Expression and characterization of recombinant human ciliary neurotrophic factor from Escherichia coli

The gene for ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) was cloned from a human genomic DNA library by screening with a DNA fragment amplified from human genomic DNA using the polymerase chain reaction. A DNA sequence coding for human CNTF was placed under control of an regulatable promoter in the expression vector pJU1003 and transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3). Induction of expression in cultures of this transformant led to the accumulation of approx. 25 mg/l per A600 unit of human CNTF. CNTF was purified to homogeneity from cell lysates via anion-exchange, cation-exchange and Zn(2+)-affinity chromatography. Purified CNTF contained less than 0.1% contaminating E. coli proteins, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western blot analysis and reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The protein exhibited an ultraviolet absorption maximum at 279 nm with a calculated extinction coefficient of A1%(279) = 9.0. Peptide map and amino acid sequence analyses confirmed that the expressed protein has the amino acid sequence expected for human CNTF, except for the absence of the amino-terminal methionine. High-purified recombinant human CNTF supported the survival of chick embryo parasympathetic, sympathetic and sensory neurons in culture at low picomolar concentrations. These results indicate that the biological activities previously ascribed to impure CNTF preparations indeed reside in one molecule.     

Expression vectors for enzyme restriction- and ligation-independent cloning for producing recombinant His-fusion proteins

In this work we have constructed two novel expression vectors, designated as pURI2 and pURI3, which enable parallel cloning of a given target gene for producing recombinant His-fusion proteins. The vectors were created using the well-known pT7-7 and pIN-III-A3 plasmids as their template. The same DNA fragment containing the His-tag, enterokinase cleavage site, and a NotI unique site, as well as keeping the HindIII unique restriction site, was introduced in both vectors. These vectors have been designed to avoid the enzyme restriction and ligation steps during the cloning. The unique NotI site was introduced to facilitate the selection of the adequate recombinant plasmid. Parallel cloning of the same polymerase chain reaction fragment can be carried out since both vectors shared the same leader sequence. The described strategy avoids tedious cloning efforts into different expression vectors and represents a highly efficient means of cloning. To validate our vectors, we have cloned one target gene in both vectors and used expression and purification techniques to obtain the recombinant target protein. We herein show that both vectors function effectively in all the required experimental steps-cloning, expression, purification, and cleavage.     

Expression of biologically active mouse ciliary neutrophic factor (CNTF) and soluble CNTFRalpha in Escherichia coli and characterization of their functional specificities

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a neuroprotective cytokine initially identified in chick embryo. It has been evaluated for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. CNTF also acts on non-neuronal cells such as oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, adipocytes and skeletal muscles cells. CNTF has regulatory effects on body weight and is currently in clinical trial for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. CNTF mediates its function by activating a tripartite receptor comprising the CNTF receptor alpha chain (CNTFRalpha), the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor beta chain (LIFRbeta) and gp130. Human, rat and chicken CNTF have been expressed as recombinant proteins, and most preclinical studies in murine models have been performed using rat recombinant protein. Rat and human CNTF differ in their fine specificities: in addition to CNTFR, rat CNTF has been shown to activate the LIFR (a heterodimer of LIFRbeta and gp130), whereas human CNTF can bind and activate a tripartite receptor comprising the IL-6 receptor alpha chain (IL-6Ralpha) and LIFR. To generate tools designed for mouse models of human diseases; we cloned and expressed in E. coli both mouse CNTF and the CNTFRalpha chain. Recombinant mouse CNTF was active and showed a high level of specificity for mouse CNTFR. It shares the arginine residue with rat CNTF which prevents binding to IL-6Ralpha. It did not activate the LIFR at all concentrations tested. Recombinant mouse CNTF is therefore specific for CNTFR and as such represents a useful tool with which to study CNTF in mouse models. It appears well suited for the comparative evaluation of CNTF and the two additional recently discovered CNTFR ligands, cardiotrophin-like cytokine\cytokine-like factor-1 and neuropoietin.     

