Molecular cloning of amphioxus uncoupling protein and assessment of its uncoupling activity using a yeast heterologous expression system

The present study describes the molecular cloning of a novel cDNA fragment from amphioxus (Branchiostoma belcheri) encoding a 343-amino acid protein that is highly homologous to human uncoupling proteins (UCP), this protein is therefore named amphioxus UCP. This amphioxus UCP shares more homology with and is phylogenetically more related to mammalian UCP2 as compared with UCP1. To further assess the functional similarity of amphioxus UCP to mammalian UCP1 and −2, the amphioxus UCP, rat UCP1, and human UCP2 were separately expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the recombinant yeast mitochondria were isolated and assayed for the state 4 respiration rate and proton leak, using pYES2 empty vector as the control. UCP1 increased the state 4 respiration rate by 2.8-fold, and the uncoupling activity was strongly inhibited by GDP, while UCP2 and amphioxus UCP only increased the state 4 respiration rate by 1.5-fold and 1.7-fold in a GDP-insensitive manner, moreover, the proton leak kinetics of amphioxus UCP was very similar to UCP2, but much different from UCP1. In conclusion, the amphioxus UCP has a mild, unregulated uncoupling activity in the yeast system, which resembles mammalian UCP2, but not UCP1.     

Assessment of uncoupling activity of uncoupling protein 3 using a yeast heterologous expression system.

Uncoupling protein 3L, uncoupling protein 1 and the mitochondrial oxoglutarate carrier were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisae. Effects on different parameters related to the energy expenditure were studied. Both uncoupling protein 3L and uncoupling protein 1 reduced the growth rate by 49% and 32% and increased the whole yeast O2 consumption by 31% and 19%, respectively. In isolated mitochondria, uncoupling protein 1 increased the state 4 respiration by 1.8-fold, while uncoupling protein 3L increased the state 4 respiration by 1.2-fold. Interestingly, mutant uncoupling protein 1 carrying the H145Q and H147N mutations, previously shown to markedly decrease the H+ transport activity of uncoupling protein 1 when assessed using a proteoliposome system (Bienengraeber et al. (1998) Biochem. 37, 3-8), uncoupled the mitochondrial respiration to almost the same degree as wild-type uncoupling protein 1. Thus, absence of this histidine pair in uncoupling protein 2 and uncoupling protein 3 does not by itself rule out the possibility that these carriers have an uncoupling function. The oxoglutarate carrier had no effect on any of the studied parameters. In summary, a discordance exists between the magnitude of effects of uncoupling protein 3L and uncoupling protein 1 in whole yeast versus isolated mitochondria, with uncoupling protein 3L having greater effects in whole yeast and a smaller effect on the state 4 respiration in isolated mitochondria. These findings suggest that uncoupling protein 3L, like uncoupling protein 1, has an uncoupling activity. However, the mechanism of action and/or regulation of the activity of uncoupling protein 3L is likely to be different.     

Functional reconstitution of rat uncoupling protein following its high level expression in yeast

Small mammals, including human infants, rely on nonshivering thermogenesis for a substantial portion of their body heat during exposure to cold. This thermogenesis is mediated in large part by the uncoupling protein, which is found exclusively within the inner membrane of brown adipose tissue mitochondria. The sole function of uncoupling protein is to provide a regulated transport pathway for electrophoretic back-flux of H+ ions into the mitochondrial matrix, thereby dissipating the protonmotive force and producing heat. Thus, uncoupling protein is unique with respect to both its physiological role and its tissue expression. We have now achieved high level expression of rat uncoupling protein in yeast, with import into yeast mitochondria at levels, 70-100 micrograms/mg of mitochondrial protein, similar to those observed in brown adipose tissue mitochondria from cold-adapted rats. When the expressed protein was purified and reconstituted into liposomes, the proteoliposomes exhibited GDP-sensitive proton and chloride uniports that were inhibited by GDP with Ki values similar to those obtained with native protein. Moreover, the molecular activities of the expressed protein with respect to Cl- and H+ transport were indistinguishable from those of native protein. The availability of unlimited amounts of functional, expressed uncoupling protein will now permit application of site-directed mutagenesis to the many intriguing aspects of uncoupling protein structure and function.     

