转铁蛋白结构与功能的研究——鸭血清转铁蛋白含单一铁结合部位的结构域的制备和鉴定

分离纯化了鸭血清转铁蛋白、分子量78,000,N-末端为Ala,不能与人胎盘转铁蛋白受体结合。鸭血清转铁蛋白用胰蛋白酶酶解可以同时得到两个含单一铁结合部位的结构域,分别来自分子的N-端和C-端区域。获得的鸭血清转铁蛋白N-端结构域分子量为33,200,C-端结构域分子量为34,900。     

转铁蛋白结构与功能的研究——骆驼血清转铁蛋自的分离纯化及其含单一铁结合部位的结构域的制备和鉴定

分离纯化获得的骆驼血清转铁蛋白由分子量为73,000和63,000两个组分组成。两者至少N-端五肽顺序相同(Met-Pro-Asp-Lys-Thr)。骆驼血清转铁蛋白在生理pH下不能与人胎盘转铁蛋白受体结合。用胰蛋白酶酶解骆驼转铁蛋白可以同时得到两个合单一铁结合部位的结构域,分别来自转铁蛋白分子的N-端称N-端结构域(分子量34,700和40,700)和C-端称C-端结构域(分子量35,100)。在上述结果的基础上指出并讨论了反刍动物转铁蛋白在结构和功能上存在更多的共同性,而与其它哺乳动物的转铁蛋白有着明显的区别。     

结合铁及其他金属离子的转铁蛋白与其受体的相互作用

比较了结合不同金属离子的人转铁蛋白(HTf)与人胎盘转铁蛋白受体的结合能力,结果表明Cu~(2+)-、Mn~(2+)-、Co~(3+)-和Al~(3+)-HTf与人胎盘转铁蛋白受体的结合能力与结合铁的HTf相类似,提出转铁蛋白可能参与从母体向胎儿运输金属离子的作用。     

甲状旁腺激素和转铁蛋白N端半分子融合蛋白在毕赤酵母中的表达

用重叠PCR技术将PTH（parathyroid hormone, 甲状旁腺激素）基因与TFN（transferrin N_terminal half_molecule, 转铁蛋白N端半分子）基因在体外融合,融合基因克隆至真核表达载体pPIC9中,转化毕赤酵母GS115。转化子经甲醇诱导后,融合蛋白得到了表达并分泌到发酵上清液中。经 SP Sepharose F F阳离子交换层析、Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow疏水层析纯化获得了纯度大于95％的PTH_TFN样品。Western blot分析及腺苷酸环化酶实验证明融合蛋白中的PTH具有与抗PTH抗体结合能力及刺激腺苷酸环化酶的活性,铁饱和实验证明融合蛋白中的TFN和单独的TFN具有相同铁结合能力。因而TFN可望作为PTH的天然运输载体。     

人转铁蛋白二硫键的拆分对其结合金属离子以及受体结合能力的影响

制备了一系列拆分不同数目二硫键的人转铁蛋白,比较了它们结合金属离子（Ｃｕ２＋）和与转铁蛋白受体的结合能力。结果表明随二硫键被拆分数目的增加,其与受体结合能力的丧失比结合金属离子能力的丧失快。说明转铁蛋白结合金属离子所需要的结构可能比其与受体结合所需要的结构稳定。     

文昌鱼转铁蛋白及转铁蛋白的分子进化

从厦门文昌鱼分离纯化了文昌鱼转铁蛋白,物化性质与青岛文昌鱼转铁蛋白相同,其单体和二聚体的分子量分别为２６ｋＤ和５２ｋＤ,是一分子量约为脊椎动物转铁蛋白１／４的糖蛋白,测定了文昌鱼转铁蛋白完整分子和其Ｃ端分子片段的部分氨基酸序列并分析 一人务清失蛋白氨基酸序列的同源性。发现用文昌鱼转铁蛋白序列可将人血清转铁蛋白序列划分成粗略相等的４个片段,文是鱼转铁蛋白与每一片段及人血清转铁蛋白的４个片段之间存在明     

人转铁蛋白二硫键的拆分对其结合金属离子以及受体结构…

制备了一系列拆分不同数目二硫键的人转铁蛋白，比较了它们结合金属离子和与转铁蛋白受体的结合能力。结果表明随二硫键被拆分数目的增加，其与受体结合能力的丧失比结构金属离子能力的丧失快。说明转铁蛋白结合金属离子所需要的结构可能比其与受体结合所需要的结构稳定。     

