Gene fragment polymerization gives increased yields of recombinant human proinsulin C-peptide

A multimerization strategy to improve yields upon recombinant production of the 31-aa human proinsulin C-peptide is presented. Gene fragments encoding the C-peptide were assembled using specific head-to-tail multimerization. DNA constructs encoding one, three or seven copies of the C-peptide gene, fused to a serum albumin binding affinity tag, were expressed intracellularly in Escherichia coli. The three fusion proteins were produced at similar levels (approximately 50 mg/l) and were proteolytically stable during production. Enzymatic digestion by trypsin-carboxypeptidase B treatment of the fusion proteins was shown to efficiently release native C-peptide, as determined by mass spectrometry, reverse-phase chromatography and a radioimmunoassay. The quantitative yields of C-peptide obtained from the three different fusion proteins suggest that this multimerization strategy could provide a cost-efficient production scheme for the C-peptide, and that this strategy could be useful also for production of other recombinant peptides.     

穿膜肽介导的新型基因转运载体的功能研究

目的：借助穿膜肽TAT高效跨膜的特性和LacI前头肽突变体（LacI HPM）高亲和力结合DNA的特性,建立-种安全高效、无基因插入片段大小限制的基因转导系统。方法：在TAT-LacI HPM片段C端和N端分别添加GST标签,构建pET-28a（＋）-TAT-LacI HPM-GST和pGEX-GST-TAT-LacI HPM重组表达载体,可溶性表达TAT-LacI HPM-GST及GST-TAT-LacI HPM融合蛋白并纯化,获得TAT-LacI HPM二聚体,免疫荧光检测TAT-LacI HPM融合蛋白穿过HeLa细胞膜的情况,观察EGFP的表达,用免疫印迹检测TAT-LacI HPM融合蛋白介导质粒DNA进入细胞的能力。结果：表达、纯化并获得二聚体融合蛋白,体内实验表明其具有跨膜能力,能介导带有LacI结合序列的DNA质粒进入细胞,并在转染细胞里检测到了目的蛋白。结论：初步证实TAT-LacI HPM融合蛋白作为-种新型通用性非病毒DNA转运载体的可行性,为评价这种新型DNA疫苗载体在提高免疫效果方面的可行性奠定了前期实验基础。     

An alternative use of basic pGEX vectors for producing both N- and C-terminal fusion proteins for production and affinity purification of antibodies

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins are widely used in protein production for pure immunogens, protein-protein, and DNA-protein interaction studies. Using basic pGEX vectors, foreign DNA is introduced to the C-terminus of the GST gene and the produced fusion proteins are C-terminally orientated. However, because the orientation of foreign polypeptides may have a very important role in the correct folding of the produced polypeptides, N-terminal fusion proteins are needed to express especially the N-terminus of the foreign polypeptide. Here, we introduce a novel use of the basic pGEX vectors for the production of N-terminal fusion proteins. In this procedure, PCR generated DNA fragments were cloned into the N-terminus of the GST gene in a unique EcoNI site located down-stream of the ATG initiation codon. The N-terminal fusion proteins were expressed in high quantities, easily solubilized, and affinity purified using our modification of current purification protocols. We also introduce here a new modification of the affinity purification of antibodies using covalently crosslinked GST and fusion proteins to glutathione-agarose beads. Our procedure was tested successfully for producing antibodies against both N- and C-terminus of the luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor.     

A set of expression plasmids for the synthesis of fused and unfused polypeptides in Escherichia coli

A set of plasmid expression vectors for cloning of DNA fragments containing open reading frames has been obtained. The plasmids carry the strong leftward promoter of bacteriophage lambda and the translation initiation signals from either the gene ner of bacteriophage Mu or the gene 4 of bacteriophage phi 29. The vectors could overexpress the cloned sequences as fusion peptides at the N terminus with the N-terminal segment of the phi 29 protein p4 or at the C terminus with the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase from its 8th residue, or both. Alternatively, the cloned sequences could be directed to overproduce proteins in an unfused form. DNA fragments of the hemagglutinin gene from human influenza A virus, have been cloned in one of the plasmid vectors and some potential antigenic determinants have been characterized using monoclonal antibodies.     

