A human biotin acceptor domain allows site-specific conjugation of an enzyme to an antibody-avidin fusion protein for targeted drug delivery

We have previously constructed an antibody-avidin (Av) fusion protein, anti-transferrin receptor (TfR) IgG3-Av, which can deliver biotinylated molecules to cells expressing the TfR. We now describe the use of the fusion protein for antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT). The 67 amino acid carboxyl-terminal domain (P67) of human propionyl-CoA carboxylase alpha subunit can be metabolically biotinylated at a fixed lysine residue. We genetically fused P67 to the carboxyl terminus of the yeast enzyme FCU1, a derivative of cytosine deaminase that can convert the non-toxic prodrug 5-fluorocytosine to the cytotoxic agent 5-fluorouracil. When produced in Escherichia coli cells overexpressing a biotin protein ligase, the FCU1-P67 fusion protein was efficiently mono-biotinylated. In the presence of 5-fluorocytosine, the biotinylated fusion protein conjugated to anti-rat TfR IgG3-Av efficiently killed rat Y3-Ag1.2.3 myeloma cells in vitro, while the same protein conjugated to an irrelevant (anti-dansyl) antibody fused to Av showed no cytotoxic effect. Efficient tumor cell killing was also observed when E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase was similarly targeted to the tumor cells in the presence of the prodrug 2-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine. These results suggest that when combined with P67-based biotinylation, anti-TfR IgG3-Av could serve as a universal delivery vector for targeted chemotherapy of cancer.     

The possible role of 9(S)-hydroperoxyoctadecatrienoic acid as a suicide substrate of soybean lipoxygenase

While incubation of soybean lipoxygenase with alpha-linolenic acid resulted in the gradual decrease of lipoxygenase activity, the incubation with linoleic acid had no change. The inactivation of soybean lipoxygenase during incubation with alpha-linolenic acid was markedly observed at pH 6.5, but not at pH 9.0. Among the lipoxygenation products of alpha-linolenic acid, only 9(S)-hydroperoxyoctadecatrienoic acid caused the inactivation of lipoxygenase. 9(S)-Hydroxyoctadecatrienoic acid, 13(S)-hydroperoxyoctadecatrienoic acid or 9,16-dihydroperoxy conjugated trienoic acid was without effect. Accordingly, it is suggested that the epoxide intermediate, one conversion product of 9(S)-hydroperoxyoctadecatrienoic acid, might be involved in the direct inactivation of lipoxygenase.     

桐油脂肪酸组成分析和甘三酯结构判定

采用2-氨基-2-甲基丙醇（2-amino-2-methylpropanol,AMP）衍生化、GC／MS法分析桐油的脂肪酸组成：软脂酸3．41％,硬脂酸3．71％,油酸7．07％,亚油酸7．51％,亚麻酸1．31％,十八碳共轭三烯酸73．19％,未定出成分3．80％;采用RP—HPLC／APCI—MS法分离桐油中的甘三酯组分,并根据特定甘三酯断裂生成的特征甘二酯离子的丰度比初步判定主要甘三酯的结构。     

Identification of acrolein-conjugated protein in plasma of patients with brain infarction

It is known that the level of protein-conjugated acrolein in plasma is a good marker of chronic renal failure and brain infarction. Thus, studies were carried out to determine which kinds of plasma proteins are conjugated with acrolein. It was found that acrolein was mainly conjugated with albumin. Tandem mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that Lys-557 and Lys-560, located at the surface of domain III of albumin, were the major sites conjugated with acrolein. This is the first report to identify the amino acid residues in a protein modified by acrolein in vivo. It was found that conjugation of acrolein with albumin contributed to a decrease in the toxicity of acrolein.     

A metabolite of acetaminophen covalently binds to the 56 kDa selenium binding protein.

Acetaminophen is metabolized by cytochrome P450 to a reactive metabolite that covalently binds to proteins and this binding correlates with the hepatotoxicity. The major protein adduct was previously reported to be a 55 kDa protein that was detected on Western blots using antisera specific for 3-(cystein-S-yl)acetaminophen. In this study, the 55 kDa protein was isolated using a combination of ion exchange fast flow chromatography, hydroxyapatite HPLC and anion exchange HPLC. Amino acid sequences of 8 internal peptides from a trypsin digestion of the 55 kDa protein were found to have 97% homology with the deduced amino acid sequence from a cDNA that corresponds to a 56 kDa selenium binding protein. This is the first report of a specific protein to which a metabolite of acetaminophen covalently binds.     

