Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression of the Brucella melitensis bp26 gene coding for a protein immunogenic in infected sheep

Abstract We have previously identified a Brucella melitensis 28 kDa cytosoluble protein (CP28) which was highly immunogenic in infected sheep and which in addition made possible the serological differentiation between infected and B. melitensis Rev.l vaccinated sheep. Monoclonal antibodies against CP28 were used to screen a B. melitensis 16M genomic library and to clone the corresponding gene. DNA sequencing of the gene encoding CP28 of B. melitensis 16M revealed that it was nearly identical to that of the recently published bp26 gene of Brucella abortus vaccine strain S19 coding for a periplasmic protein. The differences between the B. melitensis 16M gene and that of B. abortus S19 consisted of single nucleotide substitutions, one or two codon deletions, one codon addition, and most importantly a 21-bp deletion. The corresponding region of B. abortus S19 contains two 10-bp direct repeats which could have been involved in the genesis of the deletion. Expression of the B. melitensis 16M bp26 gene in Escherichia coli studied by the use of the monoclonal antibodies showed the same characteristics as reported for the B. abortus S19 bp26 gene, i.e. the presence of a higher molecular mass preprotein and a lower molecular mass band which probably corresponds to the mature protein exported to the periplasm. Immunoblotting performed with sera from either naturally infected or B. melitensis H38 experimentally infected sheep confirmed the importance of the B. melitensis CP28/BP26 protein as diagnostic antigen.     

Characterization of aminopeptidase N from Torpedo marmorata kidney

Summary— A major antigen of the brush border membrane of Torpedo marmorata kidney was identified and purified by immunoprecipitation. The sequence of its 18 N terminal amino acids was determined and found to be very similar to that of mammalian aminopeptidase N (EC 3.4.11.2). Indeed aminopeptidase N activity was efficiently immunoprecipitated by monoclonal antibody 180K1. The purified antigen gives a broad band at 180 kDa after SDS-gel electrophoresis, which, after treatment by endoglycosidase F, is converted to a thinner band at 140 kDa. This antigen is therefore heavily glycosylated. Depending on solubilization conditions, both the antigen and peptidase activity were recovered either as a broad peak with a sedimentation coefficient of 18S (2% CHAPS) or as a single peak of 7.8S (1% CHAPS plus 0.2 % C₁₂E₉), showing that Torpedo aminopeptidase N behaves as an oligomer stabilized by hydrophobic interactions, easily converted into a 160 kDa monomer. The antigen is highly concentrated in the apical membrane of proximal tubule epithelial cells (600 gold particles/μm² of brush border membrane) whereas no labeling could be detected in other cell types or in other membranes of the same cells (basolatéral membranes, vacuoles or vesicles). Monoclonal antibodies prepared here will be useful tools for further functional and structural studies of Torpedo kidney aminopeptidase N.     

Efficient production and partial characterization of aspartyl aminopeptidase from Aspergillus oryzae

Aims: Aspartyl aminopeptidase (DAP) has a high degree of substrate specificity, degrading only amino-terminal acidic amino acids from peptides. Therefore, attention is focused here on the efficient production of this enzyme by a recombinant Aspergillus oryzae and characterization of its biochemical properties. Methods and Results: The gene encoding DAP was overexpressed under a taka-amylase gene promoter, with His-tag linker in A. oryzae, during cultivation in a Co²⁺-containing medium. The enzyme was extracted from the mycelia and purified with immobilized nickel ion absorption chromatography using a buffer containing cobalt ion and imidazole. The active fraction was further purified with gel filtration chromatography. The resultant, electrophoretically pure enzyme displayed a molecular mass of 520 kDa. This enzyme displayed high reactivity towards peptide substrate rather than synthetic substrates. Conclusions: Recombinant A. oryzae DAP was purified to homogeneity with an increased specific activity, when cultivated in a Co²⁺-rich medium. Moreover, the use of suitable metal ions in microbial cultivation and purification processes may help in increasing the specific activity of other metalloproteases and their functional analysis. Significance and Impact of the Study: Recombinant DAP produced using a cobalt ion in culture media of A. oryzae and purification process allow high yield of the enzyme activity.     

