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Simple procedures for the construction of a robust and cost-effective cell-free protein synthesis system.

In this study, as a part of our efforts to improve the robustness and economical feasibility of cell-free protein synthesis, we developed a simple method of preparing the cell extracts used for catalyzing cell-free protein synthesis reactions. We found that the high-speed centrifugation, pre-incubation, and dialysis steps of the conventional procedures could be omitted without losing the translational activity of the resulting cell extract. Instead, a simple centrifugation step at low speed (12,000 RCF for 10 min) followed by a brief period of incubation was sufficient for the preparation of an active extract to support cell-free protein synthesis with higher productivity and consistency. Compared to the present standard procedures for the preparation of the S30 extract, the overall cost of the reagents and processing time were reduced by 80 and 60%, respectively.

Cell-Free System↗

Re-examination of the post-translational arginylated protein of 125-kD initially identified as N-STOP.

Post-translational modification of proteins is a complex mechanism by which cells regulate protein activities. One post-translational modification is the incorporation of arginine into the NH2-terminus of proteins. It has been hypothesized that in rat brain extracts, one of the proteins modified by this reaction is the microtubule-associated protein Neuronal Stable Tubule Only Polypeptide (N-STOP). This was inferred from its electrophoretic mobility (125 kD) and because it was immunoprecipitated with a monoclonal antibody against the N-STOP. However, this hypothesis is not supported by our recent results. Herein, we found that rat N-STOP interacts with Ca(2+)-calmodulin, whereas the 125-kD [14C]-arginylated protein does not. The 125-kD [14C]-arginylated protein from rat brain is separated from the N-STOP by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and it is not recognized by a STOP monoclonal antibody. Mouse brain contains N-STOP, which migrates as a protein of 116 kD and could not be labeled by the post-translational incorporation of [14C]-arginine. The 125-kD [14C]-arginylated protein appears in wild-type as well as in STOP knock out mice. Based on these results, we conclude that the 125-kD arginylated protein is different from N-STOP.

Animals↗

Production and N-glycan analysis of secreted human erythropoietin glycoprotein in stably transfected Drosophila S2 cells.

Schneider 2 (S2) cells from Drosophila melanogaster have been used as a plasmid-based, non-lytic expression system for foreign proteins. Here, a plasmid encoding the human erythropoietin (hEPO) gene fused with a hexahistidine (His(6)) tag under the control of the Drosophila metallothionein (MT) promoter was stably transfected into Drosophila S2 cells. After copper sulfate induction, transfected S2 cells were found to secrete hEPO with a maximum expression level of 18 mg/L and a secretion efficiency near 98%. The secreted hEPO from Drosophila S2 had an apparent molecular weight of about 23-27 kDa which was significantly lower than a recombinant hEPO expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (about 36 kDa). N-glycosidase F digestion almost completely eliminated the difference and resulted in the same molecular weight ( approximately 20 kDa) of de-N-glycosylated hEPO proteins. These data suggest that recombinant hEPO from S2 cells was modified with smaller N-glycans. Subsequently, the major N-glycans were identified following glycoamidase A digestion, labeling with 2-aminopyridine (PA), and two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis in concert with exoglycosidase digestion. This analysis of N-glycans revealed that hEPO was modified to include paucimannosidic glycans containing two or three mannose residues with or without core fucose. A similar glycosylation pattern was observed on a recombinant human transferrin expressed in S2 cells. These results provide a detailed analysis of multiple N-glycan structures produced in a Drosophila cell line that will be useful in the subsequent application of these cells for the generation of heterologous glycoproteins.

Animals↗

Amino acid and manganese supplementation modulates the glycosylation state of erythropoietin in a CHO culture system.

