Identification and characterization of an extracellular protease activity produced by the marine Vibriosp 60

Abstract The marine fish pathogen Vibrio sp. 60 has been used as a host for heterologous expression of the Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B-subunit and derivatives carrying a C-terminal extension. In this study, a chimeric enterotoxin B-subunit with an extension corresponding to the carboxy-terminal nine amino acids -Tyr-Ala-Gly-Ala-Val-Val-Asn-Asp-Leu-cooH from the small subunit of herpes simplex virus type 1-encoded ribonucleotide reductase, is shown to be proteolytically cleaved in the extracellular medium by a single protease that is secreted by the host strain. Such protease behaves as a typical metalloprotease, being inhibited by EDTA but not by a serine protease inhibitor. Purification and amino acid composition analysis of the two proteolysis products revealed a specific cleavage of the peptide bond between amino acids glycine and alanine of the nine amino acid extension with loss of activity. The above observation is relevant for the biotechnological exploitation of Vibrio sp. 60.     

Isolation of a heat-labile enterotoxin produced by a human strain of Escherichia coli by wheat-germ agglutinin affinity chromatography

Abstract A chromatographic method, wheat-germ agglutinin affinity chromatography, was developed to isolate Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin from human source. Isolated LT enterotoxin showed potent activity in the rabbit jejunal loop assay, and immunological and structural analogies with cholera enterotoxin in the radial immuno-hemolysis test and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), respectively.     

Efficient production of heat-labile enterotoxin mutant proteins by overexpression of dsbA in a degP-deficient Escherichia coli strain

Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) mutants containing Val⁶⁰→Gly or Ser¹¹⁴→Lys substitutions in the A subunit do not produce the A subunit efficiently in E. coli. These mutants accumulate mostly the B pentamer devoid of the A subunit in the periplasmic space. Here we show that overproduction of the periplasmic chaperone DsbA, which is involved in disulfide bond formation, in a strain deficient in the periplasmic protease DegP allows efficient production of the mutant LT molecules. Our results suggest that the formation of the oligomeric toxin is influenced by DsbA, which helps protein folding, and by DegP, which removes the folded intermediates that can be untoxic for the cell. Received: 30 October 1996 / Accepted: 8 January 1997     

Serum antibodies reacting with Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin in sera of patients suffering from Campylobacter jejuni infection

Abstract Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with purified Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), an increase in serum antibody against LT was demonstrated in 49% of patients infected with Campylobacter jejuni tested. The antibody titers, however, were not as high as those in patients with cholera. This finding suggests that some strains of C. jejuni in patients with diseases due to C. jejuni produce a toxin (or substance) immunologically related to LT in the intestine.     

Expression of a bioactive fusion protein of Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin B subunit to a synapsin peptide

The B subunit of Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin (LTB) may function as an efficient carrier molecule for the delivery of genetically coupled antigens across the mucosal barrier. We constructed vectors for the expression of LTB and LTBSC proteins. LTBSC is a fusion protein that comprises the amino acid sequence from the C-domain of rat synapsin fused to the C-terminal end of LTB. Both constructions have a coding sequence for a 6His-tag fused in-frame. LTBSC was expressed in E. coli as inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were isolated and purified by Ni²⁺-chelating affinity chromatography under denaturing condition. Purified LTBSC was diluted in several refolding buffers to gain a soluble and biologically active protein. Refolded LTBSC assembled as an active oligomer which binds to the GM1 receptor in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Soluble LTB in the E. coli lysate was also purified by Ni²⁺-chelating affinity chromatography and the assembled pentamer was able to bind with high affinity to GM1 in vitro. LTBSC and LTB were fed to rats and the ability to induce antigen-specific tolerance was tested. LTBSC inhibited the specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response and induced decreased antigen-specific in vivo and in vitro cell proliferation more efficiently than LTB. Thus, the novel hybrid molecule LTBSC when orally delivered was able to elicit a systemic immune response. These results suggest that LTBSC could be suitable for exploring further therapeutic treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases involving antigens from central nervous system.     

