Production of native protein by using Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 DnaB mini-intein in Escherichia coli

To directly express native recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli, a new expression vector pSB was constructed using Ssp DnaB mini-intein. Using the vector, native proteins could be produced with the help of C-terminal self-cleavage of the intein. In this study, we cloned hIFNalpha-4 gene into pSB and used E. coli strain Origami B (DE3) as the host. Expression experiments were carried out both in Shake flasks and a 5 L bioreactor. The results indicated hIFNalpha-4 could be expressed in the form of soluble protein with correct folding in E. coli. The maximal hIFNalpha-4 content was 21.7% of total protein, and the antiviral activity of the protein was 1.2x10(8 )IU mg(-1). Overall, good effects were achieved with this system. This intein-mediated protein expression system opens up a useful method for production of native recombinant protein in E. coli.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌酪氨酸酶基因的克隆表达及应用初探

酪氨酸酶基因编码的酪氨酸酶是生物体合成黑色素的关键酶。采用比较酪氨酸酶的同源保守结构域氨基酸序列的方法设计引物 ,从苏云金芽胞杆菌 (Bacillusthuringiensis) 4D11中通过PCR扩增得到了包含酪氨酸酶基因的DNA片段。将该片段亚克隆到载体pGEM_7zf上并转入大肠杆菌DH5α ,所得到的转化子在添加了L_酪氨酸的LB培养基中能合成可溶性的黑色素。测定该菌株黑色素的产量和在紫外光照射后的菌体活力 ,结果表明该基因产生的黑色素能在一定程度上保护菌体免受紫外辐射     

CglI基因在大肠杆菌中的功能活性分析

通过PCR技术从谷氨酸棒杆菌基因组中扩增CglI基因,克隆到载体pMD18-T Simple后测序。将CglI基因亚克隆到表达载体pJL23,构建重组质粒pJL23-CglI,转化大肠杆菌HB101菌株,通过PCR反应筛选鉴定阳性克隆。通过噬菌体感染实验,初步分析了CglI基因在大肠杆菌中的功能活性。     

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the gene for an Arthrobacter beta-(1----3)-glucanase.

When inserted in the correct orientation at the BamHI site of plasmid YRp7, an 8.6-kilobase BamHI fragment of Arthrobacter sp. strain YCWD3 DNA gave Escherichia coli HB101 cells harboring the recombinant plasmid pBX20 the ability to lyse bakers' yeast cell walls or bakers' yeast glucan in agar medium. An extract of the transformed E. coli cells contained an endo-beta-(1----3)-glucanase with the same activity pattern as that of glucanase I produced by Arthrobacter sp. strain YCWD3. Although part of the glucanase activity was contributed by apparently defective molecules, two protein species were found which had high lytic activity on yeast cell walls and adsorbed to microcrystalline cellulose, and both had a single constituent polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 55,000, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In these properties the protein species were indistinguishable from those glucanase I protein species of Arthrobacter sp. strain YCWD3 which we believe are nearly the intact molecule. We conclude that the cloned fragment of Arthrobacter sp. strain YCWD3 DNA contains the structural gene for glucanase I. A recombinant plasmid obtained by subcloning a PstI fragment of pBX20 into pBR322 caused the transformed E. coli cells to produce apparently defective glucanase molecules only. This observation serves as additional supporting evidence for our conclusion.     

Overexpression of a synthetic gene encoding human alpha interferon in Escherichia coli

Interferons (IFNs) represent an important defense mechanism in vertebrates. In this work, we describe gene synthesis and assembly using the polymerase chain reaction as a method for single-step synthesis of DNA sequences. The oligonucleotides designed were based on Escherichia coli codon usage and two genes of IFN were synthesized: one containing a DNA sequence already known and the other, a mutated form in which two cysteine amino acid residues were replaced by serines in an attempt to improve the stability of the protein. DNA sequences were cloned into pAE, an E. coli vector that allows heterologous protein expression with or without a histidine tag. Recombinant human interferons (rhIFNs) were identified by Western blotting and ELISA using anti-human interferon polyclonal antibodies. Purification of the recombinant His-tagged proteins was achieved in a single step by Ni(2+)-charged column chromatography while proteins without His-tag were purified by extensively washing the inclusion bodies, the final yields being approximately 210 and 75mg/L, respectively. The rhIFNs expressed within this system were biologically active ( approximately 1,1x10(8)IU/mg) based on antiviral assay. The combined methodologies described here proved to be cost-effective and could be extended to other genes/proteins of interest.     

Direct cloning of cDNA inserts from lambda gt11 phage DNA into a plasmid vector by a novel and simple method

Bacteriophage lambda gt11 has been used quite extensively for producing cDNA libraries. The cDNA inserts are usually subcloned into a plasmid vector for large scale production and analysis. However, isolating the recombinant DNA of interest from the phage clones can be a tedious task. Since the E. coli strain Y1088 used for lambda gt11 phage infection carries a pBR322-derived plasmid endogenously, we reasoned that this endogenous plasmid could be used directly for cloning the cDNA phage insert. In this report, we describe a method in which cDNA inserts from lambda gt11 phage were cloned directly into the pBR322 plasmid vector, bypassing the time-consuming procedures of preparing plasmid DNA as a subcloning vector. This method is likely to be extended to the cloning of DNA inserts derived from other phage lambda vectors when bacteria containing endogenous pBR322 are used as host cells.     

