蓖麻毒素A链突变体的设计、表达与活性研究

利用蛋白质结构同源模建并结合表观静电势分析,设计了拟具有生物学活性的蓖麻毒素A链的突变体.将PCR扩增的突变体基因,导入pKK223-3载体中,于大肠杆菌(E.coli)中获得高效、可溶性表达,而且,确证了表达产物具有预期的生物学活性.     

重组蓖麻毒素A链蛋白的可溶性表达、纯化与抗原性分析

用PCR方法从克隆质粒pUC19-RTA中扩增出蓖麻毒素A(RTA)链基因,序列分析正确后,亚克隆到原核表达质粒pET-His中,构建重组表达质粒pET-HisRTA,再转化到E.coliBL21(DE3)plysS中获得表达工程菌株BL21/pET-HisRTA。该工程菌在30℃经0.4mmol／LIPTG诱导4h后获得可溶性表达的目的蛋白,约占菌体总蛋白的18.45％,SDS-PAGE分析显示表达的蛋白区带与RTA相对分子量相符,约32kDa左右。表达产物经Ni-NTA亲和层析法一步纯化,蛋白纯度约达97.53％,并可得到约18mg/L重组RTA蛋白。Western印迹和间接ELISA结果证明,重组RTA蛋白与抗天然蓖麻毒素多抗可发生特异性的抗原抗体反应,具有良好的抗原性,这为制备RT特异性抗体及建立RT的检测方法奠定了基础。     

Effective expression of fragments of a botulinum neurotoxin type A gene, coding for the L-chain and H-chain in E. coli, with formation of products causing protective immunity to administration of the toxin

Native Clostridium botulinum gene coding for type A neurotoxin has been used to construct recombinant derivatives coding separately for L and H polypeptide chains of the toxin. The gene derivatives have been cloned into an expression vector pET28b in E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells. The recombinant L and H proteins seem to be the major individual proteins after IPTG induction of the recombinant cells. Each of the proteins has been accumulated only in inclusion bodies. The recombinant L chain (but not H chain) has been successfully resolubilized. Each of the proteins contains six His residues on the N terminus which allows purification on Ni-agarose columns with high yield. No toxic effect has been observed for both L and H chains after injection of 10 micrograms of recombinant preparations purified from inclusion bodies. Moreover, the injection resulted in an increase in the titer of specific antibodies which protected mice from 1 DLM of type A native botulinum neurotoxin. Hence, the recombinant neurotoxin protein derivatives which are present in E. coli inclusion bodies can be a source of material for producing diagnostic and therapeutic sera against type A botulinum neurotoxin.     

重组蓖麻毒素A链与几种天然单链核糖体失活蛋白的活性研究

采用ｐＥｘＳｅｃⅠ载体系统进行了蓖麻毒素Ａ链的原核表达,经ＣＭ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ一步纯化后,获得了纯度约８０％的重组蓖麻毒素Ａ链．将其与几种天然单链核糖体失活蛋白进行了超螺旋ＤＮＡ裂解研究和无细胞体系中蛋白合成抑制试验,结果表明,重组蓖麻毒素Ａ链具有类似于天然单链核糖体失活蛋白的活性,但两种测活方法之间没有明显的相关性     

A method for detecting the expression of a toxic gene in cultured cells.

We have devised a rapid method for examining the expression of a toxin gene following in vitro transfection using a bacterial beta-galactosidase (lacZ) gene as a reporter gene. Ricin A chain DNA and the lacZ gene, both under the control of the immunoglobulin gene promoter and enhancer, were transfected into mouse fibroblast cells (L cells). Transient expression of the lacZ gene was detected 2 days after transfection by histochemical staining of the transfectants with 5-bromo-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside. Cotransfection of the ricin A chain gene resulted in a progressive reduction in the number of lacZ transfectants as the expressed toxin killed the cells. A ricin construct with the intervening sequence from the human beta-actin gene required 4 days instead of 2 days to produce the toxic effect. This is a useful method for examining the expression of toxin gene in a cell.     

