Increased expression of recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator in Leishmania tarentolae

Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is one of the most important thrombolytic agents for treating cardiovascular obstructions such as stroke. Glycoprotein rt-PA is a serine protease, consisting of 527 amino acids of which 35 are cysteine residues. A variety of recombinant protein expression systems have been developed for heterologous gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts. In recent years, Leishmania tarentolae has been considered because of its safety aspects and special attributes in expression of complex proteins. In this study, two expression cassettes, each one including two copies of t-PA cDNA, were used for integration into the L. tarentolae genome by electroporation. Transformed clones were selected in the presence of appropriate antibiotics. Expression of active rt-PA was confirmed by Western blot and Zymography tests. Real-time PCR analysis was applied to investigate the presence of multiple t-PA gene copies in the parasite genome. Correlation of t-PA gene dosage and production rate was confirmed with real-time PCR. It was shown that the expression level of rt-PA in L. tarentolae is at least 480 IU/mL of culture media. This concentration of rt-PA is seven times higher than what was reported in previous studies in L. tarentolae and some other eukaryotic systems.     

Isotopic labeling of recombinant proteins expressed in the protozoan host Leishmania tarentolae

Isotope labeling of recombinant proteins is a prerequisite for application of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) for the characterization of the three-dimensional structures and dynamics of proteins. Overexpression of isotopically labeled proteins in bacterial or yeast host organisms has several drawbacks. In this work, we tested whether the recently described eukaryotic protein expression system based on the protozoa Leishmania tarentolae could be used for production of amino acid specific (15)N-labeled recombinant proteins. Using synthetic growth medium we were able to express in L. tarentolae and purify to homogeneity (15)N-valine labeled Enchanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) with the final yield of 5.7 mg/liter of suspension culture. NMR study of isolated EGFP illustrated the success of the labeling procedure allowing identification of all 18 valine residues of the protein in the HSQC spectrum. Our results demonstrate the suitability of the L. tarentolae expression system for production of isotopically labeled proteins.     

Comparative expression of wild-type and highly soluble mutant His103Leu of hydroxynitrile lyase from Manihot esculenta in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems

Low protein solubility and inclusion body formation represent big challenges in production of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. We have recently reported functional expression of hydroxynitrile lyase from Manihot esculenta, MeHNL, in E. coli with high in vivo solubility and activity using directed evolution. As a part of attempts to clarify the mechanism of this phenomenon, we have described the possibility of expression of the highly active and soluble mutant MeHNL-His103Leu as well as wild-type enzyme in several expression systems. Methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, protozoan host Leishmania tarentolae and two cell-free translations, including an E. coli lysate (WakoPURE system) and wheat germ translation system were used to compare expression profiles of the genes. Two distinguishable protein expression patterns were observed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic-based systems. The wild-type and mutant enzyme showed high activity for both genes (up to 10 U/ml) in eukaryotic hosts P. pastoris and L. tarentolae, while those of E. coli exhibited about 1 and 15 U/ml, respectively. The different activity level in prokaryotic systems but the same level among the eukaryotic hosts indicate the phenomenon is specific to the E. coli system. Both the wild-type and mutant enzymes were functionally expressed in eukaryotic systems, probably using the folding assistants such as chaperones. Properties of expression systems used in this study were precisely compared, too.     

Production of recombinant proteins using multiple-copy gene integration in high-cell-density fermentations of Ralstonia eutropha

We have previously reported the development of a novel protein expression system based on Ralstonia eutropha. In this study we report on the influence of gene copynumber on recombinant protein expression in R. eutropha. We compare recombinant gene stability and expression levels of chromosomal integration with a plasmid-based expression system. Single, double, and triple copies of a gene encoding organophosphohydrolase (OPH), an enzyme prone to inclusion-body formation in E. coli, were integrated into the R. eutropha chromosome. A linear increase between the concentration of soluble, active OPH and gene copynumber was found. Using a triple-copy integrant, we were able to produce approximately 4.3 g/L of OPH in a high-cell-density fermentation. This represents the highest titer reported to date for this enzyme, and is approximately 30 times greater than expression levels reported in E. coli.     

