High-level expression in Escherichia coli of a chemically synthesized gene for [Leu-28]echistatin

A gene (Ecs) encoding a platelet aggregation inhibitor, echistatin (Ecs), has been chemically synthesized. Met at position 28 of the native protein was replaced by Leu in the recombinant Ecs. To express this synthetic gene in Escherichia coli, an expression vector, pJC264, was constructed by inserting portions of the E. coli cheB and cheY gene complex into the plasmid pUC13. High-level expression of the synthetic [Leu-28]Ecs was achieved by its fusion with the E. coli cheY gene in the expression vector. Recombinant [Leu-28]Ecs was liberated from the fusion protein by CNBr cleavage at the Met inserted between the CheY protein and [Leu-28]Ecs. The recombinant [Leu-28]Ecs was purified to homogeneity by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The refolded [Leu-28]Ecs was identical to native Ecs in inhibiting platelet aggregation, suggesting that Met at position 28 is not essential for the biological activity of this platelet aggregation inhibitor.     

Inhibitorily active recombinant human stefin B. Gene synthesis, expression and isolation of an inhibitory active MS-2 pol-stefin B fusion protein and preparation of Des[Met1,2(2)]stefin B

A synthetic gene coding for the human intracellular cysteine proteinase inhibitor, stefin B, was constructed from 13 chemically synthesized oligonucleotides according to the method of Khorana. The gene was inserted into the plasmid vector pTZ, amplified and sequenced. For expression, a temperature-inducible system producing fusion proteins was used. With the vector pEx31A containing the synthetic cystatin B gene, E. coli strain 537 produced a fusion protein of the N-terminal part of bacteriophage MS-2 polymerase and [Met-2Gly-1]stefin B. Lysates of the induced bacteria were inhibitorily active against papain. The fusion protein was expressed in high yield (about 20% of total E. coli proteins) and mostly deposited as inclusion bodies. The unfolded fusion protein was partially purified in the presence of urea. After refolding, approx. 6% of the protein was inhibitorily active against papain, human cathepsin H and B. Des[Met1,2(2)]stefin B was released by cyanogen bromide cleavage of the fusion protein and identified by N-terminal amino-acid sequence analysis. The non-separated cleavage products were also inhibitorily active after refolding. The estimated inhibition constants for the fusion protein and its cleavage products were similar to those reported for natural stefin B.     

Gene engineering by selectable intraplasmid recombination: construction of novel dihydrofolate reductase minigenes

An intraplasmid recombination system in Escherichia coli has been designed to make possible the engineering of various genes using methods that greatly reduce dependence on appropriately placed restriction enzyme sites. This system has been used to manipulate intervening sequences in dihydrofolate reductase minigenes and to vary the number of 48-bp repeats in the promoter region. In this method, the two fragments to be recombined are cloned into a plasmid separated by a fragment of DNA containing an expressible galactokinase-encoding gene (galK). Selection for loss of the galK gene, but for retention of the plasmid in E. coli, results in a plasmid in which the two fragments have undergone homologous recombination. Several new plasmids are reported here which contain an expressible galK gene flanked by multiple restriction sites. These plasmids should be useful in recombination and as convenient sources of a gene for which both positive and negative selections are available in E. coli.     

Plasmid vector for cloning, determination of nucleotide sequence and directed assembly of DNA fragments

A plasmid vector pNIMB has been constructed (starting) from the pUR222 plasmid as a result of substitution of the polylinker containing restriction sites: PstI, SalGI, AccI, HindII, BamHI EcoRI and by other synthetic linkers with additional sites for HindIII and HgaI. Plasmid pNIMB does not differ from the parent one phenotypically. Compared to pUR222 the vector contains an additional site for cloning HindIII fragments of DNA and allows to clone SalGI/BamHI- and PstI/SalGI-fragments. Cloning of DNA fragments in all seven unique sites of pNiMB gives the possibility for sequencing the fragments avoiding their isolation from the gel. Moreover, this vector may be useful for cloning and directed assembly of chemically synthesised DNA fragments when the endonuclease HgaI sites are used.     

