信号肽序列及其在蛋白质表达中的应用

信号肽在蛋白分泌的过程中起重要作用,分泌性蛋白质合成后由信号肽引导其穿过合成所在的细胞到其他组织细胞中。可以利用因特网在线工具和信号序列捕获系统来判定基因序列中是否含有信号肽序列。外源蛋白的表达形式多为细胞内不溶性表达(包涵体),少数为细胞外分泌表达。利用信号肽来引导外源蛋白分泌可避免因包涵体复性带来的困难。研究表明,多种外源基因连接上信号肽后在原核表达系统如大肠杆菌、L型细菌、芽孢杆菌和乳酸杆菌中等都得到了分泌表达;信号肽也广泛应用于真核表达系统如毕赤酵母和昆虫杆状病毒表达系统,以提高蛋白的表达量。     

The Proline-rich Antibacterial Peptide Bac7 Binds to and Inhibits in vitro the Molecular Chaperone DnaK

Bac7, a cathelicidin peptide of the proline-rich group, inactivates bacteria in a stereospecific manner by entering target cells without any apparent membrane damage and by binding to as yet unknown intracellular targets. The present study was aimed at detecting these putative intracellular interactors, which might mediate the antibacterial action of this peptide. By using affinity resins functionalized with the N-terminal 1-35 fragment of Bac7, a single protein was specifically retained with high affinity from Escherichia coli cytoplasmic protein lysates. This ligand was identified as the heat shock protein DnaK, the Hsp70 homolog in E. coli. The interaction between the peptide and the chaperone is stereospecific, given that a resin prepared with the all- d enantiomer failed to retain the protein. In vitro, Bac7(1-35) formed a complex with DnaK with an affinity comparable to that of other known high-affinity peptide ligands. In addition, at 10–100 μM concentration, the peptide inhibited the protein refolding activity of the complete DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE/ATP molecular chaperone system in a dose-dependent manner. Despite these results, the in vitro sensitivity to the peptide, under growth permitting conditions, of DnaK-deficient E. coli strains was not significantly affected compared to the wild-type strain. This suggests that, apart from DnaK, other vital targets for the proline-rich AMPs are present in susceptible bacteria. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Marco Scocchi and Christine Lüthy contributed equally to this work.     

Secretory signal sequence non-optimal codons are required for expression and export of beta-lactamase

In this study we altered the codon usage in the signal sequence of the bla gene, encoding β-lactamase in Escherichia coli. Changing all of the thirteen non-optimal codons to optimal lowered expression 4-fold as measured by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to the β-lactam antibiotic ampicillin. The difference in ampicillin resistance was reduced at 28 °C compared to expression at 37 °C, suggesting that the optimised bla allele is misfolded and degraded by heat-shock regulated proteases. A screen was carried out, designed specifically to identify revertants with changes in codon usage resulting in higher MIC to ampicillin. The nine revertants revealed by this method all had optimal to non-optimal codon changes in the signal sequence. These results, and those of our previous study with maltose binding protein model system, confirm that non-optimal codons are important for expression and export of secretory proteins via both the SecB-dependent and -independent pathways.     

Secretion of xylanase A2 in Streptomyces lividans: dependence on signal peptides length, number and composition

The signal peptide (sp) in Streptomyces lividans xylanase A2 (XlnA2) was replaced by sps containing, in frame in their sequences, one, two, three or four initiation codons, each preceded by a Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence. Precursors of the corresponding proteins should thus have sps of, respectively, 27, 46, 82 and 91 amino acids (aa) long. By radiolabelling of S. lividans harboring the different constructs inserted in a multicopy plasmid and by immunoprecipitation with anti-xylanase antibodies followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) separation, precursors of the expected sizes were obtained in each clone. This indicates that ribosomes can synthesize different XlnA2 precursors from initiation codons inserted in the sp sequence, independently of their number. The amount of these synthesized precursors was also shown to be inversely proportional to their length when comparing the specific activity of labelling versus sp length. In clones producing more than one precursor, a smear appeared on the autoradiograms, suggesting some degree of precursor degradation. As determined by pulse-chase experiments, the rate of disappearance was almost the same for precursors of different lengths, but this might be the result of both true processing and proteolytic degradation. Furthermore, S. lividans rapidly degraded XlnA2 either when deprived of its sp or in the absence of the signal peptidase cleavage site.     

