Structural properties of recombinant ovalbumin and its transformation into a thermostabilized form by alkaline treatment.

The recombinant ovalbumin produced in Escherichia coli was purified from the cytoplasmic fraction and analyzed for its chemical and conformational properties. The recombinant ovalbumin displayed almost exactly the same circular dichroism and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra as egg white ovalbumin. As in the egg white protein, four cysteine sulfhydryls and one cystine disulfide were contained in the recombinant protein, according to the results of amino acid analyses; the disulfide bond was found by a peptide mapping analysis to correspond to the native cystine, Cys73-Cys120. According to a gel electrophoresis analysis, the presence of the disulfide bond was accounted for by specific oxidation of the corresponding cysteine residues during purification of the cytoplasmic protein. Unlike the identity in the conformational and peptide structures, none of the post-translational modifications (N-terminal acetylation, phosphorylation, and glycosylation) that are known with egg white ovalbumin were detected in the recombinant protein. The recombinant ovalbumin was transformed into a thermostabilized form in a similar manner to the transformation of egg white protein into S-ovalbumin; alkaline treatment increased the temperature for thermostability by 8.7 degrees C. These data strongly suggest that the post-translational modifications of ovalbumin are not related to the formation mechanism for S-ovalbumin.     

肉毒毒素蛋白受体syt II N端片段基因的合成及其在大肠杆菌中的融合表达

本研究旨在构建肉毒毒素蛋白受体sytII N端片段的原核表达载体,并在大肠杆菌pMAL-c2x系统中表达MBP-Syt融合蛋白。根据GenBank中已报道的人syt II基因序列,截取N端氨基酸序列,依据大肠杆菌的偏爱密码子,设计引物人工合成全基因,将全长基因克隆至原核表达载体pMAL-c2x中,重组质粒转化大肠杆菌E.coli ER2566,IPTG诱导表达。表达产物经Amylose Resin亲和层析进行纯化,SDS-PAGE和免疫印记对其进行鉴定,并对该蛋白进行活性的初步分析,为进一步研究毒素与受体相互作用的机制奠定基础。     

Purification, characterization, and western blot analysis of human GTPase-activating protein from native and recombinant sources

Human ras GTPase-activating protein (GAP) is a cytoplasmic factor that stimulates the GTPase activity of normal N-ras p21 while having no stimulatory effect on the GTPase activity of oncogenic variants of N-ras p21. We have purified two forms of native ras GAP from human placental tissue. In addition to the Mr = 120,000 type I GAP reported previously (1), an equivalent amount of an Mr = 95,000 molecule with GAP activity was recovered and shown to have the N-terminal sequence expected for type II GAP. The two GAP forms in placental extracts were resolved by molecular sieve chromatography and appeared to have a monomeric native structure. Human recombinant type I GAP was produced intracellularly in Sf9 insect cells using a baculovirus expression vector, and 10-mg quantities were purified to homogeneity in three steps. Comparison of the purified native and recombinant GAP molecules revealed that all three displayed similar biological specific activities in an in vitro GAP assay. A polyclonal antibody to purified recombinant GAP was prepared and shown to neutralize the activity of both native and recombinant GAPs. The antibody was also highly specific for the detection of native GAP by Western blot. Type I and II GAP species were detected in approximately equal amounts in cytoplasmic extracts of human placenta, but only type I GAP was observed when other human tissues were examined.     

单纯疱疹病毒1型囊膜糖蛋白gD在大肠杆菌中的表达、纯化及其免疫活性的鉴定

目的:在大肠杆菌中表达1型单纯疱疹病毒(HSV-1)囊膜糖蛋白gD,纯化重组蛋白并对其免疫活性进行鉴定。方法:将HSV-1 gD 基因克隆入原核表达载体pET-28b,利用异丙基-B-D-硫代吡喃半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导重组质粒转化的大肠杆菌,探讨IPTG浓度、诱导时间、诱导温度对重组蛋白表达的影响;盐酸胍裂解变性包涵体,镍柱亲和层析法纯化gD蛋白,并对纯化后的蛋白进行透析复性;Western blot和ELISA检测gD蛋白的免疫活性。结果:酶切和测序结果表明gD基因克隆入pET-28b载体。该重组质粒转化的大肠杆菌经IPTG诱导后重组蛋白主要以包涵体形式存在,大小约40kDa。gD蛋白诱导表达的最佳条件为0.5mmol/L IPTG于37℃诱导8h。镍柱亲和层析法纯化获得的gD蛋白总量为3.1mg/L,透析复性后获得的gD蛋白总量为1.3mg/L,复性率为41.37%。Western blot及ELISA检测表明表达的gD蛋白具有免疫活性。结论:在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化获得具有免疫活性的HSV-1 gD蛋白,为进一步制备HSV-1诊断试剂和预防疫苗奠定了基础。     

