Proteolytic Activities of the Starch-Fermenting Ruminal Bacterium, Streptococcus bovis

The objective of this study was to characterize the extracellular proteolytic activity of Streptococcus bovis. Strains KEG, JB1, NCFB 2476, and K11.21.09.6C produced very similar large molecular weight (160–200 kDa) extracellular proteases that were specifically inhibited by PMSF, a serine protease inhibitor. Further experiments with S. bovis KEG indicated that cultures grown with casein as the sole added N source produced the greatest level of proteolytic activity, and the level of proteolytic activity was independent of growth rate. Clarified ruminal fluid (CRF) decreased proteolytic activity by 54% compared with cultures grown with casein alone, and addition of exogenous peptides and carbohydrates (CHO) to the CRF further reduced the level of proteolytic activity by 44% and 52%, respectively. These results suggested that the proteolytic activity of S. bovis KEG was modulated by available N source and that the proteolytic activity was present for reasons other than providing N for growth. The role of S. bovis in ruminal proteolysis requires further definition, but phenotypic similarity among some ruminal strains would suggest a common niche in ruminal proteolysis. The uniformity of proteolytic activities could make S. bovis a prime candidate for manipulation in ruminal proteolysis control strategies. Received: 12 January 1999 / Accepted: 19 May 1999     

Mapping and partial characterization of proteases expressed by a CHO production cell line

The proteolytic activities expressed by a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line in the cultivation supernatant during the production of recombinant factor VIII were mapped with a broad spectrum protease assay and a series of different types of protease inhibitors. The destabilizing effect on the product emanated from a metalloproteinase, which could be effectively blocked by chelating agents to lead to product stabilization. Amino acid sequences of the isolated metalloproteinase were found to have sequence homology with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) MMP3, MMP10, and MMP12. Several species with metalloproteinase activity were characterized and found to be related to each other. The results indicate that an MMP pro-enzyme of >/=200 kDa was released from the CHO cells during the production phase. The enzyme expressed collagenase/gelatinase activity when activated. Due to autoproteolysis, a number of smaller, less specific MMPs were formed with the smallest form, a 19.4 kDa protein, being the most active. These results may be of particular relevance for other production processes using CHO cells for the expression of recombinant proteins.     

The use of a CHO cell culture in studying Vibrio cholerae grown under different conditions]

Studies of biological activity of cholera vibrios in cultures of chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) have revealed their strong dependence on culture conditions. Elongation of CHO cells is caused only by choleragenic strains. Under stationary conditions of culture the vibrios were found to release haemolisin into the medium and had a cytotoxic effect. Most of cytotoxic supernatants exhibited a neuraminidase activity. Proteolytic activity was less dependent on the vibrio culture conditions. Strains with a high proteolytic activity caused rounding of the CHO cells.     

Identification and CRISPR/Cas9 Inactivation of the C1s Protease Responsible for Proteolysis of Recombinant Proteins Produced in CHO Cells

Proteolysis associated with recombinant protein expression in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells has hindered the development of biologics including HIV vaccines. When expressed in CHO cells, the recombinant HIV envelope protein, gp120, undergoes proteolytic clipping by a serine protease at a key epitope recognized by neutralizing antibodies. The problem is particularly acute for envelope proteins from clade B viruses that represent the major genetic subtype circulating in much of the developed world, including the US and Europe. In this paper, we have identified complement Component 1's (C1s), a serine protease from the complement cascade, as the protease responsible for the proteolysis of gp120 in CHO cells. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of the C1s protease in a CHO cell line was shown to eliminate the proteolytic activity against the recombinantly expressed gp120. In addition, the C1s^−/−MGAT1⁻ CHO cell line, with the C1s protease and the MGAT1 glycosyltransferase knocked out, enabled the production of unclipped gp120 from a clade B isolate (BaL-rgp120) and enriched for mannose-5 glycans on gp120 that are required for the binding of multiple broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (bN-mAbs). The availability of this technology will allow for the scale-up and testing of multiple vaccine concepts in regions of the world where clade B viruses are in circulation. Furthermore, the proteolysis issues caused by the C1s protease suggests a broader need for a C1s-deficient CHO cell line to express other recombinant proteins that are susceptible to serine protease activity in CHO cells. Similarly, the workflow described here to identify and knockout C1s in a CHO cell line can be applied to remedy the proteolysis of biologics by other CHO proteases.     

