内含肽介导的氯离子通道蛋白CFTR的反式剪接

研究利用内含肽(intein)的蛋白质反式剪接功能在大肠杆菌中对囊性纤维化跨膜传导调节因子(cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator, CFTR)的反式剪接作用.CFTR基因突变导致一种常染色体隐性遗传疾病囊性纤维化(cystic fibrosis, CF).将CFTR的cDNA于剪接反应所需的保守性氨基酸残基Ser-660前断裂为N端和C端,分别与split mini Ssp DnaB 内含肽的106个氨基酸残基的N端和48个氨基酸残基的C端编码序列融合,构建到原核表达载体pBV220 诱导表达后SDS-PAGE可见预期大小剪接形成的CFTR蛋白条带,Western印迹用CFTR特异性抗体进一步证明为剪接所产生的CFTR蛋白,表明内含肽可有效催化CFTR的反式剪接.     

Ssp DnaB intein大肠杆菌中介导FVIII重链和轻链的连接

研究利用intein的蛋白质反式剪接功能在大肠杆菌中对凝血VIII因子(FVIII)重链和轻链的连接作用,将B结构域大部分缺失型FVIII(BDD-FVIII)于满足剪接所需的保守性氨基酸Ser1657前断裂为重链和轻链,分别与split mini Ssp DnaB intein的106个氨基酸的N端(Int-N)和48个氨基酸的C端(Int-C)融合,构建到原核表达载体pBV220。诱导表达后SDS-PAGE分析可见预期大小的BDD-FVIII蛋白条带,Western blotting用FVIII特异性抗体证明其为剪接所产生的BDD-FVIII蛋白,表明intein可有效连接BDD-FVIII的重链和轻链。为进一步甲型血友病基因治疗研究应用intein以双腺相关病毒载体(AAV)携带FVIII基因,克服单个AAV载体的容量限制提供了依据。     

TMD2前断裂CFTR翻译后的连接及氯离子通道功能

CFTR基因突变导致一种常染色体隐性遗传疾病——囊性纤维化(CF)。利用split Ssp DnaB intein的蛋白质反式剪接技术的真核细胞双载体转CFTR基因,旨在研究翻译后水平CFTR的连接,以及由其建立的氯离子通道功能。于CFTR膜内第2个跨膜结构域(TMD2)前的Glu838密码子后将其cDNA断裂为N端和C端两部分,与具有蛋白质反式剪接作用的split Ssp DnaB intein编码序列融合,分别插入到载体pEGFP-N1和pEYFP-N1,构建一对真核表达载体pEGFP-NInt和pEYFP-IntC。用脂质体将这对载体共转染至幼年仓鼠肾细胞(BHK),瞬时表达实验用Western blotting观察CFTR蛋白质的连接,并用膜片钳技术记录Cl-通道电流。结果显示,基因共转染细胞呈现完整的CFTR蛋白条带,膜片钳记录到全细胞Cl-电流和单个Cl-通道开放活性。结果表明split Ssp DnaB intein的蛋白质反式剪接技术可用于双载体共转移CFTR基因,为CF基因治疗应用双腺相关病毒载体(AAV)转运CFTR基因,克服AAV的容量限制提供了依据。     

人早胚发育相关蛋白ZNF268的抗体制备

目的:获得纯化抗原用于制备ZNF268的多克隆抗体。方法:PCR扩增目的基因片Spacer区序列,亚克隆入融合蛋白表达载体pET28a+,构建了重组质粒pET28a+/SPA。然后将该重组质粒转化E.coliDE3(Rosseta),IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PAGE分离,获纯化融合蛋白6His-SPA。用6His-SPA免疫家兔,颈动脉取血,分离血清,从血清中获得ZNF268特异的多克隆抗体。结论:通过构建融合蛋白重组表达质粒pET28a+/SPA,用获得的初步纯化融合蛋白6His-SPA,制备了特异的ZNF268的多克隆抗体6His-SPA Ab。     

