Bacterial Expression Plasmid Research Articles

Antibiotic-Efficient Genetic Cassette for the TEM-1 β-Lactamase That Improves Plasmid Performance.

Antibiotic resistance cassettes are indispensable tools in recombinant DNA technology, synthetic biology, and metabolic engineering. The genetic cassette encoding the TEM-1 β-lactamase (denoted Tn3.1) is one of the most commonly used and can be found in more than 120 commercially available bacterial expression plasmids (e.g., the pET, pUC, pGEM, pQE, pGEX, pBAD, and pSEVA series). A widely acknowledged problem with the cassette is that it produces excessively high titers of β-lactamase that rapidly degrade β-lactam antibiotics in the culture media, leading to loss of selective pressure, and eventually a large percentage of cells that do not have a plasmid. To address these shortcomings, we have engineered a next-generation version that expresses minimal levels of β-lactamase (denoted Tn3.1MIN). We have also engineered a version that is compatible with the Standard European Vector Architecture (SEVA) (denoted Ap (pSEVA#1MIN--)). Expression plasmids containing either Tn3.1MIN or Ap (pSEVA#1MIN--) can be selected using a 5-fold lower concentration of β-lactam antibiotics and benefit from the increased half-life of the β-lactam antibiotics in the culture medium (3- to 10-fold). Moreover, more cells in the culture retain the plasmid. In summary, we present two antibiotic-efficient genetic cassettes encoding the TEM-1 β-lactamase that reduce antibiotic consumption (an integral part of antibiotic stewardship), reduce production costs, and improve plasmid performance in bacterial cell factories.

BIOACTIVITY CHARACTERIZATION OF PURIFIED RECOMBINANT HYPOTHETICAL PROTEIN CODED BY OPEN READING FRAME-112 OF STREPTOMYCES.

This study was aimed to investigate the Open Reading Frame-112 (ORF-112) gene, which encoded for a hypothetical 218 amino acids protein in Streptomyces bacteria. A complete ORF-112 gene was synthesized, with addition of a 6xHis-Tag at the N-terminal location. The synthesized DNA nucleotides were sub-cloned into bacterial expression plasmid pBAT4. The pBAT4-ORF-112 plasmid transformed in bacterial cells BL21(De3)pLysS, intended for protein over expression, induced by isopropyl β- d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). The IMAC affinity chromatography technique was deployed for protein purifications. Highly-purified fractions of ORF-112 were achieved by using affinity Ni++-columns. The purified ORF-112 protein was tested for possible biological activity. The SDS-PAGE analysis exhibited a soluble 30 kDa size purified ORF-112 protein which showed a slight gel shifting from the predicted size. The virulent activity test on purified fractions of ORF-112 was measured using the Disk Diffusion Test and it disclosed a clear zone formed in response to fungi Candida albicans growth. The data implies that the ORF-112 protein has an acceptable protective effect against the fungus C. albicans as compared to positive control ketoconazole (KCZ) (P < 0.05) while the protein has a significantly lower protective effect against the fungus than Itraconazole (ICZ) (P > 0.05). The results clarify the hypothetical ORF-112 protein is a novel protein with protective response effect against fungi cells C. albicans on disk-diffusion.test.

Correction: Phage Display of the Serpin Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor Randomized at Consecutive Residues in the Reactive Centre Loop and Biopanned with or without Thrombin

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084491.].

Construction of an Escherichia coli expression vector for the non-structural (NS)-1 protein of avian infuenza virus H5N1

In the search for universal vaccine candidates for the prevention of avian influenza, the non-structural (NS)-1 protein 1 of avian influenza virus (AIV) H5N1 has shown promising potential for its ability to effectively stimulate the host immunity. This study was aimed to produce a bacterial expression plasmid using pR SET B vector to harbour the NS1 gene of AIV H5N1 (A/Chicken/Malaysia/5858/2004 (H5N1)) for protein expression in Escherichia coli (E. coli) . The NS1 gene (687 bp) was initially amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then cloned into a pGEM-T Easy TA vector. The NS1 gene was released from pGEM-T-NS1 using Eco RI and Xho I restriction enzymes (RE). The pR SET B vector was also linearized using the same RE. The digested NS1 gene and linearized pR SET B were ligated using T4 DNA ligase to form the expression plasmid, pR SET B-NS1. The NS1 gene sequence in pR SET B-NS1 was confirmed by DNA sequencing. To prepare recombinant bacterial cells for protein expression in the future, pR SET B-NS1 was transformed into E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) by heat-shock. Colonies bearing the recombinant plasmid were screened using PCR. The DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the NS1 gene sequence was 97% homologous to that of AIV H5N1 A/Chicken/Malaysia/5858/2004 (H5N1). These results indicated that the NS1 gene of influenza A/Chicken/Malaysia/5858/2004 (H5N1) was successfully amplified and cloned into a pR SET B vector. Bacterial colonies carrying pR SET B-NS1 can be used for the synthesis of NS1-based influenza vaccine in the future and thereby aid in the prevention of avian influenza. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/jskm-2020-1802-08

