Site-Directed Mutagenesis in Basic Amino Acid Residues of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase

Mutant Arg76Gln and Lys290Gln Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases have been prepared and analyzed. No alteration in the apparent kinetic constants were detected for the Arg76Gln mutant enzyme, while the Lys290Gln mutant showed a 12-fold decrease in V _max/K _mADP. These results indicate that Arg76 is not involved in CO₂ binding, but support the hypothesis that the binding of this substrate induces a conformational change that protects the region around Arg76 from trypsin action [Herrera et al. (1993) J. Protein Chem. 12, 413–418]. These findings also indicate that Lys290, a highly reactive residue against pyrydoxal phosphate [Bazaes et al. (1995), FEBS Lett. 360, 207–210], does not perform an essential function for the enzyme activity.     

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Capsid Protein Mutagenesis Reveals Amino Acid Residues Important for Virus Particle Assembly

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Gag drives virus particle assembly. The capsid (CA) domain is critical for Gag multimerization mediated by protein–protein interactions. The Gag protein interaction network defines critical aspects of the retroviral lifecycle at steps such as particle assembly and maturation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the immature particle morphology of HIV-2 is intriguingly distinct relative to that of HIV-1. Based upon this observation, we sought to determine the amino acid residues important for virus assembly that might help explain the differences between HIV-1 and HIV-2. To do this, we conducted site-directed mutagenesis of targeted locations in the HIV-2 CA domain of Gag and analyzed various aspects of virus particle assembly. A panel of 31 site-directed mutants of residues that reside at the HIV-2 CA inter-hexamer interface, intra-hexamer interface and CA inter-domain linker were created and analyzed for their effects on the efficiency of particle production, particle morphology, particle infectivity, Gag subcellular distribution and in vitro protein assembly. Seven conserved residues between HIV-1 and HIV-2 (L19, A41, I152, K153, K157, N194, D196) and two non-conserved residues (G38, N127) were found to significantly impact Gag multimerization and particle assembly. Taken together, these observations complement structural analyses of immature HIV-2 particle morphology and Gag lattice organization as well as provide important comparative insights into the key amino acid residues that can help explain the observed differences between HIV immature particle morphology and its association with virus replication and particle infectivity.     

Site-Directed Mutagenesis in Basic Amino Acid Residues of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase

Mutant Arg76Gln and Lys290Gln Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases have been prepared and analyzed. No alteration in the apparent kinetic constants were detected for the Arg76Gln mutant enzyme, while the Lys290Gln mutant showed a 12-fold decrease in V _max/K _mADP. These results indicate that Arg76 is not involved in CO₂ binding, but support the hypothesis that the binding of this substrate induces a conformational change that protects the region around Arg76 from trypsin action [Herrera et al. (1993) J. Protein Chem. 12, 413–418]. These findings also indicate that Lys290, a highly reactive residue against pyrydoxal phosphate [Bazaes et al. (1995), FEBS Lett. 360, 207–210], does not perform an essential function for the enzyme activity.     

Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Active Site Residues Reveals Plasticity of Human Butyrylcholinesterase in Substrate and Inhibitor Interactions

Abstract: In search of the molecular mechanisms underlying the broad substrate and inhibitor specificities of butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), we employed site-directed mutagenesis to modify the catalytic triad residue Ser¹⁹⁸, the acyl pocket Leu²⁸⁶ and adjacent Phe³²⁹ residues, and Met⁴³⁷ and Tyr⁴⁴⁰ located near the choline binding site. Mutant proteins were produced in microinjected Xenopus oocytes, and K_m values towards butyrylthiocholine and IC₅₀ values for the organophosphates diisopropylfluorophosphonate (DFP), diethoxyphosphinylthiocholine iodide (echothiophate), and tetraisopropylpyrophosphoramide (iso-OMPA) were determined. Substitution of Ser¹⁹⁸ by cysteine and Met⁴³⁷ by aspartate nearly abolished activity, and other mutations of Ser¹⁹⁸ completely abolished it. Tyr⁴⁴⁰ and Leu²⁸⁶ mutants remained active, but with higher K_m and IC₅₀ values. Rates of inhibition by DFP were roughly parallel to IC₅₀ values for several Leu²⁸⁶ mutants. Both K_m and IC₅₀ values increased for Leu²⁸⁶ mutants in the order Asp < Gln < Lys. In contrast, cysteine, leucine, and glutamine mutants of Phe³²⁹ displayed unmodified K_m values toward butyrylthiocholine, but up to 10-fold decreased IC₅₀ values for DFP, iso-OMPA, and echothiophate. These findings add Tyr⁴⁴⁰ and Phe³²⁹ to the list of residues interacting with substrate and ligands, demonstrate plasticity in the active site region of BuChE, and foreshadow the design of recombinant BuChEs with tailored scavenging properties.     

