PES1 is a critical component of telomerase assembly and regulates cellular senescence.

Telomerase defers the onset of telomere shortening and cellular senescence by adding telomeric repeat DNA to chromosome ends, and its activation contributes to carcinogenesis. Telomerase minimally consists of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and the telomerase RNA (TR). However, how telomerase assembles is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that PES1 (Pescadillo), a protein overexpressed in many cancers, forms a complex with TERT and TR through direct interaction with TERT, regulating telomerase activity, telomere length maintenance, and senescence. PES1 does not interact with the previously reported telomerase components Reptin, Pontin, p23, and Hsp90. PES1 facilitates telomerase assembly by promoting direct interaction between TERT and TR without affecting TERT and TR levels. PES1 expression correlates positively with telomerase activity and negatively with senescence in patients with breast cancer. Thus, we identify a previously unknown telomerase complex, and targeting PES1 may open a new avenue for cancer therapy.

A signature motif in LIM proteins mediates binding to checkpoint proteins and increases tumour radiosensitivity.

Tumour radiotherapy resistance involves the cell cycle pathway. CDC25 phosphatases are key cell cycle regulators. However, how CDC25 activity is precisely controlled remains largely unknown. Here, we show that LIM domain-containing proteins, such as FHL1, increase inhibitory CDC25 phosphorylation by forming a complex with CHK2 and CDC25, and sequester CDC25 in the cytoplasm by forming another complex with 14-3-3 and CDC25, resulting in increased radioresistance in cancer cells. FHL1 expression, induced by ionizing irradiation in a SP1- and MLL1-dependent manner, positively correlates with radioresistance in cancer patients. We identify a cell-penetrating 11 amino-acid motif within LIM domains (eLIM) that is sufficient for binding CHK2 and CDC25, reducing the CHK2-CDC25 and CDC25-14-3-3 interaction and enhancing CDC25 activity and cancer radiosensitivity accompanied by mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis. Our results provide novel insight into molecular mechanisms underlying CDC25 activity regulation. LIM protein inhibition or use of eLIM may be new strategies for improving tumour radiosensitivity.

Disruption of the OCH1 and MNN1 genes decrease N-glycosylation on glycoprotein expressed in Kluyveromyces lactis.

Glycoproteins secreted by the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis are usually modified by the addition at asparagines-linked glycosylation sites of heterogeneous mannan residues. The secreted glycoproteins in K. lactis that become hypermannosylated will bear a non-human glycosylation pattern and can adversely affect the half-life, tissue distribution and immunogenicity of a therapeutic protein. Here, we describe engineering a K. lactis strain to produce non-hypermannosylated glycoprotein, decreasing the outer-chain mannose residues of N-linked oligosaccharides. We investigated and developed the method of two-step homologous recombination to knockout the OCH1 gene, encoding alpha1,6-mannosyltransferase and MNN1 gene, which is homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MNN1, encoding a putative alpha1,3-mannosyltransferase. We found the Kloch1 mutant strain has a defect in hyperglycosylation, inability in adding mannose to the core oligosaccharide. The N-linked oligosaccharides assembled on a secretory glycoprotein, HSA/GM-CSF in Kloch1 mutant, contained oligosaccharide Man(13-14)GlcNAc(2), and in Kloch1 mnn1 mutant, contained oligosaccharide Man(9-11)GlcNAc(2), whereas those in the wild-type strain, consisted of oligosaccharides with heterogeneous sizes, Man(>30)GlcNAc(2). Taken together, these results indicated that KlOch1p plays a key role in the outer-chain mannosylation of N-linked oligosaccharides in K. lactis. The KlMnn1p, was proved to be certain contribution to the outer hypermannosylation, most possibly encodes alpha1,3-mannosyltransferase. Therefore, the Kloch1 and Kloch1 mnn1 mutants can be used as a foundational host to produce glycoproteins lacking the outer-chain hypermannoses and further maybe applicable to be a promising system for yeast therapeutic protein production.

[A Pichia pastoris with alpha-1, 6-mannosyltransferases deletion and its use in expression of HSA/GM-CSF chimera].

Yeast is a widely used host for recombinant protein expression. However, glycoproteins derived from yeast contain N-glycan of high mannose type and are usually hyperglycosylated. alpha-1,6-mannosyltransferases gene (och1) encodes the enzyme that initiates the first step of out-chain elongation of high mannose type N-glycan in yeast, which is different from that in human. So, a high efficient method to knockout target gene by two-step recombination was established and was used to delete och1. In the first recombinant, a plasmid with och1::ADE1 and ura3 gene was linearized in the downstream of och1 and inserted to the och1 site of P. pastoris genome, where the upstream and downstream of och1 were duplicated. In the second recombinant, the duplicated fragments of och1 were exchanged and the och1 deletion strains were selected on the plates containing 5-FOA, but no adenine. Then the och1 deletion strain was applied to express an human serum albumin (HSA) granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) chimera. Different with the hyperglycosylated HSA/GM-CSF chimera expressed in wild type P. pastoris, the chimera expressed in the och1 deletion strain, contained smaller N-glycan. The results suggested that the och1 mutant yeast may be more suitable for production of recombinant glycoproteins. And the och 1 deletion strain could be used for further re-engineering to produce complex human glycoproteins.