棉花黄萎病真菌Verticillium dahliae木聚糖酶基因的克隆、表达和酶学性质分析

[目的]从棉花黄萎病真菌Verticillium dahliae中克隆木聚糖酶基因,并在毕赤酵母中进行异源表达,研究酶学性质.[方法]通过多序列比对设计简并引物,扩增出真菌V. dahliae木聚糖酶基因片段,再采用基因组步行PCR技术获得全长木聚糖酶基因序列.经BLAST比对并结合GT-AG原则分析,该基因含有一个大小为63 bp的内含子,利用DpnI介导的缺失方法对含内含子的全长木聚糖酶基因进行剪接,获得该基因的全长cDNA.将克隆到的cDNA在毕赤酵母GS115进行了表达,重组酶经纯化后进行酶学性质分析.[结果]BLAST比对显示,该cDNA推测的氨基酸序列和已知木聚糖酶的最高一致性为72%.测得该酶最适反应温度为45℃,最适反应pH值为6,在pH5-9维持50%以上的活性,对山毛榉材木聚糖具有最好的水解效果.Mg2 和Ca2 对酶有激活作用,分别提高了33.7%和16.6%,EDTA,β-巯基乙醇和NaN3对酶的活性基本没有影响,Tween-80和DMSO使酶活性提高了28.4%和12.8%.[结论]本文从引起棉花黄萎病的真菌V. dahliae中克隆到的木聚糖酶基因是在GenBank上登录的第一个来自棉花黄萎病真菌的木聚糖酶基因序列.本文所用的克隆方法可以高效的从植物病原真菌和白腐真菌克隆只含一个内含子的11家族的新木聚糖酶基因,避免了摸索原始菌株酶表达诱导条件,检测酶的活性等繁琐的操作.酶学性质分析显示该酶在低聚木糖的制备,面包改良上有潜在的应用价值.     

Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of a Klebsiella pneumoniae gene encoding alginate lyase

The alginate lyase (Aly; guluronate specific)-coding gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae was cloned using the cosmid vector pMMB33, transduced into Escherichia coli and expressed in this host. Four Aly-positive clones with unstable phenotypes were identified out of 700 kanamycin-resistant transductants. A stable derivative of one of the clones was studied further and contained 12.1-kb of insert DNA. The Aly-coding gene (aly), still partially under the control of its native promoter, was localised within a 1.95-kb HindIII fragment by transposon gamma delta mutagenesis and sub-cloning. Most of the Aly produced was secreted into the medium by both the original K. pneumoniae strain (71.7%) and the E. coli recombinant clones (85.1%). The enzyme from both K. pneumoniae and the E. coli clones had a pI of 8.9 and comprised a single 28-kDa polypeptide chain. Other minor bands were also observed on isoelectric focusing and these were attributed to processing intermediates of a single gene product. It is concluded that E. coli can recognise and process the signal peptide of Aly to produce a mature polypeptide that is identical to that synthesised by K. pneumoniae.     

Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of N-glycosidase F from Flavobacterium meningosepticum

N-Glycosidase F (peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glycosaminyl)asparagine amidase; EC 3.5.1.52) catalyzes the cleavage of N-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains between N-acetylglucosamine and asparagine. The structural gene was isolated by screening a Flavobacterium meningosepticum genomic DNA library in lambda gt10 with oligonucleotides, deduced from partial amino acid sequences of the protein. A clone with an open reading frame of 1062 bases was obtained. The amino acid sequence reveals a 42-residue-long leader peptide, which shows similarities to the endoglycosidase H-leader with respect to the cleavage site of the signal peptide, but is distinct from the ones known from other Gram-positive or -negative bacteria. The molecular weight of the native protein, derived from the DNA sequence, is in agreement with the molecular weight of the purified protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (35,000). Escherichia coli, transformed with a plasmid containing this DNA sequence, expresses N-glycosidase F activity. The enzyme with its natural Flavobacterium promoter and leader peptide is not secreted in E. coli but seems to be associated with cell membranes.     

Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of pea seedling copper amine oxidase

The cDNA coding for copper amine oxidase has been cloned from etiolated pea seedlings (Pisum sativum). The deduced amino acid sequence, consisting of 674 residues including the signal peptide, agreed well with those reported for the enzymes from a different cultivar of P. sativum and other plant sources, except for several evolutionary replacements located mostly on the molecular surface. A heterologous expression system for the cloned pea enzyme was constructed with the yeast Pichia pastoris, using the AOX1 promoter and the yeast alpha-factor secretion signal. Adding copper to the culture medium increased the secretion of an active, quinone-containing enzyme. Furthermore, the inactive enzyme produced in a copper-deficient medium was activated considerably by subsequent incubation with excess cupric ions. These results strongly suggest that the Tyr-derived redox cofactor, 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanylquinone (topa quinone, TPQ), is produced in the plant enzyme by post-translational modification that proceeds through the copper-dependent, self-processing mechanism, as in the enzymes from bacteria and yeast.     

Molecular cloning and expression in yeast of caprine prochymosin

We cloned and characterized a preprochymosin cDNA from the abomasum of milk-fed kid goats. This cDNA contained an open reading frame that predicts a polypeptide of 381 amino acid residues, with a signal peptide and a proenzyme region of 16 and 42 amino acids, respectively. Comparison of the caprine preprochymosin sequence with the corresponding sequences of lamb and calf revealed 99 and 94% identity at the amino acid level. The cDNA fragment encoding the mature portion of caprine prochymosin was fused in frame both to the killer toxin signal sequence and to the alpha-factor signal sequence-FLAG in two different yeast expression vectors. The recombinant plasmids were transformed into Kluyveromyces lactis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, respectively. Culture supernatants of both yeast transformants showed milk-clotting activity after activation at acid pH. The FLAG-prochymosin fusion was purified from S. cerevisiae culture supernatants by affinity chromatography. Proteolytic activity assayed toward casein fractions indicated that the recombinant caprine chymosin specifically hydrolysed kappa-casein.     

Molecular cloning, sequencing, expression of Chinese sturgeon cystatin in yeast Pichia pastoris and its proteinase inhibitory activity

Cystatin, a superfamily of cysteine proteinase inhibitor of cathepsins and other cysteine proteinases, is widely distributed in animal tissues and body fluids. Although considerable attention has been given to mammalian and avian cystatins, little is known about cystatins from other vertebrates. In this study, a cDNA coding for Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) cystatin was isolated and characterized. The corresponding mature cystatin peptide cDNA is 336 nucleotides long and encodes a protein of 112 amino acids. Sequence comparison showed that the cloned cystatin was a homolog of the mammalian Family II cystatin. The cystatin cDNA of Chinese sturgeon was subcloned into yeast expression vector pPICZalphaA and transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115 strain. After methanol induction, SDS-PAGE analysis of the culture supernatant indicated that the yield of recombinant cystatin was about 215 mg/l medium supernatant in shaking-flask fermentation medium, accounting for 73.6% of the total supernatant secreted proteins. Our data also showed that the recombinant cystatin is active in inhibiting the protease activity of papain and cathepsin B. Heat stability of the recombinant cystatin was also measured.     

cDNA cloning and heterologous expression of functional cysteine-rich antifungal protein Psd1 in the yeast Pichia pastoris.