Indole-3-acetic acid protein conjugates: novel players in auxin homeostasis

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is found in plants in both free and conjugated forms. Within the group of conjugated IAA there is a unique class of proteins and peptides where IAA is attached directly to the polypeptide structure as a prosthetic group. The first gene, IAP1, encoding for a protein with IAA as a prosthetic group, was cloned from bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). It was shown that the expression of IAP1 as a major IAA modified protein in bean seed (PvIAP1) was correlated to a developmental period of rapid growth during seed development. Moreover, this protein underwent rapid degradation during germination. Since further molecular analysis was difficult in bean, the IAP1 gene was transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana and Medicago truncatula. Expression of the bean IAP1 gene in both plant species under the control of its native promoter targeted protein expression to the seeds. In Arabidopsis no IAA was found to be attached to PvIAP1. These results show that there is specificity to protein modification by IAA and suggests that protein conjugation may be catalyzed by species specific enzymes. Furthermore, subcellular localization showed that in Arabidopsis PvIAP1 was predominantly associated with the microsomal fraction. In addition, a related protein and several smaller peptides that are conjugated to IAA were identified in Arabidopsis. Further research on this novel class of proteins from Arabidopsis will both advance our knowledge of IAA proteins and explore aspects of auxin homeostasis that were not fully revealed by studies of free IAA and lower molecular weight conjugates.     

A protein isolated from Brucella abortus is a Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase

Brucella abortus contains a protein that elicits an antigenic response in cattle previously exposed to the organism. The amino acid sequence of the recombinant form of this antigenic protein was determined by gas-phase sequencing of the pyridylethylated protein and its peptides obtained by digestion with cyanogen bromide (CNBr), clostripain, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease. The Brucella protein demonstrated 53.6% identity with the Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) from Photobacterium leiognathi. Residues essential for metal coordination and enzymatic activity and cysteines required for the formation of the intrasubunit disulfide bridge of Cu-Zn SOD were conserved in the Brucella protein. also exhibited SOD activity that was inhibited by cyanide, which is characteristic of a Cu-Zn SOD. Brucella abortus Cu-Zn SOD is the second prokaryotic Cu-Zn SOD to be sequenced, and the fifth found in prokaryotes. The high degree of conservation between Photobacterium and Brucella Cu-Zn SOD supports the hypothesis of a separately evolved prokaryotic and eukaryotic Cu-Zn SOD gene.     

A Siglec-like sialic-acid-binding motif revealed in an adenovirus capsid protein

Sialic-acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs) are a family of transmembrane receptors that are well documented to play roles in regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. To see whether the features that define the molecular recognition of sialic acid were found in other sialic-acid-binding proteins, we analyzed 127 structures with bound sialic acids found in the Protein Data Bank database. Of these, the canine adenovirus 2-fiber knob protein showed close local structural relationship to Siglecs despite low sequence similarity. The fiber knob harbors a noncanonical sialic-acid recognition site, which was then explored for detailed specificity using a custom glycan microarray comprising 58 diverse sialosides. It was found that the adenoviral protein preferentially recognizes the epitope Neu5Acα2-3[6S]Galβ1-4GlcNAc, a structure previously identified as the preferred ligand for Siglec-8 in humans and Siglec-F in mice. Comparison of the Siglec and fiber knob sialic-acid-binding sites reveal conserved structural elements that are not clearly identifiable from the primary amino acid sequence, suggesting a Siglec-like sialic-acid-binding motif that comprises the consensus features of these proteins in complex with sialic acid.     

Partial characterization of the 30 kD Ig-binding protein from Pseudomonas maltophilia.