The manufacture of secreted proteins is complicated by the need for both high levels of expression and appropriate processing of the nascent polypeptide. For glycoproteins, such as erythropoietin (EPO), posttranslational processing involves the addition of oligosaccharide chains. We initially noted that a subset of the amino acids present in the cell culture media had become depleted by cellular metabolism during the last harvest cycle in our batch fed system and hypothesized that by supplementing these nutrients we would improve EPO yields. By increasing the concentration of these amino acids we increased recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) biosynthesis in the last harvest cycle as expected but, surprisingly, we also observed a large increase in the amount of rHuEPO with a relatively low sialic acid content. To understand the nature of this process we isolated and characterized the lower sialylated rHuEPO pool. Decreased sialylation correlated with an increase in N-linked carbohydrates missing terminal galactose moieties, suggesting that beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase may be rate limiting in our system. To test this hypothesis we supplemented our cultures with varying concentrations of manganese (Mn(2+)), a cofactor for beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase. Consistent with our hypothesis we found that Mn(2+) addition improved galactosylation and greatly reduced the amount of rHuEPO in the lower sialylated fraction. Additionally, we found that Mn(2+) addition increased carbohydrate site occupancy and narrowed carbohydrate branching to bi-antennary structures in these lower sialylated pools. Surprisingly Mn(2+) only had this effect late in the culture process. These data indicate that the addition of Mn(2+) has complex effects on stressed batch fed cultures.

Amino Acids↗

Expression and characterization of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165) in insect cells.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the best characterized multifunctional protein which plays a key role in normal and pathologic angiogenesis. The gene encoding the human VEGF165 was cloned from the ovarian carcinoma cell line (OVCAR3) and expressed in insect cells using the baculovirus expression vector system. The recombinant human VEGF165 (rhVEGF165) protein produced by Sf21 (Spodoptera frugiperda) cells underwent a similar processing compared with mammalian cells, including efficient glycosylation, formation of a disulfide-linked dimer and secretion into the media. The rhVEGF165 had a high affinity for heparin and this characteristic was used to purify this form to homogeneity by heparin affinity, Resource S and Resource RPC columns. The biological activity of the purified 42-kDa homodimer was shown by the induction of the proliferation of human umbilical vein derived endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that an angiogenic growth factor whose normal processing requires glycosylation and disulfide-bridge formation can be efficiently expressed in high concentration (up to 20mg/L) in Sf21 cells.

Animals↗

Heterologous protein expression in filamentous fungi.

Filamentous fungi are commonly used in the fermentation industry for the large-scale production of proteins--mainly industrial enzymes. Recent advances in fungal genomics and related experimental technologies such as gene arrays and proteomics are rapidly changing the approaches to the development and use of filamentous fungi as hosts for the production of both homologous and heterologous gene products. The emphasis is moving towards sourcing new genes of interest through database mining and unravelling the circuits related to fungal gene regulation, applying, for example, transcriptomics. However, although heterologous fungal proteins are efficiently expressed, expression of gene products from other organisms is subject to several bottlenecks that reduce yield. Current approaches emphasize the study of pathways involved in protein modification and degradation in general rather than gene-by-gene approaches.

Animals↗

A proprotein convertase-inhibiting serpin with an endoplasmic reticulum targeting signal from Branchiostoma lanceolatum, a close relative of vertebrates.

Lancelets are considered to take a key position in the evolution of lineages leading to vertebrates. Herein, a serpin from the lancelet Branchiostoma lanceolatum, Bl-Spn1, was identified that inhibits the PCs (proprotein convertases) PC1/3 and furin. The inhibitor forms SDS-stable complexes with either of its targets. Analysis of the inhibitor/furin reaction products by mass spectroscopy assigns the enzyme's cleavage position C-terminally to Met-Met-Lys-Arg downward arrow in the reactive site loop of Spn1, in concordance with the classical recognition/cleavage site of the principal vertebrate PCs. The inhibitor is equipped with a canonical ER (endoplasmic reticulum) retrieval signal, Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu (KDEL), marking the inhibitor as a guardian of the cellular secretory routes. Deletion of the ER retrieval signal results in the export of the inhibitor into the medium of transfected COS-7 cells, consistent with the assigned intracellular location. These results identify Bl-Spn1 as the first serpin that may inhibit PC1/3-like subtilases at their natural sites of action. Phylogenetic comparisons support a concept implying a general role for ER-residing serpins in the surveillance of subtilase-like enzymes along the constitutive and regulated secretory pathways of metazoans including a role in the defence of intruders that turn PCs to their propagation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Salinity stress adaptation competence in the extremophile Thellungiella halophila in comparison with its relative Arabidopsis thaliana.

