新型断裂内含肽介导的可控性C端断裂

内含肽介导的蛋白质断裂被广泛地应用于蛋白质纯化、连接和环化. 但目前的方法都是用传统的连续的内含肽来介导蛋白质断裂反应,因而往往存在自发性断裂、产率低等问题. 本实验选择3个S1型新型断裂内含肽Ter ThyX、Ssp GryB和Rma DnaB来实现蛋白质断裂反应的可控性. 在可控性C端断裂反应中,S1型断裂内含肽的C端片段（IC ）与硫氧还蛋白（T）融合作为前体蛋白,加入化学合成的Ssp DnaB S1型断裂内含肽 的N端小肽与二硫苏糖醇（DTT）共同诱导C端断裂反应.结果表明,该小肽可以诱导这 3个不同的S1型断裂内含肽的前体蛋白发生C端断裂反应. 该方法为利用内含肽C端断 裂介导的蛋白质纯化提供了更多的选择,并为内含肽的结构与功能的关系研究提供-有用的线索.     

内含肽介导的氯离子通道蛋白CFTR的反式剪接

研究利用内含肽(intein)的蛋白质反式剪接功能在大肠杆菌中对囊性纤维化跨膜传导调节因子(cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator, CFTR)的反式剪接作用.CFTR基因突变导致一种常染色体隐性遗传疾病囊性纤维化(cystic fibrosis, CF).将CFTR的cDNA于剪接反应所需的保守性氨基酸残基Ser-660前断裂为N端和C端,分别与split mini Ssp DnaB 内含肽的106个氨基酸残基的N端和48个氨基酸残基的C端编码序列融合,构建到原核表达载体pBV220 诱导表达后SDS-PAGE可见预期大小剪接形成的CFTR蛋白条带,Western印迹用CFTR特异性抗体进一步证明为剪接所产生的CFTR蛋白,表明内含肽可有效催化CFTR的反式剪接.     

基于蛋白质剪接的BHK细胞Ser~(660)前断裂的CFTR基因转移

利用内含肽(intein)的蛋白质反式剪接技术,研究双载体真核细胞转囊性纤维化跨膜电导调节体(CFTR)基因,通过翻译后连接成为完整的功能性CFTR蛋白.应用基因重组技术,将人CFTRcDNA于剪接反应所需保守残基Ser660前断裂为N端和C端两部分,分别与split Ssp DnaB intein编码序列融合,构建到真核表达载体pEGFP-N1和pEYFP-N1.用脂质体将这对载体共转染至幼年仓鼠肾细胞(BHK),48h后Western印迹观察CFTR蛋白质的连接,并用全细胞和单通道膜片钳技术记录Cl-通道电流.基因共转染细胞可观察到明显的由蛋白质反式剪接形成的完整CFTR蛋白,膜片钳记录到较高的全细胞Cl-电流和与转野生型CFTR基因细胞相似的单Cl-通道开放活性,提示CFTR功能的恢复.内含肽可作为一种技术策略用于双载体转CFTR基因,为应用双腺相关病毒载体(AAV)转基因的囊性纤维化疾病(CF)基因治疗提供了依据.     

断裂型内含肽在蛋白生产和生物工程中的应用

蛋白反式剪接是蛋白翻译后修饰的一种特殊机制,这一反应由断裂型内含肽自我催化完成,不需要酶和其他因子参与。与常规顺式的蛋白剪接不同的是,反式剪接是基于断裂型内含肽由N端和C端这两段多肽的高亲和力,精准地构建成一个具有剪接活性的内含肽蛋白质。反式剪接已被发展成新的生物技术应用于生产环化蛋白、构建蛋白定点与定时表达的载体和转基因植物,以及改造cDNA文库技术等。     

TMD2前断裂CFTR翻译后的连接及氯离子通道功能

CFTR基因突变导致一种常染色体隐性遗传疾病——囊性纤维化(CF)。利用split Ssp DnaB intein的蛋白质反式剪接技术的真核细胞双载体转CFTR基因,旨在研究翻译后水平CFTR的连接,以及由其建立的氯离子通道功能。于CFTR膜内第2个跨膜结构域(TMD2)前的Glu838密码子后将其cDNA断裂为N端和C端两部分,与具有蛋白质反式剪接作用的split Ssp DnaB intein编码序列融合,分别插入到载体pEGFP-N1和pEYFP-N1,构建一对真核表达载体pEGFP-NInt和pEYFP-IntC。用脂质体将这对载体共转染至幼年仓鼠肾细胞(BHK),瞬时表达实验用Western blotting观察CFTR蛋白质的连接,并用膜片钳技术记录Cl-通道电流。结果显示,基因共转染细胞呈现完整的CFTR蛋白条带,膜片钳记录到全细胞Cl-电流和单个Cl-通道开放活性。结果表明split Ssp DnaB intein的蛋白质反式剪接技术可用于双载体共转移CFTR基因,为CF基因治疗应用双腺相关病毒载体(AAV)转运CFTR基因,克服AAV的容量限制提供了依据。     