We have previously demonstrated that Pseudomonas maltophilia (ATCC 13637) possess a 30 kDa cell wall protein which binds various subclasses of IgG's and IgA by their Fc region. The protein was solubilized by papain and purified by affinity chromatography on cyanogen bromide activated sepharose beads conjugated with human IgG. The eluent was electrophoresed on a 12% polyacrylamide gel under denaturing conditions, and the immunoactive bands identified by Western blot analysis, a second gel was stained with Coomassie blue. The affinity purified eluent was electrophoresed on a one-dimensional 15% polyacrylamide gel and stained with Coomassie blue. The protein band of interest was cut. The protein band was then digested in situ with Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease. The peptide bands were separated by electrophoresis on a second one dimensional 15% polyacrylamide gel and then electroblotted into a polyvinylidine difluoride membrane. The bands were visualized by staining with Coomassie blue, cut out, and sequenced using an automated gas phase sequencer. Minimal amino acid composition was determined in a similar fashion. We have thus obtained partial N-terminal amino acid sequence data from the above method.     

The HTLV-III envelope protein contains a hexapeptide homologous to a region of interleukin-2 that binds to the interleukin-2 receptor

A region of human interleukin-2 (IL-2) which was predicted to be a contact point with its receptor was used to locate a homologous region in the envelope protein of human T-lymphotropic retrovirus (HTLV-III). This homologous six amino acid peptide from the carboxy (C)-terminus of the HTLV-III envelope protein was found to inhibit the biological activity of human IL-2 in a murine spleen cell proliferation assay. When conjugated to a carrier protein, this peptide inhibited the binding of radiolabelled IL-2 to its receptor. The biological activity of the peptide was antagonized by a six amino acid peptide fragment of the IL-2 receptor which was predicted to be the contact point on the receptor that corresponded to the binding region of IL-2. The HTLV-III peptide also inhibited the binding of radiolabelled IL-2 to polyclonal anti-IL-2 antiserum. These data support the previous assignment of contact points between IL-2 and its receptor. They also suggest two possible mechanisms of immunosuppression during acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). One involves direct competition of the envelope protein or its fragments with IL-2 for binding to the IL-2 receptor. The other involves antibodies to the envelope protein which crossreact with and neutralize IL-2.     

Structure and X-ray amino acid sequence of a bacteriochlorophyll a protein from Prosthecochloris aestuarii refined at 1.9 A resolution

The structure of the water-soluble bacteriochlorophyll a protein (Bchl protein) from the green photosynthetic bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii has been refined at 1.9 A resolution to a crystallographic residual of 18.9%. The refinement was carried out without knowledge of the amino acid sequence and has led to an "X-ray sequence". The structure consists of seven Bchl molecules enclosed within a protein "bag" and the refinement supports the general conformation of the molecule described previously. The refinement also supports the previous suggestion that the ligands to the seven Bchl magnesiums are, respectively, five histidines, a carbonyl oxygen from the polypeptide backbone of the protein, and a bound water molecule. The conformations of the seven Bchl head-groups are described in detail. In two cases the magnesium atoms are approximately 0.48 A "below" the plane of the conjugated macrocycle while in the other five cases the atoms are, on average, 0.48 A "above" the plane. The acetyl ring substituents are more-or-less coplanar with the dihydrophorbin macrocycle, consistent with a previous resonance Raman study. The conjugated atoms in each of the seven macrocycles have significant departures from strict planarity. These deviations are similar for Bchls 1, 2 and 3 (class I) and are also similar for Bchls 4, 5, 6 and 7 (class II). Ethylchlorophillide also belongs to class II. The out-of-plane deformations for the class I and class II bacteriochlorophylls appear to correspond to two distinct modes of bending or curvature of the dihydrophorbin macrocycle.     

Induction of cell-mediated immunity to chemically modified antigens in guinea pigs. I. Characterization of the immune response to lipid-conjugated protein antigens.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugated with a lipid, dodecanoic acid, is capable of inducing strong delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in guinea pigs. This paper reports experiments on the nature and specificity of this hypersensitivity. The response to lipid-conjugated BSA (L-BSA) was found to be classical DTH, as evidenced by its ability to be transferred passively by immune cells, but not by serum. In addition, special histologic examination of skin test sites demonstrated the characteristics of DTH rather than cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity. Similar results were obtained when lipid-conjugated purified protein derivative of tubercle bacilli (L-PPD) was used. The increased immunogenicity of L-BSA was not caused by the presence of protein aggregates, but seemed to be related to the hydrophobic nature of the conjugated side chains. A series of cross-reacting serum albumins was used for a study of the specificity of the antibody and DTH responses to BSA. It was found that the degree of enhancement of immunogenicity for DTH caused by lipid conjugation varied for different antigenic determinants on BSA.     

A barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) LEA3 protein, HVA1, is abundant in protein storage vacuoles

The HVA1 protein belongs to the LEA3 group, which is expressed during the late stage of seed maturation. It is also induced by exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and a variety of environmental stresses in germinating barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). In the present work, the potential role of HVA1 was investigated by studying its tissue distribution and subcellular localization in mature and stressed seeds by immuno-microscopic methods. In the mature seed, HVA1 protein was detected in all tissues except the non-living starchy endosperm. During germination the amount of HVA1 protein decreased but did not totally disappear. Incubation with 100 μM ABA, cold treatment or drought stress dramatically increased HVA1 expression in the germinated seed. In this work, the distribution of a LEA3 group protein was studied in a cereal seed for the first time by immuno-electron microscopy. In the scutellum and aleurone layer, HVA1 was localized both in the cytoplasm and protein storage vacuoles (PSVs). HVA1 protein was found to be threefold more abundant in PSVs than in the cytoplasm of an unstressed seed tissue. The ratio increased with ABA or stress treatments to at least ninefold. The role of HVA1 in PSVs remains unclear: a previously suggested possibility is ion sequestration to prevent precipitation during stress. On the other hand, HVA1 protein could also be degraded in PSVs. HVA1 protein does not have the signal peptide typical of proteins which are glycosylated and targeted into the vacuole via the Golgi complex. Because HVA1 is not glycosylated, it may use an alternative, ER-independent vacuolar pathway, also found in yeast cells.     

Bioluminescent immunoassay using a fusion protein of protein A and the photoprotein aequorin

Aequorin is a photoprotein that emits light in the presence of Ca2+ ions. To develop a bioluminescent immunoassay based on the light emission property of aequorin, we have expressed the apoaequorin fusion protein with S. aureus protein A in E. coli by recombinant DNA techniques. The fusion protein expressed was purified by IgG-Sepharose affinity chromatography, gel filtration and HPLC procedures. The purified protein A-apoaequorin fusion protein has both the luminescent activity of aequorin and the IgG-binding ability of protein A. We compared results obtained using the protein A-aequorin fusion protein with those obtained using a protein A conjugated horseradish peroxidase based immunoassay, and found them to yield similar results.     

Reconstitution of M13 bacteriophage coat protein. A new strategy to analyze configuration of the protein in the membrane

The configuration of M13 bacteriophage coat protein in a model membrane was analyzed using protease digestion followed by gel permeation chromatography on Fractogel TSK in formic acid/ethanol. Important information is contained in the chromatographic patterns of the membrane-bound fragments, as well as of the fragments released by the digestion. A new reconstitution was thereby developed which involves adding a small volume of a concentrated solution of cholate-solubilized coat protein to preformed vesicles (with the amount of detergent added being less than that required to solubilize the vesicles), freezing in liquid nitrogen, thawing, followed by dialysis to remove excess detergent. The coat protein is incorporated with high efficiency (95 percent) making subsequent fractionation unnecessary. In addition, the incorporated protein is not aggregated, and is incorporated with most molecules spanning the membrane, oriented in the same manner as in vivo (N-terminus outwards). Two previously described reconstitutions, using sonication or cholate dialysis, are analyzed and found to be less satisfactory.     

Conjugation of horseradish peroxidase to staphylococcal protein A with benzoquinone, glutaraldehyde, or periodate as cross-linking reagents

Horseradish peroxidase was conjugated to Staphylococcal protein A by three different two-step procedures using an increasing excess of peroxidase in the second step reaction. The yield of conjugated protein A was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Conjugation of peroxidase to protein A with benzoquinone or glutaraldehyde as cross-linking reagents at a 3- to 4-fold molar excess of peroxidase resulted in a high yield of coupled protein A with conjugates of low molecular size. Conjugation of peroxidase to protein A by the periodate method resulted in a high yield of coupled protein A with polymeric conjugates of large molecular size. Based on these results, conjugates produced with glutaraldehyde as cross-linking reagents were further analyzed. The capacity of the conjugates to precipitate human immunoglobulin evaluated by radial immunodiffusion was found to be reduced to about 50% of that of native protein A. Conjugates produced with glutaraldehyde as cross-linking reagent retained 70% of the enzyme activity of native peroxidase.     