In stark contrast to Arabidopsis, a related species, Thellungiella halophila (Thellungiella salsuginea; salt cress), displays extreme tolerance to high salinity, low humidity and freezing. High nucleotide sequence identity permits the use of tools developed for Arabidopsis for Thellungiella transcript profiling, for which a microarray platform with >25,000 DNA elements (70-mer oligonucleotides) was used. Microarray transcript profiling and intensity analysis, quantitative RT-PCR, and metabolite profiles define genes and pathways that showed shared and divergent responses to salinity stress in the two species. Shared responses are exemplified by 40% of the regulated genes functioning in confining ribosomal functions, photosynthesis and cell growth, as well as activating osmolyte production, transport activities and abscisic acid-dependent pathways. An additional 60% of regulated genes distinguished Thellungiella from Arabidopsis. Analysis of the differences showed that Arabidopsis exhibited a global defense strategy that required bulk protein synthesis, while Thellungiella induced genes functioning in protein folding, post-translational modification and protein redistribution. At 150 mm NaCl, Thellungiella maintained unimpeded growth. Transcript intensity analyses and metabolite profiles supported the microarray results, pointing towards a stress-anticipatory preparedness in Thellungiella.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of rhabdomyosarcoma cells reveal differential cellular gene expression in response to enterovirus 71 infection.

Insights into the host antiviral strategies as well as viral disease manifestations can be achieved through the elucidation of host- and virus-mediated transcriptional responses. An oligo-based microarray was employed to analyse mRNAs from rhabdomyosarcoma cells infected with the MS/7423/87 strain of enterovirus 71 (EV71) at 20 h post infection. Using Acuity software and LOWESS normalization, 152 genes were found to be downregulated while 39 were upregulated by greater than twofold. Altered transcripts include those encoding components of cytoskeleton, protein translation and modification; cellular transport proteins; protein degradation mediators; cell death mediators; mitochondrial-related and metabolism proteins; cellular receptors and signal transducers. Changes in expression profiles of 15 representative genes were authenticated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which also compared the transcriptional responses of cells infected with EV71 strain 5865/Sin/000009 isolated from a fatal case during the Singapore outbreak in 2000. Western blot analyses of APOB, CLU, DCAMKL1 and ODC1 proteins correlated protein and transcript levels. Two-dimensional proteomic maps highlighted differences in expression of cellular proteins (CCT5, CFL1, ENO1, HSPB1, PSMA2 and STMN1) following EV71 infection. Expression of several apoptosis-associated genes was modified, coinciding with apoptosis attenuation observed in poliovirus infection. Interestingly, doublecortin and CaM kinase-like 1 (DCAMKL1) involved in brain development, was highly expressed during infection. Thus, microarray, real-time RT-PCR and proteomic analyses can elucidate the global view of the numerous and complex cellular responses that contribute towards EV71 pathogenesis.

Cell Line, Tumor↗

Tracking cell signaling protein expression and phosphorylation by innovative proteomic solutions.

The most challenging and fruitful biomedical research endeavor of this decade will be the mapping of cell signaling systems and establishing their linkages to normal and disease-related processes. Amongst other things, the Human Genome Sequencing Project has greatly facilitated MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identification of proteins that have been resolved by standard 2D gel electrophoresis. However, the low abundance of protein kinases and other signal transduction proteins has rendered their analyses particularly problematic without some means of purification and enrichment from cell and tissue lysates. Antibodies have been the most specific affinity probes for tracking target proteins, but their variable quality and high cost preclude their deployment in most discovery-based proteomics studies. Current multi-immunoblotting techniques can permit the probing of a single mini-SDS-PAGE gel with 50 or more antibodies at a time to monitor large changes in the expression and phosphorylation states of signaling proteins. The development of new affinity probes to replace antibodies is necessary to drive large scale proteomics studies. Such affinity probes could include short peptide antibody mimetics (PAM's) and oligonucleotide aptamers that when spotted in 2D array formats (e.g. membrane macroarrays, glass microarrays) or presented on specific beads (e.g. Luminex beads) can capture target proteins for their specific enrichment. The bound target proteins can then be detected using reporter antibodies or other specific probes for their quantitation by high throughput systems. These new proteomics methodologies will accelerate assessment of specific protein expression, post-translational modification, protein-protein interactions and protein-drug interactions to provide a more holistic view of cellular operations and how they might be manipulated under pathological circumstances.