Protein export in prokaryotes and eukaryotes: Indications of a difference in the mechanism of exportation

Summary Investigation of possible variations between prokaryotic and eukaryotic signal sequences of exported proteins has revealed unexpected differences. Apart from the known similarities (presence of a core hydrophobic sequence preceded by a positively charged amino terminus and followed by a flexible structure), we have found that the core is much more rigid in eukaryotic signals than in their prokaryotic counterparts, and that at both ends the constraints are much more stringent in bacteria than in human cells. The differences have been summarized as a set of 17 criteria describing noteworthy features discriminating between the two classes of signal peptides. The program we used permitted each class of sequences to be learned;Escherichia coli sequences were well learned (i.e., they could be recognized by the programs as having common features), whereas human sequences were found to exhibit a much wider variation. Thus it was possible to propose a consensus in the case of the bacterial peptides, but none (or a much looser one) in the case of the human sequences. Two sequences were exceptional among theE. coli signal peptides, those of lipoprotein and plasmid-borne beta-lactamase, suggesting that they have special origins or destinations. Finally, the differences found strongly suggest that the mode of secretion is rather different in the two types of organisms, in spite of the common features of the signal sequences.     

Novel Chimeric Peptide Inhibits Protein Kinase C and Induces Apoptosis in Human Immune Cells

Protein kinase C (PKC) participates in a myriad of cellular processes. Protein kinase C isoforms play different roles based on their cellular expression balance and activation. The activity of classical PKC isoforms has been shown to be crucial for immune cell population homeostasis, playing a positive role in survival and proliferation. Protein kinase C inhibitors have been used for conditions where up-regulated PKC results in a pathological state. The most commonly investigated PKC inhibitors are highly effective in inhibiting PKC function but they are relatively unspecific, some of them even inhibiting other kinase families. Protein kinase C pseudosubstrates are auto-inhibitory domains which have been used to inhibit more specifically PKC in vitro but they do not freely penetrate cells. This could be resolved by using cell-permeable PKC pseudosubstrates which would more accurately modulate cellular PKC activity and PKC-related functions in intact cells. Here we show the development of a chimeric peptide inhibitor of classical PKC isoforms, consisting of a cell permeable sequence and a pseudosubstrate sequence which was able to translocate into cells, inhibiting PKC kinase activity and PKC T-cell-specific substrate phosphorylation. We also demonstrate a dramatic reduction in T-cell proliferation at high chimeric peptide concentration; this was attributed to apoptosis induction, as demonstrated by cell shrinking, phosphatidylserine exposure and DNA fragmentation. As expected, the control peptide (pseudosubstrate) did not penetrate cells, affect cell proliferation or survival. We also show that a neoplastic T-cell line which expresses higher levels of PKC is more resistant to chimeric peptide-mediated cell death than normal cells, corroborating a PKC role in apoptosis resistance. This chimeric peptide could be useful for the specific modulation of the PKC signalling pathway in pathological conditions.     

真核表达MERS-CoV刺突蛋白亚单位的信号肽序列优化研究

中东呼吸综合征冠状病毒(Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus,MERS-CoV)的刺突蛋白(Spike,S)亚单位1(S1)是引起宿主免疫反应和产生中和抗体的主要靶抗原,也是疫苗研发和病原检测的重要靶标,选用适宜的真核表达系统高效表达S1蛋白是进行相关研究的基础。为确定MERS-CoV S1在哺乳动物细胞中高效分泌性表达的信号肽序列,构建了含高斯荧光素酶(Gaussia luciferase,GLuc)、人组织纤溶酶原激活剂(Tissue plasminogen activator,tPA)及小鼠免疫球蛋白G的2a亚型(Mouse immunoglobular G subtype 2a,MIgG2a)7个信号肽(原始序列和改造序列)序列的MERS-CoV S1表达质粒,瞬时转染细胞后,通过Western Blot检测并比较细胞培养上清和裂解液中S1的表达水平及分泌表达效率(条带密度灰度扫描比),并对哺乳动物细胞表达的S1蛋白的纯度与抗原特性进行了分析。结果表明7种信号肽在293T、BHK21和ExpiCHO-S^TM三种细胞系统中介导MERS-CoV S1的高效分泌表达的效率各有不同,其中tPA-1信号肽介导S1抗原在ExpiCHO-S^TM中具有较高的分泌表达效率与产量,纯化的S1蛋白保持了较好的抗原性。本研究为进一步研发基于MERS-CoV S1的亚单位疫苗及免疫学检测试剂奠定了基础。     

Allosteric Response and Substrate Sensitivity in Peptide Binding of the Signal Recognition Particle

