Regulation of PDE-4 cAMP phosphodiesterases by phosphatidic acid

Phosphatidic acid (PA) has been previously shown to activate specifically some of the isoforms of type 4 cylic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE-4) in an acellular system. In the present work, we have investigated the mechanism of PA-activating effect by using a recombinant PA-sensitive isoform, PDE-4D3. The enzyme was specifically activated by acidic phospholipids, but not by zwitterionic phospholipids or anionic detergents. The importance of the role of PA acidic groups in the activation process was confirmed by studying the influence of pH and ionic strength on activation. Crosslinking experiments suggested that PA might influence the ability of PDE-4D3 to form dimers. Binding studies performed with radiolabeled PA showed that PA binds to a PDE-4D3 preparation in a saturable manner. Specifically bound PA was displaced by anionic, but not by zwitterionic phospholipids. With a preparation of PDE-4B2, a PDE-4 isoform insensitive to PA activation, PA binding was only displaced by high concentrations of unlabeled PA, suggesting that high-affinity PA binding sites are only present on PDE-4D3. These data support the hypothesis that PA-activating effect depends on direct binding of the effector on specific sites carried by the PDE-4D3 protein.     

Molecular Cloning and Expression of a Human Phosphodiesterase 4C

A cDNA coding for a human phosphodiesterase 4C (PDE4C2) was isolated from the mRNA prepared from the glioblastoma cell line, U87. The cDNA contained an ORF of 1818 bp corresponding to a 605 amino acid polypeptide. The sequence differed at the 5′ end from the human PDE4C previously reported (Engels, P. et al, 1995 FEBs Letters 358, 305-310) indicating that it represents a novel splice variant of the human PDE4C gene. Evidence was also obtained for a third 5′ splice variant. The PDE4C2 cDNA was transfected into both COS 1 cells and yeast cells, and shown to direct the expression of an 80 kD polypeptide by Western blotting using a PDE4C specific antiserum. The activity of cell lysates was typical of PDE4 being specific for cAMP and inhibitable by the selective inhibitor, rolipram. However, the K_m for cAMP of the enzyme produced in COS cells was 0.6 μM compared to 2.6 μM for the yeast 4C activity. In addition the COS cell PDE4 activity was much more sensitive to R rolipram than the yeast PDE4 enzyme (IC₅₀ of 23 nM compared to 1648 nM). This difference in rolipram sensitivity was associated with the detection of a high affinity [³H] R rolipram binding site on the COS cell 4C enzyme but not on the yeast expressed enzyme. The results indicate that the enzyme can adopt more than one active conformation, which are distinguished by their interaction with rolipram.     

大熊猫脑钙调素的纯化及性质研究

以大熊猫脑为材料,经提取、热处理、Phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B疏水柱和快速液相分子筛层析,分离纯化得到CaM.经SDS-PAGE、 PAGE和IEF鉴定,得到的CaM为一条带.经测定,大熊猫脑CaM的分子质量为19 ku,等电点为3.8.酶活性实验表明大熊猫脑CaM对牛心磷酸二酯酶有激活作用.氨基酸组成分析结果与其他来源CaM相近.     

Compartmentalization of PDE-4 and cAMP-dependent protein kinase in neutrophils and macrophages during phagocytosis

The compartmentalization of cAMP in human neutrophils during phagocytosis of serum-opsonized zymosan suggests that cAMP is an important second messenger for regulating phagocytosis. Type 4 cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE-4), cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), and adenylate cyclase are the principal effector molecules for cAMP regulation in phagocytes. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that PDE-4 isoforms (HSPDE-4A, HSPDE-4B, HSPDE-4D) were targeted to the forming phagosome in neutrophils, and were colocalized with the catalytic subunit of PKA and degranulated myeloperoxidase. Phagocytosis and accumulation of PDE-4 and PKA near adherent zymosan were inhibited by elevating cAMP levels with forskolin or rolipram. cAMP, PDE-4, and PKA were localized at sites of zymosan adherence in cells treated with cytochalasin D to inhibit phagosome formation, suggesting that zymosan engagement to Fc/CR3 receptors triggers cAMP elevations at sites of phagocytosis. HSPDE-4A, HSPDE-4B, HSPDE-4D, and PKA also were localized at the forming phagosome in monocyte-derived macrophages, and the lysosomal marker CD63 demonstrated the absence of PDE-4 around internalized phagolysosomes. These results suggest that cAMP levels are focally regulated by PDE-4 at the nascent phagosome, and that PKA may phosphorylate proteins associated with pseudopodia formation and phagosome internalization.     