丁型肝炎病毒抗原的表达纯化和抗原性分析

丁型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis D virus, HDV)是一种缺陷负链RNA病毒,其表面被乙肝病毒抗原(HBsAg)所包裹,内为丁型肝炎抗原(HDAg)及其基因组RNA。HDV基因组中有多个开放读码框架(ORF),其中只有抗基因组RNA链上的一个ORF编码的蛋白与HDAg相关[1,2]。HDV的抗原、抗体的测定是HDV感染诊断的主要标志,为了改进和提高HDV ELISA诊断试剂的质量,制备高纯度和高效价的HDAg尤为重要。为此,我们构建了HDAg基因表达株,以pQE表达系统为载体,利用该载体本身具备的6个组氨酸序列结构(6×histag)来纯化蛋白,直接提取高度纯化的HDAg,并应…     

鸡贫血病毒衣壳蛋白的表达纯化及多克隆抗体制备

利用PCR技术,以pPrpo-VP1为模板扩增得到鸡贫血病毒的衣壳蛋白基因(VP1),以T4多聚核苷酸激酶磷酸化处理、纯化后,克隆至表达载体pET-30a( )中,从而构建了原核表达质粒pET30-VP1。将pET30-VP1转化至感受态细胞E.coliBL21(DE3)中,经IPTG诱导后,SDS-PAGE分析,可见约45kDa的目的蛋白获得表达。该蛋白经亲和层析纯化后,免疫6-8w的雌性Balb/c鼠,三次免疫后,采血分离血清,制得抗VP1的多克隆血清。以纯化的VP1为包被抗原,用ELISA方法检测,制备的血清效价达12800×以上。以Westernblot检测,该血清可与目的蛋白发生特异性反应,证明其具有良好的免疫原性。VP1蛋白的成功表达及其多克隆抗体的制备为进一步研究VP1蛋白的功能及开展CAV疫苗及诊断制剂的研制奠定了基础。     

Expression, purification, and characterization of a novel methyl parathion hydrolase

The mpd gene coding for a novel methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH) was previously reported and its putative open reading frame was also identified. To further confirm its coding region, the intact region encoding MPH was obtained by PCR and expressed in Escherichia coli as a hexa-His C-terminal fusion protein. The fusion protein was purified to homogeneity by metal-affinity chromatography. The enzyme activity and zymogram assay showed that the fusion protein was functional in degrading methyl parathion. The amino terminal sequencing of the purified recombinant MPH indicated that a signal peptide of the first 35 amino acids was cleaved from its precursor to form active MPH. A rat polyclonal antiserum was raised against the purified mature fusion protein. The results of Western blot and zymogram demonstrated that mature MPH in native Plesiomonas sp. strain M6 was also processed from its precursor by cleavage of a putative signal peptide at the amino terminus. The production of active MPH in E. coli was greatly improved after the coding region for the signal peptide was deleted. HPLC gel filtration of the purified mature recombinant MPH revealed that the MPH was a monomer.     

IgE binding properties of the recombinant ovomucoid third domain expressed in Escherichia coli

Ovomucoid, a major allergen in hen's egg white, consists of three tandem domains. The third domain (DIII) cDNA was sublconed into pGEMT-vector and the resultant plasmid (pGEMDIII) was inserted into a pGEM-4T-2 glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion vector. The GST-DIII fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli. The 56-residue fragment corresponding to DIII (Leu131-Cys186) was liberated using cyanogen bromide to cleave off the GST that had been hydrolized with thrombin, which left an additional peptide at the terminus of the recombinant protein. Measurement of circular dichroism spectra indicated that the recombinant third domain (DIII*) had a structure that was slightly less compact than that of the native form. Immunoblot analysis showed that the human IgE binding activity of DIII* was identical to that of native DIII, while its activity was significantly increased to IgE antibodies from egg-allergic patients when tested with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These results indicate that recombinant DIII* has similar sequential epitopes, but may have more predominant conformational epitopes than native analogues. This might have important implications in egg-allergic reactions.     