单引物PCR法引入定点突变 *

目的:利用单个突变引物,在含人呼吸道合胞病毒F蛋白基因编码序列的pcDNA3.1(+)-F质粒中,通过单次环形PCR在特定序列位置引入定点突变。 方法: 以双链环状的pcDNA3.1(+)-F质粒DNA为模板,设计分别含有三种目的突变N70Q, I431N, Q270T的三条单引物,分别进行单次PCR。用甲基化DNA特异的限制性内切酶Dpn I处理PCR产物后转化大肠杆菌DH5α,进行克隆筛选,酶切鉴定和测序分析。 结果: 酶切鉴定结果和测序结果均符合预期,利用单引物PCR法成功在含人呼吸道合胞病毒F蛋白基因编码序列的pcDNA3.1(+)-F质粒DNA 中引入了单碱基突变、两个间隔碱基突变及相邻三碱基突变三种目的突变。 结论: 单引物PCR法解决了常规定点突变方法中多个PCR反应,程序繁琐及突变效率低等问题,是一种简便、快速、有效的基因工程定点突变新方法。     

Molecular Modeling and Site-Directed Mutagenesis Reveal Essential Residues for Catalysis in a Prokaryote-Type Aspartate Aminotransferase

We recently reported that aspartate (Asp) biosynthesis in plant chloroplasts is catalyzed by two different Asp aminotransferases (AAT): a previously characterized eukaryote type and a prokaryote type (PT-AAT) similar to bacterial and archaebacterial enzymes. The available molecular and kinetic data suggest that the eukaryote-type AAT is involved in the shuttling of reducing equivalents through the plastidic membrane, whereas the PT-AAT could be involved in the biosynthesis of the Asp-derived amino acids inside the organelle. In this work, a comparative modeling of the PT-AAT enzyme from Pinus pinaster (PpAAT) was performed using x-ray structures of a bacterial AAT (Thermus thermophilus; Protein Data Bank accession nos. 1BJW and 1BKG) as templates. We computed a three-dimensional folding model of this plant homodimeric enzyme that has been used to investigate the functional importance of key amino acid residues in its active center. The overall structure of the model is similar to the one described for other AAT enzymes, from eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources, with two equivalent active sites each formed by residues of both subunits of the homodimer. Moreover, PpAAT monomers folded into one large and one small domain. However, PpAAT enzyme showed unique structural and functional characteristics that have been specifically described in the AATs from the prokaryotes Phormidium lapideum and T. thermophilus, such as those involved in the recognition of the substrate side chain or the “open-to-closed” transition following substrate binding. These predicted characteristics have been substantiated by site-direct mutagenesis analyses, and several critical residues (valine-206, serine-207, glutamine-346, glutamate-210, and phenylalanine-450) were identified and functionally characterized. The reported data represent a valuable resource to understand the function of this enzyme in plant amino acid metabolism.     

人白细胞介素18突变体的构建及其功能

为研究人白细胞介素 18(hIL 18)结构与功能的关系 ,用PCR定点突变技术分别构建了N末端、C末端缺失突变体(ΔNC)和IL 1特征样序列突变体S154A/Y156F/E157P/C163 T (S)。将突变体cDNA与原核表达载体 pJW 2重组并转化大肠杆菌DH5α ,经热诱导表达蛋白质 ,SDS PAGE证实表达的目的蛋白质以包涵体形式存在。菌体经超声破碎后 ,包涵体以 2mol/L尿素洗涤 ,8mol/L尿素溶解 ,并经SephadexG 75柱纯化 ,纯度可达 95 %以上。突变体蛋白质经逐步稀释复性后 ,以诱导人外周血单个核细胞 (PBMC)产生干扰素 γ(IFN γ)及对核因子 κB(NF κB)的激活能力为指标 ,检测突变体的生物学活性。结果显示ΔNC、S这 2个突变体对IFN γ的诱生能力显著低于野生型hIL 18,分别为野生型hIL 18的 13%和 4 8%。同时 ,ΔNC、S对NF κB的激活能力也低于野生型hIL 18,分别为野生型hIL 18的 6 9.7%和 89.8%。这些结果表明缺失的片段或突变的位点对hIL 18的功能有重要的作用。     

Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Stahphylococcal Nuclease: Role of Tyrosine Residues in Substrate Binding and Catalysis

Abstract

Oligonucleotide directed mutagenesis was used to change specific aminoacid residues in the active site of Staphylococcal nuclease. From the determined kinetic parameters we have calculated the interaction energy of the Tyr side chain with the substrate nitropheny1-pTp.     