牛BVDV C_(24)V株P80蛋白在大肠杆菌中的高效表达

根据GenBank中已发表的牛病毒性腹泻-黏膜病病毒(BVDV)P80基因序列,自行设计并合成引物,经过反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)从BVDV C_(24)V株细胞培养液中扩增出P80基因,大小为560bp。利用酶切方法把目的基因克隆到大肠杆菌IPTG诱导表达载体PET32a(+)中,在大肠杆菌中得到了高效表达,这为建立ELISA方法检测BVDV抗体奠定了基础。     

Expression of HSV-1 ICP0 Antigen Peptide in Prokaryotic Cells and Preparation of Specific Antibody

As an immediate-early protein of herpes simplex virus, infected-cell polypeptide 0 (ICP0) exhibits complicated interactions with host cells, and its regulatory function on gene expression is of great importance. Since the ICP0 encoding sequence contains many rare codons which are absent in E.coli, and ICP0 is highly unstable in prokaryotic cells, expression of entire ICP0 in prokaryotic cells has never been reported. In order to further investigate the function of ICP0, a recombinant plasmid was constructed by subcloning a cDNA fragment encoding an amino-terminal of 105 residues of the ICP0 protein into pGEX-5x-1 vector. The resulting GST-105 fusion antigen peptide was expressed with high efficiency in E.coli. Antibodies prepared after the immunization of mice with purified fusion protein can recognize not only the denatured ICP0 protein, but also the native ICP0 protein with normal biological conformation.     

A strategy for high-level expression of a single-chain variable fragment against TNFα by subcloning antibody variable regions from the phage display vector pCANTAB 5E into pBV220

A phage display single-chain variable fragment (scFv) library against TNFα was constructed using a recombinant phage antibody system (RPAS). The cloned scFv gene was introduced into the phage display vector pCANTAB 5E and expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) with a yield of up to 0.15 mg/l of total protein. With the attempt to improve the expression level of TNF-scFv, a strategy was established for subcloning the scFv gene from pCANTAB 5E into the plasmid pBV220. Under the control of a highly efficient tandem P(R)P(L) promoter system, scFv production was increased to 30% of total protein as inclusion bodies. After extraction from the cell pellet by sonication, the inclusion bodies were solubilized and denatured in the presence of 8M urea. Purification of denatured scFv was performed using nickel column chromatography followed by renaturation. The purity and activity of the refolded scFv were confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western blotting and by an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). The results reveal that the overall yield of bioactive TNF-scFv from E. coli flask cultures was more than 45 mg/l culture medium and 15 mg/g wet weight cells. The renatured scFv exhibited binding activity similarly to soluble scFv. In conclusion we developed a method to over-express TNF-scFv, which have biological function after purification and renaturation.     

Cloning and expression of the Erwinia chrysanthemi asparaginase gene in Escherichia coli and Erwinia carotovora

A genomic library of Erwinia chrysanthemi DNA was constructed in bacteriophage lambda 1059 and recombinants expressing Er. chrysanthemi asparaginase detected using purified anti-asparaginase IgG. The gene was subcloned on a 4.7 kb EcoRI DNA restriction fragment into pUC9 to generate the recombinant plasmid pASN30. The position and orientation of the asparaginase structural gene was determined by subcloning. The enzyme was produced at high levels in Escherichia coli (5% of soluble protein) and was shown to be exported to the periplasmic space. Purified asparaginase from E. coli cells carrying pASN30 was indistinguishable from the Erwinia enzyme on the basis of specific activity [660-700 units (mg protein)-1], pI value (8.5), and subunit molecular weight (32 X 10(3]. Expression of the cloned gene was subject to glucose repression in E. coli but was not significantly repressed by glycerol. Recombinant plasmids, containing the asparaginase gene, when introduced into Erwinia carotovora, caused increased synthesis of the enzyme (2-4 fold higher than the current production strain).     

Molecular cloning, DNA structure and expression of the Escherichia coli D-xylose isomerase.

The D-xylose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.5) gene from Escherichia coli was cloned and isolated by complementation of an isomerase-deficient E. coli strain. The insert containing the gene was restriction mapped and further subcloning located the gene in a 1.6-kb Bg/II fragment. This fragment was sequenced by the chain termination method, and showed the gene to be 1002 bp in size. The Bg/II fragment was cloned into a yeast expression vector utilising the CYCl yeast promoter. This construct allowed expression in E. coli grown on xylose but not glucose suggesting that the yeast promoter is responding to the E. coli catabolite repression system. No expression was detected in yeast from this construct and this is discussed in terms of the upstream region in the E. coli insert with suggestions of how improved constructs may permit achievement of the goal of a xylose-fermenting yeast.     