Identification of a deoxyribonuclease I inhibitor from a phage-peptide library

Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) is a divalent cation dependent endonuclease and thought to be a significant barrier to effective gene delivery. The only known DNase I-specific inhibitor is monomeric actin which acts by forming a 1:1 complex with DNase I. Its use, however, is restricted because of tendency to polymerize under certain conditions. We screened two random phage peptide libraries of complexity 10(8) and 10(9) for DNase I binders as candidates for DNase I inhibitors. A number of DNase I-binding peptide sequences were identified. When these peptides were expressed as fusion proteins with Escherichia coli maltose binding protein, they inhibited the actin-DNase I interaction (IC50 = 0.1-0.7 microM) and DNA degradation by DNase I (IC50 = 0.8-8 microM). Plasmid protection activity in the presence of DNase I was also observed with the fusion proteins. These peptides have the potential to be a useful adjuvant for gene therapy using naked DNA.     

Amino acid sequence of a conserved neutralizing epitope of murine coronaviruses.

We identified the binding site of monoclonal antibody 19.2, which cross-neutralizes several mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) strains, inhibits fusion of MHV-infected cells, and protects against lethal infection (P. J. Talbot and M. J. Buchmeier, Virus Res. 2:317-328, 1985). We used fusion proteins, generated by expression of fragments of the MHV A59 E2 gene in pEX plasmids, and synthetic peptides in a PEPSCAN.     

Recombinant fusion proteins TAT-Mu, Mu and Mu-Mu mediate efficient non-viral gene delivery

BACKGROUND: The inherent ability of certain peptides or proteins of viral, prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin to bind DNA was used to generate novel peptide-based DNA delivery protocols. We have developed a recombinant approach to make fusion proteins with motifs for DNA-binding ability, Mu and membrane transduction domains, TAT, and tested them for their DNA-binding, uptake and transfection efficiencies. In one of the constructs, the recombinant plasmid was designed to encode the Mu moiety of sequence MRRAHHRRRRASHRRMRGG in-frame with TAT of sequence YGRKKRRQRRR to generate TAT-Mu, while the other two constructs, Mu and Mu-Mu, harbor a single copy or two copies of the Mu moiety. METHODS: Recombinant his-tag fusion proteins TAT-Mu, Mu and Mu-Mu were purified by overexpression of plasmid constructs using cobalt-based affinity resins. The peptides were characterized for their size and interaction with DNA, complexed with plasmid pCMVbeta-gal, and shown to transfect MCF-7, COS and CHOK-1 cells efficiently. RESULTS: Recombinant fusion proteins TAT-Mu, Mu and Mu-Mu were cloned and overexpressed in BL21(DE3)pLysS with greater than 95% purity. The molecular weight of TAT-Mu was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) to be 11.34 kDa while those of Mu and Mu-Mu were 7.78 and 9.83 kDa, respectively. Live uptake analysis of TAT-Mu, Mu and Mu-Mu as DP (DNA+peptide) or DPL (DNA+peptide+lipid) complexes into MCF-7 cells, followed by immunostaining and laser scanning confocal microscopy, demonstrated that the complexes are internalized very efficiently and localized in the nucleus. DNA:peptide complexes (DP) transfect MCF-7, COS and CHOK-1 cells. The addition of cationic liposomes enhances the uptake of the ternary complexes (DPL) further and also brings about 3-7-fold enhancement in reporter gene expression compared to DP alone. CONCLUSIONS: Recombinant proteins that are heterologous fusions, having DNA-binding domains and nuclear localization epitopes, generated in this study have considerable potential to facilitate DNA delivery and enhance transfection. The domains in these fusion proteins would be promising in the development of non-viral gene delivery vectors particularly in cells that do not divide.     