Abstract B123: Full-length bio-active atypical protein kinase c ι expression and purification in a bacterial system

Abstract Background: Proteins are at the steering wheel in the route of cancer progression. Protein kinase C (PKC) is a contributor to malignant advancement and it pushes past some of the normal cell’s defenses. In particular, PKC-ι participates in oncogenesis at varying levels in signaling and tissue specificity. Around 70% of the selected chemical entities that are the result of in-silico investigations are found to be rejected in the final stages of drug development. Therefore, binding studies are essential to in-silico techniques and are pivotal for finding kinase inhibitors for overly active proteins like PKC-ι. Despite the fact that there are numerous binding studies involving PKC-ι, protein production remains tedious and expensive. Objective: In this investigation, we hope to produce large amounts of recombinant bio-active full-length PKC-ι in a bacterial system. The large quantity of PKC-ι can be used for future experiments such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), x-ray crystallography, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and ligand binding studies. Methods: We used bacterial expression plasmids (pET-His) with full-length and catalytic domain only PKC-ι gene inserts (tagged and untagged with GST). We transformed the bacterial cells lines BL21(DE3), Tuner (DE3), and ArticExpress. Results and Discussion: So far we have successfully produced low amounts of the full-length PKC-ι and the catalytic domain of PKC-ι in Tuner (DE3) and BL21(DE3) bacterial cells, respectively. We have also isolated a small amount of the PKC-ι catalytic domain from BL21(DE3) using a nickel column. However, continued optimization of the bacterial environment is needed to increase the quantity and quality of our desired protein. Citation Format: Tracess Smalley, Rekha Patel, Mildred Acevedo-Duncan. Full-length bio-active atypical protein kinase c ι expression and purification in a bacterial system [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B123. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-B123

Specific targeting of a pore-forming toxin (listeriolysin O) to LHRH-positive cancer cells using LHRH targeting peptide

Conventional drug delivery systems have many limitations including cytotoxicity and affecting non-specific cells. Cell-targeting peptides (CTPs) as a potential class of targeting moiety have some advantages over previous targeting moieties such as monoclonal antibodies, offer additional benefits to design systems using CTPs. Here we have engineered listeriolysin O (LLO) pore-forming toxin by adding a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) targeting peptide to its N-terminus. Two versions of the toxin, with and without targeting peptide, were sub-cloned into a bacterial expression plasmid. BL21 DE3 cells were used for induction of expression and recombinant proteins were purified using nickel-immobilized metal affinity chromatography column. In order to treat MDA-MB-231 and SKOV3 cell lines as LHRH receptor positive and negative cells, two mentioned LLO toxins were used to evaluate their cytotoxicity and specificity. Our results reveal that the IC50 of LLO toxin on MDA-MB-231 and SKOV3 cells was 0.32 and 0.41 μg/ml respectively. Furthermore, IC50 of fusion LHRH-LLO toxin on the cells was 0.88 and 19.55 μg/ml. Cytotoxicity of engineered LHRH-LLO toxin on negative cells was significantly 48-fold lower than wild-type LLO toxin. But this difference has been lowered to only 2.7-fold less cytotoxicity in positive cells. To the best of our knowledge, the current work as the first study regarding engineered toxin revealed that CDC family members could be used to target the specific cell-type.

Targeting MCF-7 Cell Line by Listeriolysin O Pore Forming Toxin Fusion with AHNP Targeted Peptide.