Characterization of specific proteases associated with the surface of human skin fibroblasts, and their modulation in pathology.

Human skin fibroblasts were probed for cell surface protease activity. One activity removing dipeptides from the NH2-terminal end of Gly-Pro-pNA was specifically inhibited by di-isopropyl-fluorophosphate (DFP), phenylmethanesulphony fluoride (PMSF), and diprotin A, and thus was identified as dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV). A group of bestatin-sensitive N-exoaminopeptidase activities was also characterized when Ala-, Leu-, and Arg-pNA were used as chromogenic substrates. Using human monoclonal antibodies anti-CD 13 and anti-CD 26 that recognized, respectively, an N-Ala-aminopeptidase and DPP IV, it was found that human dermal fibroblasts expressed the CD 13 and CD 26 antigen on their surface. In addition, both peptidases were specifically immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibodies anti-CD 13 and anti-CD 26 from plasma membranes. Cell surface proteolytic activities were also investigated in human fibroblasts derived from dermatological and rheumatic diseases (i.e., psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lichen planus). It was found that these fibroblasts also expressed both types of proteinases initially identified on normal skin fibroblasts and that the levels of Ala-aminopeptidase activities were similar in all cases. In contrast, the levels of Arg-, Leu-exoaminopeptidase, and DPP IV activities were significantly higher (up to 6.6-fold) in the three pathological fibroblast populations than in their normal counterparts. These proteolytic enzymes, therefore, can potentially serve as markers in dermatological diseases. Taken together, our results suggest that skin fibroblast-derived proteinases associated with both serine and N-aminopeptidase activities may play an important role by participating in the extracellular events associated with fibroblast behaviour.     

Extracellular matrix is a source of mitogenically active platelet-derived growth factor

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a chemotactic and mitogenic agent for fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells and plays a key role in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. PDGF is produced by a number of normal and transformed cell types and occurs as homo- or heterodimers of A and B polypeptide chains. Using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with various forms of PDGF, we have previously shown that PDGF A_s (short splice version) is secreted, PDGF A_L (long splice version) predominantly extracellular matrix-associated, and PDGF B divided between medium, cells, and matrix. In the present study we have demonstrated the mitogenic activity of matrix-localized PDGF in artificial and more physiologically relevant models by culturing Balb/c-3T3 cells (3T3), human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF), and rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) on extracellular matrix (ECM) laid down by PDGF-expressing CHO cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). These cells responded to the local growth stimulus of PDGF-containing CHO ECM and HUVEC ECM. We showed that 3T3 cells required proteolytic activity to utilize matrix-localized PDGF, as aprotinin and η-ACA inhibited growth and 3T3 cells were shown to possess plasminogen activator activity. HFF and SMC did not appear to require proteolytic activity (including metalloproteinase and serine protease activity) as a prerequisite for mitogenesis but were able to access immobilized PDGF by contact with the matrix. An understanding of the mechanisms whereby the utilization of stored PDGF is controlled in situations of excessive cellular proliferation will aid in the development of therapy for these conditions. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Analysis of a cloned sequence of Legionella pneumophila encoding a 38 kD metalloprotease possessing haemolytic and cytotoxic activities

The DNA encoding the zinc metalloprotease of Legionella pneumophila Philadelphia 1 has been isolated and expressed in Escherichia coli. This protein, which is 38,000 Daltons in size, possesses immunological and biochemical properties identical to those previously described for the purified L. pneumophila protease. Periplasmic extracts of E. coli clones expressing the recombinant protease are also capable of causing the haemolysis of canine erythrocytes and the cytotoxic destruction of CHO cells. Using transposon mutagenesis, it was determined that a maximum of 1.2 kb of DNA encoded all three biological activities. Inactivation of proteolytic activity by transposon insertion occurred concomitantly with losses of the haemolytic and cytotoxic phenotypes. A putative regulatory sequence approximately 200-500 bp upstream of the gene's coding region was identified. A 4.0 kb fragment encoding these activities hybridized to the chromosomal DNA of the parent strain of L. pneumophila Philadelphia 1 as well as clinical isolates of L. pneumophila.     