The preparation of deglycosylated ricin by recombination of glycosidase-treated A- and B-chains: effects of deglycosylation on toxicity and in vivo distribution

Deglycosylation of ricin may be necessary to prevent the entrapment of antibody-ricin conjugates in vivo by cells of the reticuloendothelial system which have receptors that recognise the oligosaccharide side chains on the A- and B-chains of the toxin. Carbohydrate-deficient ricin was therefore prepared by recombining the A-chain, which had been treated with alpha-mannosidase, with the B-chain, which had been treated with endoglycosidase H or alpha-mannosidase or both. By recombining treated and untreated chains, a series of ricin preparations was made having different carbohydrate moieties. The removal of carbohydrate from the B-chain did not affect the ability of the toxin to agglutinate erythrocytes, and alpha-mannosidase treatment of the A-chain did not affect its ability to inactivate ribosomes. The toxicity of ricin to cells in culture was only reduced in those preparations containing B-chain that had been treated with alpha-mannosidase, when a 75% decrease in toxicity was observed. The toxicity of the combined ricin preparation to mice varied from double to half that of native ricin, depending on the chain(s) treated and the enzymes used. Removal of carbohydrate greatly reduced the hepatic clearance of the toxin and the levels of toxin in the blood were correspondingly higher. These results suggest that antibody-ricin conjugates prepared from deglycosylated ricin would be cleared more slowly by the liver, inflict less liver damage, and have greater opportunity to reach their target.     

Processing of preproricin in transgenic tobacco

The plant protein toxin ricin has found widespread application as a potential therapeutic agent for many human diseases and in disease-model systems such as those involving apoptosis. Genetic engineering and expression of the complete two-polypeptide chain toxin have only been possible in plants, specifically in transgenic tobacco carrying the preproricin gene under the control the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Production of modified ricin for altered controllable activity and/or fusion therapeutics to target delivery requires knowledge of the heterologous processing that occurs when preproricin is expressed in tobacco. Here, recombinant ricin from transgenic tobacco was purified using lectin affinity chromatography and characterized using various biochemical and biophysical techniques. Coomassie blue staining of an SDS-PAGE gel of lactose-agarose purified material identified predominant proteins of 30 and 35 kDa molecular weight. Western analysis using anti-ricin a- and b-chain antibodies confirmed the expression and purification of recombinant ricin, with identical protein banding profiles to that of authentic castor-bean-derived ricin. High-resolution gel filtration chromatography characterized the lactose binding complex as a 66-kDa native molecular weight protein which could be separated into 30- and 35-kDa proteins upon incubation with the reducing agent dithiothreitol. N-terminal sequencing of the recombinant ricin a-chain revealed that an equimolar ratio of two alternately processed peptides was present, which varied by an additional amino acid derived from the signal peptide. Similar analysis of ricin b-chain again identified two forms of this polypeptide as well; however, full-length ricin b-chain and b-chain missing the first alanine residue were present at 11:1 molar ratios. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing ricin were used to develop a stable cell suspension culture system from callus induced with the growth regulators 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 6-benzylaminopurine. Double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using anti-ricin b-chain antibodies and Western analysis identified soluble ricin in the media of the cultures, indicating that cell cultures provide a safe and simple means to produce properly processed recombinant ricin.     

抗肝癌单链抗体的活性检测

将抗肝癌单克隆抗体 ＨＡｂ２５的轻、重链可变区基因通过Ｌｉｎｋｅｒ连接起来,构建成抗肝癌单链抗体ｓｃＦｖ２５,然后亚克隆入含 Ｅ－ｔａｇ检测标签的 ｐＥＴ１５ｂ表达载体进行融合表达。表达产物（ｓｃＦｖ２５－Ｅ－ｔａｇ）采用 ＳＡＢＣ法对肝癌细胞涂片进行染色,利用鼠抗Ｅ－ｔａｇ抗体间接检测初步纯化的ｓｃＦｖ２５的活性,同时采用竞争结合实验检测ｓｃＦｖ２５的亲和活性。ｓｃＦｖ２５能够与靶细胞特异性结合,阳性部位主要定位于细胞膜上;ｓｃＦｖ２５可封闭５３％的亲本抗体的亲和活性。ｓｃＦｖ２５较好地保持了亲本抗体的特异性和亲和活性。     

A comparative study of ricin and diphtheria toxin-antibody-conjugate kinetics on protein synthesis inactivation