Background:Tumor-targeting peptides are attracting subjects in cancer therapy. These peptides, which are widely studied, deliver therapeutic agents to the specific sites of tumors. In this study, we produced a new form of recombinant listeriolysin O (LLO) with genetically fused Anti-HER2/neu peptide (AHNP) sequence adding to its C-terminal end. The aim of the study was to engineer this pore-forming toxin to make it much more specific to tumor cells.Materials and Method and Results:Two forms of the toxin (with and without peptide) were subcloned into a bacterial expression plasmid. Subcloning was performed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product as a megaprimer in a quick-change PCR to introduce the whole insert gene into the expression plasmid. After expression of two recombinant forms of LLO in BL21 DE3 cells, purification was performed using Ni-NTA affinity column. MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines (as negative and positive controls, respectively) were treated with both LLO toxins to evaluate their cytotoxicity and specificity. The IC50 of LLO on MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was 21 and 5 ng/ml, respectively. In addition, IC50 for the fusion AHNP-LLO toxin was 140 and 60 ng/ml, respectively. It was found that the cytotoxicity of the new engineered AHNP-LLO toxin has decreased by about 9x compared to the wild-type toxin and the specificity of the AHNP-LLO toxin has been also reduced.Conclusions:Results show that the C-terminal of the LLO should not be modified and it seems that N-terminal of the toxin should be preferred for engineering and adding peptide modules.

Generation and Purification of Catalytically Active Recombinant Sirtuin5 (SIRT5) Protein.

Sirtuin-family deacylases promote health and longevity in mammals. The sirtuin SIRT5 localizes predominantly to the mitochondrial matrix. SIRT5 preferentially removes negatively charged modifications from its target lysines: succinylation, malonylation, and glutarylation. It regulates protein substrates involved in glucose oxidation, ketone body formation, ammonia detoxification, fatty acid oxidation, and ROS management. Like other sirtuins, SIRT5 has recently been linked with neoplasia. Therefore, targeting SIRT5 pharmacologically could conceivably provide new avenues for treatment of metabolic disease and cancer, necessitating development of SIRT5-selective modulators. Here we describe the generation of SIRT5 bacterial expression plasmids, and their use to express and purify catalytically active and inactive forms of SIRT5 protein from E. coli. Additionally, we describe an approach to assay the catalytic activity of purified SIRT5, potentially useful for identification and validation of SIRT5-specific modulators.

Laboratory Scale Production of Recombinant Haa86 Tick Protein in Pichia pastoris and in Escherichia coli System.

The commercial recombinant Bm86-based vaccines against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in Australia (TickGARD™, TickGARD plus™) and in Cuba (Gavac™) provided significant impetus to researchers globally to work on anti-tick vaccines. The Bm86 homologue of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum Izatnagar isolate, rHaa86, is considered a potent vaccine candidate against Hyalomma tick species, transmitting animal and human diseases. The two expression systems, prokaryotic, using bacterial expression plasmid vectors and Escherichia coli, and eukaryotic, using methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris and yeast expression plasmid vectors, are used in the laboratory level production of rHaa86. Unlike proteins expressed in prokaryotic system, eukaryotic system-expressed proteins are glycosylated and may be a requisite for proper immunogenicity. Here, the protocol for laboratory scale expression of rHaa86 antigen in E. coli and P. pastoris for development of an anti-Hyalomma tick vaccine is described.

Cell-permeable intrinsic cellular inhibitors of apoptosis protect and rescue intestinal epithelial cells from radiation-induced cell death.

One of the important mechanisms for gastrointestinal (GI) injury following high-dose radiation exposure is apoptosis of epithelial cells. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and cellular IAP2 (cIAP2) are intrinsic cellular inhibitors of apoptosis. In order to study the effects of exogenously added IAPs on apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells, we constructed bacterial expression plasmids containing genes of XIAP (full-length, BIR2 domain and BIR3-RING domain with and without mutations of auto-ubiquitylation sites) and cIAP2 proteins fused to a protein-transduction domain (PTD) derived from HIV-1 Tat protein (TAT) and purified these cell-permeable recombinant proteins. When the TAT-conjugated IAPs were added to rat intestinal epithelial cells IEC6, these proteins were effectively delivered into the cells and inhibited apoptosis, even when added after irradiation. Our results suggest that PTD-mediated delivery of IAPs may have clinical potential, not only for radioprotection but also for rescuing the GI system from radiation injuries.

