Recombinant mussel adhesive protein as a gene delivery material

Efficient target gene delivery into eukaryotic cells is important for biotechnological research and gene therapy. Gene delivery based on proteins, including histones, has recently emerged as a powerful non-viral DNA transfer technique. Here, we investigated the potential use of a recombinant mussel adhesive protein, hybrid fp-151, as a gene delivery material, in view of its similar basic amino acid composition to histone proteins, and cost-effective and high-level production in Escherichia coli. After confirming DNA binding affinity, we transfected mammalian cells (human 293T and mouse NIH/3T3) with foreign genes using hybrid fp-151 as the gene delivery carrier. Hybrid fp-151 displayed comparable transfection efficiency in both mammalian cell lines, compared to the widely used transfection agent, Lipofectamine 2000. Our results indicate that this mussel adhesive protein may be used as a potential protein-based gene-transfer mediator.     

Application of mass spectrometry to the identification and quantification of histone post-translational modifications

The core histones are the primary protein component of chromatin, which is responsible for the packaging of eukaryotic DNA. The NH(2)-terminal tail domains of the core histones are the sites of numerous post-translational modifications that have been shown to play an important role in the regulation of chromatin structure. In this study, we discuss the recent application of modern analytical techniques to the study of histone modifications. Through the use of mass spectrometry, a large number of new sites of histone modification have been identified, many of which reside outside of the NH(2)-terminal tail domains. In addition, techniques have been developed that allow mass spectrometry to be effective for the quantitation of histone post-translational modifications. Hence, the use of mass spectrometry promises to dramatically alter our view of histone post-translational modifications.     

Enhanced production of Dopa-incorporated mussel adhesive protein using engineered translational machineries

Mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) have great potential as bioglues, particularly in wet conditions. Although in vivo residue-specific incorporation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa) in tyrosine-auxotrophic Escherichia coli cells allows for production of Dopa-incorporated bioengineered MAPs (dMAPs), the low production yield hinders the practical application of dMAPs. This low production yield of dMAPs is due to low translational activity of a noncanonical amino acid, Dopa, in E. coli cells. Herein, to enhance the production yield of dMAPs, we investigated the coexpression of Dopa-recognizing tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases (TyrRSs). To use the Dopa-specific Methanococcus jannaschii TyrRS (MjTyrRS-Dopa), we altered the anticodon of tyrosyl-tRNA amber suppressor into AUA (MjtRNA^Tyr_AUA) to recognize a tyrosine codon (AUA). Co-overexpression of MjTyrRS-Dopa and MjtRNA^Tyr_AUA increased the production yield of Dopa-incorporated MAP foot protein type 3 (dfp-3) by 57%. Similarly, overexpression of E. coli TyrRS (EcTyrRS) led to a 72% higher production yield of dfp-3. Even with coexpression of Dopa-recognizing TyrRSs, dfp-3 has a high Dopa incorporation yield (over 90%) compared to ones prepared without TyrRS coexpression.     

Detection of hydrolysis of lipid post-translational modifications during gel-electrophoresis-based proteomic protocol

The influence of sample preparation on the identification of a lipid PTM was examined. Nonspecific lipid transfer protein 1 (LTP1) from barley is modified with a lipid-like molecule of mass of 294 Da. This modification was detected in the MS analysis of intact protein samples but no lipid-bound peptide was observed in the MS analysis of the in-gel digested LTP1 after an SDS-PAGE separation of the protein mixture. By using SEC instead of SDS-PAGE, the lipid-modified peptide was observed after in-solution enzymatic digestion of the SEC fraction containing LTP1. Conditions of individual steps of the gel-electrophoresis-based protocol were tested to find their effect on the removal of the lipid PTM from LTP1. The influences of particular solutions used in the gel-electrophoresis-based protocol on the hydrolysis of lipids were investigated. It was found that denaturing conditions, in combination with alkaline pH, have a major influence on the hydrolysis of the ester bond. Especially, the electrophoretic buffer has a strong influence on the hydrolysis of the lipid PTM (in the intact molecule) of LTP1.     

Heterogeneous post-translational modification of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans fimbrillin

Fresh isolates of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans produce bundle-forming fimbriae. The exact molecular mass of A. actinomycetemcomitans fimbrillin, a structural subunit of fimbriae, was determined by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Three major molecular species with 6,226.0, 6,366.0, and 6,513.0 Da were detected in a purified fimbrial fraction from the strain 310-a. These molecular masses were significantly higher than the molecular weight (5,118 Da) calculated from nucleotide sequence data of the fimbrillin gene, flp, suggesting that the fimbrial peptides were post-translationally modified. Modification of the fimbrial peptides was also suggested by an N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of fimbrillin peptic fragments, with the modified amino acids being due to seven serine or asparagine residues located in the C-terminal region. A periodate oxidation/biotin-hydrazide labeling assay of fimbrillin suggested that it might be glycosylated.     