HBcAg表达菌株的筛选、初步鉴定与DNA顺序分析

为提高HBcAg(乙型肝炎核心抗原)在大肠杆菌体内表达水平,将有HBcAg的基因片段用核酸外切酶从两端消化,插入载体质粒pUR222的EcoRI酶切位点,转化Ecoli BMH71—18,用菌落原位酶联免疫法由275个转化子筛选到7株阳性克隆,用ELISA比较了它们的表达水平,表达水平最高者为M2066菌株,P/N=2.0时菌体裂解液的稀泽度为1:33000’比表达最低者M2098高8,000倍,比第一代菌株M206高15,000倍,DNA顺序分析结果表明与mRNA起始密码上游的发卡结构去除有关。用SDS-PAGE和聚乙烯簿膜复印法检测菌体裂解液中HBcAg的分子量为21000,42000及63000,呈单体和聚合物形式存在,比由病人肝脏和血液中提取的HBcAg(19000)分子量大,为融合蛋白。经琼脂免疫双扩散与ELISA阻断试验未发现与β半乳糖苷酶有免疫学交叉反应。用ELIDA法,M2066-HBcAg与肝-HBcAg同时检测40份血清标本的抗-HBc,二者符合率95％。     

Expression of gene coding for the NS1 protein of the tick-borne encephalitis virus in Escherichia coli cell

Two possible forms of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE) gene NS1 (called NS1' and NS1) were constructed using two overlapping cDNA-fragments of TBE genome and synthetic DNA fragments. This genes were expressed in E. coli cells in expression vector pUR290 as individual proteins or fusion with bacterial beta-galactosidase. The proteins NS1 (Mw. 39 kDa), beta-galactosidase-NS1' (Mw. 162 kDa) and beta-galactosidase-NS1 (Mw. 155 kDa) were effectively synthesized under the Plgc-promoter induction conditions. Expression of NS1' gene results in the formation of two virus-specific proteins (Mw. 46 and 44 kDa). All bacterial analogs of NS1 protein fixed monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies specific to viral NS1.     

Design and functional expression in Escherichia coli of a synthetic gene encoding Clostridium pasteurianum 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin.

A gene encoding the exact sequence of Clostridium pasteurianum 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin and containing 11 unique restriction endonuclease cleavage sites has been synthesized and cloned in Escherichia coli. The synthetic gene is efficiently expressed in E. coli and its product has been purified and characterized. The N-terminal sequence is identical to that of the protein isolated from C. pasteurianum and the recombinant ferredoxin contains the exact amount of [4Fe-4S] clusters (2 per monomer) expected for homogeneous holoferredoxin. It displays reduction potential and kinetic parameters as electron donor to C. pasteurianum hydrogenase I identical to those determined for the native ferredoxin. All of these properties demonstrate that the 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin expressed in E. coli is identical to the parent clostridial protein.     

A gene fusion system for generating antibodies against short peptides

A novel method to obtain specific antibodies against short peptides is described, involving synthesis of the corresponding oligodeoxynucleotides followed by cloning into a new set of fusion vectors, pEZZ8 and pEZZ18, based on two synthetic IgG-binding domains (ZZ) of Staphylococcus aureus protein A. The soluble gene fusion product thus obtained, can be collected from the culture medium of Escherichia coli and rapidly recovered in a one-step procedure by IgG affinity chromatography. The system was used to express a fusion protein consisting of the two Z fragments and the C-terminal part [amino acids (aa) 57-70] of human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). This 16-kDa protein was purified by affinity chromatography on IgG Sepharose and antibodies were raised in rabbits. The fusion protein elicited peptide-specific antibodies, as measured by solid-phase radioimmuno assay and Western blotting, reactive with both synthetic C-terminal peptide and the native human IGF-I protein. The results suggests that the gene fusion system can be used for efficient antibody production against short peptides encoded by synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides.     