高剪接活性断裂蛋白质内含子的体内切割

蛋白质内含子介导的断裂(切割)反应被用于蛋白质纯化、连接和环化等,但目前仍存在断裂效率低、断裂反应的不可控、产物复杂等问题。蛋白质内含子的定点突变可导致其N端或C端断裂。其末位氨基酸突变则剪接反应第3步天冬酰胺环化无法进行,发生N端断裂;其首位氨基酸发生突变则剪接反应第一步酰基重排及其后续步骤均无法进行,而天冬酰胺环化仍可进行,发生C端断裂。利用已获得的高剪接活性的S1和S11型断裂蛋白质内含子Ssp GyrB,分别将其参与剪接反应的首位半胱氨酸或末位天冬酰胺突变为丙氨酸,构建能够发生一端断裂的断裂蛋白质内含子。研究结果表明,突变后断裂蛋白质内含子的剪接反应几乎不发生,其断裂活性有不同程度的提高,获得了在大肠杆菌体内具有较高效断裂活性的断裂蛋白质内含子。这将为进一步研究其体外可控性剪接、构建高效的蛋白纯化系统和深入研究蛋白质内含子的剪接机制提供基础。     

内含肽介导三段vWF基因真核细胞转移的翻译后连接及其功能性多聚体形成

vWF(von Willebrand factor)是一种超大分子质量的血浆多聚体糖蛋白,在血栓形成和生理凝血过程中发挥重要作用,其质和/或量的缺陷导致血管性血友病(VWD),由于VWD为单基因病,且vWF为分泌性蛋白,基于基因转移的基因治疗无需特异的靶器官,因此VWD特别适合于基因治疗,但vWF基因过大(8.4 kb),难以为多数病毒载体特别是优点较多的腺相关病毒(AAV)载体承载.运用内含肽(intein)的蛋白质反式剪接功能,研究了三重载体真核细胞共转断裂3段的vWF基因,以期通过转基因翻译后的蛋白质剪接作用形成完整的功能性vWF蛋白.将vWF的cDNA于满足剪接所需的保守性氨基酸Cys1099、Ser2004的密码子前断裂为3段,分别与2种不同的内含肽即Ssp DnaE内含肽和Ssp DnaB内含肽编码序列融合,构建到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(+),得到3个分别融合内含肽的vWF片段基因真核表达载体,共转染培养的293细胞,通过瞬时表达,电泳观察培养上清中的vWF多聚体形态,分析vWF蛋白量和凝血Ⅷ因子(FⅧ)结合力;通过共转FⅧ基因,分析了培养上清中的FⅧ蛋白量及生物活性.结果显示,通过内含肽的蛋白质反式剪接作用,共转内含肽融合的三片段vWF基因细胞上清,表现与正常人血浆和转vWF基因阳性对照细胞相似的vWF多聚体模式和FⅧ结合力,而且可明显提高转FⅧ基因后表达的FⅧ蛋白的分泌量和活性,提示剪接vWF蛋白的FⅧ载体功能的恢复.结果表明,内含肽可作为一种有效的技术手段进行三重载体共转断裂的vWF基因,为进一步基于内含肽的三重AAV转断裂vWF基因应用于VWD基因治疗研究、克服AAV的容量限制提供了依据.     

断裂蛋白质内含子的剪接机制、起源和进化

蛋白质内含子(intein)是具有自我催化活性的蛋白质. 翻译后,通过蛋白质剪接从蛋白质前体中去掉,并以肽键连接两侧蛋白质外显子(extein)形成成熟蛋白质. 断裂蛋白质内含子(split intein)在蛋白质内含子中部区域特定位点发生断裂,形成N端片段和C端片段,分别由基因组上相距较远的两个基因编码. 现在已知,它仅分布于蓝细菌和古细菌中. 断裂蛋白质内含子的N端片段和C端片段通过非共价键(如静电作用)相互识别,重建催化活性中心,介导蛋白质反式剪接. 断裂蛋白质内含子的发现进一步深化了人们对基因表达和蛋白质翻译后成熟过程复杂性的认识,而且它在蛋白质工程、蛋白质药物开发和蛋白质结构与功能研究等方面有非常广泛的应用. 本文试图综述断裂蛋白质内含子的分布、结构特征和剪接机制,并分析其可能的起源和进化途径.     