Recombinant mussel adhesive protein fp-5 (MAP fp-5) as a bulk bioadhesive and surface coating material

Mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) attach to all types of inorganic and organic surfaces, even in wet environments. MAP of type 5 (fp-5), in particular, has been considered as a key adhesive material. However, the low availability of fp-5 has hampered its biochemical characterization and practical applications. Here, soluble recombinant fp-5 is mass-produced in Escherichia coli. Tyrosinase-modified recombinant fp-5 showed ～1.11 MPa adhesive shear strength, which is the first report of a bulk-scale adhesive force measurement for purified recombinant of natural MAP type. Surface coatings were also performed through simple dip-coating of various objects. In addition, complex coacervate using recombinant fp-5 and hyaluronic acid was prepared as an efficient adhesive formulation, which greatly improved the bulk adhesive strength. Collectively, it is expected that this work will enhance basic understanding of mussel adhesion and that recombinant fp-5 can be successfully used as a realistic bulk-scale bioadhesive and an efficient surface coating material.     

Spatial distribution of proteins in the quagga mussel adhesive apparatus

The invasive freshwater mollusc Dreissena bugensis (quagga mussel) sticks to underwater surfaces via a proteinacious ‘anchor’ (byssus), consisting of a series of threads linked to adhesive plaques. This adhesion results in the biofouling of crucial underwater industry infrastructure, yet little is known about the proteins responsible for the adhesion. Here the identification of byssal proteins extracted from freshly secreted byssal material is described. Several new byssal proteins were observed by gel electrophoresis. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to characterize proteins in different regions of the byssus, particularly those localized to the adhesive interface. Byssal plaques and threads contain in common a range of low molecular weight proteins, while several proteins with higher mass were observed only in the plaque. At the adhesive interface, a plaque-specific ~8.1 kDa protein had a relative increase in signal intensity compared to the bulk of the plaque, suggesting it may play a direct role in adhesion.     

A serum-free medium for the culture of insect cells and production of recombinant proteins

Summary A low protein aqueous lipid supplement (Ex-Cyte VLE), in combination with pluronic polyol, is an effective replacement for fetal bovine serum for insect Sf-9 cells. Serum-free medium with lipid supplement and pluronic (SFM-LP) supported higher cell viability and maximum cell populations than serum-supplemented medium. No adaptation procedures are required when switching cells from serum-containing medium to SFM-LP, and growth rates remain constant during continued passages in SFM-LP. The amounts of recombinant proteins produced, which is the major use for the Sf-9 cells, are better or equal in SFM-LP compared to serum-supplemented medium. SFM-LP also supports growth of the TN-368 cell line but IPLB-SF-21AE or IZD-Mb0503 lines grow poorly in this medium.     

Direct modifications of Rho proteins: deconstructing GTPase regulation

Small GTPases of the Rho protein family are master regulators of the actin cytoskeleton and are targeted by potent virulence factors of several pathogenic bacteria. Their dysfunctional regulation can lead to severe human pathologies. Both host and bacterial factors can activate or inactivate Rho proteins by direct post‐translational modifications: such as deamidation and transglutamination for activation, or ADP‐ribosylation, glucosylation, adenylylation and phosphorylation for inactivation. We review and compare these unconventional ways in which both host cells and bacterial pathogens regulate Rho proteins.     

Production of recombinant proteins in high-density insect cell cultures

The effect of the growth phase of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells on the production of recombinant proteins (beta-galactosidase and glucocerebrosidase) was investigated. Cells infected with the recombinant Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus at the late exponential and stationary phases yielded low quantities of expressed protein. Highest enzyme yields were obtained using Sf9 cells from the early exponential phase (0.9 mg beta-galactosidase/10(6) cells and 1.7 mug glucocerebrosidase/10(6) cells). Infection of resuspension of cells collected from various phases of growth in fresh medium resulted in 75% restoration of maximal expression levels. This finding suggested either nutrient limitation or waste product accumulation as the cause of the decrease in productivity at the latter phases of growth. Further experiments revealed that the highest productivity levels could be obtained with cultures of Sf9 cells grown in a fermentor to a cell concentration of 4 x 10(6) mL(-1). The medium needed to be replaced prior to infection with the recombinant virus and supplemented with a mixture of glucose, L-glutamine, and yeastolate ultrafiltrate. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Production of recombinant bovine lactoferrin N-lobe in insect cells and its antimicrobial activity

Lactoferrin is a multifunctional, iron-binding glycoprotein found in physiological fluids of mammals. In the present study, a gene encoding the N-terminal half (N-lobe) of bovine lactoferrin was cloned and expressed in cultured insect cells using a baculovirus expression system. One mutation was found in the lactoferrin N-lobe gene, but it resulted in no amino acid substitution. The recombinant lactoferrin N-lobe was secreted into the culture medium and partially purified by means of an immobilized heparin column. The recombinant lactoferrin N-lobe secreted was not glycosylated, but it possessed antimicrobial activity toward Escherichia coli O111. The recombinant product synthesized and accumulated in the host cells exhibited greater electrophoretic mobility on SDS-PAGE than the secreted product and showed no potency to inhibit the growth of bacteria. It is thought that the product accumulated intracellularly lacks antimicrobial ability due to its degradation in the host cells or due to disruption of the active conformation.     