High-level secretion of biologically active aprotinin from the yeastPichia pastoris

Summary A synthetic gene encoding aprotinin (bovine pancreatic trypsin, inhibitor) was fused to theSaccharomyces cerevisiae prepro alpha mating factor leader sequence at the dibasic amino acid processing site.Pichia pastoris strains were developed to'express one or multiple copies of a methanol-inducible expression cassette containing the gene fusion.P. pastoris containing a single copy of the vector secreed approximately 150 mg/l of immunoreactive protein. A construct bearing five copies of the expression cassette secreted 930 mg/l of aprotinin. The purified aprotinin molecule was equipoten with the native molecule in a trypsin inhibition assay. Protein sequence analysis showed that the alpha factor-aprotinin fusion was not processed at the basic amino acid residues Lys-Arg. Instead, recombinant aprotinin had additional N-terminal amino acids derived from prepro alpha factor. The N-terminal extension was variably 11 or 4 amino acids. Inclusion of the spacer DNA sequence encoding Glu and Ala between aprotinin and the Lys-Arg processing site led to the secretion of a biologically active aprotinin containing only a Glu-Ala N-terminal extension.     

Expression of the synthetic gene of an artificial DDT-binding polypeptide in Escherichia coli

This paper reports the expression of an artificial functional polypeptide in bacteria. The gene of a designed 24-residue DDT-binding polypeptide (DBP) was inserted between the BamHI and PstI cleavage sites of plasmid pUR291. The hybrid plasmid, pUR291-DBP, was cloned in Escherichia coli JM109. After induction by isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside a fusion protein was expressed in which DBP was linked to the COOH-terminus of beta-galactosidase. DBP, which is stable to trypsin, was obtained by tryptic digestion of the fusion protein and subsequent fractionation of the tryptic peptides by reversed-phase h.p.l.c. Recombinant and chemically synthesized DBP showed identical chromatographic properties, amino acid composition, and chymotryptic digestion patterns. Both the beta-galactosidase-DBP fusion and isolated recombinant DBP bound DDT. The fusion protein was 25 times as potent as the designed 24-residue DBP in activating a cytochrome P-450 model system using equimolar catalytic amounts of the two proteins.     

异源表达的幽门螺杆菌cag4蛋白有溶菌糖基转移酶活性

摘要【目的】构建融合基因原核表达载体pET-28a- cag4,并表达重组融合蛋白cag4,分析重组融合蛋白的酶活性,为新型抗生素（或是抗菌药物）的研发提供作用靶位。【方法】本研究利用PCR技术从幽门螺杆菌NCTC11637中克隆了cag4基因;经T-A克隆,酶切鉴定,构建了原核表达载体pET-28a- cag4;经测序鉴定正确后,转化进入大肠埃希菌 BL21(DE3)进行异源表达。利用IPTG体外诱导后,经SDS-PAGE和Western Bolt鉴定目的蛋白表达后,采用Ni2＋-NTA柱在变性条件下纯化目的蛋白,并对重组蛋白进行透析复性处理。将SDS煮沸法获得的溶壁微球菌肽聚糖掺入SDS-PAGE作为底物,进行酶谱分析。【结果】在大肠埃希菌 BL21(DE3)中获得高效表达的重组蛋白; 经SDS-PAGE和Western Bolt鉴定表达后,采用Ni2＋-NTA柱在变性条件下纯化,并进行透析复性处理。将SDS煮沸法获得的溶壁微球菌肽聚糖掺入SDS-PAGE作为底物,进行酶谱分析,表明目的蛋白具有明显的肽聚糖水解活性; 通过监测浊度下降速率,比较其在不同pH条件下活性的变化,即?A/（min?mg protein）,结果表明,幽门螺杆菌cag4蛋白具有溶菌糖基转移酶活性。【结论】幽门螺杆菌cag4蛋白具有溶菌糖基转移酶活性。     