大肠杆菌 LT B亚基基因表达载体对犬细小病毒VP2 DNA疫苗免疫应答的增强作用

【目的】通过融合基因表达载体和共免疫基因表达载体研究大肠杆菌不耐热肠毒素(LT)B亚基基因对犬细小病毒VP2DNA疫苗免疫应答的影响。【方法】提取大肠杆菌44815菌株基因组DNA,通过PCR方法从基因组DNA中扩增LTB基因,同时采用PCR方法从含有犬细小病毒VP2基因的质粒中扩增VP2的主要抗原表位基因(VP2-70,编码70个氨基酸)。将上述基因分别连接到含有人CD5信号肽序列的载体pcDNA-CD5sp上,分别构建成它们的分泌型真核表达载体,pcDNA-CD5sp-LTB和pcDNA-CD5sp-VP2-70。再利用酶切连接的方法构建LTB与VP2-70融合的真核表达载体pcDNACD5sp-LTB-VP2-70。然后用pcDNACD5sp-VP2-70(VP2-70组)、pcDNACD5sp-LTB-VP2-70(VP2-LTB融合组)、pcDNA-CD5sp-LTB/pcDNACD5sp-VP2-70(VP2-LTB共免疫组)和pcDNA3.1A(空载体对照组)分别免疫小鼠。免疫后用间接ELISA检测不同时间小鼠血清的抗体水平,用MTT方法检测小鼠免疫5周后脾脏淋巴细胞的增殖活性。【结果】经过测序表明本研究扩增的LTB和VP2基因序列和构建的相关表达载体结构正确。通过Western-blot检测证明构建的表达载体均能介导相应基因在真核细胞进行分泌表达。ELISA检测结果表明,3组实验组小鼠接受VP2DNA疫苗免疫后均能产生特异的体液免疫应答反应,特别是VP2-LTB基因融合组小鼠的抗体水平在第5周时高达1:5120,明显高于其它两组(P<0.01)。3组免疫小鼠抗体的亚型均表现IgG1抗体水平明显高于IgG2a抗体水平(P<0.01)。淋巴细胞增殖实验结果表明,在ConA的刺激下,3组免疫小鼠的淋巴细胞刺激指数均明显高于对照组(P<0.01),说明VP2DNA疫苗能够引起淋巴细胞的增殖。但3组免疫小鼠之间的刺激指数没有明显差异(P>0.05)。【结论】在小鼠体内,LTB基因表达载体可明显提高CPVVP2DNA疫苗的体液免疫应答水平。     

The amino acid sequence of the β-subunit: Of porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli enterotoxin — Analysis and comparison with literature data

Abstract The amino acid composition and sequence of the β-subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) purified from a porcine (LT_p) strain, WT-1, of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was analysed, and the result was compared with that reported by Dallas and Falkow [Nature 288 (1980) 499-501] who deduced the amino acid sequence of LT_p from data on the DNA sequence of a porcine strain, EWD299. The purified β-subunit of the LT_p of WT-1 was carboxymethylated, succinylated, digested with chymotrypsin and subjected to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The amino acid composition of the peptide peaks from the column were analysed and compared with the data reported by Dallas and Falkow. Only one fraction differed in amino acid composition from that reported, containing lysine instead of methionine. This fraction was found to consist of two peptides with the sequences Lys-Ser-Gly-Glu-Thr-Phe and Arg-Ile-Thr-Tyr. The former peptide is reported to have the sequence Met-Ser-Gly-Glu-Thr-Phe. Thus, the amino acid at position 43 from the N terminus of the β-subunit of LT_p is lysine, not methionine as reported. This is the first report which studied the amino acid sequence of LT_p analysed by protein toxin itself, not by DNA sequence analysis.     

