Functional reconstruction and synthetic mimicry of a conformational epitope using CLIPS technology

This paper describes immunization studies with CLIPS-constrained peptides covering only the major part (beta3-loop) of a structurally complex antigenic site on human Follicle Stimulating Hormone beta-subunit (FSH-beta). In cases where linear and SS-constrained peptides fail, the CLIPS-constrained peptides generate polyclonal antibodies with high neutralizing activity for hFSH. The sera were shown to be specific for hFSH over human Luteinizing Hormone (hLH) and human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). ELISA-competition studies and circular dichroism (CD)-measurements illustrate clearly that activity of the peptides in antibody binding and generation relates directly to precise and appropriate fixation of the peptide conformation. Design of the CLIPS-peptides was entirely based on epitope mapping studies with two neutralizing anti-hFSH mAbs. Both mAbs were shown to bind to a conformational epitope located at the top of the beta1-beta3-loop covering the amino acid sequences Y58-P77 (beta3-loop). The results described in this paper show that CLIPS-constrained peptides covering the Y58-P77 sequence provide the minimally required structural entity necessary to generate reproducibly sera with high hFSH-neutralizing activity.     

利用合成肽进行丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）的线性抗原表位分析

首先利用固相多肽合成技术对ＨＣＶ多蛋白中可能含有优势抗原表位的１４个肽段进行了化学合成,并用合成肽作包被抗原进行间接ＥＬＬＳＡ试验来分析它们的抗原性,结果表明,所有合成肽中除ＮＳ３区的Ｐ７、Ｐ８和ＮＳ５区的Ｐ１３无抗原性外,其余肽段均具有抗原活性,其中Ｃ区的Ｐ１,ＮＳ４区和Ｐ９和ＮＳ５区的Ｐ１２三个肽段的抗原性较好,与相应的重组蛋白Ｃ２２,Ｃ１００和ＮＳ５Ａ比较,它们之间的抗原性比较接近,随后选择抗原性较好的几个肽段合成了含八分支的多抗原肽（ＭＡＰ）ＭＰ１、ＭＰ２、ＭＰ３、ＭＰ１０和嵌合多肽ＣＰ１５等工程肽抗原,前者不仅保持了相应单体肽的抗原性,而且与抗体反应的敏感性有显著提高;后者含双表位改善了常规合成肽抗原表位单一的缺陷,为研究ＨＣＶ工程肽抗原进行了有益的尝试。     

Random Phage Display-Based Screening of Peptides that Bind to Botulinum Neurotoxin Binding Protein, Nontoxic Nonhemagglutinin

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) binds to nontoxic nonhemagglutinin (NTNHA) protein in a pH-dependent manner, and yields the protease-resistant BoNT/NTNHA complex. Here, we screened short peptides that bind to the serotype D NTNHA (NTNHA-D) using random phage display technique. NTNHA was fixed onto electrode of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) apparatus, and then the phages displaying random heptapeptides were exposed to the NTNHA-D under the acidic condition. After rinsing with acidic buffer, the released phages under the alkaline condition were collected. The binding and release of the phage were monitored by the frequency shift on the QCM. As a result of the screening, 16 were selected as peptides that bind to NTNHA-D. The selected peptides do not share any conserved sequence, but tend to be rich in basic and/or hydrophobic amino acid. This would explain the binding manner of the BoNT to the NTNHA protein.     

噬菌体肽库中筛选NMDA受体抗原表位

为了获得人N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸受体（NR）主亚基（NR1）M3-M4环B细胞表位,以人NR1分子M3-M4环单克隆抗体MAB363淘筛噬菌体展示随机12肽库,对筛选克隆进行特异性ELISA检测和竞争结合实验分析.从30个克隆中得到一个阳性克隆序列“VHTNPSTWQPIL”（克隆1）,原核表达的NR1 M3-M4环可以与克隆1竞争结合MAB363.固相合成5个表位探针短肽,发现其中只有R(22)LRNPSKD可以与M3-M4环竞争结合抗体,将NPS三个氨基酸残基逐一敲除,缺失N或NP的合成肽和M3-M4环竞争抗体的能力减弱,缺失NPS的合成肽完全没有竞争能力,证明MAB363的表位为NPS,S可能是关键性残基.上述结论为免疫干预防治兴奋毒性脑损害策略的实施提供了一个重要线索和依据.     