重组蓖麻毒素A链蛋白的可溶性表达、纯化与抗原性分析

用PCR方法从克隆质粒pUC19-RTA中扩增出蓖麻毒素A(RTA)链基因,序列分析正确后,亚克隆到原核表达质粒pET-His中,构建重组表达质粒pET-HisRTA,再转化到E.coliBL21(DE3)plysS中获得表达工程菌株BL21/pET-HisRTA。该工程菌在30℃经0.4mmol／LIPTG诱导4h后获得可溶性表达的目的蛋白,约占菌体总蛋白的18.45％,SDS-PAGE分析显示表达的蛋白区带与RTA相对分子量相符,约32kDa左右。表达产物经Ni-NTA亲和层析法一步纯化,蛋白纯度约达97.53％,并可得到约18mg/L重组RTA蛋白。Western印迹和间接ELISA结果证明,重组RTA蛋白与抗天然蓖麻毒素多抗可发生特异性的抗原抗体反应,具有良好的抗原性,这为制备RT特异性抗体及建立RT的检测方法奠定了基础。     

Antigenicity and receptor-binding ability of recombinant SARS coronavirus spike protein

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease associated with a novel coronavirus and causing worldwide outbreaks. SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is an enveloped RNA virus, which contains several structural proteins. Among these proteins, spike (S) protein is responsible for binding to specific cellular receptors and is a major antigenic determinant, which induces neutralizing antibody. In order to analyze the antigenicity and receptor-binding ability of SARS-CoV S protein, we expressed the S protein in Escherichia coli using a pET expression vector. After the isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside induction, S protein was expressed in the soluble form and purified by nickel-affinity chromatography to homogeneity. The amount of S protein recovered was 0.2-0.3mg/100ml bacterial culture. The S protein was recognized by sera from SARS patients by ELISA and Western blot, which indicated that recombinant S protein retained its antigenicity. By biotinylated ELISA and Western blot using biotin-labeled S protein as the probe, we identified 130-kDa and 140-kDa proteins in Vero cells that might be the cellular receptors responsible for SARS-CoV infection. Taken together, these results suggested that recombinant S protein exhibited the antigenicity and receptor-binding ability, and it could be a good candidate for further developing SARS vaccine and anti-SARS therapy.     

A-protein from achromogenic atypical Aeromonas salmonicida: molecular cloning, expression, purification, and characterization.

Achromogenic atypical Aeromonas salmonicida is the causative agent of goldfish ulcer disease. Virulence of this bacterium is associated with the production of a paracrystalline outer membrane A-layer protein. The species-specific structural gene for the monomeric form of A-protein was cloned into a pET-3d plasmid in order to express and produce a recombinant form of the protein in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The induced protein was isolated from inclusion bodies by a simple solubilization-renaturation procedure and purified by ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose to over 95% pure monomeric protein. Recombinant A-protein was compared by biochemical, immunological, and molecular methods with the A-protein isolated from atypical A. salmonicida bacterial cells by the glycine and the membrane extraction methods. The recombinant form was found to be undistinguishable from the wild type when examined by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration chromatography. The immunological similarity of the protein samples was demonstrated by employing polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies in ELISA and Western blot techniques. All forms of A-protein were found to activate the secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha from murine macrophage. To date, this represents the first large-scale production of biologically active recombinant A-protein.     

Overexpression, Purification, and Characterization of Glutaminase-Interacting Protein, a PDZ-Domain Protein from Human Brain

A human brain cDNA clone coding for a novel PDZ-domain protein of 124 amino acids has been previously isolated in our laboratory. The protein was termed GIP (glutaminase-interacting protein) because it interacts with the C-terminal region of the human brain glutaminase L. Here we report the heterologous expression of GIP as a histidine-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli cells. The induction conditions (temperature and isopropyl beta-d-thiogalactopyranoside concentrations) were optimized in such a way that GIP accounted for about 20% of the total E. coli protein. A simple and rapid procedure for purification was developed, which yielded 17 mg of purified GIP per liter of bacterial cell culture. The apparent molecular mass of the protein by SDS-PAGE was 16 kDa, whereas in native form it was determined to be 28 kDa, which suggests dimer formation. The nature and integrity of the recombinant protein were verified by mass spectrometry analysis. The functionality of the GIP protein was tested with an in vitro activity assay: after being pulled down with glutathione S-transferase-glutaminase, GIP was revealed by Western blot using anti-GIP antibodies. Furthermore, the glutaminase activity in crude rat liver extracts was inhibited by the presence of recombinant purified GIP protein.     