Animals↗

[Secretion of biologically active human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in milk of transgenic mice].

Two constructs were devised, containing the full-length gene of the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) fused with the 5' and 3' flanking promoter sequences of bovine alpha-S1-casein gene. Both constructs contained a 1518-bp fragment that included exons 18 and 19 and 320 bp of the 3' flanking region of bovine gene @CSN1S1, but differed in size of the 5' flanking sequences, which were of 721 bp, and exon 1 in construct pGCm1 and 2001 bp and exon 1 and intron 1 in construct pGCm2. With both constructs, transgenic mice were produced. The transgene expression was assessed using RT-PCR and immunochemically from the production of human G-CSF in milk of lactating females. Secretion of human G-CSF into the milk varied in a wide range, from 0.8 microg/ml to over 1 mg/ml, in mice with construct pGCml and was low (up to 60 microg/ml) or absent in mice with construct pGCm2. G-CSF glycosylation was incomplete in mice with transgene pGCml and complete in mice with pGCm2. G-CSF of transgenic mouse milk was shown to stimulate the formation and growth of granulocyte-containing colonies in human umbilical blood cell culture and be close or identical in physiological activity to the natural human G-CSF.

Animals↗

Mass spectrometry and HPLC for carbohydrate analysis.

Methods have been developed for determining glycan galactosylation of recombinant monoclonal antibodies based on a number of techniques including: electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry, matrix-assisted laser-desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry, as well as fluorescent labelling and analytical separation of released glycans. While the techniques used differ in the analytical approaches, they all yield highly reproducible, linear and precise data for IgG glycoform analysis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Prediction of human protein function from post-translational modifications and localization features.

We have developed an entirely sequence-based method that identifies and integrates relevant features that can be used to assign proteins of unknown function to functional classes, and enzyme categories for enzymes. We show that strategies for the elucidation of protein function may benefit from a number of functional attributes that are more directly related to the linear sequence of amino acids, and hence easier to predict, than protein structure. These attributes include features associated with post-translational modifications and protein sorting, but also much simpler aspects such as the length, isoelectric point and composition of the polypeptide chain.

Computational Biology↗

A tethered catalysis, two-hybrid system to identify protein-protein interactions requiring post-translational modifications.

We have modified the yeast two-hybrid system to enable the detection of protein-protein interactions that require a specific post-translational modification, using the acetylation of histones and the phosphorylation of the carboxyl terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II as test modifications. In this tethered catalysis assay, constitutive modification of the protein to be screened for interactions is achieved by fusing it to its cognate modifying enzyme, with the physical linkage resulting in efficient catalysis. This catalysis maintains substrate modification even in the presence of antagonizing enzyme activities. A catalytically inactive mutant of the enzyme is fused to the substrate as a control such that the modification does not occur; this construct enables the rapid identification of modification-independent interactions. We identified proteins with links to chromatin functions that interact with acetylated histones, and proteins that participate in RNA polymerase II functions and in CTD phosphorylation regulation that interact preferentially with the phosphorylated CTD.

Acetylation↗

Glycosylation of the Arg-gingipains of Porphyromonas gingivalis and comparison with glycoconjugate structure and synthesis in other bacteria.

Post-translational modification of proteins by covalent attachment of sugars to the protein backbone (protein glycosylation) is the most common post-translational modification in the eucaryotic cell. However, the addition of carbohydrates to proteins of Eubacteria and Archaea has been demonstrated and accepted only recently. There is now a rapidly expanding list of bacterial glycoproteins that have been characterised from a variety of different organisms including many important pathogens. The Arg-gingipains of Porphyromonas gingivalis are recent additions to this list. In this review we present a summary of our investigations on the structure of the glycan additions to these proteolytic enzymes, the genetics of the glycosylation process and some of the effects on enzyme function and recognition. These findings are placed in the context of the current status of understanding of glycoconjugate structure and synthesis in other bacteria. Given the importance of glycosylation of eucaryotic proteins to their stability, structure, resistance to proteolysis and recognition, the modifications to the proteases described in the present report are likely to have a functional role in the properties of these enzymes in periodontal disease.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Towards a comprehensive understanding of Bacillus subtilis cell physiology by physiological proteomics.