人脑源性神经营养因子基因的克隆及在大肠杆菌中表达

人脑源性神经营养因子基因的克隆及在大肠杆菌中表达何晓龙,路长林,王成海（第二军医大学神经生物学教研室,上海２００４３３）关键词神经营养因子;基因克隆脑源性神经营养因子（ｂｒａｉｎ－ｄｅｒｉｖｅｄｎｅｕｒｏｔｉｃ…ｉ。血。ｔｏｒ,ＢＤ贾助是Ｂａｄｅ等人...     

猪肌肉素基因的cDNA克隆与表达

从人肌肉素基因出发, 在dbEST数据库中进行同源性搜索, 找到七个有较高同源性的Expressed Sequence Tag(DY426490, CF787546, AJ660979, AJ664670, AJ663820, AJ680159, DN106254)。通过拼接和进一步RT-PCR实验验证, 获得猪肌肉素基因全长cDNA序列, 其全长651 bp, 开放阅读框为54~452 bp, 编码有132个氨基酸。同源性分析结果表明, 与人、小鼠和大鼠的肌肉素基因cDNA编码区(CDS)同源性分别为87.2%、77.6%和77.9%。利用克隆出的猪肌肉素cDNA, 构建表达载体pGEX-4T-1-musclin, 并在BL21大肠杆菌中成功表达和纯化了分子量为38.59 kD的融合蛋白GST-Musclin, 并运用蛋白印迹技术进行鉴定。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌cry1Ac与烟草几丁质酶tchiB双价基因克隆表达及其杀虫增效作用研究

将苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)4.0718菌株质粒上的cry1Ac基因和烟草几丁质酶tchiB基因 (去掉信号肽或去信号肽再加肠激酶位点)构建了重组基因。经过双酶切和亚克隆,将带有cry1Ac基因上游启动序列和下游终止序列的重组基因片段克隆至穿梭载体pHT315,分别构建重组质粒pHUAccB6、pHUAccB7,在大肠杆菌中扩增后,将两个重组质粒分别电转化苏云金芽胞杆菌无晶体突变株XBU001中,获得重组菌株HAccB6和HAccB7。经液体双相胞晶分离提取离心后,将晶体和上清液分别进行SDS-PAGE分析,双价基因重组与cry1Ac基因在无晶体突变株中表达量相比较,几丁质酶活性提高5.2倍,双价重组蛋白表达量显著提高,主要产生130kDa蛋白条带。经定量分析：双价重组目的晶体蛋白占总蛋白量的61.38%;Cry1Ac蛋白占总蛋白量的42%。发酵上清液经60％硫酸铵沉淀,显示出一条分子量为18kDa新蛋白条带。经原子力显微镜和电子显微镜观察,表达后的重组蛋白呈菱形或椭原形晶体,其规格约为1.5×3.0μm;经生测分析,重组菌株HAccB6和 HAccB7毒力相近,与HAc菌株比较毒力提高4.5倍,对棉铃虫（Helicourpa armigora）具有高效杀虫活性,其3d LC₅₀值分别为9.1μg/mL和11.34μg/mL。研究结果表明,烟草几丁质酶与cry1Ac双价基因重组表达产物具有杀虫增效作用。     

Cloning a synthetic gene for human stefin B and its expression in E. coli

A gene coding for human stefin B was synthesized by the solid-phase phosphite method and cloned in the pUC8 cloning vector. The insert with the verified DNA sequence was subcloned into two expression vectors and expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein with beta-galactosidase and as a native protein. The CNBr cleaved fusion protein and the native recombinant stefin B were inhibitory to papain and reacted with antibodies against human stefin B.     