Cloning,characterization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of Leishmania hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) (EC 2.4.2.8) is an important enzyme involved in the recycling of purine nucleotides in all cells. Parasitic protozoa of the order Kinetoplastida are unable to synthesize purines de novo and use the salvage pathway for the synthesis of nucleotides; therefore, this pathway is an attractive target for antiparasitic drug design. The hgprt gene was cloned from a Leishmania tarentolae genomic library and the sequence determined. The L. tarentolae hgprt gene contains a 633-nucleotide open reading frame that encodes a 23.4-kDa protein. A pairwise alignment of the different HGPRT's sequences revealed a 26%-53% sequence identity with the Leishmania sequences and 87% identity to the HGPRT of Leishmania donovani. A recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity and found to retain enzymatic activity. The steady-state kinetic parameters were determined for the recombinant enzyme and the enzyme is active as a homodimer in solution. Single crystals were obtained for the L. tarentolae HGPRT representing the first Leishmania HGPRT crystallized and initial crystallographic data were collected. The crystals obtained belong to the orthorhombic space group (P2(1)2(1)2(1)) with unit cell parameters a=58.104 A, b=85.443 A and c=87.598 A and diffract to a resolution of 2.3 A. The availability of the HGPRT enzyme from Leishmania and its crystallization suitable for X-ray diffraction data collection should provide the basis for a functional and structural analysis of this enzyme, which has been proposed as a potential target for rational drug design, in a Leishmania model system.     

Cloning and expression of truncated form of tissue plasminogen activator in Leishmania tarentolae

An expression cassette containing kringle 2 and serine protease domains (K2S), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), together with a signal sequence derived from Leishmania tarentolae and two fragments of the small subunit ribosomal RNA locus, was introduced into L. tarentolae. The transfected cells produced recombinant K2S (rK2S) protein extracellularly with serine protease activity. Expression and enzyme activity of rK2S in the supernatant was 930 i.u./ml. The specific activity of purified rK2S was 7.4 U/mg of protein. Replacement of the human signal sequence tPA with the signal sequence derived from Leishmania increased the secretion of recombinant protein up to 30 times.     

凡纳滨对虾溶菌酶基因在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达和活性检测

原核重组表达的凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)溶菌酶蛋白主要以包涵体形式存在, 经变性和复性处理后活性仍较差。研究将凡纳滨对虾溶菌酶基因(Lvlyz基因)克隆至毕赤酵母分泌型表达载体pPIC9K中, 电击转化毕赤酵母GS115细胞, 经组氨酸营养缺陷培养基筛选和PCR检测获得转化子。对其进行连续甲醇诱导表达, 利用SDS-PAGE和C端携带的6×His标签,对发酵液上清进行Western blot检测, 结果表明19.3 kD左右的条带即是重组表达的溶菌酶蛋白。用溶壁微球菌平板抑菌法鉴定表达产物具有较强的抑菌能力。研究首次利用毕赤酵母真核表达系统实现对虾溶菌酶基因的可溶性表达, 并且表达产物的活性良好。       

Towards the construction of expressed proteomes using a Leishmania tarentolae based cell-free expression system

The adaptation of organisms to a parasitic life style is often accompanied by the emergence of novel biochemical pathways absent in free-living organisms. As a result, the genomes of specialized parasitic organisms often code for a large number (>50%) of proteins with no detectable homology or predictable function. Although understanding the biochemical properties of these proteins and their roles in parasite biogenesis is the next challenge of molecular parasitology, analysis tools developed for free-living organisms are often inadequate for this purpose. Here we attempt to solve some of these problems by developing a methodology for the rapid production of expressed proteomes in cell-free systems based on parasitic organisms. To do so we take advantage of Species Independent Translational Sequences (SITS), which can efficiently mediate translation initiation in any organism. Using these sequences we developed a single-tube in vitro translation system based on the parasitic protozoan Leishmania tarentolae. We demonstrate that the system can be primed directly with SITS containing templates constructed by overlap extension PCR. To test the systems we simultaneously amplified 31 of L. tarentolae's putative translation initiation factors and phosphatases directly from the genomic DNA and subjected them to expression, purification and activity analysis. All of the amplified products produced soluble recombinant proteins, and putative phosphatases could be purified to at least 50% purity in one step. We further compared the ability of L. tarentolae and E. coli based cell-free systems to express a set of mammalian, L. tarentolae and Plasmodium falciparum Rab GTPases in functional form. We demonstrate that the L. tarentolae cell-free system consistently produced higher quality proteins than E. coli-based system. The differences were particularly pronounced in the case of open reading frames derived from P. falciparum. The implications of these developments are discussed.     