Gene cloning and expression of aminopeptidase N and cadherin from midgut of the rice stem borer,Chilo suppressalis

The rice stem borer,Chilo suppressalis Walker is one of the most importantinsect pests on rice in Asia,north Africa and southern Europe.Transgenic Bt rice has beendeveloped in the laboratory with good resistance to this pest and other Lepidopteran insects,which will provide a possible alternative tool for this pest control.The full-length cDNAsencoding an aminopeptidase N (CsAPN) and a cadherin (CsCad) were cloned from C.suppressalis.CsAPN showed common features of,and high identities to,other insect AP...     

Gene cloning and expression of aminopeptidase N and cadherin from midgut of the rice stem borer,Chilo suppressalis

Abstract The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis Walker is one of the most important insect pests on rice in Asia, north Africa and southern Europe. Transgenic Bt rice has been developed in the laboratory with good resistance to this pest and other Lepidopteran insects, which will provide a possible alternative tool for this pest control. The full-length cDNAs encoding an aminopeptidase N (CsAPN) and a cadherin (CsCad) were cloned from C. suppressalis. CsAPN showed common features of, and high identities to, other insect APNs in its deduced amino acid sequence. Although a full-length cDNA encoding cadherin-like protein has been reported in GenBank, the newly isolated cadherin here (CsCad) showed some differences in its amino acid sequence, especially at the 7th cadherin repeat region (CR7), which indicated the newly isolated CsCad might be another allele. CsAPN and CsCad were successfully expressed in insect Tn cells, and the blot analysis showed these two proteins could bind Bt toxin Cry1Ab. The results will provide valuable information for the studies of toxin mode of action and the possible toxin resistance mechanisms in this pest.     

棉铃虫幼虫中肠非糖基磷酯酰肌醇锚着氨肽酶N基因的克隆和测序

通过对棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)幼虫中肠氨肽酶N的克隆和测序,鉴定了1个氨肽酶N基因APN1,其cDNA序列具有3 220个核苷酸,具有3 042 bp的开放阅读框,编码产生1 014个氨基酸的蛋白质。其推定的氨基酸序列具有氨肽酶N所共有的锌结合模体HEXXHX₁₈E和N末端20个氨基酸的疏水性信号序列,但C末端没有糖基磷酯酰肌醇（glycosylphosphatidylinositol,GPI）锚添加信号序列。该氨肽酶N的cDNA序列已提交GenBank,登录号为AY358034。     

Over-expression, purification, and characterization of aminopeptidase N from Escherichia coli

The gene from Escherichia coli encoding aminopeptidase N (PepN) was subcloned into pET-26b, and PepN was over-expressed in BL21(DE3) E. coli and purified using Q-Sepharose chromatography. This protocol yielded over 17 mg of purified, recombinant PepN per liter of growth culture under optimum conditions. Gel filtration chromatography revealed that recombinant PepN exists as a monomer. MALDI-TOF mass spectra showed that the enzyme has a molecular mass of 98,750 Da, and steady-state kinetic studies revealed that as-isolated, recombinant PepN exhibits a k(cat) of 354 +/- 11s(-1) and a K(m) of 376 +/- 39 microM when using L-alanine-p-nitroanilide as the substrate. Metal analyses demonstrated that as-isolated, recombinant PepN binds 0.5 and <0.1 equivalents of iron and zinc, respectively. The addition of Zn(II) to recombinant PepN inhibits catalytic activity, while the addition of iron causes a slight decrease or no change in activity. Further metal binding studies revealed that recombinant PepN tightly binds 5 equivalents of iron and <0.1 equivalents of Zn(II). By using this over-expression and purification system, E. coli PepN can now be obtained in quantities necessary for structural characterization and possibly inhibitor design efforts.     

Purification and characterization of tripeptide aminopeptidase from bovine dental follicles

Tripeptide aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.4) was purified from bovine dental follicles by a series of chromatographies. Purified enzyme had a specific activity of 59.5 units per mg protein with L-prolyl-glycylglycine as substrate. The pH optimum was 8.0. The purified native enzyme had a Mr of 230,000 and was shown to be a tetramer of subunit Mr of 58,000. The isoelectric point was pH 7.0. The enzyme was inhibited 5-5-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid),o-phenanthroline, and bestatin. Substrate specificity studies indicated that the enzyme specifically hydrolyzes the N-terminal amino acid residue from tripeptides only.     

