Expression of the GM2-activator protein in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, purification, isotopic labeling, and biophysical characterization

The GM2-activator protein (GM2AP) belongs to a group of five small, nonenzymatic proteins that are essential cofactors for the degradation of glycosphingolipids in the lysosome. It mediates the interaction between the water-soluble enzyme beta-hexosaminidase A and its membrane-embedded substrate, ganglioside GM2, at the lipid-water interphase. Inherited defects in the gene encoding this glycoprotein cause a fatal neurological storage disorder, the AB variant of GM2 gangliosidosis. With the aim to establish a convenient eukaryotic system that allows the efficient production of functionally folded, glycosylated GM2AP and offers the potential of cost-efficient isotopic labeling for structural studies by NMR spectroscopy, we established the expression of recombinant GM2AP in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. For the construction of expression plasmids, either the full cDNA encoding human GM2AP preproprotein was cloned in the expression vector pPIC3.5K, or the cDNA encoding only the mature form of GM2AP was inserted in the vector pPIC9K under control of the alcohol oxidase 1 promoter. Both plasmids led to the successful secretory expression of active, glycosylated GM2AP, which could easily be purified by Ni-NTA chromatography due to the hexahistidine tag introduced at the C-terminus. Remarkably, the expression of this membrane-active protein in P. pastoris was accompanied by two peculiarities which were not encountered in other expression systems for GM2AP: First, a significant fraction of the secreted protein existed in the form of aggregates, and second, considerable amounts of noncovalently bound lipids were associated with the recombinant protein. A three-step purification scheme was therefore devised consisting of Ni-NTA, reversed phase, and gel filtration chromatography, which finally yielded 10-12 mg of purified, monomeric GM2AP per liter of expression supernatant. MALDI- and ESI-TOF mass spectrometry were employed to assess the processing, homogeneity, and glycosylation pattern of the recombinant protein. Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy allowed the interaction of GM2AP with immobilized liposomes to be studied. A modified version of FM22 minimal medium was then used in the cost-effective (15)N-labeling of GM2AP to assess its amenability for the structural investigation by NMR spectroscopy. Initial (15)N,(1)H-HSQC experiments show a well-folded protein and provide evidence for extensive conformational exchange processes within the molecule.     

Improving the baculovirus expression vector system with vankyrin‐enhanced technology

The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is a widely used platform for the production of recombinant eukaryotic proteins. However, the BEVS has limitations in comparison to other higher eukaryotic expression systems. First, the insect cell lines used in the BEVS cannot produce glycoproteins with complex‐type N‐glycosylation patterns. Second, protein production is limited as cells die and lyse in response to baculovirus infection. To delay cell death and lysis, we transformed several insect cell lines with an expression plasmid harboring a vankyrin gene (P‐vank‐1), which encodes an anti‐apoptotic protein. Specifically, we transformed Sf9 cells, Trichoplusia ni High Five^TM cells, and SfSWT‐4 cells, which can produce glycoproteins with complex‐type N‐glycosylation patterns. The latter was included with the aim to increase production of glycoproteins with complex N‐glycans, thereby overcoming the two aforementioned limitations of the BEVS. To further increase vankyrin expression levels and further delay cell death, we also modified baculovirus vectors with the P‐vank‐1 gene. We found that cell lysis was delayed and recombinant glycoprotein yield increased when SfSWT‐4 cells were infected with a vankyrin‐encoding baculovirus. A synergistic effect in elevated levels of recombinant protein production was observed when vankyrin‐expressing cells were combined with a vankyrin‐encoding baculovirus. These effects were observed with various model proteins including medically relevant therapeutic proteins. In summary, we found that cell lysis could be delayed and recombinant protein yields could be increased by using cell lines constitutively expressing vankyrin or vankyrin‐encoding baculovirus vectors. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1496–1507, 2017     

A new Trichoplusia ni cell line for membrane protein expression using a baculovirus expression vector system

A new cell line, MSU-TnT4 (TnT4), was established from Trichoplusia ni embryos for use with baculovirus expression vectors and evaluated for its potential for membrane protein production. To evaluate membrane protein synthesis, recombinant baculoviruses were constructed to express the human neurotensin receptor 1 as an enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion. TnT4 cells had a doubling time of 21 h and expressed the membrane-GFP fusion protein at approximately twice the level as Sf21 cells from the p10 promoter, as evaluated by GFP intensity. Expression of secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) was similar to that of Sf21 cells. Expression of membrane-GFP fusion proteins in recombinant baculoviruses provides a rapid method for evaluating the potential of new cell lines for the production of membrane proteins using a baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS).     