aroA-In融合基因载体的构建、表达及对烟草的转化

PCR扩增突变的5’-烯醇丙酮酸莽草酸-3-磷酸合成酶(5’-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthetase,EPSPS)cDNA全长序列,插入pLitmus28得到pLEPSPS,进而通过反向PCR在EPSPS235／236aa之间将其打断为无功能的片段。选用人工构建的具有顺式和反式剪接功能的mini型蛋白内含子Ssp DnaB和Rma DnaB,插入被打断的aroA(抗除草剂基因),构建了质粒pLEBC、pLEBT、pLERC和pLERT。将4种重组质粒中的aroA-In(蛋白内含子Intein插入aroA)融合基因插入pET-32得到表达载体pETLEBC、pETLEBT、pETLERC和pETLERT,lPTG诱导后,SDS-PAGE分析显示其能在DE。中有效表达并发生相应的蛋白剪接。将aroA-cis Ssp DnaB和aroA-cis Rma DnaB融合基因分别插入pLYM中进一步构建成植物表达载体,农杆菌叶盘法转化烟草。基因组PCR分析表明融合基因整合入植物核基因组;RT-PCR分析显示其可在高等植物细胞中成功表达。结果说明蛋白内含子基因可以转化高等真核细胞,蛋白剪接技术可应用于高等植物细胞,从而为防止植物转基因扩散提供了一条新的途径。     

基于蛋白质剪接的BHK细胞Ser~(660)前断裂的CFTR基因转移

利用内含肽(intein)的蛋白质反式剪接技术,研究双载体真核细胞转囊性纤维化跨膜电导调节体(CFTR)基因,通过翻译后连接成为完整的功能性CFTR蛋白.应用基因重组技术,将人CFTRcDNA于剪接反应所需保守残基Ser660前断裂为N端和C端两部分,分别与split Ssp DnaB intein编码序列融合,构建到真核表达载体pEGFP-N1和pEYFP-N1.用脂质体将这对载体共转染至幼年仓鼠肾细胞(BHK),48h后Western印迹观察CFTR蛋白质的连接,并用全细胞和单通道膜片钳技术记录Cl-通道电流.基因共转染细胞可观察到明显的由蛋白质反式剪接形成的完整CFTR蛋白,膜片钳记录到较高的全细胞Cl-电流和与转野生型CFTR基因细胞相似的单Cl-通道开放活性,提示CFTR功能的恢复.内含肽可作为一种技术策略用于双载体转CFTR基因,为应用双腺相关病毒载体(AAV)转基因的囊性纤维化疾病(CF)基因治疗提供了依据.     

人类3-磷酸甘油醛脱氢酶的原核表达、纯化和鉴定

为了研究3-磷酸甘油醛脱氧酶(GAPDH)化生物学功能,以pcDNA3.1-GAPDH质粒为模板,PCR方法扩增GAPDH基因,经BamHI和SalI双酶切后插入相同酶切的pET32a(+)载体,构建His-GAPDH融合蛋白表达质粒pET32a(+)-GAPDH;转化JM109感受态细胞,并进行阳性克隆筛选,扩增目的质粒;转化大肠杆菌BL21菌株,经IPTG诱导产生融合蛋白,亲和层析柱纯化后,用SDS-PAGE和Western blotting检测GAPDH蛋白表达情况.结果表明,构建的人GAPDH基因表达载体经序列测定证实,与GenBank数据完全一致;双酶切鉴定证实,克隆基因正确插入pET32a(+)载体;表达质粒pET32a(+)-GAPDH在大肠杆菌BL21中成功地诱导表达了可溶性His-GAPDH融合蛋白,纯化后SDS-PAGE和Western blotting检测证实融合蛋白表达成功.人GAPDH原核表达载体的成功构建,及6His-GAPDH融合蛋白的正确表达,为进一步深入研究GAPDH的生物学功能奠定了基础.     