The mkaC virulence gene of the Salmonella serovar Typhimurium 96 kb plasmid encodes a transcriptional activator

The intracellular growth and virulence of Salmonella serovar Typhimurium for mice is dependent on a plasmid-borne gene cluster termed mka. We studied the regulatory interactions of the genes mkaA, mkaB, mkaC and mkaD using lacZ gene fusions. Complementation experiments with cloned DNA fragments encoding each of the four MKa proteins indicated that mkaC enhances the expression of beta-galactosidase from the mkaA-, mkaB- and mkaC-lacZ gene fusions in trans. An mkaD-lacZ fusion or mkaA-lacZ fusion that did not contain DNA proximal to mkaB was not inducible with MkaC, indicating that at least mkaB and mkaA are induced together as an operon. MkaC is thus the first virulence protein whose function has been resolved.     

Automatic identification of structural gene fragments using a set of peptides

A computer program is designed to facilitate the identification of coding gene's fragments using a set of peptides. The program is written on Basic programming language for personal computer "Iskra-226" (USSR). To accelerate some operations, computer code commands are used. Treatment of 50 DNA fragments by means of 10 peptides takes ca. 1 h of computer time. The program outputs list coding gene's fragments and corresponding peptides. The suggested algorithm is based on our finding that the number of false identifications of a coding gene fragments may be predicted by Poisson distribution and minimized using correct criteria. The suggested method enables one to evaluate the reliability of the true identification of DNA fragments in case of mistakes in primary structure of the gene fragments or peptides.     

Identification of β-Lactamase Inhibitory Peptide Using Yeast Two-Hybrid System

Random oligonucleotide fragments were designed and amplified by PCR and fused with the activating domain of pGAD424 to construct a random peptide library. The DNA fragment encoding beta-lactamase was fused with the binding domain of pGBT9(+2). Subsequently, using yeast two-hybrid system we found two positive clones encoding peptides P1 and P2 that have the ability to bind beta-lactamase in vivo. The genes encoding P1 and P2 were cloned into pGEX-4T-1. GST-peptide fusion proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and isolated by glutathione-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Finally, P1 and P2 were cleaved from the fusion protein with thrombin and purified by ultrafiltration. Inhibition assay of peptides with beta-lactamase in vitro indicated that only P1 has the ability to inhibit beta-lactamase.     

Identification of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum genes encoding signal peptides and membrane-spanning sequences using a novel alkaline phosphatase expression vector

Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum is a pathogenic spirochaete for which there are no systems of genetic exchange. In order to provide a system for the identification of T. pallidum surface proteins and potential virulence factors, we have developed a novel expression vector which confers the utility of TnphoA transposition. The relevant features of this plasmid vector, termed pMG, include an inducible tac promoter, a polylinker with multiple cloning sites in three reading frames, and an alkaline phosphatase (AP) gene lacking the signal sequence-encoding region. Library construction with Sau3A-digested T. pallidum genomic DNA resulted in the creation of functional T. pallidum-AP fusion proteins. Analysis of fusion proteins and their corresponding DNA and deduced amino acid sequences demonstrated that they could be grouped into three categories: (i) those with signal peptides containing leader peptidase I cleavage sites, (ii) those with signal peptides containing leader peptidase II cleavage sites, and (iii) those with non-cleavable hydrophobic membrane-spanning sequences. Triton X-114 detergent phase partitioning of individual T. pallidum-AP fusions revealed several clones whose AP activity partitioned preferentially into the hydrophobic detergent phase. Several of these fusion proteins were subsequently shown to be acylated by Escherichia coli following [3H]-palmitate labelling, indicating their lipoproteinaceous nature. DNA and amino acid sequence analysis of one acylated fusion protein, Tp75, confirmed the presence of a hydrophobic N-terminal signal sequence containing a consensus leader peptidase II recognition site. The DNA sequence of Tp75 also indicates that this is a previously unreported T. pallidum lipoprotein. T. pallidum-AP fusion proteins which partitioned into the hydrophobic detergent phase but did not incorporate palmitate were also identified. DNA and amino acid analysis of one such clone, Tp70, showed no cleavable signal but had a significant hydrophobic region of approximately 20 residues, consistent with a membrane-spanning domain. Immunoblot analysis of T. pallidum-AP fusions detected with a monoclonal antibody specific for AP identified several fusion proteins which migrated as doublets separated in apparent electrophoretic mobility by no more than 3 kDa. [35S]-methionine pulse-chase incorporation showed that the doublet AP fusions represented precursor and processed forms of the same protein. DNA and amino acid sequence analysis of clones expressing processed fusion proteins demonstrated hydrophobic N-terminal signal sequences containing consensus leader peptidase I recognition sites.     