大肠埃希菌热不稳定肠毒素B亚单位在婴儿双歧杆菌中的表达

目的将大肠埃希菌热不稳定肠毒素B亚单位（LTB）克隆到表达载体pBV220,使LTB基因在大肠埃希菌和双歧杆菌中稳定表达。方法将LTB基因克隆到表达载体pBV220中,再分别转化大肠埃希菌DH5a和婴儿双歧杆菌,使之表达,表达产物用SDS—PAGE鉴定。并通过家兔肠袢实验验证表达蛋白的安全性。结果LTB基因在大肠埃希菌和双歧杆菌中均可稳定表达,毒性实验证明LTB保留轻微的毒性。结论稳定表达LTB的双歧杆菌为今后的口服疫苗佐剂奠定了基础。     

Crystal structure of a non-toxic mutant of heat-labile enterotoxin, which is a potent mucosal adjuvant.

Two closely related bacterial toxins, heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-I) and cholera toxin (CT), not only invoke a toxic activity that affects many victims worldwide but also contain a beneficial mucosal adjuvant activity that significantly enhances the potency of vaccines in general. For the purpose of vaccine design it is most interesting that the undesirable toxic activity of these toxins can be eliminated by the single-site mutation Ser63Lys in the A subunit while the mucosal adjuvant activity is still present. The crystal structure of the Ser63Lys mutant of LT-I is determined at 2.0 A resolution. Its structure appears to be essentially the same as the wild-type LT-I structure. The substitution Ser63Lys was designed, based on the wild-type LT-I crystal structure, to decrease toxicity by interfering with NAD binding and/or catalysis. In the mutant crystal structure, the newly introduced lysine side chain is indeed positioned such that it could potentially obstruct the productive binding mode of the substrate NAD while at the same time its positive charge could possibly interfere with the critical function of nearby charged groups in the active site of LT-I. The fact that the Ser63Lys mutant of LT-I does not disrupt the wild-type LT-I structure makes the non-toxic mutant potentially suitable, from a structural point of view, to be used as a vaccine to prevent enterotoxigenic E. coli infections. The structural similarity of mutant and wild-type toxin might also be the reason why the inactive Ser63Lys variant retains its adjuvant activity.     

Binding and hemagglutinating properties of the B subunit(s) of heat-labile enterotoxin isolated from human enteroxigenic Escherichia coli

The binding and hemagglutinating activities of the B subunit(s) of the heat-labile enterotoxin (LTh-B) isolated from human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were investigated. The binding of 125I-labeled LTh-B to neuraminidase-treated human type B erythrocytes was most effectively inhibited by ganglioside GM1. A number of mono-, di- and polysaccharides, as well as several glycoproteins were at least 500 times less potent inhibitors. However, hemagglutination was effectively inhibited by galactose, melibiose and hog A + H but not by ganglioside GM1. Preincubation of the LTh-B with ganglioside GM1 gave much stronger hemagglutination than LTh-B alone. These results suggest that the predominant binding substance for LTh-B on neuraminidase-treated human type B erythrocytes is ganglioside GM1, but indicate that the interaction of LTh-B with ganglioside GM1 is different in hemagglutination.     

高赖氨酸蛋白基因在大肠埃希菌中的表达

从四棱豆中克隆高赖氨酸蛋白基因wblys,通过PCR扩增wblys片段,转入原核表达载体pGEX-4T-1,构建pGEX-4T-1/wblys大肠埃希菌工程菌,表达重组蛋白,IPTG诱导后,发现细菌全蛋白在44 ku(含GST标签)处多出1条明显条带。HPLC检测赖氨酸含量。诱导后菌体总赖氨酸含量比正常菌体提高15.84 mg/g。在大肠埃希菌中高效表达植物源高赖氨酸蛋白基因,为该基因在益生菌中表达提供研究工作基础。     