Influences of the recombinant artificial cell adhesive proteins on the behavior of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in serum-free culture

To improve the safety of cellular therapy products, it is necessary to establish a serum-free cell culture method that can exclude animal-derived materials in order to avoid contamination with transmissible agents. It would be optimal if the proteins necessary to a serum-free culture could be provided as recombinant proteins. In this study, the influences of recombinant artificial cell adhesive proteins on the behavior of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in serum-free culture were examined in comparison with the influence of plasma fibronectin (FN). The recombinant proteins used were Pronectin F (PF), Pronectin F PLUS (PFP), Pronectin L (PL), Retronectin (RN), and Attachin (AN). HUVECs adhered more efficiently on PF or PFP than on FN. No cells adhered on PL. Regarding the VEGF or bFGF-induced cell growth, the cells on PF and PFP proliferated at a similar rate to the cells on FN. RN and AN were less effective in supporting cell growth. Since cell adhesion on PF and PFP induced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, they are thought to activate integrin-mediated intracellular signaling. The cells cultured on PF or PFP were able to produce prostaglandin I(2) or tissue-plasminogen activator in response to thrombin. However, thrombin caused detachment of the cells from PF but not from PFP or FN, meaning that the cells were able to adhere more tightly on PFP or FN than on PF. These data indicate that PFP could be applicable as a substitute for plasma FN.     

表观遗传和蛋白质翻译后修饰在细菌耐药中的作用

日益严重的细菌耐药性有可能使人类重回前抗生素时代。细菌的耐药机理多样,深入研究细菌的耐药性形成机理有助于开发控制耐药细菌感染的新措施。表观遗传和蛋白质翻译后修饰在细胞代谢、信号转导、蛋白质降解、调控DNA复制、应激反应等方面都具有重要作用。近年来研究表明表观遗传和蛋白质翻译后修饰在细菌耐药中也扮演着重要的角色。本文总结了DNA甲基化、调控型RNAs等表观遗传因素和磷酸化、琥珀酰基化等蛋白质翻译后修饰因素在细菌耐药性中的调控作用,以期为抗生素靶标选择和抗生素开发设计提供新思路。     

The response of virally infected insect cells to dissolved oxygen concentration: recombinant protein production and oxidative damage

The effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration on virally infected insect cells were investigated in 3-L bioreactor culture. Specifically, cultures of Spodoptera frugiperda Sf-9 (Sf-9) and Trichoplusia ni BTI-Tn-5B1-4 (Tn-5B1-4) were infected with Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus expressing secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP). Following infection at a DO concentration of 50% air saturation, the DO concentration was adjusted to a final value of either 190%, 50%, or 10% air saturation. Recombinant SEAP production, cell viability, protein carbonyl content, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content were monitored. The increases in protein carbonyl and TBARS contents are taken to be indicators of protein oxidation and lipid oxidation, respectively. DO concentration was found to have no noticeable effect on SEAP production or cell viability decline in the Sf-9 cell line. In the Tn-5B1-4 cell line, cells displayed an increased peak SEAP production rate for 190% air saturation and displayed an increased rate of viability decline at increased DO concentration. Protein carbonyl content showed no significant increase in the Sf-9 cell line by 72 h postinfection (pi) at any DO concentration but showed a twofold increase at 10% and 50% DO concentration and a threefold increase at 190% DO concentration by 72 h pi in Tn-5B1-4 cells. TBARS content was found to increase by approximately 50% in Sf-9 cells and by approximately twofold in Tn-5B1-4 cells by 72 h pi with no clear relationship to DO concentration. It is hypothesized that oxygen uptake changes due to the viral infection process may bear a relation to the observed increases in protein and lipid oxidation and that lipid oxidation may play an important role in the death of virally infected insect cells.     

Aberrant post‐translational modifications compromise human myosin motor function in old age

Novel experimental methods, including a modified single fiber in vitro motility assay, X‐ray diffraction experiments, and mass spectrometry analyses, have been performed to unravel the molecular events underlying the aging‐related impairment in human skeletal muscle function at the motor protein level. The effects of old age on the function of specific myosin isoforms extracted from single human muscle fiber segments, demonstrated a significant slowing of motility speed (P < 0.001) in old age in both type I and IIa myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms. The force‐generating capacity of the type I and IIa MyHC isoforms was, on the other hand, not affected by old age. Similar effects were also observed when the myosin molecules extracted from muscle fibers were exposed to oxidative stress. X‐ray diffraction experiments did not show any myofilament lattice spacing changes, but unraveled a more disordered filament organization in old age as shown by the greater widths of the 1, 0 equatorial reflections. Mass spectrometry (MS) analyses revealed eight age‐specific myosin post‐translational modifications (PTMs), in which two were located in the motor domain (carbonylation of Pro79 and Asn81) and six in the tail region (carbonylation of Asp900, Asp904, and Arg908; methylation of Glu1166; deamidation of Gln1164 and Asn1168). However, PTMs in the motor domain were only observed in the IIx MyHC isoform, suggesting PTMs in the rod region contributed to the observed disordering of myosin filaments and the slowing of motility speed. Hence, interventions that would specifically target these PTMs are warranted to reverse myosin dysfunction in old age.