Utilizing chimeric proteins for exploring the cellular fate of endogenous proteins. |
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Authors: | Ahmi Ben-Yehudah Rami Aqeilan Ruth Belostotsky Yehudith Azar Haya Lorberboum-Galski |
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Institution: | Department of Cellular Biochemistry and Human Genetics, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. |
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Abstract: | We recently designed and constructed chimeric proteins for the elimination of specific cell populations. These chimeric proteins are composed of a targeting component fused to an apoptotic protein as the killing moiety. However, chimeric proteins can serve not only to eliminate cell populations, but also as "biological tools" for studying the fate of endogenous proteins. We show here that upon entering their target cell, a variety of chimeric proteins composed of an endogenous protein as their killing moiety reach the subcellular location of their endogenous counterpart. In contrast, bacterial-based killing domains head for the subcellular site of their substrate. Moreover, the chimeric protein acts similarly to the endogenous protein, while causing the cell to die. Therefore, chimeric proteins may serve as a unique tool for investigating cellular proteins and their intracellular localization, without the need to overexpress them. |
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Keywords: | chimeric proteins Bax confocal microscopy biological tool endogenous protein localization |
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