双Intein介导3片段vWF的反式剪接

von Willebrand因子(vWF)基因突变导致血管性血友病(VWD),由于其基因过大在基因治疗研究中难以为多数病毒载体携带.利用双内含肽(intein)的蛋白质反式剪接功能研究断裂成3段的vWF基因分别表达后在蛋白水平的连接,旨在为vWF基因的3载体联合转移应用于VWD基因治疗研究提供依据.将vWF cDNA于满足剪接所需的保守性氨基酸Cys1099、Ser2004的密码子前断裂为3段(N、M和C),分别与splitSspDnaE intein的N端(En)、C端(Ec)和splitSspDnaB intein的N端(Bn)、C端(Bc)编码序列融合,构建到原核表达载体pET-28a(+)中的His-Tag的下游,得到3种表达载体pET-NEn、pET-EcMBn和pET-BcC.分别转化感受态大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)细胞,经IPTG诱导表达后,以SDS-PAGE分析融合蛋白的表达,并进一步用His-Tag的特异性抗体进行分析;亲和层析纯化分别表达的带His-Tag标签的3段蛋白,复性后体外混合进行剪接实验以观察3片段vWF的连接.结果显示,3段预期大小的融合intein的vWF蛋白均有表达,用His-Tag抗体进行的Western印迹得到进一步证实;3段纯化的蛋白混合后可见明显的剪接条带形成,与vWF的预期分子量大小一致,表明双intein通过蛋白质反式剪接可有效连接3个片段的vWF,为进一步应用蛋白质剪接技术的3重载体真核细胞转vWF基因奠定了基础.     

pET28a-TAT-LacZ重组子的构建

为了构建高表达pET28a-TAT-LacZ重组子,观察表达的融合蛋白TAT-β-Gal能否穿过生物膜,使用人工合成编码TAT蛋白转导区的DNA片段,插入载体pET28a组氨酸编码区后再连接lacZ基因,组成pET28a-TAT-LacZ重组表达子,转化大肠杆菌,利用组氨酸亲和层析柱纯化TAT-β-Gal融合蛋白,将融合蛋白加入培养的平滑肌细胞。得到高度纯化的、有活性的TAT-β-Gal融合蛋白, TAT-β-Gal在短时间内进入体外培养平滑肌细胞,成功地构建了高表达pET28a-TAT-LacZ重组子,并在体外培养的细胞中证实TAT-β-Gal融合蛋白穿透生物膜的能力,为肽类、生物大分子药物进入组织细胞内发挥治疗作用提供了理论基础。     

人工锌指核酸酶的设计与表达纯化

设计表达了四个锌指核酸酶,用于切断人基因组中的rRNA基因家族的内部转录间隔序列,造成双链断裂,以此提高针对多位点基因打靶的效率,为后续基因打靶应用于基因治疗研究奠定基础。首先,在人rRNA基因家族ITS1序列中找到两个合适的9 bp长的序列(中间间隔6 bp)为锌指蛋白识别位点,根据识别位点序列每个位点分别设计两个三锌指蛋白。通过设计引物进行重叠延伸PCR得到全长编码锌指蛋白的DNA,分别克隆到表达载体pET-28a（+）,构建重组质粒pET28a-ZFP,转化大肠杆菌RossettaTM（DE3）,实现带组氨酸标签的锌指融合蛋白的表达与纯化。同时,将限制性内切酶Fok I的切割结构域分别与四个锌指蛋白序列采用PCR拼接后克隆到表达载体pET-28a（+）,构建重组质粒pET28a-ZFN,转化到大肠杆菌RossettaTM（DE3）,实现带组氨酸标签的锌指核酸酶融合蛋白的表达并纯化。     

Highly efficient and more general cis- and trans-splicing inteins through sequential directed evolution

Inteins are internal protein sequences that post-translationally self-excise and splice together the flanking sequences, the so-called exteins. Natural and engineered inteins have been used in many practical applications. However, inteins are often inefficient or inactive when placed in a non-native host protein and may require the presence of several amino acid residues of the native exteins, which will then remain as a potential scar in the spliced protein. Thus, more general inteins that overcome these limitations are highly desirable. Here we report sequential directed evolution as a new approach to produce inteins with such properties. Random mutants of the Ssp (Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803) DnaB mini-intein were inserted into the protein conferring kanamycin resistance at a site where the parent intein was inactive for splicing. The mutants selected for splicing activity were further improved by iterating the procedure for two more cycles at different positions in the same protein. The resulting improved inteins showed high activity in the positions of the first rounds of selection, in multiple new insertion sites, and in different proteins. One of these inteins, the M86 mutant, which accumulated 8 amino acid substitutions, was also biochemically characterized in an artificially split form with a chemically synthesized N-terminal intein fragment consisting of 11 amino acids. When compared with the unevolved split intein, it exhibited an ～60-fold increased rate in the protein trans-splicing reaction and a K(d) value for the interaction of the split intein fragments improved by an order of magnitude. Implications on the intein structure-function, practical application, and evolution are discussed.     

