Peptide binding to Geminin and inhibitory for DNA replication

Geminin binds to Cdt1 to ensure that DNA replication occurs only once during the cell cycle. To identify the peptide that binds to Geminin and thereby modifies the latter's ability to alter the DNA replication activity in human cancer cells, we screened a phage display library of random peptides in successive cycles of phage library panning and found one peptide sequence that bound to the 31-111 amino acid residues of Geminin. Delivery of this peptide sequence into the nucleus of HCT116 human colon cancer cells resulted in the suppression of BrdU incorporation. These results provide new insights into the function of Geminin and further validate Geminin as a potential therapeutic target in tumors.     

利用噬菌体肽库筛选与HIV-1p24抗原结合的多肽

通过噬菌体展示技术筛选出与HIV-1p24抗原结合的多肽,为用多肽辅助p24抗原检测提供实验基础.以重组p24抗原为靶蛋白,对噬菌体随机七肽库进行三轮筛选,用EUSA鉴定第三轮筛选到的噬菌体克隆与p24重组抗原的结合能力,再对噬菌体克隆进行测序分析,同时研究了ELISA中噬菌体加入量及多种封闭剂对噬菌体特异性结合能力的...     

噬菌体短肽库的构建及其随机短肽的多样性

噬菌体短肽库是将随机合成的寡核苷酸序列通过与单链噬菌体外壳蛋白基因融合,从而将随机短肽表达于噬菌体的表面。将体外随机化学合成的寡聚核苷酸序列重组到单价噬菌体表达载体,构建了噬菌体短肽库,证明其库容为２×１０￣７集落形成单位（ｃｆｕ）,重组率为９３％。同时将１１个随机克隆进行序列测定,证实其寡聚核苷酸序列和氨基酸的分布几乎是完全随机的,其多样性可以满足特异性短肽筛选的要求。     

Engineering a peptide epitope display system on filamentous bacteriophage

Abstract: The genome of bacteriophage fd has been engineered to allow foreign amino acid sequences to be displayed in the exposed N-terminal segment of the major coat protein in the virus particle: small peptides can be encoded directly; larger peptides are encoded in hybrid virions, in which wild-type coat protein subunits are interspersed with coat proteins displaying the foreign peptides. Biophysical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, indicate that the inclusion of the peptides can be achieved without significant disturbance to the helical parameters that define the protein—protein interactions in the assembled virion and the exposure of the peptides can be verified by analysing the susceptibility to attack by proteolytic enzymes. Peptide sequences from the V3 loop of the surface glycoprotein gp120 of HIV-1 strain MN (HIV-1_MN) displayed in this way are remarkably effective structural mimics of the natural epitope. They are recognised by human HIV antisera and evoke high titres of virus-neutralizing antibodies in mice. Antibody production is stimulated by simultaneous inoculation with T cell epitopes similarly displayed on filamentous bacteriophage. The bacteriophage display system offers a powerful means of studying the immunological recognition of proteins. The specificity of the immune response, the ability to recruit helper T cells, the lack of need for external adjuvants and the structural mimicry of defined peptide epitopes, suggest that it will also be an inexpensive and simple route to the production of effective vaccines.     

Biotechnology techniques for the development of new tumor specific peptides

Peptides, proteins and antibodies are promising candidates as carriers for radionuclides in endoradiotherapy. This novel class of pharmaceuticals offers a great potential for the targeted therapy of cancer. The fact that some receptors are overexpressed in several tumor types and can be targeted by small peptides, proteins or antibodies conjugated to radionuclides has been used in the past for the development of peptide endoradiotherapeutic agents such as ⁹⁰Y-DOTATOC or radioimmunotherapy of lymphomas with Zevalin. These procedures have been shown to be powerful options for the treatment of cancer patients.Design of new peptide libraries and scaffolds combined with biopanning techniques like phage and ribosome display may lead to the discovery of new specific ligands for target structures overexpressed in malignant tumors. Display methods are high throughput systems which select for high affinity binders. These methods allow the screening of a vast amount of potential binding motifs which may be exposed to either cells overexpressing the target structures or in a cell-free system to the protein itself. Labelling these binders with radionuclides creates new potential tracers for application in diagnosis and endoradiotherapy. This review highlights the advantages and problems of phage and ribosome display for the identification and evaluation of new tumor specific peptides.     