大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中DnaE intein介导ABCA1蛋白的连接

摘 要：【目的】利用Ssp DnaE intein的蛋白质反式剪接技术研究在大肠杆菌中对ABCA1基因表达产物的连接作用。【方法】将ABCA1的cDNA于满足剪接所需的保守性氨基酸Cys978密码子前断裂为N端和C端两部分,分别与天然存在的反式作用Ssp DnaE intein的123个氨基酸的N端和36个氨基酸的C端编码序列融合,构建到原核表达载体pET-28a(+)。转化感受态大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)细胞,诱导表达后观察重组蛋白的表达和ABCA1的连接。【结果】转化菌经IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PA     

aroA-In融合基因载体的构建、表达及对烟草的转化

PCR扩增突变的5’-烯醇丙酮酸莽草酸-3-磷酸合成酶(5’-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthetase,EPSPS)cDNA全长序列,插入pLitmus28得到pLEPSPS,进而通过反向PCR在EPSPS235／236aa之间将其打断为无功能的片段。选用人工构建的具有顺式和反式剪接功能的mini型蛋白内含子Ssp DnaB和Rma DnaB,插入被打断的aroA(抗除草剂基因),构建了质粒pLEBC、pLEBT、pLERC和pLERT。将4种重组质粒中的aroA-In(蛋白内含子Intein插入aroA)融合基因插入pET-32得到表达载体pETLEBC、pETLEBT、pETLERC和pETLERT,lPTG诱导后,SDS-PAGE分析显示其能在DE。中有效表达并发生相应的蛋白剪接。将aroA-cis Ssp DnaB和aroA-cis Rma DnaB融合基因分别插入pLYM中进一步构建成植物表达载体,农杆菌叶盘法转化烟草。基因组PCR分析表明融合基因整合入植物核基因组;RT-PCR分析显示其可在高等植物细胞中成功表达。结果说明蛋白内含子基因可以转化高等真核细胞,蛋白剪接技术可应用于高等植物细胞,从而为防止植物转基因扩散提供了一条新的途径。     

Intein lacking conserved C-terminal motif G retains controllable N-cleavage activity

A split-intein consists of two complementary fragments (N-intein and C-intein) that can associate to carry out protein trans-splicing. The Ssp GyrB S11 split-intein is an engineered unconventional split-intein consisting of a 150-amino-acid N-intein and an extremely small six-amino-acid C-intein, which comprises the conserved intein motif G. Here, we show that fusion proteins containing the 150-amino-acid N-intein could be triggered to undergo controllable N-cleavage in vitro when the six-amino-acid C-intein or a derivative thereof was added as a synthetic peptide in trans. More importantly, we discovered, unexpectedly, that the 150-amino-acid N-intein could be induced by strong nucleophiles to undergo N-cleavage in vitro, and in Escherichia coli cells, in the absence of the motif G-containing six-amino-acid C-intein. This finding indicated that the first step of the protein splicing mechanism (acyl shift) could occur in the absence of the entire motif G. Extensive kinetic analyses revealed that both the motif G residues and the Ser+1 residue positively influenced N-cleavage rate constants and yields. The 150-amino-acid N-intein could also tolerate various unrelated sequences appended to its C-terminus without disruption of the N-cleavage function, suggesting that the catalytic pocket of the intein has considerable structural flexibility. Our findings reveal interesting insights into intein structure-function relationships, and demonstrate a new and potentially more useful method of controllable, intein-mediated N-cleavage for protein engineering applications.     