Molecular cloning and expression of a synthetic DNA coding for the antimicrobial protein of bull seminal plasma

A DNA carrying the coding sequence for the antimicrobial protein from bull seminal plasma (SAP) was obtained by enzymic ligation of six synthetic oligonucleotides. The 162 bp synthetic DNA fragment was cloned into the C-terminal part of the lacZ-gene employing the vector pUR289. Expression in E. coli in the presence of the inducer isopropylthiogalactoside (IPTG) led to the formation of a fusion protein, which was shown by immuno-blotting to contain immuno-reactive antimicrobial protein. Approximately 90 min after induction, the cells stopped growing and the culture was found to contain no viable cells 3 h after induction. We conclude from this observation that the beta-galactosidase-antimicrobial protein fusion product was toxic for the E. coli cell and that the SAP-residue attached to beta-galactosidase was responsible for the cytotoxicity.     

Restriction enzyme cleavage sites surrounding the structural gene for the lipoprotein of the Escherichia coli outer membrane.

The purified messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for the lipoprotein of the Escherichia coli outer membrane was hybridized with fragments obtained by digestion of E. coli chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with eight different restriction enzymes. For each restriction enzyme digestion, one specific fragment separated by agarose gel electrophoresis was found to hybridize with the lipoprotein mRNA. From the analysis of restriction fragments generated by double digestions with various combinations of restriction enzymes, cleavage sites for the restriction enzymes near the locus of the lipoprotein structural gene (lpp) were mapped. No restriction fragments of DNA from the E. coli lpp-2 mutant hybridized with the lipoprotein mRNA, confirming that the mutant has a deletion mutation in the vicinity of the lpp gene.     

Fusion protein based epitope mapping of the MPB57 protein from Mycobacterium bovis BCG and its epitope insertion into the native protein.

The gene coding for the 12-kDa protein (MPB57) of Mycobacterium bovis BCG has recently been cloned and sequenced (R. Yamaguchi, K. Matsuo, A. Yamazaki, S. Nagai, K. Terasaka, and T. Yamada. 1988. FEBS Lett. 240: 115-117). To map linear B-cell epitopes by beta-galactosidase fusion proteins, we have constructed convenient vectors (pUR278S, pUR288S, and pUR289S) with the SmaI site. Based on recognition by polyclonal antibodies, two epitope regions on the MPB57 protein were identified, both of which corresponded to the amino acid sequences Glu20 to Val45 (26 residues, epitope I region) and Ile78 to Leu86 (9 residues, epitope II). Complementary oligonucleotides encoding epitope II were synthesized, polymerized by a ligase reaction, inserted into the native MPB57 protein gene, and expressed in Escherichia coli, giving rise to epitope-inserted proteins. Their stability and potential uses are described.     

Total chemical synthesis of a gene for hepatitis B virus core protein and its functional characterization

We have chemically synthesized a DNA duplex of 560 nucleotides that codes for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein. The synthetic gene contains 27 unique internal restriction sites. Thereby, it can easily be mutagenized by replacement of rather short restriction fragments. A number of restriction recognition sequences are in common between the synthetic and the authentic gene, thus allowing for the transfer of synthetic segments into the cloned viral genome. Several unexpected mutations in the synthetic gene were readily corrected utilizing the multiple unique restriction sites. In Escherichia coli, the expression level of the synthetic gene product amounts to about 4% of the total soluble protein. It forms particles closely resembling native HBV cores. After transfer of the synthetic gene into the viral genome, transient expression in a hepatoma cell line yields proteins indistinguishable from the native gene products. The synthetic gene thus provides a useful tool for studies on the structure and function of the isolated HBV core protein as well as the gene and its various products in the viral life-cycle.