Characterization of mutant TMK368K pig citrate synthase expressed in and isolated from Escherichia coli

A cDNA that encodes pig citrate synthase (PCS) was inserted into a plasmid T7 vector and was expressed in an E. coli gltA mutant. Up to 10 mg of purified PCS was obtained from 2 liters of E. coli. The mammalian protein produced in E. coli comigrated with the enzyme purified from pig heart on a SDS-polyacrylamide gel (SDS-PAGE) with an Mr of 50,000, and reacted with a polyclonal antibody directed against pig heart citrate synthase. The Vmax and Km of the expressed PCS were indistinguishable from those of the pig heart enzyme. The PCS produced in E. coli did not contain the trimethylation modification of Lys 368, characteristic of the pig heart enzyme. These data suggest that the PCS protein produced in E. coli is catalytically similar to the enzyme purified from pig heart and methylation of Lys 368 is not essential for catalysis.     

Human hemoglobin expression in Escherichia coli: importance of optimal codon usage.

The overexpression of a nonfusion product of human beta-globin in Escherichia coli from its cDNA sequence has been accomplished for the first time. Expression of beta-globin from its native cDNA required the use of the strong bacteriophage T7 promoter. In this system, beta-globin accumulated to approximately 10% of total E. coli proteins. alpha-Globin was not expressed in the T7 system using the native cDNA. For the expression of alpha-globin, synthetic genes containing optimal E. coli codons were constructed. Neither synthetic alpha- nor beta-globin gene alone was expressed from the lac or tac promoter. Globin expression was achieved when the two synthetic alpha- and beta-globin genes were combined as an operon downstream of the lac promoter. The two proteins combined intracellularly with endogenous heme, which was concomitantly overproduced to yield tetrameric hemoglobin as roughly 5-10% of total E. coli protein. Cloning the alpha- and beta-globin cDNAs in a construct identical with the lac promoter did not yield globin production, establishing the requirement for optimal codon usage. The recombinant beta-globin from the T7 expression system was purified and reconstituted in vitro with heme and native alpha chains. N-terminal analyses showed that the beta-globin produced in the T7 system and the tetrameric hemoglobin produced from the synthetic genes contained an additional beta 1 methionine residue. Two additional mutants, beta 1 Val----Met and beta 1 Val----Ala were produced using the T7 system. Functional and structural properties of the purified hemoglobins will be discussed in the following papers.     

Purification and characterization of the gene 1.2 protein of bacteriophage T7

Gene 1.2 of bacteriophage T7, located near the primary origin of DNA replication at position 15.37 on the T7 chromosome, encodes a 10,059-dalton protein that is essential for growth on Escherichia coli optA1 strains (Saito, H., and Richardson, C. C. (1981) J. Virol. 37, 343-351). In the absence of the T7 1.2 and E. coli optA gene products, the degradation of E. coli DNA proceeds normally, and T7 DNA synthesis is initiated at the primary origin. However, T7 DNA synthesis ceases prematurely and the newly synthesized DNA is degraded; no viable phage particles are released. The gene 1.2 protein has been purified to apparent homogeneity from cells in which the cloned 1.2 gene is overexpressed. Purification of the [35S] methionine-labeled protein was followed by monitoring the radioactivity of the protein and by gel electrophoresis. The purified protein has been identified as the product of gene 1.2 on the basis of molecular weight and partial amino acid sequence. We have found that extracts of E. coli optA1 cells infected with T7 gene 1.2 mutants are defective in packaging exogenous T7 DNA when such extracts are prepared late in infection. Purified gene 1.2 protein restores packaging activity to these defective extracts, thus providing a biological assay for gene 1.2 protein. No specific enzymatic activity has been found associated with the purified gene 1.2 protein.     