Engineered Ssp DnaX inteins for protein splicing with flanking proline residues

Inteins are internal protein sequences capable of catalyzing a protein splicing reaction by self-excising from a precursor protein and simultaneously joining the flanking sequences with a peptide bond. Split inteins have separate pieces (N-intein and C-intein) that reassemble non-covalently to catalyze a protein trans-splicing reaction joining two polypeptides. Protein splicing has become increasingly useful tools in many fields of biological research and biotechnology. However, natural and engineered inteins have failed previously to function when being flanked by proline residue at the −1 or +2 positions, which limits general uses of inteins. In this study, different engineered inteins were tested. We found that engineered Ssp DnaX mini-intein and split inteins could carry out protein splicing with proline at the +2 positions or at both −1 and +2 positions. Under in vivo conditions in E. coli cells, the mini-intein, S1 split intein, and S11 split intein spliced efficiently, whereas the S0 split intein did not splice with proline at both −1 and +2 positions. The S1 and S11 split inteins also trans-spliced efficiently in vitro with proline at the +2 positions or at both −1 and +2 positions, but the S0 split intein trans-spliced inefficiently with proline at the +2 position and did not trans-splice with proline at both −1 and +2 positions. These findings contribute significantly to the toolbox of intein-based technologies by allowing the use of inteins in proteins having proline at the splicing point.     

Engineering artificially split inteins for applications in protein chemistry: biochemical characterization of the split Ssp DnaB intein and comparison to the split Sce VMA intein

In protein trans-splicing, an intein domain split into two polypeptide chains mediates linkage of the flanking amino acid sequences, the N- and C-terminal exteins, with a native peptide bond. This process can be exploited to assemble proteins from two separately prepared fragments, e.g., for the segmental labeling with isotopes for NMR studies or the incorporation of chemical and biophysical probes. Split inteins can be artificially generated by genetic means; however, the purified inteinN and inteinC fragments usually require a denaturation and renaturation treatment to fold into the active intein, thus preventing their application to proteins that cannot be refolded. Here, we report that the purified fragments of the artificially split DnaB helicase of Synechocystis spp. PCC6803 (Ssp DnaB) intein are active under native conditions. The first-order rate constant of the protein trans-splicing reaction was 7.1 x 10(-4) s(-1). The previously described split vacuolar ATPase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sce VMA) intein is the only other artificially split intein that is active under native conditions; however, it requires induced complex formation of the intein fragments by auxiliary dimerization domains for efficient protein trans-splicing. In contrast, fusion of the dimerization domains to the split Ssp DnaB intein fragments had no effect on activity. This difference was also reflected by a higher thermostability of the split Ssp DnaB intein. Further investigations of the split Sce VMA intein under optimized conditions revealed a first-order rate constant of 9.4 x 10(-4) s(-1) for protein trans-splicing and 1.7 x 10(-3) s(-1) for C-terminal cleavage involving a Cys1Ala mutant. Finally, we show that the two split inteins are orthogonal, suggesting further applications for the assembly of proteins from more than two parts.     

Synthetic two-piece and three-piece split inteins for protein trans-splicing

Inteins are protein-intervening sequences that can self-excise and concomitantly splice together the flanking polypeptides. Two-piece split inteins capable of protein trans-splicing have been found in nature and engineered in laboratories, but they all have a similar split site corresponding to the endonuclease domain of the intein. Can inteins be split at other sites and do trans-splicing? After testing 13 split sites engineered into a Ssp DnaB mini-intein, we report the finding of three new split sites that each produced a two-piece split intein capable of protein trans-splicing. These three functional split sites are located in different loop regions between beta-strands of the intein structure, and one of them is just 11 amino acids from the beginning of the intein. Because different inteins have similar structures and similar beta-strands, these new split sites may be generalized to other inteins. We have also demonstrated for the first time that a three-piece split intein could function in protein trans-splicing. These findings have implications for intein structure-function, evolution, and uses in biotechnology.     

蛋白质内含子在特定氨基酸序列中的剪接

基因工程技术已经被广泛应用于抗体的生产。但是由于抗体的分子量较大,导致合成抗体较为困难。蛋白质内含子是前体蛋白质中的一段氨基酸序列,能够将自身剪切出来,并将两端的外显子连接形成成熟的蛋白质。将抗体的Fab(antigen binding fragment)和Fc(crystalline fragment)分别与蛋白质内含子(intein) 的N端(IN)和C端(IC)融合表达,利用蛋白质内含子的剪接功能,可形成完整的抗体分子。KSCDKTH是存在于抗体铰链区(hinge region)的一段氨基酸序列,如果在KSCDKTH序列中筛选到高效剪接的蛋白质内含子,即可通过蛋白质剪接,将抗体分子的Fab和Fc剪接形成完整抗体。本文筛选发现,Ssp DnaX的3种断裂蛋白质内含子(S0, S1, S11)具有在KSCDKTH序列中高效剪接的能力,这一研究结果为抗体的剪接合成提供了可行性。     

