One-step purification and immobilization of recombinant proteins using SpyTag/SpyCatcher chemistry.

Based on the specific and spontaneous formation of isopeptide bonds by SpyCatcher/SpyTag, we have developed a one-step method for purification and immobilization of recombinant proteins. The procedure is to immobilize SpyCatcher on glyoxyl agarose gels, and then the SpyCatcher immobilisate can be used to immobilize the SpyTag-fused protein in the crude extract selectively. A mutant of SpyCatcher (mSC), in which a peptide (LysGlyLysGlyLysGly) was added to the C-terminus of SpyCatcher and three lysine residues around the SpyTag/SpyCatcher binding domain were replaced with arginine, was designed to improve the attachment of SpyCatcher to the support. Compared with wild-type SpyCatcher, mSC can be immobilized on the glyoxyl-agarose support more efficiently, which enables the obtained mSC derivative a high binding capacity of the SpyTag-fused protein. The results showed that the target proteins in the crude enzyme extract were purified and immobilized in one step, and the thermal stability of the immobilized target proteins was also remarkably improved.

Improving the stability of bacteriocin extracted from Enterococcus faecium by immobilization onto cellulose nanocrystals.

Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) isolated from Vigna mungo (Black gram) produced bacteriocin that inhibits both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and better heat stability (100 °C for 30 min). The bacteriocin was sensitive to protease treatment and most active in acidic pH. Bacteriocin produced by Pediococcus acidilactici was used for comparison. To enhance stability for diversified applications, the bacteriocin was immobilized by physical adsorption onto cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) extracted from cotton linters. The bacteriocin immobilization yield was 64.91% for P. acidilactici and 53.63% for E. faecium. The bacteriocin immobilized CNC was characterized by DLS particle sizing, FTIR and AFM to evaluate size distribution, chemical nature and surface morphology. The bacteriocins immobilized on CNC showed 50% increase in stability in terms of antibacterial activity. The enzymatic synthesis of CNC in combination with physical adsorption immobilization method for bacteriocin makes it an efficient system of producing antibacterial nanofillers for food packaging and bio-composites applications.

In situ removal of consensus dengue virus envelope protein domain III fused to hydrophobin in Pichia pastoris cultures.

This work describes a novel strategy for the integrated expression and purification of recombinant proteins in Pichia pastoris cultures. Hydrophobins can be used as fusion tags, proteins fused to them alter their hydrophobicity and can be purified by aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) based on non-ionic surfactants. Here, the consensus dengue virus envelope protein domain III fused to hydrophobin I of Trichoderma reesei was expressed in Pichia pastoris cultures and an in situ product removal by an ATPS using a non-ionic detergent, (Triton X-114) was performed. The protein was produced and purified directly from the yeast culture supernatant both efficiently and with no loss. The purified protein was properly immobilized by adsorption in solid phase and recognized by anti-dengue antibodies, showing its potential for the development of an indirect immunoassay for dengue virus.

Frozen Microemulsions for MAPLE Immobilization of Lipase.

Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) was deposited by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) in order to immobilize the enzyme with a preserved native conformation, which ensures its catalytic functionality. For this purpose, the composition of the MAPLE target was optimized by adding the oil phase pentane to a water solution of the amino acid 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-methyl-l-alanine (m-DOPA), giving a target formed by a frozen water-lipase-pentane microemulsion. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate the structure of MAPLE deposited lipase films. FTIR deconvolution of amide I band indicated a reduction of unfolding and aggregation, i.e., a better preserved lipase secondary structure in the sample deposited from the frozen microemulsion target. AFM images highlighted the absence of big aggregates on the surface of the sample. The functionality of the immobilized enzyme to promote transesterification was determined by thin layer chromatography, resulting in a modified specificity.

On-off affinity binding modulation on thermoresponsive polymer-grafted surfaces for capture and release of proteins and cells.

This review describes new types of thermoresponsive surfaces modified with biologically active ligands to thermally modulate on-off affinity binding between ligands and receptors. To achieve the thermal regulation of affinity binding, molecules of thermoresponsive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) are typically used to tune the degree of steric hindrance in response to temperature. The coil-to-globule transition of surface-grafted PIPAAm chains induces dynamic changes in the degree of steric hindrance in the vicinity of the immobilized ligand, resulting in the thermoresponsive modulation of on-off affinity interactions with receptors, and the subsequent on-off switching of the capture and release of proteins and cells on the surface. Thermoresponsive biomaterial surfaces to modulate on-off affinity binding between ligands and receptors has potential to realize the creation of functional cell sheet-based tissues, as well as novel separation system of specific proteins and cells without any labeling. These materials will thus be beneficial for clinical use in cell-based therapies, including tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Ten-Minute Protein Purification and Surface Tethering for Continuous-Flow Biocatalysis.