Kinetic data on toxin and antibody-toxin-conjugate inactivation of protein synthesis have been used to assess the variables which affect the transport of these toxins into the cytosol compartment. First-order inactivation rate constants of protein synthesis (ki) are compared under conditions of known receptor occupancy. The effect of inclusion of toxin B chains, both homologous and heterologous, in antibody-toxin conjugates is observed, and factors which affect toxin lag periods are studied. The results show that the inclusion of B chains in conjugates increases ki values 3-10-fold, but only if the B chain is homologous with the A chain. In spite of the augmentation of antibody-toxin-conjugate ki values by homologous toxin B chain, these ki values are only 1/20 those observed with unmodified toxins on sensitive cells. A further difference noted between toxins and antibody-toxin conjugates is the presence of a dose-dependent lag when toxins, but not antibody-toxin conjugates, effect sensitive cell types. This lag period for ricin can be shortened by alkalinizing the cell medium. The kinetic data can be fit by assuming a processing step interposed between the binding of ricin to surface receptors and the interaction of the A chain with ribosomes which is first-order in toxin concentration and pH-dependent. The time constant of this event is reflected in the dose-dependent lag period. It is proposed that antibody-toxin conjugates do not participate in this processing event and therefore fail to achieve the high entry levels exhibited by unmodified toxins.     

Role of glutamic acid 177 of the ricin toxin A chain in enzymatic inactivation of ribosomes.

The gene for the A chain of ricin toxin was fused to a beta-galactosidase marker cistron via a DNA sequence encoding a short collagen linker, and the tripartite fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli. Site-specific mutagenesis was used to change glutamic acid residue 177 to aspartic acid or alanine. When the mutant proteins were expressed, purified, and tested quantitatively for enzymatic activity, the carboxylate function at position 177 was found not to be absolutely essential for ricin toxin A-chain catalysis.     

白喉毒素A链基因在植物中的表达能抑制蛋白质合成

利用原生质体瞬间表达系统证实,即使用大量蓖麻毒素A链基因DNA导入诸葛莱(Ory-chophoragmus violaceus)原生质体,其蛋白质合成仍不被抑制。但是诸葛菜和灰叶烟草(Nicotiana plumbagenifolia)原生质体的蛋白质合成却容易被表达的白喉毒素A链所抑制。用CaMV 35 S启动子和Kozak序列控制的白喉毒素A链嵌合基因DNA在3h内能完全中止灰叶烟草原生质体蛋白质合成,此期间蛋白合成总量仅为正常时5%左右。     

莫洛尼鼠白血病病毒逆转录酶的原核表达纯化及其生物学活性

利用基因重组技术及简易的纯化方法快速制备莫洛尼鼠白血病病毒逆转录酶(MMLV-RT)。设计带有酶切位点的引物, PCR获得MMLV-rt基因片段; 再通过定点突变将目的基因的五个可溶性位点进行突变, 测序正确后, 插入到表达载体pET15b中构建成重组表达质粒pET15b-MMLV-rt; 表达产物的纯品通过金属离子(Ni3+)配体亲和纯化系统得到。用SDS-PAGE分析所纯化产物的大小和纯度, 再用RT-PCR 对其活性进行鉴定。构建的重组表达质粒pET15b-MMLV-rt 经IPTG诱导得到N端带有6His的RT融合蛋白, 通过Ni3+的亲和层析得到纯品蛋白, SDS-PAGE分析表明其纯度可达96%, RT-PCR实验表明具有较高的生物学活性。由此得出利用原核表达及简易的纯化系统可获得纯度为96%的逆转录酶纯品, 为大规模生产该酶提供了可靠的保证。     

莫洛尼鼠白血病病毒逆转录酶的原核表达纯化及其生物学活性

利用基因重组技术及简易的纯化方法快速制备莫洛尼鼠白血病病毒逆转录酶(MMLV-RT)。设计带有酶切位点的引物, PCR获得MMLV-rt基因片段; 再通过定点突变将目的基因的五个可溶性位点进行突变, 测序正确后, 插入到表达载体pET15b中构建成重组表达质粒pET15b-MMLV-rt; 表达产物的纯品通过金属离子(Ni3+)配体亲和纯化系统得到。用SDS-PAGE分析所纯化产物的大小和纯度, 再用RT-PCR 对其活性进行鉴定。构建的重组表达质粒pET15b-MMLV-rt 经IPTG诱导得到N端带有6His的RT融合蛋白, 通过Ni3+的亲和层析得到纯品蛋白, SDS-PAGE分析表明其纯度可达96%, RT-PCR实验表明具有较高的生物学活性。由此得出利用原核表达及简易的纯化系统可获得纯度为96%的逆转录酶纯品, 为大规模生产该酶提供了可靠的保证。     