球孢白僵菌丝氨酸蛋白酶基因CDEP-1在毕赤酵母中的表达

我们从球孢白僵菌中克隆了丝氨酸蛋白酶Pr1类基因CDEP-1。为明确CDEP-1的功能、评价其在害虫生物防治中的潜力,需要大量制备具有生物活性的CDEP-1编码蛋白。由于大肠杆菌系统表达真核基因存在产物复性困难的问题,本文利用毕赤酵母系统来表达CDEP-1。结果表明,CDEP-1可在毕赤酵母中高效的分泌表达,而且产物活性高,甲醇诱导48h后上清液中的酶活即可达到38,266U/L。诱导表达的上清液经浓缩后进行凝胶过滤层析,得到了CDEP-1的初纯品,蛋白质含量为50mg/L。将纯化的蛋白酶CDEP-1免疫家兔,制备了CDEP-1的抗血清。Westernblotting分析表明,制备的抗血清可特异性地检测CDEP-1。     

快速筛选高水平稳定表达成纤维细胞生长因子-21真核细胞新株方法的建立

成纤维细胞生长因子-21（FGF-21）是成纤维细胞生长因子家族的一名新成员,其研究已成为世界糖尿病研究的新热点,并有望成为治疗2型糖尿病的新型药物.然而,应用真核表达系统,更加快速、高效生产更接近天然状态的FGF-21蛋白并对其生物学功能进行的研究,至今尚未报道,因此建立高效稳定的FGF-21真核表达系统至关重要.本研究以FGF-21为目的基因,利用谷氨酰胺合成酶基因（GS）和绿色荧光蛋白基因（EGFP）作为筛选标记,分别构建了单基因表达载体Pee124-FGF-21-Pee64-EGFP（Peedual）、Pee124-FGF-21-IRES-EGFP（PeeIRES）和双基因的真核表达载体Pee124-FGF-21-IRES-EGFP-Pee64-FGF-21(Peedual-IRES),分别转染CHO-K1SV细胞后,通过GS加压和流式细胞术（在488 nm波长的激发光下能检测到EGFP绿色荧光）双筛选系统快速有效获得了稳定高效表达目的蛋白的细胞系.应用SDS-PAGE、Western印迹和ELISA检测细胞系目的蛋白的表达及差异,并通过HepG-2细胞糖吸收模型进行蛋白活性检测.研究结果表明：两个筛选系统结合使用,更好更快地筛选到了稳定转染并高效表达目的蛋白的细胞系,而且与单基因的载体相比,双基因载体Peedual-IRES在操作条件一致的情况下,目的蛋白表达量显著提高且均具有生物活性.本研究建立了省时、高效的真核表达平台,为FGF-21在真核水平上的高表达提供了一个新的方法.立了省时、高效的真核表达平台,为FGF-21在真核水平上的高表达提供了一个新的方法.     

IRE1结构域分析及截短型载体的构建和表达

目的 克隆IRE1基因,根据IRE1基因不同生物学功能的4个结构域构建截短型真核表达载体,并用生物信息学方法对其蛋白产物进行分析.方法 应用PCR重组技术,以pCMV-IRE1为模板扩增IRE1全长及4个截短型片段,利用DNA重组技术将片段定向插入到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1（-）中,经酶切及测序鉴定后,免疫印迹检测各重组载体在细胞中的表达,并利用SWISS-MODEL在线软件预测其蛋白结构.结果 酶切鉴定及Western 印迹结果表明成功构建了IRE1全长及每一种截短型片段的真核表达载体：pcDNA3.1（-）-IRE1（pIRE1）,pcDNA3.1（-）-IRE1-NLDP（pNLD）,pcDNA3.1（-）-IRE1-KinaseP（pKinase）,pcDNA3.1（-）-IRE1-R＋L（pR＋L）,pcDNA3.1（-）-IRE1-RNase（pRNase）.结论 IRE1及其截短型真核表达载体的成功构建和表达,为进一步研究IRE1各个结构域的生物学功能奠定了基础.     