DEK蛋白的真核表达纯化及其活性检测

利用Bac-to-Bac杆状病毒表达系统表达DEK蛋白并进行纯化。首先以pFastBacI质粒构建重组质粒pFastBacI-DEK,转化DH10Bac大肠杆菌后获得重组穿梭载体Bacmid-DEK,通过脂质体介导转染Sf9细胞产生具有强感染力的重组杆状病毒AcNPV-DEK。用此重组杆状病毒AcNPV-DEK感染Sf9细胞表达His-DEK融合蛋白。在非变性条件下,利用Ni-NTA agarose对表达的His-DEK融合蛋白进行纯化,经SDS-PAGE和Western blotting分析,在50 kDa处出现特异性蛋白条带并证实其为His-DEK融合蛋白。凝胶迁移阻滞实验表明,融合蛋白His-DEK与DNA 的结合具有结构特异性,其与超螺旋型DNA结合活性强于与线性化DNA的结合活性。真核表达并纯化的融合蛋白His-DEK与DNA的结合活性要明显强于原核表达的融合蛋白His-CDB。DEK 蛋白的磷酸化修饰会阻碍其与DNA的结合,而Sf9细胞中表达的融合蛋白His-DEK存在磷酸化修饰,将His-DEK去磷酸化后,其与DNA的结合活性有所提高。     

中和性流行性感冒病毒基因工程抗体在昆虫细胞中的全基因表达、纯化及鉴定

将中和性流行性感冒 (流感 )病毒基因工程抗体IV 2、IV 6的轻链和重链Fd段基因 ,分别克隆入全抗体表达载体 pAC L Fc ,构建成杆状病毒表达载体pAC L Fc Ⅳ 2和 pAC L Fc Ⅳ 6 ,转染昆虫Sf9细胞 ,利用杆状病毒 /昆虫细胞系统实现抗体的分泌型表达 ,表达产物进行亲和层析分离纯化。SDS PAGE电泳和Westernblot法证实有完整免疫球蛋白的表达 ,免疫印迹法证实它们能与流感病毒血凝素蛋白特异性结合。经间接竞争性抑制ELISA法测定 ,抗体与流感病毒抗原结合的解离常数KD 值分别为 2 5× 10 -9M和 3 0× 10 -9M。流感病毒基因工程全抗体经在昆虫细胞中的表达、纯化和抗体特性鉴定 ,获得了两株纯化的全抗体 ,可用于以后的动物模型呼吸道粘膜被动免疫抗感染的研究。     

Differential phosphodiesterase expression and cytosolic Ca2+ in human CNS tumour cells and in non-malignant and malignant cells of rat origin

A promising attempt in the field of tumour therapy is the modulation of intracellular, proliferation-associated signalling pathways. The role of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs), key enzymes in cAMP/cGMP signal transduction, was investigated in two human CNS tumour cell lines as well as in the rat glioblastoma cell line C6 in comparison with rat cerebellar astrocytes with the emphasis on target evaluation. We found differential PDE expression patterns in human CNS tumour cell lines as well as in CNS cells of rat origin. In human glioblastoma cells, intracellular cAMP and Ca(2+) levels correlated well with the PDE expression pattern. There were, however, marked differences in PDE expression and Ca(2+) kinetics between the human glioblastoma cell lines. In contrast to human epithelial tumour cells, shown earlier by us to express significantly enhanced cAMP-specific PDE activity, this was not the case in rat glioblastoma cells compared with non-malignant rat astrocytes. Despite different levels of PDE1 and PDE4 expression and activity, cyclic nucleotide and Ca(2+) levels in non-malignant and malignant rat CNS cells were similar. These in vitro data do not support the concept of PDE1C representing a target exploitable for drug treatment of malignant CNS tumours.     