布鲁菌核糖体蛋白L7/L12的表达纯化及生物活性鉴定

目的:原核表达系统表达布鲁菌核糖体蛋白L7/L12与GST的融合蛋白GST-L7/L12,并纯化蛋白L7/L12,建立检测特异性抗体的间接ELISA方法。方法:对含有L7/L12的原核表达载体pGEX-4T-1-L7/L12进行了原核表达。利用亲和层析柱分别纯化融合蛋白GST-L7/L12和蛋白L7/L12,并用SDS-PAGE及Western印迹分析鉴定。以L7/L12为抗原包被微量板,优化抗原包被浓度和羊抗鼠IgG-HRP稀释度,建立间接ELISA方法,并检测其特异性。结果:SDS-PAGE结果显示在相对分子质量为38000和12000处可见纯化蛋白的条带,Western印迹分析表明这2条带均能被免疫兔血清识别,表明获得了纯化的有生物活性的融合蛋白GST-L7/L12和蛋白L7/L12。间接ELISA方法的L7/L12抗原包被浓度为5μg/mL,羊抗鼠酶标二抗稀释度为1∶1000。小鼠免疫血清与L7/L12抗原出现阳性反应,而与布鲁菌融合蛋白OMP31、结核分枝杆菌抗原85b及牛血清白蛋白则呈阴性。结论:成功地对布鲁菌核糖体蛋白L7/L12进行了原核表达和纯化,以其为基础建立的间接ELISA方法稳定且特异。     

Biosynthesis and intracellular pool of aminopeptidase N in rabbit enterocytes

Summary A papain treatment at 15°C and pH 7.3 of a microsomal fraction from rabbit enterocytes quantitatively releases the aminopeptidase N integrated in the plasma membranes without solubilizing the enzyme integrated in the intracellular membranes. Working on A⁺ rabbits, characterized by the presence on the brush-border hydrolases of glycans corresponding to the human blood group A-determinant structure, it was possible to separate the intracellular aminopeptidase into two major molecular forms with or without these determinants. The molecular form devoid of human blood group A antigenicity corresponds to the only stable intermediate of glycosylation, bearing N-linked high mannose oligosaccharides. This endoglycosidase H-sensitive form is fully active and represents in the steady state about 1% of the total cellular aminopeptidase. It contains a cytoplasmic sequence of about 3000 daltons that has not yet been detected in the mature form. The A antigenicity is acquired simultaneously with processing of high mannose glycans to complex glycans. Pulse chase labeling of jejunum loops with [³⁵S]-methionine showed that the complete processing of the transient form synthesized during 10 min takes 1 hr. During the last 30 min of processing, all the newly transformed molecules are transported to the plasma membrane.     

Infection by Brucella melitensis or Brucella papionis modifies essential physiological functions of human trophoblasts

Brucellosis is a zoonosis caused by bacteria of the Brucella genus. In ruminants, brucellosis causes abortion, followed by chronic infection and secretion of bacteria in milk. In humans, it usually presents as flu‐like symptoms, with serious complications if untreated. Epidemiological studies have only recently established that brucellosis can also cause pregnancy complications in women, but the pathogenic mechanisms are unknown. Pioneering studies in ruminants showed that Brucella infect trophoblasts and then colonise the placenta where they grow to high density. A recent study showed that the main zoonotic Brucella species can infect human cytotrophoblasts (CTB) and extravillous trophoblasts (EVT). In this work, we show that Brucella papionis (associated with stillbirth in primates) also infects human trophoblasts. However, it replicates actively in CTB, whereas its replication is very restricted within EVT. We also observed alteration of several trophoblastic functions upon infection by B. papionis or Brucella melitensis (the most prevalent species in human brucellosis). Infection altered the production of hormones, the ability of CTB to form syncytiotrophoblasts, and the invasion capacity of EVT. We also found that infection can spread between different types of trophoblasts. These findings constitute a new step in understanding how Brucella infection causes adverse pregnancy outcomes.     

