Deletion Variants of Autotransporter from Psychrobacter cryohalolentis Increase Efficiency of 10FN3 Exposure on the Surface of Escherichia coli Cells.

The autotransporter AT877 from Psychrobacter cryohalolentis belongs to the family of outer membrane proteins containing N-terminal passenger and C-terminal translocator domains that form the basis for the design of display systems on the surface of bacterial cells. It was shown in our previous study that the passenger domain of AT877 can be replaced by the cold-active esterase EstPc or the tenth domain of fibronectin type III (10Fn3). In order to increase efficiency of the 10Fn3 surface display in Escherichia coli cells, four deletion variants of the Fn877 hybrid autotransporter were obtained. It was demonstrated that all variants are present in the membrane of bacterial cells and facilitate binding of the antibodies specific against 10Fn3 on the cell surface. The highest level of binding is provided by the variants Δ239 and Δ310, containing four and seven beta-strands out of twelve that comprise the structure of the translocator domain. Using electrophoresis under semi-native conditions, presence of heat modifiability in the full-size Fn877 and its deletion variants was demonstrated, which indicated preservation of beta structure in their molecules. The obtained results could be used to optimize the bacterial display systems of 10Fn3, as well as of other heterologous passenger domains.

Recombinant Kv channels at the membrane of Escherichia coli bind specifically agitoxin2.

Potassium voltage-gated channels (Kv) are considered as molecular targets in a number of serious neuronal, immune, and cardiac disorders. Search for efficient low-molecular weight modulators of Kv channel function provides a basis for the development of an appropriate therapy for various Kv-mediated diseases. We report here on a new bacterial cell-based system, which is suitable for study of interactions between ligands and ligand-binding sites of eukaryotic Kv1.3 and Kv1.1 channels. To create this system, high-level expression of KcsA-Kv1.3 and KcsA-Kv1.1 hybrid proteins (ligand-binding sites of Kv1.3 or Kv1.1 fused with prokaryotic KcsA potassium channel) was achieved in the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli. An efficient procedure of E. coli conversion to intact spheroplasts was developed. We demonstrate that fluorescently labeled agitoxin 2 binds specifically to high-affinity and lower-affinity sites of KcsA-Kv1.3 and KcsA-Kv1.1, respectively, at the membrane of spheroplasts. Number of binding sites per cell is estimated to be (1.0 +/- 0.6) x 10(5) and (0.3 +/- 0.2) x 10(5) for KcsA-Kv1.3- and KcsA-Kv1.1-presenting cells, respectively, that allows reliable detection of ligand-receptor interactions by confocal laser scanning microscopy. This bacterial cell-based system is intended for screening of ligands to membrane-embedded pharmaceutical targets.