Synthetic two-piece and three-piece split inteins for protein trans-splicing

Inteins are protein-intervening sequences that can self-excise and concomitantly splice together the flanking polypeptides. Two-piece split inteins capable of protein trans-splicing have been found in nature and engineered in laboratories, but they all have a similar split site corresponding to the endonuclease domain of the intein. Can inteins be split at other sites and do trans-splicing? After testing 13 split sites engineered into a Ssp DnaB mini-intein, we report the finding of three new split sites that each produced a two-piece split intein capable of protein trans-splicing. These three functional split sites are located in different loop regions between beta-strands of the intein structure, and one of them is just 11 amino acids from the beginning of the intein. Because different inteins have similar structures and similar beta-strands, these new split sites may be generalized to other inteins. We have also demonstrated for the first time that a three-piece split intein could function in protein trans-splicing. These findings have implications for intein structure-function, evolution, and uses in biotechnology.     

Intein介导的重组昆虫毒素BmK IT在大肠杆菌中的可溶性表达、纯化及活性分析

为获得重组蝎昆虫毒素BmKIT,通过PCR方法在BmKIT基因的3′端融合了编码6个组氨酸残基的核苷酸序列,将其插入原核表达载体pTWIN1的内含肽Ssp DnaB Intein基因下游的多克隆位点(MCS)。将获得的表达质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中,用IPTG诱导融合蛋白表达。用Ni-NTA亲和层析柱从菌体裂解液中纯化了CBD-Intein-BmK IThis6融合蛋白,并在柱上诱导Intein自剪切,成功去除融合子CBD-Intein。通过Superdex75凝胶过滤层析获得了纯度达95%以上的BmK IThis6蛋白,该蛋白不仅具有正确的二级结构而且有生物活性。     

Engineering artificially split inteins for applications in protein chemistry: biochemical characterization of the split Ssp DnaB intein and comparison to the split Sce VMA intein

In protein trans-splicing, an intein domain split into two polypeptide chains mediates linkage of the flanking amino acid sequences, the N- and C-terminal exteins, with a native peptide bond. This process can be exploited to assemble proteins from two separately prepared fragments, e.g., for the segmental labeling with isotopes for NMR studies or the incorporation of chemical and biophysical probes. Split inteins can be artificially generated by genetic means; however, the purified inteinN and inteinC fragments usually require a denaturation and renaturation treatment to fold into the active intein, thus preventing their application to proteins that cannot be refolded. Here, we report that the purified fragments of the artificially split DnaB helicase of Synechocystis spp. PCC6803 (Ssp DnaB) intein are active under native conditions. The first-order rate constant of the protein trans-splicing reaction was 7.1 x 10(-4) s(-1). The previously described split vacuolar ATPase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sce VMA) intein is the only other artificially split intein that is active under native conditions; however, it requires induced complex formation of the intein fragments by auxiliary dimerization domains for efficient protein trans-splicing. In contrast, fusion of the dimerization domains to the split Ssp DnaB intein fragments had no effect on activity. This difference was also reflected by a higher thermostability of the split Ssp DnaB intein. Further investigations of the split Sce VMA intein under optimized conditions revealed a first-order rate constant of 9.4 x 10(-4) s(-1) for protein trans-splicing and 1.7 x 10(-3) s(-1) for C-terminal cleavage involving a Cys1Ala mutant. Finally, we show that the two split inteins are orthogonal, suggesting further applications for the assembly of proteins from more than two parts.     