人IGF-1在大肠杆菌中的可溶表达和纯化

目的:在大肠杆菌中的可溶表达和纯化人胰岛素样生长因子1(hIGF-1)。方法:根据hIGF-1的氨基酸序列和大肠杆菌密码子偏爱性,利用重叠延伸PCR的方法合成hIGF-1DNA序列,构建表达载体,在大肠杆菌OrigamiB(DE3)中与硫氧还蛋白TrxA融合表达,并通过盐析和镍柱亲合层析进行纯化。结果:SDS-PAGE分析显示,重组融合蛋白以可溶形式存在,分子量约为28kDa,占上清总蛋白的50%以上。经盐析和镍柱亲合层析进行纯化,目标蛋白纯度可达到90%左右。结论:复合干扰素在大肠杆菌中的高效可溶表达。     

HSP70基因上游调控序列对GST基因在耻垢分枝杆菌中表达效率的 影响

将外源基因———日本血吸虫２６ｋＤ抗原（Ｓｊ２６ＧＳＴ）基因克隆到大肠杆菌分枝杆菌穿梭质粒中,构建成四个不同的表达截体,研究它们在耻垢后分枝杆菌（Ｍｙｃｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍｓｍｅｇｍａｔｉｓ）中的表达效率。首先将含有结核杆菌热休克蛋白７０（ＨｅａｔＳｈｏｃｋＰｒｏｔｅｉｎ,ＨＳＰ７０）的启动子的质粒ｐＭＴ７０用ＮｃｏＩ切,进行两种不同的修饰后,得到不同的ＳＤ序列;将Ｓｊ２６ＧＳＴ基因克隆进去。再将含ＨＳＰ７０启动子和Ｓｊ２６ＧＳＴ基因的片段切下,克隆到分枝杆菌大肠杆菌穿梭质粒ｐＢＣＧ２０００中,筛选出不同ＳＤ序列、不同方向和不同拷贝数的分枝杆菌表达载体四个。所表达的重组天然Ｓｊ２６ＧＳＴ（ｒＳｊ２６ＧＳＴ）为可溶性蛋白,在ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ上分子量为２６ｋＤ处可见明显的表达蛋白带。通过薄层扫描分析,发现表达质粒中双拷贝启动子外源基因组合,表达效率最高,是单拷贝组合的１６倍,占分枝杆菌菌体总蛋白的２８％。而不同的克隆方向和不同的ＳＤ序列（两者相差３个碱基）对表达效率的影响不明显。     

Ligation independent cloning vectors for expression of SUMO fusions

With demand increasing for the production of many different proteins for biophysical or biochemical analyses, rapid methods are needed for the cloning, expression and purification of native recombinant proteins. In particular, generic methods are required that are independent of the target gene sequence. To address this challenge we have constructed four Escherichia coli expression vectors that can be used for ligation independent cloning (LIC) of an amplified target gene sequence. These vectors represent the combinatorial pairing of two different parent vector backbones with two different affinity tags. The target gene is cloned downstream of the sequence coding for an affinity-tagged small ubiquitin related modifier (SUMO). Using enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) as an example we demonstrate that the LIC procedure works with high efficiency for all four of the vectors. We also show that the resultant recombinant SUMO fusion proteins can be overexpressed in E. coli and readily isolated by standard affinity purification techniques. Importantly, the purified fusion product can be treated with recombinant SUMO hydrolase to yield a mature target protein with any residue except proline at the amino terminus. We demonstrate an application of this by generating recombinant eGFP containing a non-native amino terminal cysteine residue and using it as a substrate for expressed protein ligation (EPL). The reagents and techniques described here represent a generic method for the rapid cloning and production of a target protein, and would be appropriate for a high throughput genomic scale expression project.     

Sequence and structural organization of the human gene encoding ciliary neurotrophic factor.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a potent polypeptide hormone whose actions appear to be restricted to the nervous system where it promotes survival, neurotransmitter synthesis and neurite outgrowth in certain neuronal populations. We have cloned the gene encoding human CNTF (hCNTF) and have characterized its structure and organization. The hCNTF gene appears to be a unique-copy gene with a simple genetic organization, since only a single intron interrupts the coding domain. The hCNTF gene is located on chromosome 11, as determined using human-hamster somatic cell hybrids. The CNTF protein is highly conserved in evolution. The amino acid (aa) sequences of rat and rabbit CNTF translated from cDNAs display approx. 85% homology with the deduced aa sequence encoding hCNTF.     