Are Amphipathic Asymmetric Peptides Ubiquitous Structures for Membrane Destabilisation?

The fusion of some viruses (SIV, BLV, etc) to host cells implicates short fragments of the fusion protein that are asymmetric amphipathic helices in molecular modelling. The tilted orientation of these fragments at a water/lipid interface is directly related to their fusogenic capacity. On this basis, we have searched for fragments of sequences corresponding to "viral fusion peptides" in other proteins. We have developed a strategy to detect them from primary sequences. Many candidates were detected, especially in transmembrane areas of membranous proteins, in signal sequences and in globular proteins. We suggest that they are involved in the dynamics of lipid-protein interactions     

Mapping of linear epitopes recognized by monoclonal antibodies with gene-fragment phage display libraries

Epitope mapping with mono- or polyclonal antibodies has so far been done either by dissecting the antigens into overlapping polypeptides in the form of recombinantly expressed fusion proteins, or by synthesizing overlapping short peptides, or by a combination of both methods. Here, we report an alternative method which involves the generation of random gene fragments of approximately 50–200 by in length and cloning these into the 5 terminus of the protein III gene of fd phages. Selection for phages that bind a given monoclonal antibody and sequencing the DNA inserts of immunopositive phages yields derived amino acid sequences containing the desired epitope. A monoclonal antibody (mAb 215) directed against the largest subunit of Drosophila RNA polymerase II (RPB215) was used to map the corresponding epitope in a fUSE5 phage display library made of random DNA fragments from plasmid DNA containing the entire gene. After a single round of panning with this phage library, bacterial colonies were obtained which produced fd phages displaying the mAb 215 epitope. Sequencing of single-stranded phage DNA from a number of positive colonies (recognized by the antibody on colony immunoblots) resulted in overlapping sequences all containing the 15mer epitope determined by mapping with synthetic peptides. Similarly, we have localized the epitopes recognized by a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against the human p53 protein, and by a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against the human cytokeratin 19 protein. Identification of positive colonies after the panning procedure depends on the detection system used (colony immunoblot or ELISA) and there appear to be some restrictions to the use of linker-encoded amino acids for optimal presentation of epitopes. A comparison with epitope mapping by synthetic peptides shows that the phage display method allows one to map linear epitopes down to a size only slightly larger than the true epitope. In general, our phage display method is faster, easier, and cheaper than the construction of overlapping fusion proteins or the use of synthetic peptides, especially in cases where the antigen is a large polypeptide such as the 215 kDa subunit of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II.     