We characterize the conformational dynamics and substrate selectivity of the signal recognition particle (SRP) using a thermodynamic free energy cycle approach and microsecond timescale molecular dynamics simulations. The SRP is a central component of the co-translational protein targeting machinery that binds to the N-terminal signal peptide (SP) of nascent proteins. We determined the shift in relative conformational stability of the SRP upon substrate binding to quantify allosteric coupling between SRP domains. In particular, for dipeptidyl aminopeptidase, an SP that is recognized by the SRP for co-translational targeting, it is found that substrate binding induces substantial changes in the SRP toward configurations associated with targeting of the nascent protein, and it is found that the changes are modestly enhanced by a mutation that increases the hydrophobicity of the SP. However, for alkaline phosphatase, an SP that is recognized for post-translational targeting, substrate binding induces the reverse change in the SRP conformational distribution away from targeting configurations. Microsecond timescale trajectories reveal the intrinsic flexibility of the SRP conformational landscape and provide insight into recent single molecule studies by illustrating that 10-nm lengthscale changes between FRET pairs occur via the rigid-body movement of SRP domains connected by the flexible linker region. In combination, these results provide direct evidence for the hypothesis that substrate-controlled conformational switching in the SRP provides a mechanism for discriminating between different SPs and for connecting substrate binding to downstream steps in the protein targeting pathway.     

The effect of combining signal sequences with the N28 fragment on GFP production in Aspergillus oryzae

Effective secretion of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was investigated by the screening signal sequences for GFP secretion in Aspergillus oryzae. GFP production in A. oryzae was evaluated using fusions with signal sequences from Taka-amylase A (TAA), glucoamylase A, glucoamylase B, and triacylglycerol lipase. The TAA signal sequence promoted the highest protein secretion of GFP. Fusing this signal sequence with an N-terminal 28-amino acid region (N28 fragment) from the Rhizopus oryzae lipase signal sequence increased protein secretion. In addition, using multiple copies of this signal sequence, instead of the N28 fragment, also induced protein secretion. These results show that using multiple signal sequences or combining a signal sequence with the N28 fragment can be used to improve heterogeneous protein secretion in A. oryzae.     

The Pseudo Signal Peptide of the Corticotropin-releasing Factor Receptor Type 2a Decreases Receptor Expression and Prevents Gi-mediated Inhibition of Adenylyl Cyclase Activity

The corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2a (CRF_2(a)R) belongs to the family of G protein-coupled receptors. The receptor possesses an N-terminal pseudo signal peptide that is unable to mediate targeting of the nascent chain to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane during early receptor biogenesis. The pseudo signal peptide remains uncleaved and consequently forms an additional hydrophobic receptor domain with unknown function that is unique within the large G protein-coupled receptor protein family. Here, we have analyzed the functional significance of this domain in comparison with the conventional signal peptide of the homologous corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 1 (CRF₁R). We show that the presence of the pseudo signal peptide leads to a very low cell surface receptor expression of the CRF_2(a)R in comparison with the CRF₁R. Moreover, whereas the presence of the pseudo signal peptide did not affect coupling to the G_s protein, G_i-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity was abolished. The properties mediated by the pseudo signal peptide were entirely transferable to the CRF₁R in signal peptide exchange experiments. Taken together, our results show that signal peptides do not only influence early protein biogenesis. In the case of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor subtypes, the use of conventional and pseudo signal peptides have an unexpected influence on signal transduction.     

枯草杆菌启动子－信号肽序列的克隆及序列分析

利用含红霉素抗性基因和缺启动子－信号肽序列的氨苄青霉素抗性基因的双功能质粒ｐＧＰＢ１４为探针载体,克隆了枯草杆菌的启动子－信号肽序列并对克隆的片段进行序列分析。枯草杆菌染色体ＤＮＡ经Ｓａｕ３Ａ酶解后与ＢｏｍＨＩ酶切的质粒ｐＧＰＢ１４连接,转化大肠杆菌Ｃ６００,筛选抗氨苄青霉素及抗红霉素的转化子,从双抗性转化子中提取重组质粒并经酶切分析,显示克隆的ＤＮＡ片段在０．２７－１．５ｋｂ之间。用Ｓａｎｇｅｒ的双脱氧链终止法测定了１０个克隆片段的ＤＮＡ顺序,结果表明,克隆的片段都含有启动子、核糖体结合优点及信号肽序列。克隆片段可以在大肠杆菌和枯草杆菌中恢复氨苄青霉素抗性的表型。β－内酰胺酶活力测定结果证明：大肠杆菌的酶活力主要积累在周质空间内而枯草杆菌的酶活力主要分泌到胞外。     