Identification of a murine ICAM-1-specific peptide by subtractive phage library selection on cells

The ICAM-1 adhesion molecule is expressed selectively at low levels on endothelial cells but is strongly upregulated in dysfunctional endothelial cells associated with inflammation, cancer, and atherogenesis. Using COS-7 cells transfected with murine ICAM-1 (mICAM-1) as a target receptor, a phage display library was screened. Clones were selected by elution with a mAb specific for a functional epitope of ICAM-1 and a novel peptide sequence binding to the extracellular domain of mICAM-1 was identified that can potentially be used as a targeting vector aimed at dysfunctional endothelium. We further showed that the targeting specificity of the peptide was retained following its incorporation at the N terminal end of a large chimeric protein. Moreover, this chimeric protein containing the mICAM-1-specific sequence was found to inhibit ICAM-1-mediated intercellular adhesion during antigen presentation. Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential for improving the cell-selectivity and properties of therapeutical agents toward targeting adhesion molecules involved in cell-cell interactions.     

噬菌体展示技术及其在肿瘤研究中的应用

噬菌体表面展示技术是一项特异性多肽或蛋白的筛选技术,它将随机序列的多肽或蛋白片段与噬菌体衣壳蛋白融合表达而呈现于病毒表面,被展示的多肽能保持相对独立的空间结构,使其能够与配体作用而达到模仿性筛选特异性分子表位,从而提供了高通量高效率的筛选系统。近年来噬菌体展示技术已广泛应用于肿瘤抗原抗体库的建立、单克隆抗体制备、多肽筛选、疫苗研制、肿瘤相关抗原筛选和抗原表位研究、药物设计、癌症检测和诊断、基因治疗及细胞信号转导研究等。就近年来噬菌体展示技术在肿瘤相关研究中的运用作以综述。     

Phage display identification of functional binding peptides against 4-acetamidophenol (Paracetamol): an exemplified approach to target low molecular weight organic molecules

Peptide-phage display has been widely used to explore protein-protein interactions, however, despite the potential range of applications the use of this technology to identify peptides that bind low molecular weight organic molecules has not been explored. In this current study, we identified a phage clone (PARA-061) displaying the cyclic 7-mer peptide sequence N' AC-NPNNLSH-CGGGS C' that binds the low molecular weight organic molecule 4-acetamidophenol (4-AAP; paracetamol). To avoid occupancy of key functional groups on the target 4-AAP molecule our panning strategy was directed against insoluble complexes of 4-AAP rather than against the target linked to a stationary support or bearing an affinity tag. To augment the panning procedure we deleted phage that also bound the 4-AAP isomers, 2-AAP and 3-AAP. The identified PARA-061 peptide-phage clone displayed functional binding properties against 4-AAP in solution, able in a peptide sequence-dependant manner to prevent the in vitro hepatotoxicity of 4-AAP and reduce ( approximately 20%) the permeability of 4-AAP across a semi-permeable membrane. Molecular dynamic simulations generated a stable binding conformation between the PARA-061 peptide sequence and 4-AAP. In conclusion, we show that a phage display library can be used to identify peptide sequence-specific clones able to modulate the functional binding of a low molecular weight organic molecule. Such peptides may be expected to find utility in the next generation of hybrid polymer-based biosensing devices.     

A screening of phage displayed peptides for the recognition of fullerene (C60)

A novel approach to develop a peptide, that can recognize fullerene (C60) is described for affinity selection of phage displayed peptides from a combinatorial peptide library. Biopanning was performed using cyclic 7-mer peptide library against C60 films deposited on silicon (Si) substrate, and eluted phages with organic solvent. The phage, that recognized C60 films deposited on Si substrate, were obtained from biopanning. The nucleotides of the phage, coding a cyclic 7-mer peptide, were sequenced by standard method. Seventeen kinds of peptide displayed phages were obtained. One kind of peptide (peptide No. 4) displayed phage recognized the C60 films deposited on Si substrate. Peptide No. 4 displayed no affinity towards the Si substrate. The recognition event was monitored by a fluorescent immunoassay. Additionally, peptide No. 4 phage could recognize C60 in powder form, but not the graphite powder. This recognition event in powder form was also observed by a fluorescent immunoassay.     