The Perforin Pore Facilitates the Delivery of Cationic Cargos

Cytotoxic lymphocytes eliminate virally infected or neoplastic cells through the action of cytotoxic proteases (granzymes). The pore-forming protein perforin is essential for delivery of granzymes into the cytoplasm of target cells; however the mechanism of this delivery is incompletely understood. Perforin contains a membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF) domain and oligomerizes to form an aqueous pore in the plasma membrane; therefore the simplest (and best supported) model suggests that granzymes passively diffuse through the perforin pore into the cytoplasm of the target cell. Here we demonstrate that perforin preferentially delivers cationic molecules while anionic and neutral cargoes are delivered inefficiently. Furthermore, another distantly related pore-forming MACPF protein, pleurotolysin (from the oyster mushroom), also favors the delivery of cationic molecules, and efficiently delivers human granzyme B. We propose that this facilitated diffusion is due to conserved features of oligomerized MACPF proteins, which may include an anionic lumen.

Phage Display of the Serpin Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor Randomized at Consecutive Residues in the Reactive Centre Loop and Biopanned with or without Thrombin

In spite of the power of phage display technology to identify variant proteins with novel properties in large libraries, it has only been previously applied to one member of the serpin superfamily. Here we describe phage display of human alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API) in a T7 bacteriophage system. API M358R fused to the C-terminus of T7 capsid protein 10B was directly shown to form denaturation-resistant complexes with thrombin by electrophoresis and immunoblotting following exposure of intact phages to thrombin. We therefore developed a biopanning protocol in which thrombin-reactive phages were selected using biotinylated anti-thrombin antibodies and streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. A library consisting of displayed API randomized at residues 357 and 358 (P2–P1) yielded predominantly Pro-Arg at these positions after five rounds of thrombin selection; in contrast the same degree of mock selection yielded only non-functional variants. A more diverse library of API M358R randomized at residues 352–356 (P7–P3) was also probed, yielding numerous variants fitting a loose consensus of DLTVS as judged by sequencing of the inserts of plaque-purified phages. The thrombin-selected sequences were transferred en masse into bacterial expression plasmids, and lysates from individual colonies were screening for API-thrombin complexing. The most active candidates from this sixth round of screening contained DITMA and AAFVS at P7–P3 and inhibited thrombin 2.1-fold more rapidly than API M358R with no change in reaction stoichiometry. Deep sequencing using the Ion Torrent platform confirmed that over 800 sequences were significantly enriched in the thrombin-panned versus naïve phage display library, including some detected using the combined phage display/bacterial lysate screening approach. Our results show that API joins Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) as a serpin amenable to phage display and suggest the utility of this approach for the selection of “designer serpins” with novel reactivity and/or specificity.

Expression screening of bacterial libraries of recombinant alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor variants for candidates with thrombin inhibitory capacity

Exhaustive mutagenesis studies of the reactive centre loop (RCL), a key structural component of proteins belonging to the serpin superfamily of protease inhibitors, are complicated by the size of the RCL, serpin conformational complexity, and, for most serpins, the lack of a serpin-dependent phenotype of expressing cells. Here, we describe a thrombin capture assay that distinguished thrombin-inhibitory recombinant human alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API M358R) from non-inhibitory API variants in Escherichia coli lysates prepared from either single clones or pools. Binding of API proteins in the lysates to thrombin immobilized on microtiter plate wells was quantified via colour generated by a peroxidase-coupled anti-API antibody. Bacterial expression plasmids encoding inhibitory API M358R were mixed 1:99 with plasmids encoding non-inhibitory API T345R/M358R and the resulting library screened in pools of 10. All above-background signals arising from pools or subsequently re-probed single clones were linked to the presence of plasmids encoding API M358R. Screening of a portion of another expression library encoding hypervariable API with all possibilities at codons 352–358 also yielded only novel, thrombin-inhibitory variants. Probing a smaller library expressing all possible codons at Ala347 yielded the wild type, 6 different functional variants, one partially active variant, and two variants with no thrombin-inhibitory activity. API antigen levels varied considerably less among Ala347 variants than activity levels, and comparison of rate constants of inhibition of purified API variants to their corresponding thrombin capture assay lysate values was used to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the assay. The results indicate that the approach is sufficiently robust to correctly identify functional versus non-functional candidates in API expression libraries, and could be of value in systematically probing structure/function relationships not only in the API RCL, but also in that of other serpins.