In the present work, we describe the cDNA cloning, expression in Pichia pastoris, purification, and characterization of the recombinant Pisum sativum defensin 1 (rPsd1), a novel Cys-rich protein presenting four disulfide bridges and high antifungal activity. Several parameters that affect the level of protein expression were assayed. The best condition yielded 13.8 mg/L (1.50 microg/10(8) cells) of active rPsd1. The recombinant rPsd1 was purified to homogeneity by cation exchange, followed by reversed-phase HPLC, and subjected to automated amino acid sequencing, which revealed four additional amino acids (EAEA) at the N-terminal region. Circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis indicated that the recombinant protein has a very similar folding and a correct disulfide-bonding pattern when compared to native Psd1. Nevertheless, the rPsd1 presented a more species-specific antifungal activity. The importance of the N- and C-termini for Psd1 activity is pointed out.     

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein from mouse brown fat. Molecular cloning, genetic mapping, and mRNA expression

We have identified cDNAs clones for several cold-inducible mRNAs from the brown adipose tissue of mice. pCIN-1, a plasmid with a 900-base pair insert, encoded the mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP) as determined by the ability of the cDNA insert to select, by hybridization, an mRNA that could be translated into a 32,000-Da protein immunoprecipitable with anti-UCP antibodies. Nine tissues were analyzed; however, UCP cDNA hybridized to an mRNA species of 1.6 and 2.0 kilobase pairs only in brown adipose tissue. A maximum induction of 10-fold occurred within 6 h of exposure to cold (5 degrees C). A BamHI restriction fragment polymorphism detected by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA in recombinant inbred mouse strains allowed us to map the UCP gene to Chromosome 8. The analysis of the UCP gene expression in diabetic (db) and obese (ob) mice maintained at 27 degrees C for 3 days followed by cold exposure for 4 h at 5 degrees C indicated that UCP mRNA levels in mutant mice were unaffected at 27 degrees C and only slightly reduced at 5 degrees C. Accordingly, the inability of diabetic and obese mice to thermoregulate is not associated with a lack of UCP mRNA induction.     

Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from Acremonium sp. and its expression in yeast

Alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (alpha-GalNAc-ase; EC 3.2.1.49) is an exoglycosidase specific for the hydrolysis of terminal alpha-linked N-acetylgalactosamine in various sugar chains. The cDNA, nagA, encoding alpha-GalNAc-ase from Acremonium sp. was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The nagA contains an open reading frame which encodes for 547 amino acid residues including 21 residues of a signal peptide in its N-terminal. The calculated molecular mass of mature protein from the deduced amino acid sequence of nagA is 57260 Da, which corresponds to the value obtained from SDS-PAGE of native and recombinant enzymes treated with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H. The amino acid sequence of NagA showed significant similarity to those of eukaryotic alpha-GalNAc-ases and alpha-galactosidases (alpha-Gal-ases), particularly alpha-Gal-ase A (AglA) from Aspergillus niger. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that NagA does not belong to the cluster of vertebrate alpha-GalNAc-ase and alpha-Gal-ase but forms another cluster with AglA and yeast alpha-Gal-ases. Thus, the evolutionary origin of the fungal alpha-GalNAc-ase is suggested to be different from that of vertebrate alpha-GalNAc-ase. This is the first report of a microbial alpha-GalNAc-ase gene.     

Molecular cloning and expression of hctB encoding a strain-variant chlamydial histone-like protein with DNA-binding activity.

Two DNA-binding proteins with similarity to eukaryotic histone H1 have been described in Chlamydia trachomatis. In addition to the 18-kDa histone H1 homolog Hc1, elementary bodies of C. trachomatis possess an antigenically related histone H1 homolog, which we have termed Hc2, that varies in apparent molecular mass among strains. We report the molecular cloning, expression, and nucleotide sequence of the hctB gene encoding Hc2 and present evidence for in vivo DNA-binding activity of the expressed product. Expression of Hc2 in Escherichia coli induces a compaction of bacterial chromatin that is distinct from that observed upon Hc1 expression. Moreover, isolated nucleoids from Hc2-expressing E. coli exhibit markedly reduced sensitivity to DNase I. These properties of Hc2 are consistent with a postulated role in establishing the nucleoid structure of elementary bodies.     

Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of progesterone 5beta-reductase from Digitalis lanata Ehrh

A full-length cDNA clone that encodes progesterone 5beta-reductase (5beta-POR) was isolated from Digitalis lanata leaves. The reading frame of the 5beta-POR gene is 1170 nucleotides corresponding to 389 amino acids. For expression, a Sph1/Sal1 5beta-POR fragment was cloned into the pQE vector and was transformed into Escherichia coli strain M15[pREP4]. The recombinant gene was functionally expressed and the recombinant enzyme was characterized. The K(m) and v(max) values for the putative natural substrate progesterone were calculated to be 0.120 mM and 45 nkat mg(-1) protein, respectively. Only 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione but not its alpha-isomer was formed when progesterone was used as the substrate. Kinetic constants for cortisol, cortexone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and NADPH were also determined. The molecular organization of the 5beta-POR gene in D. lanata was determined by Southern blot analysis. The 5beta-POR is highly conserved within the genus Digitalis and the respective genes and proteins share considerable homology to putative progesterone reductases from other plant species.     

Molecular cloning of a human gastric lipase and expression of the enzyme in yeast

The molecular cloning of a cDNA coding for human gastric lipase and its expression in yeast is described. A lipase present in human gastric aspirates was purified and its N-terminal amino-acid sequence was determined. This was found to be homologous with the N-terminal sequence of rat lingual lipase. A cDNA library was constructed from mRNA isolated from human stomach tissue and probed with cloned rat lingual lipase DNA. One clone, pGL17, consisting of approximately 1450 base-pairs, contained the entire coding sequence for a human gastric lipase. The amino-acid sequence from the isolated protein and the DNA sequence obtained from the cloned gene indicated that human gastric lipase consists of a 379 amino acid polypeptide with an unglycosylated Mr of 43,162. Human gastric lipase and rat lingual lipase amino-acid sequences were closely homologous but were unrelated to porcine pancreatic lipase apart from a 6 amino-acid sequence around the essential Ser-152 of porcine pancreatic lipase. A yeast expression plasmid containing the phosphoglycerate kinase promoter and terminator sequences together with the human gastric lipase gene was constructed. Yeast transformed with this vector synthesised the lipolytically active enzyme.     

Expression and purification of recombinant human interleukin-18 protein using a yeast expression system

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) has been reported to exert significant immunoregulatory effects on inhibiting tumor growth through stimulating natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and promoting production of several cytokines, including interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Therefore, IL-18 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. However, the resource of this protein limits its availability for the clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to express and purify recombinant human (h) IL-18 protein using a yeast expression system. We reported here that hIL-18 gene was cloned into pPICZaC vector for expressing a recombinant hIL-18 protein using a yeast expression system. The recombinant hIL-18 protein was purified using centrifugal filter devices, hydrophobic chromatography, and anion exchange chromatography. The yield and purity of the recombinant hIL-18 reached 45.1% and 97.6%, respectively. This recombinant hIL-18 was shown to induce IFN-gamma production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and enhance NK cell cytotoxicity synergistically with IL-2. Furthermore, these recombinant hIL-18-induced effects were the same as those by standard hIL-18. Therefore, the yeast expression system used in this study provides a useful method to produce large-scale of hIL-18 for the clinical application.     

Hansenula polymorpha as a novel yeast system for the expression of heterologous genes

The advantages of Hansenula polymorpha as a new yeast expression system are discussed in terms of the powerful and regulatable methanol oxidase promoter and the organism's ability to grow on cheap carbon sources. The development of techniques for conventional genetic analysis is described. A total of 218 mutants have been assigned to 62 complementation groups, three genes have been found to be linked forming the first linkage group in this organism. Methods for molecular transformation have been developed allowing the expression of heterologous genes. The disruptive integration and expression of the neomycin phosphotransferase is described.