大螟中肠氨肽酶N基因的克隆及表达谱分析

昆虫中肠氨肽酶N是Bt毒素的重要受体之一, 与Bt毒素的杀虫机制及昆虫Bt抗性的产生密切相关。本研究通过简并引物PCR结合RACE技术克隆并获得大螟 Sesamia inferens Bt受体蛋白--氨肽酶N （aminopeptidase N, APN）基因的cDNA序列全长, 经NCBI同源比对分析, 认为该基因为APN3基因, 并将其命名为SiAPN3（GenBank登录号为HQ636624）。序列分析表明, 该基因的cDNA序列全长为3 411 bp, 开放阅读框为3 018 bp, 编码1 006个氨基酸; 预测蛋白质分子量为114 kD, 等电点为4.95; 其推导的氨基酸序列中具有鳞翅目昆虫氨肽酶N典型的结构特征, 即含有1个N-和12个O-连接的糖基化位点, N-末端具有18个氨基酸的剪切信号肽, 谷氨酸锌化氨肽酶保守结构GAMEN, 锌结合位点HEXXHX18E, C-末端具有22个氨基酸的糖基磷脂酰肌醇(GPI)锚信号肽。采用实时定量PCR研究了SiAPN3在大螟4龄幼虫肠道不同部位和幼虫不同龄期的转录表达谱。结果表明, 该基因在幼虫中肠中的表达量最高, 其次为后肠, 前肠中表达量最低, 且中肠和后肠中的表达量显著高于前肠（P＜0.05）; SiAPN3在3龄幼虫中的表达量最高, 1龄幼虫中最低, 虽然3、 4日龄之间的表达量没有显著差异, 但二者均显著高于其他日龄, 1, 2和5日龄之间不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。该研究为阐明APN基因的功能及大螟对Bt抗性产生的分子机制奠定了基础。     

Subcellular fractionation and subcellular localization of aminopeptidase N in the rabbit enterocytes

Summary A fast and easy procedure is proposed for preparing concomitantly from the same sample of intestinal mucosa of A⁺ rabbits, four fractions high enriched in the brush-border and basolateral plasma membrane domains, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and smooth endoplasmic reticulum plus Golgi apparatus membranes, respectively. This is the first time the technique of flow fluorometry has been applied to characterize the brush-border and basolateral membrane fractions using polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies against antigens common to or specific for these two plasma membrane domains. This technique definitely proves the presence of aminopeptidase in at least 60% of the basolateral membrane vesicles, where its level is about 4.5% of that in the brush-border membrane vesicles. The endoglycosidase H-sensitive intermediate of glycosylation of aminopeptidase N in the steady state is accumulated in both the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum membranes. Although the rough membrane is more extensive it contains only about 40% of this transient form.     

HMGB1 release from trophoblasts contributes to inflammation during Brucella melitensis infection

Brucella melitensis infection causes acute necrotizing inflammation in pregnant animals; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to placentitis are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that high‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) acts as a mediator of placenta inflammation in B. melitensis‐infected pregnant mice model. HMGB1 levels were increased in trophoblasts or placental explant during B. melitensis infection. Inhibition of HMGB1 activity with neutralising antibody significantly reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in B. melitensis‐infected trophoblasts or placenta, whereas administration of recombinant HMGB1 (rHMGB1) increased the inflammatory response. Mechanistically, this decreased inflammatory response results from inhibition of HMGB1 activity, which cause the suppression of both mitogen‐activated protein kinases and nuclear factor kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer of activated B cells (NF‐κB) activation. Moreover, neutralising antibody to HMGB1 prevented B. melitensis infection‐induced activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in trophoblasts. In contrast, in vitro stimulation of trophoblasts with rHMGB1 caused activation of NADPH oxidase and increased the production of ROS, which contributes to high bacterial burden within trophoblasts or placenta. In vivo, treatment with anti‐HMGB1 antibody increases the number of Brucella survival within placenta in B. melitensis‐infected pregnant mice but successfully reduced the severity of placentitis and abortion.     