Nature applies enzymatic assembly lines to synthesize bioactive compounds. Inspired by such capabilities, we have developed a facile method for spatially segregating attached enzymes in a continuous-flow, vortex fluidic device (VFD). Fused Hisn -tags at the protein termini allow rapid bioconjugation and consequent purification through complexation with immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) resin. Six proteins were purified from complex cell lysates to average homogeneities of 76 %. The most challenging to purify, tobacco epi-aristolochene synthase, was purified in only ten minutes from cell lysate to near homogeneity (>90 %). Furthermore, this "reaction-ready" system demonstrated excellent stability during five days of continuous-flow processing. Towards multi-step transformations in continuous flow, proteins were arrayed as ordered zones on the reactor surface allowing segregation of catalysts. Ordering enzymes into zones opens up new opportunities for continuous-flow biosynthesis.

Large-Scale Interaction Profiling of Protein Domains Through Proteomic Peptide-Phage Display Using Custom Peptidomes.

Protein-protein interactions are essential to cellular functions and signaling pathways. We recently combined bioinformatics and custom oligonucleotide arrays to construct custom-made peptide-phage libraries for screening peptide-protein interactions, an approach we call proteomic peptide-phage display (ProP-PD). In this chapter, we describe protocols for phage display for the identification of natural peptide binders for a given protein. We finally describe deep sequencing for the analysis of the proteomic peptide-phage display.

Functional characterization of recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (hGMCSF) immobilized onto silica nanoparticles.

OBJECTIVES: Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF), an important therapeutic cytokine, was immobilized onto silica nanoparticles. Maintenance of structural integrity and biological performance in immobilized cytokine was assessed to augment its applicability in possible biomedical implications. RESULTS: Following its cloning and expression in E. coli, the recombinant human GMCSF (hGMCSF) was purified as a GST-tagged protein corresponding to a 42 kDa band on SDS-PAGE. The purified cytokine was immobilized onto biocompatible silica nanoparticles (~129.4 nm) by adsorption and the binding was confirmed by dynamic light scattering and infrared spectroscopy. Maximum binding of hGMCSF was at 6.4 µg mg(-1) silica nanoparticles. Efficient release of the cytokine from the nanoparticles with its structural integrity intact was deduced from circular dichroism spectroscopy. hGMCSF-immobilized silica nanoparticles efficiently increased the proliferation of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells with 50 % increase in proliferation at 600 ng hGMCSF µg(-1) silica nanoparticles. CONCLUSIONS: Silica nanoparticles successfully immobilized hGMCSF maintaining its structural integrity. The release of the immobilized cytokine from silica nanoparticles resulted in the increased proliferation of macrophages indicating the potential of the system in future applications.

Purification of Stabilized GPCRs for Structural and Biophysical Analyses.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are of particular importance for drug discovery, being the targets of many existing drugs, and being linked to many diseases where new therapies are required. However, as integral membrane proteins, they are generally unstable when removed from their membrane environment, precluding them from the wide range of structural and biophysical techniques which can be applied to soluble proteins such as kinases. Through the use of protein engineering methods, mutations can be identified which both increase the thermostability of GPCRs when purified in detergent, as well as biasing the receptor toward a specific physiologically relevant conformational state. The resultant stabilized receptor (known as a StaR) can be purified in multiple-milligram quantities, whilst retaining correct folding, thus enabling the generation of reagents suitable for a broad range of structural and biophysical studies. Example protocols for the purification of StaR proteins for analysis, ligand screening with the thiol-specific fluorochrome N-[4-(7-diethylamino-4-methyl-3-coumarinyl)phenyl]maleimide (CPM), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and crystallization for structural studies are presented.

Western blotting: an introduction.

Western blotting is an important procedure for the immunodetection of proteins, particularly proteins that are of low abundance. This process involves the transfer of protein patterns from gel to microporous membrane. Electrophoretic as well as non-electrophoretic transfer of proteins to membranes was first described in 1979. Protein blotting has evolved greatly since the inception of this protocol, allowing protein transfer to be accomplished in a variety of ways.

Synthesis of S-layer conjugates and evaluation of their modifiability as a tool for the functionalization and patterning of technical surfaces.

