydrolyzed the artificial substrate p-nitrophenyl butyrate. Results of this study demonstrated that Baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells can be used for high-level expression of pancreatic cholesterol esterase. The recombinant enzyme will be useful for further characterization of this protein.     

Overproduction and large-scale purification of the human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase using a baculovirus expression system.

We have overproduced the full-length human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells using a baculovirus expression vector system. Approx. 20 mg of purified protein from 5 x 10(8) Sf9 cells were obtained by a simple three-step purification procedure including 3-aminobenzamide affinity chromatography. The recombinant protein (rePARP), which migrates as a unique 116-kDa band on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, was identified as PARP by Western blotting using either polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies raised against the purified human and calf thymus enzymes. Furthermore, rePARP is a functional protein, as demonstrated by its ability to specifically bind Zn2+ and DNA, and to recognize single-strand breaks in DNA. The purified enzyme has the same affinity for NAD+ and turnover number as the human placental PARP. Thus, rePARP produced in insect cells is biologically active and suitable for functional analysis. The reproducibility of the overproduction and the simplicity of the purification protocol, as well as the yield of the produced protein, should greatly facilitate physicochemical and structural studies.     

Molecular cloning of mouse and bovine chondromodulin-II cDNAs and the growth-promoting actions of bovine recombinant protein

We previously determined the complete primary sequence of a heparin-binding growth-promoting factor, chondromodulin-II (ChM-II), which stimulated the growth of chondrocytes and osteoblasts in culture. Bovine ChM-II was a 16-kDa basic protein with 133 amino acid residues and exhibited a significant sequence similarity to the repeats of the chicken mim-1 gene product. Here we report the nucleotide sequences of bovine and mouse ChM-II cDNAs. The cDNAs each contained an open-reading frame corresponding to the ChM-II precursor with 151 amino acid residues. The N-terminus of the precursor included a secretory signal sequence of 18 amino acids prior to the mature ChM-II sequence. Unlike MIM-1, there was no repeat structure in the precursor protein, indicating that ChM-II was encoded as a gene product distinct from MIM-1. We then expressed recombinant bovine ChM-II protein which was purified to homogeneity. The recombinant protein stimulated the growth of rabbit growth plate chondrocytes, mouse MC3T3-E1 cells and rat UMR-106 osteoblastic cells in vitro.     

Production and purification of recombinant human interleukin-5 from yeast and baculovirus expression systems

A cDNA for human interleukin-5 (hIL-5) was created from the hIL-5 gene using site-directed mutagenesis to splice out the introns in vitro. This cDNA was expressed in yeast and baculovirus systems, utilizing in both cases an in-frame fusion to the pre sequence of the alpha-mating-type factor to direct secretion. The highest level of production was achieved from Sf9 cells using a baculovirus vector in serum-containing medium (2.7 mg/l), whereas in serum-free medium ten times less hIL-5 was produced. In the yeast system much lower levels of hIL-5 were produced (12.5 micrograms/l). Recombinant hIL-5 was purified to homogeneity from serum-free baculovirus cultures. The rhIL-5 consisted of a 30-kDa homodimer linked by disulfide bridging. The purified recombinant protein had a specific activity on murine BCL1 cells of 1.5 x 10(4) U/mg, of 3 x 10(5) U/mg in the murine eosinophil differentiation factor assay, and 2.4 x 10(7) U/mg in a human peripheral eosinophil maintenance assay.     

口蹄疫病毒NSP 3ABC基因在昆虫细胞中的分泌表达及其活性检测

用设计的特异引物,扩增得到了N-端带有6×His编码序列的口蹄疫病毒完整3ABC基因序列,并将其亚克隆入带有蜂毒溶血肽序列的穿梭质粒pMelBac-B中,构建了重组质粒pMel-3ABC。将该重组质粒与杆状病毒骨架DNABac-N-BlueTM共转染Sf9昆虫细胞,通过噬斑筛选和PCR鉴定,获得了含有目的基因的重组杆状病毒。重组病毒感染Sf9昆虫细胞,采用通过SDS-PAGE和Western blot检测,证明目的基因在昆虫细胞中得到了正确的表达,表达产物分泌至细胞培养上清中,并具有良好的生物活性。表达的目的蛋白经过镍柱亲和层析法纯化后,用间接ELISA方法检测与口蹄疫病毒感染动物血清的反应性,证明表达目的蛋白与感染动物血清有很好的反应性而与正常动物以及免疫动物血清不发生反应。该研究为建立一种更加敏感和特异的口蹄疫病毒感染动物与疫苗免疫动物的鉴别诊断方法奠定了基础。     

The UL16 gene of human cytomegalovirus encodes a glycoprotein that is dispensable for growth in vitro.