A rapid method for site-specific mutagenesis and directional subcloning by using the polymerase chain reaction to generate recombinant circles

Site-specific mutagenesis and directional subcloning were accomplished by using the polymerase chain reaction to generate products that can recombine to form circular DNA. This DNA was transfected into E. coli without phosphorylation of primers, restriction enzyme digestion or ligation. Specifically, the polymerase chain reaction was used to generate products that when combined, denatured and reannealed, form double-stranded DNA with discrete, cohesive single-stranded ends. The generation of these cohesive ends of DNA permits the formation of precise, directional DNA joints without dependence on enzyme restriction sites. The primers were designed such that these cohesive single-stranded ends annealed to form circular DNA. The recombinant of interest was generated following only 14 amplification cycles. These recombinant circles of DNA were directly transfected into E. coli. In the mutagenesis protocol, the desired mutant was obtained at 83%-100% efficiency. Unwanted mutations were not detected, indicating a less than 0.025% nucleotide misincorporation frequency. In the directional subcloning protocol, inserts were positioned precisely in the recipient plasmid and were in the correct orientation. One unwanted mutation was detected after sequencing 900 bases, indicating a 0.11% nucleotide misincorporation frequency. Each manipulation, from setting up for the DNA amplification to transfection into E. coli. can easily be accomplished in one day.     

人肿瘤坏死因子α抑制肽-抗炎酸性尾巴融合蛋白的原核表达及纯化

目的:表达和纯化人肿瘤坏死因子α抑制肽-抗炎酸性尾巴融合蛋白。方法:利用PCR搭接方法及基因合成方法获得目的基因,插入带有6×His标签的原核高效可溶性表达载体pET32a中,构建重组表达质粒pET32a-T9-ac-9,将重组表达质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导目的基因表达;对融合蛋白进行Ni2+金属螯合柱纯化。结果:构建的重组表达质粒经PCR、内切酶鉴定及基因序列测定证实;目的蛋白在大肠杆菌中获得表达,SDS-PAGE显示相对分子质量为22.917×103;对表达产物进行了亲和层析纯化,从上清中获得了纯度较高的人肿瘤坏死因子α抑制肽-抗炎酸性尾巴融合蛋白。结论:获得了可溶性的人肿瘤坏死因子α抑制肽-抗炎酸性尾巴融合蛋白,为其生物学功能研究奠定了基础。     

SARS病毒核蛋白基因的克隆及其表达研究

从一例输入性传染性非典型性肺炎病人血清中提取病毒RNA,通过RT—PCR方法扩增出SARS病毒核蛋白基因片段,克隆入质粒载体pUCm—T后,进行核苷酸序列的测定及分析,与已公布的SARS病毒基因序列进行比较,证实为SARS冠状病毒核蛋白基因。为了解该病毒核蛋白的抗原特性,将核蛋白基因插入表达载体,构建重组质粒pET28a—SN,转导大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)后,加IPTG诱导表达。产物经SDS—PAGE电泳分析,表达出相对分子量约为50kDa的蛋白,占整个菌体的45％左右。Westem—blot分析表明,表达产物仅与SARS阳性病人血清起反应,而与正常血清不起反应。间接ELISA免疫检测,抗原滴度达1：12500。表明表达的核蛋白为SARS特异性抗原,这为SARS病毒的诊断试剂的研制提供了方便而安全的抗原来源。     

Improving expression and solubility of rice proteins produced as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli

For proteins of higher eukaryotes, such as plants, which have large genomes, recombinant protein expression and purification are often difficult. Expression levels tend to be low and the expressed proteins tend to misfold and aggregate. We tested seven different expression vectors in Escherichia coli for rapid subcloning of rice genes and for protein expression and solubility levels. Each expressed gene product has an N-terminal fusion protein and/or tag, and an engineered protease site upstream of the mature rice protein. Several different fusion proteins/tags and protease sites were tested. We found that the fusion proteins and the protease sites have significant and varying effects on expression and solubility levels. The expression vector with the most favorable characteristics is pDEST-trx. The vector, which is a modified version of the commercially available expression vector, pET-32a, contains an N-terminal thioredoxin fusion protein and a hexahistidine tag, and is adapted to the Gateway expression system. However, addition of an engineered protease site could drastically change the expression and solubility properties. We selected 135 genes corresponding to potentially interesting rice proteins, transferred the genes from cDNAs to expression vectors, and engineered in suitable protease sites N-terminal to the mature proteins. Of 135 genes, 131 (97.0%) could be expressed and 72 (53.3%) were soluble when the fusion proteins/tags were present. Thirty-eight mature-length rice proteins and domains (28.1%) are suitable for NMR solution structure studies and/or X-ray crystallography. Our expression systems are useful for the production of soluble plant proteins in E. coli to be used for structural genomics studies.     

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。