Identification of Biochemically Distinct Properties of the Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier (SUMO) Conjugation Pathway in Plasmodium falciparum

Small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) are post-translationally conjugated to other proteins and are thereby essential regulators of a wide range of cellular processes. Sumoylation, and enzymes of the sumoylation pathway, are conserved in the malaria causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. However, the specific functions of sumoylation in P. falciparum, and the degree of functional conservation between enzymes of the human and P. falciparum sumoylation pathways, have not been characterized. Here, we demonstrate that sumoylation levels peak during midstages of the intra-erythrocyte developmental cycle, concomitant with hemoglobin consumption and elevated oxidative stress. In vitro studies revealed that P. falciparum E1- and E2-conjugating enzymes interact effectively to recognize and modify RanGAP1, a model mammalian SUMO substrate. However, in heterologous reactions, P. falciparum E1 and E2 enzymes failed to interact with cognate human E2 and E1 partners, respectively, to modify RanGAP1. Structural analysis, binding studies, and functional assays revealed divergent amino acid residues within the E1-E2 binding interface that define organism-specific enzyme interactions. Our studies identify sumoylation as a potentially important regulator of oxidative stress response during the P. falciparum intra-erythrocyte developmental cycle, and define E1 and E2 interactions as a promising target for development of parasite-specific inhibitors of sumoylation and parasite replication.

A Role for Glutathione Transferase Omega 1 (GSTO1-1) in the Glutathionylation Cycle

The glutathionylation of intracellular protein thiols can protect against irreversible oxidation and can act as a redox switch regulating metabolic pathways. In this study we discovered that the Omega class glutathione transferase GSTO1-1 plays a significant role in the glutathionylation cycle. The catalytic activity of GSTO1-1 was determined in vitro by assaying the deglutathionylation of a synthetic peptide by tryptophan fluorescence quenching and in T47-D epithelial breast cancer cells by both immunoblotting and the direct determination of total glutathionylation. Mutating the active site cysteine residue (Cys-32) ablated the deglutathionylating activity of GSTO1-1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the expression of GSTO1-1 in T47-D cells that are devoid of endogenous GSTO1-1 resulted in a 50% reduction in total glutathionylation levels. Mass spectrometry and immunoprecipitation identified β-actin as a protein that is specifically deglutathionylated by GSTO1-1 in T47-D cells. In contrast to the deglutathionylation activity, we also found that GSTO1-1 is associated with the rapid glutathionylation of cellular proteins when the cells are exposed to S-nitrosoglutathione. The common A140D genetic polymorphism in GSTO1 was found to have significant effects on the kinetics of both the deglutathionylation and glutathionylation reactions. Genetic variation in GSTO1-1 has been associated with a range of diseases, and the discovery that a frequent GSTO1-1 polymorphism affects glutathionylation cycle reactions reveals a common mechanism where it can act on multiple proteins and pathways.

Molecular characterization of Clonorchis sinensis tetraspanin 2 extracellular loop 2

In the course of examining EST of the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis, a cDNA encoding the protein similar to tetraspanin 2 (TSP-2) of blood fluke schistosome was identified as CsTSP2. TSPs are a family of eukaryotic cell membrane-spanning proteins thought to anchor multiple proteins to one area of the cell membrane. Multiple sequence alignment of CsTSP2 revealed over 40% of identities with those of schistosomes. The CCC, PXSC, and CG motives characteristic to extracellular loop 2 (EC2) region of TSP-2 were well conserved. PCR-amplified EC2 of CsTSP2 (CsTSP2EC2) was subcloned into pEXP5 NT/TOPO bacterial expression plasmid vector. Recombinant CsTSP2EC2 protein (rCsTSP2EC2) fused with 6X His tag was overexpressed bacterially and purified by using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography under denaturing condition. The purified rCsTSP2EC2 was recognized specifically by the sera from human infected with C. sinensis. Considering biological role and specific immunity of TSPs, rCsTSP2EC2 might be a probable vaccine candidate against clonorchiasis. Protective effects of immunizing rCsTSP2EC2 should be further studied.

Phosphorylation Directly Regulates the Intrinsic DNA Cytidine Deaminase Activity of Activation-induced Deaminase and APOBEC3G Protein

The beneficial effects of DNA cytidine deamination by activation-induced deaminase (AID; antibody gene diversification) and APOBEC3G (retrovirus restriction) are tempered by probable contributions to carcinogenesis. Multiple regulatory mechanisms serve to minimize this detrimental outcome. Here, we show that phosphorylation of a conserved threonine attenuates the intrinsic activity of activation-induced deaminase (Thr-27) and APOBEC3G (Thr-218). Phospho-null alanine mutants maintain intrinsic DNA deaminase activity, whereas phospho-mimetic glutamate mutants are inactive. The phospho-mimetic variants fail to mediate isotype switching in activated mouse splenic B lymphocytes or suppress HIV-1 replication in human T cells. Our data combine to suggest a model in which this critical threonine acts as a phospho-switch that fine-tunes the adaptive and innate immune responses and helps protect mammalian genomic DNA from procarcinogenic lesions.