Using Bacillus subtilis as a model system for functional genomics, this review will provide insights how proteomics can be used to bring the virtual life of genes to the real life of proteins. Physiological proteomics will generate a new and broad understanding of cellular physiology because the majority of proteins synthesized in the cell can be visualized. From a physiological point of view two major proteome fractions can be distinguished: proteomes of growing cells and proteomes of nongrowing cells. In the main analytical window almost 50% of the vegetative proteome expressed in growing cells of B. subtilis were identified. This proteomic view of growing cells can be employed for analyzing the regulation of entire metabolic pathways and thus opens the chance for a comprehensive understanding of metabolism and growth processes of bacteria. Proteomics, on the other hand, is also a useful tool for analyzing the adaptational network of nongrowing cells that consists of several partially overlapping regulation groups induced by stress/starvation stimuli. Furthermore, proteomic signatures for environmental stimuli can not only be applied to predict the physiological state of cells, but also offer various industrial applications from fermentation monitoring up to the analysis of the mode of action of drugs. Even if DNA array technologies currently provide a better overview of the gene expression profile than proteome approaches, the latter address biological problems in which they can not be replaced by mRNA profiling procedures. This proteomics of the second generation is a powerful tool for analyzing global control of protein stability, the protein interaction network, protein secretion or post-translational modifications of proteins on the way towards the elucidation of the mystery of life.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Multiple sclerosis: an important role for post-translational modifications of myelin basic protein in pathogenesis.

Myelin basic protein (MBP) represents a candidate autoantigen in multiple sclerosis (MS). We isolated MBP from normal and MS human white matter and purified six components (charge isomers) to compare the post-translational modifications on each. The sites and extent of methylation, deimination, and phosphorylation were documented for all tryptic peptides by mass spectrometry. We found that mono and dimethylated arginine 107 was increased in MS samples; deimination of arginine occurred at a number of sites and was elevated in MS; phosphorylation was observed in 10 peptides in normal samples but was greatly reduced or absent in most peptides from MS samples. Data obtained with MBP isolated from fresh brain obtained from a spontaneously demyelinating mouse model supported the view that the changes observed in human brain were probably related to pathogenesis of demyelination, i.e. we found decreased phosphorylation and decreased amounts of glycogen synthesis kinase in brain homogenates using specific antibodies. This study represents the first to define post-translational modifications in demyelinating disease and suggest an important role in pathogenesis.

Animals↗

Identification of altered protein expression and post-translational modifications in primary colorectal cancer by using agarose two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

PURPOSE: Although numerous proteome studies have been performed recently to identify cancer-related changes in protein expression, only a limited display of relatively abundant proteins has been identified. The aim of this study is to identify novel proteins as potential tumor markers in primary colorectal cancer tissues using a high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: 2-DE using an agarose gel for isoelectric focusing was used to compare protein profiling of 10 colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal mucosa. Altered expression and post-translational modification of several proteins were examined using Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Ninety-seven proteins of 107 spots (90.7%) that were differentially expressed between matched normal and tumor tissues were identified by mass spectrometry. Among them, 42 unique proteins (49 spots) significantly increased or decreased in the tumors. They include eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4H, inorganic pyrophosphatase, anterior gradient 2 homologue, aldolase A, and chloride intracellular channel 1, whose elevated expression in tumor tissues was confirmed by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Interestingly, only isoform 1 of two transcript variants of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4H was greatly up-regulated in most of the tumor tissues. Moreover, post-translational modifications of the prolyl-4-hydroxylase beta subunit and annexin A2 also were identified. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several novel proteins with altered expression in primary colorectal cancer using agarose 2-DE. This method is a powerful technique with which to search for not only quantitative but also qualitative changes in a biological process of interest and may contribute to the deeper understanding of underlying mechanisms of human cancer.

Aged↗