Expression and characterization of soybean seed coat peroxidase in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)

Soybean seed coat peroxidase (SBP) is a valuable enzyme having a broad variety of applications in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and food processing. In the present study, the sscp gene (Gene ID: 548068) was optimized based on the preferred codon usage of Escherichia coli, synthesized, and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis of this expressed protein revealed that its molecular weight is approximately 39?kDa. The effects of induction temperature, concentration of isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactoside and hemin, induction time, expression time were optimized to enhance SBP production with a maximum activity of 11.23?U/mL (8.64?U/mg total protein). Furthermore, the kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed reactions of recombinant protein was determined. When 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) was used as substrate, optimum reaction temperature and pH of the enzyme were 85°C and 5.0, respectively. The effects of metal ions on the enzymatic reaction were also further investigated. The SBP was successfully expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) which would provide a more efficient production strategy for industrial applications of SBP.     

标记蛋白HPT的表达、纯化及免疫活性鉴定

构建含有HPT的原核表达质粒,经诱导表达纯化后获得HPT抗体。从含有hpt的质粒pCambia1301上扩增目的基因,经SalⅠ和NotⅠ双酶切后与原核表达载体pET-28b（+）进行粘性末端连接,成功构建了pET-28b-hpt质粒,并转化到宿主细菌大肠杆菌Rosset(DE3)中进行蛋白表达。在异丙基硫代-β-D-半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导下,pET-28b-hpt原核表达载体在E.coli Rosset菌株中以包涵体的形式高效表达了HPT蛋白,并以纯化的目的蛋白为抗原免疫兔制备了多克隆抗体。利用本方法可以获得特异性强、灵敏度高的多克隆抗体。     

增强型绿色荧光蛋白的真核表达和纯化

根据编码增强型绿色荧光蛋白(enhanced green fluorescent protein,EGFP)的开放读码框(open reading frame,ORF)设计引物,PCR方法扩增出5'端带His标签的EGF PORF,利用杆状病毒表达系统构建表达EGFP基因的重组杆状病毒DNA分子,转染sf9细胞.取细胞...     

Cloning and expression of human lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Pichia pastoris</Emphasis>

Lectin-like oxidatively-modified LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a major receptor for oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in aortic endothelial cells. Human LOX-1 (hLOX-1) gene (cDNA) was cloned from the monocytic leukemic cell line THP-1 and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant protein (rhLOX-1) was purified by his-tag affinity chromatography. Preliminary identification was performed by Western blot analysis and a ligand-receptor binding assay showed that the protein had specific oxLDL-binding activity.Revisions requested 21 September 2004; Revisions received 10 November 2004     

Upregulation of cAMP-specific PDE-4 activity following ligation of the TCR complex on thymocytes is blocked by selective inhibitors of protein kinase C and tyrosyl kinases

We have previously shown that the major cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) isoforms present in murine thymocytes are the cGMP-stimulated PDE activity (PDE-2) and the cAMP-specific PDE activity (PDE-4), and that these isoforms are differentially regulated following ligation of the TCR (Michie, A. M., Lobban, M. D., Mueller, T., Harnett, M. M., and Houslay, M. D. [1996]Cell. Signalling 8, 97–110). We show here that the anti-CD3-stimulated elevation in PDE-4 activity in murine thymocytes is dependent on protein tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated signals as the TCR-coupled increase in PDE-4 activity can be abrogated by both the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, and the PKC selective inhibitors chelerythrine and staurosporine. Moreover, the PKC-activating phorobol ester, phorbol-12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA) caused an increase in PDE-4 activity, similar to that observed in cells challenged with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies and which was not additive with cochallenge using anti-CD3 antibodies. Both the PMA-and the anti-CD3 antibody-mediated increases in PDE-4 activity were blocked by treatment with either cycloheximide or actinomycin D. Despite the upregulation of PDE-4 activity consequent to TCR ligation, intracellular cAMP levels increased on challenge of thymocytes with anti-CD3 antibody, indicating that adenylate cyclase activity was also increased by TCR ligation. It is suggested that the anti-CD3-mediated increase in PDE-4 activity was owing to a rapid PKC-dependent induction of PDE-4 activity following crosslinking of the TCR complex. This identifies “crosstalk” occurring between the PKA and PKC signaling pathways initiated by ligation of the antigen receptor in murine thymocytes. That both adenylate cyclase and PDE-4 activities were increased may indicate the presence of compartmentalized cAMP responses present in these cells.     