日本血吸虫中国大陆株28kDa GST基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

在大肠杆菌ＴＢ１中表达含日本血吸虫中国大陆株２８ｋＤａ抗原基因的重组质粒，表达产物是融合蛋白，分子量来３３ｋＤａ。采用谷胱甘肽琼脂糖亲和层析柱纯化表达产物。２，４－二硝基氯苯／谷胱甘肽分光光度测定法和琼脂糖－淀粉凝胶电泳显示重组抗原具有较高的谷胱甘肽Ｓ－转移酶活力。     

Structural and immunological characterization of recombinant ovomucoid expressed in Escherichia coli

The expression of recombinant allergens is becoming new insights of an important diagnosis and the therapy of allergies as well as molecular approaches to immunological and structural studies of allergens. Ovomucoid is a major food allergens in the hen's egg white which causes immediate food-hypersensitivity reactions mainly in children. A gene coding for the cDNA representing an entire ovomucoid molecule has been cloned in Escherichia coli under the control of T5 promoter fused with six-Histidine tag at the amino terminal end. Upon induction, the E. coli cells, harbouring this construct, expressed the recombinant protein as a soluble fraction and the recombinant ovomucoid protein was purified to electrophoeretic homogeneity using Ni²⁺ nitrilotriacetic acid agarose affinity chromatography. Immunoblot analysis showed that human IgE and IgG binding activities of the recombinant ovomucoid was identical to that of native analogue. The antigenicity and allergenicity of recombinant ovomucoid were almost same as that of native form when tested with an ELISA using six individual patient's serum. CD spectra indicated that that the recombinant ovomucoid has more -helix and less -structure than native form. These results show that the recombinant ovomucoid constructed in this study could be used for further studies on the immunological and structural studies of ovomucoid.     

Expression, purification, and in vitro refolding of soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a new member of the TNF superfamily. Here, a recombinant form of the extracellular domain of the TRAIL (sTRAIL) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) under the control of a T7 promoter. The resulting insoluble bodies were separated from cellular debris by centrifugation and solubilized with 8 M urea. A rapid and simple on-column refolding procedure was developed. It was applied and then the refolded sTRAIL was purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The purified final product was >98% pure by SDS-PAGE stained with Coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Mass spectroscopic analysis indicated the protein to be 19.2 kDa, which equalled the theoretically expected mass. N-terminal sequencing of refolding sTRAIL showed the sequence which corresponded to the designed protein. The renatured protein displayed its immunoreactivity with the antibodies to TRAIL protein by Western blotting. The purified sTRAIL had a strong cytotoxic activity against human cervical cancer HeLa cells with ED50 about 1.5 mg/L. Circular dichroism and fluorescence spectrum analysis showed that the refolded sTRAIL had a structure similar to that of native protein with beta-sheet secondary structure. This efficient procedure of sTRAIL renaturation may be useful for the mass production of this therapeutically important protein.     

Overexpression, purification, and biochemical characterization of the extracellular human CD83 domain and generation of monoclonal antibodies

CD83 is a 45-kDa glycoprotein and member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. It is the best known marker for mature dendritic cells. Although the precise function of CD83 is not known, its selective expression and upregulation together with the costimulators CD80 and CD86 suggests an important role of CD83 in the induction of immune responses. To perform functional studies and to elucidate its mode of action it is vital to obtain recombinant expressed and highly purified CD83 molecules. Therefore, the external Ig domain of human CD83 (hCD83ext) was expressed as a GST fusion protein (GST-hCD83ext) and the soluble protein was purified under native conditions. The fusion protein was purified using GSTrap columns followed by anion-exchange chromatography. GST-hCD83ext was then cleaved using thrombin and soluble hCD83ext was further purified using GSTrap columns and finally by a preparative gel filtration as a polishing step and used for further characterization. The purified GST-hCD83 fusion protein was also used to generate monoclonal anti-CD83 antibodies in a rat system. Two different monoclonal antibodies were generated. Using these antibodies, CD83 was specifically recognized in FACS and Western blot analyses. Furthermore, we showed that native CD83 is glycosylated and that this glycosylation influences the binding of the antibodies in Western blot analyses. Finally, the purified hCD83ext protein was analyzed by one-dimensional NMR and these analyses strongly indicate that hCD83ext is folded and could therefore be used for further structural and functional studies.     