Directional and direct cloning strategy for high-throughput generation of recombinant baculoviruses

The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) has become one of the most widely used systems for routine protein expression. We have developed an improved strategy to clone foreign genes directionally and directly into the baculovirus genome vector via a one-step procedure to generate recombinant viruses in a week. In this work, we constructed a host strain Escherichia coli DH10BacHB1.1, which contains the modified baculovirus shuttle genome vector pHBMBacmid1.1 for the cloning vector. The treated PCR products of foreign genes were ligated with the Bsu36I-digested vector. Then Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells were transfected directly with the ligation mixture. Using this method, the DsRed fluorescence protein and mannanase genes have been cloned in the baculovirus genome and expressed in the Sf9 cells. This strategy not only provides a means for high-throughput construction of recombinant baculoviruses, but also offers an idea of constructing other large plasmids and DNA virus-based expression vectors.     

CFP10-ESAT-6-MPB64在杆状病毒系统中的表达纯化及免疫原性鉴定

目的：在杆状病毒昆虫细胞表达系统（baculovirus expression vector system,BEVS）中表达结核分枝杆菌蛋白CFP10-ESAT-6-MPB64,并鉴定其免疫原性。方法：目的基因CFP10-ESAT-6-MPB64连接到pFastBac转移载体并转化DH10Bac感受态,通过Tn7转座片段将目的基因转座到Bacmid中,得到Bacmid-CFP10-ESAT-6-MPB64穿梭载体,脂质体包被后转染Spodoptera frugiperda（Sf9）细胞收获病毒,病毒转染细胞后收集上清通过Co亲和层析纯化得到目的蛋白。纯化的蛋白免疫Balb/c小鼠并检测血清中特异性抗体滴度及PPD抗体,ELISA检测CFP10-ESAT-6-MPB64蛋白刺激脾脏细胞产生IFN-γ的浓度,MTT法检测目的蛋白对免疫后小鼠脾脏细胞的增殖作用。结果：CFP10-ESAT-6-MPB64在昆虫细胞中成功表达,纯化后蛋白纯度达90%以上,蛋白产量为42mg/L,纯化蛋白能有效刺激Balb/c小鼠产生抗体,提高小鼠脾脏细胞培养基中IFN-γ的含量,目的蛋白在1~50μg/ml之间对脾脏细胞有明显的促增殖作用。     

用Bac-to-Bac杆状病毒系统表达人生长激素

利用Bac to Bac杆状病毒载体表达系统将人生长激素 (humangrowthhormone ,hGH)基因cDNA克隆至转移载体pFastBac1中 ,得到pFastBac hGH ,再将其转化进入含穿梭载体Bacmid的受体菌DH10Bac中 ,发生转座作用 ,得到含hGH基因的重组穿梭载体rBacmid hGH .纯化DNA ,直接转染培养的昆虫细胞Sf9,得到重组病毒rAcV Bac hGH .经酶切PCR及Southern杂交鉴定 ,hGH基因正确地插入病毒基因组的多角体蛋白基因启动子下 ,SDS PAGE测得产物蛋白分子量为 2 2kD左右 .用免疫化学发光法测得转染上清中hGH表达水平可达 18μg ml ,与用传统的BEVS表达hGH相比 ,转染上清中hGH表达水平提高 4 0 0倍以上     

Estrogen receptor beta yield from baculovirus lytic infection is higher than from stably transformed Sf21 cells

The production of estrogen receptors (ER) in cultured insect cells is advantageous because these cells are relatively easy to culture and they perform post-translation modifications necessary for protein stability and function. There are three options for protein expression in insect cells: transient transfection, lytic baculovirus infection, or transfection followed by selection to create stable cell lines. Stable transfection has been promoted to be advantageous for the production of recombinant proteins because no re-infection is required, which might provide better lot-to-lot reproducibility in protein production. In this paper, we demonstrate that lytic baculovirus infection of Sf21 cells yields approximately tenfold more bioactive ERβ than cells stably transformed with pIZ/V5-His plasmid under OpIE2 promoter. We provide the first evidence that stable expression of recombinant human ERβ decreases the proliferation of Sf21 cells by inhibition of cell replication in a ligand-independent manner. These results mirror findings in breast cancer cells showing that an increase in ERβ expression decreases cell proliferation. We conclude that baculovirus infection of Sf21 cells is better for human ERβ production than stable-transformation of Sf21 cells.     