[Expression and characterization of human sTNFR II-IgG Fc fusion protein in Pichia pastoris].

AIM: To find if human soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II (p75) fused IgG Fc protein (sTNFR II-IgG Fc) could be expressed in Pichia pastoris with an active dimmer form and characterize its N-linked oligosaccharides. METHODS: Two gene fragment, human sTNFR II and IgGFc, were got by RT-PCR from leucocytes stimulated with LPS. And the chimeric gene sTNFR II-IgG Fc achieved through gene splicing by over lap extension (SOE) method was cloned into pPIC9 and transformed into methanotropic yeast Pichia pastoris. The fusion protein purified by Protein A affinity column was analyzed with SDS-PAGE electrophoresis under reducing or non-reducing conditions and immunological methods. The anti-TNF-alpha biological activity assay of fusion protein was performed with L929 cells and detected with MTT colorimetry. The N-linked oligosaccharides hydrolyzed from fusion protein were labeled with 8-amino-1, 3, 6-naphthalene trisulfonic acid (ANTS) were analyzed with fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate eletrophoresis (FACE) as well. RESULTS: The recombinant P. pastoris strain that expressed human sTNFR II-IgG Fc fusion protein was constructed. The expression level of fusion protein in 2 L flask reached 2 mg/L. SDS-PAGE and Western blot showed the expressed fusion protein purified by protein was a dimer linked with inter-molecular disulfide linkage. The fusion protein neutralized cytotoxic activity of TNF-alpha to L929 cells, and the EC(50) of the fusion protein to inhibit 5 x 10(4) U/L of TNF-alpha was 170 microg/L. The FACE analysis showed there are 11 to 13 hexoses on each N-linked oligosaccharide. CONCLUSION: The human sTNFR II-IgG Fc fusion protein is expressed successfully in P. pastoris and it could be a reference for the future expression of other Fc fusion proteins or immunoglobulins in Pichia pastoris.

[Cloning of hIL-1Ra gene and its expression in E.coli].

AIM: To clone human IL-1Ra gene and express it in E.coli. METHODS: Human IL-1Ra cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR with the the total RNA extracted from human peripheral blood leucocytes as template. The cDNA was cloned into pBV220 vector and expressed. The expressed product was renatured and purified. Separation, purification and bioactivity analysis of the expressed products were performed. RESULTS: IL-1Ra gene was successfully expressed in E.coli and the expression level reached to about 40% of total bacteria protein. The purity of the final product was over 98%. The product could obviously suppress the secretion of IL-2 by EL-4 cells stimulated with IL-1beta. CONCLUSION: The expression of hIL-1Ra gene with bioactivity in E.coli lays experimental foundation for further development and utilisation.

[In vitro evaluation of the safety and biological activity of recombinant Helicobacter pylori blood group antigen-binding adhesin].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and biological activity of recombinant Helicobacter pylori (Hp) blood group antigen- binding adhesin (rBabA ) in vitro so as to investigate the feasibility of using rBabA as a Hp vaccine. METHODS: ELISA was used to measure rBabA-specific antibody in the serum of Hp-infected patients, and the proliferation of T lymphocytes in response to rBabA was examined by MTT assay. T cell apoptosis induced by rBabA was detected by diphenylamine assay. The effect of rBabA on Hp binding into human gastric carcinoma cell line(MGC-803) was determined by light microscopy. RESULTS: rBabA did not induce T cell apoptosis in BabA antibody- negative patients and was capable of stimulating T cell proliferation in rBabA antibody-positive patients. In the serum samples from 38 Hp-infected patients, the rBabA antibody positivity rate was 18.4%. rBabA could partially inhibit the binding of Hp to gastric epithelial cells. Under light microscope, the adhesion of Hp to MGC-803 was significantly inhibited by rBabA in comparison with negative control with PBS pretreatment. CONCLUSION: rBabA proves to be a safe and immunogenic bacterial component of Hp, which stimulates humoral and cellular immunity and can be a hopeful antigen targeting at BabA2 gene-positive Hp strain for the development of Hp vaccine.

[Study of recombinant stem cell factor].

Stem cell factor is an important hematopoietic growth factor. In this study, the human stem cell factor was produced by recombinant E. coli, and the structure and biological activity of the recombinant stem cell factor(rhSCF) was studied. It was indicated that the rhSCF was a uncovalent dimer in phosphate buffer,and had the correct mass spectra, mass peptides spectra, composition of amino acid, N-terminal sequernce, C-terminal sequence and intrachain disulfide linkages, rhSCF alone or synergy with rhG-CSF could mobilze hematopoietic progenitors to blood in monkey.

[Cloning of IL-1 beta gene and expression in E. coli].

IL-1 beta cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR with the template of the total RNA extracted from leukocytes which was separated from human peripheral blood. 5' and 3' primers were synthesized according to literaturees reported sequence of IL-1 beta. IL-1 beta gene was highly expressed in E. coli and the expression level reached to about 40% of total bacteria proteins. Separation, purification and bioactivity analysis of the expressed products was performed. The purity of the final products reach more than 98%, and the culture solution of EL-4 cells induced by hIL-1 beta can promote the proliferation of CTLL-2 cells obviously.