用随机6肽库筛选HGVE2抗原表位

利用抗 HGV E2区的 3株单克隆抗体 M6、M1 3、M30作为筛选配基 ,对随机 6肽库进行亲和筛选 . 3轮筛选的投入产出比逐轮升高至 3.5× 1 0 -3、假阳性率逐轮降低至 0 .4% ,提示具有良好的富集效果 .从第 3轮随机挑出 1 2个克隆进行功能鉴定 ,结果表明 8个克隆与 M6抗体有较强的特异性结合力并有较好的竞争抑制作用 ,测序发现它们的外源肽具有核心序列 :WA( W/Y) WXH,该序列与 HGV同源性低 ;用外源肽与核心序列相似的噬菌体克隆 P6GC9做竞争抑制试验 ,约 3×1 0 10个噬菌体即可较好地抑制 M6单抗与 HGV抗原结合 .该多肽可能是 HGV E2区识别 M6单抗并具有一定功能的模拟表位 .     

A Strategy to Identify Probes that Detect a High Degree of Polymorphism in Bread Wheat

Although the genetic linkage map of Triticum tauschil, the D-genome progenitor of wheat its available, its use for linkage analysis of hexaploid wheat chromosome regions is hampered by the lack of polymorphism in wheat. Here we describe a strategy to identity probes that detect a high degree of polymorphism in wheat. The strategy involves the use of DNA probes that detect null alleles. About 16% of the Pstl genomic clones from Triticum tauschil detect null alleles in the species. The probes that detect null alleles reveal high degree of polymorphism among hexaploid wheat cultivars. The probes selected following this strategy are expected to detect null alleles throughout the tribe Triticeae, therefore, reveal high degree of polymorphism.     

噬菌体展示随机十肽库的构建及抗WSSV单链抗体A1的模拟抗原表位的淘选和鉴定

本实验以pCANTAB5E噬菌粒为载体,成功构建了较高容量的噬菌体展示随机十肽库,并将其应用于抗原模拟表位的淘选和鉴定。将一种特异识别对虾白斑综合症病毒(Whitespotsyndromevirus,WSSV)的单链抗体A1对十肽库和十五肽库分别进行淘选,结果得到一系列能与单链抗体A1特异性结合的阳性克隆。将这些阳性克隆所编码的多肽氨基酸序列与已知的单链抗体A1的抗原WSSV388片段氨基酸序列做比对,发现多数阳性多肽序列都与WSSV388片段序列的C端一处K????R??R?QS的氨基酸片段相似,由此推论单链抗体A1的模拟抗原表位可能是由该不连续氨基酸片段所构成的构象表位,而非线性表位。研究结果表明,噬菌体展示随机肽库技术是一种用于研究抗原表位结构的有效方法,有助于进一步探讨WSSV的结构蛋白的构象及功能,以及相应单链抗体与细胞受体相互作用的机理。     

噬菌体展示随机十肽库的构建及抗WSSV单链抗体A1的模拟抗原表位的淘选和鉴定

本实验以pCANTAB 5 E噬菌粒为载体,成功构建了较高容量的噬菌体展示随机十肽库,并将其应用于抗原模拟表位的淘选和鉴定.将一种特异识别对虾白斑综合症病毒(White spot syndrome virus, WSSV)的单链抗体A1对十肽库和十五肽库分别进行淘选,结果得到一系列能与单链抗体A1特异性结合的阳性克隆.将这些阳性克隆所编码的多肽氨基酸序列与已知的单链抗体A1的抗原WSSV388片段氨基酸序列做比对,发现多数阳性多肽序列都与WSSV388片段序列的C端一处K····R··R·QS的氨基酸片段相似,由此推论单链抗体A1的模拟抗原表位可能是由该不连续氨基酸片段所构成的构象表位,而非线性表位.研究结果表明,噬菌体展示随机肽库技术是一种用于研究抗原表位结构的有效方法,有助于进一步探讨WSSV的结构蛋白的构象及功能,以及相应单链抗体与细胞受体相互作用的机理.     