通用型转铁蛋白融合表达载体的构建及应用价值

构建通用型转铁蛋白融合表达载体,利用PCR方法扩增编码人转铁蛋白N端半分子的基因片段,通过酶切、连接、转化等分子克隆方法构建通用型转铁蛋白融合表达载体。PCR扩增了一个长约1.1 kb的包含ScaI酶切位点的基因片段,插入pPICZα的PmlI和XbaI酶切位点,转化后进行菌液PCR鉴定,成功获得重组子pPICZα-TfN,测序结果表明载体构建成功,重组质粒pPICZα-TfN能被ScaI酶切。本研究成功构建通用型转铁蛋白融合表达载体,构建的载体可以用于转铁蛋白融合表达载体的构建。     

干扰素与转铁蛋白融合蛋白在毕赤酵母中的表达及鉴定

利用重叠 PCR 技术将干扰素 (interferon , IFN) 基因与转铁蛋白 N 端半分子 (transferrin N-terminal half-molecule , TFN) 基因在体外融合,融合基因和单独的 TFN 基因分别克隆至真核表达载体 pPIC9 中,转化毕赤酵母 GS115 ,得到的转化子经诱导表达后在发酵上清中均获得了表达 . 经 SP Sepharose Fast Flow 阳离子交换层析、 Phenyl Sepharose Fast Flow 疏水层析纯化,获得了纯度大于 93 ％的重组融合蛋白 IFN-TFN 和纯度大于 95 ％的重组 TFN 样品 . 生物活性实验证明融合蛋白 IFN-TFN 具有抗病毒活性 . 铁饱和实验证明融合蛋白 IFN-TFN 和单独的 TFN 具有相同的铁结合能力 . 因而 TFN 可望作为 IFN 的天然运输载体 .     

牡蛎热休克蛋白70吸附人源诺如病毒功能域的解析

人源诺如病毒（Human norovirus, HuNoV）是全球范围内最重要的食源性病毒之一，牡蛎是其主要的食源性传播载体。已有研究发现：牡蛎热休克蛋白70(oyster Heat shock protein 70, oHSP70)可吸附不同基因型HuNoV，但oHSP70吸附病毒的功能域不清楚。本研究对oHSP70的N端和C端分别进行克隆表达纯化，并采用ELISA方法测定其与不同基因型HuNoV主要衣壳蛋白P功能域的结合能力。实验结果表明：成功获得N端和C端oHSP70的原核表达产物；N端oHSP70与不同基因型HuNoV P蛋白结合能力显著强于C端（P<0.05）。因此，N端oHSP70是结合HuNoV P蛋白的主要结构域。本研究结果为进一步揭示oHSP70与HuNoV互作的分子机制提供了理论支撑。     

Increased expression level and catalytic activity of internally-duplicated carbonic anhydrase from Dunaliella species by reconstitution of two separate domains

Although internally-duplicated, α-type carbonic anhydrase (CA) from Dunaliella species (Dsp-CA) can be expressed in Escherichia coli system, the produced amount is not sufficient for practical application. Here, we demonstrated to express the N- and C-half CA domains of Dsp-CA as distinct proteins to increase the expression levels further. The purified N-half CA domain (Dsp-CA-n) showed very low detectable activities of esterase or CO₂ hydratase. In contrast, the purified C-half CA domain (Dsp-CA-c) retained both activities, which were enhanced by the presence of Dsp-CA-n. The expression levels of both domains were increased by 2–5-fold as compared to that of Dsp-CA. The CA activity was successfully reconstituted by mixing the two domains, N- and C-half domains, and more activity level was achieved than dimeric intact CA. These results newly suggest that the produced amount and activity of a duplicated CA are enhanced successfully by expressing each half CA domain individually and in vitro reconstitution.     

Receptor-modulated iron release from transferrin: differential effects on N- and C-terminal sites

Iron release to PPi from N- and C-terminal monoferric transferrins and their complexes with transferrin receptor has been studied at pH 7.4 and 5.6 in 0.05 M HEPES or MES/0.1 M NaCl/0.01 M CHAPS at 25 degrees C. The two sites exhibit kinetic heterogeneity in releasing iron. The N-terminal form is slightly less labile than its C-terminal counterpart at pH 7.4, but much more facile in releasing iron at pH 5.6. At pH 7.4, iron removal by 0.05 M pyrophosphate from each form of monoferric transferrin complexed to the receptor is considerably slower than from the corresponding free monoferric transferrin. However, at pH 5.6, complexation of transferrin to its receptor affects the two forms differently. The rate of iron release to 0.005 M pyrophosphate by the N-terminal species is substantially the same whether transferrin is free or bound to the receptor. In contrast, the C-terminal form releases iron much faster when complexed to the receptor than when free. Urea/PAGE analysis of iron removal from free and receptor-complexed diferric transferrin at pH 5.6 reveals that its C-terminal site is also more labile in the complex, but its N-terminal site is more labile in free diferric transferrin. Thus, the newly discovered role of transferrin receptor in modulating iron release from transferrin predominantly involves the C-terminal site. This observation helps explain the prevalence of circulating N-terminal monoferric transferrin in the human circulation.     