Purification and characterization of a protein kinase from pine pollen

A kinase phosphorylating casein and phosvitin has been purified from pine pollen by a three-step procedure involving DEAE-cellulose chromatography, affinity chromatography on casein-Sepharose and Sephadex G-100. A purification of about 2000 fold was obtained by this procedure. The kinase is affected neither by cyclic nucleotides nor by Ca²⁺-calmodulin, whereas it is strongly inhibited by heparin. Using this purification procedure, we have isolated protein kinase exhibiting phosphorylating activity towards casein in the pollen of many other Pinaceae species.     

角蛋白酶基因gm2886在密旋链霉菌ACT12中的表达及鉴定

通过生物信息学分析,在本实验室分离得到的1株羽毛高效降解菌微白黄链霉菌Fea-10基因组中发现基因gm2886(GenBank Accession Number:KY368946)可能编码一新的角蛋白酶,通过在该基因5'端和3'端分别连接红霉素抗性基因启动子(PermE)和组氨酸标签编码序列并构建在大肠杆菌-链霉菌穿梭质粒pSET152上,接合转入密旋链霉菌Streptomyces pactum ACT12,从而实现了异源表达,蛋白纯化后对其酶学性质进行了研究。实验结果表明,带有组氨酸标签编码序列的gm2886在密旋链霉菌ACT12中可以表达分泌得到1个大小约为36 kDa的蛋白。多种底物检测表明异源表达得到的重组蛋白GM2886-His6具有蛋白酶活性,可以降解水不溶性的天青角蛋白和羽毛粉;其最适温度和pH分别为50℃和pH 10.0。PMSF可抑制GM2886-His6的酶活,而EDTA不能,说明该酶为丝氨酸蛋白酶。本研究为从分子水平上解析羽毛高效降解菌Fea-10的活性机理,从而进一步开发其应用潜力提供了基础,同时可为该类蛋白酶的研究提供借鉴。     

Purification and characterization of protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP-MEG2

PTP-MEG2 is an intracellular protein tyrosine phosphatase with a putative lipid-binding domain at the N-terminus. The present study reports expression, purification, and characterization of the full-length form of the enzyme plus a truncated form containing the catalytic domain alone. Full-length PTP-MEG2 was expressed with an adenovirus system and purified from cytosolic extracts of human 293 cells infected with the recombinant adenovirus. The purification scheme included chromatographic separation of cytosolic extracts on fast flow Q-Sepharose, heparin-agarose, l-histidyldiazobenzylphosphonic acid agarose, and hydroxylapatite. The enrichment of PTP-MEG2 from the cytosol was about 120-fold. The truncated form of PTP-MEG2 was expressed in E. coli cells as a non-fusion protein and purified by using a chromatographic procedure similar to that used for the full-length enzyme. The purified full-length and truncated enzymes showed single polypeptide bands on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions and behaved as monomers on gel exclusion chromatography. With para-nitrophenylphosphate and phosphotyrosine as substrates, both forms of the enzyme exhibited classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Their responses to pH, ionic strength, metal ions, and protein phosphatase inhibitors are similar to those observed with other characterized tyrosine phosphatases. Compared with full-length PTP-MEG2, the truncated DeltaPTP-MEG2 displayed significantly higher V(max) and lower K(m) values, suggesting that the N-terminal putative lipid-binding domain may have an inhibitory role. The full-length and truncated forms of PTP-MEG2 were also expressed as GST fusion proteins in E. coli cells and purified to near homogeneity through affinity columns. However, the specific phosphatase activities of the GST fusion proteins were 10-25-fold below those obtained with the correspondent non-fusion proteins.     