High-level expression of biologically active human prolactin from recombinant baculovirus in insect cells

We examined the feasibility of high-level production of recombinant human prolactin, a multifunctional protein hormone, in insect cells using a baculovirus expression system. The human prolactin cDNA with and without the secretory signal sequence was cloned into pFastBac1 baculovirus vector under the control of polyhedrin promoter. Prolactin was produced upon infection of either Sf9 or High-Five cells with the recombinant baculovirus containing the human prolactin cDNA. The production of recombinant prolactin varied from 20 to 40 mg/L of monolayer culture, depending on the cell types. The prolactin polypeptide with its own secretory signal was secreted into the medium. N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the recombinant polypeptide purified from the culture medium indicated that the protein was processed similar to human pituitary prolactin. Carbohydrate analysis of the purified protein indicated that a fraction of the recombinant prolactin made in insect cells appeared to be glycosylated. Also, both secreted and nonsecreted forms of the recombinant prolactin in insect cells were biologically equivalent to the native human prolactin (pituitary derived) in the Nb2 lymphoma cell proliferation assay.     

The 5' untranslated region of Perina nuda virus (PnV) possesses a strong internal translation activity in baculovirus-infected insect cells

A bicistronic baculovirus expression vector and fluorescent protein-based assays were used to identify the sequences that possess internal translation activity in baculovirus-infected insect cells. We demonstrated that the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR; 473 nucleotides) of Perina nuda virus (PnV) and the 5'UTR (579 nucleotides) of Rhopalosiphum padi virus (RhPV), but not the IRES sequence of Cricket paralysis virus, have internal translation activity in baculovirus-infected Sf21 cells. In addition, we found that including the first 22 codons of the predicted PnV open reading frame (ORF; a total of 539 nucleotides) enhanced internal translation activity by approximately 18 times. This is the first report of internal translation activity for a baculovirus expression system (BEVS) in the iflavirus 5' sequence and may facilitate the development of polycistronic baculovirus transfer vectors that can be used in BEVS for the production of multiple protein complexes.     

Comparative analysis of GFP(UV)-beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 production in two insect-cell-based expression systems

Active beta1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 (beta3GnT2) was produced in the baculovirus expression system (BES) and in stably transformed insect Tn-5B1-4 cells. beta3GnT2 was expressed as a secreted fusion protein with GFP(UV) with three different types of signal sequence to enhance the secretion of the fusion protein. In the stably transformed cells, the maximal beta3GnT2 activity differed between isolates, but their secretion efficiencies were similar. The difference between the maximal beta3GnT activities of the isolates studied was considered to be due to the presence of a copy number of the fusion gene, as determined on the basis of the results of Southern blot analysis. The beta3GnT activities of the culture supernatant in BES (Tn-5B1-4 cells) without or with the addition of the protease inhibitor, leupeptin, were 0.68 and 2.01 mU/ml, respectively. The stably transformed Tn-5B1-4 cells (Tn-pXme11) exhibited a beta3GnT activity of 6.83 mU/ml, which was 3.4-fold higher than that observed for BES with the leupeptin addition. The purity of fusion protein purified from the culture supernatant of the Tn-pXme11 was higher than 95% on SDS-PAGE, in contrast with that purified from the culture supernatant of the baculovirus-infected cells which contained low-molecular-weight fragments of the fusion protein. The stably transformed cell line is more suitable than BES for the efficient production of the secretory protein, beta3GnT2.     