Hemagglutinating activity of the B subunit(s) of the heat-labile enterotoxin isolated from human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Abstract The hemagglutinating activity of the B subunit(s) of the heat-labile toxin (LT_h - B) produced by human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was studied by hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition. Very strong hemagglutination of both neuraminidase- and pronase-treated human erythrocytes was induced by the LT_h - B whereas that of intact ones was induced weakly or not at all by the LT_h - B at the highest concentration used. Enhancement in hemagglitination of these human erythrocytes by the LT_h - B was about 8- to 512-fold for type A and B erythrocytes and 16-fold for type O erthrocytes, respectively. On the other hand, no hemagglutination of intact and treated sheep erythrocytes was found by the LT_h - B at the highest concentration used. Hemagglutination of pronase-treated human type B erythrocytes by the LT_h - B was inhibited by galactose and melibiose among mono-, di- and polysaccharides used as inhibitors. These findings suggest that the LT_h - B is a bacterial lectin specific for galactose-linked residues.     

Heterologous Expression and Efficient Secretion of Chitosanase from Microbacterium sp. in Escherichia coli

A recombinant expression vector, pCT7-CHISP6H, was constructed for the secretory expression of mature peptide of chitosanase (mMschito) from Microbacterium sp. OU01. The vector contains several elements, including T7 promoter, signal peptide sequence of mschito, 6 × His-tag sequence and PmaCI restriction enzyme cloning site. In pCT7-CHISP6H, mMschito was fused into signal peptide sequence of mschito gene to construct recombinant plasmid pCT7-CHISP6H-mMschito. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and then expressed. The recombinant protein was secreted into the Luria–Bertani broth and the chitosanase activity in supernatant of the culture could reach up to 67.56 U/mL. The rmMschito in the broth supernatant was purified using HisTrap™ FF Crude column and the purified rmMschito was shown to be apparent homogeneity by 12 % SDS–PAGE analysis. Detected by 4700 MALDI-TOF–TOF-MS, the molecular weight of the purified rmMschito was 26,758.1875 and it was consistent with the predicted molecular weight. Chitosan (degree of deacetylation of 99 %) was mostly hydrolyzed into chitopentaose, chitotriose, and chitobiose by the purified rmMschito.     

Hemagglutinating activity of the B subunit(s) of the heat-labile enterotoxin isolated from chicken enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

The hemagglutinating activity of the B subunit(s) of the heat-labile enterotoxin (LTc-B) produced by chicken enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli was studied by hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition. No or weak hemagglutination of intact human erythrocytes was found by the LTc-B at the highest concentration used, whereas strong hemagglutination of both neuraminidase- and pronase-treated human erythrocytes was found. Enhancement in hemagglutination of treated human erythrocytes induced by the LTc-B was over 2 to 120-fold for type A and B erythrocytes and over 8-fold for type O erythrocytes, respectively. With intact and treated sheep erythrocytes, on the other hand, no hemagglutination was found by the LTc-B at the highest concentration used. Hemagglutination of pronase-treated human type B erythrocytes by the LTc-B was inhibited by methyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, galactose, melibiose, hog A + H, asialo-bovine salivary mucin and asialo-thyroglobulin among mono-, di- and polysaccharides and glycoproteins used as inhibitors. These results suggest that the LTc-B is a galactose-specific bacterial lectin.     

3α-羟类固醇脱氢酶基因的质粒载体构建和表达

目的 实现3α-羟类固醇脱氢酶基因在大肠埃希菌中的高可溶性表达.方法 从土壤中分离睾丸酮丛毛单胞菌,提取其基因组DNA,PCR扩增3α-羟类固醇脱氢酶(3α-HSD)基因,将它克隆到原核表达载体上进行诱导表达.提取细菌总蛋白进行SDS-PAGE分析并测定酶活性.结果 经核苷酸序列测定和酶切鉴定结果表明,成功地构建了重组质粒,IPTG诱导表达后,获得融合蛋白,SDS-PAGE初步测定目的蛋白的相对分子量约为29kDa,与预期理论值一致;酶活性测定结果表明菌体可溶性总蛋白HSD酶比活性为142.81 U/mg,是对照BL21的12.97倍.结论 该研究成功地构建了3α-羟类固醇脱氢酶基因高效原核表达系统,为利用基因工程手段大量制备3α-HSD的工作奠定了基础.     