分泌载体pUS186的构建及地衣杆菌α－淀粉酶基因在枯草杆菌中的表达和分泌

利用枯草杆菌的分泌系统构建分泌型表达载体表达和分泌外源基因产物具有重要的商业价值。我们用鸟枪法克隆了枯草杆菌染色体的启动子和信号肽序列,将克隆的序列连接到能在枯草杆菌中复制的质粒ｐＵＢ１８上,获得分泌型表达载体ｐＵＳ１８６。为了测试构建的载体ｐＵＳ１８６的功能,将地衣杆菌α－淀粉酶基因的缺失了启动子和信号肽序列的片段重组进该质粒,经过Ｂａｌ３１酶切,Ｔ４ＤＮＡ聚合酶补齐等处理,获得ｐＵＳＡ１８６Ⅱ及ｐＵＳＡ１８６Ⅰ系列质粒,将这些重组质粒转化枯草杆菌ＱＢ１１３０（ａｍｙ－）后都能向胞外分泌淀粉酶,酶活测定结果表明,基因表达水平比用原有的启动子高１－２倍,蛋白质分泌率在８４－９６％之间。     

根癌土壤杆菌C58 Cereon中分泌蛋白信号肽分析

利用SignalP3．0、LipoP1．0、TMHMM2．0和TargetP1．014种蛋白分析软件预测了Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 Cereon菌株全部基因组的4554个ORF编码的蛋白信号肽,共发现203个信号肽,且它们的氨基酸残基相对保守。其中158条具分泌型信号肽,9条具RR-motif型信号肽,28条具信号肽酶Ⅱ型信号肽,8条具细菌素-信息素型信号肽,但只有分泌蛋白AGR-C-1878p和AGR-C-1880p的信号肽氨基酸残基完全相同,表明信号肽是高度变异的。     

Functional Characterization of Monomeric GTPase Rab1 in the Secretory Pathway of Leishmania

Leishmania secretes a large number of its effectors to the extracellular milieu. However, regulation of the secretory pathway in Leishmania is not well characterized. Here, we report the cloning, expression, and characterization of the Rab1 homologue from Leishmania. We have found that LdRab1 localizes in Golgi in Leishmania. To understand the role of LdRab1 in the secretory pathway of Leishmania, we have generated transgenic parasites overexpressing GFP-LdRab1:WT, GFP-LdRab1:Q67L (a GTPase-deficient dominant positive mutant of Rab1), and GFP-LdRab1:S22N (a GDP-locked dominant negative mutant of Rab1). Surprisingly, our results have shown that overexpression of GFP-LdRab1:Q67L or GFP-LdRab1:S22N does not disrupt the trafficking and localization of hemoglobin receptor in Leishmania. To determine whether the Rab1-dependent secretory pathway is conserved in parasites, we have analyzed the role of LdRab1 in the secretion of secretory acid phosphatase and Ldgp63 in Leishmania. Our results have shown that overexpression of GFP-LdRab1:Q67L or GFP-LdRab1:S22N significantly inhibits the secretion of secretory acid phosphatase by Leishmania. We have also found that overexpression of GFP-LdRab1:Q67L or GFP-LdRab1:S22N retains RFP-Ldgp63 in Golgi and blocks the secretion of Ldgp63, whereas the trafficking of RFP-Ldgp63 in GFP-LdRab1:WT-expressing cells is unaltered in comparison with control cells. Taken together, our results have shown that the Rab1-regulated secretory pathway is well conserved, and hemoglobin receptor trafficking follows an Rab1-independent secretory pathway in Leishmania.     

信号肽对亮氨酸脱氢酶在Bacillus subtilis中分泌表达的影响及酶学性质研究

根据信号肽N端电荷数,选择Sec及Tat两种途径的信号肽构建枯草芽孢杆菌穿梭质粒,首次实现Bacillus cereus源亮氨酸脱氢酶基因在Bacillus subtilis中的分泌表达。Tat途径信号肽Pho D促进蛋白质分泌的效果最好,胞外酶活力达20.25U/ml,为不添加信号肽的2.2倍,信号肽N端较多的电荷数,可能有利于多聚体蛋白的分泌。对表达产物进行纯化和酶学性质测定。结果表明,纯酶比酶活为13U/mg;L-Leucine为底物时酶的K_m为6.17mmol/L,V_(max)为14.49μmol/(L·min);底物特异性研究发现,酶与天然底物L-Leucine的亲和性最好,对一些脂肪族氨基酸也有活性,对芳香族氨基酸L-Phenylalanine无活性;酶的最适pH为10.5~12.0,pH稳定范围为5.0~11.0;最适反应温度为55℃;圆二色谱变温扫描酶二级结构变化,α螺旋含量随温度升高逐渐降低;差示扫描微量热技术(DSC)测定酶的解折叠温度(Tm值)为64.13℃,表明该酶具有较好耐热性。     