A Novel Small Compound That Promotes Nuclear Translocation of YB-1 Ameliorates Experimental Hepatic Fibrosis in Mice

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is considered to be a major factor contributing to liver fibrosis. We have previously shown that nuclear translocation of YB-1 antagonizes the TGF-β/Smad3 signaling in regulating collagen gene expression. More recently, we have demonstrated that the novel small compound HSc025 promotes nuclear translocation of YB-1, resulting in the improvement of skin and pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we presented evidence as to the mechanism by which HSc025 stimulates nuclear translocation of YB-1 and the pharmacological effects of HSc025 on a murine model of hepatic fibrosis. A proteomics approach and binding assays using HSc025-immobilized resin showed that HSc025 binds to the amino acid sequence within the C-tail region of YB-1. In addition, immunoprecipitation experiments and glutathione S-transferase pulldown assays identified poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) as one of the cytoplasmic anchor proteins of YB-1. HSc025 directly binds to YB-1 and interrupts its interaction with PABP, resulting in accelerated nuclear translocation of YB-1. Transfection of cells with PABP siRNA promoted nuclear translocation of YB-1 and subsequently inhibited basal and TGF-β-stimulated collagen gene expression. Moreover, HSc025 significantly suppressed collagen gene expression in cultured activated hepatic stellate cells. Oral administration of HSc025 to mice with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis improved liver injury as well as the degree of hepatic fibrosis. Altogether, the results provide a novel insight into therapy for organ fibrosis using YB-1 modulators.

Effect of Human RyR2 CPVT Mutations on Interaction with Calmodulin

The ryanodine receptor (RyR) is a member of a family of intracellular calcium release channels that regulate calcium efflux from intracellular stores. The RyR2 isoform is most abundant in the heart and plays a key role in cardiac muscle excitation-contraction coupling. Clusters of mutations associated with the inherited arrhythmogenic disorder, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), have been found in specific regions throughout RyR2, a large protein of ∼5000 amino acids. Many of these CPVT mutations (total >100) are thought to occur in significant functional domains and result in the dysregulation of RyR channel function.One such region of RyR2 is believed to comprise a calmodulin (CaM) interaction site and two EF hand motifs. The calcium-sensitive binding of CaM has been shown to regulate the opening of RyR. Hence, examining the RyR2 interaction with CaM and the potential effects of CPVT mutations on this binding may help reveal mutation-dependent mechanisms of channel dysfunction.We have prepared bacterial expression plasmid constructs containing the wild-type human RyR2 CaM-interacting domain and introduced a series of CPVT mutations that have previously been identified to occur within this region. Expression and purification of the corresponding recombinant fusion proteins has enabled calcium-dependent binding of CaM to be determined with all these constructs. Examining the distinct functional role of calcium concentration on CaM binding kinetics and further comparative structural analyses of the wild-type and mutant RyR2 domains may help reveal the specific effect(s) that CaM-mediated regulation may have in mediating CPVT-linked arrhythmogenesis.

Determination of spatial and temporal colonization of enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli in mice using bioluminescent in vivo imaging

Infectious diarrhea is a major contributor of child morbidity and mortality in developing nations. Murine models to study the pathogenesis of infectious diarrhea caused by organisms such as enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are not fully characterized. More emphasis has been placed on infection of mice with the murine specific pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. While these three organisms are genetically related they are not identical. Our goal was to better characterize the murine model of EPEC and EHEC infection by using bioluminescent bacteria to determine temporal and spatial colonization of these two human pathogens. EPEC and EHEC were transformed with a bacterial luciferase expression plasmid containing the constitutive OmpC promoter. C57BL/6 mice were orally inoculated with bioluminescent EPEC or EHEC and bacterial localization in the intestine was monitored ex vivo and in vivo by IVIS. At 3 days after infection, EPEC, EHEC and Citrobacter rodentium were all localized in the cecum and colon. EPEC colonization peaked at day 2-3 and was undetectable by day 7. The bioluminescent EPEC adheres to the cecum and colon of the mouse intestine. However, when EPEC infected mice were administered xylazine/ketamine for in vivo live imaging, the EPEC persisted at high densities for up to 31 days. This is the first report of a bioluminescent imaging of luciferase expressing EPEC in a mouse model.