Expression of a synthetic E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin B sub-unit (LT-B) in maize

We have produced the B subunit of the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-B) in transgenic maize seed. LT-B is a model antigen that induces a strong immune response upon oral administration and enhances immune responses to conjugated and co-administered antigens. Using a synthetic LT-B gene with optimized codon sequence, we examined the role of promoters and the SEKDEL endoplasmic reticulum retention motif in LT-B accumulation in callus and in kernels. Two promoters, the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter and the maize 27 kDa gamma zein promoter, which directs endosperm-specific gene expression in maize kernels, regulated LT-B expression. Ganglioside-dependent ELISA analysis showed that using the constitutive promoter, maximum LT-B level detected in callus was 0.04% LT-B in total aqueous-extractable protein (TAEP) and 0.01% in R₁ kernels of transgenic plants. Using the gamma zein promoter, LT-B accumulation reached 0.07% in R₁ kernels. The SEKDEL resulted in increased LT-B levels when combined with the gamma zein promoter. We monitored LT-B levels under greenhouse and field conditions over three generations. Significant variability in gene expression was observed between transgenic events, and between plants within the same event. A maximum of 0.3% LT-B in TAEP was measured in R₃ seed of a transgenic line carrying CaMV 35S promoter/LT-B construct. In R₃ seed of a transgenic line carrying the gamma zein promoter/LT-B construct, up to 3.7% LT-B in TAEP could be detected. We concluded that maize seed can be used as a production system for functional antigens.     

Very efficient extracellular production of cholera toxin B subunit using Bacillus brevis

Abstract We have constructed a very efficient synthesis and secretion system for cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) of Vibrio cholerae 569B using Bacillus brevis . The constructed expression-secretion vector has the multiple promoters and the signal peptide coding region of the mwp gene, a structural gene for one of the major cell wall proteins of B. brevis strain 47, directly followed by the gene encoding the mature CTB. A large amount of mature CTB (1.4 g per liter of culture) was secreted into the medium. It had the same amino terminal amino acid sequence as that of authentic CTB and was fully active in GM1 ganglioside binding assay.     

Fusion expression of mutated cecropin CMIV in E. coli

A cDNA coding mutated cecropin CMIV from Bombyx mori was synthesized according to its amino acid sequense using E .coli biased codons .The gene was cloned into the fusion expression vector pEZZ318 and was expressed in E .coli HB101.The fusion protein produced was purified by affinity chromatography to yield 26 mg/L fusion product .The anti-bacterial activities of recombinant cecropin CMIV were recovered after cleavage by chemical method.     

Crystal structure of heat-labile enterotoxin from Escherichia coli with increased thermostability introduced by an engineered disulfide bond in the A subunit.

Cholera toxin (CT) produced by Vibrio cholerae and heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-I), produced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, are AB5 heterohexamers with an ADP-ribosylating A subunit and a GM1 receptor binding B pentamer. These toxins are among the most potent mucosal adjuvants known and, hence, are of interest both for the development of anti-diarrheal vaccines against cholera or enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli diarrhea and also for vaccines in general. However, the A subunits of CT and LT-I are known to be relatively temperature sensitive. To improve the thermostability of LT-I an additional disulfide bond was introduced in the A1 subunit by means of the double mutation N40C and G166C. The crystal structure of this double mutant of LT-I has been determined to 2.0 A resolution. The protein structure of the N40C/G166C double mutant is very similar to the native structure except for a few local shifts near the new disulfide bond. The introduction of this additional disulfide bond increases the thermal stability of the A subunit of LT-I by 6 degrees C. The enhancement in thermostability could make this disulfide bond variant of LT-I of considerable interest for the design of enterotoxin-based vaccines.