The role of binding ligand in toxic hybrid proteins: a comparison of EGF-ricin, EGF-ricin A-chain, and ricin

To analyze the influence of ricin B-chain on the toxicity of hybrid-protein conjugates, the rate of cellular uptake of conjugates, and the rate at which ricin A-chain (RTA) is delivered to the cytoplasm, we have constructed toxic hybrid proteins consisting of epidermal growth factor (EGF) coupled in disulfide linkage either to ricin or to RTA. EGF-ricin is no more toxic on A431 cells than EGF-RTA. The two conjugates demonstrate similar kinetics of cellular uptake (defined as antibody irreversible toxicity). EGF-RTA and EGF-ricin, like ricin, required a 2-2 1/2 hour period at 37 degrees before the onset of protein synthesis inhibition occurred. Our results suggest that RTA determines the processes which carry it, either in conjugate or toxin, from the plasma membrane binding site to the cytoplasm following endocytosis, and the ricin B chain is not required for these processes.     

Depurination of yeast 26S ribosomal RNA by recombinant ricin A chain

The nature of the modification of yeast ribosomes by the recombinant form of the ricin A chain has been examined. Evidence is presented that the 26S rRNA molecule is depurinated at a specific site and that the activity is inhibited by antibody raised to ricin A chain. It thus appears that the recombinant form of this toxin retains the depurination activity of the native molecule. These results are consistent with the model that the site of depurination is in a highly conserved sequence forming a loop on the surface of the ribosome, a domain involved in elongation factor-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA.     

Mutational analysis of the Shiga toxin and Shiga-like toxin II enzymatic subunits.

The A-subunit polypeptides of Shiga toxin, the Shiga-like toxins (SLTs), and the plant lectin ricin inactivate eucaryotic ribosomes by enzymatically depurinating 28S rRNA. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of the members of the Shiga toxin family and ricin revealed two regions of significant homology that lie within a proposed active-site cleft of the ricin A chain. In previous studies, these conserved sequences of the SLT-I and ricin A subunits have been implicated as active sites. To establish the importance of these regions of homology, we used site-directed mutagenesis to alter the A-subunit sequences of two members of the Shiga toxin family. Substitution of an aspartic acid for glutamic acid 166 of the Slt-IIA subunit decreased the capacity of the polypeptides to inhibit protein synthesis at least 100-fold in a cell-free translation system. However, this mutation did not prevent the expression of immunoreactive, full-length Slt-IIA. In addition, SLT-II holotoxin containing the mutated A subunit was 1,000-fold less toxic to Vero cells. Finally, site-directed mutagenesis was used to delete sequences encoding amino acids 202 through 213 of the Shiga toxin A subunit. Although this deletion did not prevent holotoxin assembly, it abolished cytotoxic activity.     

Production of diphtheria toxin CRM228 in B. subtilis

The gene coding for a nontoxic diphtheria toxin (DT), tox228, was isolated from lysogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae and cloned into pBR322. A mature form of the tox228 gene, lacking its signal sequence, was expressed in Bacillus subtilis using a B. amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase secretion vector. To test the possibility of producing partially deleted DT molecules, which could be used for cell-directed toxin conjugates, a truncated form lacking 151 amino acids from the C-terminus of the DT was generated by oligonucleotide mutagenesis. Both the truncated and intact DT were efficiently secreted into the culture medium. During prolonged cultivation, the truncated form was less stable than the intact DT molecule.     

The tRNA N2,N2-dimethylguanosine-26 methyltransferase encoded by gene trm1 increases efficiency of suppression of an ochre codon in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

The plant toxin ricin has proven valuable as a membrane marker in studies of endocytosis as well as studies of different intracellular transport steps. The toxin, which consists of two polypeptide chains, binds by one chain (the B-chain) to both glycolipids and glycoproteins with terminal galactose at the cell surface. The other chain (the A-chain) enters the cytosol and inhibits protein synthesis enzymatically. After binding the toxin is endocytosed by different mechanisms, and it is transported via endosomes to the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum before translocation of the A-chain to the cytosol. The different transport steps have been analyzed by studying trafficking of ricin as well as modified ricin molecules.