具有抗HIV活性的突变型天花粉蛋白TCSYFF-KR的构建及原核表达

目的：构建具有抗HIV活性的突变型天花粉蛋白（TCS）,并将其在原核系统内进行表达与纯化。方法：借助计算机预测TCS分子上可能的抗原决定簇（YFF81-83和KR173-174）,并依此设计适当的突变引物;以栝楼基因组DNA为模板,利用重组PCR技术扩增双突变型TCS全长基因,经BamHI和EcoRI双酶切后与原核表达载体pRSET-A连接,转化感受态大肠杆菌DH5α,提取质粒进行酶切鉴定及测序;将所获阳性重组质粒转化感受态大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）,经IPTG诱导表达后,对表达产物进行Western印迹鉴定;用Ni-NTA亲和层析柱对所获突变型TCS蛋白进行纯化。结果：构建了突变型TCSYFY-KR,并获得了该蛋白在大肠杆菌内的可溶性高效表达;经Ni-NTA亲和层析柱纯化,产生大量均一的突变型TCS蛋白。结论：TCS的定点突变及其在原核系统内的表达,为基因工程方法改造TCS提供了一条新途径。     

用定点诱变技术鉴定蛇毒解联蛋白RGD侧翼氨基酸残基的结构和功能

为了证实蛇毒蛋白RGD侧翼氨基酸残基对ADP诱导的血小板凝聚抑制作用的重要性,分析了RGD环上游氨基酸残基对解联蛋白活性的影响。将位于两种角联蛋白蝮蛇毒素（kistrin）和华丽蛇毒素(elegantin）之间的氨基酸残基和RGD环内的氨基酸残基进行杂交。用定点诱变技术奖elegantin一级结构骨的KKKR^44T^45I^46／A^50RGDN^54P^55分别突变为SKAG^44T^45I^46/P^50RGDM^54P^55和 SKAG^44I^46/P^50RGDM^54P^55,这些序列和kistrin中相应的序列S^39RAGT^43/A^50RGDN^54P^55有相似之处,序列由KKKR^44T^45I^46/A^50RGDN^54P^55突变为SKAG^44T^45I^46/P^50RGDM^54P^55,显著地降低了elegantin对血小 板凝聚的抑制因子的活性,而T^45的缺人（KKKR^44T^45I^46/A^50RGDN^54P^55突变为SKAG^44T^45I^46/P^50RGDM^54P^55）支增强了elegantin对血小板凝聚的抑制作用,进一步研究证明它们的电泳特性是不同的。表明降RGD模体上游39－45倍的氨基酸与RGD侧翼氨基酸残基序列对解联蛋白的结构和功能具有重要作用。     

Crystal Structure of Dihydro-Heme d1 Dehydrogenase NirN from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals Amino Acid Residues Essential for Catalysis

Many bacteria can switch from oxygen to nitrogen oxides, such as nitrate or nitrite, as terminal electron acceptors in their respiratory chain. This process is called “denitrification” and enables biofilm formation of the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, making it more resilient to antibiotics and highly adaptable to different habitats. The reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide is a crucial step during denitrification. It is catalyzed by the homodimeric cytochrome cd₁ nitrite reductase (NirS), which utilizes the unique isobacteriochlorin heme d₁ as its reaction center. Although the reaction mechanism of nitrite reduction is well understood, far less is known about the biosynthesis of heme d₁. The last step of its biosynthesis introduces a double bond in a propionate group of the tetrapyrrole to form an acrylate group. This conversion is catalyzed by the dehydrogenase NirN via a unique reaction mechanism. To get a more detailed insight into this reaction, the crystal structures of NirN with and without bound substrate have been determined. Similar to the homodimeric NirS, the monomeric NirN consists of an eight-bladed heme d₁-binding β-propeller and a cytochrome c domain, but their relative orientation differs with respect to NirS. His147 coordinates heme d₁ at the proximal side, whereas His323, which belongs to a flexible loop, binds at the distal position. Tyr461 and His417 are located next to the hydrogen atoms removed during dehydrogenation, suggesting an important role in catalysis. Activity assays with NirN variants revealed the essentiality of His147, His323 and Tyr461, but not of His417.     