Peptide phage display library as source for inhibitors of clostridial neurotoxins

Clostridial neurotoxins are the most powerful toxins known. There are no available antidotes to neutralize neurotoxins after they have been internalized by neuronal cells. Enzymatic domains of clostridial neurotoxins are zinc-endopeptidases specific for protein components of the neuroexocytosis apparatus. Thus, attempts were made to find such antidotes among molecules possessing chelating properties. Subsequently, it was proposed that the process of interaction between clostridial neurotoxins and their substrates might be more complex than viewed previously and may include several separate regions of interaction. Phage display technology is free from bias toward any particular model. This technology in combination with recombinantly produced light chains of botulinum neurotoxins serotypes A, B, and C was used to identify potential inhibitors of clostridial neurotoxins. Identified sequences did not show substantial similarity with substrate proteins of clostridial neurotoxins. Nevertheless, three peptides chosen for further analysis were able to inhibit enzymatic activity of all clostridial neurotoxins tested. This work demonstrates that at least one of these peptides could not be cleaved by clostridial neurotoxin. Attempts to delete amino acid residues from this peptide resulted in dramatic loss of its inhibitory activity. Finally, this work presents a novel approach to searching for inhibitors of clostridial neurotoxins.     

Use of in vivo phage display to engineer novel adenoviruses for targeted delivery to the cardiac vasculature

We performed in vivo phage display in the stroke prone spontaneously hypertensive rat, a cardiovascular disease model, and the normotensive Wistar Kyoto rat to identify cardiac targeting peptides, and then assessed each in the context of viral gene delivery. We identified both common and strain-selective peptides, potentially indicating ubiquitous markers and those found selectively in dysfunctional microvasculature of the heart. We show the utility of the peptide, DDTRHWG, for targeted gene delivery in human cells and rats in vivo when cloned into the fiber protein of subgroup D adenovirus 19p. This study therefore identifies cardiac targeting peptides by in vivo phage display and the potential of a candidate peptide for vector targeting strategies.     

胰凝乳蛋白酶短肽抑制剂的筛选和活性分析

报道了一种从噬菌体肽库中筛选胰凝乳蛋白酶短肽抑制剂的新方法．在通常的亲和富集筛选的基础上,利用胰凝乳蛋白酶自身的水解活力切割掉结合的底物噬菌体,再经抑制活力分析得到抑制性噬菌体克隆．这样筛得的噬菌体克隆具有明显的胰凝乳蛋白酶结合活力和抑制活力,ＤＮＡ序列分析发现其保守序列为（Ｓ／Ｔ）ＲＶＰＲ（Ｒ／Ｈ）．按此序列化学合成的短肽Ａｃ－ＡＳＲＶＰＲＲＧ－ＮＨ２、Ａｃ－ＡＳＲＶＰＲＨＧ－ＮＨ２同样表现出对胰凝乳蛋白酶的抑制作用．该方法为蛋白酶短肽抑制剂的筛选提供了一条有效途径     

Identification of cytidine-5-triphosphate synthase1-selective inhibitory peptide from random peptide library displayed on T7 phage

Cytidine triphosphate synthase 1 (CTPS1) is an enzyme expressed in activated lymphocytes that catalyzes the conversion of uridine triphosphate (UTP) to cytidine triphosphate (CTP) with ATP-dependent amination, using either L-glutamine or ammonia as the nitrogen source. Since CTP plays an important role in DNA/RNA synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, and protein sialyation, CTPS1-inhibition is expected to control lymphocyte proliferation and size expansion in inflammatory diseases. In contrast, CTPS2, an isozyme of CTPS1 possessing 74% amino acid sequence homology, is expressed in normal lymphocytes. Thus, CTPS1-selective inhibition is important to avoid undesirable side effects. Here, we report the discovery of CTpep-3: Ac-FRLGLLKAFRRLF-OH from random peptide libraries displayed on T7 phage, which exhibited CTPS1-selective binding with a K_D value of 210 nM in SPR analysis and CTPS1-selective inhibition with an IC₅₀ value of 110 nM in the enzyme assay. Furthermore, two fundamentally different approaches, enzyme inhibition assay and HDX-MS, provided the same conclusion that CTpep-3 acts by binding to the amidoligase (ALase) domain on CTPS1. To our knowledge, CTpep-3 is the first CTPS1-selective inhibitor.     