Chemical functional groups of surface layer (S-layer) proteins were chemically modified in order to evaluate the potential of S-layer proteins for the introduction of functional molecules. S-layer proteins are structure proteins that self-assemble into regular arrays on surfaces. One general feature of S-layer proteins is their high amount of carboxylic and amino groups. These groups are potential targets for linking functional molecules, thus producing reactive surfaces. In this work, these groups were conjugated with the amino acid tryptophan. In another approach, SH-groups were chemically inserted in order to extend the spectrum of modifiable groups. The amount of modifiable carboxylic groups was further evaluated by potentiometric titration in order to evaluate the potential efficiency of S-layer proteins to work as matrix for bioconjugations. The results proved that S-layer proteins can work as effective matrices for the conjugation of different molecules. The advantage of using chemical modification methods over genetic methods lies in its versatile usage enabling the attachment of biomolecules, as well as fluorescent dyes and inorganic molecules. Together with their self-assembling properties, S-layer proteins are suitable as targets for bioconjugates, thus enabling a nanostructuring and bio-functionalization of surfaces, which can be used for different applications like biosensors, filter materials, or (bio)catalytic surfaces.

Identification of the Rab5 binding site in p110ß: assays for PI3Kß binding to Rab5.

Isoform-specific signaling by Class IA PI 3-kinases depends in part on the interactions between distinct catalytic subunits and upstream regulatory proteins. From among the class IA catalytic subunits (p110α, p110ß, and p110δ), p110ß has unique properties. Unlike the other family members, p110ß directly binds to Gßγ subunits, downstream from activated G-protein coupled receptors, and to activated Rab5. Furthermore, the Ras-binding domain (RBD) of p110ß binds to Rac and Cdc42 but not to Ras. Defining mutations that specifically disrupt these regulatory interactions is critical for defining their role in p110ß signaling. This chapter describes the approach that was used to identify the Rab5 binding site in p110ß, and discusses methods for the analysis of p110ß-Rab5 interactions.

ELISA microplate: a viable immunocapture platform over magnetic beads for immunoaffinity-LC-MS/MS quantitation of protein therapeutics?

AIM: Evaluate the performance of ELISA microplates versus commonly used magnetic beads for biological sample cleanup and/or enrichment in immunoaffinity-LC-MS/MS to reduce tedious beads washing procedures and a relatively high assay cost. MATERIALS & METHODS: ELISA microplates were used as immunicapture platform and compared with magnetic beads for sample cleanup for LC-MS/MS quantitation of protein therapeutics. RESULTS: One unmodified and two surface-activated microplates provided comparable linear ranges and sensitivities for a therapeutic protein (mass 78 kDa) using a human serum sample of 100 µl with 1:1 dilution compared with Tosylactivated magnetic beads using 200 µl of human serum without sample dilution. The assays' precision and accuracy were all within acceptable ranges. No nonspecific binding or other selectivity issues were observed. CONCLUSION: The results suggested an ELISA microplate could be a viable immunocapture platform for immunoaffinity-LC-MS/MS quantitation of protein therapeutics.

Collagenase as a useful tool for the analysis of plant cellular peripheries.

A technique for the selective loosening of the cell wall structure and the isolation of proteins permanently knotted in the cell walls was elaborated. Following treatment with collagenase, some proteins, such as calreticulin (CRT) and auxin binding protein 1 (ABP1) were released from purified cell walls, most probably through destruction of respective interacting proteins. The results were confirmed by the immunolocalization of the ABP1 and CRT with confocal and electron microscopy. On the other hand, potential substrates of collagenase, among them annexin 1 have been recognized. Mass spectra of annexin 1 obtained after collagenase digestion and results from analysis of potential cleavage sites suggested that the mechanism of enzyme cleavage might not depend on the amino acid sequence. Summarizing, collagenase was found to be a very useful tool for exploring molecules involved in the functioning of cellular peripheries.

Traceless purification and desulfurization of tau protein ligation products.

We present a novel strategy for the traceless purification and synthetic modification of peptides and proteins obtained by native chemical ligation. The strategy involves immobilization of a photocleavable semisynthetic biotin-protein conjugate on streptavidin-coated agarose beads, which eliminates the need for tedious rebuffering steps and allows the rapid removal of excess peptides and additives. On-bead desulfurization is followed by delivery of the final tag-free protein product. The strategy is demonstrated in the isolation of a tag-free Alzheimer's disease related human tau protein from a complex EPL mixture as well as a triphosphorylated peptide derived from the C-terminus of tau.

Purification of bovine serum paraoxonase and its immobilization on Eupergit C 250 L by covalent attachment.

Serum paraoxonase (PON1) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme that protects lipoproteins, both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL, against oxidation, and is considered as an antioxidative/anti-inflammatory component of HDL. In this study, PON1 was purified from bovine serum by ammonium sulfate precipitation and hydrophobic interaction chromatography on sepharose-4B-l-tyrosine-1-napthylamine. It was then immobilized on an unmodified Eupergit® C 250 L support. The immobilized PON1 retained a high catalytic activity and showed increased thermal stability compared to the native enzyme.