Coupled Site-Directed Mutagenesis/Transgenesis Identifies Important Functional Domains of the Mouse Agouti Protein

The agouti locus encodes a novel paracrine signaling molecule containing a signal sequence, an N-linked glycosylation site, a central lysine-rich basic domain, and a C-terminal tail containing 10 cysteine (Cys) residues capable of forming five disulfide bonds. When overexpressed, agouti causes a number of pleiotropic effects including yellow coat and adult-onset obesity. Numerous studies suggest that agouti causes yellow coat color by antagonizing the binding of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) to the α-MSH-(melanocortin-1) receptor. With the goal of identifying functional domains of agouti important for its diverse biological activities, we have generated 14 agouti mutations by in vitro site-directed mutagenesis and analyzed these mutations in transgenic mice for their effects on coat color and obesity. These studies demonstrate that the signal sequence, the N-linked glycosylation site, and the C-terminal Cys residues are important for full biological activity, while at least a portion of the lysine-rich basic domain is dispensable for normal function. They also show that the same functional domains of agouti important in coat color determination are important for inducing obesity, consistent with the hypothesis that agouti induces obesity by antagonizing melanocortin binding to other melanocortin receptors.     

Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the Heterotrimeric Killer Toxin Zymocin Identifies Residues Required for Early Steps in Toxin Action

Zymocin is a Kluyveromyces lactis protein toxin composed of αβγ subunits encoded by the cytoplasmic virus-like element k1 and functions by αβ-assisted delivery of the anticodon nuclease (ACNase) γ into target cells. The toxin binds to cells'' chitin and exhibits chitinase activity in vitro that might be important during γ import. Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains carrying k1-derived hybrid elements deficient in either αβ (k1ORF2) or γ (k1ORF4) were generated. Loss of either gene abrogates toxicity, and unexpectedly, Orf2 secretion depends on Orf4 cosecretion. Functional zymocin assembly can be restored by nuclear expression of k1ORF2 or k1ORF4, providing an opportunity to conduct site-directed mutagenesis of holozymocin. Complementation required active site residues of α''s chitinase domain and the sole cysteine residue of β (Cys250). Since βγ are reportedly disulfide linked, the requirement for the conserved γ C231 was probed. Toxicity of intracellularly expressed γ C231A indicated no major defect in ACNase activity, while complementation of k1ΔORF4 by γ C231A was lost, consistent with a role of β C250 and γ C231 in zymocin assembly. To test the capability of αβ to carry alternative cargos, the heterologous ACNase from Pichia acaciae (P. acaciae Orf2 [PaOrf2]) was expressed, along with its immunity gene, in k1ΔORF4. While efficient secretion of PaOrf2 was detected, suppression of the k1ΔORF4-derived k1Orf2 secretion defect was not observed. Thus, the dependency of k1Orf2 on k1Orf4 cosecretion needs to be overcome prior to studying αβ''s capability to deliver other cargo proteins into target cells.     

Site Directed Mutagenesis of Amino Acid Residues at the Active Site of Mouse Aldehyde Oxidase AOX1

Mouse aldehyde oxidase (mAOX1) forms a homodimer and belongs to the xanthine oxidase family of molybdoenzymes which are characterized by an essential equatorial sulfur ligand coordinated to the molybdenum atom. In general, mammalian AOs are characterized by broad substrate specificity and an yet obscure physiological function. To define the physiological substrates and the enzymatic characteristics of mAOX1, we established a system for the heterologous expression of the enzyme in Eschericia coli. The recombinant protein showed spectral features and a range of substrate specificity similar to the native protein purified from mouse liver. The EPR data of recombinant mAOX1 were similar to those of AO from rabbit liver, but differed from the homologous xanthine oxidoreductase enzymes. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids Val806, Met884 and Glu1265 at the active site resulted in a drastic decrease in the oxidation of aldehydes with no increase in the oxidation of purine substrates. The double mutant V806E/M884R and the single mutant E1265Q were catalytically inactive enzymes regardless of the aldehyde or purine substrates tested. Our results show that only Glu1265 is essential for the catalytic activity by initiating the base-catalyzed mechanism of substrate oxidation. In addition, it is concluded that the substrate specificity of molybdo-flavoenzymes is more complex and not only defined by the three characterized amino acids in the active site.