Ovalbumin in developing chicken eggs migrates from egg white to embryonic organs while changing its conformation and thermal stability

Ovalbumin was detected in developing chicken eggs. The large majority of these ovalbumin molecules was found to be in a heat-stable form reminiscent of S-ovalbumin. About 83 and 90% of the ovalbumin population was in a heat-stable form in day 14 or stage 40 amniotic fluid and day 18 or stage 44 egg yolk, respectively, whereas ovalbumin in newly deposited eggs was in the heat-unstable, native form. Purified preparations of stable ovalbumin from egg white and amniotic fluid showed a less ordered configuration than native ovalbumin, as analyzed by circular dichroism and differential scanning calorimetry. In addition, mass spectrometric analysis exhibited distinct size microheterogeneity between the stable and native forms of ovalbumin. Immunohisotochemical study revealed that ovalbumin was present in the central nervous system and other embryonic organs. These results indicated that egg white ovalbumin migrates into the developing embryo while changing its higher order structure.     

A-Protein from Achromogenic Atypical Aeromonas salmonicida: Molecular Cloning, Expression, Purification, and Characterization

Achromogenic atypical Aeromonas salmonicida is the causative agent of goldfish ulcer disease. Virulence of this bacterium is associated with the production of a paracrystalline outer membrane A-layer protein. The species-specific structural gene for the monomeric form of A-protein was cloned into a pET-3d plasmid in order to express and produce a recombinant form of the protein in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The induced protein was isolated from inclusion bodies by a simple solubilization-renaturation procedure and purified by ion exchange chromatography on Q-Sepharose to over 95% pure monomeric protein. Recombinant A-protein was compared by biochemical, immunological, and molecular methods with the A-protein isolated from atypical A. salmonicida bacterial cells by the glycine and the membrane extraction methods. The recombinant form was found to be undistinguishable from the wild type when examined by SDS–PAGE and gel filtration chromatography. The immunological similarity of the protein samples was demonstrated by employing polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies in ELISA and Western blot techniques. All forms of A-protein were found to activate the secretion of tumor necrosis factor α from murine macrophage. To date, this represents the first large-scale production of biologically active recombinant A-protein.     

Glycosylation of vascular endothelial growth factor is not required for its mitogenic activity.

We have stably expressed the cDNA encoding the 165 amino-acid long form of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in BHK-21 cells. VEGF was partially purified from the conditioned medium of transfected cells using heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography. The partially purified VEGF was mitogenic for various types of endothelial cells and inhibited the binding of pure [125I]VEGF to its receptors. Western blot analysis, using anti-VEGF antibodies, revealed a 47 kDa VEGF homodimer in the partially purified VEGF fraction. Preincubation of the transfected cells with the N-glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin resulted in the conversion of the 47 kDa VEGF homodimer into a smaller, deglycosylated form of 42 kDa. Partially purified preparations of the deglycosylated VEGF displayed a mitogenic activity that was similar to that of the glycosylated form and efficiently inhibited the binding of native [125I]VEGF to the VEGF receptors of bovine aortic arch derived endothelial cells.     

Cloning and expression of human lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Pichia pastoris</Emphasis>

Lectin-like oxidatively-modified LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a major receptor for oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in aortic endothelial cells. Human LOX-1 (hLOX-1) gene (cDNA) was cloned from the monocytic leukemic cell line THP-1 and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant protein (rhLOX-1) was purified by his-tag affinity chromatography. Preliminary identification was performed by Western blot analysis and a ligand-receptor binding assay showed that the protein had specific oxLDL-binding activity.Revisions requested 21 September 2004; Revisions received 10 November 2004