Impedance-derived electrochemical capacitance spectroscopy for the evaluation of lectin-glycoprotein binding affinity.

Characterization of lectin-carbohydrate binding using label-free methods such as impedance-derived electrochemical capacitance spectroscopy (ECS) is desirable to evaluate specific interactions, for example, ArtinM lectin and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) glycoprotein, used here as a model for protein-carbohydrate binding affinity. An electroactive molecular film comprising alkyl ferrocene as a redox probe and ArtinM as a carbohydrate receptive center to target HRP was successfully used to determine the binding affinity between ArtinM and HRP. The redox capacitance, a transducer signal associated with the alkyl ferrocene centers, was obtained by ECS and used in the Langmuir adsorption model to obtain the affinity constant (1.6±0.6)×10(8) L mol(-1). The results shown herein suggest the feasibility of ECS application for lectin glycoarray characterization.

Purification of porcine hair keratin subunits and their immobilization for use as cell culture substrates.

We purified both the type I subunit and type II subunit of porcine hair keratin and compared their ability to form a uniform film of reconstituted keratin on a culture plate, and their effect on a model of neural cells. We observed the surface of the keratin-immobilized plate using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and measured water contact angles to characterize the surface. We cultured PC12 cells on plates on which crude keratin, the type I subunit, or the type II subunit were immobilized. The water contact angles were slightly different from each other. The cells proliferated well on all three keratin-immobilized plates. The type II subunit showed a tendency to inhibit the differentiation of PC12 cells significantly as an extension of the cell shapes and neurite outgrowth in comparison with the crude extract and the type I subunit. The type I subunit and the type II subunit showed slight differences in cell differentiation, but not in cell proliferation.

Novel strategy for production of aggregation-prone proteins and lytic enzymes in Escherichia coli based on an anchored periplasmic expression system.

For over 2 decades, Escherichia coli has been successfully used for the production of various recombinant proteins. However, several technical limitations have influenced the extent of recombinant protein expression in the E. coli host because of (i) heterologous protein accumulation often observed in inactive inclusion bodies either in the cytoplasm or periplasm, or (ii) lytic activity of recombinant proteins, which causes cell lysis, that hinder high production yield. We developed a novel strategy for the efficient production of aggregation-prone proteins and lytic enzymes in the E. coli host. For this purpose, we used an anchored periplasmic expression (APEx) system, in which target proteins are produced in the periplasm and tethered on the inner membrane. Protein aggregation and lytic activity can be prevented through anchoring of individual proteins to the inner membrane. Two model proteins (aggregation-prone human leptin and lytic Pseudomonas fluorescens SIK W1 lipase) were examined, and both proteins were successfully produced and anchored to the inner membrane under optimized culture conditions. Upon expression, the inner membrane-anchored proteins were subjected to simple purification procedures; the proteins were confirmed to be of high purity and bioactivity.

Co-immobilization of fungal endo-xylanase and α-L-arabinofuranosidase in glyoxyl agarose for improved hydrolysis of arabinoxylan.

Plant cell-wall arabinoxylans have a complex structure that requires the action of a pool of debranching (arabinofuranosidases) and depolymerizing enzymes (endo-xylanase). Two Aspergillus nidulans strains over-secreting endo-xylanase and arabinofuranosidase were inoculated in defined 2% maltose-minimum medium resulting in the simultaneously production of these enzymes. To study the synergistic hydrolysis was used arabinoxylan with 41% of arabinose and 59% of xylose residues. Thus, it was adopted different approaches to arabinoxylan hydrolysis using immobilized arabinofuranosidase and endo-xylanase: (i) endo-xylanase immobilized on glyoxyl agarose; (ii) arabinofuranosidase immobilized on glyoxyl agarose; (T1) hydrolysis of arabinoxylan with arabinofuranosidase immobilized on glyoxyl agarose for debranching, followed by a second hydrolysis with endo-xylanase immobilized on glyoxyl agarose; (T2) hydrolysis using (i) and (ii) simultaneously; and (T3) hydrolysis of arabinoxylan with endo-xylanase and arabinofuranosidase co-immobilized on glyoxyl agarose. It was concluded that arabinoxylan hydrolysis using two derivatives simultaneously (T2) showed greater hydrolytic efficiency and consequently a higher products yield. However, the hydrolysis with multi-enzymatic derivative (T3) results in direct release of xylose and arabinose from a complex substrate as arabinoxylan, which is a great advantage as biotechnological application of this derivative, especially regarding the application of biofuels, since these monosaccharides are readily assimilable for fermentation and ethanol production.