人绒毛膜促性腺激素β亚基单一B-细胞表位(β5、β9或β8)融合蛋白的表达和纯化

作为开发新型实用性人绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)疫苗的一种尝试, 我们已构建若干组合靶抗原三个线性B- 细胞表位和外源强T- 细胞表位的基因工程hCG嵌合肽。为了检测用这些嵌合肽免疫的动物血清中是否能产生抗各表位的三种抗体,本研究选用能在大肠杆菌中高表达和与生物素亲和性强且特异(方便通过亲和层析纯化)的链霉亲和素为载体,分别构建了三种含β-hCG不同单一线性B_细胞表位(β5,β9和β8)的融合蛋白。在链霉亲和素基因下游多克隆区EcoRⅠ和Hind Ⅲ位点插入各表位编码基因片段(带TAA终止密码子)的pTSA-18重组质粒, 转化BL21(DE3)pLysS宿主菌后, 它们在IPTG诱导下均能以较高水平表达各自目的融合蛋白,而且它们的表达产物在Western blot鉴定中都能被抗各表位特异的多抗或单抗或抗报告表位单抗识别。用改良的制备性PAGE方法可以一步纯化电泳均一性高于95%的三个融合蛋白, 它们的收得率相对1L培养物约为5 mg。作为化学合成表位肽的替代物, β-hCG三个单一B- 细胞表位融合蛋白的可获得性将有助于所构建hCG基因工程嵌合肽以及其他hCG疫苗,也包括它的DNA疫苗的免疫原性分析。     

Effects of target sequence and sense versus anti-sense strands on gene correction with single-stranded DNA fragments

The correction of an inactivated hygromycin resistance and enhanced green fluorescent protein (Hyg-EGFP) fusion gene by a several hundred-base single-stranded (ss) DNA fragment has been reported. In this study, the effectiveness of this type of gene correction was examined for various positions in the rpsL gene. Sense and anti-sense ssDNA fragments were prepared, and the gene correction efficiencies were determined by co-introduction of the target plasmid containing the gene with the ssDNA fragments. The gene correction efficiency varied (0.8-9.3%), depending on target positions and sense/anti-sense strands. Sense ssDNA fragments corrected the target gene with equal or higher efficiencies as compared to their anti-sense counterparts. The target positions corrected with high efficiency by the sense fragments also tended to be corrected efficiently by the anti-sense fragments. These results suggest that the sense ssDNA fragments are useful for the correction of mutated genes. The variation in the correction efficiency may depend on the sequence of the target position in double-stranded DNA.     

Expressing plasmid vectors on the basis of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene fragments

With the use of synthetic DNA fragments, a set of new plasmid vectors has been obtained. The vectors provided high level expression of peptides and small proteins in E. coli as fusions with fragments of beta-galactosidase of various length. These vectors were used to achieve expression of a synthetic gene for a functionally active fragment of bacteriorhodopsin. The yields of hybrid proteins consisting of beta-galactosidase and bacteriorhodopsin fragments were in the range of 5-30% from the total amount of cellular protein.     

Cloning and expression of Mycobacterium bovis BCG DNA in "Streptomyces lividans"

The ability of "Streptomyces lividans" to use the expression signals of genes from Mycobacterium bovis BCG was tested in vivo by using gene fusions. Random DNA fragments from M. bovis BCG were inserted into promoter-probe plasmids in Escherichia coli and in "S. lividans." Comparison with promoter activity detected with random DNA fragments from the respective hosts suggested that "S. lividans" efficiently utilizes a high proportion of mycobacterial promoters, whereas a smaller fraction are expressed, and expressed more weakly, in E. coli. M. bovis BCG DNA fragments were also inserted into the specially constructed translational fusion vector (pIJ688) in "S. lividans." pIJ688 contains the kanamycin phosphotransferase gene (neo) from transposon Tn5, truncated at its amino terminus, as the indicator. The results suggested that "S. lividans" uses M. bovis BCG translational signals almost as efficiently as its own signals. Moreover, several hybrid proteins with an M. bovis BCG-derived amino terminus seemed to be reasonably stable in "S. lividans." These experiments indicate that "S. lividans" may be a suitable host for the expression of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes from their own signals. This is a precondition for the expression of entire biosynthetic pathways, which could be valuable in the production of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. The vectors may also have wider applications for the analysis of gene expression in Streptomyces.