A peptide inhibitor of MurA UDP-N-acetylglucosamine enolpyruvyl transferase: the first committed step in peptidoglycan biosynthesis

The MurA enzyme from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was purified to homogeneity and found to be biologically active as a UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UNAG) enolpyruvyl transferase in a coupled enzyme assay where ATPase activity was measured by the release of inorganic phosphate. A microtiter plate assay coupled to competitive biopanning using the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine was used to screen 10⁹ C-7-C and 12-mers peptides from phage display libraries. From 60 phage-encoded peptides identified after the fourth round of biopanning, deduced amino acid sequences were aligned and two peptides were synthesized and tested for inhibition of the MurA-catalyzed reaction. The PEP 1354 peptide inhibited the ATPase activity of MurA with an IC₅₀ value of 200 μM and was found to be a competitive inhibitor of UNAG. The pre-incubation of MurA with inhibitor indicated a time-independent inhibition. This time-dependent inhibition is the first report of peptide inhibitors of MurA, which represent the scaffold for the synthesis of inhibitory peptidomimetic molecules.     

Lysis protein T of bacteriophage T4

Summary Lysis protein T of phage T4 is required to allow the phage's lysozyme to reach the murein layer of the cell envelope and cause lysis. Using fusions of the cloned gene t with that of the Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase or a fragment of the gene for the outer membrane protein OmpA, it was possible to identify T as an integral protein of the plasma membrane. The protein was present in the membrane as a homooligomer and was active at very low cellular concentrations. Expression of the cloned gene t was lethal without causing gross leakiness of the membrane. The functional equivalent of T in phage is protein S. An amber mutant of gene S can be complemented by gene t, although neither protein R of (the functional equivalent of T4 lysozyme) nor S possess any sequence similarity with their T4 counterparts. The murein-degrading enzymes (including that of phage P22) have in common a relatively small size (molecular masses of ca. 18 000) and a rather basic nature not exhibited by other E. coli cystosolic proteins. The results suggest that T acts as a pore that is specific for this type of enzyme.     

在肽库中筛选抗磷脂抗体的小肽抑制剂

β２糖蛋白Ⅰ（ｂｅｔａ－２－ｇｌｙｃｏｐｒｏｔｅｉｎ Ⅰ,β２ＧＰＩ）是一分子量为５０ ｋＤ的糖蛋白．从抗磷脂抗体综合症（Ａｎｔｉｐｈｏｓｐｈｏｌｉｐｉｄ ａｎｔｉｂｏｄｉｅｓ ｓｙｎｄｒｏｍ ,ＡＰＳ）患者身上获得的抗体可直接与β２ＧＰＩ作用．以β２ＧＰＩ为目标分子,在噬菌体十五肽库中筛选抗β２糖蛋白Ⅰ抗体的小肽抑制剂．通过四轮亲和性筛选,噬菌体的回收率从１．２６×１０－ ４％ 增加到３．１９×１０－ ２％ ．随机挑取噬菌体克隆测定其与β２ＧＰＩ的结合活性及其对β２ＧＰＩ与自身抗体结合的抑制活性,其中部分噬菌体克隆表现出４０％ 的抑制活性．经ＤＮＡ 序列测定,得到一组相关序列．该结果为研究β２ＧＰＩ的抗原表位奠定了良好的基础．     

Comprehensive N-Methyl Scanning of a Potent Peptide Inhibitor of Malaria Invasion into Erythrocytes Leads to Pharmacokinetic Optimization of the Molecule