The POM Monoclonals: A Comprehensive Set of Antibodies to Non-Overlapping Prion Protein Epitopes

PrP^Sc, a misfolded and aggregated form of the cellular prion protein PrP^C, is the only defined constituent of the transmissible agent causing prion diseases. Expression of PrP^C in the host organism is necessary for prion replication and for prion neurotoxicity. Understanding prion diseases necessitates detailed structural insights into PrP^C and PrP^Sc. Towards this goal, we have developed a comprehensive collection of monoclonal antibodies denoted POM1 to POM19 and directed against many different epitopes of mouse PrP^C. Three epitopes are located within the N-terminal octarepeat region, one is situated within the central unstructured region, and four epitopes are discontinuous within the globular C-proximal domain of PrP^C. Some of these antibodies recognize epitopes that are resilient to protease digestion in PrP^Sc. Other antibodies immunoprecipitate PrP^C, but not PrP^Sc. A third group was found to immunoprecipitate both PrP isoforms. Some of the latter antibodies could be blocked with epitope-mimicking peptides, and incubation with an excess of these peptides allowed for immunochromatography of PrP^C and PrP^Sc. Amino-proximal antibodies were found to react with repetitive PrP^C epitopes, thereby vastly increasing their avidity. We have also created functional single-chain miniantibodies from selected POMs, which retained the binding characteristics despite their low molecular mass. The POM collection, thus, represents a unique set of reagents allowing for studies with a variety of techniques, including western blotting, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, conformation-dependent immunoassays, and plasmon surface plasmon resonance-based assays.     

Using Conformational Analysis to Identify Structurally Conserved Regions of MAP Peptides that Exhibit Cellular Attachment Ability

A natural bioadhesive obtained from Mytilus edulis , mussel adhesive protein, MAP or mefp-1, is frequently used for cellular attachment. MAP is approximately 114 kD, and generally composed of repeating decapeptide units, A-K-P-S-Y-Hyp-Hyp-T-DOPA-K, MAP-RD. Prior nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular modeling of MAP-RD revealed an overall bent-helix. NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling of a MAP fourteen residue peptide, P-S-Y-Hyp-Hyp-T-Y-K-A-K-P-S-Y-Hyp, MAP-14, are presented. Additionally, a molecular model built and minimized from MAP-RD and MAP-14 produced a twenty-six-residue MAP peptide, (MAP-26), that maintained regional structural consistency with both MAP-RD and MAP-14. Multiple attenuated internal reflection infrared (MAIR-IR) spectroscopy and ellipsometry of the MAP-14 as well as that of L-DOPA-containing MAP-14, (MAP-14(D)), showed uniform film formation near a monolayer in thickness was L-DOPA dependent. Significantly more undifferentiated leukocyte cells (MOLT-4) attached to and spread on MAP-14 (D) films (applied at 2 w g cm m 2 ) compared with intact MAP, MAP-RD or tissue culture treated polystyrene, indicating a cellular binding domain presence in the MAP-14 sequence. The culmination of biophysical data indicate the lysine-alanine-lysine (K-A-K) sequence as structurally conserved and responsible for the cellular attachment ability noted for MAP14(D) and ultimately MAP.     

Screening of Peptides that Inhibit Bacterial Binding to Fibronectin using Combinatorial Peptide Libraries

Infective endocarditis is often caused by passage of oral endogenous bacteria into the blood stream. Such bacteremia occurs after tooth extraction, and occasionally even after brushing of the teeth. Abnormal or damaged heart valves, including artificial valves, show high risk of infection. Antibiotics are widely used to prevent this infection, however, frequent use of these have resulted in the generation of resistant mutants, which generate serious social problems. Thus, the development of more effective and safer drugs for the prevention of such infections is very desirable. The adhesion of bacteria to fibronectin, one of the major extracellular matrix (ECM) protein exposed on the wound endocardia, is considered critical for the infection. We have previously found a novel mode of interaction between endocarditis-causing bacteria and human fibronectin. The present study focuses on the discovery of candidate compounds that inhibit the association between microorganisms and fibronectin. Positional scanning libraries (PSL) with N-terminal biotinylated 6-mer peptides have been constructed and screened for binding to a monoclonal antibody for fibronectin that inhibits the bacterial fibronectin-binding. The consensus sequences derived from these experiments are expected to be structural mimetics of the local structure of fibronectin involved in the bacterial adhesion. Since individual synthetic 6-mer peptides did not show the desired action, discontinuous epitopes can be envisaged and therefore a 9-mer-PSL was constructed to reveal conformational epitopes. In the second library, several 9-mer peptides based on the screening were synthesized and gave improved results.Australian Peptide Conference Issue     