Analysis of the coordinate expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase and reductase activities in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts

Decreased activities of both 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) synthase and HMG CoA reductase are observed in the presence of sterol in the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fibroblast. In three different genotypes of CHO cell mutants resistant to 25-hydroxycholesterol both enzyme activities exhibit a decreased response to 25-hydroxycholesterol compared to wild-type cells. Permanently repressed levels of both HMG CoA synthase and HMG CoA reductase activities are observed in another CHO mutant, phenotypically a mevalonate auxotroph. Mevinolin, a competitive inhibitor of HMG CoA reductase, has no effect on HMG CoA synthase activity measured in vitro. Incubation of CHO cells with sublethal concentrations of mevinolin produces an inhibition of the conversion of [14C]acetate to cholesterol and results in elevated levels of both HMG CoA synthase and HMG CoA reductase activities. Studies of CHO cells in sterol-free medium supplemented with cycloheximide indicate that continuous protein synthesis is not required for the maximal expression of HMG CoA synthase activity and provide an explanation for the lack of temporal similarity between HMG CoA synthase and reductase activities after derepression. These results support the hypothesis of a common mode of regulation for HMG CoA synthase and HMG CoA reductase activities in CHO fibroblasts.     

Proteolytic activity of viper venoms

Proteolytic activities of venoms of vipers kept in a serpentarium for three years or captured in various environmental regions were estimated. Gurza venom contained considerable amounts of protein (830-930 micrograms/mg venom) and displayed a high proteolytic activity by tyrosine (80-140 micrograms/min mg protein). The proteolytic activity did not depend on season, as well as age or physiological state of snakes in the reproductive period. The proteolytic activity of venom in gurza offspring was similar to that in parent specimens. Proteolytic activities (by tyrosine) of venoms produced by Radde's vipers and common vipers were 77-90 and 18-36 micrograms/min mg protein, respectively. The proteolytic activity of venom in common vipers native to the north European part of Russia was 20-30% higher than that in common vipers inhabiting southern European Russia. An inhibition assay found various ratios of metalloendopeptidase and serine endopeptidase activities in venoms of gurza, Radde's viper, and common viper.     

Proteolytic activity of lectins from the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Bacillus polymyxa

Two lectins (LI and LII) stripped from the surface of Bacillus polymyxa 1460 cells were found to possess proteolytic activity, which was associated with their hemagglutinating activity. The inhibition of the hemagglutinating activity of lectins by specific carbohydrate haptens changed their enzyme activities. The inhibition of hemagglutinating activity by glucuronic acid or fructose 1,6-diphosphate decreased the proteolytic activities of both lectins, whereas the blocking of this activity with D-glucosamine or D-galactosamine increased the proteolytic activity of LII. The molecules of the B. polymyxa lectins are suggested to contain two active centers responsible for hemagglutinating and proteolytic activities.     

Observations on the influence of glutamine,asparagine and peptone on growth and t-PA production of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells

When a transfected CHO cell, that produces tissue-type Plasminogen Activator, t-PA, was transferred from a medium based on 5% Fetal Calf Serum, FCS, to a medium based on 0.8% casein peptone with variable glutamine and asparagine content, it was observed, that the growth of the cells changed from anchorage dependant to suspension culture giving more reproducible cultivations. In the FCS culture t-PA was unstable, observed as a decline in t-PA concentration after 250 h. This decline in t-PA concentration was not observed in the serum free culture, although there was a decline in productivity after 200 h. This change in production profile may be attributed to either no proteolytic attack from serum or by scavenging of proteolytic activities produced by the cells from the peptone peptides. Increasing amounts of glutamine/asparagine gave higher production of t-PA in synchrony with an increasing production of ammonia/ammonium ions. Ammonia inhibition does not seem to be a key factor for this cell line as seen with many others.     

Proteolytic Activity of Lectins from the Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterium Bacillus polymyxa

Two lectins (LI and LII) stripped from the surface of Bacillus polymyxa1460 cells were found to possess proteolytic activity, which was associated with their hemagglutinating activity. The inhibition of the hemagglutinating activity of lectins by specific carbohydrate haptens changed their enzyme activities. The inhibition of hemagglutinating activity by glucuronic acid or fructose 1,6-diphosphate decreased the proteolytic activities of both lectins, whereas the blocking of this activity with D-glucosamine or D-galactosamine increased the proteolytic activity of LII. The molecules of the B. polymyxalectins are suggested to contain two active centers responsible for hemagglutinating and proteolytic activities.     