Protein Trans-Splicing of Multiple Atypical Split Inteins Engineered from Natural Inteins

Protein trans-splicing by split inteins has many uses in protein production and research. Splicing proteins with synthetic peptides, which employs atypical split inteins, is particularly useful for site-specific protein modifications and labeling, because the synthetic peptide can be made to contain a variety of unnatural amino acids and chemical modifications. For this purpose, atypical split inteins need to be engineered to have a small N-intein or C-intein fragment that can be more easily included in a synthetic peptide that also contains a small extein to be trans-spliced onto target proteins. Here we have successfully engineered multiple atypical split inteins capable of protein trans-splicing, by modifying and testing more than a dozen natural inteins. These included both S1 split inteins having a very small (11–12 aa) N-intein fragment and S11 split inteins having a very small (6 aa) C-intein fragment. Four of the new S1 and S11 split inteins showed high efficiencies (85–100%) of protein trans-splicing both in E. coli cells and in vitro. Under in vitro conditions, they exhibited reaction rate constants ranging from ∼1.7×10⁻⁴ s⁻¹ to ∼3.8×10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, which are comparable to or higher than those of previously reported atypical split inteins. These findings should facilitate a more general use of trans-splicing between proteins and synthetic peptides, by expanding the availability of different atypical split inteins. They also have implications on understanding the structure-function relationship of atypical split inteins, particularly in terms of intein fragment complementation.     

Highly efficient and more general cis- and trans-splicing inteins through sequential directed evolution

Inteins are internal protein sequences that post-translationally self-excise and splice together the flanking sequences, the so-called exteins. Natural and engineered inteins have been used in many practical applications. However, inteins are often inefficient or inactive when placed in a non-native host protein and may require the presence of several amino acid residues of the native exteins, which will then remain as a potential scar in the spliced protein. Thus, more general inteins that overcome these limitations are highly desirable. Here we report sequential directed evolution as a new approach to produce inteins with such properties. Random mutants of the Ssp (Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803) DnaB mini-intein were inserted into the protein conferring kanamycin resistance at a site where the parent intein was inactive for splicing. The mutants selected for splicing activity were further improved by iterating the procedure for two more cycles at different positions in the same protein. The resulting improved inteins showed high activity in the positions of the first rounds of selection, in multiple new insertion sites, and in different proteins. One of these inteins, the M86 mutant, which accumulated 8 amino acid substitutions, was also biochemically characterized in an artificially split form with a chemically synthesized N-terminal intein fragment consisting of 11 amino acids. When compared with the unevolved split intein, it exhibited an ～60-fold increased rate in the protein trans-splicing reaction and a K(d) value for the interaction of the split intein fragments improved by an order of magnitude. Implications on the intein structure-function, practical application, and evolution are discussed.     

Crystal structures of an intein from the split dnaE gene of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 reveal the catalytic model without the penultimate histidine and the mechanism of zinc ion inhibition of protein splicing

The first naturally occurring split intein was found in the dnaE gene of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and belongs to a subclass of inteins without a penultimate histidine residue. We describe two high-resolution crystal structures, one derived from an excised Ssp DnaE intein and the second from a splicing-deficient precursor protein. The X-ray structures indicate that His147 in the conserved block F activates the side-chain N(delta) atom of the intein C-terminal Asn159, leading to a nucleophilic attack on the peptide bond carbonyl carbon atom at the C-terminal splice site. In this process, Arg73 appears to stabilize the transition state by interacting with the carbonyl oxygen atom of the scissile bond. Arg73 also seems to substitute for the conserved penultimate histidine residue in the formation of an oxyanion hole, as previously identified in other inteins. The finding that the precursor structure contains a zinc ion chelating the highly conserved Cys160 and Asp140 reveals the structural basis of Zn2+-mediated inhibition of protein splicing. Furthermore, it is of interest to observe that the carbonyl carbon atom of Asn159 and N(eta) of Arg73 are 2.6 angstroms apart in the free intein structure and 10.6 angstroms apart in the precursor structure. The orientation change of the aromatic ring of Tyr-1 following the initial acyl shift may be a key switching event contributing to the alignment of Arg73 and the C-terminal scissile bond, and may explain the sequential reaction property of the Ssp DnaE intein.