Expression in Escherichia coli of BCY1, the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Purification and characterization

The regulatory (R) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was expressed in Escherichia coli by engineering the gene for yeast R, BCY1, into an E. coli expression vector that contained a promoter from phage T7. Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis was used to create an NdeI restriction site at the natural ATG of the yeast R. This facilitated construction of the T7 expression vector so that the sequence of the protein produced was identical to the natural R subunit. Yeast R was highly expressed in a soluble form. 20 mg of purified yeast R was obtained from 4 liters of E. coli. N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed that the expressed protein began with the natural sequence. 60% of the molecules contained an N-terminal methionine, and 40% initiated with valine, the second amino acid of yeast R. The protein produced in E. coli migrated on a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel with an Mr of 52,000. The yeast R bound 2 mol of cAMP/mol of R monomer with a Kd of 76 nM. The protein was treated with urea to remove bound cAMP. Sedimentation values before and after the urea treatment were identical (s20,w = 5.1). Addition of purified R subunit to a preparation of yeast C subunit (TPK1) rendered catalytic activity cAMP-dependent with an activity ratio of 4.6. The yeast R was autophosphorylated by yeast C to a level of 0.8 mol of phosphate/mol of R monomer. By these criteria, the R subunit produced in E. coli was structurally and functionally identical to the natural yeast R subunit and similar to mammalian type II R subunits.     

The DNA binding site of HMG1 protein is composed of two similar segments (HMG boxes), both of which have counterparts in other eukaryotic regulatory proteins.

The mammalian nuclear protein HMG1 contains two segments that show a high sequence similarity to each other. Each of the segments, produced separately from the rest of the protein in Escherichia coli, binds to DNA with high specificity: four-way junction DNA of various sequences is bound efficiently, but linear duplex DNA is not. Both isolated segments exists as dimers in solution, as shown by gel filtration and chemical crosslinking experiments. HMG1-like proteins are present in yeast and in protozoa: they consist of a single repetition of a motif extremely similar to the DNA binding segments of HMG1, suggesting that they too might form dimers with structural specificity in DNA binding. Sequences with recognizable similarity to either of the two DNA binding segments of HMG1, called HMG boxes, also occur in a few eukaryotic regulatory proteins. However, these proteins are reported to bind to specific sequences, suggesting that the HMG box of proteins distantly related to HMG1 might differ significantly from the HMG box of HMG1-like proteins.     

High mobility group-like protein in bovine milk stimulates the proliferation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.

The active component in bovine milk on the proliferation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was purified and identified. Growth-promoting activity was measured by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation on the cell. The molecular weight of the purified protein was 10 kDa. The amino-terminal sequence of this 10-kDa protein was identical to bovine high mobility group protein (HMG) 1. This 10-kDa protein is suggested to be a basic protein and to have an HMG box, a consensus sequence motif among the HMG family. From these results, we named this protein HMG-like protein. HMG is a ubiquitous nonhistone component of chromatin and considered to be implicated in DNA replication. We found this protein in milk, and it showed a growth-promoting activity. We propose the possibility that HMG-like protein existed in milk and plays an important role for neonate in bone formation by activating osteoblasts.     

Gene 1.2 protein of bacteriophage T7. Effect on deoxyribonucleotide pools

The gene 1.2 protein of bacteriophage T7, a protein required for phage T7 growth on Escherichia coli optA1 strains, has been purified to apparent homogeneity and shown to restore DNA packaging activity of extracts prepared from E. coli optA1 cells infected with T7 gene 1.2 mutants (Myers, J. A., Beauchamp, B. B., White, J. H., and Richardson, C. C. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 5280-5287). After infection of E. coli optA1 by T7 gene 1.2 mutant phage, under conditions where phage DNA synthesis is blocked, the intracellular pools of dATP, dTTP, and dCTP increase 10-40-fold, similar to the increase observed in an infection with wild-type T7. However, the pool of dGTP remains unchanged in the mutant-infected cells as opposed to a 200-fold increase in the wild-type phage-infected cells. Uninfected E. coli optA+ strains contain severalfold higher levels of dGTP compared to E. coli optA1 cells. In agreement with this observation, dGTP can fully substitute for purified gene 1.2 protein in restoring DNA packaging activity to extracts prepared from E. coli optA1 cells infected with T7 gene 1.2 mutants. dGMP or polymers containing deoxyguanosine can also restore packaging activity while dGDP is considerably less effective. dATP, dTTP, dCTP, and ribonucleotides have no significant effect. The addition of dGTP or dGMP to packaging extracts restores DNA synthesis. Gene 1.2 protein elevates the level of dGTP in these packaging extracts and restores DNA synthesis, thus suggesting that depletion of a guanine deoxynucleotide pool in E. coli optA1 cells infected with T7 gene 1.2 mutants may account for the observed defects.     