A Crucial Role of the RGS Domain in Trans- Golgi Network Export of AtRGS1 in the Protein Secretory Pathway

The secretory pathway is responsible for the transport of newly synthesized transmembrane proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to their destinations via the Golgi/trans-Golgi network （TGN）, Cargo proteins at each sta- tion are actively sorted by specific sorting signals on the cargo and the corresponding coat complexes. Here, we used the Arabidopsis regulator of G-protein signaling （AtRGS1）, which contains an N-terminal potentially sensing glucose seven-transmembrane domain and a C-terminal RGS domain, as a model to uncover sorting motifs required for its cell surface expression. Expression of wild-type and truncated or mutated AtRGS1 fluorescent fusion proteins identified two cysteine residues in the extracellular N-terminus that are essential for endoplasmic reticulum exit and/or correct folding of AtRGS1. The linker between the seven-transmembrane and RGS domains contains an endoplasmic reticulum export signal, whereas the C-terminus is dispensable for the plasma membrane expression of AtRGS1. Interestingly, deletion of the RGS domain results in Golgi/TGN localization of the truncated AtRGS1. Further analysis using site-directed mutagen- esis showed that a tyrosine-based motif embedded in the RGS domain is essential for Golgi/TGN export of AtRGS1. These results reveal a new role for the RGS domain in regulating AtRGS1 trafficking from the Golgi/TGN to the plasma membrane and explain the interaction between the seven-transmembrane and RGS domains.     

An Examination of Serotonin and Feeding in the Flesh Fly Neobellieria bullata (Sarcophagidae: Diptera)

The role of serotonin in controlling feeding in flesh flies is examined. Amount of feeding was recorded over 6 h for flies injected with serotonin or saline. The proportion of time spent on various behaviors over a period of 1 h was recorded after the injection of serotonin or saline or no injection. Corresponding electrophysiological measurements were made on serotonin and saline-injected flies. The release of serotonin as a consequence of feeding was also examined. The subesophageal ganglia of flies taken before or after 2 days of sugar feeding were examined immunocytochemically. Serotonin injection decreased feeding in flies compared to saline-injected flies. All behaviors measured decreased after serotonin injection, except for resting, which increased, and grooming, which decreased in both serotonin- and saline-injected flies. A marked reduction in electrophysiological responses to sucrose was seen in serotonin-injected flies. Specific cells of the subesophageal ganglion showed significantly less serotonin immunoreactivity in fed flies compared to flies that had not yet fed. The role of serotonin in affecting the physiology of feeding in insects is discussed.     

信号肽序列对毕赤酵母表达外源蛋白质的影响

乙醇氧化酶启动子被分离、克隆 ,并建立了转化方法后 ,毕赤酵母已被发展成为一种高效的外源蛋白表达宿主。为了进一步提高外源蛋白质的分泌表达 ,对信号肽序列进行了研究。首先按毕赤酵母的偏爱密码合成了酿酒酵母的α因子信号肽序列MF4I,随后在MF4I信号肽序列的N端分别引入 1～ 10个毕赤酵母Aox1蛋白质的N端氨基酸 ,构成 10种不同的分泌信号肽序列 ,10种不同的分泌信号肽序列被用于植酸酶基因的毕赤酵母分泌表达。以上新的信号肽序列都可使植酸酶的分泌表达量增加 ,而以N端增加A、I、P三个氨基酸的信号肽序列引起的提高最大 ;和野生型的酿酒酵母α因子信号肽序列相比 ,使植酸酶分泌表达量增加 5倍 ,摇瓶中植酸酶的分泌表达量为 90mg/L。此外在MF4I信号肽的引导序列和内切蛋白酶间增加了EEAEAEAEP和K共 10个氨基酸 ,进一步提高信号肽的分泌效率 ,使表达又提高约 35 % ,使得摇瓶中酸性植酸酶的表达量达到 12 0mg/L ,是pPCI9K表达量的 8倍。