High-efficiency expression of mammalian beta-adrenergic receptors in baculovirus-infected insect cells

Infection of a clonal isolate of Spodoptera frugiperda cells (Sf9) with a baculovirus expression vector harboring the cDNA encoding the beta-adrenergic receptor resulted in a high efficiency expression. At 48 hr post-infection, the level of expression of beta-adrenergic receptors was approximately 12 million/cell. Specific activities of crude lysates of infected Sf9 cells were approximately 30 pmol/mg of protein, 5-fold greater than those of membranes of high-expressor Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with an SV-40 expression vector. One liter of infected Sf9 cells expresses 20-40 nmol of receptor. Autoradiography of membranes incubated with the beta-adrenergic antagonist [125I]iodoazidobenzylpindolol, photolyzed, and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed 46,000- (presumably unglycosylated) and 48,000-Mr peptides for Sf9 cells as compared to approximately 65,000-Mr for Chinese hamster ovary cells. The baculovirus Sf9 system provides high-efficiency expression of receptor sufficient to permit physicochemical analyses.     

Catalase effect on cell death for the improvement of recombinant protein production in baculovirus-insect cell system

Baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) in host insect cells is a powerful technology to produce recombinant proteins, as well as virus-like particles (VLP). However, BEVS is based on baculovirus infection, which limits the recombinant protein production by inducing insect cell death. Herein a new strategy to enhance cell life span and to increase recombinant protein production was developed. As baculovirus infection induces cellular oxidative stress, the ability of several antioxidants to inhibit cell death was tested during infection. The production of rotavirus structural proteins was used as model to analyse this new strategy. We found that only catalase is able to partially prevent cell death triggered by baculovirus infection and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. An increase in recombinant protein production was coupled with the partial cell death inhibition. In summary, the addition of catalase is a promising strategy to improve recombinant protein production in BEVS, by delaying insect cell death.     

Expression of the cardiac Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger in insect cells using a baculovirus vector.

We constructed a recombinant baculovirus containing cardiac Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger cDNA under control of the polyhedrin promoter. When either Sf9 or Sf21 insect cells are infected with the recombinant baculovirus, both Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger protein and Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange activity are expressed at high level. The exchanger protein can be detected either by immunoblot or by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole cell lysate. At maximal expression, the exchanger protein comprises about 3-5% of total cell protein. The Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger can be purified by alkaline extraction of infected cells followed by elution from a Bio-Rad Prep Cell. The expressed exchanger, in contrast to the native sarcolemmal exchanger, is not glycosylated. Sf9 cells expressing the exchanger are intensely stained by anti-exchanger antibodies as observed by immunofluorescence. The expressed exchanger is predominantly in the cell plasma membrane since it is susceptible to extracellular trypsin. In 45Ca2+ flux experiments, the expressed Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange activity is about 4-fold higher than that in cultured neonatal rat heart cells. The expressed exchanger was also analyzed electrophysiologically using whole cell patch clamp techniques. The characteristics of inward exchange currents in infected Sf21 cells are very similar to those of ventricular myocytes, although of a larger magnitude.     

Expression of caltrin in the baculovirus system and its purification in high yield and purity by cobalt (II) affinity chromatography

Direct protein extraction from animals is the only approach available to obtain caltrin, calcium transport inhibitor. Here we report the expression and purification of caltrin, previously shown to hinder the influx of calcium into epididymal spermatozoa. Cloning of the caltrin gene into the pCDNA3.1 V5/His-TOPO vector and the subsequent ligation of the caltrin-His sequence into the transfer vector pBacPAK9 allowed the expression of recombinant caltrin using the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). Recombinant His-tagged caltrin was purified utilising both nickel (II)-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni(2+)-NTA) and cobalt (II)-carboxymethylaspartate (Co(2+)-CmAsp) immobilised metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). Using the BEVS, caltrin-His was identified in the supernatant and in the cell lysate, suggesting that caltrin is a secreted protein. Based on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot results, purified recombinant caltrin-His was ascertained to be approximately 14.5kDa. Purification under the Co(2+) system yielded significantly purer protein samples when compared to the Ni(2+) system. Furthermore, Co(2+) was observed to bind the recombinant caltrin-His protein with higher efficiency and specificity and to yield a higher total protein concentration. Collectively, our results indicate that the Co(2+) system would be a better approach for purifying caltrin-His proteins than the Ni(2+).     