Free-radical-mediated protein inactivation and recovery during protein photoencapsulation

Photoencapsulation of protein therapeutics is very attractive for preparing biomolecule-loaded hydrogels for a variety of biomedical applications. However, detrimental effects of highly active radical species generated during photoencapsulation must be carefully evaluated to maintain efficient hydrogel cross-linking while preserving the structure and bioactivity of encapsulated biomolecules. Here, we examine the free-radical-mediated inactivation and incomplete release of proteins from photocurable hydrogels utilizing lysozyme as a conservative model system. Various protein photoencapsulation conditions were tested to determine the factors affecting lysozyme structural integrity and bioactivity. It was found that a portion of the lysozyme becomes conjugated to polymer chains at high photoinitiator concentrations and long polymerization times. We also found that the more hydrophilic photoinitiator Irgacure-2959 (I-2959, 2-hydroxy-1-[4-(hydroxyethoxy)phenyl]-2-methyl-1-propanone) causes more damage to lysozyme compared to the hydrophobic photoinitiator Irgacure-651 (I-651, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone), even though I-2959 has been previously shown to be more cytocompatible. Furthermore, while nonacrylated PEG provides only limited protection from the denaturing free radicals that are present during hydrogel curing, acrylated PEG macromers effectively preserve lysozyme structural integrity and bioactivity in the presence of either photoinitiator. Overall, these findings indicate how photopolymerization conditions (e.g., photoinitiator type and concentration, UV exposure time, etc.) must be optimized to obtain a functional hydrogel device that can preserve protein bioactivity and provide maximal protein release.     

Multidrug resistance mediated by the ATP-binding cassette transporter protein MRP

Resistance to multiple natural product drugs associated with reduced drug accumulation in human tumor cells may be conferred by either the 170 kDa P-glycoprotein or the 190 kDa multidrug resistance protein, MRP. Both MRP and P-glycoprotein belong to the large and ancient ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of transport proteins but share only 15% amino acid identity. Unlike P-glycoprotein, MRP actively transports conjugated organic anions such as the cysteinyl leukotriene C₄ and glutathione-conjugated aflatoxin B₁. Transport of unconjugated chemotherapeutic agents appears to require cotransport of glutathione. MRP and several more recently discovered ABC proteins contain an additional NH₂-proximal membrane-spanning domain not found in previously characterized ABC transporters. This domain, whose NH₂-terminus is extracytosolic, is essential for MRP-mediated transport activity. This review summarizes current knowledge of the structural and transport characteristics of MRP which suggest that the physiologic functions of this protein could range from a protective role in chemical toxicity and oxidative stress to mediation of inflammatory responses involving cysteinyl leukotrienes. BioEssays 20:931–940, 1998. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effect of C/N ratio and aeration on the fatty acid composition of heterotrophicChlorella sorokiniana

The effect of the carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the medium and the aeration rate on the lipid content and fatty acid composition ofChlorella sorokiniana was investigated using heterotrophic, batch culture. Both parameters had a significant effect. A C/N ratio of approximately 20, was found to indicate a change from carbon to nitrogen limitation forC. sorokiniana. Cell lipid content was at a minimum at this value and increased at both higher and lower C/N values. Low C/N ratios favoured a high proportion of trienoic fatty acids at the expense of monoenoic acids. Aeration enhanced cell growth, fatty acid yield and the synthesis of unsaturated dienoic and trienoic fatty acids, but reduced cell lipid content. The results demonstrate that the fatty acid composition and lipid content of heterotrophically-grown microalgae can be favourably manipulated by varying culture conditions.     

A cloned bovine cDNA encodes an alternate form of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase

While attempting to isolate a cDNA clone for the catalytic subunit of the bovine cAMP-dependent protein kinase, we have isolated cDNAs which code for a protein slightly different than the known amino acid sequence. The alternate cDNA was identified by screening a bovine pituitary cDNA library using synthetic oligonucleotides predicted from the known amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit. The cDNA which we identified, encodes a protein which is 93% identical to the known amino acid sequence of the bovine catalytic subunit. It seems likely that this cDNA represents a previously undiscovered catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The mRNA for the alternate catalytic subunit is different in size from the mRNA coding for the previously known catalytic subunit and also has a different tissue distribution. These findings suggest that there are at least two different genes for the catalytic subunit. The differences in amino acid sequence and tissue distribution suggest the possibility of important functional differences in the two enzymes.