Controlled Enzymatic Hydrolysis: A New Strategy for the Discovery of Antimicrobial Peptides

The use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is an alternative to traditional antibiotics. AMPs are obtained using different methods such as bacterial synthesis, chemical synthesis and controlled enzymatic hydrolysis. The later is an interesting approach that deserves our attention because of the yields gathered and peptides engineered. Usually, activities of AMPs obtained in such a way are tightly dependent on the hydrolysis mechanism used. This paper deals with the hydrolysis of hemoglobin mechanism as a potential source of AMPs. Production of AMPs from hemoglobin using enzymatic controlled system is linked to hemoglobin structure. Further, we show that bovine hemoglobin, which is sensitive to peptic hydrolysis, results upon enzymatic digestion as a great source of AMPs. The hemoglobin in native and denatured states was hydrolyzed by “one-by-one” and “zipper” mechanisms, respectively. Nevertheless, a new mechanism named “semi-zipper” mechanism is obtained when protein is in molten globule structural state, constituting an original strategy for AMPs production. Seventy seven percentage of the peptides obtained by this new strategy showed antibacterial activity against nine strains.     

Viral Fusion Peptides: A Tool Set to Disrupt and Connect Biological Membranes

The structure and function of viral fusion peptides are reviewed. The fusion peptides of influenza virus hemagglutinin and human immunodeficiency virus are used as paradigms. Fusion peptides associated with lipid bilayers are conformationally polymorphic. Current evidence suggests that the fusion-promoting state is the obliquely inserted -helix. Fusion peptides also have a tendency to self-associate into -sheets at membrane surfaces. Although the conformational conversion between - and -states is reversible under controlled conditions, its physiological relevance is not yet known. The energetics of peptide insertion and self-association could be measured recently using more soluble second generation fusion peptides. Fusion peptides have been reported to change membrane curvature and the state of hydration of membrane surfaces. The combined results are built into a model for the mechanism by which fusion peptides are proposed to assist in biological membrane fusion.     

A Synthetic Strategy to a New Class of Cycloalkane Ring-Fused Pyridine Nucleosides as Potential Anti HIV Agents

Abstract

Condensation of cyanothioacetamide or cyanoacetamide with sodium salts of 2-formyl-l-cycloalkanones afforded the corresponding cycloalkane ring fused pyridine-2(1H)-thiones and -2-pyridones. The latter compounds served as a key intermediates for the synthesis of a new class of cycloalkane ring fused pyridine glycosides.     

Small Synthetic Peptides Homologous to Segments of the First External Loop of Occludin Impair Tight Junction Resealing

This study shows that resealing of opened tight junctions (TJs) is impaired by interaction with oligopeptides homologous to the external domain of chick occludin. The experiments were carried out with confluent A6 cell monolayers grown on collagen supports under stable transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). The monolayers were bathed on the apical side with a 75 mm KCl solution and on the basolateral side by NaCl-Ringer's solution. TJ opening was induced by basolateral Ca²⁺ removal and was characterized by a marked drop of TER. The reintroduction of Ca²⁺ triggered junction resealing as indicated by an elevation of TER to control values. Custom-made peptides SNYYGSGLSY (corresponding to the residues 100 to 109) and SNYYGSGLS (residues 100 to 108), homologous to segments of the first external loop of chick occludin molecule, impaired junction resealing when the peptides were included in the apical bathing fluid (concentrations in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml). Peptide removal from the apical solution usually triggered a slow recovery of TER, indicating a slow recovery of the TJ seal. Changes in localization of ZO-1, a cytoplasmic protein that underlies the membrane at the TJs, were evaluated immunocytochemically following Ca²⁺ removal and reintroduction. The presence or absence of the oligopeptides showed no influence on the pattern of change of ZO-1 localization. These observations support the hypothesis that the TJ seal results from the interaction of specific homologous segments of occludin on the surface of adjacent cells. Additionally, our results show that small peptides homologous to segments of the occludin first external loop can be used as specific reagents to manipulate the permeability of tight junctions. Received: 4 December 1998/Revised: 22 January 1999     