羊布鲁氏菌的分泌蛋白质组分析

分泌蛋白是指那些分泌到细胞外的蛋白质。布鲁氏菌的分泌蛋白可能介导了病原与宿主之间的相互作用, 在布鲁氏菌的毒力方面发挥一定的作用, 但是研究方法的局限性限制了分泌蛋白的研究。本文报道了利用蛋白质组的方法来寻找羊布鲁氏菌的分泌蛋白。首先用TCA-丙酮法提取布鲁氏菌培养上清中的分泌蛋白, 双向电泳进行分离, 然后用质谱来鉴定这些蛋白, 最终鉴定到40种蛋白。通过生物信息学分析, 发现这些蛋白主要是ABC转运系统的底物结合蛋白、外膜蛋白和热休克蛋白。这些蛋白的识别不仅有助于对布鲁氏菌致病机制的理解, 而且也可为     

An aminopeptidase from Agave americana,isolation and physical characterization

A new aminopeptidase was isolated from Agave americana by fractionation, chromatography and gel filtration. The mw of the enzyme, determined by different procedures was 86000 ± 1500; the enzyme had a sedimentation coefficient of 4.96 S, a diffusion coefficient of 5.2 × 10^?7 cm²/sec, a Stokes radius of 3.8 nm, a partial specific volume of 0.733 cm³/g, a frictional ratio of 1.40, a molecular absorbancy index at 280 nm of 8.36 × 10⁴, an isoelectric point of 4.53 and contained 1.25% carbohydrate. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was determined and the aminoterminal residue was identified as lysine whilst the carboxylterminal residue was either leucine or isoleucine. No subunit structure was observed for the enzyme.     

Selective removal of N-terminal methionine from recombinant human growth hormone by an aminopeptidase isolated from Aspergillus flavus

An aminopeptidase was isolated from a soil fungus, which specifically cleaves the unnatural N-terminal methionine in recombinant human growth hormone. Reaction mixtures with different ratios of aminopeptidase to recombinant methionyl human growth hormone showed that the removal of N-terminal methionine was complete at 1:200 (w/w), and more than 90% complete at ratios up to 1:2000 (w/w) when incubated for 24 h at 37°C. The data indicate that the aminopeptidase we have purified can be used for the efficient conversion of unnatural recombinant proteins to their natural form. Received 18 September 1997/ Accepted in revised form 17 April 1998     

Targeting Brucella melitensis with polymeric nanoparticles containing streptomycin and doxycycline

Treatment and eradication of intracellular pathogens such as Brucella is difficult because infections are localized within phagocytic cells and most antibiotics, although highly active in vitro , do not actively pass through cellular membranes. Thus, an optimum strategy to treat these infections should address targeting of active drugs to the intracellular compartment where the bacteria replicate, and should prolong the release of the antibiotics so that the number of doses and associated toxicity can be reduced. We incorporated streptomycin and doxycycline into macromolecular nanoplexes with anionic homo- and block copolymers via cooperative electrostatic interactions among the cationic drugs and anionic polymers. The approach enabled simultaneous binding of both antibiotics into the nanoplexes, and their use resulted in an improvement in performance as compared with the free drugs. Administration of two doses of the nanoplexes significantly reduced the Brucella melitensis load in the spleens and livers of infected BALB/c mice. The nanoplexes were more effective than free drugs in the spleens (0.72-log and 0.51-log reductions, respectively) and in the livers (0.79-log and 0.42-log reductions, respectively) of the infected mice. Further research regarding the design of optimum nanoplex structures will be directed towards alterations in both the core and the shell properties to investigate the effects of the rates and pathways of entry into immune cells where the brucellae replicate.     

芽孢杆菌N1碱性蛋白酶的克隆表达及酶学性质

【背景】蛋白酶广泛应用于制革行业中,酶法脱毛对环境污染较小,但蛋白酶对化学试剂的不稳定性及胶原降解活性限制了其工业应用。【目的】克隆芽孢杆菌(Bacillussp.)N1基因组的碱性蛋白酶基因,实现其在大肠杆菌中的异源表达,并对重组酶酶学性质及脱毛作用进行研究。【方法】利用基因组文库法克隆获得蛋白酶基因aprG,构建重组大肠杆菌(Escherichiacoli)BL21(DE3)pLysS/pET-28a-aprG。异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导表达该重组酶,以福林酚显色法对其酶学性质进行研究,并将AprG作用于羊皮、兔皮和羽毛。【结果】克隆得到蛋白酶基因aprG,并实现其在大肠杆菌中的表达。重组酶AprG最适反应温度为50°C,最适反应pH为10.0。各种金属离子对AprG活性影响较小,且AprG对表面活性剂和氧化剂、还原剂的耐受性较强。底物特异性分析表明,该酶胶原活性较低。AprG对羊皮和兔皮作用显著,且降解羽毛效果明显。【结论】蛋白酶AprG在制革行业中具有良好的应用前景。