幽门螺杆菌VacA N端在巨噬细胞中表达对其细胞因子 分泌功能的影响

构建pDsRed-Monomer-C1/vacA N端真核表达载体,研究幽门螺杆菌空泡毒素单一毒力决定簇对THP-1巨噬细胞细胞因子分泌的影响.PCR扩增vacA目的基因片段,克隆人真核表达载体pDsRed-Monomer-C1中,经酶切、PCR及测序鉴定后,转染THP-1巨噬细胞中,Western blot和荧光显微镜鉴定VacA蛋白在细胞中的表达;电子显微镜和中性红摄人法观察巨噬细胞的空泡样变;ELISA法检测巨噬细胞培养上清TNF-α、IL-1β含量.重组质粒转染THP-1巨噬细胞24h,部分细胞胞浆中出现大小不等的空泡,且重组质粒组培养上清中TNF-α、IL-1β含量明显高于空质粒组和阴性对照组(P＜0.001),二硫代氨基甲酸吡咯烷(pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate,PDTC)下调细胞因子的分泌.结果显示,成功构建pDsRed-Monomer-C1-vacA真核表达载体;VacA蛋白瞬时高表达上调THP-1巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α、IL-1β;核因子kB(nuclear factor kappaB,NF-kB)可能参与调节VacA诱导的THP-1巨噬细胞的分泌.     

插入CpG序列的汉坦病毒S基因真核表达载体的构建及表达

To improve the effect of the gene immunization against Hantaan virus, we constructed the eukaryotic expression vector pTARGET-hans(ISS) containing Hantaan Virus S gene coding region and CpG motif by cloning S gene segment with CpG motif into eukaryotic expression vector pTARGET^TM.After conformed by enzyme analysis, the recombinant expression vector pTARGET-hans(ISS) was transferred into Vero-E6 cells by electroporation and the transient expression of Hantaan virus nucleocapsid protein was detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay(IFA). In some transferred Vero-E6, the green fluorescence was showed, thus we can conclude that the eukaryotic expression vector pTARGET-hans(ISS) was successfully constructed and expressed in vitro,which will lay a foundation for further animal vaccination.     

犬细小病毒VP2蛋白在真核细胞中的分泌表达及特性

摘要:【目的】利用真核细胞分泌表达犬细小病毒VP2蛋白和研究其特性。【方法】为构建犬细小病毒（Canine parvovirus, CPV）VP2基因的真核分泌型表达载体,首先通过酶切从含有人CD5信号肽序列的质粒中将CD5信号肽基因片段切出,将其连接到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1A的多克隆位点上,构建成pcDNA3.1-CD5sp质粒。然后再通过PCR方法从含有犬细小病毒VP2基因的质粒中扩增VP2基因,并将其插入到pcDNA3.1- CD5sp载体中CD5信号肽的下游,构建成VP2基因的真核分泌型表达载体pcDNA-CD5sp-VP2。经磷酸钙介导转染293T细胞,使其在真核细胞中进行分泌表达,并通过ELISA检测表达的VP2蛋白与犬转铁蛋白受体（TfR）结合的活性。【结果】序列分析结果表明,本实验构建的犬细小病毒VP2基因真核分泌型表达载体结构正确,将该表达载体转染的293T细胞,在培养基中通过Western-blot检测到有VP2重组蛋白的存在。经ELISA检测表明表达的重组VP2蛋白具有与犬转铁蛋白受体结合的活性。【结论】 利用人的CD5信号肽实现了犬细小病毒VP2蛋白在真核细胞中的分泌表达,表达的VP2蛋白具有与犬转铁蛋白受体结合的活性。     

Genome sequencing of the lizard parasite Leishmania tarentolae reveals loss of genes associated to the intracellular stage of human pathogenic species

The Leishmania tarentolae Parrot-TarII strain genome sequence was resolved to an average 16-fold mean coverage by next-generation DNA sequencing technologies. This is the first non-pathogenic to humans kinetoplastid protozoan genome to be described thus providing an opportunity for comparison with the completed genomes of pathogenic Leishmania species. A high synteny was observed between all sequenced Leishmania species. A limited number of chromosomal regions diverged between L. tarentolae and L. infantum, while remaining syntenic to L. major. Globally, >90% of the L. tarentolae gene content was shared with the other Leishmania species. We identified 95 predicted coding sequences unique to L. tarentolae and 250 genes that were absent from L. tarentolae. Interestingly, many of the latter genes were expressed in the intracellular amastigote stage of pathogenic species. In addition, genes coding for products involved in antioxidant defence or participating in vesicular-mediated protein transport were underrepresented in L. tarentolae. In contrast to other Leishmania genomes, two gene families were expanded in L. tarentolae, namely the zinc metallo-peptidase surface glycoprotein GP63 and the promastigote surface antigen PSA31C. Overall, L. tarentolae's gene content appears better adapted to the promastigote insect stage rather than the amastigote mammalian stage.