Expression of human brain hexokinase in Escherichia coli: purification and characterization of the expressed enzyme

Human brain hexokinase (hexokinase I) was produced in Escherichia coli from a synthetic gene under control of the bacteriophage T7 promoter. The expressed coding region derives from a human cDNA clone thought to specify hexokinase I based on amino acid sequence identity between the predicted translation product and hexokinase I from rat brain. The open reading frame from this cDNA was fused to the promoter and 5' flanking region of T7 gene 10, and expressed in E. coli by induction of T7 RNA polymerase. Induced cells contained a hexokinase activity and an abundant protein of apparent molecular weight 100,000, neither of which was present in cells lacking T7 RNA polymerase. Enzyme purified to near homogeneity consisted of a 100,000 Da protein, the size predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the expressed cDNA. The purified enzyme had Michaelis constants of 32 microM and 0.3 mM for glucose and ATP, respectively, and bound to rat liver mitochondria in the presence of MgCl2. Enzymatic activity was inhibited by glucose-6-P and this inhibition was relieved by inorganic phosphate. Deinhibition by phosphate is a property specific to brain hexokinase.     

Overproduction and purification of McrC protein from Escherichia coli K-12.

The McrC protein, encoded by one of the two genes involved in the McrB restriction system, was produced in Escherichia coli cells by using a T7 expression system. Following sequential DEAE-Sepharose and hydroxylapatite column chromatography, the protein was purified to apparent homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified McrC protein agreed exactly with the one deduced from the DNA sequence by Ross et al. (J. Bacteriol. 171:1974-1981, 1989).     

Tetrahymena HMG nonhistone chromosomal protein. Isolation and amino acid sequence lacking the N- and C-terminal domains of vertebrate HMG 1

The complete amino acid sequence of a high mobility group (HMG) nonhistone chromosomal protein of the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis (GL strain) was determined. This protein was extracted with 0.5 M HClO4 together with histone H1 (molar ratio 1:1) from the whole histone extract, then purified by gel filtration and reverse-phase HPLC. The HMG protein showed a single electrophoretic band on SDS gel electrophoresis. The amino acid sequence was determined by Edman degradation of intact protein, BrCN fragments, and their staphylococcal protease and tryptic peptides. Thus the total sequence, consisting of 99 amino acid residues and having a molecular weight of 11,626, was completely determined. Phosphorus analysis of the tryptic peptides, containing serine or threonine, showed that this HMG protein was phosphorylated at two positions, each 6-7%, and contained 0.15 mol phosphate/mol protein. This Tetrahymena HMG is rather similar to the central part of vertebrate HMG 1 in terms of the amino acid sequence and the hydropathy profile.     

噬菌体gp17基因2种重组产物的抗菌效应比较

通过重组技术获得大肠埃希菌噬菌体内溶素纯化蛋白和表面展示噬菌体,并观察产物的生物效应。将肠侵袭性大肠埃希菌EIEC 8401噬菌体LSB-1内溶素基因gp17构建到质粒pET300中,并在大肠埃希菌BL21中诱导表达,通过Ni柱纯化系统纯化产物;利用噬菌体展示技术构建T7-LSB-gp17重组噬菌体,通过双层琼脂法纯化噬菌体,并观察2种产物的抗菌效应。2 139 bp的gp17基因通过重组技术表达出78.3 ku的可溶性蛋白,纯化后浓度为2.38 mg/mL,其对EIEC8401有良好的抑菌活性,但对其他试验菌无抗性;通过噬菌体展示技术构建的重组噬菌体T7-LSB-gp17通过SDS-PAGE电泳显示在78 ku处有表达增强,对EIEC8401无感染、裂解作用,但对EIEC8401及其他试验菌有明显溶菌作用,宿主谱增加。通过重组技术获得的噬菌体LSB-1内溶素基因gp17的产物对LSB-1噬菌体原宿主具有明显的抑制效应。其中gp17表达的纯化蛋白具有明显的宿主专一性,重组噬菌体悬液有较宽种类的抗菌作用。这可能是因为gp17蛋白与噬菌体表面复杂空间结构的相互作用产生的生物效应。     

Expression of active yeast pyruvate decarboxylase in Escherichia coli.

