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.

Improved expression, purification and crystallization of a putative N-acetyl-gamma-glutamyl-phosphate reductase from rice (Oryza sativa).

N-Acetyl-gamma-glutamyl-phosphate reductase (AGPR) catalyzes the third step in an eight-step arginine-biosynthetic pathway that starts with glutamate. This enzyme converts N-acetyl-gamma-glutamyl phosphate to N-acetylglutamate-gamma-semialdehyde by an NADPH-dependent reductive dephosphorylation. AGPR from Oryza sativa (OsAGPR) was expressed in Escherichia coli at 291 K as a soluble fusion protein with an upstream thioredoxin-hexahistidine [Trx-(His)6] extension. OsAGPR(Ala50-Pro366) was purified and crystals were obtained using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 293 K and diffract X-rays to at least 1.8 A resolution. They belong to the hexagonal space group P6(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 86.11, c = 316.3 A.

A strong nerve dependence of sonic hedgehog expression in basal cells in mouse taste bud and an autonomous transcriptional control of genes in differentiated taste cells.

The nerve-dependency of gene expression in mouse taste bud was examined through an analysis of changes in gene expression in and around the taste buds in circumvallate papillae after surgery of cranial nerve IXth (glossopharyngeal nerve). The number of cells expressing T1r3, gustducin, Mash1 and Nkx2.2 gradually decreased after denervation. However, the expression intensity of these genes was barely influenced by denervation, and strong expression was observed at 6 days after denervation. In contrast, the basal cell-specific Sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression in the taste buds was decreased markedly at 6 h after denervation. In the regeneration process of taste buds, Shh expression was observed during a very early phase before taste bud formation. These results indicate the autonomous transcriptional control of genes in differentiated taste cells and the strong nerve-dependency of Shh expression in basal cells. Furthermore, in order to reveal the mitotic activity of Shh-expressing cells in taste buds, the BrdU-labeling experiments were performed using a combination of BrdU-immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. BrdU-signal was very rarely observed in Shh-expressing cells immediately after BrdU injection, and the signals were noted mainly in Ptc-expressing cells. BrdU signals rapidly increased in Shh-expressing cells in following 12 h and began to decrease after 2 days post-injection. These results suggest that most Shh-expressing cells are not mitotically active, but that Shh-expressing cells may be in the early transient developmental state of taste cells in taste buds.

Co-expression pattern of Shh with Prox1 and that of Nkx2.2 with Mash1 in mouse taste bud.

In mammals, taste buds are maintained by continuous turnover of cells, even in adulthood. Cell proliferation and differentiation continue to produce taste cells, which express various genes related to taste reception. We found the co-expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) with Prox1 and that of Nkx2.2 with Mash1 in adult mouse taste buds. Whereas Prox1was expressed strongly in cells in the basal region of mouse taste buds where Shh was co-expressed, it was expressed weakly in almost all taste bud cells lacking Shh expression. At 0.5 day after birth, when taste cells have not yet differentiated, the expressions of Shh and Prox1 completely overlapped in the epithelium of circumvallate papillae. Nkx2.2 was observed in cells expressing Mash1, but not in cells expressing genes related to taste reception, such as gustducin and T1R3. Almost all fusiform cells expressing Mash1 co-expressed Nkx2.2, while the majority of round cells expressing Mash1 in the basal region of taste buds lacked Nkx2.2 expression.