Interaction studies and alanine scanning analysis of a semi-synthetic split intein reveal thiazoline ring formation from an intermediate of the protein splicing reaction

We recently reported an artificially split intein based on the Ssp DnaB mini-intein that consists of a synthetic N-terminal intein fragment (Int(N)) and a recombinant C-terminal part (Int(C)), which are 11 and 143 amino acids in length, respectively. This intein holds great promise for the preparation of semi-synthetic proteins by protein trans-splicing. In this work we synthesized a set of Int(N) peptide variants to investigate their structure-function relationship with regard to fragment association and promotion of protein trans-splicing. A further truncation of the Int(N) sequence below 11 amino acids resulted in loss of activity, whereas C-terminal extensions were tolerated. Alanine scanning analysis identified three essential hydrophobic residues, whereas substitutions at other positions were tolerated. We developed assays to monitor association of Int(N) with an Int(C) mutant blocked in protein splicing by native PAGE and fluorescence anisotropy. The kinetic parameters of intein complex formation were K(d) = 1.1 mum, k(on) = 16.8 m(-1) s(-1), and k(off) = 1.8 x 10(-5) s(-1) for the native Int(N11) sequence. Intriguingly, a G(-1)A substitution, previously known to significantly impair protein splicing, was revealed to result in thiazoline ring formation involving the catalytic Cys-1, likely by aberrant dehydration of a oxythiazolidine intermediate. This finding provides experimental evidence for the postulated intermediate during the initial N/S acyl shift and underlines the delicate spatial and temporal alignment required in the intein active site to prevent side reactions of the protein-splicing pathway.     

抗TNF-α单链抗体噬菌体展示文库的建立和鉴定

应用噬菌体展示技术构建抗肿瘤坏死因子α(tumornecrosis factor α,TNF-α)单链抗体(single chain Fv,scFv)文库,从中筛选抗TNF-αscFv并进行鉴定.利用重组人TNF-α(rhTNF-α)免疫小鼠,分别扩增小鼠VH和VL基因,经重叠延伸反应将VH和VL基因拼接成scFv基因,以SfiⅠ/NotⅠ位点定向插入pCANTAB 5E噬菌粒载体,转化E.coli TG1,构建了库容为4.6×108的抗TNF-α单链抗体库.对抗体库进行3轮富集筛选后,ELISA检测阳性克隆的抗原特异性,取1株阳性克隆进行测序分析.结果表明,抗TNF-αscFv基因序列长774bp,编码258个氨基酸.将此阳性克隆转化E.coliHB2151,IPTG诱导可溶性scFv的表达,经SDS-PAGE和Western印迹分析,scFv的分子量约为28kD.经亲和纯化后的scFv可与rhTNF-α结合,并可中和由rhTNF-α引起的L929细胞毒性.本文利用噬菌体抗体库筛选到了高亲和力的抗TNF-αscFv,为研制临床免疫治疗的新型抗体奠定了实验基础.     

An Unprecedented Combination of Serine and Cysteine Nucleophiles in a Split Intein with an Atypical Split Site

Protein splicing mediated by inteins is a self-processive reaction leading to the excision of the internal intein domain from a precursor protein and the concomitant ligation of the flanking sequences, the extein-N and extein-C parts, thereby reconstituting the host protein. Most inteins employ a splicing pathway in which the upstream scissile peptide bond is consecutively rearranged into two thioester or oxoester intermediates before intein excision and rearrangement into the new peptide bond occurs. The catalytically critical amino acids involved at the two splice junctions are cysteine, serine, or threonine. Notably, the only potential combination not observed so far in any of the known or engineered inteins corresponds to the transesterification from an oxoester to a thioester, which suggested that this formal uphill reaction with regard to the thermodynamic stability might be incompatible with intein-mediated catalysis. We show that corresponding mutations also led to inactive gp41-1 and AceL-TerL inteins. We report the novel GOS-TerL split intein identified from metagenomic databases as the first intein harboring the combination of Ser1 and Cys+1 residues. Mutational analysis showed that its efficient splicing reaction indeed follows the shift from oxoester to thioester and thus represents a rare diversion from the canonical pathway. Furthermore, the GOS-TerL intein has an atypical split site close to the N terminus. The Int^N fragment could be shortened from 37 to 28 amino acids and exchanged with the 25-amino acid Int^N fragment from the AceL-TerL intein, indicating a high degree of promiscuity of the Int^C fragment of the GOS-TerL intein.