We have shown by appropriate modification of the translational signals and using the strong T7 RNA polymerase promoter phi 10, that a cloned Saccharomyces cerevisiae pyruvate decarboxylase gene (pdc1) can be expressed in Escherichia coli. This protein, which migrated as a single band on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, was found to have a subunit molecular mass of approximately 62 kDa, similar to that of the enzyme produced by yeast. Polyclonal antibodies raised against purified yeast pyruvate decarboxylase recognized this bacterially produced protein. We found that this recombinant enzyme is active, indicating that the homotetramer encoded by the pdc1 gene is functional.     

The polyester polyurethanase gene (pueA) from Pseudomonas chlororaphis encodes a lipase

A gene (pueA, polyurethane esterase A) encoding an extracellular polyurethanase (PueA) was cloned from Pseudomonas chlororaphis into Escherichia coli. The enzyme secreted from E. coli showed esterase activity when assayed with p-nitrophenyl acetate. Subcloning of a 3. 2-kb SalI-EcoRI fragment into a T7 RNA polymerase expression vector (pT7-6) produced a (35)S-labeled protein of 65 kDa. Nucleotide sequencing of pueA showed an open reading frame encoding a 65-kDa protein of 617 amino acid residues, with the serine hydrolase consensus sequence GXSXG. PueA was over-expressed using the pT7-6 vector transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) and was purified in one step using Sephadex G-75.     

A dimer of the lymphoid protein RAG1 recognizes the recombination signal sequence and the complex stably incorporates the high mobility group protein HMG2.

RAG1 and RAG2 are the two lymphoid-specific proteins required for the cleavage of DNA sequences known as the recombination signal sequences (RSSs) flanking V, D or J regions of the antigen-binding genes. Previous studies have shown that RAG1 alone is capable of binding to the RSS, whereas RAG2 only binds as a RAG1/RAG2 complex. We have expressed recombinant core RAG1 (amino acids 384-1008) in Escherichia coli and demonstrated catalytic activity when combined with RAG2. This protein was then used to determine its oligomeric forms and the dissociation constant of binding to the RSS. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that up to three oligomeric complexes of core RAG1 form with a single RSS. Core RAG1 was found to exist as a dimer both when free in solution and as the minimal species bound to the RSS. Competition assays show that RAG1 recognizes both the conserved nonamer and heptamer sequences of the RSS. Zinc analysis shows the core to contain two zinc ions. The purified RAG1 protein overexpressed in E.coli exhibited the expected cleavage activity when combined with RAG2 purified from transfected 293T cells. The high mobility group protein HMG2 is stably incorporated into the recombinant RAG1/RSS complex and can increase the affinity of RAG1 for the RSS in the absence of RAG2.     

Purification of the gene 0.3 protein of bacteriophage T7, an inhibitor of the DNA restriction system of Escherichia coli

The gene 0.3 protein of bacteriophage T7 prevents the DNA restriction system of EScherichia coli from interfering with T7 infection. A mutant strain of T7 that greatly overproduces the 0.3 protein has been constructed and used for purification of this protein. The 0.3 protein ws found to be extremely acidic and can be separated from virtually all other proteins of the infected cell by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Residual contaminating proteins and nucleic acids can be removed by gel filtration, but an even simpler final purification is possible, because under appropriate conditions the 0.3 protein is soluble in high concentrations of ethanol. Thus, a simple, essentially two-step purification can produce about 50 mg of pure 0.3 protein from 30 liters of culture. The purified protein appears to be a dimer of identical subunits. AS expected from its known function during infection, the purified 0.3 protein inhibits the nuclease and ATPase activities of partially purified Eco B, the DNA restriction enzyme of E. coli B, but it does not interfere with several different type II endonucleases tested. The inhibition of Eco B appears to require stoichiometric rather than catalytic amounts of 0.3 protein.     