丙型肝炎病毒RNA多聚酶在昆虫细胞中的表达

ＨＣＶ ＮＳ５Ｂ基因片段克隆入ＢＡＣ－ＴＯ－ＢＡＣ＾ＴＭ重组杆状病毒表达系统的ｐＦＡＳＴＨＴｃ载体质粒,转化ＤＨ１０ＢＡＣ＾ＴＭ感受态细菌获得重组的Ｂａｃｍｉｄ质粒,将重组Ｂａｃｍｉｄ质粒转染Ｓｆ细胞,获得的重组杆状病毒可表达目的蛋白。免疫印迹和体外活性检测表明,所表达蛋白为ＨＣＶ ＮＳ５Ｂ蛋白,具有多聚酶活性。     

Analysis of an insect neuropeptide, Schistocerca gregaria ion transport peptide (ITP), expressed in insect cell systems

We have produced an active form of Schistocerca gregaria ion transport peptide (ITP) in an insect cell expression system. Transformed Drosophila Kc1 cells secreted a form of ITP into the cell culture medium that was proteolytically cleaved correctly at the amino (N)-terminus. Concentrated culture supernatant from transformed Kc1 and Hi5 cells had high biological activity when tested on isolated locust ilea. Conversely, ITP expressed by baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells was larger in size and had decreased specific activity compared to ITP produced by Kc1 cells due to incorrect cleavage of the peptide at the N-terminus in the baculovirus system. This demonstrates how processing of the secreted foreign protein (ITP) expressed under the late polyhedrin promoter is compromised in a baculovirus-infected cell. Transient transformation of Kc1 cells results in supernatants containing two forms of ITP; one form (A) co-elutes with synthetic ITP and the other form (B) has reduced electrophoretic mobility. In contrast, in stably transformed Kc1 cell supernatant, ITP is expressed in a single form, which has the same electrophoretic mobility and specific biological activity as form A produced by transiently transformed Kc1 cells. Arch.     

杆状病毒表达系统的改进及IL-6在昆虫细胞内的表达和纯化

使用同源重组方法,在昆虫细胞内将多角体启动子驱动的EGFP表达盒插入杆状病毒穿梭载体Bacmid的p74位相,经5轮空斑纯化获得重组穿梭载体Bacmid-egfp。然后将Bacmid-egfp转化含转座助手质粒的E.coliDH10B,获得受体菌E.coliDH10Bac-egfp,由于Bacmid-egfp保留了完整的转座结构和α互补功能,因此该菌株和原始E.coliDH10Bac一样能有效的利用各种pFastBac系列的载体进行转座并构建出能指示病毒繁殖和目的基因表达的重组病毒。使用红色荧光蛋白DsRed对系统进行了验证,结果表明重组病毒Bac-egfp-DsRed感染的细胞中绿色荧光蛋白和红色荧光蛋白均得到了高效表达。进一步使用该系统在昆虫细胞中高效表达并纯化了IL-6蛋白,为研究和应用该细胞因子提供物质基础,同时也进一步证明所改造的杆状病毒表达系统的可靠性和实用性。     

重组含有Epstein-Barr病毒潜伏膜蛋白1(LMP1)基因的杆状病毒在昆虫细胞中的表达

用杆状病毒表达系统重组病毒,在昆虫细胞中表达了完整的含有ＥＢＶ－ＬＭＰ１基因３个外显子开放读码框架的长２．３ｋｂ的ｃＤＮＡ片段。用重组病毒感染Ｓｆ９细胞,用免疫荧光染色,结果表明：４８小时表达重组蛋白,７２小时细胞较完整,免疫荧光染色强阳性,９６小时后细胞出现破碎。我们采集７２小时的组织培养上清和细胞破碎裂解液,分别采用ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ、ＨＰＬＣ分子筛法,用免疫蛋白印迹法实验证明,表达的蛋白能被抗ＬＭＰ１的单克隆抗体所识别,测定表达蛋白的分子量为６０ｋＤ。经蛋白含量扫描图分析,采用Ｓｅｐｈａｄｅｘ－７５柱初步纯化表达的ＬＭＰ１蛋白,将后者进行裸鼠体内致瘤实验,未见肿瘤生长。