Rat lens beta-crystallins are internally duplicated and homologous to gamma-crystallins

The nucleotide sequence of two cloned rat lens beta-crystallin cDNAs pRL beta B3-2 and pRL beta B1-3 has been determined. pRL beta B3-2 contains the complete coding information for a beta-crystallin, designated beta B3, of 210 amino acid residues. pRL beta B1-3 is incomplete at its 5' end; the 5' codogenic information which is not present in this cDNA clone was deduced from the cloned gene. pRL beta B1-3 codes for a beta-crystallin polypeptide, designated beta B1, whose full length is 247 amino acid residues. Considerable sequence homology is noted between the amino- and carboxy-terminal halves of each protein. The two rat beta-crystallins show a substantial sequence homology with each other (60%) as well as with the published sequences of rat gamma-crystallin (37%) and bovine and murine beta-crystallins (55 and 45%). All these proteins have a two-domain structure which, like the bovine gamma II-crystallin, might be folded into four remarkably similar protein motifs. Our data further indicate that the beta-crystallins can be subdivided into two groups which are evolutionarily related. Both groups are, although more distantly, also related to the gamma-crystallins.     

Rat lens β-crystallins are internally duplicated and homologous to γ-crystallins

The nucleotide sequence of two cloned rat lens β-crystallin cDNAs pRLβB3-2 and pRLβB1-3 has been determined. pRLβB3-2 contains the complete coding information for a β-crystallin, designated βB3, of 210 amino acid residues. pRLβB1-3 is incomplete at its 5′ end; the 5′ codogenic information which is not present in this cDNA clone was deduced from the cloned gene. pRLβB1-3 codes for a β-crystallin polypeptide, designated βB1, whose full length is 247 amino acid residues. Considerable sequence homology is noted between the amino- and carboxy-terminal halves of each protein. The two rat β-crystallins show a substantial sequence homology with each other (60%) as well as with the published sequences of rat γ-crystallin (37%) and bovine and murine β-crystallins (55 and 45%). All these proteins have a two-domain structure which, like the bovine γII-crystallin, might be folded into four remarkably similar protein motifs. Our data further indicate that the β-crystallins can be subdivided into two groups which are evolutionarily related. Both groups are, although more distantly, also related to the γ-crystallins.     

人高迁移率族蛋白B1，高迁移率族蛋白B1 A box和B box的原核表达、 纯化及高迁移率族蛋白B1多克隆抗血清的制备

目的:获取重组人高迁移率族蛋白B1(HMGB1),HMGB1Abox和Bbox的纯化蛋白,制备HMGB1的多克隆抗血清。方法:采用PCR方法扩增人HMGB1,HMGB1的Abox和Bbox目的基因片段,构建原核表达载体,进行原核表达与蛋白纯化,然后用HMGB1免疫新西兰大白兔,制备多克隆抗血清。采用ELISA检测抗血清效价,用免疫组化检测HMGB1在小鼠肝损伤组织中的表达。结果:成功构建了人HMGB1,HMGB1的Abox和Bbox原核表达载体pET28-HMGB1、pET28-Abox、pET28-Bbox,在E.coli BL21中表达,镍亲和层析柱提纯,获取纯净目的蛋白。HMGB1免疫新西兰大白兔后,抗血清效价为1:2,000,000,具有高度特异性。免疫组化显示小鼠坏死肝组织HMGB1表达增加。结论:本研究获得了人HMGB1以及HMGB1的Abox和Bbox的纯化蛋白,制备了人HMGB1的多克隆抗血清,为HMGB1的结构、组织表达谱及其功能的研究奠定了基础。     