小菌落突变株：一种利于持续复发性感染的细菌致病形式

小菌落突变株是一种具有独特表型及致病特征且生长缓慢的细菌亚群。在表型上,小菌落突变株表现为生长率低、菌落形态不规则及生化特性异常,这使得临床微生物学家在鉴定时遇到了挑战。在临床上,小菌落突变株比相应的野生株更能持续存在于哺乳动物细胞中,且对抗生素更不敏感。当宿主细胞形成应急的保护性环境时,小菌落突变株会引发隐性或复发性感染。这篇综述涵盖了小菌落突变株相关表型、遗传及临床上的特征,重点描述目前研究最多的葡萄球菌。     

KIM127, an Antibody that Promotes Adhesion, Maps to a Region of CD18 that Includes Cysteine-Rich Repeats

A series of fusion proteins have been generated between human and mouse CD18. These proteins have been used to carry out preliminary mapping studies on a number of anti-CD18 antibodies including KIM127 an antibody that promotes CD18-dependent adhesion. This antibody maps to a region of the CD18 molecule between amino acids 406 and 570 in a region containing cysteine-rich repeats.     

KIM127, an Antibody that Promotes Adhesion,Maps to a Region of CD18 that Includes Cysteine-Rich Repeats

A series of fusion proteins have been generated between human and mouse CD18. These proteins have been used to carry out preliminary mapping studies on a number of anti-CD18 antibodies including KIM127 an antibody that promotes CD18-dependent adhesion. This antibody maps to a region of the CD18 molecule between amino acids 406 and 570 in a region containing cysteine-rich repeats.     

一株产碱性蛋白酶芽孢杆菌的筛选、鉴定及应用初探

为了筛选碱性蛋白酶产生菌并探讨其对蛋白质饲料的发酵效果,以肉粉厂表层土壤为菌株分离源,利用脱脂牛奶培养基分离和纯化蛋白酶产生菌,通过形态特征、生理生化和16S rRNA基因序列分析确定菌株的分类地位,并采用L9(33)正交设计研究筛选出的优势菌种的接种量(3％、6％和12％)、种子液培养时间(12 h、24h和48 h...     

Toward Discovering New Anti-Cancer Agents Targeting Topoisomerase IIα: A Facile Screening Strategy Adaptable to High Throughput Platform

Topoisomerases are a family of vital enzymes capable of resolving topological problems in DNA during various genetic processes. Topoisomerase poisons, blocking reunion of cleaved DNA strands and stabilizing enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage complex, are clinically important antineoplastic and anti-microbial agents. However, the rapid rise of drug resistance that impedes the therapeutic efficacy of these life-saving drugs makes the discovering of new lead compounds ever more urgent. We report here a facile high throughput screening system for agents targeting human topoisomerase IIα (Top2α). The assay is based on the measurement of fluorescence anisotropy of a 29 bp fluorophore-labeled oligonucleotide duplex. Since drug-stabilized Top2α-bound DNA has a higher anisotropy compared with free DNA, this assay can work if one can use a dissociating agent to specifically disrupt the enzyme/DNA binary complexes but not the drug-stabilized ternary complexes. Here we demonstrate that NaClO₄, a chaotropic agent, serves a critical role in our screening method to differentiate the drug-stabilized enzyme/DNA complexes from those that are not. With this strategy we screened a chemical library of 100,000 compounds and obtained 54 positive hits. We characterized three of them on this list and demonstrated their effects on the Top2α–mediated reactions. Our results suggest that this new screening strategy can be useful in discovering additional candidates of anti-cancer agents.