Glycosidase activities of the 293 and NS0 cell lines, and of an antibody-producing hybridoma cell line

We have previously demonstrated that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lysates harbor sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-hexosaminidase, and fucosidase activities that can accumulate extracellularly in CHO cell culture, thereby potentially leading to extracellular modification of glycoprotein oligosaccharides. The sialidase activity in CHO cell lysates was surprisingly active and stable at pH 7.5, with a half-life of 57 h at 37 degrees C.We have extended this work to determine whether 293, NS0, or hybridoma cell lysates contain similar glycosidase activities. The pH-activity profiles of beta-galactosidase and beta-hexosaminidase in lysates of these three cell lines resemble the pH-activity profiles for these enzymes in CHO cell lysate, whereas the pH-activity profiles of sialidase and fucosidase appear to be cell-type dependent. Sialidase activities were relatively stable at pH 4.5 in 293, NS0, and hybridoma cell lysates. However, the activities in 293 and NS0 cell lysates were unstable at pH 7.5, with no activity remaining after a 2-h incubation at 37 degrees C. The sialidase activity in hybridoma cell lysate was moderately stable at pH 7.5 with 30% of the activity remaining after a 2-h incubation at 37 degrees C. We conclude that the sialidase activites from 293, NS0, and hybridoma cells have characteristics similar to the vast majority of reported mammalian sialidase activities, and that these activities are markedly differant from the CHO cell sialidase activity.Finally, sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-hexosaminidase, and fucosidase activities were measured at pH 7 in cell-free bioreactor supernatants of the hybridoma cell line. As previously observed in CHO cell culture, all four glycosidase activities were present in the hybridoma supernatants. However, the sialidase activity in hybridoma supernatant was an order of magnitude lower than in CHO cell culture supernatant despite the fact that the hybridoma cell lysis rate was an order of magnitude higher. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Thiol and aspartyl proteolytic activities in secretory vesicles of bovine pituitary.

Thiol and aspartyl proteolytic activities in isolated secretory vesicles of neural (NL) and intermediate (IL) lobes of bovine pituitary were characterized with heterologous enkephalin and tachykinin precursor substrates, 35S-(Met)-preproenkephalin and 35S-(Met)-beta-preprotachykinin. IL and NL secretory vesicles contained thiol-dependent proteolytic activity that cleaved the enkephalin precursor with a pH optimum of 4.5; this activity resembled a novel "prohormone thiol protease' previously purified and characterized from adrenal medulla chromaffin granules. IL and NL vesicles also demonstrated aspartyl proteolytic activity with acidic pH optimum, as shown by pepstatin A inhibition of tachykinin and enkephalin precursor cleaving activity. This activity may be related to a previously characterized chromaffin granule aspartyl protease (CGAP) related to cathepsin D (2), as indicated by the presence of immunoreactive CGAP in NL secretory vesicles by anti-CGAP immunoblots. These results show that pituitary secretory vesicles, like chromaffin granules, may contain similar thiol-dependent and aspartyl proteolytic activities.     

The multicatalytic proteinase. Multiple proteolytic activities

The multicatalytic proteinase is a high molecular weight nonlysosomal proteinase which has been isolated from a variety of mammalian tissues and has been suggested to contain several distinct catalytic sites. The enzyme degrades protein and peptide substrates and can cleave bonds on the carboxyl side of basic, hydrophobic, and acidic amino acid residues. The three types of activity have been referred to as trypsin-like, chymotrypsin-like, and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide bond hydrolyzing activities, respectively. All of these proteolytic activities are associated with a single band on native polyacrylamide gels. The pH optimum of the proteinase (pH 7.5-9.5) depends on the substrate. Using synthetic peptide substrates it was possible to demonstrate two distinct activities. Trypsin-like activity is inhibited at concentrations of the peptide aldehyde inhibitors leupeptin and antipain or of N-ethylmaleimide which have little or no effect on chymotrypsin-like activity. Results of mixed-substrate experiments also suggest that there are at least two distinct types of catalytic sites. All proteolytic activity is lost following dissociation by urea or by acid treatment. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the intact multicatalytic proteinase precipitate the complex but have little effect on its proteolytic activities.     