Synthesis of biologically active human interferon α-2b in Nicotiana benthamiana

A method was developed for the production and purification of biologically active recombinant human interferon α-2b (rhIFN α-2b) synthesized by expression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. A gene construct containing a modified hIFN α-2b gene was cloned in two vectors based on tobacco mosaic virus driven by an actin promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana (pA-IFN-A) and cauliflower mosaic virus driven by a 35S promoter (pA-IFN-S). The expression vectors were introduced into the plant cells by agroinfiltration. The maximum rates of synthesis achieved in the case of pA-IFN-A and pA-IFN-S 5 days after agroinfiltration were determined to be 200 and 20 mg per 1 kg of fresh leaves, respectively. The recombinant hIFN α-2b synthesized in the plant showed high antiviral and antitumor activity comparable with that of commercial drug.     

Bacterial expression,purification, and characterization of rat kidney-type mitochondrial glutaminase

The human gene that encodes the kidney-type glutaminase (KGA) spans 84-kb, contains 19 exons, and encodes two alternatively spliced mRNAs. Various segments of the rat KGA cDNA were PCR amplified and cloned into a bacterial expression vector to determine whether the N- and C- terminal ends of the glutaminase protein were essential for activity. A recombinant glutaminase, lacking the coding sequence contained in exon 1, was found to be fully active. In contrast, proteins that lacked sequences from exons 1 and 2 and exons 1-3 were inactive. An additional construct that corresponded to the sequence encoded by exons 2-14 also retained full activity. Both of the fully active, truncated proteins were purified to apparent homogeneity using an incorporated N-terminal His(6)-tag and Ni(2+)-affinity chromatography. The K(M) values for glutamine of the native and recombinant forms of glutaminase were nearly identical. However, the two truncated forms of the glutaminase exhibit the characteristic phosphate activation profile only when dialyzed into a buffer lacking phosphate. Dialysis versus 10mM Tris-phosphate was sufficient to form an active tetramer. Thus, the deleted N-terminal sequence may contribute to the phosphate-dependent oligomerization and activation of the native glutaminase.     

香格里拉水韭磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶基因(PEPC)的克隆及其表达载体构建

以中国特有植物香格里拉水韭（Isoetes shangrilaensis X.Liu）为材料,通过转录组测序数据分析筛选出磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶基因（IsPEPC）,根据该基因序列,从香格里拉水韭cDNA中克隆获得磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶（PEPCase）的编码基因IsPEPC,并将此基因插入pCAMBIA-2300-N-eGFP及pMD质粒载体上,再采用农杆菌介导的花序浸染法将2个重组载体分开转入野生型拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana（L.）Heynh.）中。结果显示：IsPEPC基因蛋白编码序列长度为2928 bp,编码975个氨基酸;同源性检索分析结果表明,该蛋白与其近源物种江南卷柏（Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron.）的PEPC基因蛋白序列同源性为79.8%。对转基因的T₁代拟南芥通过抗性筛选并在gDNA水平上阳性鉴定,初步鉴定得到pC2300-N-eGFP-IsPEPC转基因株系26个和pMD-IsPEPC转基因株系32个。     

人CNTF突变体(CNTFM)基因的克隆、表达和产物纯化及活性鉴定

采用PCR的方法对睫状神经营养因子(CNTF)基因进行改造,获得CNTF突变体基因(CNTFM) ,将CNTFM基因克隆入表达载体pBV2 2 0 ,在大肠杆菌BL 2 1(Gold)中进行了表达.目的蛋白占细胞总蛋白5 5 %左右,以包涵体形式存在,经Superdex 75凝胶过滤柱一步纯化和复性,获得纯度达90 %目的蛋白.纯化的重组CNTFM蛋白能促进培养的鸡胚背根神经节长出神经突起,能明显减轻实验小鼠的体重,表明CNTFM具有良好的体内、体外生物学活性,为开发新型高效的减肥药奠定了基础.