Crystal structures of mutant monomeric hexokinase I reveal multiple ADP binding sites and conformational changes relevant to allosteric regulation

Hexokinase I, the pacemaker of glycolysis in brain tissue, is composed of two structurally similar halves connected by an alpha-helix. The enzyme dimerizes at elevated protein concentrations in solution and in crystal structures; however, almost all published data reflect the properties of a hexokinase I monomer in solution. Crystal structures of mutant forms of recombinant human hexokinase I, presented here, reveal the enzyme monomer for the first time. The mutant hexokinases bind both glucose 6-phosphate and glucose with high affinity to their N and C-terminal halves, and ADP, also with high affinity, to a site near the N terminus of the polypeptide chain. Exposure of the monomer crystals to ADP in the complete absence of glucose 6-phosphate reveals a second binding site for adenine nucleotides at the putative active site (C-half), with conformational changes extending 15 A to the contact interface between the N and C-halves. The structures reveal distinct conformational states for the C-half and a rigid-body rotation of the N-half, as possible elements of a structure-based mechanism for allosteric regulation of catalysis.     

Identification of auto-antigens in skin scrapings from scabies-infected pigs

Sarcoptes scabiei continues to cause major health and economic problems in a large range of animals and humans. Although the inflammatory response to the mite and its antigens is known to cause the main pathology, little work has been carried out on this response at the site of infection. This report presents an initial analysis of the proteins found in skin scrapings and their antigenic responsiveness in pigs. Skin scrapings and mite extracts were isolated from chronically infected sows while infected and uninfected sera were isolated from pigs with confirmed infections or mange-free pigs, respectively. Electrophoresis and sequencing confirmed the main components of both the skin and mite extracts to be serum proteins. Immunoblotting then suggested that transferrin was the major antigen recognised by pooled infected sera in the skin and the mite extracts. Immunoassays confirmed that a majority of infected pigs produced antibodies to transferrin while mange-free pigs did not. A pool of IgG from infected dogs was then used to isolate another antigen from pig skin scrapings which was shown to be haptoglobin. This was also found to induce high titres of antibody in infected pigs as compared with mange-free pigs. The use of albumin as a control antigen showed no reactivity in either group of sera. The finding of two iron-binding molecules as strong auto-antigens in pig scabies has implications for the importance of iron during this infection and may help to explain the persistence and magnitude of the host inflammatory response.     

The crystal structure of iron-free human serum transferrin provides insight into inter-lobe communication and receptor binding

Serum transferrin reversibly binds iron in each of two lobes and delivers it to cells by a receptor-mediated, pH-dependent process. The binding and release of iron result in a large conformational change in which two subdomains in each lobe close or open with a rigid twisting motion around a hinge. We report the structure of human serum transferrin (hTF) lacking iron (apo-hTF), which was independently determined by two methods: 1) the crystal structure of recombinant non-glycosylated apo-hTF was solved at 2.7-A resolution using a multiple wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing strategy, by substituting the nine methionines in hTF with selenomethionine and 2) the structure of glycosylated apo-hTF (isolated from serum) was determined to a resolution of 2.7A by molecular replacement using the human apo-N-lobe and the rabbit holo-C1-subdomain as search models. These two crystal structures are essentially identical. They represent the first published model for full-length human transferrin and reveal that, in contrast to family members (human lactoferrin and hen ovotransferrin), both lobes are almost equally open: 59.4 degrees and 49.5 degrees rotations are required to open the N- and C-lobes, respectively (compared with closed pig TF). Availability of this structure is critical to a complete understanding of the metal binding properties of each lobe of hTF; the apo-hTF structure suggests that differences in the hinge regions of the N- and C-lobes may influence the rates of iron binding and release. In addition, we evaluate potential interactions between apo-hTF and the human transferrin receptor.     