A simplified method for the efficient purification and refolding of recombinant human TRAIL

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) belongs to the TNF cytokine superfamily that specifically induces apoptosis in a broad spectrum of human cancer cell lines but not in most healthy cells. The antitumor potential of recombinant human TRAIL (rhTRAIL) has attracted great attention among biologists and oncologists. However, attempts to express rhTRAIL in Escherichia coli often results in limited yield of bioactive protein due to the formation of inclusion bodies (IBs), which are dense insoluble particulate protein aggregates inside cells. We describe herein a highly simplified method to produce pure bioactive rhTRAIL using E. coli. The method is straightforward and requires only basic laboratory equipment, with highly efficient purification and high yield of renaturation, and may also be applied to produce other proteins that form IBs in E. coli.     

Kinetics of cell growth and heterologous glucoamylase production in recombinant Aspergillus nidulans

In the work, a study of cell growth and the regulation of heterologous glucoamylase synthesis under the control of the positively regulated alcA promoter in a recombinant Aspergillus nidulans is presented. We found that similar growth rates were obtained for both the host and recombinant cells when either glucose or fructose was employed as sole carbon and energy source. Use of the potent inducer cyclopentanone in concentrations greater than 3 mM resulted n maximum glucoamylase concentration and maximum overall specific glucoamylase concentration over 80 h of batch cultivation. However, cyclopentanone concentrations in excess of 3 mM also showed an inhibitory effect on spore germination as well as fungal growth. In contrast, another inducer, threonine, had no negative effect on spore germination even when concentrations of up to 100 mM were used with either glucose or fructose as carbon source. Glucoamylase synthesis in the presence of glucose plus either inducer did not begin until glucose was totally depleted, suggesting strong catabolite repression. Similar results were obtained when fructose was employed, although low levels of glucoamylase were detected before fructose depletion, suggesting partial catabolite repression. The highest enzyme concentration (570 mg/L) and overall specific enzyme concentration (81 mg/g cell) were observed in batch culture when cyclopentanone was the inducer and fructose the primary carbon source. A maximum glucoamylase concentration of 1.1 g/L and an overall specific glucoamylase concentration of 167 mg/g cell were obtained in a bioreactor using cyclopentanone as the inducer and limited-fructose feeding strategy, which nearly doubles the glucoamylase productivity from batch cultures. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

HBV pre-c-Fc融合蛋白在杆状病毒表达系统中的表达及其生物学活性研究

目的:在杆状病毒表达系统中表达融合蛋白乙型肝炎病毒前C蛋白-小鼠IgG Fc蛋白(HBV precore protein-mouse IgG Fc,HBV pre-c-Fc),并鉴定其免疫原性。方法:目的基因HBV prec-Fc连接到pFastBac1载体,获得的pFastBac1-HBV pre-c-Fc质粒转化DH10Bac感受态,通过Tn7转座子将目的基因转座到Bacmid中,得到Bacmid-HBV pre-c-Fc穿梭载体,脂质体包被后转染Sf9昆虫细胞获得P1代病毒,重复转染Sf9获得高滴度病毒。收集细胞上清超滤后通过Protein G亲和层析柱纯化得到目的蛋白HBV pre-c-Fc。纯化的蛋白大腿内侧肌肉注射免疫BALB/c小鼠并检测血清中乙型肝炎病毒核心蛋白抗体产生量。结果:HBV pre-c-Fc在昆虫细胞中成功表达,纯化后蛋白纯度达90%以上,蛋白产量约为3.03mg/L,纯化蛋白能有效刺激BALB/c小鼠产生特异抗体。结论:成功地在杆状病毒表达系统中表达了具有免疫原性的HBV pre-c-Fc蛋白,为生产乙肝治疗性疫苗奠定了基础。