The UL16 gene of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes a predicted translation product with features characteristic of glycoproteins (signal and anchor sequences and eight potential N-linked glycosylation sites). Antisera were raised against the UL16 gene product expressed in Escherichia coli as a beta-galactosidase fusion protein. The antisera detected a 50-kDa glycoprotein in HCMV-infected cells that was absent from purified virions. The UL16 glycoprotein was synthesized at early times after infection and accumulated to the highest levels at late times after infection. A recombinant HCMV in which UL16 coding sequences were interrupted by a lacZ expression cassette was constructed by insertional mutagenesis. Analysis of the phenotype of the recombinant virus indicated that the UL16 gene product is nonessential for virus infectivity and growth in tissue culture.     

重组人干细胞因子在昆虫细胞中的高效表达

含信号肽的可溶性人干细胞因子（ｈＳＣＦ）ｃＤＮＡ 基因重组于杆状病毒转移载体ｐＶＬ９４１ 中,重组转移载体ｐＶＬ９４１ＳＣＦ与野生型苜蓿夜蛾核型多角体病毒（ＡｃＮＰＶ）ＤＮＡ 共转染草地夜蛾细胞Ｓｆ９ 后,通过体内同源重组构建了重组病毒ＡｃＮＰＶＳＣＦ。Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ 杂交表明重组病毒基因组中含有ｈＳＣＦ基因片段。重组病毒感染单层Ｓｆ９ 细胞后,表达产物分泌到胞外培养液中。用ＭＴＴ 比色法和ＴＦ１ 细胞株测定表达产物与ＩＬ３ 的协同效应,测得感染重组病毒的培养细胞第三天表达量为１９７０ ｕｎｉｔｓ／ｍ Ｌ培养液。Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔｔｉｎｇ 分析可见分子量为１８ ×１０３ 、２０ ×１０３ 和２２ ×１０３ 三条带。     

Overproduction and partial purification of the Norrie disease gene product, norrin, from a recombinant baculovirus

Abnormal vascularization of the peripheral retina and retinal detachment are common clinical characteristics of Norrie disease (ND), familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Coats' disease, and retinopathy of prematurity. Although little is known about the molecular basis of these diseases, studies have shown that all of these diseases are associated with mutations in the ND gene. In spite of this, little is known about norrin, its molecular mechanism of action, and its functional relationship with the development of abnormal retinal vasculature. To obtain a large quantity of norrin for structural and functional studies, we have overproduced it in insect cells. For this purpose, a cDNA fragment (869 bp) was isolated from a human retinal cDNA library by amplification and was cloned into an expression vector. The purified plasmid was co-transfected with wild-type linearized Bac-N-Blue DNA into S. frugiperda Sf21 insect cells. The recombinant virus plaques were purified and clones were selected based on the level of recombinant protein expressed in Sf21 cells infected with a purified recombinant virus. From these, a high-titer stock was generated and subsequently used to prepare a fused protein on a large scale. The protein was partially purified by the process of immobilized metal affinity chromatography and the use of ion exchange chromatography     

Construction,non-denaturing affinity purification,and characterization of baculovirally expressed human secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a 11.7 kDa mucosal protein with potent anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing activities. Previous efforts to express and purify the non-glycosylated cationic protein as a recombinant protein in bacteria required extensive denaturation and renaturation to refold the disulfide-rich protein into its biologically active form. To overcome this limitation, we have expressed human SLPI as a polyhistidine-tagged protein (bvHisSLPI) using a recombinant baculovirus expression system. Studies were conducted to determine the timing of maximal protein production following baculovirus infection of Sf21 cells. The 16.4kDa-tagged protein was then overexpressed in Sf21 cells following a 48-h infection with bvHisSLPI-encoding baculovirus, purified by nickel-chelating affinity chromatography under non-denaturing conditions, and analyzed by Coomassie-stained SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot. Purified bvHisSLPI was further characterized by enterokinase digestion to remove the polyhistidine tag from its N-terminus. In serine protease inhibition assays, purified bvHisSLPI blocked substrate cleavage by two serine proteases, chymotrypsin and cathepsin G, comparable to bacterially expressed SLPI. The baculovirus expression and affinity purification strategy described here will facilitate further studies of the structural and biological properties of this important multifunctional protein.