Role of uteroferrin in transplacental iron transport in the pig

The pig possesses a noninvasive, diffuse type of epitheliochorial placentation in which the blood supply of the mother is well separated from the absorptive surface of the chorion, a feature that must complicate the movement of nutrient molecules across the placenta. Evidence is presented that a protein synthesized and secreted by the glandular epithelial cells of the maternal uterus of the pig is involved in iron transport to the fetus. This protein, uteroferrin, is induced by progesterone; is purple, which results from an unusual iron center; and possesses acid phosphatase activity. Secreted uteroferrin is taken up by specialized chorionic epithelial cells located in domed structures, called areolae, overlying the mouth of each uterine gland. Uteroferrin then enters the placental venous drainage and its iron is efficiently incorporated into fetal hemoglobin. It is taken up by the fetal liver or cleared by the kidney. The liver is the main site of erythropoiesis in the fetus. From the kidney uteroferrin enters the allantoic sac where it exchanges its iron with fetal transferrin. The rate of uteroferrin biosynthesis in the uterus and its rate of metabolism in the fetus can theoretically provide sufficient iron for the needs of pregnancy, at least until around day 70 of the 115-day gestation. Uteroferrin and transferrin, the iron transport protein of plasma, appear to be unrelated proteins.     

Monoclonal antibodies against pig transierrin. Blocking and binding activity

Monoclonal mouse anti-pig transferrin antibodies PTF-01, PTF-02 and PTF-03 and anti-human transferrin antibody HTF-14 detect transferrin coupled with Sepharose particles in an indirect immunofluorescence test. Only the PTF-03 antibody can be used for immunofluorescence detection of pig transferrin bound to specific receptors on the plasma membrane. The binding of iodinated pig transferrin to PK cells was studied. It could be blocked by nonlabelled transferrin in excess, by pig serum or by anti-pig transferrin monoclonal antibodies. PTF-03 expressed the lowest blocking activity among the antibodies tested.     

Amonabactin-mediated iron acquisition from transferrin and lactoferrin by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aeromonas hydrophila</Emphasis> : direct measurement of individual microscopic rate constants

 The effectiveness and mechanism of iron acquisition from transferrin or lactoferrin by Aeromonas hydrophila has been analyzed with regard to the pathogenesis of this microbe. The ability of A. hydrophila's siderophore, amonabactin, to remove iron from transferrin was evaluated with in vitro competition experiments. The kinetics of iron removal from the three molecular forms of ferric transferrin (diferric, N- and C-terminal monoferric) were investigated by separating each form by urea gel electrophoresis. The first direct determination of individual microscopic rates of iron removal from diferric transferrin is a result. A. hydrophila 495A2 was cultured in an iron-starved defined medium and the growth monitored. Addition of transferrin or lactoferrin promoted bacterial growth. Growth promotion was independent of the level of transferrin or lactoferrin iron saturation (between 30 and 100%), even when the protein was sequestered inside dialysis tubing. Siderophore production was also increased when transferrin or lactoferrin was enclosed in a dialysis tube. Cell yield and growth rate were identical in experiments where transferrin was present inside or outside the dialysis tube, indicating that binding of transferrin was not essential and that the siderophore plays a major role in iron uptake from transferrin. The rate of iron removal from diferric transferrin shows a hyperbolic dependence on amonabactin concentration. Surprisingly, amonabactin cannot remove iron from the more weakly binding N-terminal site of monoferric transferrin, while it is able to remove iron from the more strongly binding C-terminal site of monoferric transferrin. Iron from both sites is removed from diferric transferrin and it is the N-terminal site (which does not release iron in the monoferric protein) that releases iron more rapidly! It is apparent that there is a significant interaction of the two lobes of the protein with regard to the chelator access. Taken together, these results support an amonabactin-dependent mechanism for iron removal by A. hydrophila from transferrin and lactoferrin. The implications of these findings for an amonabactin-dependent mechanism for iron removal by A. hydrophila from transferrin and lactoferrin are discussed. Received: 8 August 1999 / Accepted: 22 October 1999     

Identification of the epitope of a monoclonal antibody that disrupts binding of human transferrin to the human transferrin receptor

The molecular basis of the transferrin (TF)-transferrin receptor (TFR) interaction is not known. The C-lobe of TF is required to facilitate binding to the TFR and both the N- and C-lobes are necessary for maximal binding. Several mAb have been raised against human transferrin (hTF). One of these, designated F11, is specific to the C-lobe of hTF and does not recognize mouse or pig TF. Furthermore, mAb F11 inhibits the binding of TF to TFR on HeLa cells. To map the epitope for mAb F11, constructs spanning various regions of hTF were expressed as glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. The recombinant fusion proteins were analysed in an iterative fashion by immunoblotting using mAb F11 as the probe. This process resulted in the localization of the F11 epitope to the C1 domain (residues 365-401) of hTF. Subsequent computer modelling suggested that the epitope is probably restricted to a surface patch of hTF consisting of residues 365-385. Mutagenesis of the F11 epitope of hTF to the sequence of either mouse or pig TF confirmed the identity of the epitope as immunoreactivity was diminished or lost. In agreement with other studies, these epitope mapping studies support a role for residues in the C1 domain of hTF in receptor binding.