Apical membrane antigen-1 is a protein found in the merozoite stage of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and has been shown to be critical in the invasion of host erythrocytes. Using a random peptide library displayed on the surface of phage, a 20-residue peptide, R1 (VFAEFLPLFSKFGSRMHILK), was identified which specifically recognized and bound to P. falciparum AMA-1. Moreover, the peptide was found to competitively inhibit parasite invasion of red blood cells (RBC). In this study we report the synthesis and properties of the R1 peptide modified by comprehensive N-methyl scanning along the backbone of the peptide. The native R1 and eighteen R1 analogues containing single N-methyl substitutions were synthesized by manual solid-phase Fmoc peptide chemistry. The set of N-methylated peptides was assessed for relative binding affinity with Pf AMA-1 and RBC invasion inhibitory ability. N-methylation in positions 1, 8, and 14 in the R1 peptide produced analogues exhibiting stronger binding characteristics to Pf AMA-1. A tri N-methylated peptide was more than 10 times more active in the inhibition of RBC invasion assay. This peptide also exhibited enhanced serum stability which may be partially responsible for the increase in binding and bioactivity. We have therefore shown that modifications to a biologically active peptide can dramatically enhance activity and potentially provide a lead to a peptide therapeutic molecule with optimized pharmacokinetic properties.     

Presentation of the functional receptor-binding domain of the bacterial adhesin F17a-G on bacteriophage M13

Bovine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) carrying F17a fimbriae attach to the intestinal epithelium by means of the F17a-G adhesin. Since filamentous bacteriophages can be employed for the display of foreign peptides, we tested the applicability of this system to F17a-G. The receptor-binding domain of the F17a-G adhesin was expressed on bacteriophage M13, as an amino-terminal fusion with the phage protein pIII. This domain retained its N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosamine binding activity. The phage presenting the fimbrial receptor-binding domain elicited an IgG response against F17a-G after intraperitoneal immunisation of mice.     

Phage display selection of peptides that inhibit metastasis ability of gastric cancer cells with high liver-metastatic potential

Organ-specific metastasis is an important character of cancer cells. Cancer cells that can metastasize to a special organ were thought to have different proteins in cell membrane, which might have potential utility as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. In the present work, based on high liver-metastatic gastric cancer cells, XGC9811-L, a screening approach with phage displayed peptide library, was successfully used to isolate 8-mer peptide ligands binding to the target cells. The phage20 had the highest binding efficiency to XGC9811-L cells, which also displayed remarkable cell specificity. Peptide20 that was displayed on phage20 could suppress the motility and invasion of XGC9811-L significantly. The adhesive ability of XGC9811-L to collagen IV was also inhibited by peptide20. Furthermore, phage20 could significantly reduce the incidence of liver metastasis of gastric cancer transplanted into nude mice and was also beneficial for the reduction the number of metastatic nodules in the liver. In conclusion, the phage display is an effective method to screen for the new molecules associated with organ-specific metastasis. The selected peptide20 can reverse the liver metastasis behavior of the gastric cancer cells.     

Construction and exploitation in model experiments of functional selection of a landscape library expressed from a phagemid

Phage display has evolved during the past 15 years as a powerful technique to select, from libraries of peptides or proteins, binders for various targets or to evolve new functions in proteins. In recent years, the knowledge acquired in phage display technology was exploited to engineer phages as vehicles for receptor-mediated gene delivery. The first vectors generated provided the proof of the concept that development of gene delivery vehicles based on phages was feasible. Results obtained showed that the level of receptor ligand display was an essential factor that determines the efficiency of transduction and suggested that phagemids might be more appropriate than phages for gene delivery. However, due to the limitations of the existing display systems, vectors constructed up to now allowed only relatively low levels of ligand display. The transduction efficiency of these vectors was relatively poor. Here, we describe the construction and optimization of a new phagemid display system that was designed to allow the functional selection of peptides that promote gene delivery from phagemids in a high display format. Peptides are displayed on every copy of the major coat protein pVIII and are expressed from the phagemid itself. The phagemid is rescued as particles by a modified R408 helper phage, deficient in pVIII production. Besides an expression cassette for pVIII, the phagemid also contains the SV40 origin of replication, the GFP gene and the neomycin resistance marker. As a model we constructed a library of octapeptides and showed that the library is amenable to selection on cos-7 cells. Several selection approaches were investigated and a preliminary analysis of the peptides selected was carried out.