Maize high mobility group proteins bind to CCAAT and TATA boxes of a zein gene promoter

A 216-base pair promoter fragment of the 19-kDa zein storage protein gene pMS1, containing the CCAAT and TATA boxes, was analyzed for its in vitro interactions with purified high mobility group (HMG) proteins from maize endosperm tissue. It was found that the HMG proteins display a preferential binding of A/T-rich DNA regions like their animal counterparts, although the A/T content seems not to be the only determinant for binding specificity. Surprisingly, a specific binding of the HMG proteins occurs at the CCAAT and the TATA boxes as indicated by footprinting experiments.     

Gene 19 of bacteriophage T7. Overexpression, purification, and characterization of its product

Gene 18 and 19 proteins of bacteriophage T7 are essential for DNA maturation and packaging. The phage capsid is the site of both maturation and packaging of T7 DNA. Both gene 18 and 19 proteins bind to capsid intermediates during DNA packaging but are not found in mature virions, suggesting that they play a direct role in the enzymatic mechanisms of DNA maturation and packaging. As part of an effort to reconstitute T7 DNA maturation and packaging with purified components, we have cloned and overexpressed T7 gene 19 in Escherichia coli. Gene 19 has been inserted downstream from the bacteriophage PL promoter controlled by the temperature-sensitive lambda repressor encoded by c1857. Upon thermal induction, most of the overproduced gene 19 protein is insoluble and inactive. However, by attenuation of the expression of gene 19 from the PL promoter, significant levels of soluble and active gene 19 protein are produced. Soluble gene 19 protein can be monitored by its ability to complement extracts of T7-infected cells for packaging of exogenous DNA. We have used this assay to monitor the activity of gene 19 protein during purification. The native protein is a monomer of molecular weight 66,000. We have also tested for the formation of a stable complex between gene 18 and 19 proteins. Coproduction of gene 18 and 19 proteins has no effect on either the solubility or activity of gene 19 protein, despite the fact that gene 18 protein is produced at at least 10-fold greater rates. Furthermore, we find no evidence for any interaction between soluble gene 18 and 19 proteins in extracts or between the purified proteins.     

利用重组HPV16L1抗原检测宫颈癌抗L1或VLP抗体的对比

为了评价重组大肠杆菌表达的HPV16L1蛋白和重组腺病毒表达的HPV16L1 VLP两种抗原在检测宫颈癌抗 16L1或VLP抗体及在宫颈癌血清学诊断意义上的差别 ,应用PCR技术从宫颈癌组织的DNA中扩增出全长15 35bp的HPV16L1基因片段 ,克隆至 pUC18 T载体中 ,进行DNA测序鉴定。然后 ,将HPV16L1基因克隆至pGEX 2T表达载体中 ,并诱导表达HPV16L1融合蛋白 ,分子量为 83kD ,能被HPV16L1单克隆抗体所识别。经GST柱层析法纯化后 ,与重组腺病毒表达的HPV16L1 VLP分别经酶联免疫吸附 (ELISA)法检测 12份宫颈癌患者和 35份献血员血清。 12例宫颈癌血清标本中 ,抗HPV16L1蛋白的抗体阳性率为 7例 (占 5 8.3% ) ;抗HPV16L1 VLP的抗体阳性率为 8例 (占 6 6 .7% )。经大肠杆菌表达的重组抗原HPV16L1检测为HPV16抗体IgG( )的 7份患者血清 ,利用HPV16L1 VLP试剂盒检测均阳性 ;经大肠杆菌表达的重组抗原检测为HPV16抗体IgG( )的 5份患者血清 ,利用HPV16L1 VLP试剂盒检测有 1份阳性。两者对HPV16抗体的阳性检出率并无显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。本实验结果说明HPV16与宫颈癌高度相关 ,利用大肠杆菌表达的重组抗原HPV16L1和HPV16L1 VLP重组抗原检测抗体的敏感性并不受影响。利用重组抗原HPV16L1对宫颈癌的抗体进行定性、定量分析有助于该疾病