Effects of exogenous ammonia or free amino acids on proteolytic activity and protein breakdown products in Streptococcus bovis,Prevotella albensis,and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens

We studied in details the ammonia or free amino acids (AA) effects on proteolytic activity of three ruminal bacteria: enzymatic activities and protein breakdown products were measured at the end of the exponential growth phase. In Streptococcus bovis the simultaneous uptake of ammonia and probably small peptides induced a decline in total proteolytic activity as a result of changes in endopeptidasic activities. With free AA, the tendency for the endopeptidasic activities to specialise was more evident and the total proteolytic activity decreased too. In Prevotella albensis, the inhibition of proteolysis with free AA was linked to the disappearance of free endopeptidases, to the specialization of cell-associated endopeptidases and to the decrease in exopeptidases. The decrease of proteolysis in P. albensis when ammonia was added was more difficult to interpret. With ammonia or AA Butyrivibro fibrisolvens developed a distinct behavior of those expressed by the other species: the increase of the total proteolytic activity could be explained by a better balance of the endopeptidases expressed. It then clearly appeared that the expression of the proteolytic activities are linked to the nature and/or to the quantity of the nitrogen source. This leads each species to adopt its own nutritional strategy in order to adapt to the environmental conditions of the ruminal ecosystem. Received: 2 July 2001 / Accepted: 28 September 2001     

A histochemical study about the influence of lytic enzymes on plasma membrane enzyme activities in rat liver and kidney.

1. The effect of lipolytic, glycolytic and proteolytic enzymes on the activities of plasma membrane enzyme activities in rat liver and kidney has been investigated by a pretreatment of tissue sections with the lytic enzymes. 2. The action of the proteolytic enzymes causes a very strong decrease of leucyl-beta-naphthylamidase activity, whereas the activities of ATP-ase, 5'-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase show a lesser decrease. This indicates a different membrane anchorage of leucyl-beta-naphthylamidase as compared to that of the phosphatases. 3. Treatment with glycolytic enzymes results in a decrease of 5'-nucleotidase and ATP-ase activity, whereas liver alkaline phosphatase and leucyl-beta-naphthylamidase show an increase in activity. 4. Treatment with phospholipase C gives about the same results. The very strong decrease of 5'-nucleotidase activity indicates a great dependence on phospholipids.     

Isolation and properties of enzyme preparations from the whale pancreas

A simple and convenient technique was developed for isolation of the proteolytic enzyme complexes from the whale (Balaenoptera) pancreas. The proposed techniques enables the proteolytic complexes to be obtained with the protein yield 2.6 times higher than the classical procedure. The proteolytic activity increased 3.2 times (casein as a substrate), esterase activities, 1.4 times (N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine methyl ester as a substrate) and 1.2 times (N-alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester as a substrate). Soybean and barley trypsin inhibitors and ovomycoid in free and immobilized state inhibit the esterase activities of the proteolytic complexes. An additional purification of the proteolytic complexes was carried out using the affinity sorbent Soybean trypsin inhibitor--Sepharose 4B. The molecular weight of the enzymes determined by means of PAAG electrophoresis was found to be 20 000-20 500. The hydrolysis of some synthetic substrates by the proteolytic enzyme complexes obtained according to the proposed techniques was being studied.     

Trafficking and localization studies of recombinant alpha1, 3- fucosyltransferase VI stably expressed in CHO cells

Peripheral alpha1,3-fucosylation of glycans occurs by the action of either one of five different alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases (Fuc-Ts) cloned to date. Fuc-TVI is one of the alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases which is capable to synthesize selectin ligands. The major alpha1, 3- fucosyltransferase activity in human plasma is encoded by the gene for fucosyltransferase VI, which presumably originates from liver cells. While the sequence, chromosomal localization, and kinetic properties of Fuc-TVI are known, immunocytochemical localization and trafficking studies have been impossible because of the lack of specific antibodies. Here we report on the development and characterization of a peptide-specific polyclonal antiserum monospecific to Fuc-TVI and an antiserum to purified soluble recombinant Fuc-TVI crossreactive with Fuc-TIII and Fuc-TV. Both antisera were applied for immunodetection in stably transfected CHO cells expressing the full-length form of this enzyme (CHO clone 61/11). Fuc-TVI was found to be a resident protein of the Golgi apparatus. In addition, more than 30% of cell-associated and released enzyme activity was found in the medium. Maturation and release of Fuc-TVI was analyzed in metabolically labeled CHO 61/11 cells followed by immunoprecipitation. Fuc-TVI occurred in two forms of 47 kDa and 43 kDa bands, while the secreted form was detected as a 43 kDa. These two different intracellular forms arose by posttranslational modification, as shown by pulse-chase experiments. Fuc-TVI was released to the supernatant by proteolytic cleavage as a partially endo-H resistant glycoform.